Preseason Week 2 Report Cards for Notable Rookies and Veterans
The second week of the 2016 NFL preseason is now officially in the books. While Week 2 doesn't typically tell us as much as the third "dress rehearsal" preseason contest, it still paints a clearer picture of what we can expect in the coming season.
This is especially true where rookies are concerned. Those who received their first taste of NFL action in Week 1 were able to bring a little bit of experience into their follow-ups. Plenty of veterans were also held out of their teams' preseason openers and saw their first 2016 action in Week 2.
All of this means we can grade the progress and development of players more accurately than we could a week ago. As you may have already guessed, that's exactly what we'll be doing here.
We're going to take a look at some notable rookies and veterans and give them report card-style grades. We'll be focusing on players who are expected to start at the beginning of the 2016 regular season and who are expected to play a large role early. This means that no matter how much we may love what Dallas Cowboys rookie quarterback Dak Prescott has done this preseason, he won't qualify for our list.
Grades will be based on players' Week 2 performances as well as factors such as coaching fit, offseason progress and player expectations.
Robert Griffin III, QB, Cleveland Browns
1 of 10
While quarterback Robert Griffin III may not have a major impact on the NFL landscape at large this season, he is still an interesting story and an important one for the Cleveland Browns.
Griffin, a former second overall pick, is trying to re-establish himself as an NFL quarterback, while the Browns are hoping he can end their decadeslong quarterback uncertainty. After watching the 2012 Offensive Rookie of the Year for two weeks of exhibition action, we're beginning to believe both are possible.
Make no mistake: Griffin was a disaster in his preseason debut against the Green Bay Packers—4-of-8 for 67 yards with an interception and a fumble—and he still has a long way to go before he can be a consistent signal-caller. But Week 2 gave us some glimpses of greatness. Against the Atlanta Falcons, Griffin completed six of his eight pass attempts for 96 yards and two touchdowns. He also rushed for 36 yards on three carries.
Unfortunately, Griffin also showed that he still has a propensity for taking unnecessary hits. If he doesn't learn to avoid them, his level of play could quickly take a backseat to his health.
The good news for the Browns and for Griffin, though, is that he is making progress. Pro Football Focus rated him 21st overall among all quarterbacks to play in the first two weeks of the preseason.
Grade: B-
Jalen Ramsey, CB, Jacksonville Jaguars
2 of 10
Though an injury forced Jacksonville Jaguars rookie cornerback Jalen Ramsey to undergo knee surgery early in the offseason, he appears to be healthy and on pace to start in the regular season. The former Florida State standout was impressive throughout training camp, per the Associated Press (via FoxSports.com), and has continued to make a strong impression.
Though Ramsey didn't make his NFL debut in the first week of the preseason, he made his way onto the field Saturday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He showed some tight pass coverage during his limited action and finished with three strong tackles and one tackle for loss.
The Jaguars seem pleased with Ramsey's progress.
"I thought he did a good job," Jaguars head coach Gus Bradley said, per Associated Press sportswriter Mark Long. "The big thing with Jalen is he's got really, really good poise. He's obviously a very talented athlete, and he's got good technique, but his poise at the line of scrimmage and you really trust his speed, so it allows him to play at a comfort level that he has great confidence."
Pro Football Focus rated Ramsey 53rd overall among all cornerbacks to play so far in the preseason. As he continues to gain more strength in his surgically repaired knee and more confidence on the field, Ramsey is likely to rise up the cornerback rankings.
So far, he's looking like an ideal fit for the new-look Jaguars defense.
Grade: B+
Joey Bosa, DE, San Diego Chargers
3 of 10
There are a few notable rookies and veterans who have yet to make their preseason debuts, but San Diego Chargers rookie and third overall pick Joey Bosa is in a different category.
The 21-year-old defensive end hasn't even stepped foot into training camp because he hasn't signed his rookie contract. According to Eric D. Williams of ESPN.com, he and the Chargers are at odds over offset language and the timing of signing-bonus payment included in his rookie deal.
Bosa has chosen to hold out, and now the Chargers are preparing to head into 2016 without their top selection from this year's draft.
"We'll have a plan for him whenever he's here," Chargers head coach Mike McCoy said, per Williams. "We've talked about it over time, from the very beginning of camp. So we've got a plan for when he's in the building. But I'm very pleased with the other 89 guys in camp at this point in time."
Bosa was supposed to be an immediate contributor on San Diego's defense this season, but his decision to squabble over his rookie contract has hurt both the Chargers and Bosa's development. Now, it's fair to wonder when Bosa will see the playing field and when he'll be experienced enough to have an impact on it.
Grade: F
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Laquon Treadwell, WR, Minnesota Vikings
4 of 10
Former Mississippi receiver Laquon Treadwell might not have been the first wideout off the board in this year's draft, but he is still expected to be one of the most important rookie receivers to take the field this season. The Minnesota Vikings were a playoff team that lacked a true No. 1 receiver in 2015, and they'll surely be hoping the 6'2", 215-pound wideout can fill that role.
So far, Treadwell doesn't look like a No. 1 receiver in Minnesota's offense, but he is making progress.
Treadwell got off to a promising start in his preseason debut, amassing 41 yards on four catches against the Cincinnati Bengals. However, the Seattle Seahawks held him without a catch on four targets this past week. It's worth noting, though, that starting quarterback Teddy Bridgewater didn't see the field against Seattle.
Pro Football Focus rated Treadwell 148th overall among all receivers to play in the preseason thus far.
The good news is that Treadwell appears much closer to being ready for the regular season than he did earlier in camp.
“His condition is much better,” veteran Vikings wide receivers coach George Stewart said, per Charley Walters of the Pioneer Press. “You have to understand that when he came to us last spring (for workouts), he had just come off the circuit, visiting schools, visiting pro teams, being a first-round pick. Condition-wise, he wasn’t there.”
Treadwell may not have the impact of a top-end receiver right out of the gate, but he should be ready to play a role for the Vikings from Day 1.
Grade: C+
Jimmy Garoppolo, QB, New England Patriots
5 of 10
Backup quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo became a notable veteran when it was clear the New England Patriots wouldn't have Tom Brady under center for the first month of the 2016 season because of his Deflategate suspension. Garoppolo is expected to start in Brady's place for four weeks, so his preseason performances have been under the microscope.
Though there have been some ups and downs, the Patriots have to be pleased with Garoppolo's overall progress. The Eastern Illinois product has started both of the team's preseason contests and has flashed accuracy and football intelligence on the field. Last week's 23-22 win against the Chicago Bears was particularly impressive.
Garoppolo finished 16-of-21 for 181 yards with a touchdown and no interceptions. Pro Football Focus rated the third-year signal-caller 11th overall among all quarterbacks who have played this preseason.
If Garoppolo has shown a notable weakness in camp or in the preseason, it has been his poise against the blitz. He took two untimely sacks in the team's preseason opener against the New Orleans Saints, one of which caused a promising drive to stall. Garoppolo didn't take a sack against Chicago, though, which should be seen as a sign of progress.
There's virtually no way that the Patriots don't miss Brady at times during the first month of the season, but it's looking like the guy under center can be consistent enough to allow the team to win football games.
Grade: A
Ronnie Stanley, OT, Baltimore Ravens
6 of 10
The Baltimore Ravens had their pick of offensive linemen in this year's draft and decided to go with Notre Dame product Ronnie Stanley at No. 6 overall. After an offseason of positive impressions and some strong preseason work from the rookie, the Ravens have to be happy with their decision.
They were quick to recognize that Stanley has the talent to play the all-important left tackle position immediately.
"That's a premier position in the National Football League, and Ronnie's going to be—if he continues to progress—manning that spot as a rookie," Ravens coach John Harbaugh said during training camp, per Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun. "He's doing well with all positives so far. Really, no negatives other than just minor technique things he needs to get better at."
Stanley has appeared in both preseason games at left tackle and has done nothing but impress. According to Pro Football Focus, Stanley has allowed zero quarterback pressures in 48 offensive snaps. PFF graded him sixth overall among all offensive tackles for the preseason so far.
It's hard to imagine a rookie tackle getting off to a better preseason start than Stanley has. Baltimore may have some holes on its roster, but it doesn't look like one of them will be at left tackle.
Grade: A+
Trevor Siemian and Mark Sanchez, QBs, Denver Broncos
7 of 10
The Denver Broncos have an interesting quarterback competition on their hands. The two veteran candidates for the starting job are journeyman Mark Sanchez and an unproven second-year man in Trevor Siemian.
Both have performed relatively well—though not great—so far in the preseason, which is at least not bad news for Denver.
Through two contests, Sanchez has completed 20 of his 30 pass attempts for a touchdown and an interception. He holds a passer rating of 85.3 for the preseason. Siemian has gone 17-of-26 for 163 yards with no scores and a pick-six. His passer rating sits at 66.7.
Rookie Paxton Lynch (passer rating of 86.3) has arguably outperformed both of his veteran counterparts, but he is widely expected to sit early in the regular season. This means the Broncos are probably looking at a steady, if underwhelming, veteran presence under center when the season opens.
Denver recently announced that Siemian will start the third preseason game against the Los Angeles Rams on Saturday, though this doesn't necessarily mean he is ahead in the competition.
"No, we continue with the competition," Broncos head coach Gary Kubiak said, per Andrew Mason of the team's official website. "I think Trevor did a good job the other night. Obviously he has one play he'd like to have back, or it would have been as good as it could be. So I'm going to go back and give him a chance to do it again."
The good news for Broncos fans is that it didn't take a superb quarterback effort to capture the Lombardi Trophy last season. With Denver's defense, steady and underwhelming might just be good enough to do it again.
Combined Grade: C+
Marvin Jones, WR, Detroit Lions
8 of 10
The Detroit Lions lost a big piece of their offense when star wideout Calvin Johnson announced his retirement this offseason. The team quickly brought in Marvin Jones to help offset the loss, and while Jones can never fully replace Johnson, he's looking like a strong addition.
Through two preseason games, Jones has five receptions for 81 yards. Four of those receptions and 65 of those yards came against his former Bengals team this past week.
Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press called Jones' performance against Cincinnati "one of the few bright spots on an otherwise sloppy day."
While the Lions undoubtedly have some work to do in order to become regular-season ready, it's already looking like Jones is going to be one of the highlights on the team's offense. Pro Football Focus rated him 25th overall among all wide receivers in the preseason thus far.
Jones may even emerge as a No. 1-caliber receiver this season. Doing so would help justify the five-year, $40 million deal the Lions handed out in order to bring him in.
Grade: B+
Laremy Tunsil, OL, Miami Dolphins
9 of 10
At one point prior to the 2016 NFL draft, Mississippi product Laremy Tunsil looked like a surefire franchise tackle and one of the safest prospects in the class. However, Tunsil isn't slated to start at tackle for the Miami Dolphins and instead is trying to compete for a job at guard.
Adapting to the pro game and learning to play a new position has been a process for Tunsil. He made a positive step by earning the start this past week against the Dallas Cowboys, but his play on the field has been inconsistent.
Pro Football Focus rated Tunsil 172nd overall among all guards for the preseason so far.
Tunsil recognizes he's just part of the equation and that Miami is trying to get the best five players on the field.
“It takes time, I guess,” Tunsil said, per Jason Lieser of the Palm Beach Post. “You know, everybody’s in there. That’s why we practice every day, just coming together as a unit. So we’ve just got to be patient.”
We'll grade Tunsil on a bit of a curve for playing out of position. While his progress is disappointing to those who considered him a blue-chip tackle prospect, Tunsil can't be considered a failure when he still might earn a starting role as a rookie.
Grade: C-
Vernon Hargreaves, CB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
10 of 10
The Buccaneers snagged former Florida cornerback Vernon Hargreaves with the 11th overall pick in this year's draft in order to strengthen a passing defense that ranked 16th in the NFL (240 yards per game allowed) in 2015.
So far, it's looking like Tampa Bay made the right decision by picking the former Gators star.
Hargreaves has looked like the type of cover corner defensive coordinators dream about. Though he hasn't logged a defensive stop yet, he has defended three passes this preseason and logged a pair of interceptions this past week against the Jaguars.
According to Pro Football Focus, Hargreaves has played a total of 40 defensive snaps this preseason, has been targeted four times and has not allowed a single reception. PFF also graded Hargreaves as the top overall cornerback of the preseason so far. It appears his efforts have earned him an opportunity with the starting defense.
"Today, he started working with the ones at corner as well," Tampa head coach Dirk Koetter said on Monday, per Scott Smith of the team's official website.
This is terrific news for the Buccaneers, who may now have a true shutdown defender roaming on one side of their secondary.
Grade: A
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