Winners and losers from the NFL preseason

The 2023 NFL preseason is finally in the books, and this year's exhibition slate once again provided exciting and head-scratching moments for each team.

Here are the biggest winners and losers from the preseason:

Winner: Rookie QBs

What more could you want from a young group of quarterbacks in their first NFL action? Each of the first-round signal-callers looks the part heading into their first regular-season game, with Bryce Young, C.J. Stroud, and Anthony Richardson easily winning starting jobs with the Panthers, Texans, and Colts, respectively. Growing pains are to be expected, but it's easy to see why these three flew off the board on draft night.

It's not just the top picks making early impressions, either. Sixth-round pick Tanner McKee is already outplaying Marcus Mariota in Philadelphia. Dorian Thompson-Robinson, a fifth-round selection out of UCLA, ran away with the backup job in Cleveland. Raiders fourth-round pick Aidan O'Connell looked like a seasoned vet in his extended preseason action. And the Packers were so confident in fifth-rounder Sean Clifford as a reliable backup from Day 1 that he never even faced veteran competition. There's also Bears undrafted free agent Tyson Bagent, who beat out P.J. Walker to serve as Justin Fields' understudy after two seasons as the starter at Division II Shepherd.

It's only preseason, of course, but might this quarterback class end up proving to be deeper than anyone could've imagined?

Loser: Kyle Shanahan/John Lynch

Trey Lance being traded to Dallas for a fourth-round pick is a colossal disaster for the 49ers. Nobody can argue against the aggressiveness in pursuit of a franchise quarterback, and perhaps this story would've had a different ending if injuries and a pandemic hadn't limited Lance to 132 pass attempts across three seasons (one in college, two in the NFL) so crucial to his development. The results are what they are, though, and this one stings.

Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch spending three first-round picks on a quarterback that provided zero impact has the potential to be the difference in whether this team can capitalize on an extended Super Bowl window. Maybe the stroke of genius (read: luck) in finding a capable starter in Brock Purdy at the end of last year's draft eases the pain a little bit. But the long list of All-Pro talents drafted shortly after Lance, and even at San Francisco's original No. 12 slot (Micah Parsons), makes it easy to dream of what could've been.

Winner: Steelers' offense

Don't look now, but Kenny Pickett and Co. are coming. With Pickett under center, the Steelers' offense was virtually unstoppable this preseason while producing several big plays. Pickett, a first-round pick last year, completed 13 of 15 passes for 199 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions this preseason. Pittsburgh scored a touchdown in all five drives with the second-year passer on the field.

Pickett isn't the only Steelers second-year player who looked good, as 2022 second-round receiver George Pickens also turned heads. Two of Pickens' three catches this preseason were for 30-plus yards, including a 33-yard catch-and-run touchdown against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Granted, it's just preseason. But the Steelers bolstered their offensive line and are expecting a lot from Pickett in Year 2 after an inconsistent rookie season. A solid passing attack could make Pittsburgh and its solid defense playoff contenders in 2023.

Loser: Colts

Jonathan Taylor was one of the many running backs upset with his contract situation this offseason. Much like the others, his team doesn't seem all that inclined to address the matter with a long-term deal. But this saga features a truly special level of weirdness, thanks in large part to some bizarre public comments from Jim Irsay. The Colts owner weighing in on the running back market, and seemingly downplaying the concerns of top runners league-wide, appeared to have increased bubbling tensions with his own superstar playmaker. Taylor requested a trade out of Indianapolis days later, and the organization has since granted him permission to seek out a deal.

It remains to be seen whether he'll find another team willing to both surrender premium draft picks and give him the contract he desires. One thing is certain, though: the Colts, and Irsay specifically, have really messed this one up. Laugh at the idea of running back contracts all you want, but there's something to be said for keeping your best player happy. Taylor is still just 24. And, if ever there were a team that could justify guaranteeing three years of a new running back contract, it's the notoriously cap-rich Colts, who now have a rookie at quarterback. Just pay the man.

Winner: Jets hype train

It's hard not to be excited if you're a Jets fan. Few teams were as active as New York this offseason, and the team's aggressiveness resulted in the arrivals of quarterback Aaron Rodgers and running back Dalvin Cook, among others. Suddenly, the Jets - who missed the playoffs for the 12th straight season in 2022 despite boasting a top-five defense - are thinking about the Super Bowl.

The already sky-high offseason expectations became even higher after Rodgers - in his first preseason start since 2018 - tossed a perfect touchdown to Garrett Wilson on Saturday to cap his second and final drive during his preseason debut with the team. Rodgers is happy in New York after almost two decades with the Green Bay Packers, and his connection with Wilson has been hot throughout training camp. New York's O-line still has question marks, but Rodgers, surrounded by one of football's most promising receivers and an elite defense, could be the answer to most of the Jets' problems.

Loser: AFC bubble teams

Our limited exposure to clubs throughout the preseason has provided some confirmation that the AFC is unfathomably loaded. We know all about the top dogs: the Chiefs, Bills, and Bengals are the class of the conference and, once again, bona fide Super Bowl contenders. But how the other playoff spots get sorted out will be one of the most interesting stories of the upcoming season.

The Jets, as discussed above, are a potential powerhouse. And with the Dolphins still on the rise and the Patriots unveiling a professional offense after last year's mess, every AFC East team has playoff aspirations. The same can also be said for the AFC North, with a new-look offense potentially pushing the Ravens over the top, Pickett's development boosting the forever competitive Steelers, and the Browns having constructed a wildly talented roster around Deshaun Watson. Even if you consider the Jaguars, Chiefs, and Chargers the only playoff-caliber clubs from the remaining two divisions, that's 11 contenders for seven spots. There won't be any bad teams sneaking into the bottom of the AFC playoff picture this year.

Winner: Trevor Lawrence

Lawrence finished this year's preseason with 13 completions on 16 attempts for 128 yards and one touchdown against one interception. But he isn't on this list necessarily because of his stats. The 2021 No. 1 pick, who broke out last season and led Jacksonville to the playoffs, should particularly be happy with what he's seen from Calvin Ridley. The Jaguars acquired Ridley from the Atlanta Falcons last year while the wideout was still suspended. After not playing at all in 2022, the now-reinstated Ridley turned heads at training camp due to his speed and route-running ability. He's also already making big plays with Lawrence:

The Jaguars bolstered their offensive line and drafted tackle Anton Harrison in the first round in April and have done a solid job improving Lawrence's supporting cast in recent years. Ridley, a former first-round pick who earned a second-team All-Pro nod in 2020, could help Lawrence take his game to another level.

Loser: Russell Wilson

It's still early to judge the 2023 Broncos, but things haven't looked good for Wilson and Co. There are a lot of expectations surrounding Denver, as the team brought in Sean Payton as head coach after a disappointing 2022 campaign. The club's hoping Payton, one of the brightest offensive minds of his generation, can help put Wilson's game back on track. However, this year's preseason suggests it could be another long year in Denver.

Wilson looked far from impressive in two appearances this month, and the team's lack of points with him under center pushed Payton to play the nine-time Pro Bowler and other starters until midway through the second quarter in their first preseason game. Wilson also saw two of his top receivers go down with injuries. Jerry Jeudy is reportedly expected to miss several weeks due to a hamstring injury, and Tim Patrick is out for the season after suffering a torn Achilles. Finally, quarterback Jarrett Stidham, whom the Broncos signed in the offseason to back up Wilson, played well in his last two preseason games this year. He helped the team beat the Los Angeles Rams 41-0 on Saturday, completing 17 of 28 passes for 236 yards and one touchdown.