Training camp is on the horizon for the NFL, as teams embark on their journeys to prepare for a Super Bowl championship. While some teams are in a better position to hoist the Vince Lombardi Trophy than others, all teams in the NFL have the same goal.
These next five weeks are going to be telling for a lot of teams in terms of if they are ready to compete for a championship, or at least winning consistently on a weekly basis. Expectations will differ for certain teams, but the goal remains the same.
Several questions will arise for every NFC team over the next several weeks. Let’s take a look at the biggest one for each NFC team.
The Cardinals will be figuring out a crucial part of this defense over the next six weeks, with plenty of intriguing candidates. Sean Murphy-Bunting is the leader in the clubhouse for one of those spots with his three-year contract in free agency. Max Melton, Starling Thomas V, Kei’Trel Clark and Garrett Williams will also getting an extended look to start opposite Murphy-Bunting. Melton will be a player to watch given he was a second-round pick and is an excellent fit for this defense. The question is whether Arizona feels he can play the outside or in the slot. Elijah Jones, a third-round pick, could play his name into the mix as well. He’s more suited for the slot or a special teams role.
Atlanta Falcons: Are young DTs ready for lots of playing time?
The Falcons have significant questions on the interior of the defensive line. Grady Jarrett and David Onyemata are both in their 30s, and Jarrett is coming off a torn ACL. If Jarrett or Onyemata go down, are second-round pick Ruke Orhorhoro and fourth-round pick Brandon Dorlus ready for significant snaps? The Falcons also added Eddie Goldman as veteran help, but he hasn’t played an NFL game in three years. Orhorhoro and Dorlus will be tested this preseason to see if they can be more than rotation players in year one. The Falcons need at least one of the two rookies to prove he can start.
Carolina Panthers: Is OL good enough to protect Bryce Young?
The Panthers knew their offensive line wasn’t good enough last season, hindering Bryce Young’s performance since the first preseason game. Young wasn’t good, but he didn’t have any help up front, either. Carolina addressed the interior offensive line play by signing Damien Lewis and Robert Hunt to combined deals of $153 million with $90 million guaranteed. The Panthers may have overpaid for both players, but the long-term investment of Young is vital. They also signed Austin Corbett to shore things up at center. No draft picks were spent on the offensive line, so Ikem Ekwonu and Taylor Moton are the tackles. Carolina will find out this preseason if this line is better than last season’s disaster. How much better will be determined with more games played.
The Bears have a very good trio of wide receivers for Williams’ rookie season in D.J. Moore, Keenan Allen and Rome Odunze. Williams has never thrown a pass in a professional game to any of them. Allen has been reliable for a decade when he’s on the field, while Moore had a monster season catching passes from Justin Fields in 2023. Odunze is a first-round rookie, but he and Williams already appear to be on the same page. Williams will find all three of these playmakers, but determining his go-to guy will be developed over the next six weeks.
With the departure of Tyron Smith, Guyton is set to become the starting left tackle in his rookie season. Tyler Smith could play left tackle if Guyton isn’t ready, but the best version of the Cowboys offensive line is with Guyton at left tackle and Smith at left guard (was an All-Pro there last year). Guyton will be tested by Micah Parsons in training camp in preparation for the gauntlet of pass rushers in the first few weeks of the year (Myles Garrett, Kayvon Thibodeaux and T.J. Watt) This training camp is a big one for Guyton.
Detroit Lions: Will Jameson Williams live up to first-round hype?
Notice how little the Lions addressed the wide receiver position last year? Detroit signed Amon-Ra St. Brown to a massive contract extension, but lost Josh Reynolds to the Denver Broncos in free agency. The Lions didn’t make a move to replace Reynolds, trusting Williams will be the player to seize that role. Williams has only 395 receiving yards in two seasons, but had 11 catches for 159 yards in his final three regular season games. The Lions will need more production from Williams going forward, but they seem to have faith that he can be their WR2.
Matt LaFleur always states he’ll play the best five offensive linemen, but who are they? The Packers are set to return four of their five starting offensive linemen from last season, only losing Jon Runyan in agree agency. Change may be on the horizon. Elgton Jenkins is best at left guard, but can also play tackle. The Packers drafted Jordan Morgan in the first round, and he’ll either compete with Rasheed Walker at left tackle or Sean Rhyan at right guard (Runyan’s old spot). Morgan can also play right tackle. The projected starter there, Zach Tom, missed all of OTAs and minicamp with a torn pectoral muscle. David Bakhtiari, who is a free agent, likely isn’t coming back, either, so the Packers will have to find what their best starting offensive line combination is.
Stafford wants a reworked contract with more guaranteed money, and has the upper hand with the Rams in 2024. The Rams need Stafford to be their quarterback this year, but also have to think of a life post-Stafford. With the rising quarterback contracts, Stafford is using his leverage for more guaranteed money. It’s hard to blame Stafford, but will the Rams call his bluff? The Rams have been known to pay their star players, but will they do the same with Stafford? The franchise quarterback could force the Rams’ hand by holding out. Stetson Bennett and Dresser Winn are the backups, and Bennett didn’t play last season. The Rams may have no choice here.
Darnold was signed to a one-year deal as a cheap alternative in a rising quarterback market. The Vikings moved on from Kirk Cousins and will give Darnold every opportunity to win the job, but have a first-round rookie in McCarthy that may be NFL ready right away. The supporting cast is set up for both quarterbacks to succeed, but which player will succeed faster? Darnold has experience in the Sean McVay/Kyle Shanahan system while McCarthy is a proven winner from college. Darnold is expected to win the job, but how long can he hold it?
Kamara wants to be with the Saints long term, but also skipped the final mandatory minicamp practice in search of a new contract. A focal point of the offense, Kamara is making just $1 million in guaranteed money this season. Even though Klint Kubiak’s offense favors running backs, Kamara is 29 years old and coming off a career-low 1,160 total yards from scrimmage last season. The Saints have a decision to make with restructuring Kamara’s contract, one that may not be in his favor. They also have to end their salary cap problems at some point.
This is a never-ending question for the Giants, who decided to let Saquon Barkley walk in free agency in favor of allocating the money toward improving the offensive line. New York signed Jon Runyan to play right guard and Jermaine Eluemunor to play left guard. Andrew Thomas is back at left tackle as well. John Michael Schmitz had an inconsistent rookie season at center and Evan Neal has been one of the worst right tackles in the league since he was a first-round pick two years ago. Those two will have to show improvement so Daniel Jones can show value to the organization in a crucial year. The Giants offensive line can’t be any worse than they were last season. But will they be any better?
Nick Sirianni revealed the Eagles were going to cross-train Bradberry at safety at the beginning of mandatory minicamp, only for those plans to never come into fruition. Bradberry injured himself during individual drills in the first minicamp practice and never participated in 7-on-7 or 11-on-11 drills. Training camp should result in a healthy Bradberry, who will get every opportunity to earn a starting cornerback spot opposite Darius Slay. If Bradberry doesn’t win a starting job, the Eagles will have to make a decision on his future since Bradberry doesn’t play special teams and has more value as a starter. Bradberry needs to win a starting job, or his future with the Eagles is in doubt. The competition at cornerback is fierce, too, with rookie first-round pick Quinyon Mitchell, rookie second-round pick Cooper DeJean and veterans Isaiah Rodgers and Kelee Ringo vying for jobs.
The 49ers and Aiyuk are in a stalemate with contract negotiations, which has been one of the hottest offseason topics around the league. It reached a boiling point Tuesday with Aiyuk demanding a trade, although the 49ers reportedly have no plans on moving him. With the rising wide receiver contracts this offseason, Aiyuk wants his piece of the pie. Aiyuk is on the fully guaranteed fifth-year option of his rookie contract, but wants long-term security with the 49ers. He was their best wide receiver in 2023 and is a trusted target for Brock Purdy. The 49ers may have to pay Aiyuk or risk not having him in a “Super Bowl of bust” season. lt will be interesting to see how this situation unfolds.
Seattle Seahawks: How will RB carries be divided?
The Seahawks have a solid pairing with Kenneth Walker and Zach Charbonnet, a duo that wasn’t fully utilized last season. With the defense not getting off the field and the offense always playing from behind, it was difficult for the Seahawks to use Walker and Charbonnet to their advantage. Seattle had the second fewest rushing attempts (382) last season, which is what new offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb wants to correct. Grubb prefers a balanced attack in the pass and run game, so Walker and Charbonnet will see more touches. Who gets the most from week-to-week will be an interesting development in this new offense.
The Buccaneers have Mike Evans and Chris Godwin as their top two receivers. Evans is the clear WR1 and Godwin is best playing the majority of his snaps in the slot. Who’s going to line up opposite Evans on the outside? Trey Palmer will get the first shot at the job with his game-breaking speed, but the Buccaneers also selected Jalen McMillan in the third round. A smooth route runner, McMillan impressed in minicamp and will challenge for a starting job. If McMillan performs in the preseason and gets Baker Mayfield’s trust early in camp, he may be the WR3.
Whether Jayden Daniels or Marcus Mariota start Week 1, either quarterback needs to be protected in order to stay on the field. The Commanders will have to figure out who the most consistent option is at left tackle, especially if Daniels wins the job. If Daniels has any chance of living up to the hype, the left tackle position is paramount. Cornelius Lucas, Brandon Coleman and Trent Scott are the contenders, with Coleman being the third-round rookie against an experienced veteran in Lucas. Lucas may get the first crack at the job, but the Commanders will want strong competition from Coleman. This is the most pivotal training camp battle, for Daniels’ sake.
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Author: Jeff Kerr
July 16, 2024 | 2:55 pm
