In the blink of an eye, the NFL offseason is officially over and the preseason is here with training camps in full swing. After a shortened Hall of Fame game featuring the Chicago Bears and Houston Texans, we’re into a full slate of preseason action this weekend.
Every team has different priorities and needs, so each will take a different approach in terms of personnel management throughout the preseason.
It can sometimes be tough to know for sure who will play in a given preseason game, or how many snaps they’ll get, but let’s take a look at five potential standout players who we can at least reasonably expect to make an appearance this Friday night.
Players to Watch in Tonight’s Preseason Action
Michael Penix Jr., Quarterback, Atlanta Falcons
Let’s start with one of the more shocking NFL Draft picks in recent memory: Michael Penix Jr.
The Falcons selected Penix with the eighth overall pick after having already signed veteran signal-caller Kirk Cousins to a major free agent deal spanning essentially the entirety of Penix’s rookie contract, causing many voices around the NFL world to wonder out loud exactly what their plan at quarterback might be.
Penix put together one of the most memorable college careers in recent memory, as he overcame multiple serious injuries and traveled a long and winding path, which culminated in a National Championship Game appearance with Washington. Penix was one of the most refined and productive passers in the country last season, and the concern around the Falcons’ selection has little to do with his ability on the field.
The Cousins situation, as well as Penix’s injury history and age — he’ll be 28 years old when Cousins’s contract is up — are what make this situation so hazy.
However, one thing that’s clear is that Penix is expected to see action against the Miami Dolphins this Friday, so perhaps his future will begin to become just a bit clearer based on his performance.
Chop Robinson, EDGE, Miami Dolphins
One of the players potentially firing to get after Penix is fellow rookie Chop Robinson, another first-round pick.
Robinson put together an interesting career at Penn State, where he didn’t record outrageous sack or tackle for loss numbers, but was a consistent winner at the line of scrimmage.
In addition to the questions about his ability to turn good play into sacks and losses, Robinson does not possess the size and length that some other players at his position do, another factor that kept him out of the top half of the first round.
It’s not immediately clear how Robinson’s skill set will translate from college to the NFL, but that question can start to be answered with his performance against Miami.
Cade Stover, Tight End, Houston Texans
Let’s move on to a new game and the first low-round pick on our list: Cade Stover from Ohio State, Houston’s fourth-round selection.
Stover was the eighth tight end selected in this year’s draft and was the 123rd overall pick. But it can be argued that he’s one of the more pro-ready prospects at the position after playing in the Buckeyes’ advanced offensive scheme.
Stover didn’t put up huge numbers at Ohio State, but there are a few ways to explain his relatively low level of production: The team’s elite defense didn’t put much of a burden on the offense, the ground game built around TreVeyon Henderson didn’t put much a burden on the air game, and the receiving corps featuring Marvin Harrison Jr. and Emeka Egbuka didn’t require a major lift from Stover.
The play of Kyle McCord also made things challenging at times for Stover, but he still made some big plays. Now, he’ll look to establish himself as a key target for C.J. Stroud, a more successful Ohio State quarterback.
Justin Fields, Quarterback, Pittsburgh Steelers
Sticking with the Texans-Steelers game but flipping sidelines, we’ve arrived at another Ohio State product. Justin Fields lost the starting job in Chicago after Caleb Williams fell into the Bears’ lap, and after being traded for a Day 3 draft pick, he will look to rebuild his value in Pittsburgh.
Russell Wilson is listed as the Steelers’ starter, but he’s injured, and Mike Tomlin has even acknowledged the openness of the competition. Fields offers far more upside than Wilson at this point in their respective careers, so if he seizes the opportunity presented by Wilson’s injury and impresses, the job could be his before long.
Even though there were signs of improvement last season, the argument could easily be made that Chicago never properly supported Fields in terms of either on-field personnel or coaching. This could make him a serious candidate to take a sizable leap this year, moving into a Pittsburgh team with steady leadership and some talented receivers.
Quinyon Mitchell, Cornerback, Philadelphia Eagles
Toledo’s Quinyon Mitchell was the Eagles’ first-round pick, but should he have been? Many believe that Cooper DeJean, Philly’s second-round selection, is the better cornerback prospect despite his fall down the board.
DeJean is injured for this week’s preseason matchup with the Ravens, so Mitchell has a golden opportunity to prove that the order should not have been flipped and establish himself atop the team’s pecking order at the position.
There’s plenty of young talent in the Baltimore receiving room, including speedy wideout Devontez Walker, a fourth-round rookie who should get extensive playing time on Friday as he looks to establish himself, so Mitchell will be given ample opportunity to prove his ability to perform at the NFL level.