NFL Player News

Taylor completed eight of 18 passes for 53 yards and tossed a pair of interceptions in Thursday's preseason game against the Eagles.

Taylor's first pick came on a screen pass that was batted up in the air by a blitzing safety, but the second interception was just a bad throw directly to former teammate Ronald Darby, who had already dropped a potential pick-six earlier in the game. In Taylor's defense, he was playing against one of the most talented front sevens in the league, without the help of recent acquisition Jordan Matthews (sternum). It was still a surprisingly poor performance, considering the 28-year-old tossed only 12 picks in 29 starts the past two seasons. While his initial returns without Sammy Watkins were unquestionably ugly, Taylor mostly got by fine in the past when his oft-injured favorite target was unavailable.

Barkley will be the third-string quarterback in Saturday's preseason matchup with the Broncos, Cam Inman of The Mercury News reports.

Barkley had been the No. 2 option behind starting quarterback Brian Hoyer, but C.J. Beathard has ousted him for the primary backup role, at least for one game. The shift doesn't set anything in stone, but it's not a great sign for Barkley's chances at the backup position on the final roster.

Beathard will be the second-string quarterback in Saturday's preseason tilt against Denver, Cam Inman of The Mercury News reports.

Beathard had been operating as San Francisco's third-string quarterback, behind starter Brian Hoyer and fellow backup Matt Barkley. The movement up the depth chart may be temporary, but it's a positive sign for the rookie signal caller, as it shows that the coaching staff is giving him serious consideration in a battle for the 49ers' primary backup job.

Tannehill is slated to undergo reconstructive knee surgery Thursday, Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald reports.

Based on typical injury rehab timetables, Tannehill is probably looking at a return to the field in 10-to-12 months following his reconstructive surgery. With those parameters in mind, the QB could be ready to go by the start on training camp in 2018, or not long after. Added clarity on that front will arrive in time, but what is already known is that Tannehill will not play this season, which paves the way for newcomer Jay Cutler to helm the team's offense in 2017.

Siemian completed all five of his pass attempts during the red-zone period of Denver's joint practice with the 49ers, but led to just one score, Troy Renck of Denver 7 ABC reports.

Paxton Lynch, on the other hand, reportedly targeted the end zone on all six of this throws, but completed just two. Siemian can be forgiven for being reserved and taking what the defense gives him as the Broncos' quarterback battle draws to a close. Though his final stat line didn't look much better than Lynch's in the preseason opener in Chicago, Siemian looked more comfortable and kept the Broncos on schedule with smooth passing in the short and intermediate areas. It doesn't make sense for Siemian to take risks down the stretch when he's already built a sizable lead on Lynch.

Lynch completed two of six passes for two scores during the red-zone period of Denver's joint practice with the 49ers, Troy Renck of Denver 7 ABC reports.

Trevor Siemian, who reportedly has a leg or two up on Lynch for the starting job, reportedly completed all five of his attempts during the same drill, but led his group to score just once. Lynch, meanwhile, targeted the end zone on each throw. Head coach Vance Joseph and offensive coordinator Mike McCoy have sent some mixed signals in terms of what they are looking for from a quarterback this season. Preferences for ball placement and mastery of the offense probably lean toward Siemian, but Lynch's arm talent and aggressiveness are better for yielding chunk plays. Though many have said that this competition is already over in Siemian's favor, Lynch has a golden opportunity this week: starting against a team that he will have practiced against twice during the week.

Dobbs likely will start Sunday's preseason game against Atlanta, ESPN.com's Jeremy Fowler reports.

Dobbs struggled as the starter in Pittsburgh's preseason opener, completing eight of 15 passes for 100 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions. Ben Roethlisberger (ankle) will be held out for a second straight week, but there is some chance No. 2 quarterback Landry Jones (abdomen) will be available after he returned to practice Wednesday. Dobbs, a fourth-round pick in this year's draft, figures to make the final roster as a developmental project behind Roethlisberger and Jones.

Peterman will serve as the No. 2 quarterback Thursday against the Eagles, and for now it looks like he's passed T.J. Yates for the top backup job behind Tyrod Taylor, Jay Skurski of The Buffalo News reports.

Peterman, a rookie out of Pitt, has done a complete about-face after struggling throughout the early part of training camp, as he looked great during his preseason debut and has continued to shine in his opportunities with the twos during recent practices. Yates still has time to get his spot back, while for now the Bills seem quite happy with the progress of their fifth-round selection.

Mahomes will play the third quarter during the Chiefs' second preseason game Saturday against the Bengals, Terez Paylor of the Kansas City Star reports.

Mahomes will be at the helm for one quarter of Saturday's preseason contest as he looks to beat out Tyler Bray for the backup job at quarterback behind Alex Smith. The first-rounder out of Texas Tech completed seven of nine passes for 49 yards and a touchdown in the opener against San Francisco, while Bray's interception helps Mahomes' case for the No. 2 spot. Smith and the first team will play the entire first half Saturday.

Savage believes he needs to get the ball out of his hands quicker, Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle reports. "I think that's the No. 1 thing. We have a great line. They're going to do their best to protect. It's my job to get the ball out there," said Savage.

Savage acknowledged being deliberate in the pocket, taking too long to make a decision, which can lead to sacks or unnecessary punishment. The Texans can help Savage with that tendency by operating a short-to-medium range passing game and relying heavily on their running backs. The fourth-year quarterback remains the likely starter and will continue to be, barring injury, poor play or rookie Deshaun Watson forcing the issue.