Training camp is finally here. They allow tackling there and everything. Around the League will count down the top 30 position battles to watch throughout the preseason.
No. 1. Seattle Seahawks QB: Matt Flynn vs. Tarvaris Jackson vs. Russell Wilson
• There's so many reasons to love this battle. The winner will lead a team we think might just steal the NFC West. It has a hotshot rookie involved (Wilson), a big-money free agent signing trying to prove he can be a starter (Flynn) and the guy no one seems to love despite solid performances the last two years (Jackson). The whole thing has the makings of a reality show.
•Pete Carroll insists the money the Seahawks are paying Matt Flynndoesn't matter. So far, the 60-year-old coach has lived up to that claim. Tarvaris Jackson, who is popular with his teammates, will take the first snap of training camp. We thought Flynn showed enough in game action to believe he can be a league-average starter at worst. This should not be Kevin Kolb 2.0. But he's not a guy that will wow you with a big arm at practice.
• Jackson is fighting for his career. If he doesn't start in Week 1, he might just find himself looking for a job. That's life in the NFL.
•Russell Wilson is the wild card. Despite his small stature, he might possess the best pure skill set of the group. He's got a big arm, smarts and mobility. Carroll isn't afraid to view players differently than the rest of the league. We believe Carroll's hype when he says Wilson can be a future star in the NFL. Asking a third-round quarterback to start right away, however, is almost unprecedented.
• Carroll says that preseason results will swing this race. There isn't a team we will be watching closer in August. The wide receiver crew has plenty of questions and Marshawn Lynch could possibly be suspended. This is not a group that a rookie quarterback should be leading.
• This is our last battle; thanks for reading. We'll be updating the progress of the entire top 30 throughout August on Around the League.
Projected winner: All three players have a legitimate chance. Ultimately, we'll go with the logical favorite. This should be Matt Flynn's team.
