The final 53-man rosters are locked in after the preseason grind, and with Week 1 just around the corner, we’re all looking at who’s actually ready to roll. While some teams left us scratching our heads, there were definitely a few bright spots, and some players who saw their value absolutely skyrocket heading into the real games.
Dallas Cowboys: A Quiet Win Is Still A Win
Let’s talk about the Dallas Cowboys, because sometimes, not having drama is the biggest win. Eric Edholm over at Yahoo Sports picked them as a top winner, and honestly, you gotta agree. Nothing wild happened since training camp kicked off, and that’s exactly the point. They’ve been quietly weaving in their new defensive talent, and the early returns? Super promising. The offense is right back to where it left off last season, and getting George Pickens’ contract situation handled helped smooth everything out. Even Joe Milton, pushing for that backup QB spot behind Dak Prescott, had some seriously eye-opening moments. And the best part, maybe the most important part: zero major injuries. That’s huge, man. While those feel-good preseason vibes can sometimes be fool’s gold, the Cowboys are absolutely looking like a playoff team right now.
49ers Rookie Stribling Just Changed the Game
Now, for a truly surprising glow-up. The San Francisco 49ers had one of the weirdest offseasons ever, right? Brandon Aiyuk drama, Mike Shanahan’s car accident, Jed York arrested, even some wild story about a 35-year-old impersonating a receiver to scam women. But amidst all that chaos, rookie receiver De’Zhaun Stribling absolutely exploded. Frank Schwab picked him as a winner, and you can see why. This dude was the 33rd pick in the NFL Draft, a pick many debated as a reach, but he just went out there and dominated August. No single player saw their stock rise as much as Stribling did. He was targeted constantly and, besides one drop that would’ve been a touchdown, he caught everything. This isn’t just a preseason flash; this feels like a star turn that’s gonna translate to the regular season and stick around for years. Remember Victor Cruz’s monster preseason with the Giants? Yeah, similar vibes.
Raiders Found Their Bridge and Their Future
And then there’s the Las Vegas Raiders, or more specifically, their quarterback room. Jori Epstein took some creative license, but her take on the Raiders’ QB situation is spot on. This isn’t about their offseason moves; it’s all about how Fernando Mendoza developed through the preseason. We all want to see rookie quarterbacks get time to grow, and Mendoza totally did that. He showed off some decisive throws and clean mechanics, all while building up tape to improve. He finished preseason completing 25 of 45 attempts for 240 yards, one touchdown, and two picks. He looks like a rookie QB with major upside, and the genius move? Signing veteran Kirk Cousins as that bridge quarterback. Mendoza has the time he needs to develop without being rushed.
Week 1 is coming fast. These teams and players just dropped some serious early season statements. Can the Cowboys keep that injury-free, consistent energy? Will Stribling prove his preseason was no fluke and become a legit weapon? And how quickly will Mendoza keep developing behind Cousins? We’re about to find out!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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