The proving grounds of preseason play will give these Utah ties a chance to make an impression in Week 1.
The NFL preseason isn’t the most glamorous form of football.
Most of the time, it’s essentially a prove-it exhibition ground for players who are trying to establish themselves while the game’s stars are mostly kept on the sideline.
There are currently just under 80 players with Utah ties on NFL rosters, and for close to half that group, the likelihood is they won’t be on a regular-season roster once final cuts happen at the end of August.
Then there are other Utah ties who are more safe in their roster spot, but need a strong training camp/preseason to improve their hopes of making a contribution at some point.
Week 1 of the NFL preseason kicks off Thursday, and with it, each of the league’s 32 teams will play three games over the next three weeks.
Which Utah ties are among the most interesting to watch in this week’s action?
Zach Wilson, Miami Dolphins QB
- Former BYU and Corner Canyon High quarterback
The game: Miami Dolphins at Chicago Bears, Sunday, 11 a.m. MDT (NFL Network)
Wilson is the only non-rookie on this list, but for good reason.
His career has gotten sidetracked, and now the No. 2 overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft is trying to find his opportunity while serving as a backup.
Last year, he was with the Denver Broncos, where he never played a regular-season snap as rookie Bo Nix ended up winning the team’s quarterback competition.
This offseason, Wilson signed with the Dolphins.
He is listed as the backup on Miami’s unofficial depth chart released for this week’s game, ahead of rookie seventh-round pick Quinn Ewers of Texas, who, according to reports, has been impressive in training camp.
Considering Miami starter Tua Tagovailoa’s injury history, Wilson ought to have plenty of chances to show what he can do in the Dolphins’ offense during the preseason, in case he’s needed during the regular season.
Can Wilson improve his stock with solid preseason play while simultaneously also keeping himself ahead of Ewers?
“I think Zach’s play has caught the attention of a lot of his teammates. I could have reasonably predicted that,” Dolphins coach Mike McDaniels said of Wilson this week, according to Yahoo! Sports.
Jaxson Dart, New York Giants quarterback
- Former Corner Canyon and Roy High quarterback
The game: New York Giants at Buffalo Bills, Saturday, 11 a.m. MDT (NFL Network)
Dart, another former Corner Canyon signal caller, is getting his first taste of live NFL action this week.
He was the No. 25 overall selection in April’s NFL draft, and following a standout career at Ole Miss (preceded by one year at USC), Dart is ready to take aim at the pros.
He’s in an ideal situation, with veterans Russell Wilson, the presumed starter, and Jameis Winston in New York to help Dart acclimate to the pro game.
Dart will get plenty of playing time in the preseason, starting with the matchup against the Bills.
While Giants coach Brian Daboll wouldn’t comment on how much Dart will play this weekend, his offensive coordinator, Mike Kafka, said the rookie quarterback is “on schedule” in his development.
“I’d say Jaxson is right on schedule from what we’d expect in terms of just understanding the offense, continuing to grow and learn every day,” offensive coordinator Mike Kafka said on Wednesday, per the team’s official website. “Every day we’re presenting him — not just him but all the quarterbacks — with different situations and some situations you’ve probably never seen before.
“Those have been good to build off of, whether it’s in two-minute, whether it’s a third-down situation or a certain blitz look that we’re getting, he’s able to kind of grow and learn from those examples and now as he starts banking more and more looks, more and more reps — we do a lot of this throughout the walkthrough as well, he can kind of see — now he’s starting to put the picture together a little bit better and cleaner for a rookie."
Jalen Royals, Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver
- Former Utah State wide receiver
The game: Kansas City Chiefs at Arizona Cardinals, Saturday, 6 p.m. MDT
Royals, even though he’s a rookie, is already building trust with two of the most important men in the Chiefs organization: three-time Super Bowl-winning head coach Andy Reid and All-Pro quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
“He’s catching the football well,” Reid said of Royals following Sunday’s practice, according to Arrowhead Pride. “(He’s) strong (and) looks like the quarterbacks trust him. That’s a big part of it. As you watch, you just kind of see who the quarterbacks are going to, and there’s a certain trust that they’re developing in that kid. So, that kind of speaks for itself.”
There also appears to be an opportunity for Royals, a fourth-round pick in the 2025 draft, to make an impact as a first-year pro on a Chiefs team that also has Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy at wide receiver.
Rice is coming back from a torn ACL and is facing an expected suspension — perhaps in the range of six weeks, according to some experts — tied to a street-racing incident this offseason that involved a multi-car crash.
What does that mean for Royals?
He could be asked to shoulder more of the receiving burden during Rice’s suspension.
Saturday’s game will also give fans their first opportunity to see Royals in a game for Kansas City, and give the young wideout his chance to prove Reid’s and Mahomes’ trust is well-placed.
Caleb Lohner, Denver Broncos tight end
- Former Utah football tight end (and former BYU/Wasatch Academy/Utah basketball forward)
The game: Denver Broncos at San Francisco 49ers, Saturday, 6:30 p.m. MDT
It’s not uncommon to hear about players making a transition from one sport to another, and Lohner is a perfect example of that.
Following four years of strictly college basketball — two at BYU and two at Baylor — he transferred to Utah last season and played both football and basketball for the Utes.
Now, he’s paired with one of the best creative offensive minds in the NFL, Broncos coach Sean Payton, after Denver used a seventh-round flier on the 6-foot-7 athlete.
Former Pro Bowl tight end Jimmy Graham, himself a college basketball player before switching sports in the pros — was trained by Payton during his days in New Orleans.
Could Lohner follow a similar path?
He’ll get his first chance at an NFL game against the 49ers this weekend.
“He’s coming around. He’s doing well,” Payton said of Lohner in June, according to Sports Illustrated. “There are some things that are new to him, and then there are some things that he gravitates to that I think he’s further along with.”
Ja’Quinden Jackson, Jacksonville Jaguars running back
- Former Utah running back/quarterback
The game: Pittsburgh Steelers at Jacksonville Jaguars, Saturday, 5 p.m. MDT
Though Jackson didn’t finish his college career at Utah — he transferred to Arkansas last season — he is well-remembered for his tough running style.
Two years ago, he ran for 797 yards and four touchdowns in leading the Utes in rushing the 2023 season.
Now, Jackson is trying to make a 53-man roster as an undrafted free agent.
He is listed as fourth string on Jacksonville’s unofficial depth chart ahead of the team’s matchup against the Steelers, and it’s unclear how many opportunities he will have this week — and throughout the preseason — to prove himself.
Every year, though, one or two Utah ties (sometimes more) who went undrafted end up making the regular-season roster.
Can Jackson be one of them?
Category: General Sports
