With only two preseason games left, it’s time for some NFL rookies who have a shot at starting in September to step up and prove to their coaches that they belong with the first team.
These six rookies have been gaining momentum towards this cause thus far. It won’t be easy, but strong showings in Week 3 of the preseason could tip the balance of the scales in their favor.
Ameer Abdullah, running back, Detroit Lions
Adbullah shined like a rock star in training camp. He then put on a jaw-dropping show in his preseason debut, tallying an amazing 67 yards only seven carries. However, the rookie couldn’t duplicate the feat in Week 2, when he managed only seven yards on two attempts.
In order to make a case to start in September ahead of veteran running back Joique Bell, who has missed all of training camp to mend from multiple injuries, Abdullah is going to have to pull off another performance similar to that of his Week 1 outing.
According to Lions offensive coordinator, Joe Lombardi, Abdullah will be given plenty of opportunities to showcase his skills this week against the Jacksonville Jaguars. If he can stay patient, find his holes and produces another highlight-riddled performance, then the starting job could be his for the taking.
However, churning out another sub-par outing will almost certainly find the rookie taking a back seat to Bell come opening day.
Eric Kendricks, middle linebacker, Minnesota Vikings
The Vikings second-round draft pick out of UCLA will be getting his fourth opportunity to convince his coaches that he should be a starter for the September 14 season opener.
So far during the Vikings three preseason games, Kendricks has been responsible for eight solo tackles and one sack. He made the start ahead of Audie Cole against the Oakland Raiders over the weekend, and head coach Mike Zimmer was pleased with what he saw from the linebacker (via the Star Tribune).
The Vikings will reportedly spend the week leading up their next preseason game working multiple combinations at linebacker to determine who will start this week.
Should Kendricks continue to show up big once again against the Dallas Cowboys, he may just get the official nod from Zimmer once the regular NFL season kicks off.
Dorial Green-Beckham, wide receiver, Tennessee Titans
Green-Beckham looked quite impressive in Sunday’s victory over the St. Louis Rams catching four passes for 40 yards, including three straight receptions. While the there is no doubt the Titans are hoping he can show enough consistency to start, head coach Ken Whisenhunt conceded that Green-Beckham is still learning:
“I don’t know when the comfort level with Dorial Green-Beckham is going to come, we’re still working through a couple of things with him,’’ Whisenhunt said (via the team’s official website). “It’s obvious he’s a very talented young man and he did some good things for us (vs the Rams).”
Currently, Green-Beckham sits behind veteran wideout Harry Douglas and fourth-year wide receiver Kendall Wright in depth. There’s also Hakeem Nicks and Justin Hunter in the shuffle as well.
The encouraging news is that Green-Beckham is currently practicing with the first team. He’ll need to make the most of his targets in Week 3 and reduce his mistakes in order to build up Whisenhunt’s confidence.
Xavier Cooper, defensive lineman, Cleveland Browns
Cooper looked explosive in his Week 2 preseason game against the Buffalo Bills where he registered two tackles and a pair of sacks. Due to such an excellent performance it’s easy for the Browns to remain excited about their nearly 300-pound third-round draft pick:
“The thing that we noticed on the college tape was he had the most explosive get-off of any of the D-linemen that we evaluated,” Browns coach Mike Pettine said (via the team’s official website). ” … He has a great knack and a feel for that first step and that get-off.”
If Cooper puts up another hearty performance on Saturday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, it could be enough to earn him some starting time once the regular season begins.
Pettine recently indicated that Cooper is well ahead of where a “typical rookie would be” at this time. He has already racked up three sacks to lead the team and is the highest-rated pass-rusher per Pro Football Focus (subscription required) on the team’s roster this summer as well.
He’s almost surely going to hit the field with the starting unit as a pass-rusher in obvious passing situations this season and could force his way onto base defenses with continued strong play.
David Johnson, running back, Arizona Cardinals
Johnson’s sample size is small, having played in just one game for the Cardinals so far. However, the early returns look very promising. That he caused nine missed tackles in one game compared to the 12 Andre Ellington tallied all of last season should be making the veteran very nervous and the team very happy.
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The third-round draft pick made his debut in Saturday’s preseason game against the San Diego Chargers when he totaled 66 yards on 13 attempts for a stout 5.1 yards per carry. The fact that his longest rush was nine yards keeps this average in perspective—he was consistently finding ways to gain positive yardage.
The rookie was also responsible for two catches for a total of 15 yards.
At this point, it would appear that Johnson is easily breathing down the neck of Ellington for a opportunity at the starting gig. Another star performance this week against the Oakland Raiders will tighten the gap even further and will certainly make the coaches think twice about keeping him on the bench once the regular season begins.
Kevin Johnson, cornerback, Houston Texans
Johnson has been ultra-impressive throughout the first three weeks of training camp. After registering two tackles in his preseason Week 1 debut, Johnson was a tad more challenged in Saturday’s matchup against Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos.
That said, Johnson was all business when he managed to knock the ball loose from the hands of Broncos wide receiver Demaryius Thomas, which stopped a third-down conversion.
While the Texans’ first-round draft pick has not been playing much with the first team in practice, he is drawing praise from some of his teammates:
“He has some incredible confidence, incredible technique, quickness, footwork,” safety Rahim Moore said (via ESPN). “He’s a hawk. He’s one of my favorites to watch. He’s learning from two great guys in Kareem [Jackson] and [Johnathan Joseph]. He’s funny, because when he makes plays, he celebrates, and he’s very hard on himself, too. He’s a rookie. He came in very humble, hungry, inquisitive, and he’s going to be a great corner in this league.”
If Johnson keeps making major plays like the one he managed against a skilled receiver such as Thomas, he’ll be on course give fellow cornerbacks Kareem Jackson and Darryl Morris a run for their money this season.