NFL coaching camps will not open till late July, however groups proceed to form rosters at non-contact OTAs and necessary mini-camps.
Forward of coaching camp, listed here are the 5 most attention-grabbing competitions to observe:
Cleveland Browns: Quarterbacks
Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett and rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders are competing to be the starter. Flacco has an edge on the group as a 17-year veteran, and he led the Browns to a playoff berth in 2023 throughout his first stint in Cleveland.
Nevertheless, Flacco is 40, and reviews point out group personnel consider there’s a path for Sanders to start out Week 1 though third-rounder Gabriel was drafted two rounds forward of him. Regardless, the Browns desperately want a reset on the place after enduring the Deshaun Watson debacle.
Buffalo Payments: Cornerbacks
The Payments can be featured this season on “Onerous Knocks” as they give the impression of being to get previous Kansas Metropolis’s Patrick Mahomes and into the Tremendous Bowl. To do this, although, they will want higher play from their corners, as their protection allowed a mean of 6.2 yards per move try final season (fifteenth within the league).
Buffalo introduced again cornerbacks Dane Jackson (Panthers final season) and Tre’Davious White (Rams, Ravens in 2024) and bolstered the group by drafting Maxwell Hairston and Dorian Robust within the first and sixth rounds of the 2025 NFL draft, respectively.
This group will compete for the cornerback spot throughout from Christian Benford, who had 50 solo tackles and two interceptions in 2024. For the Payments to boost the Lombardi Trophy, they will want a cornerback duo that may restrict elite broad receivers.
Kansas Metropolis Chiefs: Offensive line
Essentially the most notable consider Kansas Metropolis’s 40-22 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in Tremendous Bowl LIX was the collapse of its offensive line. Based on Subsequent Gen Stats, the Eagles generated 16 pressures and sacked Mahomes six occasions with out sending a blitz.
Proper sort out Joe Thuney shuffled to left sort out to guard Mahomes’ blindside higher final season, however that lock-down safety by no means materialized, and the group traded Thuney to the Bears within the offseason. In free company, the Chiefs gave sort out Jaylon Moore a two-year, $30M contract to exchange Thuney, however in addition they drafted competitors for him by deciding on Ohio State Buckeye Josh Simmons within the first spherical. How the left sort out performs for Kansas Metropolis may outline the group’s season.
Cincinnati Bengals: Edge-rushers
The Bengals are in an ungainly spot after defensive finish Trey Hendrickson made his contract dispute with the group public. As their finest defensive participant, Hendrickson recorded 17.5 sacks final season, essentially the most within the NFL.
Edge-rushers Joseph Ossai, Myles Murphy and rookie Shemar Stewart (solely 4.5 sacks in three seasons at Texas A&M) have an opportunity to maneuver up the depth chart, however this group does not encourage a lot confidence. Ossai had simply 5 sacks final season, and Murphy has solely three sacks in two seasons with Cincinnati. Nonetheless, somebody have to be the No. 1 pass-rusher if Hendrickson doesn’t return.
New England Patriots: Large receivers
Large receiver Stefon Diggs arrived at OTAs after a video of him partying on a yacht went viral. Not a very good look. The teaching workers appeared to brush the incident apart, however the incident may present a possibility for one more wideout.
Quarterback Drake Maye wants a goal to depend on in his second season, and who that can be continues to be undecided. If the teaching workers does not belief Diggs because the summer season goes on, third-round rookie Kyle Williams may escape and take the No. 1 receiver spot.
