Former Oregon Ducks had one more preseason stage to make their case before NFL roster cuts, and a handful of them made noise in all the right ways.
The biggest quarterback flash came from Dillon Gabriel, who got his shot after the Cleveland Browns named Deshaun Watson their starter. Gabriel took advantage in the preseason finale against the New England Patriots, throwing for three touchdowns and 186 yards while completing 12 of 15 passes. For a player whose pro career already has a few twists, it was the kind of performance that reminds teams why they kept him in the mix.
Gabriel’s Oregon run was the last chapter of a college career that saw him throw 30 touchdowns and run for seven more, finish as a Heisman Trophy finalist and help the Ducks go undefeated in the regular season while winning the Big Ten Championship. Cleveland drafted him in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft, and his rookie year brought its share of highs and lows.
He appeared in 10 games, posting 937 passing yards, seven touchdowns and two interceptions before Shedeur Sanders, another Browns draft pick, later took over at quarterback. Gabriel is now on injured reserve with a back injury and a return designation.
Bryce Boettcher was another Oregon name that stood out in the preseason. The Indianapolis Colts linebacker, a 2026 fourth-round pick, kept stacking plays despite questions about his 6-1 frame translating to the NFL.
In the Colts’ preseason finale against the Detroit Lions, Boettcher had six tackles and forced a fumble. For the preseason overall, he finished with 10 tackles, six of them solo, along with a forced fumble and a stuff.
The former Oregon walk-on already had one viral moment this month thanks to a tackle for loss against the Atlanta Falcons. His latest splash came on special teams, where he punched the ball free and linebacker Caden Curry recovered it. Boettcher isn’t projected to start for Indianapolis in 2026, but his preseason work may have helped him lock down a spot among the second-string linebackers.
Dillon Thieneman also got his chance to show why Chicago spent a first-round pick on him. Oregon’s defensive first-round selection was active in three preseason games with the Bears, and the results were mixed.
He had moments where man coverage gave him trouble, but he also showed the speed and effort that made him a first-rounder. In his final preseason game against the Tennessee Titans, Thieneman delivered a big pass breakup in the end zone while racing with Carnell Tate.
Thieneman’s path mirrors another Ducks transfer who spent only one season in Eugene before reaching the NFL. After posting 92 tackles, five pass deflections, one sack and two interceptions in 2025, he became the No. 25 pick after his junior season.
Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon’s offensive first-round selection and a tight end for Dan Lanning, did not play in the preseason because of a hernia injury.
Jabbar Muhammad was the other second-year Duck trying to stick. The former Oregon cornerback turned in a strong preseason for Jacksonville, collecting 15 total tackles and sealing a game with a pass breakup against the New Orleans Saints. Even so, he still missed the Jaguars’ 53-man roster.
Muhammad had 41 tackles and 12 pass deflections in 2024 as a transfer at Oregon. He went undrafted in 2025, then landed with Jacksonville in training camp.
The Jaguars waived him before the 2025 season, though he stayed on the practice squad as a rookie. He can still land his first NFL 53-man roster if another team claims him on waivers within 24 hours of Jacksonville letting him go.
If not, he could be back on the Jaguars’ practice squad for a second straight year.
In Other News...
Bryce Boettcher May Have Just Played His Way Onto The Colts
The NFL preseason wrapped up with several former Ducks getting their final live reps before teams turn to cutdown decisions, and Bryce Boettcher made the kind of case players are always hoping to make in August. The Indianapolis Colts linebacker finished with five tackles and forced a fumble in a loss to Detroit, a busy enough night to stand out on a field full of rookies trying to carve out roles.
For Oregon fans, Boettchers showing was one of the more notable developments from the weekend, especially with other Ducks in different spots seeing lighter work. Chicago safety Dillon Thieneman started in a win at Tennessee but did not show up in the stat sheet, while Houston running back Noah Whittington and Jacksonville guard Emmanuel Pregnon did not play. A handful of other Oregon rookies were around the action in limited fashion, but Boettchers performance was the one that likely left the strongest impression as the preseason closed. [Read more 🡒]
Oregon Transfer Andrew Olesh Opens Up About The Game That Changed Everything
Andrew Olesh arrived in Eugene with a pretty clear memory of what Oregon looked like from the other sideline. The former Penn State tight end, once a top recruit, pointed back to the Ducks double-overtime win over the Nittany Lions during his freshman year as a moment that stuck with him, and it is part of the backdrop to his move to Oregon. Now he is trying to carve out a role in a tight end room led by Jamari Johnson, where the immediate task is straightforward enough: earn backup snaps and fit into a program that has already made a strong impression on him.
Dan Lannings track record was always going to matter in a decision like this, but Olesh also cited the personal connection he felt with the Oregon coach as a major factor in choosing to transfer. For a player still early in his college career, that mix of winning, trust and familiarity can be hard to ignore, especially when the destination is a team that already showed him something memorable in one of the games he watched most closely. The next question is whether that connection helps him turn a fresh start into a real foothold in Oregons offense. [Read more 🡒]
Oregons 2026 Hopes May Rest On 3 Huge Swing Players
Oregons offseason conversations are already turning toward 2026, and a few of the biggest reasons for optimism come from the players who can change a game in a hurry. Receiver Evan Stewart is working his way back after missing the 2025 season, linebacker Devon Jackson is heading into his final year with the kind of speed and physical edge that can alter the tone of a defense, and kicker Gage Hurych is being groomed for the sort of high-pressure moments that tend to decide tight Pac-12-style games.
For the Ducks, the intrigue is less about whether those three can contribute and more about how big their roles can become once the new season arrives. Stewarts return adds another layer to an offense that will want more explosive plays, Jackson gives the defense a veteran presence with real burst, and Hurychs preparation suggests Oregon is taking special teams seriously in the places where seasons often turn. If those pieces come together the way the staff hopes, the Ducks could have three swing players who matter far beyond their individual spots on the depth chart. [Read more 🡒]