The first week of the preseason handed out a pretty clear split among the league’s young quarterbacks: a few looked ready to build momentum, and a couple left plenty of questions behind.
Fernando Mendoza was one of the biggest bright spots. In his Raiders preseason debut, he shook off the early nerves and then flashed exactly why people wanted to see him under center.
The best moment came on a throw that was, frankly, outrageous. Mendoza delivered it with confidence, fitting the ball to the inside shoulder of the receiver and keeping it away from the linebacker in coverage.
The play-action mechanics were clean, the pocket work was steady, and the result was the kind of high-difficulty completion Raiders fans were hoping to see from the #1 pick and Heisman winner.
Ty Simpson also opened the week on the right foot. The Rams rookie put together a strong debut, going 21/25 for 190 passing yards and 2 touchdowns.
Los Angeles kept him in a comfortable groove with short throws, quick decisions, and chances for his pass catchers to do work after the catch. Simpson later got opportunities to attack deeper, and he did, but most of his night came in rhythm, from clean pockets, off play-action, and with the ball coming out fast.
It wasn’t flashy for the sake of flash. It was efficient, controlled, and very encouraging.
Drew Allar may have had the loudest debut of the group. The Steelers rookie found the end zone on all three of his drives, and he looked the part throughout the night.
He was on time, sharp in the red zone, and showed off some arm talent with a few throws off-platform. For a player who has taken his share of criticism over the last couple of years, it was a strong reminder of why he was viewed as a possible 1st-round pick for a couple of years.
The Steelers are clearly high on him, and after this start, it’s easy to see why.
Not every young quarterback left that kind of impression. Cam Ward’s first preseason outing with the Titans was rough from the jump.
The #1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft went 5-of-12 for 57 yards against the 49ers, and the misses came in more than one area. He was off in the short game and also struggled even when the pocket was clean.
It was an ugly debut, no way around it, though the only consolation is that there’s room to climb from here.
Shedeur Sanders also had a night he’d probably rather forget. He finished 6-of-11 passing and added a bad interception and a fumble.
The interception was especially costly: he had a good pocket, held the ball a little too long with a wide-open receiver available, and then saw the throw slip as he released it before floating into Beanie Bishop Jr.’s hands. That kind of mistake is hard to overlook, even with the usual preseason caveats about the players around him.
For the Browns, it left the quarterback situation looking like a tough spot all around.
In Other News...
Max Klare Is Forcing A Rams Roster Decision Early
The Rams added Ohio State tight end Max Klare in the 2026 draft even with an already crowded room at the position, and his first preseason outing gave the front office something to think about right away. Against the Kansas City Chiefs, Klare caught seven of eight targets for 37 yards and showed enough as both a blocker and a receiver to stand out in a game where roster hopefuls are trying to separate themselves fast.
For a team that already had bodies at tight end, that kind of debut matters because it can change the conversation from developmental piece to immediate contender for a 53-man spot. Klare still has more proving to do, but the early signs suggest the Rams may have a tougher decision on their hands than they expected when they made the pick. [Read more 🡒]
Dean Connors Just Forced A Rams Backfield Debate
Dean Connors gave the Rams a useful preseason jolt in the opener, showing up as more than just a camp body fighting for attention. The undrafted rookie scored twice and flashed the kind of versatility teams always say they want from the back end of a roster, handling work as a runner, receiver and blocker in the same game. For a Los Angeles team always looking for cost-controlled depth, that kind of performance at least forces a second look.
The problem for Connors is that a strong debut does not erase the crowded reality in front of him. The Rams have a competitive running back room, and roster math can be unforgiving for an undrafted player even after a night like this. If Connors does not stick in Los Angeles, his blend of skills could make him an easy target for another team willing to pounce. [Read more 🡒]
Rams Put Ethan Evans On Notice With Curious Special Teams Move
The Rams made a curious special teams addition this week by bringing in punter Jack Bouwmeester, an Australia native who had been with the 49ers before moving on. The move gives Los Angeles some extra preseason depth at the position and adds a little more attention to Ethan Evans, who already looked the part in terms of leg strength but left some coverage questions hanging after his most recent preseason work.
Bouwmeesters arrival does not necessarily signal a full-blown competition, but it does put another leg in the building as the Rams sort through their special teams options. For Evans, the message is clear enough: big distance alone may not be enough if the rest of the operation does not line up, and the team now has another punter around to keep that discussion going. [Read more 🡒]