NFL preseason recap: Scores & analysis (2024)

The Miami Dolphins and Jacksonville Jaguars mutually agreed to suspend their preseason game at TIAA Bank Field on Saturday after Miami wide receiver Daewood Davis was taken off the field on a stretcher following an injury in the fourth quarter.

• The injury occurred when Davis was attempting to catch a pass and got hit by Jaguars linebacker Dequan Jackson. The play resulted in a unnecessary roughness flag.
• Davis was taken to Baptist Medical Center Jacksonville for further evaluation and is conscious with movement in all extremities, the Dolphins said in a social media post.
• While speaking at a post-game news conference, Miami coach Mike McDaniel said “without a shadow of a doubt” it was the right call to end the game early.
• A similar situation unfolded Aug. 19 when the Patriots and Packers agreed to suspend their preseason game after New England cornerback Isaiah Bolden was taken off the field on a stretcher in the fourth quarter.

Read more here.

The preseason has, mercifully, come to an end. All of the Cincinnati Bengals’ offensive starters sat out except for one drive from Jonah Williams and the defensive starters only played one drive last week. Yet, for a team head coach Zac Taylor bragged to be the deepest in his time here, this was supposed to be a month for that depth to show off.

Did it? Sure. In spots. Defensive line and wide receiver the most notable of those. Elsewhere, positions like offensive line and tight end didn’t quite develop the same confidence.

There was still a fair share of winners and losers from the 21-19 Commanders win as the preseason wrapped. The club now turns its eyes to cutdown day on Tuesday with these performances fresh on the brain.

Four times in the second week of the preseason and once in the first week there were injury incidents similar to what we saw in the Dolphins-Jaguars game.

Mike Jones examined the issue earlier this week.

Per the Dolphins, WR Daewood Davis suffered an injury and has been taken to Baptist Medical Center Jacksonville for further evaluation. The team reports that he is "conscious and has movement in all extremities".

Upon mutual agreement of both teams, the game has been suspended.

The extended preseason is finally over. The Cleveland Browns will return from Kansas City Saturday night and will soon have to trim their roster from the summer size of 90 players to the regular-season size of 53.

All 32 teams must be at 53 players by 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday. Based on the last two summers, the Browns are likely to make a first wave of moves Sunday or Monday, then announce their 53-man roster at some point Tuesday.

After the deadline, waivers are processed Wednesday — at which point teams can begin building their 16-man practice squads. This projection is made with the initial roster in mind — hence the * in the analysis of each position group — though it notes the potential multiple transactions the Browns likely will have to make at certain position groups. In order to be eligible for short-term injured reserve, a player must be on the initial 53-man roster.

There will be a surprise on that roster. There almost always is. The Browns’ Thursday night trade of backup quarterback Joshua Dobbs to Arizona certainly qualifies as a surprise, but there could be another as Cleveland sorts through its injuries and the crowded roster groups.

Here’s my best guess on how that initial roster will go:

With the Buffalo Bills’ 24-21 win over the Chicago Bears on Saturday afternoon, the preseason is officially over. That means decision day is quickly approaching.

The Bills must bring their roster down to a maximum of 53 players by 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Aug. 29, and have several difficult decisions ahead of them. How has the preseason impacted the final roster, and who might the Bills be eyeing for the practice squad?

Let’s get right to it. Here’s my final projection of the summer for the Bills’ 53-man roster.

Quick thoughts on Colts rookie Anthony Richardson and his performance this preseason:

Obvious flashes with his arm and running ability and seems to have a good understanding of the pre-snap operation already. Will progress and come off throws too early at times and will benefit from letting plays work a bit longer.

Richardson has a tendency to resort to trick shots, which are overall a good thing and he has shown he can complete them. But it’s also what gets him in trouble, accuracy-wise. His sprays are usually tied into feet not working in unison with his upper body.

What’s cool with Richardson is how much he seems to learn from a previous mistake or missed opportunity. More reps benefit all young players, but he seems to really get a boost in XP with each one.

But he had enough of taking care of the “simple throws” against the Bills with some high-end flashes sprinkled in like this throw that it keeps the optimism very high with Richardson.

Overall a positive preseason.

Jacoby Brissett is, barring an injury to Jake Fromm, done for the preseason. He was 10 of 15 for 96 yards and a touchdown against the Bengals before departing, bringing his preseason numbers to 23 of 36 for 218 yards, one TD and two interceptions.

Brissett was signed to “compete” with Sam Howell but never really got the chance because the second-year QB maintained a firm grip on the gig all offseason. Brissett, 30, who has 38 starts with four teams, still fits nicely as one of the league’s most reliable backups.

Mitchell Tinsley is one of several undrafted rookie wide receivers vying to make the Commanders’ roster. He’s doing what he can in the preseason finale, getting loose for a 39-yard catch-and-run touchdown from Jacoby Brissett — who made a great play to escape the rush — to leave Washington tied with Cincinnati at 7-7.

Aaron Rodgers’ first drive as a Jets quarterback ended with an errant third-down throw as he fell to the ground, not exactly the site anyone wanted to see in his debut — especially for a meaningless preseason game. It was an issue of pressure, as running back Michael Carter badly whiffed blocking blitzing linebacker Isaiah Simmons.

That was quickly forgotten. Rodgers’ second (and final) drive ended in much more promising fashion, a dime to Garrett Wilson on a fade to the end zone, perfectly thrown right after the snap where only Wilson could get it. It was a 14-yard touchdown, reminiscent of a pass Rodgers completed many times over the years to Davante Adams. It’s easy to understand why Rodgers has spent so much time this summer comparing Wilson to Adams — and nobody should be described if Wilson is talked about among the NFL’s most elite wide receivers by the end of the season. It can’t hurt to have Rodgers throwing him passes now — even though he still managed to win Offensive Rookie of the Year and get more than 1,000 receiving yards in a year where he was catching balls from Zach Wilson, Mike White, Joe Flacco and Chris Streveler.

Rodgers’ night ended after those two series, his next will come on Sept. 11 for the Jets’ season opener against the Bills. His final stats: 5 of 8 passes for 47 yards, one touchdown and a 118.2 passer rating.

Rookie receiver Andrei Iosivas has been the darling of Bengals camp and has been targeted like crazy in both preseason games. The former track star from Princeton is continuing that tonight on Cincinnati's first drive with a beautiful back shoulder catch for a first down and then a leaping, wide-open touchdown catch from Jake Browning.

The 49ers had their Night of Reckoning on Friday, and Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch did not and could not experience it merrily. They had to go through this, though.

They took their massive write-off. They moved past the sunk cost. They owned up to the worst trade in franchise history. They absorbed the blame. They both stuck around at Levi’s Stadium late into the night, offered up some explanations and seemed absolutely committed to answer just about every question.

And it’s over now. The 49ers’ star-crossed Trey Lance era is over. On Friday, the former No. 3 overall pick was traded to Dallas for a 2024 fourth-round pick. Then, after the 49ers’ 23-12 preseason-closing loss to the Chargers, Shanahan and Lynch took turns — for a combined 30-plus minutes — trying to talk through what happened and, yes, get some closure for themselves and for everybody who also experienced this.

Read more here.

The Rams are activating TE Hunter Long off PUP, a source said.

Long missed all of training camp with a groin injury but it's a significant move to get him off PUP ahead of roster cutdown day on Tuesday.