The summer months are almost over. Training camps are set to open across the NFL as teams start to prepare for the upcoming season and begin their quest to reach Super Bowl LXI. The battle to see who raises the Lombardi Trophy at the season’s end is almost set to begin.
This week, Yardbarker’s team of NFL writers assembled to identify one key question — or player — that each NFL franchise must focus on before training camps conclude.
NFC East
DALLAS COWBOYS | A competent defense | Last season, the Cowboys’ offense averaged 27.7 points per game; in contrast, their defense gave up an average of 30.1 points per game. That’s not a recipe for winning. So, the Cowboys defensive unit will have to prove from day one of training camp that it has the potential to at least be league average. Otherwise, there’s no amount of touchdowns quarterback Dak Prescott can throw that will bail the defense out.
NEW YORK GIANTS | Jaxson Dart is ready to lead | New head coach John Harbaugh will certainly test the 23-year-old’s mettle before the live fire of the regular season begins. After weathering off-the-field controversy of his own making, it’s time for Dart to leave no doubt in anyone’s mind that he’s the answer to the Giants’ long-running quarterback issues since Eli Manning retired. Winning is everything, but he’ll also have to convince the rest of his teammates and organization that he’s the best chance they have for it.
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES | Fresh offensive ideas | Philadelphia’s Super Bowl LIX hangover season saw the once-dominant rushing team end the 2025 regular season with the 18th most rushing yards (1,998). The Eagles will need to work with new concepts to get back to being an offensive unit the rest of the league fears. But while making sure their rushing game is creative again, they will have to navigate a passing attack without superstar wide receiver A.J. Brown.
WASHINGTON COMMANDERS
| A healthy Jayden Daniels | The 2024 Offensive Rookie of the Year didn’t have a follow-up season to remember thanks to several injuries that sidelined him. Coming into training camp, the Commanders are looking for a fresh start and for Daniels to be fresh too. How they navigate the third-year quarterback’s workload will be an ongoing story, along with whether they try to alter his dynamic rushing style to avoid increased risk of injury.
– Conor Killmurray
AFC East
BUFFALO BILLS | Change in culture or continuity under Joe Brady | It’s widely recognized that the Bills have faced difficulties in the playoffs under McDermott. Can Brady turn this around? He is a genuine players’ coach and provides strong leadership. Will it be good enough during the crucial late-season games? The offense led by Allen is expected to remain consistent, a fact that has never been a major issue. This training camp will be a statement of what is to come.
MIAMI DOLPHINS | Malik Willis establishing himself as the franchise guy | If Willis can make an early statement and show early signs of what he did in Green Bay, it could take a load off the shoulders of the head coach and staff. The confidence, decision-making, and playmaking ability. It could also pivot how they attack the trade deadline and the off-season, depending on how Willis plays this fall.
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS | A.J. Brown’s chemistry with Drake Maye | Brown was a focal point of drama during his tenure with the Eagles. He needs to move past that and demonstrate how well he collaborates with Maye during live practice sessions. Additionally, he needs to showcase his ability to make plays at all three levels of the field and determine whether he can elevate supporting players like Romeo Doubs and second-year receiver Kyle Williams. With the Patriots coming off a strong 14-3 regular season and a Super Bowl appearance, camp will test if this upgraded weaponry can sustain elite offensive production heading into a potential repeat run.
NEW YORK JETS | Can Omar Cooper Jr. be the go-to second receiver? | The Jets need a little bit of everything, but having a reliable and consistent WR2 in the passing game would go a long way. Both Garrett Wilson and Adonai Mitchell had a down season in 2025, so eyes will be on Cooper. He’s a high-upside pick that can expand the offense vertically and create post-catch.
— Colton Edwards
NFC West
ARIZONA CARDINALS | Emergence of QB1 | The Cardinals are still trying to figure out who their starting QB is going to be in 2026 now that Kyler Murray is with the Minnesota Vikings. Jacoby Brissett has been the front-runner for the spot despite some contract negotiation issues with the team, while Gardner Minshew II is receiving first-team reps and rookie Carson Beck has already emerged as a fan-favorite on a team that is still learning new head coach Mike LaFleur’s scheme.
LOS ANGELES RAMS | A third wide receiver steps up | Puka Nacua and Davante Adams are clearly the top-two targets for QB Matthew Stafford, but the question remains if a WR3 will emerge in 2026. Jordan Whittington is the projected third starter, but Konata Mumpfield, rookie CJ Daniels, and Xavier Smith are likely candidates as well. While the health of Stafford and development of rookie Ty Simpson are crucial, having a third WR to turn to would take some of the attention off the stars and give this team something it has not had lately.
SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS | A healthy Fred Warner, Nick Bosa | As important as a true No. 1 receiver is for QB Brock Purdy amid his uptick in interceptions, the health of San Francisco’s defensive front cannot be ignored either. Fred Warner (right ankle) and Nick Bosa (torn right ACL) only appeared in a total of nine games last season and will need to show that they are back to full speed and ready for another season. Before their injuries, Warner led the team in total tackles (131) and Bosa had the most sacks (nine) in 2024.
SEATTLE SEAHAWKS | A clear RB1 | Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III signed a three-year deal with the Kansas City Chiefs, and the status of 2025 rushing TDs leader Zach Charbonnet is uncertain as he recovers from a torn ACL. Free agency addition Emanuel Wilson has primarily served as a backup; George Holani only has 25 total carries in two seasons, and rookie Jadarian Price is still getting his feet wet in the NFL. This offense needs its run game to sustain drives, but there are some real concerns about a dependable go-to option until Charbonnet gets healthy.
— Colby Colwell
AFC West
DENVER BRONCOS | QB Bo Nix and WR Jaylen Waddle clicking | Nix, who broke his right ankle in a 33-30 AFC divisional-round win over the Bills, was limited at OTAs and mandatory minicamp, missing out on valuable time with Waddle (acquired in an offseason trade with the Dolphins). They can begin developing chemistry in training camp, which could take Denver’s passing attack (220.4 YPG in 2025, No. 13 in NFL) to the next level.
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS | RB Kenneth Walker III helping open up the play-action passing game | The Chiefs ranked 24th in the league in rushing yards (106.6 YPG) in 2025, limiting play-action opportunities for QB Patrick Mahomes. Pro Football Reference credited the three-time Super Bowl champion with 376 play-action passing yards on 57 attempts, No. 27 in the league. Kansas City hopes Walker, who finished 16th in the league in rushing yards (1,027 in 17 regular-season games with the Seahawks) last season, helps it establish the run, expanding the playbook for Mahomes.
LAS VEGAS RAIDERS | Rookie QB Fernando Mendoza pushing Kirk Cousins | Cousins is expected to be the Week 1 starter, but the Raiders do want to see 2025 Heisman winner Mendoza challenge him a little. They took the former Indiana Hoosiers star to be a future franchise cornerstone, not hold a clipboard. Training camp will give Vegas a better idea if he’s ready to become the guy soon, or if he should spend more time learning from Cousins.
LOS ANGELES CHARGERS | QB Justin Herbert’s mechanical tweak | New Chargers OC Mike McDaniel is having Herbert start with his left foot forward on shotgun plays instead of his right foot, to quicken his release. Per Pro Football Focus, the Chargers star averaged 2.96 seconds to throw last season, No. 29 among 43 eligible QBs. Speeding up his release will help Herbert avoid sacks after taking a career-high 54 in 16 regular-season games last season.
— Clark Dalton
NFC North
Chicago Bears | WR Luther Burden III | Luther Burden III enters training camp with plenty of eyes on him, and now comes the part where he turns the hype into something real. The Bears didn’t draft him to simply add another name to the receiver room. They’re looking for a real, solid difference-maker. Burden has the talent to carve out a major role, but camp is where the work starts. Every rep matters, every route gets judged and the margin gets thin fast. This is his chance to show he’s more than just a promising prospect. He’s ready to be a go-to target.
Detroit Lions | DE Derrick Moore | There was lots of excitement about picking Moore in the NFL draft, especially because the Lions were finally getting another edge rusher to complement Aidan Hutchinson. And not just any edge rusher. They were getting another Michigan Wolverine. Now, the question is just how ready Moore is to compete in the NFL. There are signs that he’s very ready, but that will play out more in training camp. So, we watch and wait.
Green Bay Packers | WR Matthew Golden |Matthew Golden walks into Packers camp with an opportunity and challenge sitting right in front of him. Green Bay’s receiver room is crowded, competitive and nobody is handing out snaps just for kicks. Golden’s job is simple: make himself impossible to ignore. The speed and big-play potential are there, but training camp is where reputations get built. He’ll need to stack good days, win his matchups and show he belongs in the weekly game plan. The Packers have options. Golden’s mission is to become one they can’t live without.
Minnesota Vikings | DE Caleb Banks | Caleb Banks is one of the Vikings’ rookies with the biggest spotlight waiting for him when camp opens. The first-round defensive tackle has the talent to make an immediate impact, but the real work starts in the trenches, where nothing comes easy. People will be watching how quickly Banks finds his footing, especially after early concerns surrounding a foot injury. The Vikings need him healthy, disruptive, and ready to handle the daily grind of NFL linemen trying to get at him. Training camp will be his first chance to show he’s not just a high pick. He’s a problem for anyone the Vikings are up against. The team is going to manage Banks’ workload due to the injury. But he’s still worth watching. Of course, the quarterback competition will also be hot.
— Anne Erickson
AFC North
BALTIMORE RAVENS | How do they replace Tyler Linderbaum? | The interior offensive line, and especially the center position, is not usually the big headline maker for teams going into a season. But given how much of the Ravens offense is centered around the run, and given that they just lost one of the best centers in the NFL in Linderbaum with no proven replacement to fill that spot, it is going to be a huge concern and issue for the Ravens going into the season.
CINCINNATI BENGALS | A healthy Joe Burrow | When healthy, Joe Burrow is one of the best pure passers and overall quarterbacks in the NFL, if not the best. The key words in there, however, are “when healthy.” Injuries have severely limited Burrow in two of the past three seasons, significantly lowering the Bengals’ ceiling in those years. The Bengals worked hard to upgrade their defense this offseason and have what they feel is a good offensive line, and now they just need a healthy Burrow to bring it all back together.
CLEVELAND BROWNS | What the defense looks like post-Myles Garrett | As bad as the Browns have been the past few years, they at least had a defense that would keep them in games and give them a chance most weeks. The game-wrecking abilities of Myles Garrett were the driving force behind that, and now he is gone following his offseason trade. The Browns need to see what a defense led by returning star cornerback Denzel Ward and incoming edge rusher Jared Verse looks like as the main focal points.
PITTSBURGH STEELERS
| The young quarterbacks | The Steelers know who their quarterback is for 2026, and for better or worse, it is Aaron Rodgers. The question is who is quarterback in 2027 and beyond, and that is where second-year player Will Howard and rookie Drew Allar come into play. The Steelers are completely re-working Allar’s mechanics and fundamentals, and both players figure to get plenty of preseason reps. They need to show something.
— Adam Gretz
NFC South
ATLANTA FALCONS | A healthy Michael Penix Jr. | As ESPN Falcons reporter Marc Raimondi recently noted, Penix Jr., the No. 8 overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft, is not yet cleared for contact after tearing his ACL last November, keeping Atlanta’s battle for QB1 from being a true competition. Tua Tagovailoa, a 2026 free-agent signing after being cut by the Miami Dolphins, is the frontrunner, but the Falcons would be better off if he doesn’t earn the role by default.
CAROLINA PANTHERS
| A second wide receiver step up | After being named Associated Press Offensive Rookie of the Year, Tetairoa McMillan has solidified himself as Carolina’s top receiver. It’s time for someone else to step up, ideally 2024 first-round pick Xavier Legette, but that ship may have sailed after totaling just 860 yards over his first two seasons. Former undrafted free agent Jalen Coker has shown more promise but needs another leap to be legitimate WR2, while 2026 third-rounder Chris Brazzell and offseason free-agent addition John Metchie III could also challenge for a role on the first-team offense.
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
| A leader on defense to emerge. | Veteran linebacker Demario Davis was the heart and soul of the Saints defense for the past eight seasons, and his departure for the New York Jets left the unit without an every-down leader. Franchise legend Cam Jordan’s return helps, but as a rotational defensive end (he played 54 percent of New Orleans’ defensive snaps in 2025, per Pro Football Reference), someone else, perhaps linebacker Kaden Elliss, must take over as the defense’s ironman.
TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS | Emeka Egbuka takes a leap. | It still doesn’t feel real that all-time franchise great Mike Evans won’t be in a Buccaneers uniform this season after signing a free-agent deal with the San Francisco 49ers. Egbuka, Tampa’s first-round pick last season, can begin to lessen the sting of Evans’ departure by reminding everyone why he was so highly drafted with a monster summer.
— Eric Smithling
AFC South
HOUSTON TEXANS | New-look offensive line | Houston’s offensive line was its biggest weakness last season, so general manager Nick Caserio overhauled the group by adding left guard Wyatt Teller and right tackle Braden Smith in free agency and drafting Georgia Tech center Keylan Rutledge in the first round. If this new-look offensive line can hold up against Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter in training camp, it will be brimming with confidence entering the regular season.
INDIANAPOLIS COLTS | Alec Pierce takes over WR1 role | The Colts clearly believe that Pierce can be a No. 1 wide receiver in the NFL, as they traded Michael Pittman Jr. to the Steelers and gave Pierce a four-year, $114 million contract extension. Pierce led the NFL in yards per reception in each of the last two seasons, but he’ll have to become more than just a complementary deep threat in his new role.
JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS | WR/CB Travis Hunter | All eyes will be on Hunter at Jacksonville’s training camp, as the tantalizing two-way player showed flashes of his immense potential as a rookie before suffering a season-ending knee injury in October. Will his athleticism be the same coming off his knee surgery? How will the Jaguars split his reps between wide receiver and cornerback? Hunter is one of the most fascinating players in the NFL heading into the 2026-27 season.
TENNESSEE TITANS | Cam Ward’s connection with Carnell Tate | Even though Tate is just a rookie, he figures to be the most important skill-position player on the Titans this season. Ward struggled last year partly due to the lack of talent surrounding him, which is why Tennessee used the No. 4 overall pick on its highest-ranked wide receiver in the 2026 draft class. Titans fans are hoping Ward and Tate hit the ground running in training camp.
— Jack Dougherty
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