NFL Preseason Week 2: 10 quarterbacks with Alabama football roots

NFL preseason rosters feature 10 quarterbacks from Alabama high schools and colleges with the league set to begin the second of its three weeks of preseason play.

Four will open the 2023 season in the QB 1 role, and three more appear slated for backup duty. That leaves three using the preseason to determine what they’ll be doing when the regular season arrives next month.

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The current NFL quarterbacks with Alabama football roots include:

· Malik Cunningham (Park Crossing), New England Patriots: The Patriots signed Cunningham as an undrafted rookie in May with the stated intention of developing the former Louisville quarterback into a wide receiver. But in New England’s preseason opener, Cunningham played 12 snaps at wide receiver, then led a 14-play drive at quarterback in the fourth quarter and scored the Patriots’ only touchdown in a 20-9 loss to the Houston Texans. In practices over the past week, Cunningham has worked at both positions.

· Jalen Hurts (Alabama), Philadelphia Eagles: After finishing as the runner-up for the AP NFL Most Valuable Player Award and leading the Eagles to Super Bowl LVII last season, Hurts is preparing for his third campaign as the Philadelphia starter with a five-year, $255 million contract extension, which signed in the offseason.

· Mac Jones (Alabama), New England Patriots: Jones went from a Pro Bowler for a playoff team as a rookie in 2021 to having the crowd at Gillette Stadium chant the name of his backup in 2022. But after having Jones struggle through a season with a former defensive coordinator as the offensive architect in 2022, New England brought back Bill O’Brien to call the plays in 2023.

· Nick Mullens (Spain Park), Minnesota Vikings: During the offseason, Minnesota re-signed Mullens for a second season as Kirk Cousins’ backup. The former Southern Miss star warmed up for his seventh NFL season by playing the first half of the Vikings’ preseason opener last week, completed 14-of-20 passes for 139 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions and ran twice for 9 yards against the Seattle Seahawks.

· Chris Oladokun (Samford), Kansas City Chiefs: After two seasons at Samford, Oladokun entered the NFL as a undrafted rookie via South Dakota State and finished his first pro season with a Super Bowl ring. Oladokun spent 2022 on the practice squad as the Chiefs won the NFL championship. Kansas City has the same lineup of quarterbacks as last season — NFL MVP Patrick Mahomes backed up by Blaine Gabbert with Shane Buechele and Oladokun on the third-team/practice squad line. In the Chiefs’ preseason opener, Oladokun completed 5-of-12 passes for 52 yards with no touchdowns and one interception. He turned heads with a 30-yard run but threw an interception with 58 seconds left that set up the New Orlean Saints’ winning field goal in a 26-24 decision.

· Jarrett Stidham (Auburn), Denver Broncos: After Stidham completed 45-of-70 passes for 584 yards with four touchdowns and three interceptions and ran for 84 yards on 14 carries in his first starts of his NFL career in the Las Vegas Raiders’ final two games of 2022, the Broncos signed him to a two-year, $10 million contract to back up Russell Wilson in 2023.

· Tua Tagovailoa (Alabama), Miami Dolphins: Tagovailoa led the NFL in passing efficiency in 2022, and the Dolphins are hopeful his fourth season in the league will be a high-octane affair – if he can stay on the field. Two concussions caused Tagovailoa to miss five games, including a playoff contest, and half of another game last season.

· Malik Willis (Auburn), Tennessee Titans: A third-round draft choice after two seasons at Liberty, Willis made three starts as a rookie with starter Ryan Tannehill sidelined by injuries in 2022. That didn’t keep the Titans from trading up to selected Kentucky QB Will Levis in the second round on April 28. Willis completed 16-of-25 passes for 189 yards with no touchdowns and one interception and ran for 22 yards and one TD on three carries in the preseason opener last week – a 23-17 loss to the Chicago Bears. He played 43 snaps to 30 for Levis, who completed 9-of-15 passes for 85 yards with no touchdowns and one interception and had a 6-yard run.

· Jameis Winston (Hueytown), New Orleans Saints: The 2013 Heisman Trophy winner has come out of the past two preseasons as New Orleans’ starting quarterback, then had injuries spoil his season. This year, Winston appears headed for backup duty after the Saints signed Derek Carr during the offseason. Winston tuned up by completing 11-of-13 passes for 92 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions and ran twice for 14 yards as New Orleans defeated the Kansas City Chiefs 26-24 in the preseason opener on Sunday.

· Bryce Young (Alabama), Carolina Panthers: The No. 1 choice in the NFL Draft on April 27, Young already has been named the Panthers’ starting quarterback. Young worked the opening three series of Carolina’s 27-0 preseason loss to the New York Jets on Saturday for his first pro action. He completed 4-of-6 passes for 21 yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions.

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The Alabama Game of the Week is the Cleveland Browns-Philadelphia Eagles contest on Thursday night. Twenty-five players from Alabama high schools and colleges are on the teams’ active rosters in each of those games.

The complete Week 2 preseason schedule (with all times Central and point spreads from vegasinsider.com):

Thursday

· Cleveland Browns at Philadelphia Eagles (-3.5), 6:30 p.m. (NFL Network)

Friday

· Carolina Panthers at New York Giants (-3), 6 p.m. (NFL Network)

· Cincinnati Bengals at Atlanta Falcons (-6.5), 6:30 p.m. (WBRC, WAFF, WTHV 2, WSFA 3, WTVY)

Saturday

· Jacksonville Jaguars (-3) at Detroit Lions, noon (WABM, NFL Network)

· Miami Dolphins at Houston Texans (-3.5), 3 p.m. (NFL Network)

· Buffalo Bills at Pittsburgh Steelers (-2.5), 5:30 p.m.

· Chicago Bears at Indianapolis Colts (-3.5), 6 p.m. (NFL Network)

· Tampa Bay Buccaneers at New York Jets (-2.5), 6:30 p.m. (WFNA, WMBB)

· Kansas City Chiefs (-7.5) at Arizona Cardinals, 7 p.m.

· New England Patriots at Green Bay Packers (-3.5), 7 p.m.

· Tennessee Titans (-2.5) at Minnesota Vikings, 7 p.m. (WHNT)

· Denver Broncos (-5.5) at San Francisco 49ers, 7:30 p.m.

· Las Vegas Raiders (-3.5) at Los Angeles Rams, 8 p.m.

· Dallas Cowboys at Seattle Seahawks (-7), 9 p.m. (NFL Network)

Sunday

· New Orleans Saints (-3.5) at Los Angeles Chargers, 6:05 p.m. (WKRG, WVTM, NFL Network)

Monday

· Baltimore Ravens (-3) at Washington Commanders, 7 p.m. (ESPN, ESPN Deportes)

Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.