-
NFL Nation, ESPN
It’s considered the most important position in sports, which is why many of the biggest storylines for the NFL’s 32 teams heading into camp revolve around quarterbacks.
From 40-year-old New York Jets veteran Aaron Rodgers trying to return from Achilles surgery to 22-year-old Chicago Bears rookie Caleb Williams trying to live up to being the No. 1 pick.
And don’t forget Kansas City Chiefs star Patrick Mahomes going for the NFL’s first three-peat.
But quarterbacks aren’t the only question marks. There’s Mike McCarthy’s future with the Dallas Cowboys, the Los Angeles Chargers’ dearth of wide receivers in Jim Harbaugh’s first year and the Los Angeles Rams trying to replace Aaron Donald.
NFL Nation reporters take a look at the biggest storylines for all 32 teams, and we also link to our 53-man projections as overall team outlooks.
Jump to a team:
ARI | ATL | BAL | BUF | CAR | CHI | CIN
CLE | DAL | DEN | DET | GB | HOU | IND
JAX | KC | LAC | LAR | LV | MIA | MIN
NE | NO | NYG | NYJ | PHI | PIT | SF
SEA | TB | TEN | WSH
AFC EAST
How will the changes the Bills made to the roster play out on the field? This isn’t the same team that won the past four AFC East titles, although a constant exists in quarterback Josh Allen.
This is a team in transition after moving on from a variety of key veterans, such as wide receiver Stefon Diggs, center Mitch Morse and safety Jordan Poyer, among others. Buffalo has a largely rebuilt wide receiver room, and there will be new starters on both sides of the ball, including likely relying on rookie talent in a way coach Sean McDermott has not often done in the past.
With a challenging schedule, working to defend the division title will have a different look, and how the remaining leaders perform, and what impact the changeover creates, will be crucial to the season. — Alaina Getzenberg
The Dolphins revamped their defense over the offseason and must find a way to jell over the next month and a half. Miami parted ways with six defensive contributors from a season ago, as well as defensive coordinator Vic Fangio. In his place is former Baltimore Ravens defensive line coach Anthony Weaver, who drew rave reviews from Dolphins players throughout OTAs and minicamp for his coaching style and ability to relate to his players.
At the heart of this defense are pass rushers Jaelan Phillips and Bradley Chubb, who are both recovering from season-ending injuries suffered during the second half of 2023. It remains to be seen whether they’ll participate in training camp or be healthy for the start of the 2024 season. If the answer to either of those scenarios is no, then first-round pick Chop Robinson will get a valuable opportunity to show what he can do with additional practice reps. — Marcel Louis-Jacques
Quarterback Drake Maye’s development will be the key storyline. Maye, the No. 3 overall pick, provides the Patriots with hope that a turnaround from last season’s 4-13 effort might not be far off.
At the same time, first-year head coach Jerod Mayo and new offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt have consistently preached patience while making it clear that veteran Jacoby Brissett enters training camp as the starter.
The last time the Patriots were in a similar situation was 2021, with veteran Cam Newton locked into the No. 1 spot and first-round pick Mac Jones behind him. By mid-August, when Newton was sidelined due to COVID-19 considerations and Jones caught fire in a joint practice with the Giants, it was clear that Jones would quickly become the No. 1. Time will tell if something similar unfolds with Maye. — Mike Reiss
Aaron Rodgers’ return from Achilles surgery will capture the spotlight early. After full participation in OTAs, the 40-year-old quarterback has the “all clear” for training camp. Get ready for Rodgers Hype Season 2.0.
The question is, can he be the Rodgers from 2021, when he won the fourth of his four MVPs? We probably won’t know the answer until the regular season, when the game speed increases and his reflexes and instincts — the hallmarks to his game — are put to the test. It may take a few games for him to get his sea legs, so to speak. Once he does, Rodgers will have enough weapons around him (see: WR Garrett Wilson and RB Breece Hall) to lift the offense out of its annual doldrums.
Everything in the Jets’ universe hinges on Rodgers, putting immense pressure on him to revive the franchise. — Rich Cimini
AFC NORTH
1:33
Harry Douglas: Lack of a Super Bowl justifies Lamar Jackson criticism
Harry Douglas and Dan Graziano sound off on whether the criticism of Lamar Jackson throughout his NFL career has been justified.
How much different will the Ravens defense look under new coordinator Zach Orr? In a span of eight years, Orr has gone from being a starting inside linebacker for Baltimore to becoming its new defensive playcaller, replacing Mike Macdonald (new Seahawks head coach). Under Macdonald, the Ravens led the NFL in sacks (60) and takeaways (31) last season while blitzing 21.8% of the time, which was the eighth lowest in the NFL.
Coaches and players have noted that the defense has been more aggressive under Orr during offseason practices. The Ravens likely won’t be going after quarterbacks like they did under former defensive coordinator Wink Martindale, but they probably will be sending extra pass rushers more than Macdonald did.
The Ravens have a high standard of excellence on defense. Baltimore has finished in the top three in fewest points allowed for five of the past six seasons. — Jamison Hensley
Everything depends on Joe Burrow’s health. Burrow, entering his fifth season, has never had a normal training camp. In 2023, Burrow suffered a strained right calf that plagued him for weeks and was something he wishes he handled differently. This year, he’s recovering from surgery to repair his right (throwing) wrist.
The team managed his workload during the back half of the offseason program by resting him on certain days. If Burrow can go through training camp with zero setbacks, it’s a great sign he will be 100% healthy for Week 1, something he hasn’t been since his rookie year in 2020.
When Burrow has been at his best, so have the Bengals. Between Weeks 6 and 10 of last season, the Bengals were in the top quarter in points per drive (fifth), touchdowns per drive (fifth) and red zone efficiency (tied for fourth) and had wins over San Francisco and Buffalo. — Ben Baby
The Browns made notable moves in the offseason to continue building around quarterback Deshaun Watson — hiring Ken Dorsey as offensive coordinator and trading for wide receiver Jerry Jeudy. But the installation of the new scheme was a bit stunted during the offseason workout program because of Watson’s limited participation as he continued to rehab from shoulder surgery he had November.
Cleveland was also without multiple top playmakers. Wide receiver Amari Cooper skipped minicamp because of a contract dispute, and Jeudy dealt with a minor injury. Running back Nick Chubb also remained sidelined by the significant knee surgery he sustained last September.
There’s internal optimism in the new offense, which is bridging Dorsey’s pass concepts with head coach Kevin Stefanski’s run game roots. But the Browns need a healthy Watson and their full complement of skill position players to realize the offense’s potential. — Daniel Oyefusi
How will the offense look with wholesale changes at quarterback and offensive coordinator? Though the coaching staff hasn’t officially named Russell Wilson the starter over Justin Fields, all signs from the Steelers’ offseason program point to the 13-year veteran starting Week 1.
But that doesn’t mean that all the offensive questions are answered. How will the 35-year-old perform in Arthur Smith’s system? Do the Steelers still need a No. 2 receiver behind George Pickens? How will Smith balance the workload between Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren?
The Steelers have the pieces to build an offense that complements one of the league’s best defenses, but training camp will begin to dictate how — and if — those pieces fit together to create the kind of offensive success that’s eluded the Steelers for much of the past five seasons. — Brooke Pryor
AFC SOUTH
Will the Texans’ defense be better in Year 2 under DeMeco Ryans?
Barring any major injuries, an offensive unit with quarterback C.J. Stroud, left tackle Laremy Tunsil, receivers Nico Collins, Tank Dell and Stefon Diggs, along with running back Joe Mixon, should be effective. The Texans’ defense added end Danielle Hunter and linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair, but there are questions at defensive tackle and cornerback. Their cornerback group will have competition to see who will start across from Derek Stingley Jr. It will be between Jeff Okudah, C.J. Henderson, and 2024 second-round pick Kamari Lassiter.
Also, the Texans replaced both of their 2023 starting defensive tackles. The cohesion of the defense could make-or-break the Texans’ 2024 season. — DJ Bien-Aime
How far can QB Anthony Richardson take the Colts? Indianapolis improved by five wins in 2023 and fell just one win shy of a postseason berth. Now, with Richardson back in the lineup after missing 13 games with an AC joint sprain in his right shoulder, how much can he build on the tantalizing preview he showed during his short time under center last season? And how much can he propel the Colts in the competitive AFC?
The Colts seem to believe Richardson can truly elevate the team, considering the decision to re-sign nearly all of their in-house free agents while electing to bypass significant moves in free agency and the trade market. If Richardson can become less streaky and stay healthy this season, and if coach Shane Steichen continues to prove his playcalling prowess, Richardson might just prove the Colts right. — Stephen Holder
The Jaguars paid Trevor Lawrence like a franchise QB. Will he play like one? Cutting down his turnovers (60, more than any other player over the past three seasons) is the top priority, followed by staying healthy. (He had four injuries last year and another in 2022.)
The Jaguars did lose WR Calvin Ridley and cut WR Zay Jones but added veteran Gabe Davis and rookie Brian Thomas Jr., so it could take time for him to adjust to the revamped receiver group.
Lawrence has played at a high level in stretches — five consecutive games last season with a passer rating of 91.1 or better (four higher than 100), but he has yet to do that over a full season. There’s even more pressure on Lawrence to play at an elite level now after the emergence of the Texans and C.J. Stroud in the AFC South. — Michael DiRocco
The Titans made strides to build a team around second-year quarterback Will Levis. Yes, the team lost Pro Bowl running back Derrick Henry, but it signed free agent Tony Pollard to form a one-two punch with Tyjae Spears. Tennessee also bolstered the wide receiver group by adding the top free agent wide receiver in Calvin Ridley and a steady veteran presence in Tyler Boyd.
Levis will be protected by an offensive line that gets a boost from No. 7 overall pick JC Latham and free agent center Lloyd Cushenberry. The onus is on Levis to show that he is capable of taking his game to the next level and showing the Titans that he can be their franchise QB. It all starts with training camp. — Turron Davenport
AFC WEST
Until coach Sean Payton picks his starting quarterback, the three-man competition for the job will provide plenty of camouflage for almost anything else happening with the Broncos. Rookie QB Bo Nix (No. 12 pick), Zach Wilson (acquired from the Jets) and Jarrett Stidham split the work evenly throughout the offseason program and minicamp, but many people around the team think Payton will ultimately go with Nix — the first quarterback Payton has ever selected before the third round as a head coach.
The Broncos’ search for an answer at QB in the post-Peyton Manning era has mirrored their current eight-year playoff drought; whomever wins the job will be the 14th player to start a game behind center for Denver since the start of the 2016 season. — Jeff Legwold
Will the wide receivers improve significantly? The Chiefs added Marquise Brown in free agency and drafted Xavier Worthy in the first round to help a position group that was a major disappointment last season. But Brown is three seasons removed from his best NFL season (91 catches, 1,008 yards for the Ravens in 2021) and Worthy is a rookie.
Should expectations be limited?
Rashee Rice was the team’s best wide receiver as a rookie last season by a wide margin, but he could face a suspension stemming from his involvement in a high-speed car crash during the offseason. The Chiefs are looking for bounceback seasons from Kadarius Toney and Skyy Moore, especially if Rice is suspended. Both were among their most disappointing players last season. — Adam Teicher
Can a more fearsome defense carry a lackluster offense? The Raiders’ defense figures to be a strength, given it is entering its third season in the same scheme under defensive coordinator Patrick Graham and is returning 10 starters from a unit that held opponents to a league-low 16.0 points per game. Las Vegas also scored a league-high four defensive TDs after coach Antonio Pierce took over in Week 9, and it added a premier pass-rushing defensive tackle in Christian Wilkins.
The Raiders’ offense, which has star power of its own in three-time first-team All-Pro receiver Davante Adams, is going to have to carry its own weight, especially at quarterback. Which means either second-year returner Aidan O’Connell or vagabond veteran Gardner Minshew will have to look significantly better than they did in OTAs and minicamp. And fast. Even as they install a new scheme under new OC Luke Getsy. — Paul Gutierrez
Are the Chargers good enough at receiver to contend? This offseason, the Chargers went from having perhaps one of the league’s best wide receiver pairings to arguably the worst. With receivers Keenan Allen and Mike Williams gone, as well as running back Austin Ekeler and tight end Gerald Everett, the Chargers will look to younger, unproven players to contribute offensively.
The goal for the Chargers’ offense this season will be to develop a dominant running game, but they have also emphasized the importance of being balanced on offense with a reliable passing offense. Herbert is one of the league’s best quarterbacks, and the Chargers will rely heavily on him to elevate their receivers, which includes former first-round pick Quentin Johnston, Joshua Palmer, and rookie Ladd McConkey. How the Chargers’ receivers fare this season will likely be the difference between this team being average or a contender. — Kris Rhim
NFC EAST
Does “all-in” mean win-or-else? Jerry Jones did not follow the traditional meaning of all-in with the Cowboys’ offseason approach to adding to the roster, but he is all-in on coach Mike McCarthy, the entire coaching staff and QB Dak Prescott. They are all entering the final year of their respective contracts, even the new coaches, like defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer.
The Cowboys have won 36 games the past three years but have not gotten past the divisional round of the playoffs with McCarthy and Prescott. If they don’t get it done this year, will either be back in 2025? Jones has done this sort of thing before with his coach. In 2014, Jason Garrett was entering the final year of his deal without making the playoffs from 2011 to 2013. The Cowboys went 12-4 and lost in the divisional round … to McCarthy’s Green Bay Packers. It earned Garrett a five-year deal. — Todd Archer
The focus all season, including in training camp, will be on Daniel Jones and the unsettled quarterback position. General manager Joe Schoen was on “Hard Knocks: Offseason with the New York Giants” this summer saying the “plan all along was to give [Jones] a couple years: Is he our guy for the next 10 years or do we need to pivot and find somebody else?”
Jones is coming off a torn ACL in his right knee. He will need to have a huge year for the Giants to continue on with him as their starter after flirting with other options in this year’s draft. It’s a massive season for Jones, Schoen and coach Brian Daboll. It will go a long way in determining their futures. — Jordan Raanan
How quickly will QB Jalen Hurts take to the new scheme? After a season in which head coach Nick Sirianni, offensive coordinator Brian Johnson and Hurts struggled to sync up, Johnson was fired and Sirianni ceded more control of the offense to Kellen Moore, Johnson’s replacement.
“I think the goal coming in was to learn Kellen’s offense and to master it, and I think that’s been a process, and by the end of it, I want it to be mine and have it in my own way,” Hurts said this spring.
Hurts has had little schematic continuity during his college and pro career. The only time he had the same playcaller in back-to-back seasons was Shane Steichen in 2021 and ’22, resulting in a near-MVP campaign and a Super Bowl appearance. The positive is that change is nothing new for Hurts. If he can get this system down in short order, there’s enough talent to field a championship-caliber offense. — Tim McManus
Quarterback Jayden Daniels’ development will be the biggest storyline all season. The No. 2 pick has become the latest in a decades-long line of quarterbacks hoping to revitalize the franchise.
Daniels impressed teammates and coaches with his approach in the spring, from his study habits to his on-field decision-making and accuracy. But in camp he’ll have to play at a faster pace once the pads come on, and when they face the New York Jets and Miami Dolphins in joint practices. Facing new defenses will provide good measuring sticks.
Washington wants to reduce the pressure on Daniels via the run game and defense. But if he shows growth, the franchise will know it’s in good hands for the future. — John Keim
NFC NORTH
1:00
Is there extra pressure on Caleb Williams this season?
Herm Edwards and Dan Graziano discuss their expectations for Caleb Williams and the Chicago Bears this season.
It’s hard to argue that Caleb Williams isn’t in a great situation for a quarterback drafted with the No. 1 overall pick. The former USC Heisman Trophy winner is surrounded by two 1,000-yard wide receivers (DJ Moore and Keenan Allen) and No. 9 draft pick Rome Odunze. And Pro Bowl running back D’Andre Swift is coming off his best season.
Under Chicago’s new offensive coordinator, Shane Waldron, Seattle offenses ranked seventh in designed pass percentage the past two seasons, compared to the Bears ranking 30th.
The Bears’ defense is eyeing top-tier status after emerging as one of the better units during the second half of the 2023 season, fueled by the addition of pass rusher Montez Sweat and the emergence of a young secondary that helped Chicago finished tied for a league-best 22 interceptions.
Everything surrounding the 22-year-old Williams suggests major improvements in Chicago, where the Bears have only made the playoffs twice since 2011. Getting there won’t be easy in a competitive NFC North, but it finally feels like the team has the talent to move past the rebuilding stage and into the category of contenders. — Courtney Cronin
Is WR Jameson Williams poised for a big leap? The 2024 season could be a make-or-break one for the 12th overall pick of the 2022 draft.
During OTAs in May, Lions coach Dan Campbell lauded Williams as the team’s most improved player. “He is a man on a mission,” Campbell said. “And I’m just gonna leave it at that.” As a rookie, Williams missed 11 games while recovering from an ACL injury, and he was suspended for the first four games of last season for violating the NFL’s gambling policy. But he is expected to enter this year’s training camp fully healthy with his sights set on unlocking his potential. — Eric Woodyard
What can Jordan Love and the offense do in Year 2? By most measures, Love was one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL over the final eight games of the 2023 regular season with 18 touchdowns, one interception and a completion rate north of 70%. Most importantly, he led the Packers to the second weekend of the playoffs. This after an inconsistent start to his first season as the starting quarterback.
Love has just about every skill position player back other than running back Aaron Jones, who has been replaced by Josh Jacobs. Still, there have been questions about the Packers’ lack of a true WR1 — or whether they actually need one. “I personally don’t think it matters,” Packers coach Matt LaFleur said. “I think if you just look at it throughout the course of a season ago — and every season’s going to be a little bit different — but all those guys had their moments where they were the leading receiver in a game. I feel really good about the collective unit.”
Love won’t be practicing until he gets a contract extension, and the Packers are optimistic a deal will get done. — Rob Demovsky
What is J.J. McCarthy’s short-term future? It’s inevitable that McCarthy, the No. 10 overall pick in the draft, will one day ascend to the starting job. But Sam Darnold is the clear No. 1 quarterback entering training camp, making the question less about whether McCarthy will overtake him by Week 1 and more about when — or if — he will get on the field as a rookie.
There is a general sense that top-10 picks should play right away, but you have to go back only to 2017 to find a relevant example. That year, the Kansas City Chiefs kept Patrick Mahomes (also selected at No. 10) behind veteran Alex Smith until a meaningless game in the final week of the regular season.
The Vikings have been careful to keep their plan for McCarthy as open-ended as possible. They’re not ruling him out of a training camp competition, but they also would be far from disappointed if he spends most of his rookie season on the sideline. — Kevin Seifert
NFC SOUTH
All eyes will be on the health of Kirk Cousins. There is a cautious optimism the Falcons could be on the verge of their first winning season since 2017. The team won seven games last year with young playmakers on offense and a good offensive line, yet subpar quarterback play. Cousins could be the missing piece on that side of the ball.
But the optimism would be dashed if the veteran is not 100% after tearing his right Achilles last October. Cousins and the Falcons don’t believe there will be issues, but Cousins turns 36 this summer, and those kinds of injuries can be hard to predict.
And then there’s the elephant in the quarterback room. If Cousins does miss time in training camp, how quickly will new coach Raheem Morris look to give No. 8 overall pick Michael Penix Jr. reps with the starters? — Marc Raimondi
Will Bryce Young bounce back from a forgettable rookie season? The offseason has been all about putting Young in position to justify the 2023 trade with the Bears for the No. 1 overall pick to draft the former Alabama star. Even the hiring of head coach Dave Canales, who has helped turn around Baker Mayfield, Geno Smith and Russell Wilson, was about fixing Young.
If Young doesn’t improve, then all the pieces added around him will feel like a failure. Canales insists his goal isn’t to “fix” Young but to build a team that allows Young to simply “do his part.” But if Young can’t do his part, which will require a big leap from a rookie season in which he ranked near the bottom of almost every key NFL statistic for quarterbacks, then Carolina could be looking for Young’s replacement in 2025. — David Newton
What’s in store for the draft class of 2017? The three remaining players on the roster from the Saints’ stellar 2017 draft class all come to camp with questions about their future. Ryan Ramczyk will miss the season with a serious knee injury, leading to questions about the future of his career. Alvin Kamara left minicamp early with contract issues lingering. Marshon Lattimore appears to be moving forward after being the subject of trade rumors all spring.
Kamara’s arrival will be the biggest thing to watch after the abrupt ending to minicamp. Kamara missed five practices in the summer of 2020 prior to getting a new contract. — Katherine Terrell
Can quarterback Baker Mayfield not only replicate last year’s success but take another step forward now that he’s found a long-term home with the Bucs?
The team has done everything it feasibly can — outside of locking up All-Pro left tackle Tristan Wirfs long term — to set him up for a successful year. They hired his former Los Angeles Rams offensive coordinator Liam Coen to help build upon what former offensive coordinator Dave Canales started. They re-signed Pro Bowler Mike Evans, and grabbed center Graham Barton in the first round of the draft, along with wide receiver Jalen McMillan, running back Bucky Irving and guard Elijah Klein. They also signed free agent interior offensive linemen Sua Opeta and Ben Bredeson.
Now it’s on Mayfield to deliver. — Jenna Laine
NFC WEST
What kind of jump can the Cardinals take in Year 2 under Jonathan Gannon? Half of last season didn’t really count for Arizona. The first nine games were spent waiting for Kyler Murray, who returned in Week 10 from an ACL injury. By that point, the Cardinals had won just one game with Joshua Dobbs and Clayton Tune at quarterback.
Murray then led Arizona to three wins in eight games. But what stood out about last year’s team was how hard it played all season and how competitive it was throughout the year when the roster clearly wasn’t up to par. It lost five games by seven points or fewer.
With a rebuilt roster, another stout draft from general manager Monti Ossenfort, the return of Murray for an entire offseason and a strategic approach to free agency, the Cardinals have the ingredients to make a sizable jump in Gannon’s second season, getting enough of a boost to compete for a wild-card spot. — Josh Weinfuss
How will the Rams replace Aaron Donald? Sean McVay has been clear since Donald retired in March that there won’t be just one player who can replace the future Hall of Famer, and that the Rams needed to figure out how they can put together a group that can replace his production.
Los Angeles is counting on second-year defensive lineman Kobie Turner, who led NFL rookies in sacks last season, to take another step forward this season. The Rams also used their first two picks of the draft on their defensive front: defensive end Jared Verse in the first round and college teammate Braden Fiske in the second.
During OTAs, new defensive coordinator Chris Shula said it’s “going to be a committee approach in emphasizing those guys’ strengths and having those guys rush as a unit and rush together.” The Rams had 41 sacks last season, which was tied for the ninth fewest in the NFL. — Sarah Barshop
Is this finally the year the 49ers break through and win the Super Bowl? If this sounds like the same top storyline of the past four years, it’s because it is. The Niners have been to two Super Bowls and four NFC Championships in the past five years without winning the big one.
With quarterback Brock Purdy eligible for a lucrative contract extension for the first time after the 2024 season, this is probably the final chance for this nucleus of stars to win the franchise’s sixth Lombardi Trophy together. One way or another, some significant changes are on the horizon. The extent of those changes will be determined by whether these 49ers can get the job done. — Nick Wagoner
The Mike Macdonald era begins. Stuck in a rut of mediocrity, the Seahawks fired Pete Carroll and hired the 37-year-old Macdonald in January, replacing the most successful head coach in franchise history with the youngest head coach in the NFL and one of the league’s brightest defensive minds.
Their post-Carroll power structure changed as well, with longtime GM John Schneider now holding final say over personnel decisions as well as oversight of Macdonald’s staff, which includes three coordinators — who haven’t held those positions in the NFL — in addition to a first-time head coach. What does recent history say about Seattle’s chances of competing this season after its 9-8 finish a year ago? From 2014 to 2023, NFL teams hired 37 head coaches who hadn’t previously held that title in college or the pros. Of those 37, 13 posted winning records and made the playoffs in Year 1. Twelve of them did so after finishing below .500 the year before. — Brady Henderson