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The third week of the 2025 NFL preseason kicked off Thursday as teams take their final look at key position battles ahead of Tuesday’s 4 p.m. ET deadline to trim rosters to 53 players.
To keep you updated on how teams fared, our NFL Nation reporters are summarizing each game below and predicting each team’s 53-man roster.
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Thursday’s results
Giants: Some bottom-of-the-roster spots seem to have been secured Thursday night. Cornerback Art Green might have solidified his place as the fifth cornerback with a strong tackling effort. He had five tackles in the first half. Defensive tackle D.J. Davidson batted a pass and forced a hold near the goal line. That should help his chances. As for the crowded quarterback position, Tommy DeVito’s audition for the rest of the league saw him impress: He completed 15 of his first 17 passes while throwing a touchdown on each of his first three drives. Still, he is likely the odd man out in the QB room. — Jordan Raanan
Next game: at Washington Commanders (1 p.m. ET, Sept. 7)
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Patriots: The Patriots played only a handful of offensive and defensive players who would be considered potential starting-caliber candidates, so perhaps the most compelling storyline was with kickers: rookie Andy Borregales vs. Parker Romo. A sixth-round pick out of Miami, Borregales missed a 49-yard field goal in the first half after coach Mike Vrabel elected not to go for it on fourth-and-1 — perhaps to see how Borregales, who missed a 57-yarder last week, would respond. Borregales later hit a 30-yard field goal, as well as a point after attempt, while Romo didn’t get a chance to kick. It has been a close competition throughout training camp. — Mike Reiss
Next game: at Las Vegas Raiders (1 p.m. ET, Sept. 7)
Steelers: The defensive line suffered a potentially significant loss when rookie first-rounder Derrick Harmon was carted off the field with a knee injury and quickly ruled out. At halftime, coach Mike Tomlin said the defensive end was “being evaluated.” The Steelers already lost some depth there during training camp when veteran Dean Lowry suffered an ACL tear. It could mean the Steelers will be in the market for a veteran trade option or a cut-down day addition. — Brooke Pryor
Next game: at New York Jets (1 p.m. ET, Sept. 7)
Panthers: Read into the inactive list of 33 players how you choose. Wide receiver Brycen Tremayne got the night off. Veteran receivers Hunter Renfrow and David Moore did not. Maybe Tremayne has an edge for the sixth or seventh receiver spot after a solid preseason. Or perhaps Carolina wants to keep him under the radar, so it can add him to the practice squad if he doesn’t make the 53-man roster. As for Renfrow and Moore, the team could have been auditioning them for potential trades. One of them likely will make the roster. Renfrow’s comeback is a good story, but has he done enough to earn a spot? — David Newton
Next game: at Jacksonville Jaguars (1 p.m. ET, Sept. 7)
Friday’s results
Cowboys: After less-than stellar showings in the first two preseason games, Joe Milton III was much steadier against the Falcons with a touchdown pass and a TD rush. He was much better with his decision-making, finishing with 132 yards on 10-of-18 passing. The final receiver spot comes down to Ryan Flournoy and Jalen Brooks, who both had their moments. Brooks had a 29-yard diving TD catch, while Flournoy showed some strength in his receptions. Then there’s defensive tackle Mazi Smith. The former first round pick played the entire first half. He recorded a tackle for loss and three tackles. Perhaps it secures him one of the last defensive line spots as Earnest Brown IV deals with a leg injury. — Todd Archer
Next game: at Philadelphia Eagles (8:20 p.m. ET, Sept. 4)
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Falcons: Falcons coach Raheem Morris said this week that the final preseason game would mainly be for players still on the 53-man roster bubble. Wide receivers Chris Blair and Nick Nash, as well as tight end Feleipe Franks, all played well, with Franks scoring on a 23-yard pass from quarterback Easton Stick. All three have a shot to make it and certainly increased their chances Friday.
During halftime, Morris said he’d be paying close attention to special teams, because that could determine added value. If so, it would be difficult to overlook inside linebacker Josh Woods, who had a massive hit on kick-return coverage in the first half. — Marc Raimondi
Next game: vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1 p.m. ET, Sept. 7)
Titans: The reserve tackle position has four players competing for two spots. Jaelyn Duncan, Brandon Crenshaw-Dickson, John Ojukwu, and Olisaemeka Udoh are the contenders. Ojukwu was the one Brian Callahan called upon when the offense went with a tackle eligible. He’ll likely hold down the swing tackle spot, leaving one opening for the other three. Ojukwu, Duncan and Udoh each finished in the 20s for reps. But Crenshaw-Dickson only played five. Udoh played more with the second team unit than Duncan, so it’s likely he joins Ojukwu as the second reserve tackle. — Turron Davenport
Next game: at Denver Broncos (4:05 p.m. ET, Sept. 4)
Vikings: The Vikings’ biggest position battle is the No. 2 quarterback behind J.J. McCarthy. It was notable that Sam Howell, who took most of the second-team snaps during training camp, did not play Friday night. Rookie Max Brosmer was sharp in playing a bit more than half of the game, completing 15-of-23 passes for 161 yards and a touchdown. At the very least, Brosmer ensured himself a spot on the 53-man roster. But it remains hard to imagine the Vikings would enter Week 1 with Brosmer backing up McCarthy.
Rookie receiver Myles Price kept himself in the running for the punt returner job with a 28-yard return that was called back by penalty, but he also bobbled a fair catch. It’s safe to say that no one has claimed either the punt or kickoff return jobs through the end of the preseason.
Finally, the most significant takeaway from the Vikings’ punter competition was that rookie Oscar Chapman slightly bobbled a hold on kicker Will Reichard’s errant 55-yard attempt. Incumbent Ryan Wright remains the favorite. — Kevin Seifert
Next game: at Chicago Bears (8:15 p.m. ET, Sept. 8)
Eagles: The battles at cornerback and safety are coming into focus. Adoree’ Jackson did not dress Friday, joining most of the other starters. That could indicate he’ll be on the outside opposite Quinyon Mitchell in Week 1. Jackson spent most of the summer splitting reps with Kelee Ringo but started getting the nod more and more as training camp came to a close. Ringo missed the Jets game with a quad injury. Two other contenders for playing time, Jakorian Bennett and rookie Mac McWilliams, both suited up and each recorded a pass breakup. Parry Nickerson, meanwhile, made one final push for a roster spot with a diving, twisting interception off Brady Cook.
At safety, third-year player Sydney Brown got the night off. He’s been competing for a starting spot with rookie Andrew Mukuba, who is now sidelined with a hamstring injury. — Tim McManus
Next game: vs. Dallas Cowboys (8:20 p.m. ET, Sept. 4)
Jets: Coach Aaron Glenn said postgame he’s confident Tyrod Taylor (knee scope) will be ready for Week 1. If not, they’re in trouble because neither Adrian Martinez (two turnovers) nor Brady Cook (one) impressed in the final preseason tune up. They had some positive moments this summer, but not enough to make Glenn feel comfortable dressing either one as the QB2 behind Justin Fields. Martinez did flash at the end of Friday’s game, leading back-to-back scoring drives in the fourth quarter.
The Jets are optimistic about Taylor’s availability, but he will be rusty, not having practiced since late July. At tight end, veterans Jeremy Ruckert and Andrew Beck both played Friday night, a sign their roster spots aren’t secure. Wide receiver Brandon Smith capped his strong summer with another productive game (three catches for 42 yards); he could snag a roster spot, perhaps ousting one of the veterans. — Rich Cimini
Next game: vs. Pittsburgh Steelers (1 p.m. ET, Sept. 7)
Saturday’s games
Baltimore Ravens at Washington Commanders (Noon ET, ESPN Unlimited)
Indianapolis Colts at Cincinnati Bengals (1 p.m. ET, ESPN Unlimited)
Los Angeles Rams at Cleveland Browns (1 p.m. ET, NFL Network)
Houston Texans at Detroit Lions (1 p.m. ET, ESPN Unlimited)
Denver Broncos at New Orleans Saints (1 p.m. ET)
Seattle Seahawks at Green Bay Packers (4 p.m. ET, NFL Network)
Jacksonville Jaguars at Miami Dolphins (7 p.m. ET, NFL Network)
Buffalo Bills at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN Unlimited)
Los Angeles Chargers at San Francisco 49ers (8:30 p.m. ET, ESPN Unlimited)
Las Vegas Raiders at Arizona Cardinals (10 p.m. ET, NFL Network)
