NFL preseason Week 3: 2023 top-five picks Bryce Young and Anthony Richardson headline up-and-down weekend for QBs
By Sam Joseph, CNN
(CNN) — The NFL regular season is nearly upon us.
All 32 teams were in action over the weekend as the preseason came to a close and teams are beginning the process of finalizing their regular season rosters.
Each team must trim its roster from 90 players to 53 by 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday, meaning that some tough decisions will have to be made.
Week 3 of the preseason provided a final opportunity for some players to shake off the rust and for others to prove that they’re worth a spot in the final 53.
Bryce Young impresses in cameo
It was a tough rookie season for the 2023 first overall pick Bryce Young. After the Carolina Panthers traded a slew of draft picks and wide receiver DJ Moore to the Chicago Bears to move up to No. 1, a lot of expectation was placed on Young’s shoulders to lead the team into the future.
Unfortunately, the rookie signal-caller consistently struggled throughout the season as the Panthers finished a league-worst 2-15, and the team could only watch in despair as its 2024 pick – which turned out to be first overall – went to the Bears, who selected Caleb Williams.
Young did not play in Carolina’s first two preseason games but made an appearance alongside the offensive starters on Saturday in a 31-26 win over the Buffalo Bills for one drive and showed positive signs.
Though it should be noted that the Bills didn’t play their starters, the 23-year-old QB finished 6-for-8 on passes for 70 yards and a touchdown. A 17-yard connection with Diontae Johnson to convert on fourth down highlighted a performance that impressed new head coach Dave Canales.
“A fourth-down conversion in there, but saw him extend plays with his legs, keeping his eyes down the field, finding guys,” Canales said after the game. “And you can see the carry-over from practice to the game of people creating space, the play after the play.
“Those are the things that are so critical for us. He handled the run game with great expertise and got us to the right runs in those situations.”
Carolina will be hoping that the form Young showed in his brief appearance carries over to the regular season.
Anthony Richardson’s up-and-down outing
Indianapolis Colts fans got the full Anthony Richardson experience on Friday in a 27-14 win against the Cincinnati Bengals.
After appearing in only four games as a rookie last season before being sidelined for the rest of the campaign due to a shoulder injury, hopes are high that Richardson can improve on the promise that he showed and capitalize on the boundless potential that saw him selected fourth overall in the 2023 Draft.
Richardson led a six-minute, 80-yard drive on the Colts’ opening possession where he went 7-for-8 through the air, throwing a touchdown pass to rookie receiver Adonai Mitchell.
His next drive was markedly less impressive. On second down, his pass intended for Kylen Granson was picked off by the Bengals’ Jordan Battle and returned for a touchdown. He was unable to lead any more scoring drives as the next three possessions resulted in punts.
Ironing out mistakes and showing consistency will be key for Richardson and Indianapolis this season as the young QB continues his development in the NFL. He has limited experience as a starter having only been named the starting QB in his third and final year at Florida.
Quarterback question marks
Thirty-one teams in the NFL know who will be starting under center in Week 1, but the New England Patriots are the only team yet to name a starting quarterback.
After parting ways with 2021 first-rounder Mac Jones this offseason, the six-time Super Bowl champions signed veteran signal-caller Jacoby Brissett in free agency and drafted North Carolina product Drake Maye third overall.
Head coach Jerod Mayo – who replaced the legendary Bill Belichick earlier this year – is likely to name a starter this week. His decision may be affected by an injury to Brissett in New England’s 20-10 loss against the Washington Commanders on Sunday.
Though Mayo told reporters that Brissett could have returned if it were a regular season matchup, he kept the 31-year-old out of the game and let Maye get some more reps in. The rookie QB said that he would be prepared if called upon to start in Week 1.
“Yeah, I think I would feel ready,” he said. “I think I’m ready for whatever this football team asks of me and ready to get out there and try to help us beat the Bengals Week 1.”
A less pressing but still intriguing quarterback situation is gradually arising in Dallas. There is no question about who the Cowboys’ starter is with 2023 MVP runner-up Dak Prescott on the roster, but Prescott only has one year left on his contract and could depart the team after this season.
It is possible that Dallas turns to a player lower on the depth chart in 2025, with Trey Lance currently on the roster. The 24-year-old was selected third overall by the San Francisco 49ers but injuries saw him fall out of favor and eventually traded to the Cowboys.
Lance played all of Dallas’ offensive snaps against the Los Angeles Chargers on Saturday, completing 33-of-49 attempts for 323 yards, while rushing for another 90. However, those numbers belie a turbulent performance that saw Lance throw five interceptions in the 26-19 loss.
It will take a lot more than that for the Cowboys to even consider Lance as a long-term successor to Prescott.
Every score from Week 3 of preseason
Away vs. home – winners in bold:
Indianapolis Colts 27-14 Cincinnati Bengals
Chicago Bears 34-21 Kansas City Chiefs
Jacksonville Jaguars 31-0 Atlanta Falcons
Miami Dolphins 14-24 Tampa Bay Buccaneers
San Francisco 49ers 24-24 Las Vegas Raiders
Carolina Panthers 31-26 Buffalo Bills
Pittsburgh Steelers 17-24 Detroit Lions
Baltimore Ravens 7-30 Green Bay Packers
Minnesota Vikings 26-3 Philadelphia Eagles
Los Angeles Rams 15-17 Houston Texans
Los Angeles Chargers 26-19 Dallas Cowboys
New York Giants 6-10 New York Jets
Cleveland Browns 33-37 Seattle Seahawks
Tennessee Titans 30-27 New Orleans Saints
Arizona Cardinals 12-38 Denver Broncos
New England Patriots 10-20 Washington Commanders
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