“NFL Training Camp–Storylines”

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New faces-New places…New coaches too.

NFL Camps are opening and here’s a look at headlines from each team:

CHARGERS…They have rebuilt the entire defensive front seven with a very strong free agent haul, 7-veteran players on that side of the ball.  Will Khalil Mack on one side, Joey Bosa on the other, make the pass rush fierce?  How good is ex-Patriot CB-JC Jackson,  joining a secondary led by Derwin James?  Does top draft pick Zion Johnson solidify a leaking offensive line?

RAMS..A Super Bowl team undergoing a face-lift.  Will ex Bear Allan Robison replace Robert Woods?  What becomes of Odell Beckham coming off another knee surgery?  How will life after LT-Andrew Whitworth go?  A wafer-thin running back corps-is there depth?  How big an impact will LB-Bobby Wagner have on the Aaron Donald-led defense?  What does the loss of Sebastian Joseph-Day mean to that defensive line?

ARIZONA..Kyler Murray has new offensive weapons around him in WR-Hollywood Brown and AJ Green.  But JJ Watt has alot of injury history and DE-Chandler Jones is gone too.  And there is such history of late season collapses under coach Kliff Kingsbury.

ATLANTA…There is no Matt Ryan at QB-no Julio Jones as WR.  Can Marcus Mariota keep this team competitive as a rebuild begins?  How good will be ex USC-star Drake London be at WR-paired with TE-Kyle Pitts.  Is QB-Desmond Ridder the future?

BALTIMORE…Injuries wrecked the team before they ever got out of training camp.  Will the OL get Ronnie Stanley back?  Who are the heavy duty running backs?  Very young at WR-how does that work out?  Does injured secondary come back healthy?

BUFFALO..Built to be in the Super Bowl, and now they add Von Miller-LB and draft more great athletes for defense.  Is this the year Josh Allen takes them to the Dance?

CAROLINA…Baker Mayfield or Sam Darnold at QB?  Christian McCaffrey’s injury history?  A young rebuilt defense?  How tough a season will it be?  Does the coaching staff survive?

CHICAGO…They tore this team down to the ground, and this year might be tougher on young QB-Justin Fields than his rookie season was. Weak WR group, overhaul on defense.  This will be a long season at Soldier Field

CINCINNATI…A Super Bowl team that probably got better around QB-Joe Burrow.  Now they add three new OL-led by La’El Collins and Alex Kappa to protect him.  They spent two top picks on defensive backs to add to a young group.  Repeat appearance in the bowl game again?

CLEVELAND…Waiting on the QB-Deshaun Watson discipline decision.  He would make them highly competitive on offense.  Without him, this would be a disaster.  The defense can’t play all 60-minutes., but will be deep and good.  Keeping Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt healthy at RB will be a key.

DALLAS…They return intact on offense and add another OT-in Tyler Smith.  The defense won’t have Randy Gregory but they have a ton of athletes.  How much gas does Zeke Elliott have in the tank? Will they miss Amari Cooper?

DENVER…Russell Wilson makes everyone better at QB, giving them something they have not had since the Peyton Manning days.  Von Miller exits at LB but they return a rugged defense and a load of athletes at secondary.  Vic Fangio’s team could be tough.

DETROIT..Jared Goff starts his second year at QB and the talent base continues to improve.  Is DE-Aiden Hutchinson the next JJ Watt?  The Lions hope so.

GREEN BAY..Aaron Rodgers won’t have Davonte Adams and 2-other young pass catchers who left, but they do have heavy duty running backs.  They drafted defense with the 1st and 2nd picks and that side was really good last year.  They will be dangerous.

HOUSTON…Bad last year, bad this year, but adding players.  They added defense thru the draft, and Derek Stingley will play immediately.  Do they have enough firepower to move the ball-maybe with an improved OL.  They need RB-Marlon Mack to have a huge season.

INDIANAPOLIS..Matt Ryan will be everything Carson Wentz was not.  They need to keep OL healthy after last year’s injury issues.  And they have to hope LB-Darius Leonard’s back issues are solved.  CB-Stephon Gilmour joins the defense but their firepower will be will be fun to watch.

JACKSONVILLE…New leadership, head coach Doug Pederson and QB coach Mike McCoy will have a huge impact on 2nd year QB-Trevor Lawrence.  Importing WRs Zay Jones-Chris Kirk and TE-Evan Ingram will help.  The same with top draft pick DT-Davon Walker.  Expect a jump in the standings.

KANSAS CITY…Goodbye Tyreek Hill, does that mean good bye chunk plays?  They don’t think so because JuJu Smith and Marquez Scantling made big players elsewhere.  Patrick Mahomes has his OL back intact after a solid year and there is Travis Kelce.  Watch for rookie WR-Skye Moore and the newcomers in the secondary on defense.  Good-but might be a different team.

RAIDERS…A great combo of Coach Josh McDaniels and QB-Derek Carr, but there are so many new pieces that have to fit together.  Davonte Adams mixing with Darren Waller and Hunter Renfrew will be fund to watch.  They continue to try to fix the offensive line, and now they are trying to patch the defense together again, hoping to get help get great play on the back seven that might match Maxx Crosby and Chandler Jones.

MIAMI..Tua Tagovailoa gets help in superstar Tyreek Hill, WR-Cedric Wilson  and LT-Terron Amsted, but new coach Mike McDonald needs more defensive help.  This might be a real mystery of a team despite the off season free agent deals.

MINNESOTA…New coach Kevin O’Connell inherits Kirk Cousins at QB, Dalvin Cook at RB, and veteran WRs, but the personality of the team will change, in terms of pass-run ratios.  So will the atmosphere with the dour Mike Zimmer gone.  New faces upfront, and veterans on the back seven on defense could make for a good season.  This will be fun to watch

NEW ENGLAND…Mac Jones comes back after a strong rookie season.  They add Davonte Parker to a young WR group.  They seem deep at RB.  But Josh McDaniels is gone as the coordinator.  Bill Belichick’s defense looks really good, but his draft record has been spotty.  Lots of changes on that staff though

NEW ORLEANS…Sean Payton is gone, so are some real veterans on the roster.  Jameis Winston comes back off an injury, as does Mike Thomas.  Jarvis Landry and Chris Olave will add much to the offense and they need a healthy Alvin Kamara for 17-weeks.  Tyron Mathieu and Marcus Maye add to Dennis Allen’s defense.  Could be really good.

NY GIANTS…An overhaul from top to bottom, coaches and roster.  A healthy Daniel Jones-QB and Saquon Barkley makes a difference.  So will the arrival of DE-Kayvon Thibodeaux and  and OT-Evan Neal plus a truckload of replacement free agents.  Anything has to be better than a year ago.

NY JETS…Zach Wilson’s second season should be better with the arrival of WR-Garrett Wilson, Corey Davis plus the return of Elijah Moore.  Add Sauce Gardner and Jermaine Johnson to the defense will make the team more explosive.  Do they have enough?

PHILADELPHIA…Is this a break-thru year for 2nd year coach Nick Sirianni and his QB-Jalen Hurts?  Here comes WR-AJ Brown to go with DeVonta Smith.  Add in 3-running backs, and rookie DT-Jordan Davis and Philly looks tougher and improved.

PITTSBURGH…Life after Ben Roethlisberger will be a mystery.  A different team  for sure.  Will Deontae Johnson continue to excel at WR?  Is the rebuild of the OL complete?  Will there be help for RB-Najee Harris:  Will they continue to live off a great defense?  How far along will QB-Kenny Pickett be in the offense?

SAN FRANCISCO…It is Trey Lance’s offense now.  Will Deebo Samuel be a big time contributor or a big time distraction?  Can they keep Nick Bosa and everyone else on defense on the field an off the IR list?  Kyle Shannon wills his team to success-but can it work now?

SEATTLE…it will be a very different team now with no Russell Wilson to rely on?  Does Drew Lock become a consistent QB or can you win with QB-Geno Smith?  Can they keep RBs Rashard Penny, Chris Carson and Kenneth Walker healthy to compliment a very good WR group.  Lots of new faces on defense too.  Looks like a painful transition season for Pete Carroll’s team.

TAMPA BAY…Bruce Arians drove this team to great seasons.  He is gone.  But Tom Brady is back as is Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, but Rob Gronkowski has retired.  A solid defense has responded very well to the leadership of Todd Bowles, who is now head coach.  Good team, yes, great team, who knows?

TENNESSEE…A tough team to line up against because of the Mike Vrabel coaching leadership they have, but do they have problems at QB-Ryan Tannehill, who got erratic last year?  Will we see a vintage Derek Henry return to be the power back of past years?  The Jeffrey Simmons led defense remains superb.  Stay tuned what Nashville’s team become.

WASHINGTON..Pity Ron Rivera.  QB problems over the years, might or might not improve, with the Carson Wentz arrival.  They have WR-Terry McLaurin and an incoming lst round pick who catches passes.  The defense is superb but has been betrayed by the offense.  and of course the controversial ownership of Daniel Snyder remains in place.  Tough year ahead?

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