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With Week 1 of the preseason kicking off tonight, we’re hoping we see something as entertaining as former Jets QB Greg McElroy’s illegal forward pass from 2011. Here’s the schedule:
- 📺 Program guide for tonight
- 🤝 Aiyuk and the Steelers?
- 📰 Legendary debuts in the preseason
- 🥊 Preseason battles
NFL Preseason: Players to Watch as Week 1 Begins
NFL football tonight. Sort of. We have two games at 7 p.m. ET: Lions at Giants (FOX) and Panthers at Patriots (NFL Network). Here’s what I’m looking for:
- Both The Patriots’ rookie QBs – Drake Maye (pick No. 3) and Joe Milton (pick No. 193) – will play tonight. Both are must-sees. Maye, a native of Charlotte, North Carolina, makes his debut against the franchise he grew up watching, and will look to put his early struggles in training camp behind him.
- Admittedly, I am more interested in watching Milton, especially after Patriots sportswriter Chad Graff wrote that the backflip quarterback looked better than expected, “his flashes are incredible (and) he has one of the strongest arms in the NFL,” but added that the gap between him and Maye is still large.
- Other backup quarterbacks: Lions QB Hendon Hooker and Giants QB Drew Lock make their franchise debuts tonight. Hooker, a 2023 third-round pick, will see his first NFL snaps in a Lions uniform after rehabbing an injury last preseason cost him. He is expected to make the bulk of the appearances tonight. Lock could displace Daniel Jones for the starting position and should play a significant amount tonight as well.
- The in-game matchup of constant brawling that’s what the Lions and Giants did together this week. You know it’s bad when kneecap-biting Lions coach Dan Campbell calls it “too much” after every play during a kickoff session ended in a brawl. Every play! Both teams were fined $200,000 by the NFL as a result. We’ll see if cooler heads prevail and jerseys – and cameras – come to the fore.
- Giants rookie WR Malik Nabersone of those combatants. We’ll see if he plays after spending the last week destroying the Lions’ secondary (and after dominating the Giants’ cornerbacks in training camp). “There’s not much I can’t do,” said Nabers, who turned 21 in late July and was listed as a starter on the team’s initial preseason roster. HC Brian Daboll hasn’t said if Nabers will play tonight (but the Giants’ starters rested the first week of the preseason last year, so I’m pessimistic). For more on this year’s No. 6, check out his workout diary.
So there is a lot to consider, even without mentioning the new kickoff. More information:
Now Dianna has more to share about Brandon Aiyuk’s situation. I can’t believe we’ve gotten this far in the newsletter without going into more detail.
What Dianna hears: The Steelers’ place in the hunt for Aiyuk: “Stay tuned”
This was a rare moment for Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin, who showed his hand (or more accurately, his smile) when asked if Pittsburgh was considering adding a pass catcher to its receiver room. “I’ll let you guys speculate on that,” Tomlin said. His words didn’t mean much, but his face said it all.
There should be no speculation. The Steelers are in intensive talks with the 49ers in the hope of getting receiver Brandon Aiyuk. I’m told there’s more work to be done between both teams for this trade to cross the finish line.
In May, the 49ers offered Aiyuk a contract extension worth about $26 million per year, and their offer has essentially remained unchanged (Aiyuk is entering the final year of his rookie contract after the organization exercised his fifth-year option last offseason).
Aiyuk is coming off a successful season and is expected to earn $14.1 million on his current contract. He is looking for an offer in the range of $30 million per yearespecially after the market for wide receivers has grown significantly in recent weeks.
On Wednesday evening, a senior source at the Steelers wrote: “Stay tuned.”
We’ll see if Pittsburgh can make a trade with the 49ers and give Aiyuk a much better contract extension than the Niners. It’s important to note, though: The Steelers aren’t the only team in this race.
And as always, listen to Scoop City. Back to you, Jacob.
The best NFL preseason breakthroughs
If the preseason is good for anything, it’s finding young, talented players who are about to break out. In Week 1 of the 2023 preseason, Puka Nacua impressed with three catches, five targets, and a touchdown. But that was nothing compared to these two:
- WR Victor Cruz in 2010. The undrafted receiver from the University of Massachusetts had arguably the best preseason debut of all time with six catches, 145 yards and three touchdowns. Most impressive? This performance came in barely more than a quarter of the game. Even LeBron James tweeted about Cruz’s debut, which preceded a six-year NFL career with a Pro Bowl nomination.
- QB Dak Prescott in 2016. Long before the debate over a $60 million-a-year contract extension, Prescott was a fourth-round rookie competing against Kellen Moore for the position of backup to Tony Romo. With two touchdowns on Prescott’s first two possessions and a field goal on the third, he finished 10 of 12 passing for 139 yards, surpassing the year’s first-place finisher, Jared Goff. Twelve days later, Romo was out with an injury, Dak was named the starter, and he never looked back. Here’s every throw from that debut.
Last preseason, Raiders QB Aidan O’Connell posted a 90.8 passing grade, by far the highest of any rookie quarterback. And Texans QB CJ Stroud? He looked like the worst rookie QB, completing just two of four passes and having one interception, for a 31.4 passing grade. Remember, folks, take this with a grain of salt.
Are group practices worthwhile?
With the NFL’s ongoing disputes, Steve Buckley asks if the NFL should eliminate joint practices. He examines the pros (more reps, better talent evaluation) and cons (risk of injury, fights) of joint practices.
But these incidents aren’t limited to joint practices, as DK Metcalf proved yesterday when he hit his teammate in the head with a helmet. Click here to watch the video, or here for more background on the situation in Seattle.
And with the NFL preseason getting shorter, these joint practices provide a meaningful alternative to game-like repetitions and help avoid slow starts to the regular season (something I know very well as a Bengals fan). These heated exchanges are a testament to their value and proof that the players are committed.
All about the NFL
Former Broncos Pro Bowl S Justin Simmons visits the Saints, which could pair him with S Tyrann Mathieu to form a strong secondary player.
Rumors are surfacing again about tensions between Eagle Head coach Nick Sirianni and quarterback Jalen Hurts. Here was our report on this situation from a few weeks ago.
Cowboys RB Rico Dowdle, 26, “has to be the favorite to lead the team in rushing,” despite the presence of Ezekiel Elliott, per The athleteBy Jon Mochata.
The 49ers signed S Tracy Walker, 29, a third-round pick of the Lions in 2018. He started in six games last season.
Colts Sophomore Josh Downs may have to miss Week 1 after suffering a high ankle sprain in practice yesterday. He will miss the rest of training camp and the entire preseason.
Colts Backup C Wesley French is out for the rest of the season with an ankle injury that requires surgery. Rookie Tanor Bortolini, drafted in the fourth round, is expected to be Ryan Kelly’s backup.
Nozzles WR Mike Williams (ACL) activated from the active/PUP list. The 30-year-old should be ready for Week 1.
Jacob’s selection
📕 The NCAA has penalized Jim Harbaugh for violating Michigan’s recruiting rules. Austin Meek explores what that means. (The athlete)
🎙 Meet the NFL’s top 10 defenses in 2024. Most surprising? When Derrik Klassen convinced Robert Mays about 55 minutes in that he may have overestimated the Jets. (The Athletic Football Show)
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The bounce 🏀 | The winding ⚾ | Full time ⚽ | Prime tires 🏁 | Until Saturday 🏈
(Photo:
(Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
