NFL training camp: 4 big storylines to watch, including J.J. McCarthy taking reins of NFC contender

Yahoo

3 days ago

By the end of Wednesday, all 32 NFL teams will have reported for training camp. Storylines will develop as practices and preseason games begin, and teams get a look at who's stepping up and what areas of need they still must address.
Four big storylines stand out as teams report. Let's take a look.
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Is J.J. McCarthy ready for Vikings' starting QB role?
McCarthy has a great situation and a tough role to play this year for Minnesota. At their best, they can probably win a Super Bowl, or at least go on a run to threaten the NFC. In order to do that, they'll need first-year starter J.J. McCarthy to come in and play like a top half of the first round player right off the bat. He missed his entire rookie season due to a knee injury, and now steps in for Sam Darnold, who had a Pro Bowl campaign in 2024 before struggling in the Vikings' final two games and leaving for Seattle in free agency.
The NFC North is going to be loaded with talent this year that will make it a difficult journey for this young quarterback, but the supporting cast and coaching staff that includes Justin Jefferson and Kevin O'Connell should at least help him on that journey. We'll find out soon. And if there are struggles, is a Kirk Cousins reunion potentially out there?
Latest on Browns' QB competition
Shedeur Sanders is the talk of Cleveland, despite apparently being buried on the Browns' depth chart to start training camp. (Ken Blaze-Imagn Images)
(IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect / Reuters)
Nothing yet, really, with rookies having reported Friday. But a fifth-round rookie quarterback on a rebuilding team that has two first-round picks in the next NFL Draft continues to draw attention from the outside.
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Shedeur Sanders is the talk of NFL fans everywhere, even ignoring his current reality of being a fringe roster candidate going into camp. Instead of competing against Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett for the starting job, Sanders is really more competing with fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel for a back-up role. We'll just have to see what happens here, but the admiration and time being spent on this isn't worth where he actually is on the Browns roster at this point in time.
Maybe a few solid preseason games can change this, but he's fighting a massive uphill battle to still be a fixture in the Browns quarterback room this time next year. Win out among the four quarterbacks in the battle. Be good enough on a bad team for Cleveland to skip out on what looks to be a much better quarterback class next year. Yeah, good luck.
Hopefully people can be reasonable about this situation, but it hasn't happened yet. We're likely looking at Flacco starting the year.
Trey Hendrickson still doesn't have the contract he's looking for
For the love of God, Mike Brown. Pay your players. No one has time for anymore 'Bengals didn't pay player X' headlines. Enough! Trey Hendrickson is apparently in Florida instead of reporting to training camp and still doesn't have a deal, saying his offer was "atrociously, atrociously low." First-round pick Shemar Stewart doesn't have a deal, one of only two players from this past 257-man draft class without one.
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Are the Bengals competing for a Super Bowl or not? Having public feuds with two players who are going to play a huge role in Cincinnati achieving their goals this season feels a little shortsighted.
Jerry Jones still hasn't signed Micah Parsons + other holdouts
This has been written ad nauseam, but Cowboys team owner and GM Jerry Jones still hasn't paid arguably the best edge rusher in the league. Myles Garrett and T.J. Watt both got market-resetting deals this offseason, which has only made the price for Parsons higher than it was in the past. (Imagine if Trey Hendrickson signs before Parsons, too.) Jones continues to be difficult, but paying Parsons is still his only real option. This is just a brutal story to have lingering for over a year now.
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Elsewhere in the division, the Commanders are having a bit of an issue getting wide receiver Terry McLaurin signed to a deal. That's definitely something they'll want to have cleaned up before camp given how much Jayden Daniels relied on McLaurin as a rookie. The Packers are also having a holdout issue with offensive lineman Elgton Jenkins, who wants a new deal shortly after the Packers signed fellow offensive lineman Zach Tom.
The Rams will also reportedly negotiate a contract extension with running back Kyren Williams during training camp, though Williams has said he'll practice while it's happening. And 49ers wide receiver Jauan Jennings has reported to training camp, with head coach Kyle Shanahan dispelling reports he requested a trade last week.