Around The NFL's Kevin Patra dives deep into five key storylines from Week 2 of the preseason and dissects what they mean with the start of the 2026 regular season quickly approaching.
Browns name Watson starter
Todd Monken’s decision to name Deshaun Watson the team's Week 1 starting QB was clearly made before Saturday’s preseason game against the Bills and Watson's postgame comments. It’s the only way the decision to start the 30-year-old Week 1 makes logical sense.
Watson, seemingly perturbed that paying customers would voice their displeasure, looked disinterested on Saturday, skittishly going through the motions, making poor decisions and worse throws in a 5-of-12 passing performance.
The QB misfired repeatedly, didn't have the arm to fit the ball into tight windows, and airmailed wobbly pigskins that a backup had no trouble intercepting. It was an ugly mess. And it wasn’t new for a QB who has appeared in 19 games over four years in Cleveland. He’s been a dink-and-dunk checkdown merchant who implodes at the first sign of pressure. It’s a continuation of a player whose play more closely resembles an undrafted free agent who should be relegated to scout-team work than a star QB.
After the game, Watson criticized the fanbase for boos, suggesting they had less to do with repeated poor performances and were “more personal than that.” Perhaps there are some Browns fans for whom that is true. There is also a completely different sect that once upon a time celebrated the original trade that brought him to Cleveland from Houston in 2022. Since that day, Watson has been suspended, injured and has played poorly. Apparently that was enough to bump him from the starting role.
I’m not suggesting Shedeur Sanders is the best answer, but he was clearly the better passer on Saturday. The second-year QB was more decisive and mostly on point with his passes on Saturday (9-of-11 for 74 yards, one TD and one INT). The issue with Sanders remains consistency, with his first off-target pass getting intercepted. But at least he stretched the field and didn’t look aloof in the process.
The Browns open the season with two road games, a fact that feels pertinent to the decision to ride with Watson. If Cleveland opened at home, Watson -- who is not expected to see action in the preseason finale -- would have likely been relentlessly booed. If he can win a game in Jacksonville or Tampa Bay, perhaps the reaction from the fans won’t be as rough. If the Browns start 0-2 and Watson continues to play like he did Saturday, it could be a quick hook for the veteran. Regardless of when it happens, it’ll be a surprise if Watson makes it the entire season at QB1.
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Penix cleared for 11-on-11 in Atlanta
Finally, this quarterback competition can actually begin after being handcuffed for the bulk of the offseason. The Falcons announced Saturday that Michael Penix Jr. was cleared for team drills after he was kept out of full team work as he returns from his latest ACL tear. The surprise is that Penix still has a shot to win the starting gig.
With less than three weeks until the Week 1 opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sept. 13, I expected Tua Tagovailoa to run away with the QB1 job given Penix wasn’t cleared for full-time duty. That the veteran hasn't secured the job yet underscores his own struggles, which were plain in the first preseason game. Given that the current management and staff handpicked Tua this offseason, while Penix was a draft pick of the previous administration, I still give the former Dolphins QB the leg up to start Week 1. However, Penix getting cleared makes the next week or so far more interesting in ATL than it otherwise would have been.
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"GMFB" share the favorite thing you saw from Preseason Week 2.
How does Mendoza bounce back?
The Raiders got positive news on Ashton Jeanty, with reports that he suffered a sprained ankle after being helped off the practice field on Sunday.
While we still don’t know the timetable, Jeanty avoiding a more devastating issue is a relief for Las Vegas. His status will be something we hope to get more clarity on this week.
In the meantime, Fernando Mendoza got his first significant "Welcome to the big leagues" moment on Thursday against the Houston Texans. The No. 1 overall pick completed eight of 15 pass attempts for 86 yards, took an 11-yard sack and tossed a pick-six in one half of work. The action underscored that there is still plenty of work left for the rookie, particularly with his transition to more under-center reps. While rookie RB Mike Washington Jr. might have drifted on the pick-six, I don’t think it’s a coincidence that Mendoza threw the interception after a play-action dropback when he was asked to turn his back on the defense. Those types of plays take repetition, and even the most seasoned vets don’t always love it.
The negatives don’t concern me at all. It’s an annual tradition to nitpick rookie preseason action -- remember the hubbub about C.J. Stroud's first preseason INT before he went on to win OROY honors in 2023? The positive traits, in my view, vastly outweigh the growing pains. Mendoza’s willingness to rifle balls into traffic with precision is a starter trait. He’s already a faster processor than many rookies, even as he learns new aspects of quarterbacking. We routinely forget that many of the NFL's best QBs didn’t come out of the box premade -- Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, Matthew Stafford, etc. Peyton Manning famously endured an ugly rookie season in 1998 with the Colts. Mendoza shows the traits to overcome the negatives once he’s ready to take the reins fully.
Having written that, I am interested in how he bounces back this week after the proverbial beating he took. The best QBs are famously tough graders but don’t let things snowball. Even in relatively meaningless preseason games, Mendoza can show the mettle that made him a college sensation will carry over.
Backup QB quick-hitters
J.J. McCarthy’s dismal outing Saturday, in which he airmailed would-be scores, has to put some fear into the Vikings' coaching staff. Even as Kevin O’Connell remains upbeat, if Kyler Murray goes down with an injury midseason, who would you trust more to keep the season afloat, McCarthy or Carson Wentz? The fact that this is even a question says a lot.
The Colts' competition between Riley Leonard and Anthony Richardson turned ugly on Saturday. Neither QB played well at all in the second preseason game. Leonard’s play highlighted why the team decided to bring back quadragenarian Philip Rivers last year. Richardson couldn’t follow up his positive first preseason appearance, as the offense went nowhere with him at the helm against the Falcons. Right now, between the two, I’d choose: Mystery Box 3 (random veteran cut loose on Aug. 30's cutdown day).
Tanner McKee has clearly outplayed Andy Dalton in Philadelphia. For the second straight week, Dalton took preseason snaps ahead of McKee but struggled mightily. This one isn’t very close from what we’ve seen. If the Eagles were hoping to flip Dalton for something in a trade after the preseason, his play is likely scaring off any partners.
Joe Milton III once again dazzled in the preseason, but is it enough for the Cowboys staff to trust him as the primary backup to Dak Prescott when things matter?
Bucs undrafted QB Jalon Daniels has jumpstarted the offense, like a shot of sugar to a diabetic during a low. It would be a surprise if Todd Bowles trusted Daniels as the primary behind Baker Mayfield, but there is no question he brings more excitement than Jake Browning.
Stetson Bennett strengthened his case to backup MVP Matthew Stafford with a strong outing against New Orleans. That would push first-rounder Ty Simpson to No. 3 duties to open the season for the Rams.
It was a lot of ugliness for the Saints, with both Zach Wilson and Spencer Rattler struggling.
It felt like Kyle Allen secured the backup gig in Buffalo during a stellar showing against Cleveland.
Jets rookie Cade Klubnik had a so-so second preseason outing. He still feels like the most likely No. 2 to open the season behind Geno Smith, but it could come down to how the fourth-rounder plays this Friday against the Giants.
Mason Rudolph is clearly the backup in Pittsburgh. It’s felt for weeks that the Steelers would keep four QBs. Could that change if Will Howard struggles again?
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"GMFB" share what are your impressions of Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Rueben Bain Jr.
Some O-lineman battles to keep an eye on
Chiefs undrafted rookie Kahlil Benson struggled mightily on Saturday against the Bucs, getting bullied, particularly by fellow rookie Rueben Bain Jr. Benson was trending toward starting at right tackle, but the club could move him inside after the issues this weekend.
Bears left tackle Braxton Jones returned after missing time due to injury. It wasn’t all pretty, as he got beat for a quick pressure on one of his nine pass-blocking attempts. Still, it feels like Jones will man the left tackle spot until Ozzy Trapilo returns. With Jedrick Wills and Kiran Amegadjie taking RT snaps, Theo Benedet was the other LT on Saturday.
In Houston, offseason signees Braden Smith and Wyatt Teller ran with the second-team crew against Vegas.
The Ravens are hoping center Ethan Pocic proves fully healthy, but on Saturday, he played behind Jovaughn Gwyn, who has zero career regular-season starts.
Can second-rounder Jake Slaughter step into the Chargers' center void following center Tyler Biadasz’s season-ending knee injury? He looked solid in brief action on Thursday.