Week 3 of the preseason is upon us. Time to make your case in the strongest way or get ready to look for other opportunities. These players vary from long shots to first-round picks. Either way, they know nothing is guaranteed.
Laquon Treadwell
The former No. 1 draft pick has not held his own in Minnesota through three seasons with 56 catches. Chad Beebe is the No. 3 wideout behind Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen. Laquon Treadwell had four catches for 47 yards against the Seahawks. He’s going to have to continue to show a lot for Minnesota to keep him around.
Taylor Bertolet
Would love not to use the same player twice, but the Jets’ Taylor Bertolet has placed himself here. He replaced the retired Chandler Catanzaro and made a 49-yard field goal. That’s the good news. The bad? Bertolet missed 2-of-3 PATs. That’s the kind of effort that costs teams games. In case Jets fans were wondering how Jason Myers is doing in Seattle, their former kicker was 4-for-4, including one from 52, against the Vikings.
Cardale Jones
The backup position for the Chargers is a lock for Tyrod Taylor. However, the third-string position — if there is one — is a battle. Former Ohio State star Cardale Jones is battling fifth-round pick Easton Stick. Jones was efficient against the Saints, going 10-of-14 for 111 yards and a TD. Biggest question is whether Los Angeles is whether Stick will stick because he was a pick.
Paul Perkins
Paul Perkins is not from this Giants’ regime. He spent the 2018 season on the Non-Football Injury list due to an undisclosed pectoral issue. He is in a battle to stay with Big Blue. On Friday against the Bears, he played 25 offensive snaps and had 35 rushing yards on six carries. He also caught two passes for 30 yards. “I feel like I can still do it,” the 24-year-old said. “I’m not old or anything. I feel like I can do it. I feel like I know how to play football well.” He’s in a battle for the third running back spot and has to wow to stick.
Kenneth Dixon
Kenneth Dixon has played 18 games in three seasons with Baltimore. He missed the entire 2017 season and played in six games last season. How much patience will the Ravens have with the running back, who missed practice Saturday? Baltimore plays the Eagles on Thursday and it has Mark Ingram, Justice Hill and Gus Edwards among others in the backfield.
Troymaine Pope
The biggest beneficiary of Melvin Gordon’s holdout may be Troymaine Pope. The former Jacksonville State running back returned home to Anniston, AL, in 2016, and was ready to give up the dream. He interviewed to work at a car factory. The Seahawks called, however, and he has been on a journey since. He’s been with five teams and appeared in four games. He has 44 yards on 12 carries and caught a 5-yard pass. Pope caught many eyes in Los Angeles over the weekend, returning a punt 81 yards for a touchdown. A strong special teams player always gets an added and longer look.
Ryan Fitzpatrick
Brian Flores is in his first year as a head coach. He has to be experiencing every rookie coach’s nightmare: a quarterback quandary. Both are cerebral, Josh Rosen and Ryan Fitzpatrick. That doesn’t mean they are clear-cut starters. Rosen has completed 23 of 38 passes (60.5 percent completion) for 293 yards with zero touchdowns and one interception. Fitzpatrick has completed 5 of 14 passes for 40 yards with neither a touchdown nor an interception. The Miami Herald writes neither has done enough to be named the starter.
Derrius Guice
It won’t be much, but at least it could be something. Washington fans should get their far game-look at running back Derrius Guice against the Falcons. The top pick in 2018 who tore his ACL and missed the season tentatively may get his lone preseason action.
Zach Pascal
Zach Pascal is another player who is battling to make a roster, the Indianapolis Colts’ in his case. You have to love a guy like Pascal who does 10 pushups — five on fingertips and five on knuckles — for every pass he drops. Coltswire.com thinks the Old Dominion product has what it takes to stick on the 53. It won’t be easy to have a good showing this week as Indy plays the Bears with starters expected to see their most preseason time, which still might not be plentiful. He’s another guy to cheer.
Kylie Fitts
The Chicago Bears appear to be ready to part ways with a 2018 draft pick. Kyle Fitts, a sixth-rounder out of Utah, is in jeopardy suggests Bearswire.com. The OLB has not looked good in the first two preseason games despite plenty of exposure. He also took the brunt of a big play by the Giants. Fitts needs to step up or he could be headed for the practice squad … or worse.
Jimmy Garoppolo
Yeah, yeah how can a starting QB be on the players to watch list? Well, if you watched Garoppolo go 1-for-6 for zero yards with a pick against Denver Monday in his first appearance since ACL surgery one would have to be concerned in San Francisco. This comes after a practice last week that saw him throw five straight INTs. The rust best come off quickly or the Niners could be in for another long season. And who thought at any point this was the guy who was gonna bump Tom Brady?
