NFL training camps always bring hope, but this year’s slate feels especially loaded. New coaches are taking over, quarterbacks are dealing with fresh expectations, and a few teams are trying to sort out major roster and contract questions before the real games start. Camp won’t decide anything, but it will tell us plenty about where these teams are headed.
The most fascinating situations are spread across the league, and each one has its own hook. Some are about a quarterback adjusting to a new voice.
Others are about a rookie stepping into a crowded room. A couple involve big schematic overhauls that could change the feel of an entire defense or offense.
Here are five storylines worth tracking as camp gets rolling.
In Seattle, the spotlight falls on Sam Darnold and the Seahawks’ attempt to keep the momentum from a championship run going. Seattle enters camp as the defending Super Bowl champions, and Darnold is coming off a 2025 season that turned heads.
In the playoffs, he was sharp and steady, guiding the Seahawks to three straight wins without throwing an interception or losing a fumble. That run helped Seattle become the first team in NFL history to win the Super Bowl without committing a turnover during the entire postseason.
There’s a change behind the scenes, though. Offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak left to become the Raiders’ head coach, and Brian Fleury is now running the offense.
The system is expected to stay similar, but Fleury will bring his own ideas into the mix. That puts Darnold front and center in camp, because the big question is whether he can keep playing at that level with a new play-caller.
Seattle also has depth at quarterback, with veteran Drew Lock and young quarterback Jalen Milroe still developing.
Pittsburgh brings one of the most intriguing quarterback-coach pairings in the league. Aaron Rodgers and Mike McCarthy are back together, and that reunion has plenty of people watching closely. The two won Super Bowl XLV together with the Green Bay Packers, and now they’re trying to recreate some of that old magic with the Steelers.
Rodgers is looking for a rebound after a rough 2025. He finished 24th in net yards per attempt and 33rd in air yards per attempt, well below his usual standard, even though he still led Pittsburgh to an AFC North title.
The Steelers spent the offseason trying to give him more help. They traded for Michael Pittman Jr. and drafted Germie Bernard, both moves aimed at creating more explosive plays in the passing game.
The changes aren’t limited to the receiver room. Troy Fautanu is moving from right tackle to left tackle to protect Rodgers’ blindside, and Rico Dowdle joins Jaylen Warren in the backfield to help the run game.
Everything in Pittsburgh circles back to Rodgers. If he and McCarthy can get their timing back, the Steelers could become a major AFC threat.
Arizona has its own mix of intrigue, and it starts with a new head coach. Mike LaFleur is going through his first training camp as an NFL head coach, while the Cardinals also deal with uncertainty at quarterback.
Jacoby Brissett is seeking a new contract after throwing for a career-high 3,366 yards in only 12 starts last season. He showed up to mandatory minicamp to avoid fines, but he is still pushing for starting quarterback money.
LaFleur has tried to keep the focus on football, saying Brissett’s experience will matter once camp begins. Still, this is not the easiest setup for a new offense.
Missing offseason work is never ideal when a system is being installed. That makes Brissett’s situation one of the key things to watch as camp unfolds.
Then there’s rookie running back Jeremiyah Love, who already stands out as one of the most unusual stories of the summer. Arizona took the Notre Dame product with the third overall pick, making the 21-year-old the highest-paid rookie running back in NFL history in guaranteed money. His role will be under a microscope every day in camp.
The challenge is obvious. James Conner and Tyler Allgeier are already in the backfield, so LaFleur has to figure out how to divide the workload. Finding enough touches for all three backs will be one of his toughest camp jobs.
Buffalo is dealing with change on both sides of the ball. Joe Brady is moving up to the top job on offense, while Jim Leonhard is taking over as defensive coordinator and installing a 3-4 base defense. That’s a major shift for a group that had been living in Sean McDermott’s 4-3 scheme for nine seasons.
The defensive transition will ask a lot from everyone. Linebackers and edge rushers will have new responsibilities, and defensive linemen will need to adjust to different gap assignments. Camp is the Bills’ chance to sort through those details before the season begins.
On offense, Josh Allen has a new top target in DJ Moore. Moore arrives after posting career lows in catches and receiving yards with the Chicago Bears last season, but Buffalo believes his speed can open things up. The Bills leaned too heavily on short passes a year ago, and camp will give the first real look at whether Moore can help change that.
Baltimore rounds out the list with the biggest coaching change in franchise history. John Harbaugh is gone after nearly two decades, and Jesse Minter is stepping in as head coach. That alone makes this summer different in Baltimore.
Lamar Jackson is still the centerpiece, but almost everything around him will look and feel new. Minter made his name as a defensive coach, so the defense becomes a major area to monitor. The Ravens want more consistency there after several uneven seasons.
The offense matters just as much. Jackson has to get comfortable with a different coaching style while continuing to lead one of the league’s most dangerous attacks. After 18 seasons under Harbaugh’s culture, Baltimore is starting over in a real way, and camp is the first glimpse of how that transition will look.
In Other News...
Bills Fans Need To Know What's Different Before Camp Starts
Bills training camp is about to look a little different this summer, and the changes start with the schedule. The team will open camp at St. John Fisher University with seven morning practices running from July 29 through Aug. 7, all of them set for 8:30 a.m. and none in the afternoon or evening. For fans who make the trip, there will also be a new routine to follow, including shuttle parking, a $1 ride fee, security screening and a stricter bag policy.
The shorter camp slate stands out on its own, especially for a team that has made Fisher a summer tradition since 2000. There will still be plenty for families to do once they get there, with a Kids Area offering football-themed games and entertainment, but the overall feel is clearly more streamlined than in past years. For a fan base that treats camp like the unofficial start of football season, those small changes may end up being part of the story all by themselves. [Read more 🡒]
Bills Fans Suddenly Have A Real Question About Michael Hoecht
Buffalo has spent years trying to put together a pass rush that can hold up from one season to the next, and Michael Hoecht looked like a useful piece of that puzzle after signing with the Bills in 2025. The outside linebacker brought the kind of versatility this defense values, with the ability to line up in different spots and in different stances, which made him an intriguing fit for a unit that has kept searching for the right combination up front.
Hoechts early work also suggested there was something to build on before his season was cut short. He had already flashed against Carolina and Kansas City, and now the real question for the Bills is whether that promise can carry over once he gets back on the field. He is rehabbing with an eye on 2026, and for a team that has invested so much in finding answers off the edge, his return could end up mattering more than it first seemed. [Read more 🡒]
James Cook Just Got The Recognition Bills Fans Wanted
James Cook has gone from a promising piece of Buffalos offense to one of its most dependable engines, and the recognition is starting to match the production. Since becoming the starter, he has topped 1,000 rushing yards in three straight seasons, and his role has only grown as the Bills have leaned on him to keep the offense balanced around Josh Allen. NFL.com analyst Kevin Patra recently put a label on what Bills fans have seen for a while, naming Cook the teams non-QB MVP.
The case is easy to make when you look at how often Cook has tilted games in Buffalos favor over the last two seasons, including some of the best stretches of his career. He led the league in rushing touchdowns in 2024 and has already given the Bills the kind of week-to-week stability teams usually have to pay a premium for, which makes the timing of his contract extension before the 2025 season feel especially important as his value keeps climbing. [Read more 🡒]