Every NFL team has played at least one preseason game now, so it’s time to take stock and spotlight the biggest emerging storylines across the league. Here’s the latest on every NFC South team.
Starting with the Hall of Fame Game last week and continuing with a full slate of preseason games Thursday through Saturday, NFL fans got their first taste of live action since the Super Bowl.
And if third-string quarterbacks balling out is what gets one revved up for the season, then the start of preseason play delivered in a big way.
While most of the league’s stars are mere spectators this time of year, there is still plenty to evaluate and learn from these games — and also the continuing developments from training camps.
As we go division by division, let’s dive into the top performances and most compelling storylines from every team in the NFC South.
Atlanta Falcons
Preseason Week 1 Result: 27-7 L to the Falcons on Friday
Top Performer: Linebacker Kendal Daniels
The fourth-round pick out of Oklahoma has been one of the bright spots of training camp for Atlanta and is doing everything he can to challenge Christian Harris (on a one-year contract after playing in a reserve role for the Texans) for a starting job.
Kendal Daniels had 3 tackles, a half sack and a QB hit in his preseason debut, but more importantly, he looked the part in his time on the field (while wearing the green dot, with in helmet communication from the staff).
Emerging Training Camp Storyline: QB woes
Michael Penix Jr. still isn’t cleared for full practice, so it’s looking increasingly likely that Tua Tagovailoa will open the season as the Falcons starter.
But the former Dolphins first-round pick, who signed a one-year deal for the veteran’s minimum with Atlanta while Miami pays out his remaining owed money, isn’t exactly running away with the job.
Tagovailoa played the first two series of the preseason opener, completing 3 of 5 passes for 22 yards with just one first down total on those drives. And yet, it was somehow even worse than the numbers look.
“He wants to be better,” coach Kevin Stefanski said. “Our offense wants to be better. Our coaches want to be better.”
Not quite what any team’s fans want to hear about their starting QB and offense in general in mid August.
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Edge rusher James Pearce Jr., the Falcons 2025 first-round pick who had 10.5 sacks as a rookie, finally learned his NFL punishment for his February arrest related to a domestic dispute. Pearce is suspended the first eight games of this season.
Carolina Panthers
Hall of Fame Game: 33-30 W vs. Arizona Cardinals
Preseason Week 1 Result: 29-14 L at Buffalo Bills on Saturday
Top Performer: Safety Zakee Wheatley
The Panthers may have found a steal in the fifth-round draft pick out of Penn State. Zakee Wheatley has led the team in tackles in both preseason games with 15 combined vs. the Cardinals and Bills.
Of course, he’s getting more playing time than players ahead of him on the depth chart, as that’s what the preseason is about, but the tape backs up the stats — Wheatley is making his presence felt as a rookie.
The Panthers’ unofficial depth chart lists Wheatley as second-team behind Tre’von Moehrig, who had 103 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, 3 sacks and an interception last season in his first year in Carolina after four seasons with the Raiders. Veteran Nick Scott, who had 111 tackles and a pick last season, is the other starting safety, but Wheatley should get his chances behind those two.
Emerging Training Camp Storyline: Concerns about an ailing offensive line
Starting left tackle Ikem Ekwonu continues to rehab the torn patellar tendon sustained in the Panthers’ playoff loss in January, with no clear timeline for his return. And starting right tackle Taylor Moton was diagnosed with a blood clot in his lung before the start of camp and is expected to miss the first part of the season.
That’s been known throughout camp, so the emphasis has been on getting first-round pick Monroe Freeling up to speed to fill in on the right side (he played left tackle at Georgia) while former Packers starter Rasheed Walker steps in at left tackle for the time being.
PFF grades should be taken with a grain of salt to a degree, but for what it’s worth, their review was not particularly favorable as Freeling was given a 53.1 grade (out of 100) with 39.4 isolated pass-blocking grade after allowing 2 pressures on 6 pass-blocking opportunities.
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The Panthers signed veteran tight end Darren Waller to a one-year deal on Saturday. Waller came out of retirement last season with the Dolphins and had 24 catches for 283 yards and 6 TDs in nine games, but staying on the field has always been the issue for the former Raiders standout who enters his 10th season and turns 34 years old in September.
New Orleans Saints
Preseason Week 1 Result: 24-20 L to Jacksonville Jaguars on Saturday
Top Performers: Linebacker Jaylan Ford and quarterback Zach Wilson
Jaylan Ford, the Saints’ 2024 fifth-round pick, hasn’t shown much in the NFL through two seasons with 15 total tackles and he’s listed third-team on the depth chart the Saints recently posted.
But perhaps his performance Saturday is a sign that there’s still untapped potential in the former Texas Longhorns standout.
Ford had 8 tackles and a red zone interception in his time on the field vs. the Jaguars.
Meanwhile, Zach Wilson, the former first-round pick of the Jets who has bounced from the Dolphins to the Broncos to now the Saints in recent years, showed some signs of life Saturday.
He completed 11 of 16 passes for 145 yards and a TD as he competes with Spencer Rattler for the backup job behind starter Tyler Shough.
Emerging Training Camp Storyline: Chase Young’s resurgence
It’s easy to forget that Young is only 27 years old, as the No. 2 overall pick from the 2020 NFL Draft and NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year that season never fully lived up to expectations in Washington before getting traded to the 49ers and then landing with the Saints.
Young’s career resurgence started last season with a personal-high 10 sacks in 12 games for New Orleans, and the momentum is only growing this preseason for the edge rusher.
“He’s made as much progress as any player that I’ve coached in the NFL this late in his career,” Saints defensive coordinator Brandon Staley said.
Talking after a joint practice with the Jaguars ahead of their preseason game last week, Young said he had at least 6 sacks in the session.
Young will look to form a disruptive tandem off the edge with veteran Cameron Jordan, who is back for his 16th and final season after having 10.5 sacks himself last year.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Preseason Week 1 Result: 24-16 W at New York Jets on Friday
Top Performers: Cornerback Ayden Garnes
Undrafted out of Arizona this year, Ayden Garnes has been building momentum throughout training camp in his bid to earn a roster spot and punctuated that Friday with a 47-yard pick-6 off Jets QB Bailey Zappe.
Garnes also notched a tackle for loss. Garnes is battling for one of the final roster spots and a depth role at cornerback.
“He’s getting better,” coach Todd Bowles said. “We knew he could cover. That was the biggest thing about him, missing tackles. He missed one early, I think he let Breece [Hall] out one times, but he came back with the pick. He doesn’t carry plays. The next play he forgets about it like a good corner should do. He’s getting better every week.”
Damarion Williams, a former fourth-round pick of the Ravens who spent time on the Bucs’ practice squad last season, is also in that battle and had a nice showing Friday with a team-high 12 tackles (8 solo), a sack and a pass defensed.
Emerging Training Camp Storyline: Surprise depth at edge rusher
The Bucs drafted Miami edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr. with the 15th pick in the draft to address their pressing need for help at the position, and by all accounts he’s lived up to expectations so far in camp.
But even more encouraging might be the resurgent rise of David Walker, a fourth-round pick out of Central Arkansas last year who missed his rookie season with a torn ACL. Walker has been a consistent force in training camp and looks poised to make an impact on what suddenly looks like a deep group of edge rushers, including Yaya Diaby (7 sacks last season) and free agent signing Al-Quadin Muhammad (11 sacks for the Lions in 2025).
“I talked about Bain before, but I’d say that the level of excitement is on an equal plane with David,” Bucs general manager Jason Licht said in a radio interview, per ESPN.
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Meanwhile, Pro Bowl defensive tackle Vita Vea continues his hold-in after requesting a trade before the start of camp while the Buccaneers continue to push for a resolution.
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