2025 Preseason Week 3 Takeaways
Just like that, the preseason is over. It goes by quickly with only 3 games! Starters have had their chance to get in sync (the few who played at least), camp battles have been won and lost, and roster spots have been secured. Players now await the decisions of their front offices. Each team must go from 90 players to just 53 by 4 PM ET Tuesday. Some will be re-signed to the practice squad or even poached by other teams, but it’s generally a rough day for all involved. Fortunately, we’re focusing on happier things in this article: the games! Read on for my 2025 preseason week 3 takeaways.
Browns’, Colts’ QB Battles Decided in Favor of the Veterans
We got quite a bit of notable news before the games even began this week. On Monday, Cleveland announced that 40-year-old Joe Flacco would be their week 1 starting QB. This was a tough decision. Based on who the “best” QB is, Flacco should indeed be starting. He has been the best in camp and gives the team its best chance to win. That matters in a season when both HC Kevin Stefanski and GM Andrew Berry are under pressure to stack victories. The Browns are widely projected to finish last in the AFC North and be one of the league’s worst teams. Flacco could help them exceed expectations…and therein lies the issue.
Ownership should not be imposing an expectation of winning because tanking could do so much for this team. In the present, letting one of the youngsters, i.e., Dillon Gabriel or Shedeur Sanders, or even both of them play would let the Browns learn about what they can do. That needs to rank highly on the to-do list due to Cleveland’s upcoming draft capital. Thanks to a trade during the 2025 draft, Cleveland possesses their own 2026 first-round pick and Jacksonville’s selection. Whether they use those picks on a QB will be determined by their view of the current rookies. Flacco playing prevents them from conducting that analysis.
A day after the Flacco announcement, Indianapolis declared Daniel Jones the winner of their QB competition over Anthony Richardson. To me, this was the correct call. I won’t mince words: this battle was very underwhelming. Neither player really separated himself, and Jones’ selection suggests a desire for a higher floor. He’s a known commodity at this point: a mobile guy who can manage a game but will check the ball down a lot and commit some turnovers. HC Shane Steichen and GM Chris Ballard are under even more pressure to win than their Browns counterparts, making Jones’ steadier hand the obvious choice.
The bigger question is about what this means for Richardson. Entering his 3rd year, the former 4th overall pick remains an enigma. His raw skillset is still excellent, but his warts are more glaring than ever. Richardson can’t seem to stay healthy, and no qualified player had a worse completion percentage than his 47.7%. The fact is that he was a super raw project coming out of college, and he never got the chance to sit and learn. Richardson still needs that tutelage, as his prospects are not yet extinguished. A move out of Indy seems possible, and I believe that is his best chance at a second life in the NFL.
What Can We Expect from the Chicago Bears This Season?
While we certainly had our struggles finding starters who were playing this weekend, one team that gave their first unit a pretty long leash was Chicago. The Caleb Williams-led offense saw the field for the entire half against the Chiefs, and it reminded me of a common question I’ve been asked. Specifically, people want to know how the Bears will fare in 2025. They came into 2024 with a ton of hype but largely fell flat. However, I believe things could be different this time around. Williams being in his second season is certainly one element of that, but the biggest factor in their favor is their new head coach: Ben Johnson.
Johnson was the #1 coaching candidate each of the past two cycles but passed on all openings during 2024. He had another stellar year as the Lions’ OC and did accept a job this time around. Bears fans should be ecstatic about that. We don’t know how well Johnson can lead a team, but we can say with certainty that he’s a schematic genius when it comes to offense. His blueprint comes straight from Detroit: fortify the offensive line and build outward. To that end, he acquired 3 new interior blockers (guards Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson and C Drew Dalman). That will boost the running game and keep Williams off of his back.
The main objective for Johnson is to groom Williams, and based on this preseason, that’s going well. Williams has looked very sharp, and more importantly, he’s playing on schedule. Many of his sacks last year were his line’s fault, but he also shares blame for holding the ball too long. Speeding up his internal clock is a clear focus. If the offense can deliver on its promise thanks to Johnson, Chicago can finish 2nd in the NFC North and push for a playoff spot. I still have Detroit ahead of them, but the Bears return a sneaky good defense to pair with this budding offensive attack. Don’t sleep on this team!
It Was a Bad Week for the Sanders Brothers
I know I could put this in my Rookie Watch below, but that section would get a bit too stuffed based on what needs to be said about the Sanders. Coming off an oblique injury, Shedeur Sanders had one last chance to impress the Browns against the Rams and perhaps move up the depth chart. As someone who likes Sanders as a prospect, I have to be honest: he floundered. He went 3/6 for just 14 yards, yet he lost 41 yards across 5 sacks. These sacks weren’t on the line; Sanders did his Colorado hero ball thing, and it cost him against bigger and faster NFL defenders. I’m sure the injury didn’t help, but he made poor decisions.
Fortunately for Sanders, GM Andrew Berry may keep 4 QBs on the 53-man roster. I still maintain that Sanders has a higher ceiling than fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel, but he has some bad habits that need to be broken, and he needs development time. He wouldn’t make it through waivers to the practice squad if released, so Cleveland needs to carry him. That’s their own fault for acquiring more quantity than quality at the quarterback position, but it works out for Sanders. Regardless, his most recent preseason outing probably left a bad taste in the coaches’ mouths. At least he didn’t turn the ball over or act like his brother.
Buccaneers safety Shilo Sanders, Shedeur’s older bother and a UDFA rookie, is fighting an uphill battle to make the roster. Prior to this week, he was projected to land on the team’s practice squad. Even doing that will be harder in light of his actions against the Bills. Following an overzealous block by Buffalo TE Zach Davidson, Sanders took offense. The two started jawing and pushing each other, but then Sanders punched Davidson. He did this right in front of a referee and immediately got flagged and ejected. HC Todd Bowles was not amused. Unlike Shedeur, Shilo isn’t a roster lock. This stupid punch could cost him his dream.
Ravens Finish Off Yet Another Undefeated Preseason
Different from almost every other team in league, the Baltimore Ravens take winning and losing during the preseason very seriously. Even though their preseason winning streak was broken by the Commanders two years ago, they’ve still done their best to win August games. Impressively, they rarely play starters; they manage to find ways to win regardless of who is on the field. This week, the Ravens got a chance to avenge their 2023 loss to Washington, and they took full advantage. Yes, they were going against putrid QB Sam Hartman (2 INTs, FUM lost) and no starters, but their road performance was impressive nonetheless.
Baltimore’s defense smothered their inferior competition, earning 4 turnovers and 2 sacks. Washington earned only 3 points and under 250 yards of offense in a 30-3 drubbing. The Ravens were not simply playing second-stringers against guys who are 4th and 5th on the depth chart. This was mostly a like-against-like competition, which speaks to how deep this roster is. From top to bottom, I’m not sure anyone has more total talent than Baltimore does. Their starters still have to prove that they can get the job done in the playoffs, but based on raw ability, I might not take any group of players over the Ravens’ bunch.
Aside from the quality of Baltimore’s roster, the key point here is how HC John Harbaugh treats games that other coaches cast aside as unimportant. Seizing victory in these exhibitions means something to this team. I bring up this entire topic because I want to praise teams that actually care about the preseason. The players on the field obviously do, as they’re fighting for jobs and roster spots. However, many coaches don’t play to win, seeming to forget that even preseason football is an entertainment product. With the preseason likely losing another game soon, it’s teams like the Ravens that make the contests worth playing.
Rookie Watch
It was not a fantastic week for rookie QBs, and that goes beyond Shedeur Sanders (see above). Tennessee’s Cam Ward (3/4, 36 yards) bounced back from a subpar outing last week but didn’t produce much scoring. The Giants’ Jaxson Dart (6/12, 81 yards, TD) is earning high praise, but he completed just 50% of his passes against Patriots’ 4th-stringers. New Orleans’ Tyler Shough (12/20, 102 yards) had a rushing score but seemed timid throwing the football; I don’t believe he beat out Spencer Rattler. Seattle’s Jalen Milroe (13/24, 148 yards, TD, 31 rushing yards, 5 sacks, 3 FUM lost) was a turnover machine and a suspect passer.
I also only have one noteworthy RB. When I write this column, I try to make sure that players aren’t just beating up on people who will be cut by Tuesday. In that regard, Miami’s Ollie Gordon II (8/43) was the lone RB who deserved the spotlight. The opposing Jaguars defense didn’t feature any starters, but they weren’t scrubs either. Gordon looked strong like he did last week, but he proved shiftier than most thought. With both De’Von Achane and Jaylen Wright nursing injuries, Gordon could play a key role in Miami’s offense. He’s the bruiser back the team has lacked, but don’t pigeonhole him into that role. Gordon may be much more.
A trio of WRs impressed me this week. The first to play was Atlanta’s Nick Nash (6/87), who you may know from my UDFA page. He runs great routes, and he makes himself a friendly target for whoever is playing QB. Sticking with the NFC South, Tampa’s Tez Johnson (8/58/1) has followed up a good camp with a solid preseason. Many thought poorly of his poor 40 time at 165 lbs, but his play speed appears to be plenty sufficient. Finally, the Rams Brennan Presley (3/51) had a second straight good game despite playing with Dresser Winn at QB. With Cooper Kupp gone, the 5’8″ Presley could find a home in the slot and produce.
On defense, it was mostly the defensive backs that shined this week. Carolina S Lathan Ransom (7 tackles) showed his hard-charging run defense, but he added an INT that demonstrated his multidimensional ability. Another safety, the Jets’ Malachi Moore, another 4th-round pick who had 7 tackles and an INT. Giants CB TJ Moore (no relation) earned a 41-yard pick six on a great read, but he underwent leg surgery and will miss the season. One non-DB, Cleveland DL Adin Huntington (5 tackles, 1.5 sacks) stuffed the stat sheet. He has flashed for a couple weeks now, and he might have secured himself a roster spot.