We are still a few weeks away from football games that actually matter when it comes to season standings, but fans received a nice dose of action over the weekend from the first week of the NFL preseason. We had 16 games from Thursday to Sunday. All offered a look at the new faces in new places and scratched the football itch for many eager fans.

In Oregon Ducks circles, it was a great week. Many former players had standout performances on the gridiron. Some of those came from established guys on their roster, such as Josh Conerly with the Washington Commanders or Troy Franklin with the Denver Broncos. Others, such as Chicago Bears‘ Noah Sewell or Dallas Cowboys‘ Traeshon Holden, did a great job of vying for a roster spot with their production over the weekend.

Whether it was an established veteran who received minimal reps or a young gun fighting for a spot on the 53-man roster, the former Ducks provided a lot to look at this weekend. Here’s a glance at some of the standout performances.

WR Traeshon Holden — Dallas Cowboys

Traeshon Holden had two targets during the game against Los Angeles, but he caught both for a team-high 42 yards. Afterward, Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer had high praise for the undrafted free agent, saying he is moving up the depth chart.

LB Noah Sewell — Chicago Bears

Noah Sewell had a breakout day, with six tackles and one tackle for loss against the Dolphins, including this one on fourth-and-goal from the 1-yard line. After struggling in his first two seasons, Sewell appears to be thriving under new defensive coordinator Dennis Allen, whose 4-3 defense fits Sewell.

OT Josh Conerly Jr. — Washington Commanders

In his first NFL action, Conerly made good on his first-round selection with a solid day against the New England Patriots at right tackle. He had 14 pass-blocking snaps, but allowed just one pressure. He had a 77.7 run-blocking grade, according to Pro Football Focus.

LB Troy Dye — Los Angeles Chargers

Troy Dye had one tackle on the day, but it was a big one, stopping the Saints on fourth-and-goal from the 1-yard line with a crushing tackle. Dye is likely already solidified on the 53-man roster, but can establish himself as a potential starter with plays like this.

DL Jamaree Caldwell — Los Angeles Chargers

Jamaree Caldwell had himself a day in the Hall of Fame game against the Detroit Lions, getting his first NFL sack to go along with four tackles. He has his place on the 53-man roster cemented, but he could contend for a starting spot on the DL if he keeps this up.

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