Author: nfltalk

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — In a quiet moment before the second day of the 2025 NFL Draft, Eliot Wolf sat down to review his three favorite players still on the board.

The New England Patriots vice president of player personnel pulled up a reel of 100 or so carries Ohio State running back TreVeyon Henderson had attempted against what Wolf considered “good” teams. Wolf didn’t make it through all 100.

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“I watched 15 runs and I was like, ‘What am I doing? This is the guy,’” Wolf told Yahoo Sports on Sunday. “We have way bigger needs than running back and still do. But it was just an opportunity to get a weapon potentially there in the second round.”

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The Patriots selected Henderson with the 38th overall pick.

On the first play of their preseason game against the Washington Commanders on Friday, he reminded them why.

Henderson fielded the game’s kickoff at the goal line before racing up the left side of the field. He sped past the first oncoming defenders near the Patriots’ 20, leaving at least three Commanders sprawled before he hit the 50 and completed his flight path.

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As 12 seconds ticked off the game clock, Henderson arrived in the end zone for a 100-yard return touchdown.

“Those home run-hitting backs, that’s huge,” Patriots center Garrett Bradbury told Yahoo Sports. “I think that’s demoralizing for a defense when you can break a 60-yard run, 70-yard run, which he has the capability.

“Give him a little space and it’s gone.”

Head coach Mike Vrabel considered the field position advantage that could follow.

“Teams are going to put the ball in play, and if they don’t and if they’re like, ‘Well, these guys are going to hit an explosive, then we’re just going to give it to ’em at the 35,’” Vrabel told Yahoo Sports. “So that’s good for us either way if we can make that a weapon.”

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Henderson also chipped in with 12…

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By the end of Shedeur Sanders’ performance in the Cleveland Browns’ preseason opener against the Carolina Panthers on Friday, there were glowing reviews on social media from celebrities such as LeBron James and Jamie Foxx, complimentary posts from other NFL players like Xavier Worthy and even a Nike post that included a picture of Sanders along with the caption “Only a matter of time.”

As one Browns source joked, it may be the most talked-about preseason performance in the history of the NFL.

All jokes aside, though, it was a strong performance from Sanders that Cleveland’s staff felt good about and viewed as a confidence-builder and building block for the fifth-round draft pick. Even beyond the game, where Sanders went 14 for 23 for 138 yards with two touchdown passes, the Browns staff saw Sanders take a noticeable step forward with his preparation and locking in behind the scenes last week knowing that he was in line for more reps and to start that game vs. Carolina.

The big question now: How does the performance from Sanders impact Cleveland’s quarterback dynamic moving forward?

Here’s the reality from talking to sources: While there were a lot of positives from that start against Carolina (for example that he was decisive and threw the ball well), there are “still a lot of things there that need to be cleaned up,” including from a pocket presence standpoint and handling pressure. It was also emphasized that it’s important for people to not get ahead of themselves based on a team’s first preseason game. The feedback prior to the game had been that Sanders had been “up and down” through the beginning of the offseason and training camp,

Kenny Pickett and third-round draft pick Dillon Gabriel being limited by injuries has created opportunity for Sanders, which he has taken advantage of, but Sanders does appear to still be QB4 for Cleveland at the moment behind expected starter Joe…

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The Colts are sticking with their plan to start Daniel Jones at quarterback in their second preseason game, but they have made a tweak to the division of playing time between him and Anthony Richardson.

Steichen confirmed at a Sunday press conference that Jones will start against the Packers at home next Saturday and said that he expects Jones to play a couple series. Anthony Richardson will then enter the game and he is expected to have a longer stay in the lineup.

The Colts started Richardson in their preseason opener and planned to play him about a quarter and a half, but he dislocated his pinkie on their second possession and Jones played the rest of the first half. The initial outline was for Jones to play a quarter-plus in the second game, so the injury shifted how they’ll split the reps.

Jones was 10-of-21 for 144 yards in the opener. Richardson was 2-of-3 for 21 yards before his injury.

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The Green Bay Packers’ leading receiver last season, Jayden Reed, missed the team’s first preseason game on Saturday, a 30-10 loss to the New York Jets.

While Reed was photographed in a walking boot ahead of the game at Lambeau Field, coach Matt LaFleur said he was hoping the star wideout will be ready when the Packers’ regular season kicks off at home against the Detroit Lions on Sept. 7.

LeFleur said that the boot was unrelated to the pre-existing toe injury Reed had coming into training camp. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, a source informed him that Reed was dealing with a sprained foot that left him “day-to-day.” LeFleur said that Reed would “hopefully” be back for the season opener.

Reed was also interviewed and spoke about the injury to the extent he appeared comfortable.

“I don’t want to be wrong about anything, so I ain’t gonna be the one to say it,” Reed said before being pushed further on the situation. “I mean, I just cut wrong off my foot and I’m a little sore.”

Reed, a second-round pick out of Michigan State in the 2023 NFL Draft, led the Packers with 55 receptions on 75 targets for 857 yards last season. He caught six touchdown passes, placing him second on the team behind tight end Tucker Kraft.

After Saturday’s game, LeFleur added, “Anytime you see a guy in a boot that’s a concern.”

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