The Big Lead

NFL Preseason Debut Reviews for Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, J.J. McCarthy

By Joe Lago

Aug 10, 2024; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) runs with the ball against the Buffalo Bills during the first half at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 10, 2024; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) runs with the ball against the Buffalo Bills during the first half at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports / Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports
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It's just one game in the preseason. The performances will be long forgotten when the NFL regular season begins.

But for the first-round quarterbacks who made their debuts on Saturday — Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels and J.J. McCarthy — their first games in the NFL achieved exactly what their respective teams and fan bases were hoping to accomplish.

To confirm that the hope each QB has generated since the NFL Draft is indeed real.

Williams, the No. 1 overall pick, showed off the dual-threat ability that made him the most highly regarded prospect of the 2024 quarterback class in the Chicago Bears' 33-6 road win over the Buffalo Bills.

The former USC star and Heisman Trophy winner played two series that amassed 152 yards and seven first downs in 20 plays and resulted in two field goals.

Williams completed four of seven passes for 95 yards. His best throw was this dime while rolling out to the right side.

“To get out there and have the confidence that we had out there, it’s only going to get better," Williams told reporters. "And we can’t wait,”

Daniels, the second overall selection, arrived at MetLife Stadium wearing a Doug Williams throwback jersey and showed why he's equipped to be the Washington Commanders' franchise quarterback in a 20-17 loss to the New York Jets.

The ex-LSU star and 2023 Heisman Trophy winner played one series and completed two of three passes, including one for 42 yards. He finished off his lone drive with a 3-yard touchdown run.

"Jayden, I thought had just a real command of things,” Commanders head coach Dan Quinn told reporters. “It was a great first day for him.”

McCarthy, the 2024 No. 10 pick from national champion Michigan, has been dogged by questions over his ability to throw the ball accurately downfield. An interception early in the Minnesota Vikings' 24-23 home win against the Las Vegas Raiders added more fuel to the concerns.

However, McCarthy rebounded nicely after making that mistake. In six possessions, the 21-year-old completed 11 of 17 passes for 188 yards and two touchdowns.

McCarthy's first TD, a 45-yard bomb to Trishton Jackson, had the Vikings star wide receiver Justin Jefferson going wild on the sidelines.

“Things are going to go bad, and it’s your ability to respond and navigate those waters when it does happen," McCarthy told reporters. "Just being able to have that goldfish memory to just go back out there and have that sling-it mentality."