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The first week of the 2026 NFL preseason kicked off Thursday, giving us our first look at rookies and players making debuts with new teams. It continued with three games Friday.
How did players in new uniforms perform? Who stood out? Which first-years showed promise?
Our NFL Nation reporters picked out what you need to know about top debuts and more as NFL football returns.
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Buccaneers: As he has done throughout camp, undrafted free agent rookie cornerback Ayden Garnes made this his moment, picking off Bailey Zappe and returning the pass 47 yards for a touchdown. Second-round draft pick Josiah Trotter recorded two tackles. Outside linebacker David Walker, a 2025 fourth-round draft pick who missed all preseason last year with a torn ACL, registered two quarterback pressures.
Third-round pick Ted Hurst III hauled in two catches despite poor quarterback play from Connor Bazelak, as Jalon Daniels showed far better command of the offense. Tight end Bauer Sharp went 4-of-5 on targets and wide receiver Dean Patterson went 5-of-7.
First-round pick Rueben Bain Jr. will make his debut next week. — Jenna Laine
Next game: vs. Kansas City Chiefs (Aug. 22, 7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Jets: Fourth-round QB Cade Klubnik was the surprise starter after Geno Smith (ankle) was ruled out as a precaution. Klubnik strengthened his case for the No. 2 job, leading the starting offense to a field goal and touchdown in his only two series — a curiously short outing. It could be argued that coach Aaron Glenn should have let the former Clemson star play the entire half. Facing the Bucs’ backups, Klubnik (5-for-7, 56 yards) didn’t make any big mistakes and kept the chains moving, hitting Garrett Wilson for two third-down conversions.
It was a nondescript debut for edge rusher David Bailey, the No. 2 pick. Playing with the starters, he registered one tackle and one QB pressure in eight snaps. Noteworthy: He was double-teamed on three of his six pass rushes.
First-round wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. got into the open field for a 26-yard reception, but the important takeaway is that he played with the backups, not the starters. He was leapfrogged on the depth chart by Isaiah Williams. It was a quiet night for the veteran newcomers, most of whom saw limited action. — Rich Cimini
Next game: at Pittsburgh Steelers (Aug. 21, 7 p.m. ET, NFL Network)
Broncos: On a team that returns 20 of 22 starters from the AFC Championship Game, there are not a lot of roster spots in play, but in the 27-7 win over the Atlanta Falcons, rookie fourth-round RB Jonah Coleman showed off his decisive running style with 24 yards on four carries, along with the physicality the Broncos wanted to see in his work with the starters in the first half.
Undrafted rookie wide receiver Cameron Ross, who has flashed athleticism in camp, had a 24-yard carry in the first half when the first- and second-team offense was on the field, which shows he has already gotten the coaches’ attention. Undrafted cornerback Sam Fresch prevented what would have been a Falcons touchdown when he knocked away a Jack Strand pass with 1:54 to play in the game. — Jeff Legwold
Next game: vs. Green Bay Packers (Aug. 21, 9 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Falcons: All eyes were on quarterback Tua Tagovailoa in his first start of any kind with the Atlanta Falcons. It was not an auspicious beginning.
Tagovailoa looked uncomfortable and didn’t get much help from his offensive line. He completed 3 of 5 passes for 22 yards. All four targets went to tight end Kyle Pitts Sr., which fantasy football enthusiasts might find interesting.
It didn’t get much better for the Falcons once Tagovailoa left the game. Veteran quarterback Cooper Rush, a recent signee, was 7-of-19 for 62 yards and two interceptions, including a 96-yard pick-six by Jahdae Barron. — Marc Raimondi
Next game: at Indianapolis Colts (Aug. 22, 1 p.m. ET)
Commanders: Linebacker Sonny Styles played in the first series, a 14-play Miami touchdown drive. Styles wasn’t much of a factor, though he did wear the green dot and call the plays. He finished with three tackles but looked like a rookie playing his first game, still getting comfortable.
A few rookies did have strong games. Undrafted free agent running back Robert Henry Jr. showed juice on his runs and scored from 22 yards out. He finished with 75 yards on 12 runs. Henry hit the holes fast and used good vision to knife through narrow openings. Center Matt Gulbin showed some power inside in the second quarter. Third-round receiver Antonio Williams caught one pass for 16 yards and didn’t play until the third quarter. Running back Kaytron Allen doesn’t play with Henry’s burst but managed 85 yards on 23 carries and a 1-yard touchdown. — John Keim
Next game: at Detroit Lions (Aug. 22, noon ET)
Dolphins: Wide receiver Caleb Douglas shot up the depth chart during the Dolphins’ first two weeks of training camp and showed why in his only snaps of the game. On third-and-5, quarterback Malik Willis hit Douglas on a slot fade. The rookie shook off defensive pass interference, tipped the ball to himself with one hand and corralled it in for a 28-yard reception.
Second-round rookie linebacker Jacob Rodriguez finished with a tackle and a pressure in 13 snaps, and defensive end Max Llewellyn recorded half a sack.
Willis, who signed a three-year deal with the Dolphins this offseason, was sharp in his lone drive of the game — a 14-play, 93-yard touchdown drive that spanned more than seven minutes. He completed 4 of 5 passes for 43 yards, adding 9 more yards on the ground. — Marcel Louis-Jacques
Next game: vs. New York Giants (Aug. 22, 4 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Cardinals: No. 3 draft pick Jeremiyah Love showcased his quick feet and power running during his time on the field Thursday night. It resulted in 11 carries for 58 yards, an average of 5.3 yards per carry. He showcased his ability to find holes and the strength to take on hits. He also had three catches for 14 yards with a long of 7 yards.
Second-round pick Chase Bisontis left the game in the third quarter with a knee injury and did not return. He went down holding the back of his left knee and was rolling in agony as he was attended to by trainers.
Wide receiver Reggie Virgil, Arizona’s fifth-round pick, made an impressive one-handed catch for a 24-yard gain. — Josh Weinfuss
Next game: vs. Dallas Cowboys (Aug. 22, 10 p.m. ET, NFL Network)
Raiders: The Raiders’ quarterback battle between Kirk Cousins and Fernando Mendoza was on full display. Cousins played only the opening drive, which resulted in a touchdown. After he completed a 10-yard pass to Jack Bech and a 16-yard pass to Tre Tucker, he found tight end Michael Mayer for a 13-yard touchdown, which capped off a 10-play, 68-yard drive to begin the game. Cousins completed 5 of 6 passes for 50 yards.
As for the No. 1 pick, Mendoza, he showed off his resilience, a trait admired by the coaching staff. His first drive wasn’t great — he had two incompletions and the Raiders were forced to punt. His second was a different story. He completed a 19-yard pass to rookie wide receiver Malik Benson, fitting the ball through a tight window. Rookie running back Mike Washington Jr. then rushed for 53 yards before Mendoza zipped the ball over the middle to Bech for a 6-yard touchdown pass on third down.
His third drive resulted in a three-and-out. But his fourth and final drive of the evening ended with him putting the Raiders into field goal range. He finished the night completing 10 of 16 passes for 97 yards. Mendoza did struggle against pressure. He was pressured on 38.9% of dropbacks, going 2-for-6 with 11 yards and a 42.4 passer rating. He was sacked once. — Ryan McFadden
Next game: at Houston Texans (Aug. 20, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Steelers: Welcome to the NFL (kind of), rookies! The Steelers’ rookie class had a solid showing in its preseason debut behind quarterback Drew Allar, who led the team to three touchdowns in his first appearance.
The third-rounder’s first came on third-and-7 in the third quarter when he connected with fourth-round receiver Kaden Wetjen for a 74-yard catch-and-run. Two plays later, Allar kept the ball on a read-option and ran it into the end zone for a 3-yard score. Allar and Wetjen connected again midway through the fourth quarter, this time in the end zone on a 5-yard touchdown. Allar put a bow on the night with a third touchdown on a 4-yard pass to rookie FB Riley Nowakowski.
Playing with the first team, second-round wide receiver Germie Bernard also showed off his yards-after-catch ability with a 25-yard catch-and-run in the first half. Defensively, sixth-round defensive end Gabriel Rubio stood out with six tackles. — Brooke Pryor
Next game: vs. New York Jets (Aug. 21, 7 p.m. ET, NFL Network)
Packers: Rookie second-round pick Brandon Cisse looks comfortable as a starting cornerback. New defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon isn’t afraid to blitz. And veteran free agent receiver Skyy Moore looks like an upgrade as a punt returner (and he might also be able to help on offense). But perhaps more importantly, after some shaky practices, rookie kicker Trey Smack came through in a big way in this game. Officially, Smack made field goals of 37, 58 and 38 yards. He also nailed another 58-yarder, but a Steelers penalty gave the Packers a first down, so coach Matt LaFleur took the points off the board. First-year QB Kyle McCord (12-for-14, 102 yards) had a strong showing. — Rob Demovsky
Next game: at Denver Broncos (Aug. 21, 9 p.m. ET, NFL Network)
Bengals: Of all the newcomers who played in the preseason opener, a couple of rookies had very bright moments. DE Cashius Howell, the team’s second-round pick, took advantage of a slick ball and recovered a fumble on a botched handoff. And WR Colbie Young, the team’s fourth-round selection, had a couple of nice catches in the first half against the Lions. Howell has had a strong camp and had one QB pressure in his nine snaps Thursday, per NFL Next Gen Stats. — Ben Baby
Next game: vs. Chicago Bears (Aug. 22, 7 p.m. ET)
Lions: After the sudden retirement of veteran QB Teddy Bridgewater during training camp, all eyes turned to rookie Luke Altmyer, who got the start in his preseason debut.
Altmyer, an undrafted free agent out of Illinois, went 13-for-21 for 130 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions in a solid performance.
The Lions also signed backup QB Joshua Dobbs to a one-year deal earlier this week, in the wake of Bridgewater’s retirement, as the backup returns for a second stint in Detroit. Dobbs entered the game in the second quarter, splitting snaps with Altmyer in the first half, and ended with 32 passing yards. He completed 4 of 8 attempts as the two compete for the QB2 spot behind Jared Goff.
Blake Miller, the 17th pick of the draft, also made his debut, starting at right tackle, where he got off to a strong start this preseason. — Eric Woodyard
Next game: vs. Washington Commanders (Aug. 22, noon ET)
Patriots: Seventh-round RB Jam Miller (Alabama) was the rookie headliner, which was timely as the competition for the team’s No. 3 running back took an unexpected twist when the Patriots placed leading candidate Terrell Jennings on injured reserve before the game. The 5-foot-10, 209-pound Miller started and ran hard, totaling 55 yards on 14 carries (3.9 YPC), and now might have the inside track on the RB3 role. Elsewhere, first-round pick Caleb Lomu started at right tackle and was called for a borderline ineligible man downfield penalty that negated a big play. — Mike Reiss
Next game: vs. Philadelphia Eagles (Aug. 22, 7 p.m. ET, NFL Network)
Colts: Rookie linebacker Bryce Boettcher (three tackles) made an obvious impact in his first pro action, showing he can handle responsibilities while still bringing the physicality he has displayed throughout camp. The fourth-round pick’s continued development is a great sign for a linebacking corps with many questions.
Fifth-round pick George Gumbs Jr. had two tackles and a sack as he continues his bid to carve out a role in the defensive end rotation. Caden Curry, another rookie pass rusher, had a sack on an impressive inside move, a team-high five tackles, two tackles for loss and two pass deflections as he makes a bid for a roster spot.
Finally, third-round selection A.J. Haulcy played fast from his safety position, showing versatility in playing the single-high role and at strong safety in the tackle box. — Stephen Holder
Next game: vs. Atlanta Falcons (Aug. 22, 7 p.m. ET)
Chargers: Rookie left guard Jake Slaughter fared well, picking up a stunt during his time at left guard and looking comfortable under pressure. First-round edge rusher Akheem Mesidor didn’t flash much, playing only eight snaps. Undrafted rookie Nadame Tucker led the outside linebacker group with two pressures, showing the pass-rush ability that’s flashed throughout training camp. Wide receiver Brenen Thompson was mostly quiet but finished with two catches for 30 yards.
Overall, it was a solid opening night for the Chargers’ rookies, with Slaughter delivering the most impressive performance. — Kris Rhim
Next game: vs. San Francisco 49ers (Aug. 20, 10 p.m. ET)
Texans: Rookie center Keylan Rutledge played only one drive, which speaks to the first-rounder’s standing as a starter. The drive ended with a touchdown throw from quarterback Davis Mills to wideout Jared Wayne. During the possession, Mills found rookie tight end Marlin Klein on a seam route for a 31-yard reception. Klein also was limited to one possession, revealing that Houston is pleased with both of their performances throughout camp. Defensive tackle Kayden McDonald quickly displayed what made him valuable in college by producing a run stuff during his 21 plays of action. Overall, a solid outing for the Texans’ 2026 rookie class. — DJ Bien-Aime
Next game: vs. Las Vegas Raiders (Aug. 20, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Titans: First-round picks Carnell Tate and Keldric Faulk got the start against the 49ers. Tate was targeted twice, and both fell incomplete. Faulk started because veteran defensive lineman Jacob Martin (knee) was inactive. Faulk played into the third quarter and got a couple of pressures, one of which came via a spin move he had been working on with assistant defensive line coach Tanzel Smart before practice. Fifth-round pick Fernando Carmona took a big step toward securing the right guard spot. Carmona started the game after working with the first team over the past three practices.
Free agent cornerbacks Alontae Taylor and Cor’Dale Flott didn’t impress. Taylor gave up a 17-yard catch on third down, but it was called back for holding. Flott got beaten by rookie De’Zhaun Stribling for a 34-yard gain and was flagged for pass interference on running back Patrick Taylor Jr., which set up a 49ers touchdown. — Turron Davenport
Next game: at Seattle Seahawks (Aug. 23, 8 p.m. ET)
49ers: Second-round receiver De’Zhaun Stribling has been one of the stars of 49ers training camp, and that translated to his first preseason game. Stribling played the first three series, all against starting Titans defensive backs, and posted seven catches for 62 yards before calling it a night. That included an impressive over-the-shoulder grab for 32 yards and an 11-yard catch-and-run for a first down to set up San Francisco’s first touchdown.
Rookie defensive tackle Gracen Halton also built on his strong camp, getting past Titans guard Peter Skoronski for a sack (that was called back for defensive holding elsewhere) and a run stop. Stribling and Halton have made strong cases for roles right away and only bolstered them Thursday night. — Nick Wagoner
Next game: at Los Angeles Chargers (Aug. 20, 10 p.m. ET)
Carolina Panthers at Buffalo Bills (1 p.m. ET)
Minnesota Vikings at New York Giants (1 p.m. ET)
Cleveland Browns at Chicago Bears (1 p.m. ET)
Los Angeles Rams at Kansas City Chiefs (4 p.m. ET)
Jacksonville Jaguars at New Orleans Saints (4 p.m. ET)
Philadelphia Eagles at Baltimore Ravens (7 p.m. ET)
Dallas Cowboys at Seattle Seahawks (8 p.m. ET)
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