2024 NFL preseason, Week 1: What We Learned from Saturday's slate of games

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Kevin Patra's takeaways:

1. Braelon Allen looks like an enticing complement to Breece Hall. Preseason can provide fools gold, but a rookie running back displaying traits that transfer to meaningful games is one aspect that has consistently translated in the past. Allen showed good vision, enough speed to get to the edge, and powered through tackles. Hall should still take the bulk of the workload as a three-down back who can play 70-plus percent of the snaps. However, Allen could carve out a role as a rookie. While many first-year backs start down the depth chart, Allen is already Hall’s handcuff. The former Wisconsin Badger has good power and even had a catch Saturday that was negated by a penalty. Allen took six carries for 64 yards with a long of 24. Fellow rookie Isaiah Davis was RB3 in the first preseason game. 2023 fifth-rounder Israel Abanikanda is the fourth back on the depth chart, clearly on the roster bubble at this stage.
2. Former first-round pick Jahan Dotson looks like he’ll take increased reps out of the slot this season. The receiver started in the slot with Terry McLaurin and Dyami Brown out wide. Dotson spent just 39% of his snaps out of the slot last season, per Next Gen Stats, so taking on that role would be new for the third-year player. On Saturday, Dotson lined up in the slot on 17 of 31 snaps (55%), per NGS, generating two catches on three targets for 13 yards. Dotson stayed in the game after the rest of the starters exited, playing with QB3 Jeff Driskel deep into the second quarter. Needing more reps in a new position could be why the Commanders kept him in longer than other wideouts. Or the new staff could want to see more out of the former first-round pick who hasn’t burst out in two campaigns.
3. No. 2 overall pick Jayden Daniels shined on his only series of the game. You can read our full post on the Commanders rookie QB here.

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Kevin Patra's takeaways:

1. The Bills WR corps remains a mix-and-match situation. With quarterback Josh Allen playing exactly one quarter, Khalil Shakir , Keon Coleman and Curtis Samuel led the way. Mack Hollins didn’t play Saturday but is expected to be involved in the top group. Marquez Valdes-Scantling saw a few first-quarter snaps but had the bulk of his playing time come after Mitchell Trubisky entered the game. Shakir and Samuel split the slot reps early, which leads to questions about how much time they’ll be on the field together. KJ Hamler took slot reps with the backups. Coleman didn’t see a pass from Allen but got three targets from Trubisky, catching one for eight yards on a nice comeback route. The rookie also had to play DB in the back of the end zone on one ill-advised throw from Trubisky. Tyrell Shavers played with the backups and could still win a roster spot. Shakir led all receivers with three grabs for 28 yards despite playing just seven snaps. This group warrants attention as things continue to shake out closer to the season opener.
2. Velus Jones' bid for a position change hit the preseason. The former third-round WR took running back snaps in the third quarter as he attempts to make the team. It was a roller-coaster quarter for Jones. He rushed for seven yards on his first carry, then tripped over a white line without a defender close on his second. Later, he scampered to an unguarded wide side for a touchdown. Jones also bobbled a kickoff return in the third quarter. Jones bounced off a tackle in the fourth quarter and scampered for a 19-yard gain. Jones is a long shot to carve out a role in the backfield. Saturday displayed offensive coordinator Shane Waldron’s plan to utilize a committee. Even without Roschon Johnson playing, Waldron juggled early downs between D'Andre Swift and Khalil Herbert. Travis Homer, familiar with Waldron from Seattle, played third downs. Barring a drastic change once the season opens, it seems like a true committee backfield in Chicago, particularly if Homer will be the third-down back.
3. Caleb Williams showed off his improv skills and big arm with a good two series in his preseason debut. You can read our full post on the Bears QB here.

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• READ: LV's O'Connell, Minshew play well amid QB battle
• READ: Vikings' McCarthy flashes with 2 TD passes vs. LV

Kevin Patra's takeaways:

1. Sam Darnold remains the clear No. 1 in Minnesota. Nothing has changed for Vikings headcoach Kevin O’Connell, who has backed the veteran throughout the offseason. Darnold played well in his one series on Saturday. His first pass was a nice touch lob to Jalen Nailor for 19 yards down the sideline. Three plays later, the QB hit Nailor again for a chunk 26-yard gain, laying the ball over the outstretched arms of Raiders linebacker Robert Spillane. Darnold avoided pressure, got the ball out quickly, and his timing was solid. Facing Raiders starters, he displayed a willingness to step up in the pocket and took advantage of the time his offensive line provided. The drive ended with two incomplete passes to scuttle a good possession, ending in a turnover on downs at the Vegas 4-yard-line. There is no question Darnold looks better at this stage of his career than he did the last time he was a full-time starter in Carolina. Rookie J.J. McCarthy flashed potential with big plays against Raiders backups, but it’s still Darnold’s job heading toward the season opener next month. 
2. Expect a lot of two tight end sets from the Raiders. It’s not a surprise after Vegas used the No. 13 overall pick on Brock Bowers, but it was good to see it live. The Raiders used Bowers and Michael Mayer liberally on their one drive. On the 15-play opening possession, Mayer played 12 snaps. Bowers 11. Mayer played a more traditional TE role (tight for 10 plays, in the slot twice). Bowers, however, played more of a joker role, moving all over the formation. In 11 snaps, the rookie lined up tight four times, wide three, in the slot once and in the backfield three times, per Next Gen Stats. Using Bowers in such a fashion indicates that: A) the Raiders will ensure he’s involved; and B) they trust the rookie to learn multiple spots. Bowers looked noticeably athletic and shifty on his two catches. Of his 25 yards, 19 came after the catch. Playing alongside Mayer might cap the rookie tight end’s counting stats, but his talent should force him on the field. It’s good to see that Vegas is preparing for that eventuality by lining Bowers up all over the formation.

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Bobby Kownack's takeaways:

1. Green Bay’s 1s get job done against mostly backups. Jordan Love’s first game action since signing his mega contract was short, sweet and concluded with a pass dropped perfectly to a wide-open Dontayvion Wicks down the sideline for a 65-yard score on the game’s third snap. He departed with a flawless 158.3 passer rating. On defense, the starters who suited up mostly played two drives. The unit initially leaked some yards but allowed just three points and subsequently forced a three-and-out on a short field. Devonte Wyatt shined brightest. He looked made for Jeff Hafley’s new scheme, generating two pressures despite being double-teamed on four of his five pass-rushing snaps. One of those pressures hand-delivered a sack to Lukas Van Ness, who took up residence in the backfield with three tackles for loss. The caveat here is the Browns almost exclusively played backups on both sides, but you can’t help who you line up against -- plus the Packers looked good doing it.
2.  DTR, Jamari Thrash finally deliver some splash plays. It had been a plodding affair for the Browns, who had three points courtesy of Jameis Winston’s lone, opening drive and saw four possessions out of the next five go for 11 or fewer yards. Then, on the last possession of the third quarter, Dorian Thompson-Robinson started looking rookie wide receiver Jamari Thrash’s way. He connected with him three times with gains of 5, 22 and 16 yards, the latter two showing off Thrash’s hands and ability to find the soft spot in a zone. The 69-yard march ended on downs, but on a day with little offensive consistency to write home about to that point, the sequence was a breath of fresh air for the home crowd. It also helped Thompson-Robinson settle in, as he led the Browns to a score his next try and ultimately took Round 1 from Tyler Huntley in the QB3 battle.

• WHERE: Paycor Stadium (Cincinnati)
• WHEN: 7 p.m. ET (NFL+*)

• WHERE: EverBank Stadium (Jacksonville, Fla.)
• WHEN: 7 p.m. ET (NFL Network, NFL+*)

• WHERE: Nissan Stadium (Nashville, Tenn.)
• WHEN: 7 p.m. ET (NFL+*)

• WHERE: SoFi Stadium (Inglewood, Calif.)
• WHEN: 7:05 p.m. ET ( NFL+*)

• WHERE: State Farm Stadium (Glendale, Ariz.)
• WHEN: 8 p.m. ET ( NFL+*)