Who Should I Start? Shane Buechele or Tanner Mordecai

Saturday, August 23, 11:47 PM

Buffalo Bills quarterback Shane Buechele turned in the team's best passing performance of the preseason in a 23-19 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Saturday. The 27-year-old demonstrated pinpoint accuracy throughout the night, completing 25 of his 30 attempts for 278 yards and a touchdown. He also used his mobility to his advantage and added another 20 yards on five rushes. Buechele played the entire game with the Bills' top three QBs - Josh Allen, Mitchell Trubisky, and Mike White - on the sideline. Trubisky and White have spent the summer battling for the No. 2 job, a role Buechele stands little to no chance of winning. His best bet to stay in the organization for a third straight year may be via the practice squad. Buechele was on Buffalo's practice squad in 2023, and he spent last year on Injured Reserve after suffering a neck injury in the preseason.

Sunday, August 24, 4:37 AM

Quarterback Tanner Mordecai (leg) split time with Carter Bradley (leg) under center in the 49ers' 30-23 win over the Chargers on Saturday. Mordecai didn't get the start but turned in a superior line, going 10-for-13 for 103 yards and a touchdown in his time on the field. The 25-year-old looked solid until he came up limping on a failed QB sneak in the fourth quarter, leading to a turnover on downs on the next play when he struggled to simply complete the handoff to running back Ke'shawn Vaughn. The 49ers are committed to Brock Purdy (to the tune of a $265 million contract signed in May) and brought in Mac Jones to serve as his direct backup. Mordecai, who was waived and re-signed by the Niners twice during the preseason, will be lucky to survive the cuts necessary for the final 53-man roster to take shape.