Week two of the preseason is now officially in the books. Numerous players who don’t usually grab headlines took significant steps toward making a 53-man roster spot. Here’s a look at who stood out.
The Eagles’ third-string quarterback shined in a 14–13 win against the New England Patriots with a 15–19 passing performance for 140 yards on Aug. 15. A former Stanford standout and 2023 sixth-round draft pick, McKee could challenge former first-round pick Kenny Pickett for the backup quarterback job.
All-time journeyman Josh Johnson arguably locked up the backup job with the Ravens for 2024. He went 11–11 for passing for 120 yards and a touchdown plus no interceptions on Aug. 17 against the Atlanta Falcons in a 13–12 victory.
Pettis made a case for cracking the Bears’ 53-man roster on Aug. 17 against the Cincinnati Bengals. He caught three passes on three targets for 53 yards and two touchdowns in the 27–3 romp.
Metchie has his work cut out to get significant snaps this fall amid a deep wide receiver room, but his latest performance doesn’t hurt. He caught six of seven passes for 68 yards and touchdowns against the New York Giants on Aug. 17 in a 28–10 victory.
Sudfeld did his part to win the competition for the second-string job on Aug. 17. He threw 196 yards and a touchdown versus one interception on 14–27 passing against the Kansas City Chiefs in a 24–23 victory.
With J.J. McCarthy sidelined, Hall stepping up holds promise for the Vikings’ quarterback depth. Hall went 4–5 for 87 yards and two touchdowns in a 27–12 win over the Cleveland Browns on Aug. 17.
While the Washington Commanders didn’t see a future with Howell, that could be a different story with the Seahawks. Howell impressed amid his 11–14 passing for 153 yards and a touchdown despite a 16–15 loss to the Tennessee Titans on Aug. 17.
Treadwell has a ways to climb in order to make the Colts’ 53-man roster, but he made his case against the Arizona Cardinals on Aug. 17 in a 21–13 victory. Treadwell, a former first-round pick who hasn’t caught on in the league yet, caught all seven of his targets for 72 yards.
While Brooks is a long shot to make the Dolphins roster, he helped his cause to catch on somewhere. Brooks rushed for 63 yards on five carries, which included a long of 59 yards, in a 13–6 win over the Commanders on Aug. 17.
Johnson at least put his name on other teams’ radars after rushing for 83 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries on Aug. 17 with the Carolina Panthers. The former Washington standout got cut on Aug. 19, but other teams could use a running back of his caliber when healthy.
Bennett rebounded from a four-interception performance as he led the Rams to a 13–9 win over the Los Angeles Chargers on Aug. 17. He went 17–31 for 213 yards and a touchdown versus an interception in the win.
Jones had his best game since October 2023 as he threw 210 yards and two touchdowns on 16–23 passing in a 20–7 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Aug. 17. The Jaguars backup also rushed for 14 yards on six carries.
Cowing made his case to be part of the 49ers’ receiver room amid his four catches for 51 yards against the New Orleans Saints on Aug. 18. He also ran once for 19 yards and delivered a 13-yard punt return.
