NFL preseason live updates: Bears begin Ben Johnson era vs. Dolphins, Saints face Chargers

[NFL preseason Week 1 schedule | Top camp stories | NFL team feeds | NFL training camp/preseason live blog]

The first week of preseason wraps up with two games on Sunday.

The Bears make their debut under new head coach Ben Johnson versus the Dolphins in the early game, though QB Caleb Williams and several other starters will not play. The two teams held joint practices this past week.

In the late-afternoon matchup, the Saints face the Chargers. Spencer Rattler will start for New Orleans, while Tyler Shough and Jake Haener will also get snaps.

The No. 1 and No. 2 picks in the 2025 NFL Draft both made their NFL debuts on Saturday. Titans rookie QB and No. 1 selection Cam Ward played two series against the Bucs and finished 5 of 8 for 67 yards. His final drive ended in a touchdown run and included some nice passes to Calvin Ridley.

No. 2 pick and Jaguars receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter also played a couple series on each side of the ball against the Steelers. He caught each of his two targets for 9 total yards and didn’t record any defensive statistics, though he did miss a tackle.

Elsewhere on Saturday, rookie Giants QB Jaxson Dart made some impressive throws in his preseason debut vs. the Bills. He played most of the first half and finished 12 of 19 passing for 154 yards and a touchdown toss on a perfect 29-yard deep ball down the sideline to Lil’Jordan Humphrey.

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Here are other players and coaches to watch from the preseason Week 1 games, courtesy of Yahoo Sports’ Nate Tice, and more key storylines from Yahoo Sports’ Charles McDonald.

And here’s what games are left this weekend, with games airing live on NFL Network noted. Those games will also be available to watch live on NFL+.

(All times ET)

Sunday

Shedeur Sanders’ debut edges Browns toward QB dilemma: Here’s what Shedeur Sanders’ first meaningful NFL incursion has generated. Consider this: For months, the spotlight on Sanders has washed out virtually every other storyline in the organization — and that was before there was something consequential to digest. Now he’s actually played some relevant football. And the outcome was solidly impressive for exhibition work, even from the most conservative of vantages: 14-of-23 passing for 138 yards and two touchdown passes, with two sacks and zero turnovers in nearly three quarters against the Carolina Panthers. But the true gravity of the performance was more in how Sanders held up after being tapped to start Cleveland’s first exhibition game, despite getting very few high-level practice snaps since the start of training camp.
J.J. McCarthy looks decent in preseason opener: The Vikings second-year QB saw his first preseason action since a torn meniscus cost him the entire 2024 season, albeit brief in the team’s preseason opener Saturday against the Texans. McCarthy played one solid series and completed 4 of 7 passes for 30 yards while leading a field goal drive.

AFC East: Buffalo Bills | Miami Dolphins | New England Patriots | New York Jets

AFC North: Baltimore Ravens | Cincinnati Bengals | Cleveland Browns | Pittsburgh Steelers