Inside: How teams, players and units are trending after preseason Week 3, plus a very canine quote about Jayden Daniels.

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Preseason Week 3: Risers and fallers

The NFL preseason is a paradox.

On one hand, it doesn’t matter. In the 2023 preseason, Kenny Pickett looked ready for a starting role. In Week 1, he threw two interceptions and took five sacks in a 30-7 Pittsburgh loss. He has just one start since that season.

But certain aspects of the preseason foreshadow what’s to come. We can gauge explosiveness, project roles and decide if ascending talents pass the eye test. Last preseason, rookies Malik Nabers, Jared Verse and Joe Alt looked like Week 1 difference makers. Unlike with Pickett (a Super Bowl champion, to be fair), these were legit, and it’s clear something can be learned from August football, as the new-look Eagles’ and Commanders’ offenses also proved in 2024.

For whatever it will end up being worth, here’s who impressed me in the final week of the preseason:

📈 The Chiefs’ offense looks elite again. Kansas City was a perennial top-six offense in each of Patrick Mahomes’ first five seasons. They peaked in 2022, leading the NFL in points and yards, but declined every year since.

What changed? It wasn’t Tyreek Hill’s departure, as he was traded in 2021, the year prior to their top season. The root of this issue can be traced back to the 2023 offseason, when left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. departed for a payday in Cincinnati after two Pro Bowl years protecting Mahomes’ blindside.

Last season, the Chiefs fielded their worst offense of the Mahomes era. They were just average, ranking 15th in points per game and 16th in yards, while Mahomes took a career-high 36 sacks. They had failed to adequately replace Brown … until now.

As a Bengals fan, I’m genuinely concerned that the Chiefs’ offense could return to being the league’s best, thanks to the emergence of first-round tackle Josh Simmons. This preseason, he has an 84.1 pass-blocking grade and has allowed zero pressures, per PFF, while being a force in the run game. Watch how quickly he moves here:

The entire offense benefits from Simmons’ presence. Mahomes, unstoppable on Friday night, led scoring drives on all three of his possessions against the Bears’ first-team defense. He finished 8-of-13 passing for 143 yards and a touchdown in basically one quarter, with PFF giving him a near-perfect grade of 95.1.

📉 The Bears’ offense. A scoreless first quarter against the Chiefs’ starters included the kind of sloppiness that has plagued Chicago this offseason: a fumbled handoff, false start penalty and a Caleb Williams throw into double coverage (nearly intercepted).

📈 The Browns’ tight ends. Joe Flacco and Dillon Gabriel looked sharp, but most impressive was the 40 percent target share Cleveland’s tight ends saw from Flacco. Contract-year David Njoku (two receptions for 20 yards) and rookie Harold Fannin Jr. (two receptions for 16 yards and a touchdown) are primed for big seasons.

📉 Russell Wilson’s future in New York was always expected to be temporary, but Jaxson Dart accelerated that timeline. This preseason, the 22-year-old rookie impressed with his poise and decision-making across 47 pass attempts, completing 68 percent for 372 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions.

Dart showed consistent improvement with his deep passing (a few were dropped) and looked the part of a future franchise quarterback. Wilson’s days remain numbered.

📈 The Packers’ WR1. Green Bay broke historical norms by using a first-round pick on receiver Matthew Golden, who they hoped could become a bona fide No. 1. Golden’s impressive training camp and 39-yard catch this weekend suggest they got exactly that:

Josh Jacobs agrees, telling Kay Adams: “[Golden’s] going to be a special player.”

📉 Sanders brothers. Cleveland QB Shedeur confirmed in an awful performance against Rams backups why he was a fifth-round pick. He lost more yards (minus-41) than he gained through the air (14), and took more sacks (five) than completed passes (three). His 3.96 seconds to throw was the slowest among all preseason quarterbacks since 2013, per Al Kasten. Picture Justin Fields without the athleticism or arm strength. Yikes. Still, Shedeur’s roster spot should be safe.

His older brother, Shilo, wasn’t as lucky. The UDFA safety was cut by the Buccaneers on Sunday after being ejected during Saturday’s game.

📈 Courtland Sutton. If this weekend’s action is any indication, Denver’s Sutton should receive his second Pro Bowl nod this season. The 29-year-old caught four passes for 83 yards and a touchdown in just three drives against the Saints’ starting defense.

📉 The Falcons’ offensive line. An already thin depth chart took a brutal hit when starting right tackle Kaleb McGary was carted off during last week’s practice with a leg injury that could cost the former first-round pick significant time. His backup, Storm Norton, had ankle surgery last week and is expected to miss six to eight weeks. Bad vibes.

📈 Spencer Rattler starting Week 1. That’s not official, as it’s still “very, very close” according to Saints head coach Kellen Moore. Still, my continued expectation is that Rattler starts after he led two scoring drives against the Broncos’ starting defense. Tyler Shough kept it close with a strong game (12/20 for 102 yards and two scoring drives), but fumbled deep in Saints territory.

Whoever starts will be protected by rookie left tackle Kelvin Banks, as the No. 9 pick in this year’s draft has been outstanding in protection this preseason. Banks is a standout in The Athletic’s list of first-round rookie preseason winners.

What Dianna’s Hearing: Commanders’ confidence

Some people around the NFL have suggested the Commanders could be a candidate for regression, but … Washington still has Jayden Daniels (and a newly extended McLaurin). Head coach Dan Quinn told me last week that he would put the second-year QB in the conversation for hardest-working player on the team.

“I think that smile is a wolf in sheep’s clothing; like, he is an absolute dog,” said Quinn in this interview on the “Scoop City” Podcast.

Back to you, Jacob.

Extra Points

📕 Early coaching lessons. Liam Coen, Kellen Moore and Brian Schottenheimer are still only months into their first year as NFL head coaches. They sat down with The Athletic’s Mike Jones to share what’s surprised them on the job so far, advice from Nick Sirianni and more.

🤝 Jayden Daniels’ surprising mentor? 35-year-old Bobby Wagner, sharing wisdom learned from linebackers like Ray Lewis, Brian Urlacher and Patrick Willis. Our Dan Pompei details the rare relationship.

🔮 Projecting 2025. The Athletic’s beat reporters react to our win model projections.

▶️ Friday’s most-clicked: Kevin Fishbain’s ace story on what makes Ben Johnson unique.

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(Photo: Jamie Squire / Getty Images)