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5 things to watch for during Week 2 of NFL preseason

We’re on to Week 2 of the preseason, with games spanning from Friday-Monday. Coaches’ strategies as to whether to play their starters vary around the league, but ultimately the most important thing is evaluating young players and journeyman who are fighting for roster spots. Here are our top five things to watch for during this weekend’s slate.

Browns’ QB conundrum: The injury bug has bitten Cleveland’s quarterback room hard. Dillon Gabriel and Kenny Pickett are both nursing hamstring injuries, and had to sit out Week 1’s preseason matchup. Now, Shedeur Sanders is dealing with an oblique injury that he sustained during practice on Wednesday.

That potentially leaves veteran Joe Flacco and recently acquired Tyler Huntley as the only healthy QBs available for the Browns’ matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles. They would probably rather not give the 40-year-old Flacco a bunch of snaps in an exhibition game, but may not have much of a choice. It’s possible that Gabriel or Pickett will healthy enough to play, but it’s a fluid situation.

Caleb Williams to start for Bears: Coach Ben Johnson’s decision to sit his franchise QB in Chicago’s preseason opener was met with a bit of backlash considering he’s learning a new offense. However, Williams and the rest of the Bears’ starters will play this week against the Buffalo Bills.

Expectations are big for Williams as he enters his second NFL season with Johnson at the helm and an improved offensive line. He also has a couple of new rookie weapons in wide receiver Luther Burden III and tight end Colston Loveland. If it all comes together, Williams could emerge as an elite QB in 2025.

Jaxson Dart looks to keep building momentum: The Giants’ rookie QB was very impressive in his debut last week, and appears to already be ahead of veteran Jameis Winston on the depth chart. Dart will get another extended look against the New York Jets this week.

If he turns in another impressive outing, a bit of pressure could begin to mount to make Dart the Giants’ regular season Week 1 starter. New York’s current starter, Russell Wilson, was on the other side of this exact situation back in 2012 with the Seattle Seahawks.

Bengals to continue playing starters: Just like last week, Cincinnati’s starters will play on Monday against the Washington Commanders. The Bengals’ offense was a well-oiled machine against the Eagles in Week 1, as QB Joe Burrow completed 9-10 passes for 123 yards and two touchdowns.

He’s already in rhythm with All-Pro WR Ja’Marr Chase, connecting with him four times for 77 yards and one TD. The Bengals are trying to avoid another slow regular season start after beginning with a 1-5-1 record in 2020, 2-3 in 2022, 2-3 in 2023, and 1-4 in 2024.

Broncos crowded RB room: Veteran J.K. Dobbins and rookie R.J. Harvey are likely locks for Denver’s 53-man roster, but it’s wide open behind them. The Broncos could keep up to five running backs, especially if Harvey doesn’t show improvement after a lackluster debut last week, and given Dobbins’ injury history.

Tyler Badie, Blake Watson, Jaleel McLaughlin, and Audric Estimé are battling for roster spots, and are seemingly on pretty even footing. Estimé brings power to the table, while the rest are more the speedy type. The Broncos have high expectations in 2025, and need a solid run game to take pressure off of second-year QB Bo Nix.

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Hypothetical trade scenarios for Miami Dolphins WR Tyreek Hill

Steam has picked up a bit regarding the possibility of the Dolphins trading Hill before the start of the regular season. There has been friction between the two sides for the better part of the last year, and Hill is due a hefty $15.85 million option bonus at the end of August.

It would certainly take a lot for Miami to move on from the multi-time All-Pro, but stranger things have happened. A few members of our A to Z Sports staff took a crack at identifying which teams could be interested, and what it would take to acquire Hill.

Pittsburgh Steelers: “It’s no secret that, despite what you hear from the Steelers brass, this team is still poking around to try and bolster its roster. That is especially true at the WR position, where Pittsburgh would probably have already traded for Terry McLaurin if Washington wasn’t dead set on keeping him. So, insert Tyreek Hill and the Miami Dolphins. I know Pittsburgh already hammered out a blockbuster trade with the Dolphins this year, but Hill is a little different.

“For one, the Steelers know they have a giant question mark in their WR corps outside of D.K. Metcalf. Secondly, if the Steelers manage to trade for Hill after August 31st, the day of which his $15.85 million roster bonus is due, they can use their nearly $20m in effective cap space to work through his base salary and per-game roster bonuses fairly easily. So what do they give up? I propose a 2026 second-round pick and a 2027 third-round pick in exchange for Hill and a 2026 5th-rounder. If the Dolphins wanted Calvin Austin III or even Roman Wilson, you would have to consider that as well, but the initial offer is picks for Hill.” —Rob Gregson

Minnesota Vikings: “The Vikings are a really interesting team to look at for a trade like this. There is this belief where the Vikings need to make a trade with Jordan Addison suspended for three games. That’s not the case, as they whipped the San Francisco 49ers and Houston Texans without him and T.J. Hockenson last year, and the 2025 Vikings look to be a better team. Where things get interesting is the idea of going all in. Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has gotten the Vikings in a three-year window to attack a Super Bowl title.

“Adding a player like Hill would be a fascinating one, but the price would have to be right. Not only does Hill carry a massive cap hit (that drops by nearly $16 million when his roster bonus is due), but the draft pick compensation looks to be a little higher than they’d like, especially since they don’t have a fourth-round pick to trade. It would likely have to be a mid-round pick swap of some sort, like a third and a fifth for Hill and a fourth could be something that works. It would be a move to maximize the window for 2025 and an unlikely move, but it could end up working out for both sides, and give McCarthy another weapon to utilize in his first season at quarterback.” —Tyler Forness

Los Angeles Rams: “The Rams were at a crossroads this offseason between looking towards the future or making at least one more run of it to compete for a Super Bowl with QB Matthew Stafford. Ultimately, they were able to keep their QB around on a new deal and are ready to show they are still contenders in the NFC. Stafford’s back injury complicates things, but the Rams have no choice but to win this season. GM Les Snead has shown time and time again he’s willing to make the big win-now move with little regard to the draft capital it takes to get a deal done.

“The team was involved in talks to acquire Jalen Ramsey from the Dolphins earlier this offseason, so why not re-engage, but this time to put the final touch on their WR room by trading for Tyreek Hill. I have the Rams offering their first-round pick in 2026, along with a fifth-round pick, for Tyreek Hill and a fourth-round pick. At this stage, a first for Hill seems steep, but the Rams have the luxury of owning two 2026 firsts thanks to landing an additional from the Atlanta Falcons on draft night. A WR trio of Puka Nacua, Davante Adams, and Hill would easily be one of the best in the NFL, and would help get the most out of Stafford’s final years.” —Destin Adams

Arizona Cardinals: “This is not exactly a groundbreaking trade package, but Kei’Trel Clark was a fairly solid and versatile cornerback in 2024, with 52 snaps as a boundary and 38 snaps in the slot, something the Dolphins desperately need. For the Cardinals, the team has barely invested in the offense this offseason—the biggest additions were backup quarterback Jacoby Brissett, backup guard Royce Newman, and depth wide receiver Simi Fehoko.

“Yes, the Cardinals spent a top pick on Marvin Harrison Jr. last year, but his skillset would be greatly benefited from a speedster like Tyreek Hill on the opposite side of the field. Greg Dortch would work as the traditional slot, with Michael Wilson as a rotational piece and eventual big slot. Absorbing $27.65 million plus the draft capital for a 31-year-old wide receiver is a risky proposition, but the Cardinals are fourth in available cap space ($35.475 million) and could easily adjust his contract to create extra room. It’s also a big opportunity to maximize what they have in Harrison, while giving quarterback Kyler Murray a better fit in the passing game to prove he can still be worth his big-time contract.” —Wendell Ferreira

Miami Dolphins News

4 hypothetical trade packages for Dolphins star Tyreek Hill as NFL teams reportedly monitor his status with a major deadline looming

ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler made waves this weekend while reporting teams are keeping a watchful eye on WR Tyreek Hill. What could a trade look like?

Destin Adams

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