NFL Analysis
7/24/24
8 min read
2024 NFL Training Camp: Most Important Storylines to Watch
NFL training camps are open. With the flood of information coming out as teams take the field for practice, it's important to remember what matters and what to take with a grain of salt. We know the football internet wants to overreact to every report in the next few weeks.
Training camp reports tell more about how players are used and who is on the field than how they look. It's also important not to overreact to injury news until the severity is confirmed. Taking a player out on a cart is often the fastest way to get back to the team facility and does not mean a season-ending injury is imminent.
Of course, there are meaningful takeaways from training camp, on and off the field. Let's look at some things to watch.
Top Training Camp Stories to Watch
How do the AFC contender receivers shake out?
Teams expected to be atop the AFC have some questions at wide receiver, whether that be who plays where or who plays in general.
Without Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis, the Buffalo Bills will have a new starting trio of receivers. Khalil Shakir can show that his production in small samples can increase with more playing time, and offensive coordinator Joe Brady has been complimentary of what Curtis Samuel can bring to the offense. Meanwhile, Bills general manager Brandon Beane has consistently tempered expectations on the immediate impact of second-round pick Keon Coleman.
This trio is so interesting because all three might project best from the slot. That matters because they can't all spend most of their time there. Plus, the Bills are expected to be a leader in 12 personnel, which would only put two receivers on the field with Dalton Kincaid and Dawson Knox.
The Houston Texans might have the opposite issue since their top three receivers work best on the outside. Despite Tank Dell's small frame, he spent 75 percent of his time outside and was far more productive there. He recorded 2.68 yards per route run compared to 1.12 from the slot.
The Cincinnati Bengals are down a receiver from their previous trio on an offense that uses a ton of 11 personnel. Without Tyler Boyd, there is an opening in the slot. That could allow the Bengals to move Ja'Marr Chase into the slot more. Chase has played outside on 80 percent of his snaps, but he's slowly increased his slot work from 14.3 percent to 20.6 percent to 24.8 percent. In two of his three seasons, including 2023, Chase had more yards per route run in the slot than outside.
We could also see the Bengals figure out who Tee Higgins' replacement will be while Higgins is on the roster. Trenton Irwin has the most experience but is likely set for a slot role. 2023 draft picks Andre Iosivas and Charlie Jones flashed, and the Bengals used a fourth-round pick this year on Jermaine Burton.
For the Kansas City Chiefs, the rotation will be figured out, especially if Rashee Rice is suspended. But more importantly, it might be how the receivers are used. The additions of Xavier Worthy and Marquise Brown suggest an effort to get the ball down the field more after Patrick Mahomes was forced to work underneath as defenses sold out to stop explosive passes during the past few seasons.
— KC Sports Network (@KCSportsNetwork) July 21, 2024
Mahomes is the type of player who will try things in training camp to see if they can work in a game, and the early results are positive.
Quarterback competitions
Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels are already getting the starter treatment, but Drake Maye and J.J. McCarthy will start camp as the No. 2.
Maye will be behind Jacoby Brissett. Earlier this week, New England Patriots coach Jerod Mayo said Brissett is the starter because he is the most pro-ready. But, according to Mayo, there is a chance for Maye to win the job.
"Look, and this goes to any position, if he comes out here and he lights it up — and once again, it goes back to the quality of reps — it could absolutely happen," Mayo said. "I sit here and tell you, coming out of the spring, Jacoby looks like the starting quarterback."
The Patriots could be trying to play it safe with Maye while allowing Brissett to face a tough early season schedule that features the Bengals, Seahawks, Jets, 49ers, Dolphins, and Texans within the first six weeks.
But that could be overly cautious. Getting Maye reps against tough defenses could help him quickly adjust to the pro game. Being outmanned is also something Maye dealt with at North Carolina during his final college season.
McCarthy will sit behind Sam Darnold in Minnesota. The Minnesota Vikings have said they want to take a methodical approach to developing McCarthy.
He'll be ready when "the comfort level that he has within our offense and his ability to then translate it to adverse situations and difficult aspects of playing quarterback in the NFL isn't magnified by inexperience," according to Kevin O'Connell, per ESPN.
That could come as early as winning the job in training camp — especially given how the Minnesota offense can make things easier for quarterbacks with Justin Jefferson and the other pass-catching options — but the Vikings have an early Week 5 bye that could serve as the transition point if McCarthy is ready.
Minnesota's first five games include the 49ers, Texans, Packers, and Jets.
>> READ MORE: Predicting When Each Rookie QB Will Start
When do new deals get signed?
Several contract extensions were handed out as players reported to camps earlier this week. We saw new deals for Christian Darrisaw and Tyson Campbell, while veterans like Amari Cooper and Matthew Stafford got contract details reworked.
Of course, those weren't the big deals we've been waiting for. Brandon Aiyuk reported to San Francisco 49ers' camp while he waits for an extension. Jordan Love is present for the Green Bay Packers but will not practice until his deal is done. Tua Tagovailoa has reported in Miami and could take a similar approach, but it does not appear they are as close to an agreement as Love and the Packers.
Showing up amid a contract negotiation is unsurprising under the new CBA, which includes mandatory fines of $50,000 per day for missing camp. That has increased the "hold-in" approach we've seen of late. But Haason Reddick and CeeDee Lamb are officially holding out and not reporting.
The New York Jets traded for Reddick, knowing he was looking for a new contract. Still, there has been a lack of communication at worst or a misunderstanding at best regarding what Reddick was expecting and would accept. Reddick has not attended any Jets practices since the trade. He has one year with a $14.25 million salary left on his contract.
Lamb is one of three Dallas Cowboys hoping for an extension, but he's the one for whom that decision is most pressing. Micah Parsons still has two years remaining on his contract. Dak Prescott has a no-tag clause allowing him to hit unrestricted free agency and likely make more than $60 million per year on his next contract, wherever that might be.
Lamb is set to play in 2024 on his fifth-year option, which only pays $17.99 million. However, the receiver market has topped $30 million per year for a player of Lamb's caliber. He also sat out mandatory minicamp in June, so this could look like a more traditional holdout while the sides negotiate.
>> READ MORE: Cowboys' Tactics With Star Players Are Insulting
New defensive structures
There will be many schematic changes across the league — some of which we touched on last week — but these training camp practices will be the first look at the defenses that will change in structure.
Beat writers from these teams will provide more details about following training camp practices than we'll see from any preseason games.
Will the Packers run as much single-high as expected? How will Mike Zimmer use Parsons and align the back seven in Dallas? What do the Mike Macdonald tree defenses look like as they spread throughout the league? Macdonald's defense in Seattle is included.
Can Dan Quinn's philosophical changes from Dallas translate to the group of veterans brought in for Washington?
