This past week, the NFL's preseason showcased its future stars as five first-round rookie quarterbacks made their debuts in impressive fashion. Their performances provided a thrilling preview of what fans can expect in the upcoming season.
Caleb Williams Shines for Bears
Caleb Williams, starting for the Chicago Bears, impressed early by converting a third-and-long with a 12-yard pass to wide receiver D.J. Moore. His ability to quickly find his targets was on full display when he later connected with running back D'Andre Swift for a 42-yard gain. Though the drive ultimately ended in a red zone stop, kicker Cairo Santos stepped in to salvage the effort with a 30-yard field goal. Williams finished his brief but promising appearance going 4 of 7 for 95 yards, including a 13-yard scramble. It's clear that the Bears have high hopes for their young quarterback.
Jayden Daniels: A Dual-Threat for the Chargers
For the Los Angeles Chargers, Jayden Daniels wasted no time in demonstrating his skills. Despite his first pass lofting over Austin Ekeler's head, Daniels quickly found redemption. He connected with wideout Dyami Brown for a massive 42-yard gain, setting the stage for a successful drive. Daniels capped it off by running into the end zone from 3 yards out, showcasing his dual-threat capability. He wrapped up his night completing 2 of 3 passes for 45 yards and adding a touchdown run to his stat line. His ability to bounce back and make plays did not go unnoticed.
Maye and McCarthy’s Mixed Results
Drake Maye and J.J. McCarthy had their ups and downs, but still left a positive impression. Maye, for the Carolina Panthers, converted a crucial third-and-12 to Antonio Gipson on his first NFL attempt, ending his night completing two of his three passes for 19 yards.
J.J. McCarthy, debuting for the Minnesota Vikings, showed his arm talent early with an 18-yard completion to Jalen Nailor. However, his second throw resulted in an interception by Raiders cornerback Jack Jones. McCarthy rebounded swiftly, delivering a 45-yard touchdown pass to Jackson early in the second half and concluded his day with 188 yards, completing 11 of 17 passes. Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell commented, “Clearly, everybody can see the arm talent. I loved seeing him come right back after the interception and still be aggressive.”
Michael Penix Jr. and Bo Nix Command the Field
Michael Penix Jr., playing for the Atlanta Falcons, handled significant playtime, leading the team for five possessions in the first half against Miami. Penix directed the Falcons to two scoring drives, completing 9 of 16 passes for 104 yards, including a notable 41-yard pass to Chris Blair.
Bo Nix made a strong impression for the Denver Broncos, leading the team to score on four out of the five drives he helmed. Nix completed 15 of 21 passes for 125 yards and demonstrated his mobility with an 11-yard scramble. He also threw his first touchdown pass to Marvin Mims. Nix reflected on the game saying, “It was a good day. I thought we ran the ball efficiently. Made some good plays in the pass game. Converted some third downs. Got points when we needed to; it was a good job going into half with points and coming out with points, felt like that was a good point in the game. Overall, thought we did a good job, huge team win.”
Coaches and Teammates React
The reactions from coaches and players provide deeper insights into these rookies' performances. Sam Cosmi highlighted the composure shown by Jayden Daniels, “He made a check mid-play. It turned out to be a big gain. We bunkered down and really went in there. He was calm and collected, which is what you want to see, and it was really impressive. We all sat on the sideline, and we were like, 'Dang, that was really fun.' So, I think everybody should be very excited just from that little sneak peek right there. I know I am. I know the guys are fired up. I think we got a dude back there.”
Raheem Morris, reflecting on J.J. McCarthy, noted, “He wants one of those throws back that he threw on the sideline, but he was able to go through some progression. He was able to progress. We get a little pass happy with him since he's a first-round quarterback. It was fun to see him go out there and execute some of the pass plays, and we were able to get some of the stuff done… Pretty much, a really good night for him and I was really pleased with what he was able to do.”
Overall, the debut of these rookie quarterbacks has set an exciting tone for the season ahead. They demonstrated talent, resilience, and promise, leaving fans and coaches alike eager to see how they will develop and impact their teams in the NFL.