The final preseason weekend has a way of stripping everything down to the essentials. For most teams, the starters are already tucked away on the sideline. For a few quarterbacks, though, these last snaps still carry real weight.
That’s especially true in Las Vegas, where the Raiders are still sorting out whether Fernando Mendoza is ready to take the job or whether Kirk Cousins should open the season under center. The rookie was drafted first overall, so this decision was always coming. The only real mystery was timing.
Mendoza’s preseason has given the Raiders plenty to think about, and not all of it has been clean. After a strong debut, he hit a rough patch against the Houston Texans, going 8 of 15 for 86 yards and tossing an interception that was returned for a touchdown.
When the pocket stays tidy, he has looked comfortable. When pressure arrives, the usual rookie issues have shown up.
Cousins has made his case in much smaller doses. In his only preseason drive, he went 5 of 6 for 50 yards and a touchdown. Since then, Las Vegas has kept the 38-year-old on ice, which may say plenty about where the coaching staff is leaning even without anyone saying it out loud.
Head coach Klint Kubiak still hasn’t named a Week 1 starter. If Mendoza gets another extended look against San Francisco, the way he handles that interception and whatever comes next could make the call a lot tougher.
In Dallas, the backup race has tightened fast. Joe Milton showed up in camp with the reputation for a cannon, and now he’s pairing that arm strength with actual command.
Through two preseason games, he has completed 21 of 28 passes for 286 yards and three touchdowns, added a rushing score, and avoided turnovers. Just as important, he has looked more comfortable moving in the pocket and running the offense.
That has turned the Cowboys’ backup job into a genuine fight. Sam Howell entered camp as the favorite because he already has starting experience, but Brian Schottenheimer put it plainly before Friday’s game against the New Orleans Saints, calling the competition “neck and neck”.
Howell doesn’t need to light up the scoreboard. What he needs is a response to Milton’s steadiness. If Milton keeps stacking clean performances, Dallas may not have much reason to default to experience.
The Rams have their own decision, and it comes with a price tag attached. Los Angeles spent the 13th overall pick on Ty Simpson, clearly viewing him as the future answer behind Matthew Stafford. But that doesn’t mean Simpson is automatically the No. 2 right away.
Stetson Bennett is still very much alive in the race after completing 14 of 31 passes for 181 yards in the Rams’ shutout win over New Orleans. The start was rough, but he settled in and did enough to keep himself in the mix.
Simpson, for his part, has shown poise and accuracy in his first NFL preseason. The next test is whether he can push the ball downfield more consistently instead of leaning on safer throws underneath. Los Angeles could choose to keep both quarterbacks, but the order matters, especially with Stafford entering his age-38 season.
Simpson will get another shot against the Chargers. If he finishes strong, Sean McVay may have enough to decide the rookie is ready to serve as QB2 immediately.
None of these games will change the standings in September. But for the quarterbacks still battling for jobs, the final preseason weekend may decide who’s actually on the field when the games start to count.
In Other News...
Rams Face A Troubling Puka Nacua Cloud Before Week 1
Puka Nacuas status has become one of the more unsettling subplots hanging over the Rams as they get ready for Week 1, with the NFL reportedly reviewing the wide receiver for possible discipline tied to an offseason incident involving allegations of battery and assault. The civil case tied to the matter is not set for trial until March 2028, but the leagues timeline is much more immediate, and any decision on a suspension could arrive before Los Angeles opens the season in Australia.
For a Rams offense built around Nacuas emergence, the uncertainty is the real issue. ESPNs Adam Schefter noted the possibility that Nacua might not be available for the opener against the 49ers, though no ruling has been made yet. Until the league acts, the Rams are left managing a cloud they cannot control, one that could alter the first game of their season before they even get on the field. [Read more 🡒]
Rams Just Reopened A Familiar Wide Receiver Debate
A familiar name is back in the Rams wide receiver room after Los Angeles sent running back Jarquez Hunter to the Dolphins in exchange for Tutu Atwell. For a team that has spent time sorting out its pass-catching depth, the move brings in a receiver who already knows the system and gives the offense another option as it continues to build out the position.
Atwells return also circles back to a conversation the Rams have been having for a while about how they want to shape the room behind their top targets. Hunter had shown promise as a young back, but the Rams had enough bodies at the position and did not see enough special teams value to keep him in the fold. Now the focus shifts to what Atwell can add this time around, and whether this reunion changes the depth chart in a meaningful way. [Read more 🡒]
Why The Rams Suddenly Landed Tutu Atwell Again
The Rams are bringing Tutu Atwell back into the fold, and the move comes at a moment when Miami had a crowded and still-evolving wide receiver picture. Atwell had been on the fringes of the Dolphins offense, including a preseason stretch that never really got off the ground, while the Rams continue to keep a close eye on ways to add speed and familiarity to their receiver group.
For Los Angeles, the deal is also another reminder of how quickly roster needs can shift from one season to the next. Miami, meanwhile, has spent the offseason building out its receiver depth with a mix of rookies and veterans, making Atwell expendable enough to move for running back Jarquez Hunter. The trade leaves the Rams with a familiar name and a little more intrigue about how they plan to use him this time around. [Read more 🡒]