• Spencer Rattler makes his case for the Saints’ QB2 job: He threw for 111 yards, including a big-time throw and a touchdown, on his way to a 79.6 PFF passing grade in the team’s final preseason game.
• Stock down for Dolphins tackle Patrick Paul: While he showed plenty of potential this preseason, it doesn’t appear he will be an immediate factor for the team.
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Estimated Reading Time: 5 minutes
With the 2024 NFL preseason now in the books and roster cuts and practice squad signings upon us, the hype around the rookie class is more real than ever.
We’re looking at the offensive rookies who improved their stock or lowered their stock this preseason.
There were high hopes for Burton when the Bengals grabbed him in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft. After a strong preseason and training camp, highlighted by an 85.0 PFF receiving grade and an 86.1 PFF overall grade this preseason — the latter being the highest among offensive rookies who played at least 20 snaps — it appears he’s right in line for the WR3 role in Cincinnati.
Across 29 preseason snaps, McMillan earned an 80.9 PFF receiving grade and made four catches for 57 yards. His practice and in-game performances appear to have locked him into the WR3 spot behind Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, beating out the likes of Trey Palmer and Sterling Shepard.
Nix is a “stock up” candidate simply because he won the starting quarterback role in Denver. On 59 preseason snaps, he earned a 78.4 PFF passing grade with more than 200 passing yards, a 70%-plus completion percentage, one big-time throw and no turnover-worthy plays.
Guyton was the highest-graded rookie offensive tackle this preseason, earning an 80.6 PFF overall grade on 59 total snaps. His pass-blocking (80.0) and run-blocking (78.3) grades were equally solid, and he allowed just one pressure on 30 pass-blocking snaps. Guyton has earned the starting left tackle spot in Dallas.
Whittington was once a four-to-five-star athlete out of Texas who had a very promising career ahead of him with the Longhorns. Unfortunately, injuries have held him back from achieving his true potential and were a big reason why he was ultimately just a sixth-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. Now healthy, Whittington is flashing that talent in the NFL with the Rams. He earned a 77.8 PFF receiving grade on 48 receiving snaps this preseason. He recorded seven catches and 92 receiving yards in the Rams’ preseason finale.
There was much pre-draft talk about whether Dominick Puni, who played both guard and tackle at Kansas, would be better suited at tackle or guard at the NFL level. After the rookie earned a 70.5 PFF overall grade on 89 snaps this preseason, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan announced Puni as the team’s starting guard.
Vaki is another versatile player from the 2024 class, but his versatility transcends the line of scrimmage to both offense and defense. Vaki primarily played safety for Utah, but he did get a few games at running back in 2023, where he played very well and earned high grades, especially as a receiver out of the backfield. He has been working with the running backs in Detroit and continues to stand out. Vaki earned an 83.3 PFF receiving grade in the Lions’ second preseason game, with four catches and 60 yards.
Frazier earned an 82.2 PFF pass-blocking grade across 51 pass-blocking snaps this preseason. He played more than 100 snaps overall on the line and looked like the Steelers’ center of the future. To already look as solid as he does is a nice “stock up” situation for a player we already had high hopes for.
Rattler caused quite the stir on social media during the Saints’ final preseason game when he threw for 111 yards, including a big-time throw and a touchdown, on his way to a 79.6 PFF passing grade. Rattler won’t be taking Derek Carr’s job in the coming weeks, but it was a strong showing for him to be the QB2 in New Orleans moving forward.
Editor’s note: The Bills waived Gore ahead of final roster cuts.
Like father, like son. Across 65 total snaps this preseason, Frank Gore Jr. earned an 84.3 PFF overall grade. He ran for 108 yards in the Bills’ preseason finale, notching one rushing touchdown and an 80.5 PFF rushing grade. It was going to be an uphill battle for the undrafted free agent to prove himself, but he certainly took advantage.
With Odell Beckham Jr. departing this offseason, the Ravens were looking for a fresh face in their receiver room to complement Zay Flowers and a strong tight end group. Fourth-round speedster Tez Walker was a fan favorite to do so as a fourth-round pick. But he saw just one target this preseason and played 25 receiving snaps. In no way does this mean he can’t be a prominent player for Baltimore at some point this season. It just looks like it won’t be as fast as some hoped.
The Dolphins’ second-round offensive lineman flashed and showed his potential as a big-bodied tackle with plus movement skills. However, this was a team that needed immediate upgrades along the offensive line, and it doesn’t seem like Paul will be contributing to that in the short term. His play remains inconsistent at a position where a high floor of consistency is a prerequisite. He earned a 68.2 PFF overall grade this preseason on 178 snaps — the most of any rookie.
Editor’s note: The Packers waived Pratt ahead of final roster cuts.
It was a surprise to many when Pratt lasted until the third round. When the Packers drafted him, the expectation for many was that he would rise to the QB2 spot in Green Bay. In three preseason games, in which he handled 37 total dropbacks, Pratt threw for 173 yards with two big-time throws and two turnover-worthy plays for a 56.8 PFF passing grade. However, the more glaring contribution to his “stock down” status is that the team traded for Malik Willis.
