Best, worst things from Saturday's NFL preseason action

Washington Commanders  wide receiver Jaden Bradley |  Several wideouts on roster bubbles had outstanding catches, including Minnesota Vikings 2024 undrafted free agent Jeshaun Jones when high-pointing the ball between Baltimore Ravens defenders on a deep 36-yard completion from quarterback Carson Wentz.

Miami Dolphins rookie fifth-rounder Kevin Coleman Jr. made a nice adjustment on his 30-yard completion in double coverage against the New York Giants.

But Jaden Bradley, who's looking to make the team as a rookie undrafted free agent, had arguably the most impressive catch of the day, using one hand to snag quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis's pass early in the third quarter of a 17-13 loss to the Detroit Lions.

Listed as a fourth-stringer on Washington's unofficial depth chart, Bradley may have too much ground to cover to make the active roster. But his phenomenal grab almost certainly has him on other teams' radars.

New England Patriots quarterback Tommy DeVito | Claimed off waivers by the Patriots last August, DeVito was QB3 behind Drake Maye and Joshua Dobbs for the 2025 AFC champs and didn't play a snap all season. But the former New York Giants cult hero made the most of his opportunities as Maye's primary backup against the Philadelphia Eagles in a 24-21 win.

DeVito finished 8-of-15 for 151 yards and a touchdown while also showing off his legs with 44 yards on three carries.

Per NFL Next Gen Stats, the 2023 undrafted free agent reached a max speed of 19.21 mph on a 36-yard scramble early in the second quarter. Later in the quarter, he found wideout Kyle Williams on a 69-yard touchdown pass.

Eagles defensive tackle Ty Robinson |  Robinson, a 2025 fourth-round pick, has been a man possessed this preseason. After recording a sack in preseason Week 1, the former Nebraska Cornhuskers lineman was an even larger disruptive force against the Patriots, finishing with two sacks — both in the second quarter — in 19 pass-rush snaps, per Pro Football Focus data.

"He's been on life support since he's been here," deadpanned defensive coordinator Vic Fangio earlier this week, "but he came to life, and hopefully that will continue." 

It's safe to say it has, adding to Philadelphia's league-best collection of defensive tackles.

WORST

Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson | Watson was 5-of-12 for 36 yards and an interception in four series Saturday, and that was his highlight.

After Saturday's dismal game, Watson shot back at fans for booing during the game, arguing it had nothing to do with his performance but was instead personal.

Two things can be true. Watson can be deeply unpopular because of his numerous sexual assault settlements and also for not being very good at the job he's being paid $230M to perform.

Even winning might not be enough to salvage this relationship. The Browns and Watson are as good as done, Saturday marking a final nail.

Lions offensive line | Things started rough for Detroit's offensive line, which allowed a sack-fumble in the opening minute against Washington despite playing most of its starters, sans left tackle Penei Sewell.

The backups, as one might expect, weren't any better, as the Commanders finished with five sacks and seven QB hits.

Last season, the Lions ranked No. 31 in ESPN's pass-block win rate rankings, and Saturday was a troubling sign that improvements may be minimal.

New Orleans Saints | Burn the tape. Nothing good can come from the Saints rewatching their dreadful all-around performance in a 34-0 loss to the Los Angeles Rams.

Backup quarterback Zach Wilson's positive development last Saturday was wiped out after he went 6-of-12 for 55 yards and an interception in the first half.

Spencer Rattler wasn't much better, going 14-of-23 for 141 yards. He also had a pick-6 returned for 100 yards by defensive back Alex Cook.

As a team, the Saints had nearly as many penalties (12) as first downs (13), lost the turnover battle 3-0 and finished 0-2 in the red zone. New Orleans won't be able to forget the loss soon enough. Even as a meaningless preseason game, it was an embarrassing effort.

Eagles quarterback Andy Dalton |  The longtime veteran entering his 16th season once again took the first reps for the Eagles offense only to offer a repeat disappointment. After going 3-of-6 for 20 yards in the preseason opener, Dalton finished 3-of-10 for 44 yards against the Patriots, leading one touchdown drive and two punts in three series.

The offense moved much better with Tanner McKee, who was 16-of-22 for 173 yards and two touchdowns.