Welcome to the strangest week of the year in the NFL.
Half the locker room is focusing on what could very well be the biggest game of their lives, their last chance to catch the eye of a coach or scout, and make it onto an active roster on the back of a strong performance in the preseason finale. The other half, with roster spots secure, is frothing at the mouth and starting to look ahead to the regular-season opener in less than two weeks.
“There’s really no week in the NFL like this fourth preseason slash beginning of opening week,” veteran linebacker Jonathan Casillas said on Monday.