Football is finally here with training camps commencing across the league this week.
It means the most pertinent questions begin to get answered. How will the rookie quarterbacks like Jayden Daniels or new faces in new places like Kirk Cousins look? How will Anthony Richardson or Joe Burrow fare coming off injuries? Are there any contract impasses to follow? What about the fresh wrinkles from new head coaches like Jim Harbaugh in Los Angeles or coordinators like Kellen Moore in Philadelphia?
The Athletic’s NFL staff compiled one major question for each NFL team as camp begins. These are the talking points to follow with the Hall of Fame Game just 10 days away.
Can Kyler Murray elevate the organization?
Apologies upfront. This question has been presented in this space before but has yet to be fully answered. There are several reasons — an ACL injury, a coaching change, subpar receivers — but Murray himself is the biggest. He has had strong moments, but not nearly enough. Entering Year 6, this is his time. Concerns about Murray’s leadership and preparation have faded. Coaches and teammates rave about the quarterback’s commitment and drive. He is healthy. His supporting cast is better. And he understands what it means to be the face of the franchise. The next step is the biggest. — Doug Haller
Was quarterback really the only missing piece?
The Falcons have lived the last three years under the assumption that if they had consistently good quarterback play, their offense would come alive thanks to its young skill position talent and highly paid offensive line. Matt Ryan’s final year in Atlanta, followed by basically a season each from Marcus Mariota and Desmond Ridder, didn’t provide that. Kirk Cousins, who signed as a free agent in the offseason, should. That’s why Atlanta gave him a guaranteed $100 million. Now the Falcons find out if Kyle Pitts, Drake London and Bijan Robinson are as good as they’ve been saying all this time. — Josh Kendall
Will the Ravens be able to piece together a strong offensive line?
With two-time league MVP Lamar Jackson leading an offense that now has Derrick Henry, an emerging No. 1 receiver in Zay Flowers and two dangerous pass-catching tight ends in Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely, the Ravens have the makings of an offense that could be highly productive and tough to defend. For things to come together, Baltimore must be excellent up front. Yet, the offensive line starts training camp as a work in progress. The Ravens have three starting spots up for grabs and at least two of them, if not all three, could be filled by a first-time starter. — Jeff Zrebiec
Will kicker Tyler Bass avoid the yips?
Perhaps it’s a show of confidence, but the Bills decided not to bring in another kicker this offseason. Once considered automatic, Bass increasingly struggled as last season wore on. He was perfect through the first five weeks and then missed three of his next four field goal attempts, all wide right from 52, 53 and 42 yards. A week after missing an extra point, he made only two of his four FG tries (one blocked, the other wide right again) in a Week 12 overtime loss to the Eagles. Bass was abysmal in the playoffs, making only two of his five field goals. He was wide left from just 27 yards against the Steelers. With the Bills desperate to tie the Chiefs with 1:43 to play, he sent his 44-yard attempt wide right yet again, ending their season. — Tim Graham
Can Bryce Young be the guy?
The Panthers spent a ton of draft capital and traded DJ Moore to Chicago to take Young first overall. Young’s rookie season was a disaster, as the Panthers finished last in total offense and tied with the Patriots as the worst-scoring offense at 13.9 ppg. Young had the league’s worst passer rating but also had poor pass protection and receivers who couldn’t separate from coverage. The Panthers fortified the O-line by signing free agent guards Robert Hunt and Damien Lewis to big contracts. They also gave Young a few playmakers by trading for Diontae Johnson and drafting Xavier Legette and Jonathon Brooks. Now it’s up to Young to prove he can be a franchise QB like friend and former AAU basketball rival C.J. Stroud. — Joseph Person
How well will Caleb Williams play as a rookie?
The Bears have built a favorable situation for Williams to join. He’s surrounded by talent: Moore, Keenan Allen and Rome Odunze, tight ends Cole Kmet and Gerald Everett, running back D’Andre Swift and right tackle Darnell Wright. He has an experienced play caller in Shane Waldron. The Bears should also have one of the better defenses under coach Matt Eberflus. The expectations should be high for Williams and the Bears this season. — Adam Jahns
Will Joe Burrow look like himself?
Ask this question daily for the rest of his career and it wouldn’t be too much. Health feels like the only obstacle in front of Burrow, narrowly missing MVPs and championships in his first four seasons. If he can show the same pinpoint accuracy and necessary velocity in recovering from his rare wrist injury in camp, everyone in Cincinnati will exhale and prepare for a title run. All went well in the offseason program, but now will be the time to judge — not to mention avoiding another random ailment (ACL, appendectomy, calf) clouding his August and September for yet another year. — Paul Dehner Jr.
What are the Browns going to get from Deshaun Watson?
Pardon the exhaustion and repetitiveness; this has been the big question for three summers now. The Browns are coming off a playoff season but Watson is coming off November shoulder surgery. The folks in charge have spent big and feel a sense of urgency to win now, and in a loaded AFC (and AFC North), the Browns will only reach their ceiling if Watson is consistently available and playing at a high level. Amari Cooper’s contract status and Nick Chubb’s rehab are major questions, too, but the Browns know they have a good team. They also know that Watson mixing efficiency with the occasional bit of explosiveness is the best way to return to the playoffs and establish themselves as a true AFC contender. — Zac Jackson
How will Mike Zimmer use Micah Parsons?
Obviously, we can go the easy route with the handful of contract situations, headlined by a potential CeeDee Lamb holdout, but let’s get a little deeper and look at the pending new look on defense. The Cowboys brought back Mike Zimmer following Dan Quinn’s departure to Washington and a lot of attention justifiably goes to how Zimmer improves the run defense. However, how Zimmer goes about using his best defensive player between pass rusher and linebacker, or both, will go a long way in dictating how different the Cowboys’ defense may look than what it’s been in recent years. — Saad Yousuf
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Will Bo Nix look the part as a rookie quarterback?
You don’t draft a 24-year-old quarterback with 61 college starts to have him sit for a season, especially when there isn’t an established answer at the position ahead of him. Even if Nix doesn’t win the race with Jarrett Stidham and Zach Wilson to become the Week 1 starter, he’ll undoubtedly see the field at some point during his rookie season. When he does, Nix must show he can push the ball down the field in critical situations, limit drive-altering mistakes like he did at Oregon and generally provide confidence that he’s ready to pilot an efficient offense by 2025. If he can do those things, the Broncos can count the transition year ahead as a success. — Nick Kosmider
Is this the year Detroit’s secondary comes together?
The Lions’ defense has yet to match its explosive offense in the Dan Campbell-Aaron Glenn era. The secondary, in particular, has been brutal. With the team so close to a Super Bowl appearance last season, the front office addressed those defensive needs — bringing in Carlton Davis III, Terrion Arnold, Amik Robertson and Ennis Rakestraw Jr. to bolster the position. All four are DBs with a challenge mindset who fit the man-heavy style Glenn likes to play. It’s a strong position on paper. At the same time, it’s too early to anoint this group. We need to see it perform. — Colton Pouncy
Will a change in defensive coordinator produce better results?
After three years of underwhelming relative to its individual talent, Green Bay’s defense has a new maestro in former Boston College head coach Jeff Hafley. Players have heaped praise on the 45-year-old this offseason and he carries a reputation of playing aggressive, getting after the quarterback and being a back-end specialist. But will all the good offseason vibes surrounding head coach Matt LaFleur’s surprise hire translate to on-field production for a team with Super Bowl aspirations? — Matt Schneidman
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Can C.J. Stroud avoid the sophomore slump?
Last season, quarterback C.J. Stroud delivered one of the most impressive rookie campaigns in NFL history. His efforts helped the Texans win the AFC South and reach the playoffs. Now, he’ll be expected to further elevate his game and his team. Stroud and the Texans won’t be able to sneak up on anyone. Rival coordinators have spent the offseason scheming on ways to contain him. Stroud and offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik must find ways to remain a step ahead of the competition. Questions remain about the Texans’ offensive line quality, but the franchise has invested in wide receivers and defensive playmakers. Can Stroud do his part to keep the ascension going? — Mike Jones
Can Anthony Richardson stay healthy?
Richardson is widely beloved in Indianapolis despite playing just four games, albeit an impressive four games, throughout his rookie season. An unlucky hit cut his first year short, but his inability to stay healthy dates back to high school. An AC joint injury prematurely ended Richardson’s senior season at Eastside High in Florida. He had repeated hamstring issues and underwent knee surgery at Florida. Then, he sustained another season-ending AC joint injury last year. The Colts still view Richardson as their franchise QB, although he must remain on the field to prove it. — James Boyd
Where do the Jaguars truly stand in the AFC pecking order?
They seemed so, so close to establishing themselves as a conference power early in 2023, but a rash of missteps coincided with the Texans’ rapid ascension. Are they still a team that makes too many unforced errors on offense, or was that just a sign of a group that wasn’t truly ready to make the leap? Or was it as simple as Trevor Lawrence’s inability to lift his supporting cast while trying to play through a handful of challenging injuries? If Lawrence stays healthy and the defensive changes yield improvements, the Jaguars should challenge the Texans for the division title. Otherwise, ceding AFC South control after a brief taste of success will be tough to swallow for a fan base that’s been starved for annual consistency. More than that, the wild-card chase in the AFC is expected to be brutal, so a drop into that pool makes it challenging to return to the playoffs. — Jeff Howe
Kansas City Chiefs
Who will protect Patrick Mahomes’ blind side?
The lone major position battle for the Chiefs is at left tackle, the premium position where the player is most responsible for protecting Mahomes’ blind side. The two players competing are rookie Kingsley Suamataia and second-year player Wanya Morris. During mandatory minicamp, the Chiefs gave more first-team repetitions to Suamataia to help prepare him for training camp. Morris was solid in four starts as a rookie but showed he needed to improve as a pass protector. Suamataia appears to be the more athletic option for the Chiefs if he can show progress throughout training camp. The winner of this battle might not be decided until after the Chiefs’ second preseason game, often when coach Andy Reid plays the projected starters for most of the first half. — Nate Taylor
Can Raiders cornerbacks hold up, and when is the new one showing up?
What, you thought we would say something about the quarterbacks? Excuse our skepticism, but does it really matter if Aidan O’Connell or Gardner Minshew is starting the opener? The margin is slim, and both likely start games this season. If the Raiders are going to advance to the playoffs for the third time in 22 years, it will be because of the defense. Maxx Crosby and Christian Wilkins lead a deep, robust defensive line, and the linebackers and safeties are fine. The question is at corner. Jack Jones made many plays in the last half of the season, but are we sure he is a No. 1 corner? Nate Hobbs is a tough player better suited for the slot, while Brandon Facyson has been an inconsistent role player his whole career. Jakorian Bennett hopes to build off a good offseason after a rough rookie year. Perhaps free agents Xavien Howard, Adoree’ Jackson, Stephon Gilmore, Patrick Peterson or J.C. Jackson might be interested in not paying any state taxes. — Vic Tafur
How will Justin Herbert fit into a Jim Harbaugh offense?
Since Harbaugh was hired as head coach in February, he and his offensive staff have been explicit about their offensive plan. They want to run the ball and build what offensive coordinator Greg Roman called a “strong, powerful identity.” The Chargers also have one of the most talented throwers in the league in Herbert. Will Harbaugh be able to maximize Herbert’s arm talent while still cultivating the offense — schematically and philosophically — that he believes in? How will the staff at large create the balance they hope to achieve? That will come into focus during camp when the pads come on and the run game can truly be tested. — Daniel Popper
Can the revived Rams make a real run?
The Rams gutted most of their roster and generally were the butt of the joke of the NFL’s 2023 offseason and preseason. But behind special play from quarterback Matthew Stafford, the breakout of then-rookie receiver Puka Nacua and running back Kyren Williams, the team made the playoffs when most predictions had them winning four to six games total. Momentum can be a fickle friend, but this group certainly had it after their bye week last season and wants to build into an actual contender this fall. Health is always a worry — Stafford and star receiver Cooper Kupp are getting older and have respective lengthy injury histories, and Stafford’s contract situation needs a resolution. Questions also loom about a young, developing defense now minus Aaron Donald, under new coordinator Chris Shula. Still, if the Rams can stay healthy they’ll be a tough out all year. — Jourdan Rodrigue
Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel talks to cornerback Jalen Ramsey (5) during the team’s mandatory minicamp in June. (Sam Navarro / USA Today)
Can Miami finally snap its 24-year playoff drought?
Coach Mike McDaniel’s offenses have taken the league by storm two years running, only to see their hot starts fade into distant memories come January. The Dolphins have been unceremoniously ousted from the playoffs in the wild-card round in back-to-back seasons, including a 26-7 thrashing at the hands of the Kansas City Chiefs last year. The loss pushed their playoff winless streak to 24 years. Will this be the year the Dolphins finally get over the hump? McDaniel isn’t afraid to face his team’s failures — historically and in the present — but if Miami can’t advance to at least the second round of the playoffs for a third straight year, he might have some more difficult questions to answer in January. — Jim Ayello
Are the Vikings finished adding talent for 2024?
The Vikings revamped their defense in free agency. They added two potential franchise cornerstones in J.J. McCarthy and Dallas Turner through the draft. But holes still exist — specifically, on the defensive line, at cornerback, the interior offensive line and potentially at receiver. Minnesota has cap space. Over The Cap currently projects the Vikings around $26 million, though that figure does not include the hits of McCarthy or Turner, nor money budgeted for later in the year. Do the Vikings want to squeeze their available funds for 2024 or add more flexibility for 2025 and beyond? They might do both, but how that looks into training camp will be fascinating to watch. — Alec Lewis
Can Drake Maye beat out Jacoby Brissett?
Success for the Patriots in 2024 isn’t determined by wins and losses but by how Maye, the No. 3 overall pick, looks. For now, they’ve signaled that they are content with Brissett starting and Maye likely replacing him at some point in the season. But this will be Maye’s first extended chance to show coaches what he can do. If the competition between him and Brissett is a virtual tie, Brissett is probably the starter. But can Maye do enough to leave no doubt that he should be under center from the very beginning? — Chad Graff
Can Klint Kubiak bring more life to the offense?
Of all the rumored candidates, Kubiak seemed like the best hire the Saints could make as their offensive coordinator to replace Pete Carmichael. He’ll be the first leading offensive voice without a Sean Payton connection in New Orleans since the 2005 season. So while the voice may be fresh, how much spark can Kubiak provide for players like Derek Carr, Alvin Kamara, Chris Olave, Taysom Hill and company? Carr seemed to be playing his best football in a Saints uniform toward the end of last year. But he’s no longer the best quarterback lurking in the division with Kirk Cousins in Atlanta. Throw in a questionable offensive line and Kubiak’s task to turn a mediocre group into a top flight unit seems challenging. — Larry Holder
Will the offensive line actually be improved?
The Giants have made an annual tradition of trying — and failing — to fix their offensive line every offseason for the past decade. The latest plan involved signing veterans Jon Runyan and Jermaine Eluemunor to mid-level contracts to solidify the guard spots. Meanwhile, the Giants are counting on 2022 first-round pick Evan Neal and 2023 second-round pick John Michael Schmitz to live up to their draft stock at right tackle and center, respectively. The offensive line assuredly can’t be worse than last season when it allowed the second-most sacks in NFL history. But will this group develop into an actual quality unit? The answer to that question will go a long way to determining the fate of the Giants this season. — Dan Duggan
When will Mike Williams return — and how will he look?
The free-agent wideout tore his ACL last September with the Chargers and will open his first Jets training camp on the PUP list. That has been the plan all along, but now it’s fair to wonder when Williams will actually return to the field, when he will be a full-go and how he will look when he’s back. Some players respond better to ACL surgery than others. Running back Breece Hall was stellar in 2023 post-surgery, as an example. Williams’ game is predicated on downfield speed and winning 50/50 balls. The Jets took a gamble signing Williams in hopes that he’d return to form as one of the NFL’s best deep threats and provide support for Garrett Wilson as the No. 2 receiver — as Wilson has gotten little to no support from his wide receiver teammates the last two years. Williams will be an essential part of the offense if healthy. If not, the depth at the position suddenly doesn’t look so good. — Zack Rosenblatt
Philadelphia Eagles
Will the Eagles restore their defense’s reputation?
General manager Howie Roseman and coach Nick Sirianni both said they wanted to regain their toughness and swagger on defense. They plummeted from the NFL’s third-ranked overall defense in 2022 to the league’s 26th in 2023. It was often a disastrous defense under former DC Sean Desai, and it veered deeper into dysfunction when Sirianni replaced Desai with Matt Patricia midseason. Sirianni secured the source of his favored scheme by hiring Vic Fangio, whose old-school approach reveals itself to be a better fit in Philly than in Miami. Roseman invested heavily in defensive players during the offseason. Will a revamped secondary that features C.J. Gardner-Johnson, first-round pick Quinyon Mitchell and second-round pick Cooper DeJean cut down on explosive plays? — Brooks Kubena
Pittsburgh Steelers
Will Russell Wilson find the fountain of youth?
Wilson turns 36 in November and you can pretty much count on one hand how many quarterbacks that age have won championships. Wilson said at the end of offseason workouts that he found the fountain of youth. He looks the part and works harder than anybody but can that be translated onto the field? How will his skills mesh with new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith’s scheme? Wilson doesn’t have to play like he did during his Super Bowl days in Seattle but he needs to be a significant upgrade for the Steelers to have any chance of competing for a playoff spot. All eyes will be on Wilson, and he still has the ability to make enough plays to allow the running game of Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren to succeed, as well as a defense full of Pro Bowlers to dominate games. — Mark Kaboly
Can the 49ers reverse trajectory on defense?
The 49ers dropped from the No. 1 to the No. 10 ranking in defensive EPA per play from 2022 to 2023. Their offense, meanwhile, remained elite. If the 49ers can re-establish themselves as a top-3 or at least top-5 team on both sides of the ball, they should be able to live up to their standing as preseason Super Bowl favorites. But if their defense continues struggling against the run (they were No. 26 in EPA per play there last season), there’ll again be a vulnerability for opponents to exploit. The 49ers fired defensive coordinator Steve Wilks, who was only with the team for one season, after the 2023 slide. They’ve also rehauled their defensive line and deepened their secondary. Will all these moves get the defense back on the right track? That might be the ultimate key for a team facing enormous pressure to win it all. — David Lombardi
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What will the offense look like?
While much of the Seahawks’ offensive personnel will be familiar, everything else is new. Coordinator Ryan Grubb has never worked in the NFL. The offense he ran at the University of Washington provides a general template. Coach Mike Macdonald has never been a head coach previously, so it’s less clear how he might influence offensive style. The most prominent offensive assistant, passing-game coordinator Jake Peetz, has worked under Sean McVay and Norv Turner, but it’s unclear what his influence might be. — Mike Sando
How will coordinator change affect Baker Mayfield and the Bucs’ offense?
Mayfield had a career year under Dave Canales, but there is room for growth with new coordinator Liam Coen, with whom Mayfield worked for a short time with the Rams two years ago. Mayfield will be given more authority at the line of scrimmage than he had, which could make him more dangerous. He also would benefit if Coen could improve the run game, which ranked 32nd in the NFL one year ago. — Dan Pompei
Will Brian Callahan bring out the best in Will Levis, and what would that mean?
Early indications on this pairing of rookie head coach and second-year quarterback are positive, but there’s work to do. Callahan stressed base and footwork with Levis during the spring to elicit more consistent accuracy. Those efforts will continue into camp, for a team with low expectations overall despite investing a lot in helping Levis — Calvin Ridley, Tyler Boyd, Tony Pollard, Lloyd Cushenberry and first-round pick JC Latham. Callahan has worked closely with Peyton Manning, Matthew Stafford and Joe Burrow on the way to this opportunity. This is his first “project,” but if it’s the start of a long-term partnership, the 2024 Titans should be competitive. — Joe Rexrode
How will Jayden Daniels perform?
This isn’t the first dual-threat, Heisman Trophy-winning rookie QB drafted second overall to come through Washington this century. Say whatever you want about Robert Griffin III’s career, but the 2012 OROY wasn’t helped by the organization’s persistent chaos. Daniels arrives amid a wave of positivity following an ownership sale and new football leadership. There are some concerns with the offensive line and receiver depth. There is also Terry McLaurin, a solid 1-2 RB combo and an arsenal of offensive assistant coaches hired to help the mature Daniels’ adjustment run as smoothly as possible. — Ben Standig
(Illustration: Eamonn Dalton / The Athletic; Photos of Bryce Young, Caleb Williams and Anthony Richardson: Kevin C. Cox, Jared C. Tilton and Michael Reaves / Getty Images)
