For the fourth year in a row, all 32 NFL teams are kicking off training camp by holding practices with club-led fan events, and NFL Network, NFL+ and NFL.com will provide complete coverage through Back Together Weekend on Saturday and Sunday. Eric Edholm provides his takeaways below from Saturday's camp offerings.
1) Broncos' QB competition yet to take shape
With quarterback duels in training camp a more rare phenomenon these days, the Denver Broncos’ three-way QB race deserves ample attention.
The Broncos opted to start camp this week giving the three candidates for the job -- Jarrett Stidham, Zach Wilson and rookie Bo Nix -- equal reps, with each quarterback given the majority of the first-team snaps on a particular day. That process is about to change, it seems.
Head coach Sean Payton has not tipped his hand at all on the early QB derby early in camp, but he indicated on Saturday that the process of choosing a starter will shift a little bit in the coming days and weeks.
"They're doing well. I think they're doing well,” Payton told reporters. “We don't have a (rep count) sum total. The rotation's been pretty consistent. I think that will begin to change a little bit as we get into the next week and a half, two weeks."
To this point, Denver’s quarterbacks appear to be embracing the competition format.
“I feel like we have a very healthy competition going on,” Nix said on Saturday.
Added Wilson: “We’re all close, we’re all rooting for each other. … We all want the team to be the best team we can be.”
Payton knows he’ll have to whittle down the rotation into a more meritorious one, with practice reps becoming more valuable as time goes on. The closer the Broncos get to the Week 1 opener at Seattle, the more critical it will be for the expected (or provisional) starter to receive the lion’s share of the work.
Before that, the Broncos have three preseason games -- the first of which on Aug. 11 at the Colts -- and it wouldn’t be shocking if all three quarterbacks receive a start, or at the very least, time on the field with the first team. Nothing is settled yet, but with the rep distribution about to shift in Broncos camp, the stakes will change, even if Nix downplayed that idea.
“It was pretty high to begin with,” Nix said.
2) Lamar's welcome return to practice
No need to sound the alarms any longer: Lamar Jackson was back at Baltimore Ravens training camp. And he apparently looked good, too.
Jackson’s absence in four of the past five practices with what was deemed to be an illness drew ample attention from media and fans. But head coach John Harbaugh quelled fears when he not only welcomed Jackson back to practice on Saturday but also gave the two-time MVP's performance a stamp of approval.
"I thought he did really well, especially considering the fact he had to come back from being sick,” Harbaugh told reporters. “He worked really hard to get out here.
"Even as the practice went on, you could see him finding himself more and more."
Jackson missed the first three practices of camp before taking part in Wednesday’s session this week. But he left early that day, seeking more answers about whatever was plaguing him, and didn’t return until Saturday’s session.
It’s not clear what the nature of Jackson’s ailment is, but the good news for the Ravens appears to be that Jackson is working through the issue. Saturday’s good performance should serve as relief for any twitchy Ravens fans worried about Jackson missing further time.
3) Rodgers signs off on Jets' revamped O-line
If the New York Jets are going to keep Aaron Rodgers healthy and have greater success on the field this season, it’s imperative that the revamped offensive line holds its own.
The Jets made additions to virtually every offensive position this offseason, but the O-line received a different level of attention. This offseason, the Jets signed OT Tyron Smith and OL John Simpson, traded for OT Morgan Moses and drafted first-round OT Olu Fashanu, in addition to returning eight linemen who started at least one game for the team last year.
Having seen the early potential of the group now, Rodgers said during an appearance on NFL Network that he believes that this team’s collective experience, talent and depth could end up being far better.
"I think adding those guys, it's more than just the bodies and the body types. They're obviously large humans -- they've played a lot of good football, that's why they're here -- but it's the mindset," Rodgers told NFL Networks' Judy Battista and Brian Baldinger. "We're a lot more mature up front, and it's not a disrespect to the previous guys.
“We just have a lot of banked years now with all the years that Tyron's played, all the years Morgan's played, John being on a second contract, a guy who's played a lot of football.
“The great part is that now we look at the first five that are out there right now as we get AVT (Alijah Vera-Tucker) back, it looks really really good.”
Rodgers also singled out several of what could end up being second-team blockers for the Jets, including Wes Schweitzer, Jake Hanson, Max Mitchell, Carter Warren and Xavier Newman. Collectively, the depth appears vastly superior heading into the 2024 season.
“So, now we're looking at our two-deep going, man, we feel really good about this group,” Rodgers said. “Last year, it felt like we were an injury away from having to move some pieces around. Now, we feel great about our first 10, 11, 12 guys."
4) Sweat broke the golden rule: Don’t touch the (prized rookie) QB
After a Saturday practice in which the Chicago Bears’ offense was up and down, plagued by pre-snap penalties, head coach Matt Eberflus had to end star defender Montez Sweat's day early.
Sweat’s crime? Hitting rookie QB Caleb Williams’ arm during a drill. That’s a big no-no in NFL training camps. This is about the only time of year here Eberflus doesn’t want his rushers hitting the quarterback.
"He's good enough to stop and move away,” Eberflus told reporters. “He has to be disciplined."
The play in question came when the Bears’ offense was in two-minute mode. Sweat beat his man and reportedly stripped the ball away from Williams. The fact that a similar thing with Sweat happened two days ago in Bears practice made it all the more regrettable, even if Williams wasn’t hurt either time.
Eberflus made clear that he wasn’t asking his defenders to mimic game-like conditions and that the no-hits-on-QBs rule still very much applied.
"No, he knows he should not do that," Eberflus said with a serious tone. "I threw him out of the drill today and then I pulled him aside, and I said, 'Look, you cannot do that. You'll be sick if something happens.' And that's what I told him, and he understands that."
Sweat was a bit more cavalier on the matter when he spoke to NFL Network’s Stacey Dales and Marc Ross about his hit on Williams.
"Yeah, but I kinda got a little antsy there. Practice was running a little long. I kinda wanted to wrap it up a little bit," Sweat said, making sure to note that he was joking. “We've talked [about] finishing at the top of our rush, our reach, so it just happened. It's not gonna happen again."
Even still, Sweat believes his full-tilt approach wasn’t all bad.
"I mean, we're just out there competing, making the man across me better, holding the man aside accountable,” he said. “That's a part of training camp. We're just getting better every day."
5) Pivotal camp underway for Bryce Young
The focus of the Carolina Panthers’ offseason clearly centered on improving the situation around Bryce Young, who labored through a trying rookie season in 2023. A new coaching staff, headed by offensive-minded Dave Canales. A revamped offensive line spearheaded by two highly priced guards. More help at receiver, running back and tight end.
The pieces aren’t all in place, but it’s hard to argue the environment in Carolina isn’t better. Now the focus of training camp has turned to Young and what he can do to take strides and prove he can play to the level of expectation levied on the former No. 1 overall selection.
NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe spoke with Young on Saturday, asking him about Canales’ new focus on Young getting the ball out in 2.7 seconds or less.
“Just want to be efficient, and we're big on timing -- on the perimeter, in the running game, also up front,” Young said. “So, making sure that we're moving through progressions, we're getting through things, we're efficient with our reads, with our concepts."
Young, who turned 23 earlier this week, was sacked 62 times last season for a league-worst 477 yards. According to PFF, Young averaged 2.91 seconds per throw last year and was far more efficient on passes in 2.5 seconds or less (65.8% completions, eight TDs, two INTs) than on passes with dropbacks taking longer than 2.5 seconds (54.0% completions, three TDs, eight INTs).
As Buccaneers offensive coordinator last year, Canales took a similar approach with Baker Mayfield last season. Mayfield had averaged 2.84 seconds or longer in the previous three seasons with the Browns, Panthers and Rams, but in 2023 he averaged 2.74 seconds per attempt -- his best mark since his rookie year -- and turned in one of his best seasons to date, earning a contract extension with Tampa.
Canales has shown Young plenty of Mayfield tape from last year, as well as Canales' work with Geno Smith and Russell Wilson in Seattle when he was on Pete Carroll's staff. It’s all been part of the install process with the Panthers.
“It's really cool now being on the other side of it and seeing the ‘why,’” Young said. “You watch (2023 Bucs tape), you see something off film and then you want to hear now knowing what it is they're talking about -- what terms they use, how they communicated. … It's all about learning and growth, so I'm excited to move forward."
6) Will a rookie protect Mahomes' blindside?
A year ago, the Kanas City Chiefs’ apparent Achilles heel was their lack of difference-making wide receivers. This year, the potential worry is at left tackle.
Heading into camp, there was a belief that there would be a battle there between incumbent Wanya Morris and 2024 second-round pick Kingsley Suamataia to serve as Patrick Mahomes’ backside protector. Although the two rotated reps there in the opening days, the rookie appears to be receiving a good chance to win the job.
Eventually, Joe Thuney is expected to come off the physically unable to perform (PUP) list and reclaim that left guard spot. But the left tackle will be inexperienced one way or another. Morris started four games at the LT spot down the stretch for the Chiefs last year and played extensively in two others, totaling 323 offensive snaps, before sitting for the playoffs with Donovan Smith back healthy.
But Smith was not re-signed this offseason, and now head coach Andy Reid has an interesting battle on his hands. Reid hasn’t been anti-rookie playing time in Kansas City. But he’s also never started a rookie left tackle for the majority of the season with the Chiefs. Center, guards, right tackles, yes -- but never a left tackle for the majority of a season.
There haven’t been a ton of NFL contenders in recent years with rookie left tackles, but there are a few apt examples to suggest this experiment could work. The Jaguars reached the AFC Championship Game with Cam Robinson, a second-rounder like Suamataia, at left tackle. The 2020 Browns and 2022 Cowboys also made the playoffs, doing so with Jedrick Wills and Tyler Smith, respectively, protecting their quarterbacks’ blind sides.
There’s also the reality that Mahomes labored through the clear and obvious receiver issue a year ago and, well, led the Chiefs to a third Super Bowl title in five seasons. The race to three straight is shaping up as a similar one.
7) Hurts eager to share backfield with Barkley
It likely will take until the regular season to fully see how the Saquon Barkley-Jalen Hurts combo will work together for the Philadelphia Eagles, given that Barkley seldom has played in the preseason (eight career carries) in the past. Hurts, too, has received minimal preseason reps, attempting 13 combined passes the past two preseasons.
Hurts has worked with his new running back for a few months now, however, and he can’t help but be excited about what Barkley will offer them this season after leaving the Giants this offseason for the division-rival Eagles.
"Just how explosive he is,” Hurts told NFL Network's Mike Garafolo and Charles Davis on Saturday. “He's a very smart player. Very eager to learn. Great communicator. That's all you can ask for.
“Just excited to see him build into the role he'll play for us, and I know he's excited to be here, be in this division."
But Hurts also made a good point during his NFL Network appearance, noting that the Eagles have had ample talent the past few years. That talent panned out very well in the 2022 season, when the Eagles lost in the Super Bowl, and it carried over to the team’s 10-1 start a year ago. That’s when the wheels fell off.
Hurts believes the Eagles’ level of expectation has leveled up after the disappointing season. If the Eagles are going to reach that elite plateau, it will take a different level of commitment and execution from that collection of talent.
"You talk about all this talent … I feel like we've had great talent. I mean, we've had great talent for the last two years,” Hurts said. “We've done great things, good things, but the standard is raised. Great talent will win you games. It's not gonna last. It's not sustainable like you want it to be, but it will win you games.
“But the great teams, those are the teams that win championships. The focus is being put there and on how together we are and how understanding we are with what we're doing. Just trying to be the best team we can be, everybody doing their job, mastering their work."
8) Dak talks contract negotiations
This could be the final season for Dak Prescott on the Dallas Cowboys. He knows that, and the Cowboys certainly do, too.
Prescott’s contract ends after this season, and the two sides have exchanged contract proposals to no avail so far. Each have watched as other quarterbacks similarly close to free agency, such as Trevor Lawrence, Jordan Love and Tua Tagovailoa, have come to long-term agreements. And so far, nothing.
But Prescott isn’t taking the process personally, he said. And he knows he has a job to do -- especially in this all-important season for both him and the team. Adding to the pressure around the Cowboys is the fact that CeeDee Lamb and Micah Parsons also want to secure their long-term deals, too, with Lamb currently holding out of camp and the Cowboys a bit short at wide receiver.
"It's just understanding this is a business, at the end of the day,” Prescott told NFL Network’s Jane Slater and Daniel Jeremiah on Saturday about the prolonged process. “Yeah, it's a game -- it's a kid's game that us grown men get to play and we're blessed -- but at the end of day, the reality of it is, it's business. There's a lot of money in this game, there's a lot of people that have to be played.”
Prescott emphasized the idea that he doesn’t “want to play anywhere else” and that he loves “being a Dallas Cowboy” and loves the team’s fans. Owner Jerry Jones also has said plenty of nice things about Prescott throughout the process.
So what’s the hangup?
"It's definitely not the money,” Prescott said. “A little bit of it is respect. In the same sense, what motivates me is just coming out here each and every day and getting better and being able to control that, I'm at peace with. That's where the freedom comes from, is this is what I love more than anything -- being out here on this grass with my teammates. Sharing the game, getting better at the game.
“When you focus on that, the money comes. As you said, these other guys, there the one's setting the bar in that, and as I said, it's an obligation that I have to my team, my family, and to the rest of the quarterbacks in the NFL."
9) Breakout in Year 3 for Jameson?
This is a critical season for Detroit Lions wideout Jameson Williams. His first two seasons, the first of which delayed by injury, have been dotted with highlight plays, but ultimately not enough consistency.
Early in camp, however, Williams has been a standout. Him developing into more of a reliable producer could make an already dangerous Lions offense just that much more threatening. Lions head coach Dan Campbell told NFL Network's Tom Pelissero and Lions contributor Dannie Rogers that Williams has shown growth as a player and as a professional.
“Look, he’s more mature,” Campbell said on Saturday. “He’s more mature, and, look, he banked some good reps last year.”
Campbell said Williams reported to the team this spring “more refreshed” and focused, which has set up a fine early camp that has included some highlight plays.
“And he’s just continued that now,” Campbell said. “He’s a more mature guy, he’s bought in and he’s putting in the work. Because of that, he’s just continued to get better and better.”