NFL preseason takeaways: Does 49ers QB Brock Purdy need Brandon Aiyuk?

The final week of the 2024 NFL preseason resumed on Friday, with the Jacksonville Jaguars defeating the Atlanta Falcons 31-0, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers knocking off the Miami Dolphins 24-14 and the San Francisco 49ers and Las Vegas Raiders ending in a tie, 24-24.

Here are some takeaways from the action, including a vibing Jaguars offense, a highly contested backup quarterback battle and the potential return of a big-name holdout.

Brandon Aiyuk traveled with 49ers, and QB Brock Purdy could use him

The 49ers wideout, entrenched in a contract dispute with the team, traveled to Las Vegas but didn't play. The fact that he's around offers some promise that a deal might be close, which is good news for San Francisco's offense.

According to Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports , there are no guarantees, but the "optics suggest" the 49ers and Aiyuk will come to an agreement soon. That should be music to Purdy's ears after not a poor but sometimes underwhelming preseason.

Protected largely by backups Friday against the Raiders, Purdy made a handful of on-point throws. But, he made several poor decisions, staring down a slant pattern resulting in an interception while taking four hits, several of which may have been his responsibility.

Purdy finished the preseason 11-of-18 for 107 yards with no touchdowns and one pick. These games don't count, but the third-year QB could clearly use Aiyuk back on the field.

J aguars offense is finding its rhythm

Even though it came against backups and fringe-roster players, the Jaguars offense was humming against the Falcons. No matter how you slice it, that's good news for Jacksonville.

The first team feasted, led by Trevor Lawrence, who went 8-of-10 for 92 yards and two touchdowns over two series. After a rough end to 2023, the Jaguars starter has been sharp during the preseason, finishing 11-of-14 for 134 yards with three touchdowns and zero interceptions.

Meanwhile, the rest of the proposed starters who played alongside Lawrence shined. Tight end Evan Engram hauled four targets for 28 yards and two scores, running back Travis Etienne Jr. rushed for 47 yards (seven carries), and rookie wideout Brian Thomas caught one pass for 38 yards on the opening drive.

Falcons depth may be lacking after brutal preseason finale

The Falcons chose to rest most of their starters, and predictably, the Jaguars ran the backups and roster-bubble candidates that played for Atlanta off the field, outgaining them 412-157.

The loss dropped the Falcons to 0-3 in the preseason, which isn't a big deal. But, even though most of the first and second teams stood on the sidelines, several players who hit the field may be leaned upon to fill some kind of role during the season, and they came up small, albeit against superior competition.

The Jaguars did play their starters for two series, but that doesn't excuse a 31-point blowout. By punting on the preseason finale, the Falcons seem confident in their assembled roster, and they better be right after Friday's display while hoping it doesn't somehow bleed over into Week 1.

Rachaad White looks to be in mid-season form

The third-year back saw his first action of the preseason and, while brief, made it count. White carried the ball four times for 16 yards (4.0 YPA), capping off the opening drive with a four-yard rushing touchdown.

White is coming off his best year as a pro in 2023, finishing with 990 yards (3.6 YPA) with six touchdowns. In his second year as the full-time starter behind a stout offensive line in Tampa Bay, the sky may be the limit for the former third-round pick.

Could Skylar Thompson steal the backup QB role from Mike White?

In their final audition for the spot behind starter Tua Tagovailoa, Thompson may have just beaten out White for the job.

Coming into Friday's contest, the pair were relatively neck-and-neck over two games, with Thompson going 16-of-34 for 156 yards (4.6 YPA) with a touchdown and an interception, while White was 15-of-34 for 142 yards (4.2 YPA). However, against the Buccaneers, Thompson shined (19-of-27, 190 yards, two TD, one INT), while White was unimpressive (5-of-9, 37 yards) in limited time.

White is in the final year of a two-year, $8 million contract, costing $5.2 million in cap space this season, per Spotrac . Meanwhile, Thompson carries only a $1M cap hit .