Currently in the Washington Commanders training camp running back Michael Wiley, Arizona Wildcats, was a pick by the D.C. Defenders in the UFL College Draft. (azdesertswarm.com)
This is the second part of my two-part look at the deepest position groups for each team in the NFL as training camp kicks off. This part will focus on NFC teams; part one, on AFC teams, can be found here.
Arizona Cardinals
Linebackers: While the off-season saw an overhaul to Arizona’s defense, the linebacker room was largely shielded from that turnover. Mack Wilson was added as a free agent from New England, but aside from that and drafting Xavier Thomas in the fifth round, the Cardinals stood pat here. They’ll expect continued development from young players like Victor Dimukeje and Owen Pappoe, both of whom are penciled in as backups for now. Special teams will be the ticket for the rest, like Jesse Luketa, Markus Bailey and Trevor Nowaske. Third round pick in 2022 Cameron Thomas has an uphill battle to make the team, as does former Charger Tyreek Maddox-Williams and Tyreke Smith, who was signed off Seattle’s practice squad last year. Arizona runs a 3-4 so they’ll keep plenty of linebackers, but there’s tremendous depth here and simply no room for all of it.
Atlanta Falcons
Wide Receivers: This was a difficult choice because on paper, Atlanta doesn’t have a lot of deep position groups. The most competition may come at receiver. The first three appear set with Drake London, Rondale Moore, and Darnell Mooney. After that, it’s a crapshoot. Former D.C. Defender Chris Blair will be in the mix, one of the many spring football denizens that litter the Atlanta camp roster. Athletes like Josh Ali and Casey Washington could end up looking for work come September, and they probably wouldn’t have to look hard to find it. Fringe NFL types, basically what the UFL is looking for, exist at the back of the depth chart in Dylan Drummond, Daylen Baldwin and Austin Mack. The Falcons also signed two rookie free agents following this year’s draft to further add to the clash at receiver.
Carolina Panthers
Running Backs: New head coach Dave Canales wants to employ an effective ground attack, so it should come as no surprise that he has the RB position fully stocked. Chuba Hubbard enters as the starter after wrestling the job away from Miles Sanders last season. Jonathon Brooks, the first back drafted in April, begins the season on the Physically Unable to Perform list (PUP) after ACL surgery at the end of 2023. He’ll likely be the top backup, though Sanders returns to claim some carries. As for the fourth back, if Carolina carries that many, Raheem Blackshear has the advantage of also being the team’s kick returner, though it’s possible someone else emerges for that job. Veteran Mike Boone rounds out the depth chart along with college free agent Jaden Shirden out of Monmouth. Rashaad Penny was expected to push for a roster spot before he abruptly retired on Tuesday.
Chicago Bears
Special Teams: All eyes will be on number one overall pick QB Caleb Williams this camp, but the real competition may be on special teams. Chicago used a fourth round selection on P Tory Taylor from Iowa, an unusually high amount of draft capital to spend on a specialist. It’s unlikely, therefore, that Corliss Waitman will be able to beat him out. Waitman instead will be punting during the preseason hoping that other teams take notice and decide he’s a better option than what they have. The other key job with competition – a more legitimate competition than this one – is at long snapper. Incumbent Patrick Scales is 36 years old and Chicago may want to go with a younger model. Enter Cameron Lyons, in his second pro season. He was in camp with the New York Giants last year. Either Lyons or Waitman could be considered for UFL teams.
Dallas Cowboys
Tight Ends: This position has a distinct Big Ten flavor with Jake Ferguson (Wisconsin), Luke Schoonmaker (Michigan), Peyton Hendershot (Indiana) and Brevyn Spann-Ford (Minnesota) making up four of the seven Cowboys at TE. Ferguson is firmly entrenched as the starter, while Schoonmaker is the likely backup. The battle will come down to the final one or two tight end spots. Hendershot, a rookie free agent signing in 2022 who played eight games last year, may have the advantage. John Stephens, Jr. was a UDFA last year and was on his way to making the squad before tearing his ACL near the end of camp. Then there’s Spann-Ford, to whom the Cowboys gave a big bonus as a UDFA this year. Princeton Fant and Alec Holler could also crack the rotation with a solid summer. Dallas is so deep here they could consider using two practice squad slots on tight ends.
Detroit Lions
Defensive Line: The group most in charge of biting kneecaps and all that, the defensive line got deeper with two key free agent signings in DT DJ Reader and DE Marcus Davenport. They’ll join several holdovers as well as 2024 draft pick DT Mekhi Wingo, who is expected to man the final tackle spot. If he does, veteran Kyle Peko and International Pathway Player David Bada would be practice squad candidates. At end, CFL’s Mathieu Betts will look to impress, as will James Houston, moving from outside linebacker and looking to overcome a lost 2023 due to injury. Isaac Ukwu, a Michigan Panthers draft pick, and Mitchell Agude round out the more interesting end prospects.
Green Bay Packers
Safeties: This position was completely remade in the off-season to the point that the top four safeties are all new. Xavier McKinney was signed from the Giants to start at one spot, while second-rounder Javon Bullard has the inside track to start at the other. Two other rookies, Kitan Oladapo and Evan Williams, are also expected to be involved. The draft capital spent at the position will make it difficult for others to crack the rotation. Among them are Zayne Anderson, a waiver claim from the Bills who excels at special teams; a second round pick from last year, Anthony Johnson; and youngsters Tyler Coyle and Benny Sapp III. Coyle was actually signed by the Houston Gamblers in December 2023, but a few days later accepted a practice squad invite from the Packers.
Los Angeles Rams
Linebackers: The outside linebackers are considered edge rushers in LA’s 3-4 alignment, and they could run three-deep at both left and right spots once the dust settles. The Rams drafted two at this position, including first rounder Jared Verse, who is expected to start. Former Iowa DE Zach VanValkenburg is competing for a final OLB spot or a role on the practice squad. If he or Keir Thomas want to make the team, they’ll set their sights on Ochaun Mathis and Nick Hampton. Inside, LA has one of the more interesting UDFAs this year in Omar Speights from LSU. There’s room for him to make his mark on special teams and solidify a spot there, perhaps at the expense of Troy Reeder. Don’t count out third-year player Ola Fatukasi either.
Minnesota Vikings
Tight Ends: Minnesota has eight – eight! – tight ends under contract, but that’s a bit of a mirage: Starter TJ Hockenson is on the PUP list and will likely stay there for the first few weeks of the season after tearing an ACL last year; and Sammis Reyes is their International Pathway Player and doesn’t count against the 90-man training camp roster. It’s unclear who will start until Hockenson returns, as Josh Oliver, Johnny Mundt and Nick Muse, the next three in line, all have their liabilities. Robert Tonyan had a couple big years with the Green Bay Packers and could revitalize his career in Minnesota. N’Keal Harry is now listed as a tight end after bordering on bust status as a 2019 first round pick at receiver. More up the alley for UFL teams could be UDFA Trey Knox out of South Carolina, though he’d also be a strong candidate for the practice squad.
New Orleans Saints
Offensive Line: There’s been a lot of shuffling along the New Orleans offensive line early in camp. In the last week or so, they’ve added three bodies there in G Tremayne Anchrum, G Chandler Brewer and OT Jesse Davis. All are veterans relative to other players on the back end of the depth chart. Several rookies could make life difficult for incumbents at the backup spots. Former starting guard Shane Lemieux will be playing some center and will try to hold off UDFA Sincere Haynesworth, a UFL Draft Pick of the San Antonio Brahmas. Either Oli Udoh or rookie Josiah Ezrim will likely land a backup offensive tackle spot. Another UDFA, Kyle Hergel out of Boston College, has his work cut out for him in having to upend Anchrum, Brewer, and Nick Saldiveri.
New York Giants
Wide Receivers: It’s conceivable the Giants could carry anywhere from five to seven receivers on their opening day roster, which makes the projection a little more difficult. Special teams is usually a consideration when filling out the back end of the depth chart at a position like receiver, but as Giants beat writer Dan Duggan noted in The Athletic in June, the top five receivers here don’t offer ST value. The winner of the punt return job between Isaiah McKenzie and Gunner Olszewski will secure a roster spot; the loser may be out of work. Other interesting deep reserves include Bryce Ford-Wheaton, a second year UDFA; Miles Boykin, who has 4.42 speed and has played 73 NFL games in five years; and Dennis Houston, who has been on and off the practice squads of the Cowboys and Giants. That’s not to mentioned two undrafted players the Giants have at wide receiver as well.
Philadelphia Eagles
Quarterbacks: No, Jalen Hurts is not in any danger of losing his starting job to Kenny Pickett, who was recently traded to the Eagles from nearby Pittsburgh. Rather, the interest is in the battle for the theoretical third-string QB. Last year’s sixth round pick, Tanner McKee out of Stanford, made the 53-man roster and the Eagles were one of the few teams to keep three QBs rostered all season. The question is, will McKee have shown enough for Philadelphia to once again keep him on the 53? Or will they try to sneak him through waivers and onto the practice squad? Or will fourth-string veteran Will Grier beat him out for that spot, whether it’s on the roster or the practice squad? I’ve spotlighted Grier in this column before as a fringe NFL QB that could flourish in spring football. If he doesn’t beat out McKee, he may finally choose to take that path.
San Francisco 49ers
Defensive Line: There are currently 16 defensive linemen working out in 49ers training camp. Maximum, they’ll keep 10. You could see them taking at most three onto the practice squad. So at least three players here will be looking for work after initial 53-man rosters and practice squads are set. In reading up on San Fran, it sounds like the fourth/fifth defensive end spot will be the key one to watch. A couple recent draft picks, Robert Beal, Jr. and Drake Jackson, would be leading contenders. Austin Bryant, Alex Barrett and Sam Okuayinonu want to make that a difficult call for the coaching staff. Defensive tackle is similar where there may only be one or two jobs on the line in camp. Kalia Davis, a 2022 sixth-round pick, will mix it up with 10-year veteran TY McGill and two recent UDFAs, Shakel Brown (2023) and Evan Anderson (2024).
Seattle Seahawks
Offensive Line: Gone is Super Bowl-winning head coach Pete Carroll, who led Seattle for 14 season. In place of the 72-year old is 37-year old Mike Macdonald. Age isn’t the only thing that differentiates the two as their coaching styles are also very different. A new head coach bring a new offensive line coach in Scott Huff, formerly of the same position with the University of Washington. The line struggled last year, but the return to health of its starting tackles and a new interior is expected to shore things up. Seattle drafted two guards, which could push players like Ilm Manning and McClendon Curtis off the roster. They also reached into the Dakotas for a couple of prized rookie free agents: Garrett Greenfield from South Dakota State, and Jalen Sundell from North Dakota State.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Cornerbacks: Tampa has a couple nickel corners that can also play safety, complicating the math a bit at the position. The battle at nickel will be the most interesting, with Christian Izien, a UDFA last year, trying to hold off the advances of rookie Tykee Smith and veteran Tavierre Thomas. On the outside, there are three rookie free agents that will likely be trying to attain a practice squad spot, unless they can unseat Josh Hayes or Keenan Isaac, two second-year players. The most appealing of those three UDFAs is Tyrek Funderburk, who had 11 interceptions in 55 career games at Appalachian State. Toledo’s Chris McDonald and Central Arkansas’ Andrew Hayes are the others.
Washington Commanders
Running Backs: Brian Robinson Jr. and Austin Ekeler figure to split lead back duties for a Washington team that suddenly has brighter days ahead. They offer running styles that compliment each other well. The top contender for RB3 is Chris Rodriguez, Jr. But the Commanders picked up two free agents following the NFL Draft that could make some serious noise about making the roster. One is Michael Wiley out of Arizona, who was also selected by the Defenders in the UFL College Draft. The other is Austin Jones from USC, who played for new Washington offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury in college. Only one will likely make the practice squad. If a UFL team prefers a veteran presence at RB, there’s also Jeremy McNichols, on his 10th team since entering the league in 2017.
