The NFL preseason wraps with final cuts looming and teams eyeing upgrades at backup quarterback. The piece maps potential trades of veterans like Jameis Winston, Kirk Cousins, Matthew Stafford, Trey Lance and Andy Dalton, highlighting how a smart move could shore up depth behind a starter while shedding salary or stockpiling late picks. The Browns, Vikings, Rams, Cowboys, Panthers and Falcons surface as plausible destinations or targets as rosters trim from 90 to 53.

Winston’s extensive starting experience and the Vikings’ depth concerns mix with offensive familiarity to fuel chatter about a Winston-to-Mi(n)nesota swap. Cousins-to-Rams surfaces as a stopgap, leveraging Sean McVay’s system while Stafford ages. Lance’s trajectory elsewhere, Heinicke’s value on the trade market, and Dalton’s Carolina status add nuance to the week’s cut-day calculus, with teams weighing future flexibility against current needs.

Fantasy managers should watch for teams that prioritize immediate innings-eater depth at QB behind a likely Week 1 starter, as well as veteran backups who could step into a larger role if called upon. The weekend’s roster moves could tilt late-season depth charts, influencing streaming and bench strategies across fantasy formats.

Dallas continues to grind through its final preseason, placing Joe Milton at the helm for a third straight outing as the Cowboys search for a definitive backup quarterback. Milton’s mandate is simple: show more consistency and confirm how far he has progressed since his New England stint. Coach Brian Schottenheimer wants more data from the 26-for-47 preseason line, 265 yards, one TD and two interceptions, especially after a shaky start that left Dallas with a pronounced early-time-of-possession deficit in losses to the Rams and Ravens.

Will Grier remains in the mix, but his workload has been modest this preseason. His strong 2023 showing—76.2% on 640 yards with four TDs and two INTs—gives him a baseline, though he’s only attempted eight passes this preseason. The Cowboys are prioritizing clarity on Milton while keeping Dak Prescott on the sideline in the finale, continuing the long, lab-tested process of locking in a concrete No. 2 behind Prescott before final cuts.

Aside from Milton and Grier, the team’s mention of Trey Lance—acquired in an offseason trade—signals depth-chart intrigue, even as the direct plan centers on Milton’s growth. Dallas’ stance that Prescott won’t play again in the preseason underscores the risk-reward of a young QB battle. Practice remains a proving ground, and the coaching staff is hopeful one more start will yield the needed clarity for the 53-man roster.

Rosters are being trimmed to 53 after a brutal week of summer practice and one final preseason showcase. The Chargers sit at the center of quarterback intrigue behind Justin Herbert, with Trey Lance’s mobility and explosiveness offering a compelling path to a bigger ceiling than the veteran Heinicke—who hasn’t flashed consistently this August. Several veteran names across the league are fighting for their NFL lives on the bubble, from Cole Strange and Tommy DeVito to Ja’Lynn Polk and Hunter Renfrow, as teams weigh leadership and youth in a rebuild-heavy landscape.

For fantasy managers, the Lance-HEINICKE dynamic in Los Angeles is the marquee storyline. Lance’s ability to generate chunk plays with legs could juice Chargers’ overall upside even if Herbert remains the clear starter. Giants landfalls at Daniel Bellinger and Jameis Winston add TE and depth considerations, while Adoree’ Jackson’s status in Philadelphia and Hendon Hooker in Detroit hint at late-roster suspense that could ripple into Week 1 depth charts. The coming days will crystallize who truly belongs on 53-man rosters and who gets stashed on practice squads, with real fantasy implications tied to every cut and every caretaker decision.

Rosters finalize in the NFL and fantasy rosters hinge on one final week of cuts. The biggest question centers around the Chargers behind Justin Herbert, where Trey Lance’s preseason play could nudge Taylor Heinicke out of a two-quarterback room. Cole Strange’s fit in New England remains unsettled as injuries and depth chart shifts complicate a former top pick’s path. Tommy DeVito faces a numbers crunch with Daniel Jones and Jaxson Dart in the mix elsewhere, while Taysom Hill’s ACL rehab keeps the Saints from a 53-man decision until late August. Across the league, veterans like Kendrick Bourne and Ja’Lynn Polk manage rosters in rebuilds, Hunter Renfrow tries to rehabilitate value with Carolina, and Adoree’ Jackson, C.J. Henderson, and Adoree’ Jackson clash for roles in Philadelphia, Atlanta, and beyond. Daniel Bellinger and Darnell Washington enter tight end contests with the Giants and Steelers, and Van Jefferson fights for a spot with Tennessee, all shaping the fantasy landscape for early-season targets, role clarity, and workload volatility.

Rosters will expose the most meaningful shifts: Lance’s edge in Los Angeles could unlock mobile yields and rushing TD upside; Bourne and Polk offer veteran steadiness and developmental upside in their rooms; Renfrow’s path to a resurgence depends on special teams and depth chart chemistry; Bellinger and Washington could siphon early targets in Giants and Steelers offenses, while Jefferson’s fate with the Titans hinges on depth at receiver and special teams value. These moves will redefine who to trust in lineups and who to stash on fantasy benches as September approaches.

Baltimore visits Dallas for a high-stakes preseason showdown that doubles as a homecoming for Cooper Rush, the Dallas veteran who carved out a path to a two-year Ravens deal after 2024. Rush is embracing Baltimore’s system and increased on-field responsibilities, while Dallas’ evolving QB room watches from the sideline. The game also serves as a backdrop for Brian Schottenheimer’s rise to Cowboys head coach, the contrasting styles of Rush and Lamar Jackson, and a season-ending mystery involving a contract incentive near-miss last year.

That incentive miss—Rush was within 68 snaps of a $500K bonus before Trey Lance started the finale—adds a subtle but telling wrinkle to the roster psychology. The Cowboys’ preseason slate, including a prior opener versus Indianapolis, frames the path for depth-chart decisions, while Rush’s comfort level on the turf of Jerry World suggests the Ravens are counting on timely reps to sharpen their QB room before Week 1. The narrative blends coaching moves, quarterback identity, and fantasy implications as these two AFC/NFC teams square off.