Predicting the winner of each NFL quarterback battle, plus winners and losers from Week 2 of preseason

Welcome to the Monday edition of the Pick Six newsletter! 

If your favorite NFL team needs a star pass-rusher, you might want to tell them to call the Cincinnati Bengals, because it seems that they're taking offers for Trey Hendrickson. Does it make any sense at all to trade your best defensive player less than three weeks before the start of the season? No. But the Bengals are apparently considering it. 

We'll look at some possible landing spots for Hendrickson in today's newsletter, plus we have some winners and losers for Week 2 of the preseason. I'll also be predicting the winner for the final three QB battles. 

As always, here's your daily reminder to tell all your friends to sign up for the newsletter. To get them signed up, all you have to do is click here. 

1. NFL preseason: Winners and losers of Week 2

As everyone knows, you can't have a week of NFL action without having winners and losers, so we have some winners and losers from the first week of the preseason. Jared Dubin came up with this week's list, and we're going to check out part of his list below: 

Winners

• Andrew Mukuba, S, Eagles (22-13 loss to Browns): The Eagles rookie safety apparently has a nose for the football. First, he jumped in front of a late and inaccurate pass from the Browns' Dillon Gabriel to come away with a pick-six. (You can see the TD here.) Mere minutes later, Makuba jumped on the ball when it hit the ground again on a fumble by a Browns running back. ... The second-round pick could earn himself a role if he keeps making plays on the ball. 
• TreyVeyon Henderson, RB, Patriots (20-12 win over Vikings): After showcasing his explosiveness with a kick-return touchdown in the preseason opener, Henderson got himself going on the ground in Week 2. This time, he showed patience, burst and the ability to run through tackles on an impressive 8-yard touchdown. (You can see the play here.) Henderson is looking like a guy who is going to have a significant early role in New England's offense.

Losers

• Cowboys backups (31-13 loss to Ravens): Backup quarterback Joe Milton finished 9 of 18 for 122 yards and an interception. Only one of the four running backs to touch the ball averaged more than 2.3 yards per carry, and it was because Malik Davis ran once for five yards. Dallas' offense totaled just 19 yards in the first half and had the ball for only 19 minutes and 49 seconds in the entire game. 
• Van Jefferson, WR, Titans (23-20 win over Falcons): The Titans receiver let down Cameron Ward on what should have been a highlight-reel play but instead was a throw that will be reduced to "oh man he should have caught that" tweets. (You can see the throw here.) It was a gorgeous, layered laser from the No. 1 overall pick, who dropped the throw in a bucket over the top of three defenders and hit Jefferson in stride, in both hands, but the veteran wideout couldn't come down with the ball. 

If you want to see Dubin's full list of winners and losers, be sure to click here.  

2. Ranking how every rookie quarterback played during Week 2 of the preseason

For the second straight week, we're breaking down how each rookie quarterback looked during the preseason, and we're doing that by ranking the top 10 performances of Week 2.  

If you didn't get to watch every rookie quarterback play, don't worry, we have you covered. Jared Dubin watched every snap from every rookie QB and then ranked their performances from best to worst. 

Here's what Dubin had to say about Jaxson Dart, Dillon Gabriel and Jalen Milroe, who finished first, third and sixth in this ranking. 

• Giants 31-12 over Jets: Jaxson Dart finishes 14 of 16 passing for 137 yards and one TD: Dart has been the best rookie quarterback of the preseason. He checked in No. 1 in these rankings for Tyler Sullivan last week and sits atop them once again in Week 2. He's now 26 of 35 for 291 yards and two touchdowns through the air during New York's two preseason contests. NOTE: Despite Dart's impressive preseason, head coach Brian Daboll has insisted he'll be sticking with Russell Wilson as the Week 1 starter. 
• Browns 22-13 over Eagles: Dillon Gabriel finishes 13 of 18 for 143 yards with one interception: Gabriel started the game showcasing why the Browns thought he was worth a draft pick, quickly getting through progressions and taking all of the underneath stuff to efficiently move the ball down the field. None of this is electric, but keeping the offense on time and making quick decisions is what the Browns wanted to see from him, and that's what he was giving them. WAS. Until he tried to make a play outside the structure of the offense late in the down, and you saw some of his limitations come to light on this pick-six. 
• Seahawks 33-16 over Chiefs: Jalen Milroe finishes 3 of 5 for 46 yards plus 18 rushing yards: Milroe had an up-and-down second week of the preseason. He had a pair of misses on back-to-back throws that could've been touchdowns, with the first of them a potential walk-in to the running back if he didn't miss way over his head. But he also bailed out the offense on a few plays with his legs on bootleg opportunities where nothing came open off the fake, and he did a nice job to identify the defense and work over the middle for a nice catch-and-run on one of his three completions. 

If you want to check out Dubin's full ranking, which includes Quinn Ewers in the top five, you can see the full list here. 

3. QB competition predictions: Saints, Browns and Colts all expected to name a starter soon

There are three big QB competitions going on around the NFL, and there's a good chance all three of them will be ending this week. 

Let's take a look at where each competition stands after two weeks of the preseason: 

• Browns: Head coach Kevin Stefanski confirmed over the weekend that the Browns will definitely be naming a starter this week. At this point, it feels like Joe Flacco will be the starter. Flacco took almost every first-team rep during joint practices with the Eagles and Panthers, and although he hasn't played in the preseason, that's likely because he's 40 years old and the Browns don't want him to injure himself. That being said, the guy who is eventually named the starter will be playing in Week 3 of the preseason against the Rams, so if it's Flacco, we'll be seeing him on the field this Saturday. QB Prediction: Joe Flacco. 
• Colts: Daniel Jones (7 of 11 for 101 yards) and Anthony Richardson (6 of 11 for 73 yards) both played during a 23-19 loss to the Packers on Saturday. Jones was definitely more consistent, but Indy's only TD drive of the game came with Richardson playing. Colts head coach Shane Steichen said he's "very close" to making a decision, so we'll likely know who the starter is in the next few days. These two have been mostly even, but Jones is definitely more polished and Steichen feels like a guy who prefers more polished. QB prediction: Daniel Jones. 
• Saints: This started as a three-way QB battle between Tyler Shough, Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener, but it feels like Haener is all but out of the race after not playing a single snap during the Saints' 17-17 tie with the Jaguars on Sunday. Shough finished 9 of 12 for 66 yards against Jacksonville while Rattler completed 18 of 24 passes for 199 yards with one TD and one interception. Moore was non-committal when asked if he would be naming his opening day starter at some point this week, "We'll see." This one feels close, but if you're unsure, you go with the rookie. QB Prediction: Tyler Shough. 

The only other QB drama is in Los Angeles, where no one seems to know what's going on with Matthew Stafford. The Rams QB hasn't practiced a single time during training camp due to a bad back, and if that injury lingers much longer, it would turn into a situation where Sean McVay is forced to start Jimmy Garoppolo in Week 1. 

4. Bengals are shopping Trey Hendrickson: Possible landing spots for the star pass-rusher

The contract drama between Trey Hendrickson and the Bengals took a wild twist over the weekend with NFL Media reporting that the Bengals are listening to trade offers for their star pass-rusher. 

If a trade is going to happen, another team is going to have to meet the Bengals' sky-high asking price. According to NFL Media, the Bengals want a "young player" along with a future draft pick. The Bengals almost certainly wouldn't make a deal unless they could acquire a player who's going to contribute significantly for them this year. It still seems unlikely that Hendrickson will be traded, but it certainly could happen, so we came up with some landing spots. 

1. Lions. The Lions addressed their offensive line early in the 2025 NFL Draft, also adding wide receiver depth. One area that went curiously overlooked: pass rusher. ... With more than $40 million in 2025 salary cap space still available, they could be a prime landing spot for a proven talent.

2. Packers. After dealing Preston Smith during the 2024 season, the Packers could still use a proven counterpart for Rashan Gary and the young Lukas Van Ness off the edge. They've also got plenty of money to spend, with more than $31 million in remaining 2025 cap space.

3. Colts. Indy ranked just 25th in sacks in 2024. Not to mention, new defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo ran the Bengals' defense when Cincinnati spent big bucks to lure Hendrickson from the Saints; he personally oversaw each of Hendrickson's prolific seasons in the AFC North.

You can see our full list of landing spots here. I actually talked to Hendrickson briefly on Tuesday (Aug. 12) while attending Bengals training camp, and if you want to check out my full breakdown of the situation, we've got that here. 

5. Preseason Week 2 concludes Monday: Two reasons to watch Bengals at Commanders

The first and only Monday night game of the preseason will be happening with the Commanders hosting the Bengals. Trey Hendrickson won't be playing for Cincinnati and fellow hold-in Terry McLaurin won't be playing for Washington, but there are plenty of other reasons to watch. 

Here's why you'll definitely want to tune in: 

• Bengals: The STARTERS are playing again. For the second straight week, the Bengals will be playing their starters with Joe Burrow and the offense expected to play at least one quarter. One spot to watch will be at right guard where the Bengals are still unsettled. On the defensive side of the ball, Shemar Stewart is expected to get the start after playing with the twos during the Bengals' first preseason game. The first-round pick has had a strong training camp so far, and if you want to know more about that, I covered that here. 
• Commanders: Jayden Daniels to play, plus starting corners will be tested. Daniels is expected to get the start in what will be his first action of the preseason. However, he'll likely only play one or two possessions, so if you tune in late, you might miss him. One big thing to watch for the Commanders will be the play of their starting corners. Right now, rookie Trey Amos and veteran Marshon Lattimore are expected to start, which means they'll be facing a stiff test with Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins both expected to play. 

The game kicks off at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN. 

6. Extra points: Eagles make trade for receiver

It was a busy weekend in the NFL, and since it's nearly impossible to keep track of everything that happened, I went ahead and put together a roundup for you. 

• Eagles acquire John Metchie III from Texans. The Eagles added another offensive weapon on Sunday after making a trade for Metchie. The former second-round pick missed his entire rookie year in 2022 while battling leukemia. However, Metchie was able to return and has played in each of the past two seasons with Houston. The Texans acquired tight end Harrison Bryant in the trade. We graded both sides of the deal, and you can check those out here. 
• Saints make trade with Jaguars. Just hours after tying each other, 17-17, in the preseason, the Saints and Jaguars made a trade. The Saints are sending defensive tackle Khalen Saunders to Jacksonville in exchange for veteran center Luke Fortner. We've got the full story on the deal here. 
• Panthers set to sign 2025 UFL MVP. With Andy Dalton (elbow) getting injured over the weekend, the Panthers added another quarterback by signing Bryce Perkins. The 2025 UFL MVP has one career NFL start under his belt, which came with the Rams in 2022. 
• Isaiah Bond gets fully guaranteed contract from Browns. The former Texas and Alabama wide receiver has signed a three-year, $3.018 million contract with the Browns that's fully guaranteed. Undrafted free agents never get a contract like this, but the Browns made an exception here. Bond was projected to be taken anywhere from the late first through the third round in the 2025 NFL Draft, but he ended up going undrafted after being arrested on an outstanding sexual assault warrant before the draft. Bond has been cleared of all charges, which is why the Browns decided to sign him. Thanks to his new deal, he'll be getting more guaranteed money than every player taken after the second round. 
• Tyler Loop wins Ravens kicking job. The Ravens officially have a new kicker. Head coach John Harbaugh announced over the weekend that Loop has won the job and will be Baltimore's kicker this year. The Ravens selected Loop in the sixth round of the NFL Draft this year, marking the first time the team had ever used a draft pick on a kicker. Loop closed out the preseason on Saturday by going 5 of 6 on field goals with a long of 53. Loop will be the first player not named Justin Tucker to kick for the Ravens since 2011.