Which Surprise Starter Could Emerge for Each NFL Team in 2017?

With OTAs in the recent past and training camp in the near future, the jostling and jockeying has begun.

It's depth chart shakeup time in the National Football League. 

Some players' spots in the lineup are as safe as can be. There's an excellent chance Aaron Rodgers will start at quarterback for the Green Bay Packers. Ditto for J.J. Watt at defensive end for the Houston Texans.

Others' starting jobs aren't as secure. Maybe there's a newly drafted youngster nipping at their heels. Or maybe a free-agent acquisition is angling for their job.

Or perhaps there's a surprise player who could open eyes in camp and work their way into the lineup.

You know, that last part kinda felt like a segue.

Yeah. I'm pretty sure that was a segue.

AFC North

Ron Schwane/Associated Press

Jabrill Peppers

Baltimore Ravens

LB Tyus Bowser

The Ravens had great success with a little-known inside linebacker in 2016, when Zach Orr went from obscurity to the team's leading tackler. Now, after Orr's sudden retirement, Baltimore is hoping lightning will strike twice with second-year pro Kamalei Correa.

It may well—but not with the player the Ravens think.

Tyus Bowser, who was Baltimore's second-round pick in the 2017 draft, starred as an outside linebacker and pass-rusher at the University of Houston. But he also has the size and athleticism to kick inside in the NFL.

And he has coverage chops—chops that were on display in OTAs, according to Ryan Mink of the team's website.

If that continues into training camp, Correa's coronation may hit a snag.

Cincinnati Bengals

RB Jeremy Hill

From the moment rookie Joe Mixon arrived in Cincinnati the general belief has been that it's just a matter of time before the former Oklahoma star is the lead back for the Bengals. Giovani Bernard is rehabbing a torn ACL, and Jeremy Hill has struggled the past couple of years.

Fun fact that has little to do with anything: Hill's workload in his three NFL seasons is 222 carries, 223 carries, 222 carries. Eerie—ain't it?

Still, Hill's a 235-pound bruiser with 29 rushing touchdowns in three years who averaged 5.1 yards per carry as a rookie in 2014. That average was below four yards a pop in each of the past two years, but the talent's there.

So is a history of production in the NFL that Mixon doesn't have and more experience in pass protection. Mixon may well be the No. 1 tailback at some point this season, but calling it a fait accompli in June is jumping the gun.

Cleveland Browns

LB Jabrill Peppers

Yes, you read that right.

With their trade of inside linebacker Demario Davis, the Browns have a hole at middle linebacker. Cleveland will reportedly give first crack at filling that hole to sixth-year veteran Tank Carder—who has all of two career starts.

In other words, it's not exactly a sure thing he will pan out.

There could be a Plan B, though. Rookie Jabrill Peppers played linebacker at Michigan, and Browns defensive coordinator Gregg Williams had success in Los Angeles moving safety Mark Barron into the "Will" linebacker spot. In that case, Christian Kirksey would slide inside to the "Mike," while Calvin Pryor III would man the strong safety slot vacated by Peppers.

This is speculation. But if Carder falters, who is going to play middle linebacker in Cleveland?

Pittsburgh Steelers

CB Cameron Sutton

The secondary has been the Achilles heel of the Pittsburgh defense for some time now. The Steelers improved somewhat a year ago (up to 16th from 30th), but there's still plenty of room to get better.

That opens a door of opportunity for a youngster like Cameron Sutton, one of Pittsburgh's third-round picks in the draft. A versatile corner capable of playing inside or outside and man or zone coverage, ESPN.com's Jeremy Fowler singled Sutton out as an under-the-radar standout at Steelers OTAs.

Now, Sutton still has to climb the depth chart. Assuming Artie Burns has one spot sewn up, Sutton will have to beat out fourth-year pro Ross Cockrell and veteran William Gay.

He doesn't exactly have to leap-frog Richard Sherman and Patrick Peterson.

NFC North

Associated Press

Danny Trevathan

Chicago Bears

LB Danny Trevathan

It would hardly be a surprise for a healthy Danny Trevathan to start at inside linebacker for Chicago. After all, that's what the Bears intended when they signed the veteran a year ago.

It's the "healthy" part that would be the upset.

Per Adam L. Jahns of the Chicago Sun-Times, head coach John Fox indicated the 27-year-old is doing everything he can to work himself back into shape. But Fox also allowed Trevathan probably won't be ready for training camp.

"Right now, [Trevathan, Kyle Long, Josh Sitton and Zach Miller are] right on target [with their recoveries]," Fox said. "And that's kind of what we expected all offseason."

Honestly, given the severity of Trevathan's injury (torn patellar tendon) and when it occurred (late November), it will be a major achievement if he's even close to ready for Week 1.

Detroit Lions

CB Teez Tabor

According to Michael Wayne Bratton of Saturdays Down South, the Lions knew why former Florida cornerback Teez Tabor's predraft measurables were so underwhelming: Tabor was nicked up.

I have no idea why Tabor wouldn't just tell everyone that, but the fact remains those measurable caused him to drop into the second round of the draft—and he may turn out to be a gift for Detroit.

The Lions are set at one cornerback spot with Darius Slay, and they signed 2013 top-10 pick DJ Hayden in free agency.

But Hayden's career has been mostly an injury-marred mess. If Tabor's draft-day slide really was just the result of a minor injury, he'll have ample opportunity to unseat Hayden in training camp.

Green Bay Packers

LB Vince Biegel

A few years ago, Chris Borland went from star at Wisconsin to relative disappointment at the NFL Scouting Combine to mid-round pick to NFL star.

Then he retired, but here's hoping that doesn't happen with Biegel, who was a longtime standout at Wisconsin even while playing in T.J. Watt's shadow.

Biegel's speed and athleticism are average, but his instincts and motor are anything but. It might be unlikely that he'll unseat Clay Matthews and Nick Perry on the outside, but there's another possibility.

The Packers have been looking for someone—anyone—who resembled a dependable inside linebacker for several seasons. More than once they've had to kick Matthews inside out of sheer necessity. It's an experiment worth trying again with the rookie, especially since he was pretty good in pass coverage as a Badger.

Minnesota Vikings

C Pat Elflein

Minnesota's third-round pick in the draft, Elflein told Craig Peters of the team's website that he's still acclimating to the speed of the NFL and the complexities of the playbook.

"It's a big jump mentally," Elflein said. "First off, the playbook is a whole new level, and obviously the speed of the game is another notch up, so adjusting to all of that so far has been the biggest challenge."

Still, expect Elflein to adapt rather quickly. He's demonstrated that he's a quick study, making a seamless transition from guard to center during his last year at Ohio State.

Actually, expect Elflein to be the Vikings starting center in Week 1.

It's not that he's especially big. Or especially fast. Or especially strong. He isn't elite in any areas, but he also doesn't have any glaring deficiencies.

The kid can play. And it won't be a surprise when he shows his new team that.

AFC South

Michael Wyke/Associated Press

Brandon Weeden (center)

Houston Texans

QB Brandon Weeden

Stop laughing.

Seriously. Knock it off.

These are supposed to be surprises, remember?

There is a scenario in which Brandon Weeden starts in Week 1 for the Texans after head coach Bill O'Brien told Mark Eisenhauer of the Houston Chronicle that the 33-year-old "made a lot of strides."

For all his faults, Weeden's easily the most experienced quarterback the Texans have, with 25 career starts on his NFL resume. If Tom Savage flops in camp and Deshaun Watson is slow to pick up O'Brien's complex offense, it's not unimaginable the team could turn to Weeden early in the season.

Have either of those things happened? Nope. Would it be at all good news for Houston? Oh, no.

But it is entirely possible.

Indianapolis Colts

LB Anthony Walker

On some level, it's a bit of a stretch to call any of the Colts' potential starters at inside linebacker a "surprise." It's arguably the most wide-open position battle in the league.

But Anthony Walker entered the competition at something of a disadvantage, given that he also just entered the NFL.

Walker was late getting to OTAs because Northwestern runs on a quarters system, but he told Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star that he feels he's getting up to speed.

"I've been in my playbook," Walker said. "Maybe a couple reps here and there I could have gotten earlier, but I'm just going with the flow of the game, and it's been a good transition."

Assuming Sean Spence wins one inside linebacker job, Walker will vie with Antonio Morrison and Edwin Jackson for the other. Walker is the most athletic of the trio, so if can demonstrate a good grasp of the scheme, he should have an edge.

Jacksonville Jaguars

OT Cam Robinson

It wouldn't be a surprise if Cam Robinson started for the Jaguars. The second-round pick was considered by some the top prospect at his position in this year's draft.

Starting at left tackle ahead of Branden Albert, however, would raise some eyebrows.

It wouldn't be an earth-shaking upset, though. Albert may once have been one of the better tackles in the NFL, but there's a reason the Miami Dolphins unloaded him.

Albert's PFF grade last year was a career-worst, and he missed four games. Also, rather than hitting the ground running with his new team in an effort to revive his lagging stock, Albert spent the early part of OTAs angling for more money.

If Robinson shines in training camp, Albert may have more to worry about than the size of his paycheck.

Tennessee Titans

CB LeShaun Sims

The Titans were aggressive in addressing the cornerback position this offseason, adding Logan Ryan in free agency and Adoree' Jackson in Round 1 of the draft.

Problem solved. Ryan starts on one side, Jackson starts on the other, and Brice McCain mans the slot.

But what if Jackson struggles to adapt to the NFL? It's hardly unheard of for young corners to do so—even ones who go on to star as professionals.

That would open the path to a starting job for second-year pro LeShaun Sims, who made two starts for Tennessee as a rookie. In fact, after the Titans moved on from Perrish Cox late last year, Sims played well enough down the stretch to earn praise from defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau.

That starting job won't just be handed to Jackson.

NFC South

Chuck Burton/Associated Press

Jonathan Stewart

Atlanta Falcons

S Damontae Kazee

As the Falcons try to become the first Super Bowl loser to make it back to the big game since the Buffalo Bills perfected the art in the 1990s, there's not a ton of roster drama. The starting spots are more or less set.

There is, however, potential for a bit of intrigue and a fresh face to emerge at free safety.

As Allen Strk of SB Nation noted, Ricardo Allen isn't necessarily a bad safety. Since making the switch from cornerback a couple of years ago, Allen has had his moments, and more importantly, he isn't prone to the sort of glaring mistakes that can lead to big plays.

But Allen's also not the fastest or most athletic defensive back on the roster, which opens the door for a more physically gifted player to take his spot.

Carolina Panthers

RB Jonathan Stewart

There's been no shortage of stories over the last couple of months extolling the virtues of rookie tailback Christian McCaffrey and what he brings to the Panthers offense. McCaffrey's a talented young runner and receiver, and odds are good he'll lead the Carolina backfield in touches.

But the funeral for the NFL relevance of Jonathan Stewart may be a bit premature.

Granted, Stewart hasn't topped 1,000 yards on the ground since 2009, and his 3.8 yards per carry in 2016 was his lowest mark in that category since 2013.

But there's one thing that could keep Stewart as the nominal starter for a while longer than many think: When it comes to blitz pickups (an area in which many young backs struggle), Stewart is one of the best in the league.

New Orleans Saints

LB Alex Anzalone

The Saints depth chart is crowded at linebacker, but there are no standouts and no guaranteed starters. It's going to be a full-on competition when training camp rolls around.

Rookie Alex Anzalone could surprise. Per Mike Mayock of the NFL Network, Anzalone has the physical tools to start early in his career. "He's got great size and athletic ability," Mayock said. "He's a starting linebacker traits-wise."

Anzalone's biggest issue at Florida was staying on the field. If he's healthy, he's probably the most athletically gifted linebacker on the New Orleans roster.

His quickness, speed and coverage ability is valuable in today's pass-wacky NFL.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

S Justin Evans

The Buccaneers upgraded both sides of the ball this offseason—including the safety position. The team signed a potential veteran starter in J.J. Wilcox and re-upped 2016 starter Chris Conte on a two-year deal.

Conte's a capable pro, but he isn't a whole lot more than that.

He's also likely to watch a lot of games from the sideline this season.

With the 50th pick in the draft, Tampa Bay selected former Texas A&M safety Justin Evans, a 6'1", 195-pounder who, Lance Zierlein of NFL.com compared to Karl Joseph of the Oakland Raiders.

Now, Evans is going to have to hold up his end of the bargain and perform well. With players like Wilcox, Conte and Keith Tandy potentially ahead of him on the depth chart, there won't be much margin for error.

But Evans could prove to be a quick study, and he's also the most physically gifted safety on the Buccaneers roster.

AFC East

Associated Press

Derek Rivers (right)

Buffalo Bills

WR Andre Holmes

The Bills need some good news at the wide receiver position. They finally got some, even if it wasn't about the receiver they were hoping.

Sammy Watkins is still hurt, folks.

Per Jay Skurski of the Buffalo News, free-agent addition Andre Holmes stood out for the Bills in OTAs. "I'll tell you the guy that's really stood out has been Andre," head coach Sean McDermott said. "He's done a phenomenal job, not only on offense, but also special teams."

Holmes was mostly a non-factor in four seasons in Oakland, though he did catch 47 passes in 2014.

A wide-open depth chart presents the 29-year-old a golden opportunity to earn the most significant playing time of his career.

And so far, Holmes appears to be taking full advantage.

Miami Dolphins

G Isaac Asiata

The Dolphins were a surprise playoff team last year, and they made a number of improvements in the offseason in an effort to make that the beginning of a trend and not a one-off fluke.

However, the interior offensive line remains a question mark—especially at guard. Only seven guards in all of the NFL allowed more sacks last year than Jermon Bushrod's five, and the starting spot opposite Bushrod is up for grabs.

Among the uninspiring (at first glance) contenders for that spot, there's one who's interesting in that he's an unknown commodity in the NFL.

Isaac Asiata is a 323-pound mauler who excelled in the run game at Utah. He's not the most athletic lineman in the world, but he's powerful and possesses my favorite trait in young linemen: He's mean.

New England Patriots

EDGE Derek Rivers

Let's get real for a bit. With a roster as loaded as the Patriots', there aren't apt to be many surprises in the starting lineup. As in none, most likely.

However, if Youngstown State's Derek Rivers is as good as I think he's going to be, Bill Belichick is going to try to find ways to get the 6'4", 250-pounder on the field.

That New England was able to land Rivers with its first pick in Round 3 is proof that life isn't fair. He's a wildly talented and athletic edge-rusher capable of lining up all over. And we know how much Darth Hoodie likes versatile "chess piece" defenders.

Given the additions the Pats made this year, it's probable we're going to see a lot of hybrid defensive looks—formations that are hard to quantify and even harder to game-plan against. And by midseason, people will be wondering aloud how Rivers could have fallen as far as he did on draft day.

New York Jets

CB Jeremy Clark

The Jets are the anti-Patriots: a team with below-average talent at just about every position except the defensive line.

That's certainly the case at cornerback, where the probably starters are free-agent acquisition Morris Claiborne and Buster "Couldn't Cover a Bed with a Sheet" Skrine.

New York would not be disappointed if one of its young defensive backs unseated Skrine. And if rookie Jeremy Clark can show he's fully healthy after tearing his ACL last year, he might do just that.

Had it not been for that injury, Clark would have been drafted much earlier than the sixth round. The former Michigan standout has plus ball skills, and at 6'3" and 220 pounds, he has the size NFL teams love in boundary corners.

NFC East

Alex Brandon/Associated Press

Samaje Perine

Dallas Cowboys

S Robert Blanton

The Cowboys are coming off one of their best seasons in years, but the defending NFC East champions have questions galore about the back of their defense after a mass exodus in free agency.

It's believed converted cornerback Byron Jones will man one safety spot, and the team spent a Day 3 pick on a potential starter at strong safety in Xavier Woods. But a quiet free-agent signing may well solidify the position for Dallas.

Don't get me wrong. Robert Blanton is no world-beater. There's a reason why the 27-year-old is on his third team in as many years: There isn't any one thing he does especially well.

Blanton's also not awful at any one thing. And with 19 career starts, he offers a measure of experience the team could sorely use.

New York Giants

LB J.T. Thomas

One of the great mysteries of the universe is why Giants general manager Jerry Reese refuses to invest resources (be it money or draft capital) in linebackers. Every year, it's a clear area of need. Every year, he does next to nothing about it.

New York is hopeful second-year pro B.J. Goodson can step in as the starter at middle linebacker, but given that Goodson played all of 13 snaps on defense a year ago, it's far from a certainty.

If Goodson wavers, at least the Giants have something of a backup plan in place—maybe.

J.T. Thomas missed the rest of the 2016 season after tearing his ACL in the season opener, but the 28-year-old is reportedly healthy as training camp nears.

Thomas had the best season of his career manning the "Mike" spot for the Jaguars in 2014, making 10 starts and logging a career-high 85 tackles.

Thomas is no Luke Kuechly, but he's a much more proven commodity than Goodson.

Philadelphia Eagles

CB Rasul Douglas

It's not difficult to pinpoint the weak spot of the Eagles defense. It's cornerback, where Philly sports an underwhelming group led by the likes of Patrick Robinson, Ron Brooks and Dwayne Gratz.

That trio doesn't inspire much fear in opposing quarterbacks.

The Eagles used a third-round pick on the position in the draft, and Matt Lombardo of NJ Advance Media was impressed with what he saw from Rasul Douglas in OTAs.

"Douglas had several battles with wide receiver Alshon Jeffery," he wrote, "and flashed strength, tremendous ball skills and good instincts when it came to tracking the ball."

If Douglas continues to fare well into training camp, Philadelphia won't have much to lose by rolling him out there in Week 1.

Washington Redskins

RB Samaje Perine

There was more than a little buzz after the draft about rookie Samaje Perine's chances of emerging as the lead back for the Redskins.

That talk quieted a little after Robert Kelley showed up to OTAs in fantastic shape, and CSN Mid-Atlantic's JP Finlay and Rich Tandler predicted Kelley will lead the team in rushing yards in 2017.

Kelley was effective as a rookie, topping 700 rushing yards and averaging 4.2 yards a carry. But the hard-charging Perine is a more talented runner.

Kelley may have the early lead, but expect Perine to steadily close the gap during training camp.

AFC West

Associated Press

Travis Benjamin

Denver Broncos

QB Paxton Lynch

Paxton Lynch said he's feeling much more comfortable under center as he enters the second season of his career, per CBS Denver. "I am confident in where I am right now," Lynch said. "I think the coaches are pretty pleased with how the quarterbacks have played and the offense, too."

There's been plenty of talk about Lynch's improvement in OTAs, with head coach Vance Joseph going so far as to say the competition between Lynch and 2016 starter Trevor Siemian is close to even, per Cameron Wolfe of the Denver Post.

Now, that's likely at least partially coachspeak. And Wolfe noted consistency remains an issue for Lynch—too often great plays are followed by lousy ones.

But Mike Klis of 9 News in Denver reported that Lynch "made his move" over the last two weeks of the offseason, so it looks increasingly possible that the future is now in the Mile High City.

Kansas City Chiefs

RB Kareem Hunt

I'd like to say the Chiefs could have a surprise starter at wide receiver after their surprise release of Jeremy Maclin. But behind Tyreek Hill and Chris Conley, the Kansas City receivers get, um, small.

Really small. Like 5'9" small.

There's a better candidate at another offensive skill position: Kareem Hunt. The Chiefs obviously admire his talent—they traded up in the third round to draft the tailback.

And while Spencer Ware was a star over the first half of last season, he faded badly down the stretch.

If Hunt shows command of the offense in camp and demonstrates the ability to pick up blitzers, Ware's tenure atop the depth chart could be over before it really started.

Los Angeles Chargers

WR Travis Benjamin

Not too long ago, Travis Benjamin looked to be the Chargers' odd man out. Los Angeles drafted Mike Williams at No. 7, and with Williams joining the returning Keenan Allen and 2016 surprise star Tyrell Williams, Benjamin seemed to be the No. 4 wideout—at best.

But these are the Chargers. And the Chargers wouldn't be the Chargers without a rash of injuries.

Last year, it was Allen tearing his ACL in the season opener. This year, it's the newcomer Williams, who missed all of OTAs with a "mild" disc herniation in his back.

In other words, a supposedly deep receiving corps is peppered with potential problems. If Williams' injury stretches into camp, his development will be slowed to the point he's not going to be ready for Week 1.

And that means a much bigger role for Benjamin out of the gate.

Oakland Raiders

LB Marquel Lee

As one scout told Lance Zierlein of NFL.com, Marquel Lee is not an elite talent by any stretch. "I like his size, but I question his speed and instincts," the scout said. "He's also not as aggressive as he needs to be. He's not fast, so he better make up for it with field toughness."

That scouting report is eerily similar to those of most of Oakland's other young inside linebackers, whether they're Cory James or Ben Heeney.

The position is easily the Raiders' biggest defensive question mark. There's no clear-cut starter for either spot, though Jelani Jenkins' combination of experience and a measure of NFL success appears likely to give him a slight edge.

James and Heeney played their way into and then out of Oakland's lineup a year ago, largely because they were repeatedly victimized in coverage. If Lee can show he's at least better than that pair in pass defense, he could open his career in a position few expected: Week 1 starter.

NFC West

Associated Press

Thomas Rawls

Arizona Cardinals

OT Will Holden

Rookie offensive tackle Will Holden told Craig Grialou of Arizona Sports 98.7 FM that he'll play any position the Cardinals need him to—including on kickoff returns. "I'm ready to go wherever," he said. "Anything I can do to help this offensive line and help this team win, that's why I'm here."

That might include protecting Carson Palmer's blind slide.

In theory, the left tackle spot will be manned by 2015 first-round pick D.J. Humphries. The same Humphries who tied for the NFL lead among tackles last year with nine sacks allowed.

In other words, Humphries' grip on the starting job isn't exactly iron-clad.

Don't count out Holden, a three-year starter from the SEC with experience on both ends of the line.

Los Angeles Rams

WR Josh Reynolds

Josh Reynolds wasn't the first wide receiver the Rams drafted in 2017. And he certainly wasn't as productive in college as Eastern Washington's Cooper Kupp, whom Los Angeles picked a round earlier.

Of course, no one was as productive as Kupp.

At 6'3" but just 192 pounds, Reynolds won't be muscling up any defensive backs in the NFL, especially early on. But he has one skill Kupp does not—and it's something the Rams badly need.

Reynolds' 4.52-second 40-yard dash time at the combine is misleading—at Texas A&M, he was a dangerous vertical threat who averaged 17 yards per catch.

With his height and speed, Reynolds can be a threat over the top and in the red zone. Los Angeles must get better in both regards.

And that need could pave the way to early playing time.

San Francisco 49ers

RB Joe Williams

Fourth-round pick Joe Williams told Chris Biderman of Niners Wire he intends to show every team that passed on him the error of their ways.

"I always told myself—and I told everybody in front of me—that I was the best running back in the draft," Williams said. "... But I don't have to be the first running back taken, or a first-round, second-round pick to have that inclination. It's just what you do on the field."

In Carlos Hyde, San Francisco has a young bellcow who gained nearly 1,000 yards on the ground last year for a terrible team—at a robust 4.6 yards per carry.

But Williams was hand-picked by new 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan, who lobbied new general manager John Lynch to trade up to draft him.

If Hyde, who is entering a contract year, struggles in the preseason or gets hurt again, the changing of the guard may happen even sooner than we thought.

Seattle Seahawks

RB Thomas Rawls

There's been no shortage of speculation regarding the impact Eddie Lacy will have as the No. 1 tailback for the Seahawks.

Apparently, someone forgot to tell Thomas Rawls he no longer has that role in the Emerald City.

Rawls starred during OTAs, displaying the burst that made him a star in 2015. He told reporters he doesn't mind the competition.

"I've always been in competition with myself," he said. "I just believe that this program, this whole organization has a mindset of competition. We believe that as long as people compete, they will earn whatever they deserve in the end, it'll work itself out."

Rawls will have to show in camp that he's over the injuries that ruined his 2016 season. If he can do that, his familiarity with the Seattle offense will give him an edge over Lacy in the battle to start behind Russell Wilson.