5 top offensive positions battles to watch during NFL training camp, predicting winner
There's competition at various positions every summer for all 32 teams, with multiple starting spots up for grabs. Right now, we're focusing on some of the best and most impactful competitions on the offensive side of the ball. Let's dive into the top five position battles to watch in NFL training camp and our projected winners.
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Cleveland Browns QB competition
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The Cleveland Browns have generated all kinds of headlines in the months leading up to NFL training camp because of their four-man quarterback competition. Two veterans (Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett) and two rookies (Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel) are seemingly competing to be the Browns' starting quarterback in Week 1. However, OTAs and minicamp proved that this isn't a true four-man battle. After all, Sanders isn't receiving first-team reps, and Gabriel is well behind the two veterans in the order for opportunities to work with the first-team offense. So, it comes down to Flacco and Pickett.
While Pickett is reportedly building great rapport with top receiver Jerry Jeudy, it's the coaching staff's opinion that matters the most. Even at 40 years old, Flacco has been the standout physically and he's received the most first-team reps. Furthermore, his success in head coach Kevin Stefanski's system gives him another advantage over Pickett. Ultimately, the most physically talented quarterback who provides the most stability and can be the on-field leader in the opening stretch of the season will win the job. Flacco is expected to win this battle in August, which would allow Cleveland to trade Pickett, with its rookies taking the second and third spots on the depth chart behind Flacco.
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Prediction: Joe Flacco starts, Kenny Pickett is traded, Dillon Gabriel is QB2 with Shedeur Sanders as third-string quarterback
Related: Predicting 5 NFL breakout teams for the 2025 season
New Orleans Saints QB competition
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There's an added layer to the New Orleans Saints quarterback competition as NFL training camp opens. Second-round picks, 30 of 32, are hoping to land fully guaranteed rookie contracts, as Jayden Higgins (Houston Texans) and Carson Schwesinger (Cleveland Browns) received. That's why there should be even more focus on Tyler Shough, who could sit out since he hasn't signed his rookie deal. This might give him some leverage, but it would also allow Spencer Rattler to dominate first-team reps out of the gate.
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Ultimately, we expect Shough to sign and practice with a starting spot on the line. He'll be 26 years old in September, so there should be added urgency to get him on the field. It's also worth noting that Shough, the 40th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, was hand-picked by head coach Kellen Moore. While Rattler does have a chance to win the starting job, the new Saints coaching staff has no allegiance to a former fifth-round pick who had a 70.4 QB rating and a 57 percent completion rate on 228 attempts last season. Shough is Moore's guy, and since he'll have the offensive line in place to protect him, his accuracy and arm strength should be on full display behind a clean pocket. This propels him to win the starting job.
Prediction: Tyler Shough is named the New Orleans Saints starting QB for Week 1
Read More: NFL QB rankings 2025
Daniel Jones vs Anthony Richardson
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Jobs are on the line in the Indianapolis Colts organization this season; that's why the franchise brought in Daniel Jones to challenge Anthony Richardson for the starting job. Richardson, the fourth overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, only put himself in a deeper hole with a shoulder injury. However, the latest reports suggest that he'll be fine for training camp.
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However, this feels like a competition that could be decided relatively quickly. Jones had a 'significant lead' in the competition after offseason workouts, and he's already building great rapport with the Colts' receivers. Indianapolis already gave Richardson a lot of opportunities, and he wasted them, as evidenced by his career 50.6% completion rate and 67.8 QB rating. By the middle of August, Colts head coach Shane Steichen will decide that Jones provides the highest floor, and that's really what he wants given that this team has the ground game and defense to be competitive.
Prediction: Daniel Jones is named the Indianapolis Colts starting QB in August
Read More: NFL power rankings 2025, evaluating all 32 teams
Green Bay Packers' wide receiver competition
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The Green Bay Packers still don't have a true No. 1 wide receiver on their roster, but they might have three No. 2 receivers even with Christian Watson (ACL tear) sidelined. While spending a first-round pick on a wide receiver for the first time in two decades was more about the future at wide receiver, Matthew Golden was a standout of the spring. He's an ideal complement to pair with the explosive weapon that is Jayden Reed along with the sure-handed Romeo Doubs.
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Ultimately, the rookie will showcase enough to earn snaps ahead of Reed in two-receiver sets when the regular season kicks off. When three receivers are on the field, Dontayvion Wicks will find himself on the bench behind Doubs, Golden and Reed. Green Bay will certainly give all of its young pass-catchers plenty of opportunities, but Golden will deliver a strong training camp that carries over into the regular season.
Prediction: Romeo Doubs and Matthew Golden start in 2WR sets, with Jayden Reed operating behind them while Dontayvion Wicks and Savion Williams split snaps
Read More: NFL defense rankings 2025, evaluating all 32 defenses
Dallas Cowboys' running back battle
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At least Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones isn't trying to make it work with running backs well past their prime. Dallas overhauled its backfield this summer and will head into NFL training camp with Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders atop the depth chart. However, there will rightfully be plenty of attention on rookie Jaydon Blue during the summer.
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Williams really hasn't been the same running back (4.4 ypc to 3.6 ypc) since he suffered ACL, LCL, and PCL tears during the 2022 season. He does believe that he's finally regained his form, and the improvements made to the Cowboys' offensive line give him a better shot at rebounding in 2025. We don't expect his best competition to come from Sanders, who averaged 3.5 ypc over the last two seasons with the Carolina Panthers. Instead, Blue will become the RB2 in early August and perform well enough to create a 65-35 split when the regular season kicks off. By November, though, this could be Blue's backfield.
Prediction: Javonte Williams is named the Dallas Cowboys' starting running back, but Jaydon Blue takes over by November
Also Read: 5 NFL teams likely to regress in 2025
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