NFL preseason week 1: Caleb Williams dazzles in first appearance while Joe Burrow returns to action

By Ben Morse, CNN

(CNN) — Results in NFL preseason tend not to have a bearing on the outcome of a team’s season. But they do offer fans some hope and a first opportunity to see new players with new teams or in new schemes.

Week 1 of the 2024 NFL preseason concluded on Sunday, with all 32 teams now having played one warm-up game before the beginning of the new season in September.

From the exciting new crop of rookie quarterbacks making their NFL bows to some returning faces, there were plenty of moments of note.

Caleb Williams headlines rookie quarterbacks’ debuts

Any No. 1 overall draft pick will have the spotlight on them. But for Caleb Williams, that light is just a little brighter given the expectations placed on his shoulders.

The quarterback has been tipped for big things for years now, and he showed why in his first foray into NFL action on Saturday.

Williams – who was selected first overall by the Chicago Bears in the 2024 NFL Draft – put in a well-rounded display in his preseason debut against the Buffalo Bills, showing why he has been so highly touted.

His ability to thrive in any situation against the Bills was arguably Williams’ most impressive skill, with his throwing accuracy, running elusiveness and improvisational skills under pressure all on show.

The 22-year-old played the first quarter and was the catalyst in two field goal drives for the Bears. Chicago’s offense moved consistently with Williams at the helm, producing 147 yards and seven first downs while the quarterback threw for 95 yards as well as rushing for 13 yards.

“It felt good,” Williams said in his postgame press conference as the Bears won 33-6. “There’s always a little bit more of a focus you have going into games for whatever reason, even if you try and enter that mindset and things like that throughout the weeks.

“It’s just a sense of control, a sense of progress, a bunch of different things that when you get into games, the comfort level and all of that normally skyrockets.”

Bears wide receiver DJ Moore called Williams’ debut “outstanding,” while the team’s head coach, Matt Eberflus, said there was “certainly positivity.”

“We’re not going to squash that [positivity],” Eberflus said, per ESPN. “I do feel like we have a lot of work to do and a lot of things to accomplish as a football team, not just Caleb.

“We all got to play good around him. It’s important that we keep improving before that first game.”

And Williams wasn’t the only rookie quarterback to impress in his preseason debut over the weekend.

Bo Nix, JJ McCarthy, Jayden Daniels and Michael Penix featured for their respective teams, and all showed flashes of promise.

The No. 2 overall pick, Daniels, showcased his skills in his brief appearance for the Washington Commanders, leading a touchdown drive and displaying his impressive leadership skills in an eventual 20-17 loss to the New York Jets.

McCarthy, the No. 10 overall pick with the Minnesota Vikings, arguably was the most impressive, throwing two touchdown passes in a victory against the Las Vegas Raiders. He finished 11-of-17 passing for 188 yards with the two TDs and an interception over six drives.

“Clearly, everybody can see the arm talent,” Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell told reporters after the game, per SI.com. “I loved seeing him come right back after the interception and still be aggressive.”

Bengals QB Burrow returns to action

Joe Burrow is one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL and so when he suffered a season-ending wrist injury last November, it was no surprise that the Cincinnati Bengals’ campaign came off the rails.

But, after months of rebab, he is back.

Burrow featured in just one drive in his first game back on Saturday, making the most of it though. He completed five of his seven passes for 51 yards, including a touchdown pass to Tee Higgins.

Although the Bengals went onto lose 17-14 to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Burrow expressed his relief to just be back on the field.

“Still some work to do, but it was nice to be back out there,” Burrow said after the game, per NFL.com. “Scored that touchdown, had a little help. It was a nice start.”

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