The NFL preseason is a wonderful time for overreactions. It’s loaded with fool’s gold and box-score warriors who end up driving a delivery truck a few weeks or months from now. Flashing and popping an all of that is nice, but there is no substitute for actual NFL football played by NFL players in games that actually count in the standings.
And, alas, we are still nearly a month from that.
But there are certain individuals doing certain things that do standout. Some of the younger players in this league are backing up what they have been showing in practice with what they did in the first exhibition game – many of their first games in the NFL of any sort – and given the construct of what is around them (other skilled teammates, a proven scheme, etc.) there is reason to believe some of what our eyes told us.
These individuals certainly have my attention now, and they may be on their way to true breakout seasons.
QB Will Howard, Pittsburgh Steelers
He’s not even the Steelers quarterback everyone is all fired up about. Not even close. Rookie Drew Allard is all the rage. He’s led some scoring drives, and there were explosive plays … of course he was playing against lesser talent and a preponderance of those gains were YAC across green, green grass.
Taking nothing away from Howard, but the people in that organization who have been whispering to us about Howard for a while now feel even more bullish on this 2025 draft pick’s potential. He has a better offensive staff around him now. Could the Steelers actually have more quarterbacks than they can play at once after not having any for so long?
WR Ja’Kobi Lane, Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens have a terrible history of drafting wide receivers, but this kid just looks and acts and talks different. He has a smooth frame at 6-foot-4 and he leaps naturally and provides a huge catch radius. He clicked with undrafted QB Joe Fagnano of UConn Saturday against the Eagles and caught all three targets and had a silky touchdown and got to spend the second half in street clothes like a veteran.
Kid is very humble and poised and has shown no diva tendencies while tearing up camp on a daily basis. As great as he’s played, rookie head coach Jesse Minter actually pointed to the rookie’s “demeanor” as being his most impressive trait. Lamar loves big targets and he was gushing about Lane during the game broadcast when interviewed on the sidelines about how aggressively he attacks the football. Hmm
QB Tyson Bagent, Chicago Bears
The more I watch this kid, Tyson Bagent, the more he just looks the part. Ben Johnson has done a tremendous job with him and the two-year extension they signed him to last August looks even smarter now. If something happened to Caleb Williams for 4-6 weeks, this backup could hold it down.
Once a total Division II project, Bagent knows he has some game now. Would I be shocked if someone made them an offer they can’t refuse for him by the deadline should injuries emerge? I wouldn’t. I think this kid can start and be somewhat in that Malik Willis mode as a later bloomer who got with the right coaching staff and became a starter elsewhere.
“He’s come a long way,” said one NFL personnel exec. “He’s not just a runaround guy anymore.”
K Trey Smack, Green Bay Packers
I believe in this rookie kicker. Everything about him looked the part in his debut.
Kicking in Pittsburgh, where it’s brutal any time of year, he was undaunted and has the kind of leg that can push 60 with regularity. The Packers, somehow have a 57% conversation rate as a team on field goals of 40-49 yards or less the last two years. Seems impossible in this era, but it’s true.
This kid won’t just solve that, he is going to be a real weapon. This team has found ways to stop scoring and blow some games, and massive special teams issues have played no small role in that. If the coach doesn’t have to sweat that stuff anymore, look out. Trading up for him the sixth round will be a steal.
WR De’Zhaun Stribling, San Francisco 49ers
This looks like WR1 in the 49ers offense, possibly. After all of their injuries and attrition, they need a breakout dervish, and Kyle Shanahan will have fun scheming it up for this kid. He caught seven of eight targets and was getting open wherever he wanted; this isn’t just a YAC situation.
The second-round pick had a lot of fun once he got to Ole Miss and his new coach can scheme it up, too. Expect to see him in motion all over and getting a running start at defenses. With Ricky Pearsall out again, this roster is desperate for an insertion of energy and verse, and Stribling will provide it.
But it probably still won't be enough for a team that appears to be in decline.
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