Monday Morning Digest: NFL Preseason Questions Left Unanswered

This weekend's preseason dress rehearsals left a lot of questions unanswered.

Just how good will Jimmy Garoppolo, Patrick Mahomes and Deshaun Watson be this season? Are any of the NFC contenders ready to separate from the pack? Can the Cowboys and Panthers overcome losses on their offensive lines? Which rookie quarterbacks are ready to start? Do the Bears or Rams know they have to play a real football game in just two weeks?

Digest may not have all the answers this week, but we do have all the questions for all 32 NFL teams. Plus:

• Preseason spotlights on the Patriots and Eagles

• Adrian Peterson's Jedi mind trick

• Sound advice on playoff prop bets

• The triumphant return of the kickoff return

...and much, much more!

32 Teams, 32 Unanswered Questions

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The answers to these questions will shape the season, determine who wins the Super Bowl and, for a few teams, chart the course for years to come:

Arizona Cardinals: Not to kick things off by babbling about "identity," but what is the Cardinals' identity?What do they plan to hang their hats on this year? The only enduring image from their preseason has been Josh Rosen digging shotgun snaps out of the turf.

Atlanta Falcons: Has Steve Sarkisian really become a better play-caller? Matt Ryan and the first-team offense spent much of the preseason settling for field goals and fourth-down stops in the red zone. The returns of Julio Jones and Devonta Freeman could change that, or this could be another year of coming up just short.

Baltimore Ravens: Let's skip the New Improved Flacco stuff and point out that Justin Tucker is 0-for-4 on 50-plus-yard field goals in the preseason. Did the Ravens finally burn out their most reliable scoring weapon?

Buffalo Bills: Has any team coming off of a playoff appearance ever looked more like a first-year expansion team from a talent standpoint?

Carolina Panthers: The Panthers lost yet another tackle (Jeremiah Sirles) to injury in an otherwise strong performance against the Patriots. Will line injuries doom Cam Newton to another year of somersaulting for first downs while getting criticized for not staying in the pocket?

Chicago Bears: When did Mitchell Trubisky become Peyton Manning and need only 18 preseason pass attempts to master a new system? (We'll get into Matt Nagy's decision to shrink-wrap the starters more in a later segment.)

Cincinnati Bengals: If the rebuilt offensive line, Joe Mixon and even John Ross turn the corner this year and the Bengals still hover just above .500, will management finally decide Marvin Lewis and Andy Dalton have been the ones limiting the franchise for all these years?

Cleveland Browns: Did you really think we could boil the Browns' preseason down to just one question?

Dallas Cowboys: Jason Garrett's blueprint for winning games is "brutalize opponents between the tackles and hope the rest sorts itself out," so what happens if center Travis Frederick (Guillain-Barre syndrome) and/or guard Zack Martin (knee) miss significant chunks of the season?

Denver Broncos: The Case Keenum-led offense—bolstered by youngsters like Royce Freeman, Courtland Sutton and Jake Butt—looks pretty good. But is "pretty good" good enough for more than a .500 finish now that the defense has slipped a notch?

Detroit Lions: Has anything changed?

Green Bay Packers: The Packers averaged 2.8 yards per rush in the preseason. Will the running game arrive when it matters? Because that hasn't happened very often in the past.

Houston Texans: What if everyone jumped the gun heralding Deshaun Watson as a superstar?

Indianapolis Colts: The organization seemed to spend all last year crossing its fingers for Andrew Luck instead of making sure there was a team around him when he returned. Even if he's all the way back, will we be left wondering why there's no talent around him?

Jacksonville Jaguars: If Blake Bortles is as bad as he has looked this preseason, do the Jaguars go from Super Bowl contenders to the 2016-17 Broncos?

Kansas City Chiefs: Patrick Mahomes looks poised to throw for 4,500 yards and 30 touchdowns but with 20 interceptions and 40 sacks. Are Andy Reid and the Chiefs OK with that?

Los Angeles Chargers: They appear to have overcome the injury whammy and the kicker whammy. Does that make them a Super Bowl contender, or did we miss another whammy somewhere?

Los Angeles Rams: From the big-name signings to the Aaron Donald mess to zero preseason snaps for the first-team offense, no team has taken this many different risks in an offseason since Chip Kelly's Eagles. Do the Rams see the similarity, and if so, why aren't they terrified?

Miami Dolphins: Besides Adam Gase and Ryan Tannehill playing out the string until they are fired/replaced, what's the point?

Minnesota Vikings: Are they really any better this year?

New England Patriots: Can they remain The Patriots with a pass defense that looked as leaky against the Panthers on Friday as it did in the Super Bowl?

New Orleans Saints: With their healthy roster, balance on both sides of the ball and Drew Brees, are they the team to beat in the NFC?

New York Giants: If Odell Beckham Jr. and Saquon Barkley combine for 3,000 scrimmage yards and 20 touchdowns but the Giants go 6-10, is that a successful season?

New York Jets: Sam Darnold may be ready for the starting lineup, but is the starting lineup—particularly the offensive line—ready for Darnold?

Oakland Raiders: Does Jon Gruden plan to swerve away from the concrete wall he's driving the franchise straight toward anytime soon?

Philadelphia Eagles: Their preseason has been a rolling catastrophe. Can Carson Wentz's return (and Jason Peters' return, Nelson Agholor's return, etc.) solve all the problems that cropped up in the last month?

Pittsburgh Steelers: The Steelers are deeper in the secondary and at the skill positions than they have been in years. Does that mean a return to the Super Bowl, or will they find another way to come up just short?

San Francisco 49ers: Will Jimmy Garoppolo's coronation be spoiled by receivers who can't quite haul in his passes and a backfield that doesn't offer much support from the running game?

Seattle Seahawks: How long will it take for the semipositive developments of the preseason—solid offensive line play, strong performances by aging vets like Brandon Marshall and Erik Walden—to come undone once opponents actually start game-planning?

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Will head coach Dirk Koetter survive the almost inevitable 0-3 start?

Tennessee Titans: Can the franchise take another step if it turns out that Marcus Mariota is trapped in a permanent quarterback preadolescence in which "next year" is always his breakout year?

Washington Redskins: From Alex Smith to Adrian Peterson, Washington keeps getting older without getting better. Is Jay Gruden trying a little too hard to be his brother?

Rookie QB Digest

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You know them. You love them. You are already sick of talking about them! Digest, like most teams, will give the first-round rookies their final preseason games off, which means it's time to sum up their preseasons now:

Josh Allen, Bills

Strengths: The arm is as good as advertised. The accuracy and NFL readiness have been slightly better than advertised.

Weaknesses: Allen spent Sunday afternoon against the Bengals holding the ball too long behind a woeful offensive line and either getting pummeled or firing one of his photon torpedoes straight into heavy coverage. Part of being an NFL quarterback is knowing how to cope with a bad situation. The Bills offense is starting to look like a very bad situation.

Sam Darnold, Jets

Strengths: Poise, footwork, ability to find second/third receivers, short and mid-range accuracy.

Weaknesses: The longer Darnold played in preseason games, the weaker his performance got. That's often a sign of a young quarterback only being comfortable with a narrow menu of plays he has mastered. That can cause trouble for a rookie whose team plays its first three games in the span of 11 days. But it's no fun pointing out the Jets should be thinking long-term when everyone is pounding the table for the Darnold era to begin.

Lamar Jackson, Ravens

Strengths: Accuracy, throwing mechanics and decision-making all significantly improved from the start of camp through Saturday night's encouraging effort against the Dolphins.

Weaknesses: There's still a long way to go until he's a better quarterback than Joe Flacco, and then a long way to go after that.

Baker Mayfield, Browns

Strengths: Poise, arm, decision-making on the run, willingness to challenge defenses downfield.

Weaknesses: Plays for a coach who re-inserted Tyrod Taylor after an injury to make sure Mayfield didn't upstage the starter and then kept Mayfield in the game until he took a nasty hit while throwing an interception to further preserve the quarterback depth chart (and coaching chain of command) at all costs.

Josh Rosen, Cardinals

Strengths: Demonstrated a mastery of the basics in limited action.

Weaknesses: Plagued by bad snaps in the first preseason game and held out of Sunday night's game with a hand injury, making it hard to make a meaningful evaluation—and also helping to make Sunday night's game completely unwatchable.

Preseason Spotlight: New England Patriots

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Each week during the preseason, Digest will highlight a pair of teams with playoff aspirations and take a deep dive into their training camps. First up this week, we finally turn our attention to the mighty Patriots.

What's new

Big news: The Patriots' power struggle is over, and Tom Brady won. That means compulsory kale smoothies for everyone, quarterbacks of the future are verboten in Foxborough, and Alex Guerrero gets to ride on the Patriots team plane. Next month, Guerrero will be flying it. Then he and Brady will achieve transcendence and just ride to games together on moonbeams!

Oh, you wanted actual Patriots football news, not Brady gags? Fine. Meaningful acquisitions were few this offseason (pass-rusher Adrian Clayborn, tackle Trent Brown, some veteran receivers who are already getting cut), the top rookies are injured, and the Patriots are poised to again win at least 12 games while we all speculate about the palace intrigue.

What to watch

• Never assume a big-name veteran acquisition will make the Patriots roster. Kenny Britt has already been waived. Eric Decker announced his retirement Sunday after a short, uneventful offseason tenure with the team. Jeremy Hill appears to have the inside track for the power back role over Mike Gillislee, but either could be squeezed out of a role when Sony Michel gets healthy. The Patriots always award roster spots on merit, not reputation.

• Riley McCarron, a practice squad acquisition last year, played well against the Panthers on Friday and is the favorite to theoretically cover for Julian Edelman during Edelman's four-game suspension. Sixth-round pick Braxton Berrios is also in the slot receiver cloning vat but has been slowed by injuries throughout camp. Of course, Brady can spread Edelman's touches among the backs and tight ends without missing a beat, so don't go grabbing McCarron for your PPR fantasy roster just yet.

• Brown may turn out to be a classic Patriots steal. They acquired the former 49ers right tackle, a starter coming off a shoulder injury, in a pick exchange during the draft. Brown then shifted to left tackle to replace Nate Solder and has been one of the stars of camp. Despite Solder's departure and an injury to first-round pick Isaiah Wynn, Brady's protection will remain solid, thanks to the team's perpetual knack for finding affordable talent on other rosters.

• The Patriots pass rush was excellent in the Eagles preseason game and effectively flushed Cam Newton from the pocket Friday, but pass coverage and team speed appear to still be issues on defense. Brady will once again be expected to win shootouts against the opponents that matter.

Bottom line

Forget the Fall of the Romanovs drama surrounding the Patriots (entertaining though it may be). Brady looks great; Rob Gronkowski has been polybagged all preseason, so he will be in mint condition come September; and rest of the AFC East is cannon fodder, as usual.

Top offenses like the Steelers should give the Patriots defense trouble in the playoffs. But the Patriots are the only team in the NFL that we can presuppose a playoff appearance for during a mid-August preview.

Preseason Spotlight: Philadelphia Eagles

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Digest continues its twice-weekly training camp deep dives on teams with playoff aspirations. We wrap things up with the defending Super Bowl champions.

What's new

A miserable preseason has rousted Eagles fans from their Super Bowl afterglow. But has it rousted the Eagles themselves? Their starters and regulars have been outscored 19-0 in first quarters and 54-21 in first halves, while Nick Foles has alternated between turnovers, pratfalls in his own end zone and injury scares.

It's almost enough to make Eagles fans overlook positive developments, like the arrival of rookie tight end Dallas Goedert, the emergence of receiver Shelton Gibson or the fact that, oh yeah, the Eagles are the defending champions.

What to watch

• Carson Wentz remains on track to return whenever Wentz is on track to return. He has looked like a guy who never suffered an ACL tear since minicamp, but the Eagles have been careful with him throughout the offseason, and Doug Pederson told reporters Sunday that Wentz is still not cleared for contact. That news aside, there's still about a 50-50 shot Wentz starts the Thursday night opener against the Falcons, not because of sudden-onset Foles anxiety but because that was the timetable all along.

• The Eagles' non-Wentz injuries are more troubling. Alshon Jeffery (shoulder) has been spotted doing some conditioning work on side practice fields. So has Nelson Agholor, who spent days at "day-to-day" with a lower body injury. Defensive end Brandon Graham (ankle) was just activated from the PUP list, while fellow lineman Tim Jernigan (herniated disc) is unlikely to be available early in the season. The Eagles have the deepest defensive line in the NFL, so the receiver injuries are the ones to watch.

• Gibson had hands like feet in camp last year, so his emergence as a potential big-play threat as a receiver and returner has been a pleasant surprise. Goedert has the potential to join Zach Ertz in the most dangerous two-tight end combo in the NFL. See the injury report above: The Eagles may need Gibson and Goedert to make immediate contributions.

• The Eagles offensive line got shredded by the Browns on Thursday night. But Jason Peters, who has been held out of preseason games, will return in the regular season to replace Halapoulivaati Vaitai, who looks like he left everything he had on the field in the Super Bowl. Also returning for the Eagles: Darren Sproles, who has looked more like a 25-year-old than a 35-year-old in practices.

• Inexperienced punter Cameron Johnston was erratic at the start of camp but has looked great in preseason games. Kicker Jake Elliott, on the other hand, missed an extra point and a short field goal this preseason. Keep in mind that Elliott was cut after a miserable camp by the Bengals last season and only was signed by the Eagles after an injury to Caleb Sturgis. Like Foles and Big V, Elliott could be a guy who used all his power-ups last year.

Bottom line

Wentz could be throwing to Jeffery and Agholor in the season opener against the Falcons. Or it could be Foles throwing to Gibson and his tight ends. Which it is makes a vast difference.

The Eagles preseason wasn't as disastrous as the 5-0 loss to the Browns might suggest. But a slow start could result in a loss to the Falcons, which could impact playoff tiebreakers in a hypercompetitive conference.

Welcome to rooting for a defending champion, Eagles fans. The honeymoon really does end before you know it.

Point-Counterpoint

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Back by popular demand: Digest's weekly effort to embrace debate and present both sides of the week's most interesting/important issues or to fake it at the very least:

The Jets (among other teams) are reportedly interested in acquiring Khalil Mack from the Raiders.

Point: You know your organization is getting a reputation for nutty personnel decisions when Mike "I Heart Christian Hackenberg" Maccagnan starts cold-calling because he thinks he can fleece you.

Counterpoint: Trade talks reportedly broke down when Jon Gruden realized he had Teddy Bridgewater mixed up with Chad Pennington.

The NFL subtly changes its use of helmet policy in an announcement that there will be no changes to the use of helmet policy.

Point: "Inadvertent or incidental contact" is now OK, which is great news for referees with the power to read minds, stop time Matrix-style and review millions of alternate timelines like Doctor Strange to determine if a collision could have been averted.

Counterpoint: This all ends with the NFL keeping the new helmet rule on the books but basically ignoring it and doing whatever the heck feels expedient, which is the philosophy that underlies every other NFL policy, so at least the inconsistency is consistent.

Longtime Colts radio announcer Bob Lamey resigns after using a racial slur.

Point: Oh, come on: Who among us hasn't used the N-word a few times while chatting around the water cooler? (Scans the internet to see all the functional members of society have their hands raised.) Oh, I see. The PC Police got to you, too. Snowflakes.

Counterpoint: Feel free any day now to start holding our elected officials to the same standard we hold for our play-by-play guys, folks.

The president blasts ESPN for not broadcasting the national anthem before Monday Night Football games.

Point: As scandals increasingly swirl around the White House, the NFL must brace for an all-out siege on the protest issue by politicians desperate for a diversionary tactic.

Counterpoint: Many NFL owners think the best strategy for dealing with this particular siege is to lower the drawbridge.

Inside the Numbers

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Your weekly deep dive into the chaos of preseason statistics:

Adrian Peterson, Redskins (11 carries for 56 yards): Peterson Jedi mind-tricks any coach who signs him into immediately giving him a zillion handoffs between the tackles to prove he's still "got it," no matter what that does to the rest of the offense. Peterson carried seven straight times on one drive, and rushes of 15 yards (on 4th-and-1) and 13 yards proved he can still churn out adequate production up the middle given almost limitless opportunities. The same can be said of about 200 other running backs clinging to NFL rosters.

Alfred Morris, 49ers (17 carries for 84 yards): Morris did most of his damage in starters vs. starters first-half work against the Colts. His longest run was 11 yards (twice), and he also had a 10-yard run called back for holding. His numbers as an off-the-street veteran free agent put Peterson's in perspective.

Ronald Jones, Buccaneers (6 carries for 7 yards, 1 catch for 37 yards): The over-the-shoulder deep catch was sweet, and it provided a flicker of hope that Jones will contribute somehow this season. But 18 carries for 18 yards in the preseason, with a long run of just five yards, is hard to sugarcoat.

Chris Warren III, Raiders (15 carries for 54 yards, 1 TD): Warren has rushed for 250 yards this preseason, the most since Anthony Dixon rushed for 300 yards for the 2010 Niners. Dixon went on to a modest career as a committee back. Warren, who got promoted to second-quarter work Friday after mostly mopping up earlier in the preseason, needs to show that he can do more than generate bulk yardage between the tackles against vanilla defenses. (Only Peterson gets to hold down a roster spot just by doing that.)

Brandon Marshall, Seahawks (3 catches on 3 targets for 34 yards): Marshall proved he can still outmuscle defenders who did not game-plan against him on short sideline routes, making the well-traveled veteran the Peterson of wide receivers.

Michael Dickson, Seahawks (53.6 yards per punt, 2 inside the 20): Dickson drilled 56 and 57 yard punts that landed and skittered out of bounds at the three-yard line as if they were attached to some experimental preprogrammed Mars rover. He's averaging 52.5 yards per punt this preseason and has already supplanted veteran Jon Ryan, who was released and then signed by the Bills. Dickson was a much-maligned fifth-round pick, not because he's a bad punter but because he's a punter. Enjoy his booming punts while the Seahawks search for backup quarterbacks, offensive line depth, pass-rushers who weren't cut by other teams, etc.

Daniel Carlson, Vikings (0-of-2 on field goals): Carlson missed a pair of 42-yarders just days after the Vikings cut veteran Kai Forbath because, you know, a team that's trying to sign all its veterans through the year 2525 needs to create a little cap space somewhere. The Vikings are unlikely to call takesy backsies on Forbath but will be monitoring the waiver wire during cuts lest the most balanced contender in the NFL ends up kicking itself for becoming this year's Chargers.

Who's That Guy?

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Digest separates the prospects from the fourth-quarter randos (and we do it with grit):

Chad Beebe, wide receiver, Vikings (5 catches for 59 yards, 1 TD): Beebe is the son of Bills receiver Don Beebe, making him the Chris Warren III of rookie wide receivers. Beebe is described as a gritty underdog in profiles, which I believe is a first for a pint-sized white wide receiver. Beebe caught just 28 passes in his senior season at Northern Illinois, and the Vikings are stacked at every position but kicker, but nine preseason catches and a famous last name will make him popular on the waiver wire.

Brandon Powell, wide receiver, Lions (6 catches for 45 yards, 80-yard punt return): Powell is an undersized, undrafted receiver who caught 42 passes as a senior at Florida but didn't put up eye-popping numbers as a college returner or big-play threat. He has caught 15 passes for 99 yards this preseason and has earned positive camp notices, but it's his work on returns that could keep him on the roster. He's probably a gritty underdog, even if he isn't labeled as such.

Phillip Lindsay, running back, Broncos (5 rushes for 31 yards, 1 catch for 18 yards): Bleacher Report profiled Lindsay as one of the draft's best-kept secrets in April. Not every undersized rusher-receiver-returner can be Darren Sproles, but Lindsay saw first-team action (over the similarly Sproles-ish De'Angelo Henderson Sr.) this weekend and has the quickness, blocking ability and, yes, grit to stick with the Broncos as a role player.

Hassan Ridgeway, defensive tackle, Colts (4 sacks this preseason): Ridgeway leads the NFL in sacks this preseason after recording two each in the first two games, and he has been active as a run defender as well. He was a backup interior lineman for two seasons with the Colts but may benefit from the team's transition to a traditional 4-3 scheme and away from whatever the heck Chuck Pagano claimed to be running. Then again, he may also just be an adequate reserve lineman who feasted on Seahawks backups at the start of the preseason.

Digest Sportsbook: Playoff Prop Bets

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The playoff prop bet is a quirky little wager that can add a lot of drama to those out-of-town Week 17 games. You may not ordinarily care what the Bengals do to the Ravens at the end of the year, but if you bet on the Bills to make the playoffs at +450, you could suddenly end up president of the Andy Dalton Fan Club.

Playoff props are all about finding enticing moneylines. A +115 moneyline for the Falcons to reach the playoffs (you earn a $115 profit for a $100 bet) isn't all that thrilling when the payoff is four months away (and also involves the Falcons), but there are some playoff props worth pursuing.

Here are a few of the good ones to watch plus one or two so terrible they're worth watching for comedic value if not betting value. (All lines via Odds Shark. Local lines are sure to vary.)

Arizona Cardinals (+800 to make the playoffs): The Cardinals aren't that bad, their division is fairly weak, and there's a high likelihood of NFC North and South powerhouses slugging each other down to 9-7 records, allowing a soft-schedule team to squeak into a wild-card berth. That hefty payout makes a speculation wager worth the trouble, even though the bragging rights potential isn't great. "Hey guys, first round's on me because I exploited a market inefficiency on the Arizona Cardinals playoff prop bet back in August!" "Good for you, Sashi. Now shut up and order some wings."

Cincinnati Bengals (+400 to make the playoffs): It's the AFC, folks: A couple of mediocre teams make the playoffs each year, and the Bengals have a history of being one of those mediocre teams. For comparison's sake, the Browns are +550, and the Bills are +450. The Bengals provide a similar payout for a far superior team.

New England Patriots (-1500 to make the playoffs): That's right: This means you have to wager $1,500 to earn a $100 profit. That's a savings bond, not a bet. But you can imagine some Southie in a faded old Mike Vrabel jersey driving down to New Jersey to place a wager the size of four car payments on the Patriots, winning the bet by early December and then celebrating by spending his winnings on the gas and tolls it costs to collect them.

New England Patriots (+800 to miss the playoffs): A ghoul bet for Patriots haters. Life's too short to root for a generational powerhouse to falter each week. ... Unless that line climbs to about +1500, in which case: Go for it.

NFC South: The Falcons are +115 (yawn) to make the playoffs, the Panthers +130 (just not a great wager at any price), the Saints -130 (favorites make boring playoff props) and the Buccaneers +425 (which helps explain why the Bengals look so good at +400). Avoid this division, in which the three-way battle royal could knock out two good teams.

New York Jets (+600 to make the playoffs): The Jets have a better line than the Browns (+550), and they get four games against their fellow pasties in Buffalo and Miami to prop up their wild-card portfolio, plus their coach isn't about to be fired at the first sign of trouble. ... But keep in mind: Props like these are as much about bragging rights and fun as they are about generating income. (Sports betting is not investing, dear readers.) If the Jets make the playoffs, it will be the feel-good sports story of the year! A 6-to-1 windfall makes those feelings even better.

Kickoff Return Digest

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Steelers special teams ace Darrius Heyward-Bey, one of the NFL's foremost experts on the kickoff, told Digest earlier in camp that there would be more kickoff returns this year than in years past.

"They're going to get the ball, and they're gonna see space," Heyward-Bey said of returners. "And when they see space, they go."

That space will be caused by coverage defenders waiting until the kickoff to start running, slowing even Heyward-Bey-caliber burners down by a half-step. Blockers, meanwhile, can no longer form a wedge, which takes away an aiming point for those defenders, resulting in the kind of wide-open field that makes a shifty returner dream of touchdowns.

So yes, the NFL's attempt to make kickoff returns safer will probably result in more kickoff returns, which could well lead to more injuries. Through the first 94 preseason games this year, teams have averaged 2.9 kickoff returns per game. The regular-season average for the last two seasons was 2.0. Kickoff return rates are always a little higher in the preseason, but a near 50 percent increase isn't going to go away when the season starts.

Placing a pin in the safety concerns for a moment, which teams are best equipped to take advantage of a likely increase in the number of kickoff returns? Funny you should ask.

New England Patriots: They signed Cordarrelle Patterson, one of the best pure kickoff returners in the league, as if they anticipated an increase in the importance of kickoff returns. Hmmm...

Atlanta Falcons: Calvin Ridley. Open field. 'Nuff said.

Los Angeles Chargers: J.J. Jones has a punt-return touchdown in the preseason and has done well on kickoff returns as well. Travis Benjamin is one of the league's premier catch-and-go guys.

Philadelphia Eagles: Shelton Gibson has been a camp standout. Darren Sproles hasn't returned kickoffs regularly since 2013, but it's nice to know he's an option. Also, the Eagles routinely field great blocking units.

New York Giants: Hunter Sharp could emerge as one of the NFL's top returners this year. But Odell Beckham Jr. has also practiced a few kickoff returns in camp. Can you think of anyone more dangerous with the ball in his hands and space to run in the fourth quarter of a close game?

Kansas City Chiefs: OK, Tyreek Hill may be more dangerous. But can you think of anyone else?

The Great Preseason Debate

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The Bears rested all their starters—like, every single one of them—against the Chiefs on Saturday afternoon at Soldier Field. This sparked anger among Bears ticket holders, who expected the standard dress rehearsal in the third week of the preseason (though the Bears played in the Hall of Fame Game, making Saturday their fourth preseason matchup), as well as debate about whether it made good football sense to punt an entire preseason game.

The Rams also rested everyone in sight this month, while Patriots starters treated the preseason like a vengeance tour. So who has the right formula? Digest is here to add some shape and substance to the great preseason debate:

• Coaches like the Bears' Matt Nagy aren't responsible for entertaining fans during the preseason. If owners are going to charge full price for games, they should book a halftime concert or recruit old-timers to sign autographs in the concourses so the coach can concentrate on what he thinks is best for the team.

• The Bears got most of their meaningful work done during joint practices with the Broncos. If joint practices are more beneficial than preseason games, then the preseason games should be replaced by televised joint practices. The upcoming final round of preseason games, at the very least, should cease to exist.

• Playing starters in the preseason means risking injuries. Joint practices risk injuries. All football activities risk injuries. But also: Failing to gradually expose starters to game conditions can increase injury risks once they take the field. Bubble-wrapping the starting lineup sounds like the obvious solution but isn't.

• Optimizing performance is almost as important in the preseason as minimizing injuries. Check out Drew Brees launching an ugly interception in his first preseason action. Even legends need to work out the kinks and ramp up to game speed.

• Performance optimization isn't that important to a rebuilding team like the Bears. They aren't trying to launch a Super Bowl run this year and therefore don't need a hot start.

• The Rams, on the other hand, need to be at full throttle coming out of the gate, so their decision to treat the starting offense like that of the early '90s 49ers and have nothing to fine-tune is peculiar.

• Sticking to the "traditional" preseason schedule—starters barely play, and then they play a little, and then the dress rehearsal, and then the snoozer—can lead coaches to make goofy decisions, like starting Cam Newton behind a makeshift line. Coaches should be experimenting with that schedule and tweaking it.

• The NFL gets to charge full price for an inferior product in the preseason because we all cease to care the moment the season starts. For season ticket holders, the only solutions are to give up the seats, learn to love Chase Daniel or hope coaches and the players' union can prevail upon owners to structure the preseason in a way that adds value to the regular season, not just bonus revenue.

Mike Tanier covers the NFL for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter: @MikeTanier.