Hello and happy Monday, everyone. We're almost through the second full week of preseason football, which means we're one step closer to the real games! John Breech is holding out while Joe Burrow and the Bengals still work at a long-term contract, so you've got me, Cody Benjamin, to deliver all the latest from around the league.
This is the Pick Six Newsletter. Now let's get to it. (And please, do yourself a favor and make sure you're signed up to receive this newsletter every day! You don't want to miss our daily offerings of everything you need to know around the NFL.)
We've got Week 2 preseason reactions, lots of quarterback news, 2023 running back projections and more:
1. Preseason Week 2 reactions and rookie QB grades
Another week of preseason football is nearly in the books, with only the Commanders and Ravens set to square off on Monday night. There's lots to unpack from the latest round of action. So let's get to it:
Steelers offense among biggest winners of Week 2
Tyler Sullivan broke down both winners and losers from the weekend, and Steel City headlined his top movers: "After averaging just 18.1 points per game last season, Pittsburgh's offensive development under offensive coordinator Matt Canada was/is a major storyline throughout the summer and heading into the regular season. If QB Kenny Pickett can take a leap in Year 2 and align himself with players like Jaylen Warren who can score on a single touch, the Steelers could be a surprise team in 2023."
Raiders' O'Connell among most impressive rookie QBs
Jordan Dajani graded all the notable first-year QBs on their Week 2 performances, and fourth-rounder Aidan O'Connell stole the show: "O'Connell was arguably the best rookie quarterback from Week 1 of the preseason, and he was impressive yet again Saturday night vs. the Rams. After entering the game in the second half, O'Connell completed 11 of 18 passes for 163 yards and two touchdowns. Through two weeks, he's completed 26 of 36 passes for 304 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions."
For an even deeper dive into the latest preseason action, check out the "Pick Six NFL Podcast," which will also feature 2023 NFL awards odds and predictions during Monday's live show.
2. Josh Jacobs expected to report to Raiders before Week 1
After months of discord with the Raiders, including reported plans to potentially hold out into the season, Jacobs is now expected to return to Las Vegas in the coming weeks, ahead of the club's Sept. 10 season opener against the Broncos. The Las Vegas Review-Journal reports that the Pro Bowl running back will play under either the franchise tag or a modified one-year deal. It's a big but unsurprising concession, should it occur, from yet another big-name ball carrier in a sour market for the position.
3. Commanders name Sam Howell starting QB; why a breakout could follow
It's official: Washington's Week 1 starter will be Howell, the second-year signal-caller who beat out veteran Jacoby Brissett in camp. It's not a surprise, considering coach Ron Rivera has talked up the 2022 fifth-rounder for months. And it's potentially the first official step toward a coming-out party for the North Carolina product. Our Douglas Clawson has identified five under-the-radar QBs who could put up gaudy numbers in 2023, and Howell is one of the surprise names on the list:
Howell has three things working in his favor to fill up the stat sheet in 2023:
- Dual-threat skills: He ran for 829 yards in 2021 at North Carolina, third among FBS QBs behind Malik Cunningham and Malik Willis. He ran for 35 yards and a touchdown in his NFL debut for the Commanders in Week 18 last season.
- Downfield threat: Howell will take deep shots. He completed a pass to Terry McLaurin in Week 18 that traveled 52 yards downfield, the longest completion through the air by a Washington player since Robert Griffin III in 2012.
- Eric Bieniemy: Patrick Mahomes isn't walking through the door anytime soon, but his former offensive coordinator is. Things could open for Howell if Bieniemy brings over the pass-happy offense with half the wrinkles the Chiefs had.
4. Aaron Rodgers to make Jets debut vs. Giants in preseason finale
The time has finally come. Gang Green's biggest addition of 2023 has yet to take a preseason snap, and, in fact, hasn't played an exhibition game in five years. But Rodgers is now set to suit up for the Jets' final tune-up on Saturday, Aug. 26, against the Giants, according to the New York Post. This will mark the first time Rodgers has taken the field in a live game with the Jets. The 39-year-old QB said this summer that he wouldn't mind taking preseason snaps while preparing for his real debut in the Big Apple.
5. Projecting all 32 RB situations: Which teams have workhorses?
Running backs have been the talk of the offseason, mostly for their failure to secure big-money deals at the top of the market. But how many three-down playmakers actually exist in today's NFL? We assessed every team's backfield going into 2023 and tried to forecast usage by using four different categories: one-man shows, 70-30 splits, 50-50 duos and full-blown committees. You can check out the full story for a detailed look, but here are the eight teams who cracked the top tier:
- Browns: Nick Chubb has topped 1,200 rushing yards in three of his last four years. Backups Kareem Hunt and D'Ernest Johnson are both gone, leaving the unproven Jerome Ford and Demetric Felton as insurance.
- Chargers: Austin Ekeler may not be a world-beating ball-carrier, surrendering touches to Joshua Kelley and Isaiah Spiller, but he's topped 70 catches and 1,500 scrimmage yards in his last three full seasons.
- Colts: Jonathan Taylor currently wants out of Indianapolis, but if he suits up healthy, he's got the resume -- 4,600+ total yards in three seasons -- to be a steady crutch for rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson. On the off chance he's traded or sits out into the season, Indy immediately pivots to a full-blown committee with backups Zack Moss, Deon Jackson, Kenyan Drake, etc.
- 49ers: Christian McCaffrey would ideally stay on some kind of pitch count while trading out for No. 2 Elijah Mitchell, but his instant impact as an in-season trade acquisition has him poised to remain the Swiss Army knife for Kyle Shanahan's offense.
- Giants: Saquon Barkley was rejuvenated under Brian Daboll in 2022 with 1,650 scrimmage yards -- his most since a Rookie of the Year debut. As long as he can stay healthy, he'll dominate touches alongside QB Daniel Jones.
- Jaguars: Travis Etienne Jr. was ultra-efficient with 255 touches in his 2022 debut post-injury, and while rookie Tank Bigsby could steal some short-yardage work, Etienne is primed to be a top outlet for Trevor Lawrence.
- Raiders: If Josh Jacobs is back, odds are he'll dominate touches again after a bulldozing 1,650-yard breakout in 2022. If he's not, Josh McDaniels could revert to the committee model he trusted with the Patriots, leaving Zamir White and Ameer Abdullah to pick up the slack.
- Titans: Derrick Henry is the closest thing the NFL has to an old-school RB, not just because of his supersized frame but more so his usage. Henry took almost 87% of his club's 2022 carries, per PFF, and has eclipsed 1,500 yards thrice since 2019.
6. Extra points: Patriots suspend game, Bucs' QB battle continues, more
Hungry for more headlines? We've got you covered:
- Patriots, Packers stop preseason game after injury: Isaiah Bolden is recovering from a scary collision
- Bucs have no timetable for QB decision: Baker Mayfield and Kyle Trask are still competing
- Ravens sign Jadeveon Clowney: The veteran pass rusher spent the last two years in Cleveland
- Saints say Jimmy Graham had medical episode: The tight end was briefly hospitalized
- Brock Purdy returns to field for 49ers: The young QB picked up where he left off in his preseason debut
- Myles Jack retires at 27: Plus how the abrupt decision affects the Eagles' decision
