# Tyler Sullivan: An unsigned CBS Sports preseason review grading all 32 teams, which along the way stakes out a number of depth-chart calls for Week 1 and beyond — including Deshaun Watson opening as Cleveland's starter, Fernando Mendoza taking over as Las Vegas' QB1 by season's end, and Minnesota's Murray-Wentz-McCarthy quarterback order. **Claimed:** Sep 1, 2026 **Pundit:** Tyler Sullivan — https://missedtakes.co/pundits/tyler-sullivan **Outlet:** CBS Sports — https://missedtakes.co/outlets/cbs-sports **How it reached us:** published in writing **Original:** https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/2026-nfl-preseason-grades-falcons-rams/ 15 checkable claims — 15 depth chart calls — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing call. It names 26 players and teams, each linked to their own record. 2 of 15 have settled so far, averaging 100 out of 100, against 0 for a naive guess at the same calls. Of the 12 unsettled calls enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands above the room on 2 and below it on 10. > With a little more seasoning, he'll be QB1 by season's end in all likelihood. *(their words, quoted for attribution)* ## The claims - **Deshaun Watson to be 1st on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Deshaun Watson, Cleveland Browns - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 0 for a naive guess - **Malik Willis to be 1st on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Malik Willis, Miami Dolphins - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 0 for a naive guess - **Carson Wentz to be 2nd on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Carson Wentz, Minnesota Vikings - Verdict: not settled yet - **Jacob Saylors to be 2nd on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Jacob Saylors, Detroit Lions - Verdict: not settled yet - **Jahmyr Gibbs to be 1st on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Jahmyr Gibbs, Detroit Lions - Verdict: not settled yet - **Eli Heidenreich to be 3rd on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Eli Heidenreich, Pittsburgh Steelers - Verdict: not settled yet - **Roschon Johnson to be 3rd on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Roschon Johnson, Chicago Bears - Verdict: not settled yet - **Braxton Jones to be 1st on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Braxton Jones, Chicago Bears - Verdict: not settled yet - **Fernando Carmona to be 1st on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Fernando Carmona, Tennessee Titans - Verdict: not settled yet - **J.J. McCarthy to be 3rd on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: J.J. McCarthy, Minnesota Vikings - Verdict: not settled yet - **Fernando Mendoza to be 1st on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Fernando Mendoza, Las Vegas Raiders - Verdict: not settled yet - **Mansoor Delane to be 1st on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Mansoor Delane, Kansas City Chiefs - Verdict: not settled yet - **MarShawn Lloyd to be 1st on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: MarShawn Lloyd, Green Bay Packers - Verdict: not settled yet - **Jake Slaughter to be 1st on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Jake Slaughter, Los Angeles Chargers - Verdict: not settled yet - **Kyler Murray to be 1st on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Kyler Murray, Minnesota Vikings - Verdict: not settled yet ## Who this take is about - Deshaun Watson — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/deshaun-watson - Cleveland Browns — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/browns - Malik Willis — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/malik-willis - Miami Dolphins — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/dolphins - Carson Wentz — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/carson-wentz - Minnesota Vikings — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/vikings - Jacob Saylors — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/jacob-saylors - Detroit Lions — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/lions - Jahmyr Gibbs — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/jahmyr-gibbs - Eli Heidenreich — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/eli-heidenreich - Pittsburgh Steelers — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/steelers - Roschon Johnson — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/roschon-johnson - Chicago Bears — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/bears - Braxton Jones — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/braxton-jones - Fernando Carmona — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/fernando-carmona - Tennessee Titans — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/titans - J.J. McCarthy — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/j-j-mccarthy - Fernando Mendoza — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/fernando-mendoza - Las Vegas Raiders — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/raiders - Mansoor Delane — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/mansoor-delane - Kansas City Chiefs — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/chiefs - MarShawn Lloyd — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/marshawn-lloyd - Green Bay Packers — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/packers - Jake Slaughter — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/jake-slaughter - Los Angeles Chargers — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/chargers - Kyler Murray — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/kyler-murray ## What others said about the same people - Chris Clark on Nikko Remigio: Clark expects the Chiefs to bring back exclusive-rights receiver Nico (Remigio) and long snapper James Winchester, to re-sign JuJu Smith-Schuster as a cheap veteran fifth receiver, and not to bring back Hollywood Brown, Josh Dobbs-type depth, Gardner Minshew, Janarius Robinson or Mike Caliendo; they also say the Chiefs will not use a franchise tag and believes Bryan Cook won't return. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/99521265-d5c0-4db1-b2a0-fe77908ea0b3 (scored 0) - Nate Gosney on Daiyan Henley: After the Broncos rescinded the trade, Gosney expects Daiyan Henley to remain with the Chargers for the rest of the 2026 season, but believes the awkward fallout has effectively killed any chance of them signing a new contract with Los Angeles after the season. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/60272861-4ad0-4749-b36a-dcdf09b9213f (scored 0) - Jason Harmon on Max Brosmer: Harmon expects the Vikings' quarterback room to stay intact while Kyler Murray is hurt, and predicts Max Brosmer will be released and re-signed to the practice squad since Minnesota won't carry four QBs. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/fa393501-3f38-481e-8e75-48125587e911 (scored 0) - Logan Lazarczyk on Kirk Cousins: Ahead of the trade deadline, they float three Raiders moves: shipping Kirk Cousins to Minnesota if the Vikings offer a second-round pick, selling Maxx Crosby to Dallas for a first-rounder plus, and acquiring Jaguars receiver Brian Thomas Jr. for a second- or third-round pick. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/d0fd408a-7dcd-4e50-ac62-6b4510a8a800 (scored 100) - Logan Lazarczyk on Kirk Cousins: Lazarczyk expects the Raiders to be sellers before the trade deadline, suggesting Kirk Cousins could be dealt back to the Vikings and that benched interior lineman Jackson Powers-Johnson is a prime candidate to be traded somewhere. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/fda03952-2ea6-4919-8114-0ebb127478d1 (scored 100) - Patricia Traina on J.J. McCarthy: Traina expects defensive tackle to be a top need for the Giants in next year's draft, and suggests the Giants could trade J.J. McCarthy next offseason — or keep both them and Jaxson Dart if the return isn't good enough. They also expect Dart to make a full recovery. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/b638ed13-01ca-4ea6-9384-ec7130f912c1 (scored 100) ## More depth chart calls The same kind of call, about other players and teams. - Jeremy Brener on Drew Lock: Brener picked the Seahawks to beat the Cardinals in Week 9 by a multi-score margin, giving a final score of 27-13, and expressed confidence Seattle would be fine with Drew Lock starting at quarterback. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/7eb2d245-63d0-4be0-80ba-3f60197e2b16 (scored 100) - Jeremy Brener on Jalen Milroe: Brener suggests Seattle may turn to rookie-contract quarterback Jalen Milroe for their first career start in Week 9 against the Cardinals, with Sam Darnold ruled out and Drew Lock dealing with an elbow injury. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/42d1bd81-5e19-456e-9f68-b3b135170ec0 (scored 0) - Nic Bodiford on Joe Fagnano: Previewing Week 9 running game matchups, Bodiford expects Jacksonville to win lopsidedly over a depleted Baltimore team, with Bhayshul Tuten sitting out and Chris Rodriguez taking over as lead back, while Joe Fagnano starts at quarterback for the Ravens. They also view Broncos rookie Jonah Coleman as an RB2 going forward. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/a13b9f29-bb76-4c56-b226-aca74b21f5b7 (scored 100) - Garrett Podell on Carson Beck: Podell argues the Cardinals have maxed out with Jacoby Brissett and that rookie Carson Beck should be ramped up to replace them as starter, targeting Week 8 at Dallas for Beck's regular-season debut. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/2f499498-ebbe-41f8-8ea3-41fe96f79432 (scored 0) - Donnie Druin on Jacoby Brissett: Following the Cardinals' decision not to make staff or lineup changes, Druin states that Jacoby Brissett will remain Arizona's starting quarterback for another week, with rookie Carson Beck staying behind them. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/cb29b9b6-2fbf-4df8-8438-ac3f0b9b9566 (scored 100) - Jordan Dajani on Drew Kendall: Dajani expects Cam Jurgens to move back to center as the Ravens' starter after the trade, and projects a rebuilt Eagles offensive line for Week 5 with Jordan Mailata, Willie Lampkin, Drew Kendall, Tyler Steen and Markel Bell starting from left tackle to right tackle. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/cad37b83-7924-4f90-9898-82a22fa12331 (scored 0) --- Accuracy is 0-100 against what actually happened. The naive guess is what a strategy requiring no knowledge would have scored on the same call — the difference is the skill, and it is what the MissedTakes Score averages. Full method: https://missedtakes.co/methodology We summarize what a pundit said and quote a short span for attribution; we never republish their article. If this is wrong, tell us: https://missedtakes.co/corrections?pundit=tyler-sullivan