ARLINGTON, Texas — The game action got officially underway on Saturday afternoon as heated position battles and highlighted position groups took the field to provide a clearer picture on the 2023 season after three weeks of training camp.
Second-year players took big strides forward, and a specific fan favorite rookie stole the show. Here are the_5 Takes_ from the preseason opener, presented by Take 5 Oil Change.
1. Damone Clark is ready for his starting role.
Second-year linebacker Damone Clark started the game in the second level at middle linebacker, and he commanded his presence from sideline-to-sideline and downhill while he was in the game for the first quarter-and-a-half. His athleticism was on full display and his disruption in both the run and pass games were prevalent.
For a player who is expected to step in and make an impact as a starter this season, little concern remains about his ability to hold up against first-team opponents.
2. It's Deuce Vaughn's world now. We're just living in it.
Electricity radiated throughout AT&T Stadium on Saturday afternoon when Deuce Vaughn got his opportunities on offense in the second half, and boy did he capitalize.
Vaughn finished the day with 56 total yards, but it was a 26-yard gain near midfield that ignited a flame that saw him burn the Jacksonville defense for a third down conversion later on the drive before punching it in the end zone from four yards out. In an RB2 conversation that has mostly had Vaughn on the outside looking in during training camp, his team-high 50 rushing yards has him firmly in the mix moving forward.
3. There's an extra swagger to Jake Ferguson.
Sure, having a wide-open starting tight end position to walk into helps, but Jake Ferguson showed on Saturday that the stage isn't going to be too big for him to hold down. His three receptions for 38 yards, including one grab that resulted in a 26-yard gain which also saw Ferguson take a huge hit to the head that gained the offense 15 more yards, provided a big boost for the opening offensive group.
In a year where replacing Dalton Schultz's production is needed, Ferguson is looking like the next reliable option at tight end for Mike McCarthy's offense.
4. The depth of the offensive line needs help in a bad way.
It wasn't a great day for the offensive line, and it started as soon as the game started. Whether it was Asim Richards struggling to hold it down at left tackle or a variety of interior offensive linemen struggling throughout the day, it was tough to find any consistency in the depth of that group.
The lone bright spots you could point to are Brock Hoffman, who started the game at center, and T.J. Bass, who saw a healthy dose of action at right guard in the second half. Hoffman used his legs to drive opposing defensive tackles forward at a fairly consistent rate while Bass helped pave a couple of big running lanes for Deuce Vaughn.
The group's spotlight hasn't gotten any dimmer after one preseason game, which makes you wonder how long it will take before a move is made to address the depth.
5. Jalen Tolbert is WR4.
What was once a heated battle going into training camp for the WR4 spot now has a clear eventual victor in the form of second-year wideout Jalen Tolbert.
Tolbert has added depth to his game in the form of route stunts, a burst out of his release and a confidence that allowed him to go up and high-point a ball down the sideline that was controversially called for offensive pass interference. He got it back shortly after though with a touchdown reception off a slant that saw him lose two defenders over the middle for an easy Will Grier strike.
