The last week of any preseason means different things to different types of players. Established veterans, if they play at all, are trying to shake the last bits of rust off, establish communication with new coaches and teammates, and try to avoid any injuries. High draft picks are trying to show what they’re capable of — if they’re not already starters, they’re trying to be. Then, there are the low draft picks, the undrafted players, and the veterans who are just trying to land on a roster. The real drama of the preseason is theirs — these players are playing for their professional lives, and they hope they just get enough reps to convince their current teams — or other teams if they don’t make final cuts — that they have something to offer at the NFL level.
Here are the Secret Superstars of Week 3 of the 2021 preseason — some players who either established roster spots, or, at the very least, put up enough good tape to make other NFL teams take notice.