NFL Player News

Richardson completed six of 17 passes for 78 yards and took five carries for 38 yards in Thursday's 27-13 preseason win over Philadelphia.

Facing the Eagles' second- and third-string defenses, Richardson led Indy's first-team offense for the entire first half and came away with 17 points on six drives. The three series that didn't feature scores were all 3-and-outs, and the touchdowns went to RBs Deon Jackson and Evan Hull on goal-line carries. Richardson finishes the preseason 13-of-29 passing for 145 yards and one interception, adding seven carries for 45 yards in two appearances. He'll get his first regular-season start when the Colts host the Jaguars on Sept. 10.

Heinicke played two drives and threw two incomplete passes in Thursday's preseason game against Pittsburgh.

Pittsburgh's starters dominated Atlanta's backups, quickly making it 14-0. Heinicke will look on from the sideline Week 1 against the Panthers while Desmond Ridder gets the start under center.

Pickett completed all four of his passes for 86 yards in Thursday's preseason game in Atlanta.

Pickett played two drives in each of Pittsburgh's three preseason games and completed 13 of 15 passes for 199 yards and two touchdowns. He did a lot of that damage against backups, especially Thursday in Atlanta, but it's nonetheless promising that he was so accurate throughout August and displayed good chemistry with George Pickens and Diontae Johnson (both of whom had catches of 30-plus yards). Those two and TE Pat Freiermuth are the favorites to pile up targets from Pickett in a Week 1 home game against the 49ers on Sept. 10.

Heinicke likely will get the start for Thursday's preseason game against the Steelers with Desmond Ridder not in uniform ahead of kickoff, Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com reports.

After starting 24 games with the Commanders over the last two seasons, Heinicke joined up with the Falcons this offseason to serve as Ridder's backup. Heinicke didn't play in Atlanta's exhibition opener at Miami but took the field last Friday versus the Bengals, completing 13 of 21 passes for 162 yards, no touchdowns and no interceptions while rushing twice for 14 yards. Once Heinicke hits the sideline for good Thursday, fellow reserve Logan Woodside will take over the offense.

With Joshua Dobbs headed to the Cardinals in a trade Thursday, Thompson-Robinson is in line to serve as Deshaun Watson's top backup ahead of Week 1, Mary Kay Cabot of The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.

Earlier Thursday, coach Kevin Stefanski announced that Dobbs would be the team's No. 2 QB, but following the subsequent deal sending the signal-caller to Arizona, Thompson-Robinson now is in line to handle the role. Additionally, the Browns retained Kellen Mond as a depth option after initially planning to waive him.

Mond has been pulled back from waivers and is again on the Browns' roster, Mary Kay Cabot of The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.

Hours after reports that he would be waived, the Browns reversed course due to a trade involving their backup quarterback, Joshua Dobbs. Mond will now be brought back in to back up Deshaun Watson and Dorian Thompson-Robinson as the team's third-string quarterback. It remains to be seen if Cleveland will carry three quarterbacks into the regular season, but it at least seems as though Mond has solidified himself a spot as a practice-squad option.

The Browns are slated to trade Dobbs to the Cardinals along with a 2024 seventh-round draft pick in exchange for a 2024 fifth-rounder, Mary Kay Cabot of The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.

As a result, Dorian Thompson-Robinson and Kellen Mond, who Cabot reports was pulled back off of waivers by the Browns, are in line to back up Deshaun Watson. With the Cardinals, Dobbs provides his new team with another potential starting QB option in the event that Kyler Murray (knee) misses time early on this season.

Coach Mike McDaniel said Tagovailoa will play in the Dolphins' preseason finale against the Jaguars on Saturday, Tom D'Angelo of The Palm Beach Post reports.

Tagovailoa will play "more than a series, less than a half," according to McDaniel. In the same breath, McDaniel praised Tagovailoa's offseason work, which recently drew criticism from ESPN on-air personality Ryan Clark. "I can say hard facts that I've seen with my own eyes and it's been top five on the team," McDaniel said about the QB's work ethic. "Every metric of strength that is measured he's shattered his previous highs and in some instances he's almost twice as strong with things. And that's a daily commitment that he hasn't wavered from. He's taken nutrition to another level. He's taken his commitment to what he's trying to do and really thought outside the box, and really, really worked at it. I couldn't be happier with the work that he's put in and what I've actually viewed from my own eyes."

Clifford has officially been named the Packers' top backup to Jordan Love, Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.

No surprise here, as Clifford has operated as Green Bay's primary backup all through training camp and the preseason thus far. He beat out Alex McGough for the opportunity to back up Jordan Love under center. The rookie fifth-round pick is second in passing yards (345) among all quarterbacks through two preseason games.

Coach Matt Eberflus said on Thursday that Fields and the Bears' starters will play in Saturday's preseason finale against the Bills, Kevin Fishbain of The Athletic reports.

The coaches will meet later and determine just how long the starters will play in the final exhibition. Fields played seven snaps in the preseason opener before getting the second one off last week. Fields went a perfect three of three passing for 129 yards and two touchdowns back in Week 1 of the preseason versus the Titans.