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NFL Nation
The 2025 NFL preseason kicked off Thursday with a number of rookies enjoying their first snaps.
Week 1 of preseason video games serves as a primary look into the brand new gamers on every crew, whether or not they’re rookies or offseason acquisitions. To maintain you up to date on how gamers fared of their first recreation motion, our NFL Nation reporters summarize the highest debuts under.
Thursday’s video games
Ravens: Rookie sixth-round decide LaJohntay Wester supplied much-needed juice to the Ravens’ punt return recreation when he scored on an 87-yard runback within the first quarter.
.@la_wester TO THE HOUSE
Tune in on WBAL! pic.twitter.com/kNQd43xeDs
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) August 7, 2025
Wester, whose faculty coach was Deion Sanders at Colorado, flashed some “Prime Time” elusiveness when he darted round three would-be Colts tacklers in the midst of the sector earlier than racing down the suitable sideline.
Baltimore’s punt return recreation was a problem final season. The Ravens used 4 punt returners who averaged 9.7 yards, which ranked sixteenth within the NFL, and failed to interrupt a punt return longer than 22 yards.
Wester additionally had crew highs with two catches for 41 yards with an extended of 30.
Rookie kicker Tyler Loop hooked a 46-yard subject aim try extensive left in his first try, however he nailed a 52-yarder within the fourth quarter. Loop is the one kicker on the roster, however coach John Harbaugh mentioned Loop has to show himself within the preseason. In coaching camp, Loop is 58-of-62 (93.5%).
— Jamison Hensley
Subsequent recreation: at Cowboys, 7 p.m. ET, Saturday, Aug. 16
Colts: Tight finish Tyler Warren, the No. 14 decide on this 12 months’s draft, made his anticipated debut and wasted little time making an influence. Warren caught all three passes on which he was focused, producing 40 receiving yards within the course of. On his longest play, a 23-yard reception from Daniel Jones on a slant route, Warren confirmed the breadth of his expertise, catching the ball cleanly and operating 14 extra yards after the catch.
Elsewhere, the Colts obtained an extended take a look at new kicker Spencer Shrader, who had an enormous workload with 4 first-half field-goal makes an attempt. He related from 53, 33 and 39 yards and missed from 52. Shrader, who kicked for 3 groups as a rookie final season, is changing veteran kicker Matt Gay, whom the Colts launched earlier this 12 months. — Stephen Holder
Subsequent recreation: vs. Packers (1 p.m. ET, Saturday, Aug. 16)