The NFL Season is upon us. It feels like forever ago that the Chiefs hoisted the Lombardi trophy in their Super Bowl win. Now, a brand new football season is ripe with infinite possibilities. Before any regular season, there is the preseason, in which players compete for roster spots and provide fans with a sneak peek before the regular season begins. I believe a couple of players have really stood out from the rest during their time in the preseason.
It is important to note that impressive preseason performances don’t always translate to remarkable players. Most of the time, the backups are in, and the starters only play a few minutes. These players showed glimpses of exceptional play, and that will translate into the regular season.
“He looks a little Mahomey”
The first player I want to discuss is this year’s No. 1 overall pick, Caleb Williams. Williams got drafted to an impressive Bears team, on paper. It looks like he has all the weapons he needs to successfully run their offense. He was a superstar at USC and had a lot of hype surrounding him. When it came to the preseason, there was a lot of anticipation as to how Williams would perform.
In his preseason debut, Williams was able to showcase his poise in the pocket and his willingness to throw the ball over the middle.
His creativity and playmaking got him comparisons to Patrick Mahomes right away. Especially on the flick pass to his running back.
The impressive play continues
There are three weeks to the preseason, so those comparisons might’ve come too hastily. During his second outing of the preseason, Williams didn’t start as impressive as the week prior. He struggled early on to find his footing and make accurate throws. This doesn’t mean that he wasn’t able to string together some inspiring plays. In fact, he scored his first-ever TD of the preseason in this Week 2 performance.
During this week, Williams was able to showcase his rushing ability and elusively in faking out defenders. When he ran out of the pocket and threw the ball to Odunze, that was his bread and butter at USC. If Williams can get comfortable making plays like that, it’s easy to see how excited fans are for the Bears’ future. William’s didn’t play in the preseason finale but from the flashes shown, he looks like the real deal. I have high hopes for the rookie QB and we may be looking at the next face of the league.
I BOLIEVE
The next rookie quarterback I would like to discuss is Bo Nix. I am a Denver Broncos fan, and when they selected him 12th overall, I had my doubts. As a fan, I was just so tired of dealing with so many quarterbacks the past couple of years. Watching him in training camp was nice to see, but that footage is even less reliable than preseason football.
Nix had much to prove in the preseason as he was expected to be the starter, but it wasn’t guaranteed.
Thus, once Bo Nix walked out onto the field my eyes were glued to the screen to see for myself if he was legit or just another guy. I am happy to say that his performance in the preseason was spectacular. Bo Nix is a rookie, but his situation is unique as he comes into the league at 24 years old. Sean Payton, head coach of the Denver Broncos, stated that Nix was the most ready quarterback in the draft.
After watching his tape, I’d have to agree. He has had a lot of game experience because he spent so much time in college. His decision-making and accuracy are very sound. He’s also not afraid to show his athleticism and scramble if need be.
Tempering Expectations
As a fan, it’s easy to see Nix’s success in the preseason and get excited. That’s fair, but for fandom, it’s easy for that excitement to slip into delusion. The Broncos can have a good season, but this team is still not the best. Some experts are even saying that the Broncos have the worst roster in the NFL!
I don’t believe that to be the case but I know more likely than not, the Broncos will have another losing season. Honestly, I’m fine with that because, finally, it seems like this franchise has some direction. They have the quarterback of the future, a head coach who knows how to play to his strengths and a defense that looks to be solid for the next couple of years.
Bo Nix turned a lot of heads with his preseason performance. He was so impressive that he won the starting job. This makes him the first rookie quarterback to start for the Broncos in Week 1 since John Elway! Those seem like huge shoes to fill, but I have confidence that Nix can continue to ascend. The NFL regular season cannot come soon enough.
Giants All In
The New York Giants didn’t live up to expectations last year. I mean, they didn’t have any, but after winning a playoff game, some fans expected another year of greatness from the team.
Unfortunately, they were one of the bottom teams in the league, which is why they got such a high draft pick. With the 6th pick, they drafted wide receiver Malik Nabers. Nabers brings a much-needed explosiveness to an offense that would stall out at many points last season. He also brings his youth and mentality to a team that has not lived up to expectations.
In his preseason debut, he got wide open at times but the passes just weren’t coming his way. That’s a good summary of how the rest of his preseason went as well. He showed flashes of his quickness and route-running while the balls were being placed elsewhere. Yet, it seems like the Giants organization has seen enough, and they are ready to commit to their young star.
They have decided to unretire number 1 for Nabers to wear. This number was last worn in 1935 by Ray Flaherty! It was also the first jersey number to be retired in professional football. This is a big move for them, and they have a lot of confidence in Nabers’s success. I’m sure that Nabers will continue to get open, and I’m sure that eventually, they’ll start going his way.
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