With the conclusion of NFL preseason games Thursday night, the start of NFL Week 1 of the regular season is just seven days away. Several teams will be making some difficult decisions in trimming their rosters.
There were several winners and losers during the month of August. Many rookies impressed, while others were just struggling to get on the first team.
We took at look at preseason and put together some of the players that had great training camps, and others who might have seen their stock drop a bit in the last four weeks.
Winners
Sam Darnold
The New York Jets first-round pick has been the most impressive rookie of the five quarterbacks taken in the first round. He has all but won the starting job with his performance in the preseason.
Darnold, the No. 3 pick in the draft from USC, impressed his offensive coach, Jeremy Bates.
“He’s able to take the classroom knowledge and take it right to the field and execute it,” Bates said. “We’re throwing a lot of football at him and he’s able to handle it. Man, he’s owned the playbook. That’s probably the most impressive thing.”
Adrian Peterson
Signed by the Washington Redskins after projected starter Derrius Guice suffered a season-ending knee surgery, Peterson could be the answer to the backfield question.
The 11-year veteran played in only one exhibition game, but showed flashes of brilliance against the Denver Broncos. He ran 11 times for 56 yards, including gains of 15 and 13 yards.
Shaquem Griffin
He is the feel good story of this year’s NFL Draft. The former University of Central Florida linebacker had his left hand amputated when he was five, and has overcome that disability. He was taken in the fifth round by Seattle and was slated as a reserve, maybe making the special teams.
He has performed so well, that he may be starting the first week of the season. Veteran linebacker K.J. Wright is still not 100 percent from knee surgery, and if he’s not ready to go in a week, Griffin might start.
“He’s really doing well,” Coach Pete Carroll said. “I need to see the film, but it’s a really important position for us, obviously right now with K.J. not ready for us yet. I’m anxious to see how he did.”
Losers
Buffalo Bills Offensive Line
Oh my do they look awful, and rookie quarterback Josh Allen has a ringing headache to prove it. In the game against Cincinnatti he was sacked five times. He was also knocked down on an incomplete pass and had to leave the game.
If the offensive line can’t protect Allen, or whoever is the quarterback, the team risks a bunch of injury at signal caller.
Paxton Lynch
It is hard when the former first-round pick by Denver is upstaged by the last pick in the draft. Chad Kelly outperformed Lynch throughout training camp, and won the second-string job.
Lynch found himself on the endangered quarterback list, and may be cut by the Broncos on Sunday.
Philadelphia Eagles
The Super Bowl winners looked anything like world champions during the preseason. The offense struggled, with the first-string offense playing 10 drives and scored 0 points.
Last year’s starter Carson Wentz, who suffered a torn ACL, has not practiced in full contract drills and probably won’t start the first week. Nick Foles was strong as a starter last year, but has been ineffective in preseason. The team might have a bit of a letdown from last year.
