Overreaction Monday: 1 terrible take about first round rookie preseason debuts

NFL fans finally got their first taste of games in over six months. This past weekend was the first week of preseason, with rookies and veterans both looking to establish themselves. These few weeks will be a good opportunity for these players to elevate themselves on the depth chart.

The preseason, especially in Week 1, is also when fans overreact to the performances and make the boldest takes possible. This week brought the debut of several rookies, including players drafted in the first round. There have been some wild takes before the first week of preseason football and there are going to be wild takes after this past weekend.

Overreaction 3. Michael Penix Jr. will be a week one starter even if Kirk Cousins is healthy

Kirk Cousins left the Minnesota Vikings because he knew the team would look for his replacement. Imagine his shock when his new team, the Atlanta Falcons, traded to pick the Washinton Huskies quarterback with the eighth overall pick. This situation left the team having to convince Cousins that the process of Penix being ready as a starter would take several seasons.

While Cousins is attempting to fully recover from his Achilles tear from last season, Penix and other quarterbacks have been taking the first-team reps. In the first preseason game, Penix completed 9-of-16 for 104 yards and a quarterback rating of 76. He looked like a composed and efficient playmaker under center.

There are several fans that want Penix to be the week one started into the season even if Cousins is 100 percent. Cousins will be the week one starter, if fully healthy because the Falcons have invested so much money into him. The team also wants Penix to develop under Cousins and learn from him. Penix could be an excellent starter for the Falcons, but it could be a few years.

Overreaction 2. Bo Nix will win the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year

The 2024 NFL Draft could have an early set of starters at the quarterback position. One quarterback who could be a surprise starter early in his career is Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix. He has been impressive this offseason and in early practices.

Nix played five series in the Broncos’ 34-30 win over the Indianapolis Colts in the preseason opener.  A good portion of his series came with the first-team offense. He completed 15-of-21 of his passes for 125 yards, one touchdown and a quarterback rating of 102.3.

Nix has been impressive with the Broncos to the point where he could be the starter in week one of the regular season. He has been so impressive that he is in line for the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year. He will have to dominate on the field with an underdeveloped Broncos’ roster to pass over Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams and Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. 

Overreaction 1. The injury to Malik Nabers will cause the New York Giants to be the worst team in the league

Things haven’t been easy for the New York Giants this off-season. The loss of running back Saquan Barkley has been highlighted by HBO’s Hard Knocks in their offseason special. In order to bring some spark back into the offense, the Giants drafted LSU Tigers wide receiver Malik Nabers with the sixth overall pick.

The situations with the Giants could go from bad to worse with Nabers suffering an injury early in his NFL career. Naber’s ankle injury will not require surgery and is considered day-to-day, so he will be back. The problem is that Nabers’ ankle might not be 100 percent at the start of the 2024 NFL season.

Much of the Giants’ offense and the jobs of coaches and front office staff will depend on Nabers’ availability to be a high-level receiver, something quarterback Daniel Jones has never had in the NFL.

The Giants have the potential to be a playoff team this season if the other offensive stars and the defense play well. The Giants should be much better with the additions of defensive coordinator Shane Bowen and elite pass rusher Brian Burns leading the charge.

Others like the Las Vegas Raiders, the Carolina Panthers and the New England Patriots will be much worse situations.