NFL Player News

Bills head coach Sean McDermott said Thursday that Trubisky will open Saturday's preseason game against the Giants with the starters, and that Buffalo's first-team unit will play about a quarter, Matt Parrino of The Syracuse Post-Standard reports.

Trubisky will get an opportunity to work with the first-team unit Saturday while franchise quarterback Josh Allen sits out. The expectation is that Trubisky will see action in all three of the Bills' preseason matchups, with the following two games coming Aug. 17 against the Bears and Aug. 23 versus Tampa Bay, though it's possible Allen gets a chance to suit up in one or both of those contests.

Bills head coach Sean McDermott said Thursday that Allen will not suit up for Saturday's preseason opener against the Giants, Matt Parrino of The Syracuse Post-Standard reports.

Allen will rest Saturday while backup Mitchell Trubisky gets the start at quarterback, though McDermott said the rest of the starters will play roughly a quarter, per Maddy Glab of the Bills' official site. It remains to be seen how much action Allen, who signed a six-year, $330 million contract extension with Buffalo this offseason, will see in the team's two remaining preseason contests.

Gabriel (hamstring) won't participate in 11-on-11 drills Wednesday, Mary Kay Cabot of The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.

Gabriel is one of three Browns quarterbacks who won't play in Friday's preseason opener in Carolina, with Shedeur Sandersand Tyler Huntley set to see action in the contest. The 2025 third-round pick sustained a hamstring injury in practice last Saturday and won't push it for the remainder of the week. He is still competing for his spot on the roster in what is a very crowded quarterback room.

Pickett (hamstring) participated in 7-on-7 drills during Wednesday's practice, Mary Kay Cabot of The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.

Per Kelsey Russo of the Browns' official site, Pickett won't play in Friday's preseason opener against the Panthers, while the QB's status for the team's Aug. 16 contest against the Eagles is uncertain at this stage. The same applies to Dillon Gabriel (hamstring), with fellow signal-callers Joe Flacco, Shedeur Sanders and Tyler Huntley handling team drills Wednesday.

White and Mitchell Trubisky are in a backup QB competition that will likely extend throughout the preseason, Lance Lysowski reports.

White signed to the Bills' practice squad last season and appeared in Week 18 behind backup Mitchell Trubisky. The 30-year-old has attempted just eight passes over the past two seasons but has an opportunity to secure a backup role, as Trubisky is a potential cap causality on the final year of his two-year, $5.2 million contract.

Huntley is expected to back up Shedeur Sanders in the first preseason game against Carolina on Friday, Cameron Wolfe of NFL Network reports.

Huntley signed with Cleveland on Monday and is now expected to play in their preseason opener just four days later. Along with Shedeur Sanders, he is the only available quarterback with Kenny Pickett (hamstring), Dillon Gabriel (hamstring) and Joe Flacco (resting) not playing. The 27-year-old journeyman is now on his fifth team after spending last year in Miami, where he started five games.

Trubisky and Mike White are in a backup QB competition that will likely extend throughout the preseason, Lance Lysowski reports.

Trubisky made an appearance in nine games last season for the Bills, backing up quarterback Josh Allen. Though the 30-year-old was ahead of Mike White on the depth chart last season, Trubisky is entering his final season of a two-year, $5.2 million contract, making the ninth-year pro a potential cap casualty if the competition is at all close.

Commanders coach Dan Quinn said Wednesday that Mariota is dealing with a mild lower leg strain, Nicki Jhabvala of The Washington Post reports.

Quinn said his level of concern is "low" regarding Mariota's injury, but with Jayden Daniels and his top backup both not set to play in Friday's preseason opener against the Patriots, Josh Johnson and Sam Hartman will get a chance to handle the bulk of reps. It sounds like Mariota's injury is minor enough that he could be available to suit up for preseason action versus the Bengals on Aug. 18.

Garoppolo has impressed with the first-team offense while Matthew Stafford (back) has been sidelined, and head coach Sean McVay said Garoppolo "was awesome" during Tuesday's session, Stu Jackson and Wyatt Miller of the Rams' official site report.

Garoppolo appears in line to handle the bulk of first-team reps throughout training camp and the preseason, with McVay saying Wednesday that Stafford is week-to-week due to an aggravated disc in his back, per Grant Gordon of NFL.com. McVay downplayed the severity of Stafford's injury and said he expects the 37-year-old to be ready for Week 1, but in the meantime at least Garoppolo will see continued opportunities to build chemistry with top wide receivers Puka Nacua and Davante Adams. However, given McVay's track record, it's likely Garoppolo and the rest of the first-team unit won't take the field during Saturday's preseason opener against the Cowboys.

Titans coach Brian Callahan said Wednesday that Ward and other starters will play in every preseason game, including a series or two this Saturday against Tampa Bay, Jim Wyatt of the Titans' official site reports.

Callahan also said Ward has shown growth throughout training camp, adding that he feels good about the offense's trajectory. The No. 1 overall pick has long been locked in as a Week 1 starter, with not much competition behind him ever since Will Levis underwent season-ending surgery in July.