2025 NFL preseason, Week 1: What We Learned from Saturday's games

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• READ: Giants rookie first-rounder Dart impresses in preseason debut

Michael Baca's takeaways:

1. Giants' pass rush makes presence known. The Giants debuts of Russell Wilson and rookie Jaxson Dart will garner much of the attention, but it was New York's bolstered pass rush that made an early preseason statement. Doing so against Buffalo's starting offensive line and without their All-Pro defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence, the Giants' defensive front of Brian Burns, Kayvon Thibodeaux, Roy Robertson-Harris and rookie Abdul Carter brought consistent pressure on passing downs and kept the Bills' rushing attack at bay, allowing just 21 yards and forcing two punts in two possessions played. Carter, the No. 3 overall pick, made the most of his handful of snaps, forcing a pressure off the edge against four-time Pro Bowl offensive tackle Dion Dawkins and again on the inside with a slick inside move against guard O'Cyrus Torrence. While it was backup quarterback Mitchell Trubisky feeling their wrath, the Giants' showing provided more reason to believe their pass rush will be the key for a turnaround season in 2025 and it will only look better once Lawrence joins the party.
2. Bills' youngsters continue strong summer. Buffalo's starting defensive front also had a nice outing in their limited time played with newcomer Joey Bosa making a couple of plays, but rookie defensive linemen T.J Sanders (two QB hits) and Deone Walker (pass defensed) showed some promise in their debuts. The hulking pairing appeared to mix in well as they were shuffled within the Bills' stout and experienced D-line, which would be a boon for the Bills in terms of depth. Second-year wide receiver Tyrell Shavers also continued his strong summer by making the game's biggest play. With seconds left in the first half, Trubisky dialed up a deep ball with Shavers' name on it and the 6-foot-4 wideout sped past his defender to haul in a 58-yard gain and nearly got into the end zone. Shavers ended his day with two catches for 70 yards. Second-year running back Ray Davis also had a memorable game, converting an extra-point attempt following the Bills' first TD of the afternoon.

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Nick Shook's takeaways:

1. McCarthy delivers promising showing. Kevin O'Connell limited his starting quarterback to one series, but in that possession -- a 13-play, 58-yard march that ended in a field goal -- J.J. McCarthy gave Vikings fans reason to be optimistic in his first in-game action since he suffered a season-ending knee injury last preseason. He appeared comfortable handling first-team duties, was largely accurate (save for a third down miss that forced the Vikings to settle for three), fired from a variety of platforms and even used his legs to convert a first down. Naturally, we all would have liked to see more than one series from the second-year signal-caller, but given that's all O'Connell was willing to risk, McCarthy passed the test easily. ... Elsewhere in the Minnesota backfield, Zavier Scott turned in some quality tape. The Vikings' running back room might be a little too crowded to keep Scott but that's the beauty of preseason: good film is available to all 32 teams. Scott ran hard on Saturday, breaking tackles and drawing a few visceral reactions from the Vikings broadcast crew. He led the Vikings with 40 yards on seven carries and produced enough examples of solid carries that should raise the eyebrows of those sifting through footage for another option in the backfield -- if the Vikings don't keep him first.
2. Bubble receivers improve their cases. With Tank Dell possibly not able to return at all in 2025, the Texans have plenty to sort out at the position beyond Nico Collins. John Metchie III and Braxton Berrios are among those battling for a roster spot, and both had very nice days in Minneapolis. Berrios went a perfect three for three, catching all of his targets for 33 yards and a diving touchdown while also proving to be a shifty slot receiver the Texans could use to add versatility to their group. Metchie caught five of eight targets for 45 yards, proving to be a reliable option for Davis Mills and Kedon Slovis. Metchie needs to capitalize on the opportunity in front of him with the Texans after making a minimal difference in his first two seasons. After four years in New York and spending the last two in Miami, Berrios is looking for another chance to stick on a 53-man roster; performances like Saturday's could make a pairing with Houston increasingly ideal.

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• READ: Jags kicker Cam Little booms 70-yard field goal
• READ: No. 2 overall pick Travis Hunter debut on offense, returns on defense

Christian Gonzales' takeaways:

1. The Lawrence-Coen era in Jacksonville shows promise. Even though all eyes were on two-way rookie Travis Hunter on Saturday night, the new era of offense in Duval with head coach Liam Coen also saw its first glimpse. Despite the Jaguars having a false start on the first play against the Steelers, quarterback Trevor Lawrence commanded Coen’s offense well, for the most part. The fifth-year QB connected on passes to five different receivers in his first and only drive, completing 6 of 7 passes for 43 yards and led Jacksonville’s offense to three points. Granted, it’s only preseason action versus Pittsburgh’s second-string defense, but Lawrence’s familiarity with the playbook appears to be off to a good start as he works with his third full-time head coach in Jacksonville. 
2. Steelers TE stands out -- and then some. Third-year tight end Darnell Washington showing in Saturday’s preseason game was promising. Standing at 6-foot-7, 265 pounds, Washington’s frame was an easy target for Mason Rudolph. The Steelers QB delivered a fast ball down the middle, which allowed Washington to show off his hands and frame. Washington, a former third-round pick with just one career TD, quickly snagged the ball with a defender all over him for a 19-yard touchdown. With the Steelers acquiring Jonnu Smith and Pat Freiermuth at the top of the depth chart, Washington demonstrated he could be a reliable red zone target for Aaron Rodgers in the regular season if called on.

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• READ: Inactive Lamb takes hit, draws penalty on sideline

Nick Shook's takeaways to come:

1. Corum slices through Dallas defense. Kyren Williams is the Rams' top back (and recently got paid accordingly) but do not forget about the presence of Blake Corum, a back who cut through the Cowboys' defense like a hot knife through butter Saturday. Sean McVay's balanced game plan saw Stetson Bennett pace the offense through the air and lean on Corum on the ground, handing it to the Michigan product nine times for 32 yards and two touchdowns. Both scores came from less than five yards out, yet that doesn't diminish how effective Corum was. With Williams atop the depth chart, Corum's burst of production should make McVay feel good about the depth of his backfield.
2. Rough start for Milton. Joe Milton III's one start in New England in 2024 sold the Cowboys on his potential and prompted them to trade for him. His first outing wearing the star might have had the opposite effect. Milton struggled mightily against the Rams Saturday, missing targets, throwing passes into traffic and sailing passes beyond targets downfield. His best moment came as a runner on a read option in the first half, and when given a chance to show off his arm strength, he launched a missile into double coverage, ending in an interception. To his credit, Milton started to settle in more late in the third quarter but it was a far cry from that memorable Week 18 performance he enjoyed last season.

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• READ: No. 1 pick Cam Ward gets going on second preseason drive

Grant Gordon's takeaways to come:

1. Egbuka increases hope, hype with first catch. Training camp hype around Emeka Egbuka has been as thick as the Florida humidity. The first-rounder wasted little time in maintaining that excitement when he went up for a 21-yard reception on the third play from scrimmage. The Ohio State product got in front of his defender and beautifully made a play on the ball from Kyle Trask. He came up empty on a sideline ball later in the drive and that was it for an 11-play night. It’s been made clear by the Buccaneers that Egbuka figures to play a large role in the offense. He offered a glimpse as to why. 
2. Ridley looks to be reliable No. 1 for No. 1 pick. Aside from an offensive line that allowed just one pressure, No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward's best friend in his preseason debut was Calvin Ridley. Ridley is the unquestioned No. 1 for the Titans, but it was clear Saturday that the pairing is quickly getting into sync. Ward targeted Ridley three times -- all on the second drive of the game -- and each went for a catch, adding up to 50 yards. Following an 0-for-2 first drive, Ward set up in the pocket with time to spare on the first play of the second possession. He found Ridley wide open over the middle deep for a 27-yard gain -- the longest of the evening for Tennessee. Having a reliable top target is crucial for Ward's development and it would seem he's got that with Ridley.

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Nick Shook's takeaways to come:

1. Cardinals get off to sloppy start. It's never good when the drive chart features two turnovers on the first two possessions, even in the preseason. Arizona's first touch of the football resulted in a turnover when Greg Dortch fumbled a kick return, and a promising second possession ended in similar disaster when Kyler Murray threw an ugly interception while on the run. Three accepted penalties (for 32 yards) in the first 18 minutes didn't help matters, either. Outside of that, Murray finished his day on a positive note, completing 7 of 8 total pass attempts for 96 yards and managing to extract three points from his final drive before retiring to the sideline, and Arizona executed an excellent screen to Emari Demercado for a touchdown late in the first half. Fortunately, it's only the preseason, but Jonathan Gannon received a reminder of how important the details will be for his football team Saturday.
2. Minshew passes first test. Kansas City swapped out backup quarterbacks during the offseason, bringing in a well-traveled veteran in Gardner Minshew as a break-glass-in-case-of-emergency option behind Patrick Mahomes. In a game that didn't feature a ton of standouts, Minshew managed to rise to the surface, delivering accurately under pressure and finishing off a nine-play drive with his legs, taking a naked bootleg into a wide-open end zone. Ideally, the Chiefs never need to use Minshew in 2025. But if they must, his outing Saturday proved he can handle the job.

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Grant Gordon's takeaways:

1. Fields delivers excitement, hope. It's far too early to be convinced Justin Fields will indeed cure the Jets’ longstanding quarterbacking ills. The 2021 first-rounder made it very difficult on Saturday night not get enthralled by what could be under center for Gang Green in 2025, however. Fields culminated an impressive 10-play, 79-yard drive with a 13-yard scramble for six. In one drive's worth of work, Fields marched the Jets to a score, hitting on three of his four pass attempts for 42 yards, handing off to the surging Braelon Allen and then taking it to the house. It was an excellent showing against a rather lackluster Packers second defense. Still, it’s exactly what rookie head coach Aaron Glenn and offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand were hoping to see. 
2. Not a lot of Love for Packers. There’s no reason to panic about Jordan Love’s preseason performance, but there’s also no reason to be happy about it. Love was a dismal 1 of 5 for seven yards in a two-drive cameo. His one completion did go to first-round rookie Matthew Golden, so there was a snippet of something to get excited about. Overall, it set the tone for a 20-point loss that left little positive to take from Green Bay’s preseason opener. 

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Christian Gonzales' takeaways to come:

1. Broncos defender proves a point in short stint. After a breakout season in 2024, Broncos pass rusher Nik Bonitto was a force to be reckoned with in Saturday’s preseason game against the 49ers.Bonitto, who’s in line for a contract extension, played a total of 12 snaps for Sean Payton’s defense. He only needed a short amount of time to make an impact. Bonitto pressured Mac Jones on three straight plays as he recorded a one sack, two QB hits and one tackle for loss in San Francisco’s second offensive drive. The Pro Bowl LB certainly looked in midseason form in the first week of the preseason.
2. Backup QB has up-and-down performance. Niners head coach Kyle Shanahan liked Mac Jones when he was coming out of college in 2021, but San Francisco moved up in the draft to select Trey Lance at No. 3 overall. A few seasons later, Jones is now with Shanahan and made his 49ers preseason debut against stingy Broncos defense. It was a great start for Jones as he marched San Francisco’s offense down the field. Jones launched a deep pass to Jordan Watkins for a 50-yard completion. Shortly after, Patrick Taylor found a gap on the left side for 5-yard touchdown. San Francisco’s next two drives weren’t that promising. Jones’ next drive ended with a punt and his final series concluded with an interception. Jones finished the night 4-of-7 passes for 74 yards and an INT.