Zack Martin, Cowboys discussing contract extension.
Today's Cowboys have forged their reputation on offense with a bruising, clock-chewing ground game that thrives behind the strength of the league's top line.
Keeping that gang of blockers together won't come cheap for Dallas -- especially in the case of All-Pro guard Zack Martin.
"It's going to be a big one when they get it done," NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport said Wednesday on Inside Training Camp Live about an extension for the star lineman, noting: "... The Cowboys would like a deal, Zack Martin would like a deal. It's just a matter of them getting together and finalizing this."
The sides aren't close today, "though they are working on it," per Rapoport, with "it" being an extension that would make the 26-year-old "the highest-paid guard in the NFL or very, very close to that."
The Browns transformed Kevin Zeitler into the game's richest guard in March with a five-year contract worth $12 million per season. The expectation is that Martin "goes past that," with Rapoport saying "it's really just a question of (will) they get the deal done by the time the season starts or do they have to wait another year?"
Re-signing Martin amounts to a comprehensive no-brainer for the Cowboys. An All-Pro in each of his three NFL seasons, the mauling guard has never missed a start and rarely meets a defender he can't handle, with one former team scout saying: "If he gets his hands inside on you, you're dead."
It was just last August when Dallas signed center Travis Frederick to a six-year, $56.4 million deal, while stalwart left tackle Tyron Smith is around long-term after the 10-year, $109 million deal he inked in 2014. With right tackle La'el Collins also under lock and key through 2019, Martin becomes the obvious target for a big-money contract that will keep him around for years to come, which is simply terrible news for the rest of the NFC East.
Here's what else we learned during Wednesday's training camp action:
Transaction Wire
1. The Falcons made Devonta Freeman the highest-paid running back league-wide with a five-year, $41.25 million extension packed with $22 million in guarantees, per NFL Network's Michael Silver. Running through 2022, the deal sets the table for Freeman to spend his entire career in a Falcons jersey. His pairing with the versatile Tevin Coleman forms one of the league's most dangerous -- and fun-to-watch -- backfield combinations, but runners have barely moved an inch when it comes to cashing in:
2. What about that punter dough? Not a lot to go around, but the Cowboys signed booter Chris Jones to a four-year, $8.7 million deal with $4.5 million in guarantees, per Rapoport.
3. Less than five months after swinging a trade with the Ravens for Jeremy Zuttah, the 49ers on Wednesday cut bait with the 31-year-old offensive lineman. Failing to crack the starting lineup in San Francisco, it's fair to wonder if Zuttah could get a look-see with the banged-up Chargers or maybe even reunite with the Ravens.
Enter Big Zebra
A banner day for the refs!
The league announced plans on Wednesday to hire up to 24 full-time game officials for the 2017 season. Said refs will be mined from the NFL's current lineup of 124 paid crew. Bottom line: This is excellent news for football fans, especially when we reflect upon the hideous, disaster-prone zebra lockout of 2012.
Odds and Ends
1. With Trevor Siemian set to start Thursday's preseason opener against the Bears, the Broncos went out of their way to scorch from-the-wilderness whispers that Denver was secretly pursuing the services of Bengals backup AJ McCarron:
Besides, Siemian has surged in recent practice sessions and told reporters this week that he's finally hitting stride in his battle with second-year arm Paxton Lynch, saying: "I can't tell exactly when, but probably a week or so (ago) I just kind of felt a little more comfortable, like things were clicking for me and I got a big-picture thought of how we're trying to attack scheme and defenses."
2. The vastly unlucky Chargers received a much-needed dose of good fortune this week as first-round wideout Mike Williams reached a checkpoint in his recovery from a herniated disc. "He's back on the grass. He's running. He's doing well," coach Anthony Lynn said of the rookie, who injured his back on the first day of rookie minicamp in May.
3. Bruce Arians continues to water his coaching tree, choosing to have quarterback-turned-intern-turned-assistant Byron Leftwich call plays for the Cardinals in Saturday's clash with the Raiders. As the club's quarterbacks aide, Leftwich has drawn high praise from Carson Palmer and triggered Arians to once say: "He'll be a head coach early and fast."
4. After absorbing a raucous 26 sacks over seven starts as a rookie, Jared Goff wants you to know that he isn't afraid of getting hit.
"I'm more afraid that people will be like, 'He's a little (expletive),' than I am of truly getting hit," Goff told Bleacher Report's Tyler Dunne. "So that's what drives me to be like, 'I'm fine.' That mentality is what keeps me in the game."
Journo Corner
Let's find out what's on the mind of fellow Around The NFL scribes Kevin Patra and Conor Orr, who spent Wednesday grinding out news like a pair of workhorses:
FROM PATRA: In this space, we've mostly ignored the left tackle battle in Detroit. No NFC playoff team owns as pivotal a camp battle as the one between perennial disappointments Greg Robinson and Cyrus Kouandjio. Everything we've heard from Lions beat writers suggests that both castoffs have been a major bust. Robinson earned the flimsy designation as the starter in the team's first depth chart of 2017. This could be a camp competition in which one man gets the job by default rather than outright winning the position. Both Robinson (2014 first-rounder) and Kouandjio (2014 second-rounder) are extreme draft disappointments. The hope in Detroit was that a change of scenery and coaching could coax more production. Based on everything we've heard, no dice. With starter Taylor Decker missing at least a month, if not more, Matthew Stafford's blind side will be worth keeping an eye on this preseason.
FROM ORR: I came away surprised that the Indianapolis Colts were not more involved in a discussion to sign Colin Kaepernick. Random teams would rise and fizzle in their levels of flirtation, but the scope of Andrew Luck's shoulder injury was apparently larger than we thought -- and larger than the team's owner thought. Would it be stunning not to see him out there opening day? It wouldn't be hard to imagine, however, the Colts' offense and their fast-break wide receivers actually working well with Kaepernick. To me, the end of this portion of camp puts an unbelievable weight on the shoulders of quarterbacks like Scott Tolzien and Ryan Mallett for that matter. Will they perform well enough this week to keep those Kaepernick discussions to a minimum?
Today's Cowboys have forged their reputation on offense with a bruising, clock-chewing ground game that thrives behind the strength of the league's top line.
Keeping that gang of blockers together won't come cheap for Dallas -- especially in the case of All-Pro guard Zack Martin.
"It's going to be a big one when they get it done," NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport said Wednesday on Inside Training Camp Live about an extension for the star lineman, noting: "... The Cowboys would like a deal, Zack Martin would like a deal. It's just a matter of them getting together and finalizing this."
The sides aren't close today, "though they are working on it," per Rapoport, with "it" being an extension that would make the 26-year-old "the highest-paid guard in the NFL or very, very close to that."
The Browns transformed Kevin Zeitler into the game's richest guard in March with a five-year contract worth $12 million per season. The expectation is that Martin "goes past that," with Rapoport saying "it's really just a question of (will) they get the deal done by the time the season starts or do they have to wait another year?"
Re-signing Martin amounts to a comprehensive no-brainer for the Cowboys. An All-Pro in each of his three NFL seasons, the mauling guard has never missed a start and rarely meets a defender he can't handle, with one former team scout saying: "If he gets his hands inside on you, you're dead."
It was just last August when Dallas signed center Travis Frederick to a six-year, $56.4 million deal, while stalwart left tackle Tyron Smith is around long-term after the 10-year, $109 million deal he inked in 2014. With right tackle La'el Collins also under lock and key through 2019, Martin becomes the obvious target for a big-money contract that will keep him around for years to come, which is simply terrible news for the rest of the NFC East.
Here's what else we learned during Wednesday's training camp action:
Transaction Wire
1. The Falcons made Devonta Freeman the highest-paid running back league-wide with a five-year, $41.25 million extension packed with $22 million in guarantees, per NFL Network's Michael Silver. Running through 2022, the deal sets the table for Freeman to spend his entire career in a Falcons jersey. His pairing with the versatile Tevin Coleman forms one of the league's most dangerous -- and fun-to-watch -- backfield combinations, but runners have barely moved an inch when it comes to cashing in:
2. What about that punter dough? Not a lot to go around, but the Cowboys signed booter Chris Jones to a four-year, $8.7 million deal with $4.5 million in guarantees, per Rapoport.
3. Less than five months after swinging a trade with the Ravens for Jeremy Zuttah, the 49ers on Wednesday cut bait with the 31-year-old offensive lineman. Failing to crack the starting lineup in San Francisco, it's fair to wonder if Zuttah could get a look-see with the banged-up Chargers or maybe even reunite with the Ravens.
Enter Big Zebra
A banner day for the refs!
The league announced plans on Wednesday to hire up to 24 full-time game officials for the 2017 season. Said refs will be mined from the NFL's current lineup of 124 paid crew. Bottom line: This is excellent news for football fans, especially when we reflect upon the hideous, disaster-prone zebra lockout of 2012.
Odds and Ends
1. With Trevor Siemian set to start Thursday's preseason opener against the Bears, the Broncos went out of their way to scorch from-the-wilderness whispers that Denver was secretly pursuing the services of Bengals backup AJ McCarron:
Besides, Siemian has surged in recent practice sessions and told reporters this week that he's finally hitting stride in his battle with second-year arm Paxton Lynch, saying: "I can't tell exactly when, but probably a week or so (ago) I just kind of felt a little more comfortable, like things were clicking for me and I got a big-picture thought of how we're trying to attack scheme and defenses."
2. The vastly unlucky Chargers received a much-needed dose of good fortune this week as first-round wideout Mike Williams reached a checkpoint in his recovery from a herniated disc. "He's back on the grass. He's running. He's doing well," coach Anthony Lynn said of the rookie, who injured his back on the first day of rookie minicamp in May.
3. Bruce Arians continues to water his coaching tree, choosing to have quarterback-turned-intern-turned-assistant Byron Leftwich call plays for the Cardinals in Saturday's clash with the Raiders. As the club's quarterbacks aide, Leftwich has drawn high praise from Carson Palmer and triggered Arians to once say: "He'll be a head coach early and fast."
4. After absorbing a raucous 26 sacks over seven starts as a rookie, Jared Goff wants you to know that he isn't afraid of getting hit.
"I'm more afraid that people will be like, 'He's a little (expletive),' than I am of truly getting hit," Goff told Bleacher Report's Tyler Dunne. "So that's what drives me to be like, 'I'm fine.' That mentality is what keeps me in the game."
Journo Corner
Let's find out what's on the mind of fellow Around The NFL scribes Kevin Patra and Conor Orr, who spent Wednesday grinding out news like a pair of workhorses:
FROM PATRA: In this space, we've mostly ignored the left tackle battle in Detroit. No NFC playoff team owns as pivotal a camp battle as the one between perennial disappointments Greg Robinson and Cyrus Kouandjio. Everything we've heard from Lions beat writers suggests that both castoffs have been a major bust. Robinson earned the flimsy designation as the starter in the team's first depth chart of 2017. This could be a camp competition in which one man gets the job by default rather than outright winning the position. Both Robinson (2014 first-rounder) and Kouandjio (2014 second-rounder) are extreme draft disappointments. The hope in Detroit was that a change of scenery and coaching could coax more production. Based on everything we've heard, no dice. With starter Taylor Decker missing at least a month, if not more, Matthew Stafford's blind side will be worth keeping an eye on this preseason.
FROM ORR: I came away surprised that the Indianapolis Colts were not more involved in a discussion to sign Colin Kaepernick. Random teams would rise and fizzle in their levels of flirtation, but the scope of Andrew Luck's shoulder injury was apparently larger than we thought -- and larger than the team's owner thought. Would it be stunning not to see him out there opening day? It wouldn't be hard to imagine, however, the Colts' offense and their fast-break wide receivers actually working well with Kaepernick. To me, the end of this portion of camp puts an unbelievable weight on the shoulders of quarterbacks like Scott Tolzien and Ryan Mallett for that matter. Will they perform well enough this week to keep those Kaepernick discussions to a minimum?
DeShone Kizer launches Browns to win over Saints.
Everybody loves a quarterback competition, so we're going to hear plenty about Cleveland's in the coming weeks.
I was going to fill this space with why Brock Osweiler will end up being the starter by default (because he's the easiest from which to move on), followed by Cody Kessler, and DeShone Kizer. That's still probably going to happen. But when the backups took the field in Cleveland, and Kizer led the comeback that will inspire hours and hours of sports talk radio along Lake Erie, things at least got a little interesting.
But for every good thing Kizer did on Thursday night in a 20-14 win over the New Orleans Saints, he was equally as raw and ineffective. And Cleveland is a team that isn't quite ready for the heir apparent -- not in August.
Don't click away now, but here's the truth: Kizer is a guy who will show the most improvement in Year Two. He told teammate Kenny Britt last week things had slowed down for him between OTAs and camp, and while that might be true, he didn't look in comfortable rhythm Thursday night until the middle of the fourth quarter.
After forcing some throws into coverage during the Orange and Brown Scrimmage last week, Kizer was noticeably careful in the pocket on his first drive, often waiting an extra beat before letting it fly. He did the same before deciding to abandon the pocket and eventually getting sacked. One play before the 52-yard completion above, he held onto the ball for far too long, resulting in another sack.
But as the game progressed and second teamers became third teamers, Kizer settled in as much as a rookie can in his first game. He's blessed with a howitzer, and when married with ample footwork and quick mental processing that only comes with on-field and film room experience, it can look a little like the long completion above. Even better, on fourth-and-2 with the game on the line and an eight-man blitz in his face, a fast-learning quarterback can look like this:
Barring a world-beating preseason from Kizer and a drastic change in approach by Hue Jackson, the quarterback will begin the season as an understudy to Osweiler, Kessler, or both. That won't be entirely Kizer's fault, but it's best for the rookie.
It's been covered plenty already: Cleveland will only have to pay Osweiler's exorbitant salary for this season. Osweiler was flat-out bad early, then rebounded with a nice drive that ended with the Browns failing to score inside New Orleans' 3-yard line. Play-by-play man Mike Patrick gushed over Osweiler's finish and was surprised to see he finished 6-of-14 passing for 42 yards. Frankly, it wasn't that surprising.
The Browns seem to know what they have in Kessler, who didn't get a ton of playing time on Thursday but was somewhat effective. The great unknown is Kizer.
Kessler should get the start next week (unless Jackson wants to double down on Osweiler with the ones), with Kizer again taking the majority of the second half. If the Browns are forward thinkers -- we believe they could be -- they'll wait until Week 4 of the preseason to give Kizer a start.
In the meantime, the Kizer jerseys will fly off the shelves (it's the way things work in Northeast Ohio), the hype will build and the stat line -- 11 for 18, 184 yards, one touchdown -- will be repeated over and over. While it was a great start, the rookie still has a ways to go to ascend to the throne.
A few other notes from Thursday's game:
1. With Myles Garrett lining up opposite Jamie Collins, the Browns now have a force on each end of the line inside the box. It showed when Garrett stuffed a run early in the first quarter, and again when Collins trailed a crossing tight end on a play-action boot to limit the Saints' gain to one yard. Nate Orchard wreaked havoc off the edge with the second unit, giving the Browns some semblance of depth. Gregg Williams' effect is evident, too. Cleveland's defense simply plays nastier than years past.
2. The Browns still have problems up the middle though, as demonstrated by Alvin Kamara and Travaris Cadet ripping off chunks on runs between the tackles. Danny Shelton was double teamed right out of the A gap on a Cadet run, and Tank Carder had a tackle for a short gain evaporated by Kamara, who simply kept his legs going right through the linebacker. It's also not a good sign when this is happening:
3. Saints receiver Tommylee Lewis might not make the squad as a wideout, but he'll be on a team somewhere. The speedy return man made a fantastic diving catch near the end zone in the third quarter, and it would have set up a touchdown, had Cleveland not stuffed New Orleans on the goal line.
4. Chase Daniel is as reliable as they come at backup quarterback, and was typically effective in his short time on the field. Garrett Grayson was more up and down, and Ryan Nassib was even more volatile, though he did engineer a nice two-minute drive that stalled inside Cleveland's 25. New Orleans could survive (and potentially thrive while) being forced to turn to Daniel, but beyond that would be tough.
Everybody loves a quarterback competition, so we're going to hear plenty about Cleveland's in the coming weeks.
I was going to fill this space with why Brock Osweiler will end up being the starter by default (because he's the easiest from which to move on), followed by Cody Kessler, and DeShone Kizer. That's still probably going to happen. But when the backups took the field in Cleveland, and Kizer led the comeback that will inspire hours and hours of sports talk radio along Lake Erie, things at least got a little interesting.
But for every good thing Kizer did on Thursday night in a 20-14 win over the New Orleans Saints, he was equally as raw and ineffective. And Cleveland is a team that isn't quite ready for the heir apparent -- not in August.
Don't click away now, but here's the truth: Kizer is a guy who will show the most improvement in Year Two. He told teammate Kenny Britt last week things had slowed down for him between OTAs and camp, and while that might be true, he didn't look in comfortable rhythm Thursday night until the middle of the fourth quarter.
After forcing some throws into coverage during the Orange and Brown Scrimmage last week, Kizer was noticeably careful in the pocket on his first drive, often waiting an extra beat before letting it fly. He did the same before deciding to abandon the pocket and eventually getting sacked. One play before the 52-yard completion above, he held onto the ball for far too long, resulting in another sack.
But as the game progressed and second teamers became third teamers, Kizer settled in as much as a rookie can in his first game. He's blessed with a howitzer, and when married with ample footwork and quick mental processing that only comes with on-field and film room experience, it can look a little like the long completion above. Even better, on fourth-and-2 with the game on the line and an eight-man blitz in his face, a fast-learning quarterback can look like this:
Barring a world-beating preseason from Kizer and a drastic change in approach by Hue Jackson, the quarterback will begin the season as an understudy to Osweiler, Kessler, or both. That won't be entirely Kizer's fault, but it's best for the rookie.
It's been covered plenty already: Cleveland will only have to pay Osweiler's exorbitant salary for this season. Osweiler was flat-out bad early, then rebounded with a nice drive that ended with the Browns failing to score inside New Orleans' 3-yard line. Play-by-play man Mike Patrick gushed over Osweiler's finish and was surprised to see he finished 6-of-14 passing for 42 yards. Frankly, it wasn't that surprising.
The Browns seem to know what they have in Kessler, who didn't get a ton of playing time on Thursday but was somewhat effective. The great unknown is Kizer.
Kessler should get the start next week (unless Jackson wants to double down on Osweiler with the ones), with Kizer again taking the majority of the second half. If the Browns are forward thinkers -- we believe they could be -- they'll wait until Week 4 of the preseason to give Kizer a start.
In the meantime, the Kizer jerseys will fly off the shelves (it's the way things work in Northeast Ohio), the hype will build and the stat line -- 11 for 18, 184 yards, one touchdown -- will be repeated over and over. While it was a great start, the rookie still has a ways to go to ascend to the throne.
A few other notes from Thursday's game:
1. With Myles Garrett lining up opposite Jamie Collins, the Browns now have a force on each end of the line inside the box. It showed when Garrett stuffed a run early in the first quarter, and again when Collins trailed a crossing tight end on a play-action boot to limit the Saints' gain to one yard. Nate Orchard wreaked havoc off the edge with the second unit, giving the Browns some semblance of depth. Gregg Williams' effect is evident, too. Cleveland's defense simply plays nastier than years past.
2. The Browns still have problems up the middle though, as demonstrated by Alvin Kamara and Travaris Cadet ripping off chunks on runs between the tackles. Danny Shelton was double teamed right out of the A gap on a Cadet run, and Tank Carder had a tackle for a short gain evaporated by Kamara, who simply kept his legs going right through the linebacker. It's also not a good sign when this is happening:
3. Saints receiver Tommylee Lewis might not make the squad as a wideout, but he'll be on a team somewhere. The speedy return man made a fantastic diving catch near the end zone in the third quarter, and it would have set up a touchdown, had Cleveland not stuffed New Orleans on the goal line.
4. Chase Daniel is as reliable as they come at backup quarterback, and was typically effective in his short time on the field. Garrett Grayson was more up and down, and Ryan Nassib was even more volatile, though he did engineer a nice two-minute drive that stalled inside Cleveland's 25. New Orleans could survive (and potentially thrive while) being forced to turn to Daniel, but beyond that would be tough.
What we learned from Thursday's preseason games.
Trevor Siemian took another step toward winning the starting job in Denver. Mitchell Trubisky did his best to ignite a quarterback battle in Chicago. In Cleveland, confusion remains on top of the depth chart. On the first heavy night of action this preseason with six games, there was thankfully a scarcity of major injuries and plenty of opportunity for overreaction. Here are the stories that should stick, starting with all the quarterback intrigue:
1. Broncos quarterback Siemian looked like a competent, unspectacular starter as usual for his three drives Thursday night, completing 6-of-7 passes for 51 yards. His only incompletion came on a nice deep throw that Emmanuel Sanders couldn't come down with. While Siemian hardly lit up the scoreboard, he made quick, smart decisions with the ball.
Paxton Lynch,on the other hand, repeatedly held on to the ball too long and misfired on a few open throws. He was lucky to avoid a fumble on one scramble. His final stats didn't look that much different than Siemian, but he only led the Broncos to three first downs in four drives.
This uninspiring "Siemian wins by default" storyline mirrors the reports coming out of training camp. It was a dark enough night that reporters asked coach Vance Joseph if little-known third-stringer Kyle Sloter is a legitimate option to start. Lynch will need a big performance when he starts next week or Siemian figures to start getting all the starting reps in practice.
2. Mitchell Trubisky was Thursday night's biggest winner. Sure, he was facing third-string Broncos defenders who were only playing man coverage. But a few of his pinpoint throws on the run and one third-and-17 conversion from the pocket with pressure in his face were impressive no matter the scenario.
The Bears didn't score a point, gaining only four first downs in six drives with Mike Glennon and Mark Sanchez running the show. Glennon threw an ugly pick-six on his first drive, his lack of pocket presence notable when he threw a pass while getting hit. Trubisky, meanwhile, led the Bears on a two-minute touchdown drive in his first NFL action. He led the Bears to 17 points and 14 first downs on his first three drives before stalling some in the fourth quarter.
If nothing else, this result should inspire coach John Fox to eventually stop wasting second-team snaps on Sanchez. Glennon remains a strong bet to start Week 1, but every positive Trubisky performance will increase public pressure and eat into Glennon's regular season job security.
"Our depth chart is not going to change after one game, particularly a preseason game," John Fox said after the game in the most John Fox way possible.
3. Thursday night started with Brock Osweiler getting his chance to grab the Browns' starting quarterback job. It ended with rookie DeShone Kizer completing a pair of Roethlisbergeriffic vertical throws to lead the Browns to a victory. Kizer showed great pocket movement and raw skills that Osweiler and Cody Kessler simply can't match. They were the type of "AFC North" plays Hue Jackson has spoken of wanting from his quarterback.
Osweiler finished with only 42 yards on 14 attempts after starting the game with three straight three and outs, chastising himself after the game for his lack of accuracy.
"I'm pretty sure that no ball has ever been completed that is thrown out of bounds," Osweiler said.
It would be shocking if Kizer doesn't get more time with the starters next week.
4. Browns No. 1 overall pick Myles Garrett looked the part early for the Browns, creating havoc in the running game.
5. All that hype about Browns running back Duke Johnson becoming the team's slot receiver is being borne out. He might very well be listed as a wideout on the official team roster before this season is up.
6. Bills quarterback Tyrod Taylor sent a message early by throwing his first three passes to Sammy Watkins. They all went for completions. Watkins, finally looking healthy, caught four passes for 39 yards.
7. The Vikings sent a similar declaration of intent by giving running back Dalvin Cook eight touches on the team's first 13 plays. Cook finished with 43 yards from scrimmage in limited work, showing some power and looking comfortable in the passing game as a receiver and pass catcher.
8. LeSean McCoy's primary backup Jonathan Williams showed great burst before leaving with a hamstring injury. It's a concerning setback for a Bills team already thin at running back.
9. The Colin Kaepernick buzz in Baltimore isn't going to slow down after Ryan Mallett's night. He completed only 9-of-18 passes for 58 yards in one half of work.
10. Vikings starting cornerback Trae Waynes left Thursday's game early with a shoulder injury, although coach Mike Zimmer didn't show much concern about it after the game.
11. Dion Lewis ran strong for the Patriots on Thursday night, showing some of the quickness and tackle-breaking ability that defined his 2015 season. He is too talented for the team to cut, even at a deep position, if he continues to play like this.
12. Foxborough training camp hero Austin Carr made good on all his rookie buzz with the catch of the night against Jacksonville. The Northwestern rookie is making it hard for the Patriots to cut him, even at their deep receiver position.
13. Second-year Bears pass rusher Leonard Floyd, who has enjoyed a standout training camp, made Broncos free agent pickup Menelik Watson look bad on an early sack. The Broncos' offensive line has a long way to go to put last year behind them.
14. Packers running back Ty Montgomery lost a fumble against the Eagles, continuing a trend from training camp. That could help rookie Jamaal Williams cut into his playing time.
15. Saints rookie running back Alvin Kamara built on his camp buzz by lining up all over the field and showing great balance on the way to 35 yards on four carries. He's absolutely going to earn major playing time in a backfield that includes Adrian Peterson and Mark Ingram.
16. Dolphins rookie second-round linebacker Raekwon McMillan suffered a knee injury which appeared to be serious. He left the stadium on crutches. Packers cornerback Damarious Randall (concussion) and Broncos defensive lineman Billy Winn (knee) were also among the notable injuries.
Trevor Siemian took another step toward winning the starting job in Denver. Mitchell Trubisky did his best to ignite a quarterback battle in Chicago. In Cleveland, confusion remains on top of the depth chart. On the first heavy night of action this preseason with six games, there was thankfully a scarcity of major injuries and plenty of opportunity for overreaction. Here are the stories that should stick, starting with all the quarterback intrigue:
1. Broncos quarterback Siemian looked like a competent, unspectacular starter as usual for his three drives Thursday night, completing 6-of-7 passes for 51 yards. His only incompletion came on a nice deep throw that Emmanuel Sanders couldn't come down with. While Siemian hardly lit up the scoreboard, he made quick, smart decisions with the ball.
Paxton Lynch,on the other hand, repeatedly held on to the ball too long and misfired on a few open throws. He was lucky to avoid a fumble on one scramble. His final stats didn't look that much different than Siemian, but he only led the Broncos to three first downs in four drives.
This uninspiring "Siemian wins by default" storyline mirrors the reports coming out of training camp. It was a dark enough night that reporters asked coach Vance Joseph if little-known third-stringer Kyle Sloter is a legitimate option to start. Lynch will need a big performance when he starts next week or Siemian figures to start getting all the starting reps in practice.
2. Mitchell Trubisky was Thursday night's biggest winner. Sure, he was facing third-string Broncos defenders who were only playing man coverage. But a few of his pinpoint throws on the run and one third-and-17 conversion from the pocket with pressure in his face were impressive no matter the scenario.
The Bears didn't score a point, gaining only four first downs in six drives with Mike Glennon and Mark Sanchez running the show. Glennon threw an ugly pick-six on his first drive, his lack of pocket presence notable when he threw a pass while getting hit. Trubisky, meanwhile, led the Bears on a two-minute touchdown drive in his first NFL action. He led the Bears to 17 points and 14 first downs on his first three drives before stalling some in the fourth quarter.
If nothing else, this result should inspire coach John Fox to eventually stop wasting second-team snaps on Sanchez. Glennon remains a strong bet to start Week 1, but every positive Trubisky performance will increase public pressure and eat into Glennon's regular season job security.
"Our depth chart is not going to change after one game, particularly a preseason game," John Fox said after the game in the most John Fox way possible.
3. Thursday night started with Brock Osweiler getting his chance to grab the Browns' starting quarterback job. It ended with rookie DeShone Kizer completing a pair of Roethlisbergeriffic vertical throws to lead the Browns to a victory. Kizer showed great pocket movement and raw skills that Osweiler and Cody Kessler simply can't match. They were the type of "AFC North" plays Hue Jackson has spoken of wanting from his quarterback.
Osweiler finished with only 42 yards on 14 attempts after starting the game with three straight three and outs, chastising himself after the game for his lack of accuracy.
"I'm pretty sure that no ball has ever been completed that is thrown out of bounds," Osweiler said.
It would be shocking if Kizer doesn't get more time with the starters next week.
4. Browns No. 1 overall pick Myles Garrett looked the part early for the Browns, creating havoc in the running game.
5. All that hype about Browns running back Duke Johnson becoming the team's slot receiver is being borne out. He might very well be listed as a wideout on the official team roster before this season is up.
6. Bills quarterback Tyrod Taylor sent a message early by throwing his first three passes to Sammy Watkins. They all went for completions. Watkins, finally looking healthy, caught four passes for 39 yards.
7. The Vikings sent a similar declaration of intent by giving running back Dalvin Cook eight touches on the team's first 13 plays. Cook finished with 43 yards from scrimmage in limited work, showing some power and looking comfortable in the passing game as a receiver and pass catcher.
8. LeSean McCoy's primary backup Jonathan Williams showed great burst before leaving with a hamstring injury. It's a concerning setback for a Bills team already thin at running back.
9. The Colin Kaepernick buzz in Baltimore isn't going to slow down after Ryan Mallett's night. He completed only 9-of-18 passes for 58 yards in one half of work.
10. Vikings starting cornerback Trae Waynes left Thursday's game early with a shoulder injury, although coach Mike Zimmer didn't show much concern about it after the game.
11. Dion Lewis ran strong for the Patriots on Thursday night, showing some of the quickness and tackle-breaking ability that defined his 2015 season. He is too talented for the team to cut, even at a deep position, if he continues to play like this.
12. Foxborough training camp hero Austin Carr made good on all his rookie buzz with the catch of the night against Jacksonville. The Northwestern rookie is making it hard for the Patriots to cut him, even at their deep receiver position.
13. Second-year Bears pass rusher Leonard Floyd, who has enjoyed a standout training camp, made Broncos free agent pickup Menelik Watson look bad on an early sack. The Broncos' offensive line has a long way to go to put last year behind them.
14. Packers running back Ty Montgomery lost a fumble against the Eagles, continuing a trend from training camp. That could help rookie Jamaal Williams cut into his playing time.
15. Saints rookie running back Alvin Kamara built on his camp buzz by lining up all over the field and showing great balance on the way to 35 yards on four carries. He's absolutely going to earn major playing time in a backfield that includes Adrian Peterson and Mark Ingram.
16. Dolphins rookie second-round linebacker Raekwon McMillan suffered a knee injury which appeared to be serious. He left the stadium on crutches. Packers cornerback Damarious Randall (concussion) and Broncos defensive lineman Billy Winn (knee) were also among the notable injuries.
