Saturday night NFL: Rookie from Alabama scores in debut with Bengals

Rookie wide receiver Jermaine Burton opened his pro career with three receptions for 82 yards and one touchdown in the Cincinnati Bengals’ 17-14 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in an NFL preseason game on Saturday night.

Burton joined Cincinnati from Alabama in the third round of the NFL Draft on April 26.

Burton caught a 37-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Logan Woodside as the Bengals took a 14-10 lead with 3:33 to play.

Burton had a 38-yard reception on the Cincinnati offense’s next snap after Tampa Bay scored a touchdown with 57 seconds remaining. The reception put the Bengals at the Bucs 24-yard line with 41 seconds left, but Cincinnati was stopped on downs.

In the NFL’s other preseason games on Saturday night:

· Tennessee linebacker Chance Campbell intercepted San Francisco 49ers quarterback Joshua Dobbs at the Titans 1-yard line on the final snap of the game to preserve a 17-13 victory.

· Los Angeles gained only 198 yards, with the Chargers quarterbacks completing 14-of-32 passes for 133 yards with no touchdowns and one interception, in a 16-3 loss to the Seattle Seahawks.

· No. 1 quarterbacks Patrick Mahomes of Kansas City and Trevor Lawrence of Jacksonville started the preseason opener, with Mahomes producing a field goal and Lawrence a touchdown to begin the Jaguars’ 26-13 victory over the Chiefs. Jacksonville produced 166 yards on four kickoff returns by four players.

· Rookie quarterback Spencer Rattler answered Arizona’s touchdown with 1:55 to play by directing a drive that ended on Charlie Smyth’s 37-yard field goal with five seconds to play as the New Orleans Saints beat the Cardinals 16-14.

During the NFL’s five Sunday night preseason games, 56 players from Alabama high schools and colleges got on the field:

Tampa Bay Buccaneers 17, Cincinnati Bengals 14

· Buccaneers defensive lineman Marcus Banks (Alabama) made four tackles.

· Bengals safety Jordan Battle (Alabama) made five tackles on defense and one tackle on special teams.

· Bengals defensive tackle Travis Bell (Jeff Davis) did not record any stats.

· Chris Braswell (Alabama) started at outside linebacker for the Buccaneers. Braswell made one tackle on special teams in his pro debut. He joined Tampa Bay in the second round of the NFL Draft on April 26.

· K.J. Britt (Oxford, Auburn) started at linebacker for the Buccaneers. Britt made one tackle.

· Bengals wide receiver Jermaine Burton (Alabama) had three receptions for 82 yards and one touchdown in his pro debut. Burton caught a 37-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Logan Woodside as the Bengals took a 14-10 lead with 3:33 to play.

· Buccaneers tight end Sal Cannella (Auburn) did not record any stats.

· Buccaneers cornerback Jamel Dean (Auburn) did not play.

· Bengals cornerback Allan George (Andalusia) did not record any stats.

· Buccaneers cornerback Keenan Isaac (Midfield, Alabama State) intercepted a deep pass by Cincinnati quarterback Jake Browning at the Tampa Bay 15-yard line in the second quarter.

· Bengals wide receiver Shedrick Jackson (Hoover, Auburn) had a 3-yard reception.

· Bengals defensive tackle Cedric Johnson (Davidson) made four tackles, recorded one sack and registered two quarterback hits in his pro debut. Johnson joined Cincinnati in the sixth round of the NFL Draft on April 27. He also played against his brother on Saturday night. Cephus Johnson III is a wide receiver for Tampa Bay.

· Buccaneers wide receiver Cephus Johnson III (Davidson, South Alabama) did not record any stats.

· Buccaneers guard Avery Jones (Auburn) did not record any stats.

· Bengals kicker Evan McPherson (Fort Payne) kicked two extra points, but his 58-yard field-goal attempt on the last snap of the first half went wide right.

· Cam Taylor-Britt (Park Crossing) started at cornerback for the Bengals. Taylor-Britt did not record any stats.

· Buccaneers running back D.J. Williams (Auburn) gained 29 yards on 10 rushing attempts and had a 6-yard reception in his pro debut. Williams signed with Tampa Bay as an undrafted rookie.

Jacksonville Jaguars 26, Kansas City Chiefs 13

· Jaguars running back Tank Bigsby (Auburn) ran for 28 yards on three carries, caught a pass that lost 1 yard and returned a kickoff 45 yards.

· Jaguars defensive end DJ Coleman (Jacksonville State) made two tackles and recorded two quarterback hits.

· Chiefs defensive end Neil Farrell Jr. (Murphy) made one tackle.

· Josh Hines-Allen (Abbeville) started at defensive end for the Jaguars. Hines-Allen did not record any stats.

· Jaguars cornerback Mac Jones (Alabama) completed 9-of-11 passes for 98 yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions. Jones played the second half, when the Jacksonville offense produced two field goals on three full possessions.

· Chiefs quarterback Chris Oladokun (Samford) completed 7-of-10 passes for 85 yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions and ran twice for 10 yards. Oladokun played two possessions, with one ending with a touchdown.

· Cam Robinson (Alabama) started at left offensive tackle for the Jaguars.

· Jaguars running back Keilan Robinson (Alabama) did not play.

· Chiefs wide receiver Justyn Ross (Central-Phenix City) had a 23-yard reception.

· Chiefs tight end Irv Smith Jr. (Alabama) had an 8-yard reception.

· Jaguars safety Daniel Thomas (Lee-Montgomery, Auburn) made three tackles and recorded one tackle for loss.

· Chiefs wide receiver Kadarius Toney (Blount) did not play.

· Chiefs wide receiver Montrell Washington (Samford) caught two passes for 14 yards and returned a kickoff 32 yards.

· Jaguars offensive lineman Darryl Williams (Bessemer City) did not record any stats.

· Jaguars wide receiver Seth Williams (Paul Bryant, Auburn) had two receptions for 15 yards.

Tennessee Titans 17, San Francisco 49ers 13

· Forty-Niners defensive tackle Shakel Brown (Troy) made one tackle and broke up one pass.

· Titans defensive back Shyheim Carter (Alabama) made two tackles.

· Marlon Davidson (Greenville, Auburn) started at defensive tackle for the Titans. Davidson made three tackles.

· Titans defensive back Eric Garror (McGill-Toolen) made two tackles.

· Chris Hubbard (UAB) started at left offensive tackle for the 49ers.

· J.C. Latham (Alabama) started at left offensive tackle for the Titans in his pro debut. Latham joined Tennessee as the seventh selection in the NFL Draft on April 25.

· Forty-Niners tight end Cameron Latu (Alabama) had two receptions for 12 yards. Latu is coming back from missing his rookie season after he sustained a knee injury in San Francisco’s preseason finale in 2023.

· Forty-Niners cornerback Darrell Luter Jr. (South Alabama) did not play.

· Roger McCreary (Williamson, Auburn) started at cornerback for the Titans. McCreary made one tackle.

· Calvin Ridley (Alabama) started at wide receiver for the Titans. Ridley had a 22-yard reception.

· Titans offensive lineman Lachavious Simmons (Selma) did not record any stats.

· Titans quarterback Malik Willis (Auburn) completed 5-of-7 passes for 38 yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions and ran for 42 yards on four carries. Willis had a 28-yard run to set up a field goal.

Seattle Seahawks 16, Los Angeles Chargers 3

· Chargers center Bradley Bozeman (Handley, Alabama) did not play.

· Chargers defensive lineman Justin Eboigbe (Alabama) made one tackle in his pro debut. Eboigbe joined Los Angeles in the fourth round of the NFL Draft on April 27.

· A.J. Finley (St. Paul’s Episcopal) started at safety for the Chargers. Finley made six tackles and broke up one pass.

· Seahawks linebacker Derick Hall (Auburn) tied for the team lead with five tackles and recorded one sack.

· Chargers long snapper Josh Harris (Auburn) handled the snaps on eight punts and one field goal.

· Seahawks cornerback Mike Jackson (Spain Park) did not play.

· Seahawks cornerback DJ James (Spanish Fort, Auburn) broke up a pass in his pro debut. James joined Seattle in the sixth round of the NFL Draft on April 27.

· Seahawks nose tackle Buddha Jones (Troy) is on injured reserve and not eligible to play.

· Chargers offensive tackle Alex Leatherwood (Alabama) did not record any stats.

· Chargers linebacker Shane Lee (Alabama) made five tackles on defense, registered one tackle for loss and recorded one tackle on special teams in his pro debut. Lee signed with Los Angeles as an undrafted rookie.

· Seahawks cornerback Nehemiah Pritchett (Jackson, Auburn) made two tackles in his pro debut. Pritchett joined Seattle in the fifth round of the NFL Draft on April 27.

· Jarran Reed (Alabama) started at nose tackle on the Seahawks. Reed made one tackle.

· Chargers punter JK Scott (Alabama) averaged 44.5 yards on eight punts, with a 43.1-yard net.

· Seahawks linebacker Jamie Sheriff (South Alabama) made one tackle and registered one quarterback hit in his pro debut. Sheriff signed with Seattle as an undrafted rookie.

· Chargers linebacker Kimani Vidal (Troy) did not play.

New Orleans Saints 16, Arizona Cardinals 14

· Saints offensive tackle Chandler Brewer (Florence) is on injured reserve and not eligible to play.

· Ga’Quincy “Kool-Aid” McKinstry (Pinson Valley, Alabama) started at cornerback for the Saints. McKinstry made three tackles and broke up one pass in his pro debut. McKinstry joined New Orleans in the second round of the NFL Draft on April 26.

· Cardinals wide receiver Tejhaun Palmer (UAB) had a 13-yard reception in his pro debut. Palmer joined Arizona in the sixth round of the NFL Draft on April 27.

· Owen Pappoe (Auburn) started at inside linebacker for the Cardinals. Pappoe made three tackles on defense and one tackle on special teams.

· Saints linebacker Monty Rice (James Clemens) led New Orleans with seven tackles.

· Starling Thomas V (Ramsay, UAB) started at cornerback for the Cardinals. Thomas broke up one pass.

· Cardinals offensive tackle Jonah Williams (Alabama) did not play.

· Cardinals linebacker Mack Wilson (Carver-Montgomery, Alabama) did not play.

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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.