News, Notes & What to Watch For as NFL Training Camps Begin
The time has come, football fans! Almost six months have passed since the Rams won Super Bowl LVI, and the 2022 season is on the doorstep. All 32 NFL training camps open this week across the league, and the storylines are endless. Over 2,800 players ā 90 per roster ā will compete for jobs as each team trim their depth chart down to 53 by Week 1 (1,700 players). Itās practice, but it means a lot more than that for all the guys fighting for a roster spot. Here are some of the key storylines to watch for in training camp as our 2022 NFL coverage kicks off:
Training Camp Storylines
New QBs in New Places: Five quarterbacks from 2021 will take the practice field this week with their new teams as QB1. Those five signal-callers in new threads are: Russell Wilson (Broncos), Matt Ryan (Colts), Marcus Mariota (Falcons), Carson Wentz (Commanders) and Deshaun Watson (Browns). 49ers QB Jimmy Garoppolo is also still awaiting a trade out of San Francisco while Baker Mayfield (Panthers) isnāt the surefire QB1.
New Head Coaches: A whopping 10 teams will start training camp with a new head coach in 2022. None of the newcomers have an easy task, but theyāll get to start from scratch and rebuild. Those ten new coaches are: Lovie Smith (Texans), Matt Eberflus (Bears), Doug Pederson (Jaguars), Brian Daboll (Giants), Kevin OāConnell (Vikings), Mike McDaniel (Dolphins), Josh McDaniels (Raiders), Nathaniel Hackett (Broncos), Dennis Allen (Saints) and Todd Bowles (Bucs).
Marquee Positional Battles: We always like to watch the quarterback battles since itās the one position on the field where reps are frequently owned 100 percent (not always). Weāll have our eyes on Pittsburgh where rookie QB Kenny Pickett will battle it out with Mitch Trubisky. In Carolina, Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold provide intrigue. There are also question marks in Seattle where Geno Smith and Drew Lock will duel it out.
Top Rookies to Watch: Training camp also gives us a first look at some of the highly-touted rookies from the 2022 draft class. The first five picks came on the defensive side of the ball, so their training camp highlights will be limited. As far as offensive highlight-makers, there were six receivers in the first 18 picks. Expect a lot of eyes on Drake London (Falcons), Garrett Wilson (Jets), Chris Olave (Saints) and Jameson Williams (Lions).
Holdouts Pending: Some players often skip training camp due to contract negotiations or holdouts, and 2022 is no different. Some of the big-name holdouts this summer include: WR Deebo Samuel (49ers), LB Roquan Smith (Bears), WR D.K. Metcalf (Seahawks), TE Dalton Schultz (Cowboys) and OT Orlando Brown Jr. (Chiefs). These players were also rumored to be holdouts, so their stances could change this week.
All 32 teams take the practice field by the end of this week. Football is back, and seven months of daily NFL coverage is on its way as we kickstart the path to Super Bowl LVII.
Additional Storylines
SI: Fantasy Football: NFL Training Camp Battles to Watch
B/R: 2022 NFL Power Rankings: Where Does Every Team Stack Up Entering Training Camp?
USA Today: 2022 NFL Training Camp Schedule: Reporting Dates, Locations, Roster Cuts & More
