NFL Player News
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Kyle Trask QB | TB
Buccaneers' Kyle Trask: Outperforms Wolford in loss
Trask completed 12 of 19 passes for 108 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions and rushed once for four yards in the Buccaneers' 20-7 preseason loss to the Jaguars on Saturday night.
Trask led the Buccaneers' only scoring drive of the night, a nine-play, 68-yard march he capped off with a six-yard touchdown pass to Cody Thompson. With his first-half performance, the third-year quarterback appears to have gotten a leg up on fellow signal-caller John Wolford (ribs) in the battle for the No. 2 job, and the latter's injury, which forced a fourth-quarter exit Saturday, arguably tips the job battle in Trask's favor all the more.
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Will Levis QB | TEN
Titans' Will Levis: Expected to start preseason finale
Titans coach Brian Callahan said Sunday that he's currently planning for the team's starters, which should include Levis, to play in the preseason finale versus New Orleans on Sunday, Aug. 25, Jim Wyatt of the team's official site reports.
Callahan added that he'd "like to see our starting offense play somewhere in the 3-ish series" against the Saints, per Wyatt. Levis played the first two drives of Tennessee's preseason opener and then was held out along with a group of the team's key starters in Saturday's exhibition against Seattle.
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Matthew Stafford QB | LAR
Rams' Matthew Stafford: May not practice Monday
Rams coach Sean McVay said Sunday that he's unsure if Stafford (hamstring) will practice Monday, Stu Jackson of the team's official site reports.
Stafford has been sidelined since leaving Wednesday's practice early with what was described as hamstring tightness. McVay stated Thursday that he expected the starting quarterback to return to practice this week, but it appears the team may take a more cautious route and evaluate his status Monday morning. The Rams' coach downplayed the severity of the issue Sunday, stating that he's "not concerned" and that the 36-year-old will be ready for the season opener at Detroit on Sunday, Sept. 8, per Jackson. In the meantime, backup Stetson Bennett should continue to serve as the Rams' primary quarterback for the preseason finale versus Houston on Saturday.
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Aidan O'Connell QB | LV
Raiders' Aidan O'Connell: Loses out on starting job
Raiders coach Antonio Pierce announced Sunday that Gardner Minshew will be the team's starting quarterback over O'Connell to begin the 2024 season, Paul Gutierrez of ESPN.com reports.
Pierce added during Sunday morning's press conference that experience was ultimately the team's deciding factor, stating that they "feel like [Minshew] gives us the best opportunity to get off to a fast start," according to Tashan Reed and Vic Tafur of The Athletic. O'Connell has more experience with the Raiders, starting 10 games with a 5-5 record and a 12:7 TD:INT during his 2023 rookie season. However, that falls short of the 37 career starts for Minshew, who also was named to his first career Pro Bowl with the Colts last year. It was clearly still a tight race for the job this preseason. O'Connell performed relatively well while coming in off the bench in the first two exhibitions, completing 21 of 29 combined passing attempts for 176 yards, one touchdown and one interception. It's also not out of the question that O'Connell could have a chance to start this season if Minshew and the Raiders offense struggles throughout the campaign. Therefore, it will be worth monitoring how the team performs in the regular-season opener versus the Chargers on Sunday, Sept. 8.
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Gardner Minshew QB | ARI
Raiders' Gardner Minshew: Wins starting QB competition
Raiders coach Antonio Pierce said Sunday that Minshew will be the team's starting quarterback to open the 2024 regular season, Paul Gutierrez of ESPN.com reports.
Pierce also said that Minshew's experience was the deciding factor when awarding him the starting job over second-year signal-caller Aidan O'Connell, according to Vic Tafur of The Athletic. The six-year veteran has started 37 of his 49 career games compared to 10 starts with a 5-5 record for O'Connell during his rookie season in Las Vegas. Minshew was also was named to his first career Pro Bowl with Indianapolis last year, when he tossed 15 touchdowns to nine interceptions and 3,305 yards across 17 games, and he completed 16 of 33 combined passing attempts for 212 yards and one touchdown over two games so far this preseason. It's still unlikely that he figures into the team's long-term plans at quarterback, but Minshew now will lead an offense lacking in proven receiving weapons other than star wideout Davante Adams (undisclosed), as Jakobi Meyers and Tre Tucker should round out the starting wideouts while tight ends Brock Bowers (foot) and Michael Mayer are likely to be featured as well. The Raiders will open the season on the road Sunday, Sept. 8 versus the Chargers.
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Tyler Huntley QB | BAL
Browns' Tyler Huntley: Plays second half
Huntley completed 14 of 20 passes for 135 yards with two interceptions in Saturday's preseason game against the Vikings. He also gained 19 yards on four carries.
Huntley, who ended up leading the club in rushing yards, spent most of the time scrambling, as the Browns sustained multiple injuries along the offensive line. He played the second half after Dorian Thompson-Robinson opened the game, and the two are locked in a battle for the No. 3 job, per Zac Jackson of The Athletic. The Browns like Huntley's ability to scramble and extend plays, but he was forced to run too much Saturday.
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Nate Sudfeld QB | SF
Lions' Nate Sudfeld: Draws another preseason start
Sudfeld completed 14 of 27 passes for 196 yards and a touchdown while also throwing an interception in Saturday's 24-23 win over Kansas City.
Sudfeld drew the start for the second straight contest at quarterback, playing 37 snaps in the victory. The 30-year-old and Hendon Hooker are vying for the top backup spot behind Jared Goff this season, and, as of right now, Sudfeld feels like he may have the slightest edge. Hooker played 40 snaps, recording 150 passing yards, 11 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown versus Kansas City. The two quarterbacks will have one more chance to prove themselves in Detroit's final preseason game Saturday at home against the Steelers.
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Michael Penix Jr. QB | ATL
Falcons' Michael Penix: Won't play in preseason finale
Penix is expected to be held out of Atlanta's final exhibition game against Jacksonville on Friday, Marc Raimondi of ESPN.com reports.
Penix also didn't play in the Falcons' second preseason contest versus Baltimore on Saturday. Head coach Raheem Morris explained that the team feels it "saw enough last week [in Atlanta's preseason opener] of him and the live stuff," adding that "[Penix] showed us last week enough that we don't have to play him in the preseason." The rookie QB completed nine of 16 passes for 104 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions against Miami in Atlanta's first game of the preseason and is slated to open the regular season as the team's backup behind Kirk Cousins.
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Mason Rudolph QB | PIT
Titans' Mason Rudolph: Looks good against Seahawks
Rudolph completed 10 of 17 passes for 125 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions in Saturday's 16-15 preseason win over the Seahawks. He added four rushes for 15 yards.
Rudolph entered the game after Malik Willis, with his first drive coming with five minutes left in the second quarter. He immediately led a touchdown march, during which he went 3-for-4 for 40 yards. Rudolph and Willis are competing for the backup job, though the former appears to be the favorite for the role to begin the regular season.
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Malik Willis QB | MIA
Titans' Malik Willis: Tallies 116 yards through air
Willis completed 12 of 16 passes for 116 yards, no touchdowns and one interception in Saturday's 16-15 preseason win over the Seahawks. He added four rushes for 30 yards.
The Titans sat Will Levis for the game, leaving Willis in line for the start over Mason Rudolph. Willis had several strong throws, highlighted by gains of 24 and 14 yards. Unsurprisingly, he was able to supplement that with his work on the ground, also chipping in an 11-yard rush. Willis is competing with Rudolph for the backup job to begin the regular season, and the former's current standing with the team remains unclear.