The third week of the 2025 NFL preseason came to an end on Thursday, as teams define the battles for key positions before the Tuesday 4 p.m. ET deadline to reduce rosters to 53 players. To keep you up to date on how the teams fared, our NFL Nation reporters recap each game and predict each team’s final 53-player roster.
Contents
- Saturday Results
Cardinals 20, Raiders 10
Cardinals: The only doubt left by the Cardinals’ last preseason game on Saturday is whether running back Michael Carter has shown enough to secure a spot on the roster. He had an impressive 38-yard run that fueled the debate, but his inclusion on the team is still uncertain. His speed is valuable, but other running backs, such as Emari Demercado and Trey Benson, have roles on third downs and in the red zone, while Carter might not have them. The game could have also increased the chances of other players, such as receiver Simi Fehoko and linebacker Xavier Thomas.Cardinals’ Final 53-Man Roster Projection
Next game: against the New Orleans Saints (1 p.m. ET, September 7)Raiders: The Raiders still have doubts in the cornerback and offensive line positions. Although the starting offensive line is defined, the depth is unstable. Thayer Munford Jr. has struggled, although he remains the third-best option as an offensive tackle. Meanwhile, rookie cornerback Darien Porter has been inconsistent in the three preseason games, struggling with tackling and allowing a touchdown reception against Arizona in the first quarter. Although Kyu Blu Kelly has emerged as a starter, both positions could need reinforcements after the final cuts.Raiders’ Final 53-Man Roster Projection
Next game: against the New England Patriots (1 p.m. ET, September 7)49ers 30, Chargers 23
49ers: Although they only have one on the roster, the 49ers still have much to consider at the kicker position. Jake Moody had a good moment last week by converting 5 of 6 field goals, including the game-winning kick from 59 yards, but that good impression didn’t last long, as he missed a couple of kicks in practice last week and an extra point on Saturday night against the Chargers. The Niners appear determined to have Moody as their kicker at the start of the season, after ending his competition with veteran Greg Joseph at the beginning of training camp. But it’s reasonable to wonder if San Francisco will at least take a look at the waiver list or reconsider Joseph as an option after Moody’s inconsistencies resurfaced this week.49ers Final 53-Man Roster Projection
Next game: against the Seattle Seahawks (4:05 p.m. ET, September 7)Chargers: The most significant impact on the Chargers’ roster came from the broadcast booth on Saturday. General Manager Joe Hortiz told CBS that running back Najee Harris “should be fine” for Week 1. If the Chargers keep four running backs, three of those spots appear to be occupied by Harris, first-round rookie Omarion Hampton, and Hassan Haskins. The Chargers will likely have a tough decision between Kimani Vidal, Raheim Sanders, and Nyheim Miller-Hines for the final spot. Of course, there is a scenario where the Chargers decide to keep three running backs.Chargers 53-man roster projection
Next game: against the Kansas City Chiefs (8 p.m. ET, September 5th)Bills 23, Buccaneers 19
Bills: Tyrell Shavers showed why he should have a spot on the 53-man roster. The wide receiver, who was recently on the Bills’ practice squad, was on the hot seat before Saturday night’s game, but he shined early. He made an impressive 11-yard touchdown catch along the sideline, skillfully placing his feet in bounds, and finished with two receptions for 24 yards. Shavers also participated in two special teams tackles. The receiver group has some unknowns regarding Curtis Samuel, who missed his third preseason game, this time due to an illness, and whether the team will keep five or six receivers.Bills’ Final 53-Man Roster Projection
Next game: against the Baltimore Ravens (8:20 p.m. ET, September 7th)Buccaneers: Rookie wide receiver Tez Johnson, who missed the first preseason game due to a leg injury, caught all eight passes thrown to him for 58 receiving yards and a touchdown, and was the player of the game. Running back Josh Williams had a 39-yard kick return and made a case to be the fourth running back, should the Bucs keep four. Defensively, there were several missed tackles on a waterlogged field (Kaevon Merriweather had three), and Rashad Wisdom argued to potentially displace Merriweather for the last safety spot. Rookie defensive lineman Elijah Roberts’ sack boosted his chances.Buccaneers’ 53-Man Roster Projection
Next game: against the Atlanta Falcons (1 p.m. ET, September 7)Dolphins 14, Jaguars 6
Dolphins: Ollie Gordon II’s rise on the depth chart has been partly assisted by injuries, but he has made the most of his opportunities. Despite a late injury in Jaylen Wright’s camp, it could be argued that Gordon operates as Miami’s number 2 running back. He finished his first preseason with 126 yards and a touchdown on 26 carries (4.8 yards per carry). The Dolphins’ starting cornerbacks also appear to be Storm Duck and Jack Jones, while injuries to Kendall Sheffield and Ethan Bonner have catapulted Cam Smith from being potentially cut to a depth option. Finally, Malik Washington took over the WR3 role, surpassing Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, Dee Eskridge, and Tahj Washington, although the last two had good summers.Dolphins’ 53-man roster projection
Next game: against the Indianapolis Colts (1 p.m. ET, September 7)Jaguars: Neither Austin Trammell nor Chandler Brayboy seemed to make a significant final impression in the competition for the fifth receiver spot behind Brian Thomas Jr., Travis Hunter, Dyami Brown, and Parker Washington. Trammell caught three passes for 21 yards, and Brayboy had a carry for 7 yards on a jet sweep and had two kickoff returns for 64 yards. Both play on special teams, but Trammell is in his fourth season and is more complete as a receiver than rookie Brayboy.“He’s a great guy to have in the locker room, veteran presence, certainly handles his business the right way and when he gets out on the field, he’s not afraid to make plays,” general manager James Gladstone said about Trammell during the game broadcast.
James Gladstone
Jaguars Final 53-Man Roster Projection
Next game: against the Carolina Panthers (1 p.m. ET, September 7)Packers 20, Seahawks 7
Packers: Players were fighting for roster spots and practice squad positions in Saturday’s final preseason game. With the Packers likely only keeping two quarterbacks, Jordan Love and Malik Willis, the practice squad quarterback is essentially QB3. Typically, Green Bay only keeps one QB on the practice squad, but perhaps the Packers will keep Sean Clifford and rookie Taylor Elgersma. If they believe Elgersma has a higher potential but don’t think he’s ready for that role, then he and Clifford could have spots on the 16-player practice squad. Willis played two series (and threw a touchdown to Romeo Doubs), and then Clifford and Elgersma alternated series the rest of the way. Elgersma, an undrafted rookie from Canada, threw his first preseason touchdown pass (a 3-yarder to Will Sheppard). He finished 6 of 8 for 32 yards. Clifford, the 2023 fifth-round pick, was 6 of 9 for 19 yards. Neither completed a long pass.Packers’ Final 53-Man Roster Projection
Next game: against the Detroit Lions (4:25 p.m. ET, September 7th)Seahawks: Marquez Valdes-Scantling’s three-catch, 33-yard performance might not carry much weight in determining whether he makes the team. But the fact that he was playing seems another indication that his spot isn’t solidified. He did what a veteran receiver should do against substitute defenders, and what he might have had to do after a disappointing offseason. Valdes-Scantling needs to be Seattle’s third-best receiver to justify a roster spot because he doesn’t play special teams, but rookie Tory Horton and Jake Bobo have surpassed him. But injuries to Horton and Bobo make it more difficult to predict. Horton has been out since he injured his ankle in the second preseason game, while Bobo went down after a scary collision on a kickoff return on Saturday.Seahawks Final 53-Man Roster Projection
Next game: against the San Francisco 49ers (4:05 p.m. ET, September 7)Browns 19, Rams 17
Browns: There’s one roster spot and possibly a second available at wide receiver, and undrafted rookie Gage Larvadain made a strong final case for it. Larvadain caught a 3-yard touchdown pass at the end of the first half, his second touchdown of the preseason. The performance capped off what has been a standout summer for him. Larvadain finished the game with four receptions for 28 yards in the first half and also returned kicks in the second half. Larvadain is competing with Diontae Johnson and Kaden Davis for the final spots at the receiver position.Browns’ 53-man roster projection
Next game: against the Cincinnati Bengals (1:00 p.m. ET, September 7th)Rams: The third preseason game generally provides clarity on roster spots for the Rams because head coach Sean McVay typically doesn’t play those who have already secured a place on the team. On Saturday against the Browns, that included inside linebacker Shaun Dolac, defensive end Larrell Murchison, cornerback Josh Wallace, and offensive linemen David Quessenberry, Justin Dedich, and Beaux Limmer. Tanner Ingle could have earned a spot on the roster after his performance on Saturday. The safety has had a good preseason, but his physicality stood out especially against the Browns in both defense and special teams. In the game broadcast, McVay praised that physical play, calling Ingle “the human missile”.Rams’ 53-man roster projection
Next game: against the Houston Texans (4:25 p.m. ET, September 7)Colts 41, Bengals 13
Colts: Riley Leonard was already considered a likely bet to make the active roster (the Colts tend to keep three active QBs), but his performance increased the chances of him staying. Leonard, the Colts’ sixth-round pick from Notre Dame, completed 15 of 20 pass attempts for 189 yards and a touchdown. On the scoring play, Leonard connected with Laquon Treadwell for a 59-yard touchdown in the first half. Also noteworthy in this game is the performance of safety Daniel Scott, a 2023 fifth-round pick who has been plagued by injuries in the offseason and has yet to appear in a regular season game. He had an interception and seems likely to make the final roster for the first time.Colts’ 53-man roster projection
Next game: against the Miami Dolphins (1:00 p.m. ET, September 7th)Bengals: Wide receiver Mitchell Tinsley already seemed to have a roster spot secured after the second preseason game. There is some intrigue surrounding safety Daijahn Anthony given the needs in other parts of the roster. Desmond Ridder is currently projected as the number 3 quarterback, which has been a practice squad position in previous years. In three quarters of action, Ridder completed 8 of 20 passes for 75 yards and an interception returned for a touchdown. According to NFL Next Gen Stats, Ridder had a completion percentage above expected of minus 20.9%.Bengals’ 53-man roster projection
Next game: against the Cleveland Browns (1:00 p.m. ET, September 7)Broncos 28, Saints 19
Broncos: Broncos coach Sean Payton has said that the many difficult decisions the Broncos will make this year to get to 53 players “is a good problem to have” because it shows the team is simply better. Saturday’s final preseason game in New Orleans only confirmed the difficult decisions ahead, particularly at running back, defensive line and cornerback. Tyler Badie, who had a 47-yard kickoff return on Saturday, continued to push for the fourth running back spot. The decision on the defensive line (which could be an “either/or” between Jordan Jackson and Eyioma Uwazurike if the Broncos don’t keep both) will likely require some heated discussion. Jackson and Uwazurike were in the game at the same time against the Saints. And the fate of Damarri Mathis, a former Broncos draft pick, likely depends on whether the Broncos keep a sixth cornerback or not.Broncos’ 53-Man Roster Projection
Next game: against the Tennessee Titans (4:05 p.m. ET, September 7)Saints: Offensive lineman Landon Young was carted off the field, and his injury could shake things up at the bottom of the offensive line group. Young could play as a backup tackle or guard, and now the Saints will likely have to look outside for another backup tackle if he’s out for a while. While neither quarterback had an impressive performance, Spencer Rattler’s three series with the starting unit could be an indication that he has won the job over Tyler Shough. And at the punter position, Kai Kroeger was the primary starter, possibly indicating that he has won the job over James Burnip.Saints’ Final 53-Man Roster Projection
Next game: against the Arizona Cardinals (1:00 p.m. ET, September 7)Texans 26, Lions 7
Texans: No performance seemed to have much impact on the final roster, but the lack of playing time for safety Russ Yeast could have been the golden ticket to make the 53-man roster. Yeast played only 21 plays in total, the third-lowest amount among defensive players. He started on defense and then played only in the first quarter on defense. After the first quarter, he only saw a couple of special teams plays. Typically, a player is projected to make the team if he barely plays in the last preseason game after starting it.Texans’ 53-Man Roster Projection
Next game: against the Los Angeles Rams (4:25 p.m. ET, September 7th)Lions: During training camp, there was a real battle for the QB2 position between backup Hendon Hooker and Kyle Allen, who signed with Detroit this offseason. Allen earned the starting spot in the final preseason game against Houston, throwing a 33-yard touchdown to rookie receiver Isaac TeSlaa in the first quarter. Allen has likely secured a spot on the Lions’ final 53-man roster after outperforming Hooker to earn the trust of head coach Dan Campbell throughout the preseason. Hooker entered the game in the second quarter, but it’s unlikely Detroit will keep three quarterbacks, although the Lions selected Hooker with the number 68 pick in the 2023 draft, making him the highest-drafted quarterback by the franchise since Matthew Stafford was number 1 in 2009.However, everything is possible.
Lions’ 53-man roster projection
Next game: against the Green Bay Packers (4:25 p.m. ET, September 7th)
