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Preseason Week 2 winners and losers
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The 2025 NFL preseason slate is closing in on completion. This is a good thing.
But plenty went down in during the second full weekend of exhibition play … even if teams are starting to put key players in bubble wrap.
USA TODAY Sports' Nate Davis watched the games so you didn't have to, and has broken down the winners and losers from preseason Week 2.
Here were some winners:
Here were some losers:
📸: PHOTOS: Best of preseason Week 2
HOT READS 🎯
The best NFL reads from USA TODAY and our Sports Network:
🏈 The Caleb Williams-led Chicago Bears looked like an absolute juggernaut against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday night. Nate Davis is here to remind Bears fans to pump the brakes.
🏈 The Cincinnati Bengals are once again open to trade All-Pro pass rusher Trey Hendrickson. Nate Davis has seven teams that might have the need and wherewithal to make a move for Hendrickson.
🏈 Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski said he expects to pick the team's Week 1 starting quarterback by the end of the week. How could that quarterback room look when the Browns are down to their 53-man roster? Could they conceivably keep four quarterbacks? 🤔
🏈 When your choices are Spencer Rattler, Jake Haener and rookie Tyler Shough, it might some more time to decide which quarterback to start in Week 1. So, it makes sense that New Orleans Saints head coach Kellen Moore is mum on a timeline for naming a starter.
🏈 New York Jets tight end Stone Smartt de-cleated the New York Giants' Abdul Carter – the No. 3 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft – during a preseason game Saturday. Carter later criticized the block, writing on social media, "might be the only highlight of the Jets all season." 😂
🏈 An NFL player got traded to the team he played against on the same day. 🤯
🏈 Saturday's Las Vegas Raiders-San Francisco 49ers preseason game had a couple notable things happen: The son of Hall of Famer Terrell Owens had his first catch and the grand-nephew of Bo Jackson had three receptions.
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