• Cam Akers looks healthy: The former Ram and Viking tallied just five rush attempts for 13 yards, but he shined as a receiver, catching both his two targets for 18 yards and a touchdown. Most impressively, the running back collected 20 yards after the catch, forced three tackles and gained first downs on both targets.
• Hello there, Collin Johnson: The former fifth-round pick led the way with three catches for 56 yards and two scores on six targets, good for a 71.0 receiving grade — the highest among any player with 10-plus receiving snaps.
• Dominate fantasy football season with promo code PFF25: Unlock all of PFF's fantasy content and tools, including full access to the fantasy football mock draft simulator, for 25% off using promo code PFF25.
Estimated Reading Time: 5 minutes
The 2024 NFL Hall of Fame Game may not have lasted even three quarters, and the score might not have really counted, but football is back and better than ever.
As usual, the first preseason game of the year delivered in the most delightfully unique way possible. Very few star players — let alone starters — suited up, but some forgotten names and deep-on-the-depth-chart gems got a chance to make some waves.
With the abbreviated action in Canton behind us, here are six things that stood out on Thursday night.
Encouraging showings for two starting offensive linemen
The Houston Texans played almost none of their starters, but Kenyon Green and Juice Scruggs surprisingly saw a good chunk of the action.
Green, who missed all of 2023 with a shoulder injury, was phenomenal in his return to action. The 2022 first-round pick earned a 91.1 overall grade on 25 snaps, including an 83.2 pass-blocking mark and a stellar 88.7 run-blocking grade.
Also of note was Scruggs, Houston’s starting left guard from Week 12 onward last year. In his first pro game at center, the 2023 second-rounder ended with a 64.1 overall grade, including giving up zero pressures on 15 pass-blocking snaps. That’s a step in the right direction for the former Penn State Nittany Lion, whose 48.9 pass-blocking grade last year ranked 58th out of 67 qualifying guards.
If Green and Scruggs can maintain their efforts throughout not only the preseason but also the regular season, it could fortify one of the few uncertain dimensions on a loaded Houston team.
Cam Akers looks healthy
Cam Akers has played just 739 snaps over the last three years, battling two separate Achilles tears. It was a welcome sight to see him not only play on Thursday—after signing with the Texans less than two weeks ago—but also excel at points during the game.
The former Ram and Viking tallied just five rush attempts for 13 yards, but he shined as a receiver, catching both his two targets for 18 yards and a touchdown. Most impressively, the running back collected 20 yards after the catch, forced three tackles and gained first downs on both targets.
The 25-year-old showed signs of being a receiving threat last season in L.A. and Minneapolis, posting a 76.4 receiving grade on 12 targets. If he continues to do so in the preseason, he should solidify a nice RB2 role behind Joe Mixon.
The Bears’ pass-rushing depth isn’t great
The Bears are stacked in several areas, but pass rush isn’t one of them. Even with backups on the field, Thursday's showing didn’t do much to indicate otherwise.
Only one Bear — veteran Khalid Kareem — collected more than one pressure, and Chicago had a collective 17.2% pressure rate, more than 10 percentage points lower than their opponent's mark.
There’s a chance that Kareem and Byron Cowart (who turned his only pressure into a sack) could earn more playing time as the preseason endures. But the Bears need more reliable options besides Montez Sweat, and at first glance, didn’t appear very promising in terms of second-tier players.
Hello there, Collin Johnson
The 26-year-old’s name might have rung a bell to Jaguars fans (or real NFL die-hards), but he’s hardly seen the field since entering the league in 2020. In spending time with the Jaguars, Giants and Bears, Johnson has played just 501 snaps in four seasons, totaling a meager 30 catches for 388 yards in that span.
But anyone can become a hero for one night in Canton, and Johnson seized his cape. The former fifth-round pick led the way with three catches for 56 yards and two scores on six targets, good for a 71.0 receiving grade — the highest among any player with 10-plus receiving snaps. Johnson also hauled in an impressive contested catch, putting his hands and body control on display.
The Bears are as loaded as any team in the league at receiver with Keenan Allen, D.J. Moore, Rome Odunze and even Tyler Scott/Velus Jones Jr. But if Johnson maintains this pace, Chicago may need to consider him as a WR4/WR5 in what should be an electrifying offense.
The Texans might have an expendable backup QB
Reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year C.J. Stroud is obviously the Texans’ guy under center, but Thursday might have indicated that there are two decent backup options behind him.
Former third-round pick Davis Mills got the opening nod in Canton and immediately led the Texans on a 13-play, 74-yard drive. Altogether, Mills had an adjusted completion percentage of a staggering 85.7% and landed a big-time throw, although he was nearly picked, too.
Then, 36-year-old Case Keenum entered the game and looked just as capable. Keenum posted a 69.4 passing grade and a 139.8 passer rating. The veteran wasn’t afraid to air it out either, with 44.4% of his attempts thrown past the sticks.
Again, two quarterbacks with real starting experience should play well against backup defenders. Then again, Houston probably doesn’t need both Mills and Keenum behind Stroud. If each plays this well leading into September, one could potentially be moved to a team seeking some insurance.
Kickoffs aren’t quite yet as “dynamic” as expected
The Hall of Fame Game marked the onset of the new “Dynamic Kickoff” system that mirrors the XFL. However, there weren’t many fireworks in the return game, with neither side beginning a drive after a kick beyond its own 32-yard line.
On the bright side, the return rate in Canton was considerably higher than in 2023. Seven of the eight attempted kickoffs were brought back, with only one being downed in the end zone for a touchback at the 30-yard line. If that mark remains anything close to an 87.5% return clip, it’ll be a major success for the NFL.
We also witnessed some quirks with the new rules, including Bears rookie punter Tory Taylor serving as a holder and 12th man and promptly dashing off the field. There even was an illegal formation penalty that was declined.
All in all, it proved a solid start for this significant shift, but fans will definitely expect more excitement in the return game moving forward.
© 2024 PFF - all rights reserved.