The NFL preseason moves into Week 2 with all 32 teams back in action and the competition for roster spots beginning to tighten. After the Pittsburgh Steelers, Chicago Bears, Denver Broncos and Baltimore Ravens were among the teams making strong opening-week impressions, the next 16-game slate gives rookies, backups and roster hopefuls another chance to build on — or recover from — their preseason debuts.
Week 1 produced plenty of performances worth following, from Drew Allar’s three-touchdown outing for Pittsburgh to impressive showings from young players across the league. With only one preseason weekend remaining after this one, coaches are running out of opportunities to evaluate players in game situations before final roster decisions begin to take shape.
Thursday night gets Week 2 underway
The weekend opens with two games Thursday night as the Las Vegas Raiders visit the Houston Texans and the San Francisco 49ers travel to face the Los Angeles Chargers.
The Chargers handled the Texans 27-7 in their opener, while Las Vegas fell 27-14 to the Arizona Cardinals in Fernando Mendoza’s preseason debut. The 49ers, meanwhile, will be looking for a response after a 19-13 loss to the Tennessee Titans.
For all four teams, the second game provides a chance to see which players can turn an encouraging first performance into something more substantial.
Friday features three matchups
The New York Jets visit the Pittsburgh Steelers, where Allar will be one of the players to watch after throwing three touchdown passes in Pittsburgh’s 28-9 win over Green Bay.
The Carolina Panthers travel to the Jacksonville Jaguars after losing 29-14 to Buffalo, while Jacksonville enters following a 24-20 victory over New Orleans.
The late game sends the Green Bay Packers to Denver, where the Broncos will look to build on an impressive 27-7 victory over Atlanta. The Packers, meanwhile, will be trying to rebound after allowing four touchdowns against Pittsburgh.
Saturday brings busiest schedule
Saturday features six games, beginning with the Washington Commanders visiting the Detroit Lions. Washington opened with a 20-7 victory over Miami, while Detroit dropped a 16-14 decision to Cincinnati.
The Buffalo Bills visit the Cleveland Browns after beating Carolina 29-14, and the Atlanta Falcons face the Indianapolis Colts, who played the New England Patriots to a 13-13 tie.
The Baltimore Ravens, coming off a 24-7 victory over Philadelphia, travel to meet the Minnesota Vikings. Rookies Ja’Kobi Lane and Matthew Hibner both made an impact for Baltimore in the opener, while Minnesota edged the New York Giants 13-10.
Later, the New Orleans Saints visit the Los Angeles Rams, where rookie quarterback Ty Simpson is coming off a 21-of-25, 190-yard, two-touchdown performance in a 20-12 victory over Kansas City.
The Giants close Saturday’s schedule against the Miami Dolphins, with both teams looking for their first preseason victory.
Sunday keeps the evaluations going
The Chicago Bears visit the Cincinnati Bengals after Chicago’s reserves powered a 34-10 opening victory over Cleveland. Tyson Bagent and Case Keenum combined for 320 passing yards and three touchdowns in that performance.
The Philadelphia Eagles travel to the New England Patriots, while the Kansas City Chiefs visit the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who opened with a 24-16 victory over the Jets.
The Dallas Cowboys, coming off a 17-7 victory over Seattle, head to Arizona to face the Cardinals. Undrafted receiver Camden Brown will be worth watching after catching three passes for 62 yards and two touchdowns for Dallas in Week 1.
Seahawks and Titans close the weekend
Week 2 concludes with the Seattle Seahawks visiting the Tennessee Titans, who opened their preseason with a 19-13 victory over San Francisco.
By the end of the weekend, every team will have another important evaluation in the books. The scores still won’t matter when September arrives, but for players fighting to move up the depth chart or simply survive the final roster cuts, the opportunities are becoming increasingly valuable.