The NFL season is almost upon us. Training camps are opening around the league and some of the major questions surrounding the leagues best have come to the forefront.
Top quarterbacks are in new places, legal trouble surrounds some of the league’s best, while others are entering make-or-break seasons.
Here are five names to keep an eye on throughout training camp.
Training Camp Spotlight: Alvin Kamara
In a span of two seasons, the New Orleans Saints have lost their franchise quarterback and Super Bowl-winning head coach.
While New Orleans did make some excellent draft selections, the team will go as far as their stars and quarterback take them. Alvin Kamara and Michael Thomas are expected to be healthy and will be huge pillars for the next stage of Saints football.
Or so it was to be believed.
According to reports, the NFL is still monitoring the battery case that had Kamara arrested after the pro-bowl back in February. Kamara is expected to be looking at a potential six-game suspension that would alter the outlook of the Saints season if it comes true.
If Kamara is to be suspended, it would put a large amount of pressure on Jameis Winston and Dennis Allen to be what their predecessors were in training camp.
Kamara’s legal storyline will be the talk of training camp in New Orleans.
Training Camp Spotlight: Joe Judge
Players aren’t the only people to watch with training camp beginning. After a disastrous end to a two-year stint with the Giants, Joe Judge is now the offensive assistant/quarterback coach for the New England Patriots.
Bill Belichick did not name an offensive coordinator this year for the first time since 2010. While the Patriots went 14-2 that year, they didn’t win a playoff game.
With Mac Jones’ development the top concern in New England, it’s important for the Patriots to provide him with proper coaching and players around him.
The jury is still out on both issues for the Patriots. Joe Judge needs to be able to show he can work and develop Jones at a high level in training camp or he could very well be out of a job for good.
Training Camp Spotlight: Daniel Jones
You can throw all of the starting quarterbacks in the NFC East on here. There isn’t a division where each quarterback is under a large amount of pressure to perform.
Jones might arguably carry the most. Unlike Hurts, Prescott, or Wentz, Jones has yet to lead his team to an above .500 record, let alone a playoff berth. In what could be his final year in a Giants uniform, Jones will need to step up in camp and show that he can play the quarterback position at a high level.
The Giants have a much better offensive line protecting their first-round pick, as well as a strong group of weapons.
With a much better coach in Brian Daboll, the excuses for Jones have officially run out.
A good training camp could be very telling if the Giants want to extend the quarterback or not.
Training Camp Spotlight: Tua Tagovailoa
Speaking of make-or-break players. Is there a player with a bigger bullseye on his back heading into training camp more than Tua?
Tua Tagovailoa’s numbers aren’t bad and he has an above .500 record in 21 starts. Entering his third season in Miami, Tua now has Tyreek Hill on the roster so there’s no excuse for the Dolphins to miss the postseason, or Tua to post middling numbers.
Questions about his arm strength have followed Tua since he was drafted. With Joe Burrow, and Justin Hebert both putting up excellent numbers in two years. Tua’s name will continue to be compared to his draft counterparts.
Heck, even Jalen Hurts has a playoff appearance before Tua!
Tagovailoa needs to put up excellent numbers in training camp and in the regular season with an offensive-minded coach in Mike McDaniel. Otherwise, Miami could be in the market for another quarterback.
Training Camp Spotlight: Zach Wilson
Wilson isn’t under the same pressure as Daniel Jones or Baker Mayfield, but being in New York has certainly turned up the thermostat on the second overall pick heading into his second training camp.
Wilson showed more signs of competency than Sam Darnold did in his rookie year. The second year under Robert Saleh and Mike Lafleur is going to be huge for the strong-arm quarterback. The Jet’s schedule is ruthless all season for the most part, but the team does have improved skill at receiver and on defense.
The Jets need to be patient with their young quarterback, but it’s always important to see improvement from year to year. If Wilson plays well and the Jets are still struggling to win games, it will make things far more palatable when an easier schedule is awarded.
Training camp will be very telling for the New York Jets.
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