With the NFL preseason now halfway finished, teams are gearing up for the run to the 2017 Super Bowl. Although many of starters are only playing limited roles in the early going, there are still plenty of NC State football alumni making strides toward being ready to start the NFL regular season. On Tuesday, we’ll break down the established NFL veterans, while tomorrow we’ll discuss the rookies and other young players Wednesday.
Russell Wilson- Seattle Seahawks- Quarterback
Wilson has completed 8 of 17 passes this preseason for 111 yards. He has mainly struggled, tossing one interception in the opener and getting sacked four times in the second preseason game against the Vikings.
Philip Rivers- San Diego Chargers- Quarterback
A year after posting career highs in completions and yards, Rivers has only played one of two games this preseason. In the Chargers preseason opener against the Titans, Rivers was 2 of 3 for 64 yards and a touchdown.
Mario Williams- Miami Dolphins- Defensive End
The new Dolphins defensive end notched his first two tackles of the preseason in the Dolphins’ 41-14 loss to the Dallas Cowboys. Williams is expected to be a key piece in the vaunted Dolphins defensive line.
Stephen Tulloch- Philadelphia Eagles- Linebacker
Tulloch signed a one-year deal with the Eagles Sunday, reuniting him with defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz, who was his head coach in Detroit. Tulloch provides desperately-needed depth for the Eagles linebacker corps.
Willie Young- Chicago Bears- Linebacker
Young signed a three-year extension with the Bears in July, rewarding him for a 2015 season where he registered 24 tackles and 6.5 sacks in 15 games. Young has not recorded a tackle or sack in the 2016 preseason.
Stephen Hauschka- Seattle Seahawks- Place kicker
Hauschka is 4 of 5 on field goal attempts, making a long of 52 yards in the preseason opener. Hauschka has not yet kicked an extra point attempt.
Mike Glennon- Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Quarterback
Glennon didn’t attempt a pass last season for the Buccaneers, as he is fully entrenched as Jameis Winston’s backup. He has had success this preseason, going 18 of 33 for 203 yards and a touchdown. Maybe one day Glennon will get a chance to be a starter again in the league, but it doesn’t appear it will be this year.
J.R. Sweezy- Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Guard
The brand new Tampa Bay Buccaneers guard is set to miss at least five games of the regular season with a back injury after the team placed him on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list, which requires him to sit out until Week 6. Sweezy had back surgery in the offseason, shortly after the team signed him to a five-year, $32 million contract.
T.J. Graham- Philadelphia Eagles- Wide Receiver
Graham was released from the Eagles roster on Sunday, after the veteran failed to make a catch in either of the Eagles’ first two preseason games. Graham has only notched seven catches in the last two years after posting 54 catches over his first two years.
Manny Lawson- Buffalo Bills- Linebacker
Lawson is currently under investigation by the NFL for a domestic violence incident that allegedly occurred in 2014. Lawson faces a one-game suspension for violating the league’s personal conduct policy. He has missed the entire preseason and training camp with a partially torn pectoral muscle.
Earl Wolff- Jacksonville Jaguars- Safety
Wolff has six tackles and a forced fumble in the Jaguars second preseason game against the New York Giants. Wolff’s name may never be mentioned again without bringing up the armed robbery and kidnapping incident that happened in the offseason, of which he finally released the details to the media this month.
Audie Cole- Minnesota Vikings- Linebacker
Cole has six total tackles for the Vikings this preseason, as he enters the year in a backup role at linebacker. Cole resigned with the Vikings this offseason on a one-year deal for the league minimum.
Nate Irving- Indianapolis Colts- Linebacker
Irving created excitement with news that he had dropped 20 pounds and was gearing up for a better 2016. He has shown up this preseason, tallying eight tackles in the Colts two preseason games. Irving dropped from 46 tackles in 2014 to just 14 in 2015 and has stated that his performance this year will be better.
Markus Kuhn- New England Patriots- Defensive Lineman
Kuhn made one tackle in the Patriots second preseason game, as the defensive lineman tries to crack the Patriots’ roster. Kuhn is coming off the best season of his career, posting 20 tackles and starting nine games for the New York Giants last season.
Ted Larsen- Chicago Bears- Offensive Lineman
Larsen is the favorite to be the Bears’ starting center this season after incumbent starter Hroniss Grasu, who tore his ACL in the preseason.
Redshirt graduate student quarterback Mike Glennon throws the ball during the first quarter against Wake Forest on Nov. 10, 2012. Glennon threw for 258 yards and 2 touchdowns in the Wolfpack's 37-6 win over the Demon Deacons at Carter-Finley Stadium.
