The future of the NFL was on full display this past week as five first-round rookie quarterbacks took to the field in their preseason debuts, offering a tantalizing glimpse into what is to come.
Caleb Williams, starting for the Chicago Bears, showcased his flair for the dramatic early on. He converted a crucial third-and-long by threading the needle to wide receiver D.J. Moore for a 12-yard gain. Williams wasn't done there, following it up with a stunning 42-yard pass to running back D'Andre Swift. Although the Bears' drive eventually stalled in the red zone, Cairo Santos salvaged it with a 30-yard field goal. Williams finished his brief appearance, going 4 of 7 for 95 yards, and added a 13-yard scramble, leaving Bears fans eager for more.
Jayden Daniels also made a strong impression. Although his first NFL pass sailed over the head of running back Austin Ekeler, he quickly found his rhythm. Daniels connected with wideout Dyami Brown for a 42-yard gain, eventually capping the drive by running into the end zone from 3 yards out. Concluding his night 2 of 3 for 45 yards and a rushing touchdown, Daniels gave fans plenty of reasons to be optimistic about the future.
Drake Maye's debut might have been quieter, but it was no less effective. Completing two of his three attempts for 19 yards, his first NFL attempt converted a crucial third-and-12 to Antonio Gipson. While Maye's numbers didn't jump off the stat sheet, his poise under pressure was evident.
Meanwhile, Michael Penix Jr. played five possessions in the first half against Miami, leading the Falcons to two scoring drives. Penix completed 9 of 16 passes for 104 yards, including a 41-yard strike to Chris Blair. His ability to move the chains and maintain drives was a key takeaway from his performance.
J.J. McCarthy had a mixed but intriguing start to his NFL journey. His first pass attempt was an 18-yard completion to Jalen Nailor, but his second throw resulted in an interception by Raiders cornerback Jack Jones. McCarthy rebounded quickly, however, throwing a 45-yard touchdown pass to Jackson early in the second half. He concluded his day with 188 yards on 11 of 17 passing, showing both promise and room for growth.
Bo Nix led the Denver Broncos through an impressive showing, scoring on four out of five drives. Nix ended his day 15 of 21 for 125 yards and contributed an 11-yard rush. His first touchdown pass to Marvin Mims was a particular highlight, underscoring his versatility and command of the offense.
“Clearly, everybody can see the arm talent. I loved seeing him come right back after the interception and still be aggressive,” said Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell about J.J. McCarthy’s resilience on the field.
Bo Nix's own assessment of his outing struck a balance between team achievements and individual milestones. “It was a good day. I thought we ran the ball efficiently. Made some good plays in the pass game. Converted some third downs. Got points when we needed to; it was a good job going into half with points and coming out with points, felt like that was a good point in the game. Overall, thought we did a good job, huge team win,” Nix remarked.
Summing up the impressive flair seen from Caleb Williams, teammate Sam Cosmi shared, “He made a check mid-play. It turned out to be a big gain. We bunkered down and really went in there. He was calm and collected, which is what you want to see, and it was really impressive. We all sat on the sideline, and we were like, 'Dang, that was really fun.' So, I think everybody should be very excited just from that little sneak peek right there. I know I am. I know the guys are fired up. I think we got a dude back there.”
Raheem Morris chimed in as well, highlighting the progression made by Jayden Daniels: “He wants one of those throws back that he threw on the sideline, but he was able to go through some progression. He was able to progress. We get a little pass happy with him since he's a first-round quarterback. It was fun to see him go out there and execute some of the pass plays, and we were able to get some of the stuff done. ... Pretty much, a really good night for him and I was really pleased with what he was able to do.”
As the rookies bask in their debut performances and prepare for what's next, it is clear that these young quarterbacks are more than ready to lead and inspire. NFL fans have every reason to be excited as these fresh faces take the league by storm.