8 Bold Predictions for 2023 NFL Training Camp
Several NFL teams will start training camp programs next week, which means rookies will shine, veterans may become expendable and disgruntled players could find a new home as coaching staffs sculpt 53-man rosters.
A club may only need a few practices to realize a major need and inquire about a player who might be available on the trade market. In other cases, coaches will allow camp battles to go on through August before they make a call on who starts at an open position.
Either way, we're going to see surprising reports about acquisitions and competition between and among teammates for contested spots atop depth charts.
Before the offseason rolls into the second half of July, we have eight bold training camp predictions, which include trade acquisitions, a notable roster cut and early projections for pivotal position battles.
Bengals Cut RB Joe Mixon as Chase Brown Emerges in the Backfield
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In a frustrating offseason for top-tier running backs, the Cincinnati Bengals must settle a contract situation with Joe Mixon.
Back in February, Bengals director of player personnel Duke Tobin sparked speculation when he said, "I don't know" when asked about the Pro Bowl running back's future with the team.
The Bengals, who will likely sign quarterback Joe Burrow to a massive extension in the coming weeks, can save $10 million if they release Mixon.
With that in mind, head coach Zac Taylor has touted Trayveon Williams as a potential contributor in the upcoming season, and the club selected running back Chase Brown in the fifth round of this year's draft.
The Athletic's Paul Dehner Jr. also raised the idea that the Bengals might explore the free-agent market for a running back.
"Running back could come into play depending on Mixon's situation as well as their view of the competition for Samaje Perine's third-down back role."
If the Bengals feel confident in Brown and Williams or a free-agent pickup as a tandem, Mixon may be expendable at a devalued position.
Over the past two years, Brown rushed for 2,648 yards and 15 touchdowns at Illinois. Last year, he logged 328 carries, showing his ability to handle a high volume of touches on the ground. If Brown looks impressive at camp, his rise could come at Mixon's expense.
Cardinals QB Clayton Tune Wins Starting Job in Kyler Murray's Absence
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As quarterback Kyler Murray recovers from a torn ACL, the Arizona Cardinals have to figure out who starts in his place to open the season.
The Arizona Republic's Bob McManaman wrote about the possibility that rookie fifth-rounder Clayton Tune becomes the Cardinals' version of San Francisco 49ers' Brock Purdy, who moved up from a third-string signal-caller in the offseason to a starter in the NFC Championship Game, thanks to injuries at his position.
"All anyone can know for sure is that with Murray expected to miss some portion of the start of next season and (Colt) McCoy, 36, being an obvious injury risk, the door could swing wide open for a guy like Tune to seize the moment and experience his own Brock Purdy-type opportunity."
Tune's pathway to a starting role differs from Purdy's because the former has a chance to win the job outright in the offseason. Nonetheless, Tune has this opportunity because of Murray's injury. Aside from that, McCoy hasn't started in more than four games in a season since 2011, and he finished the previous campaign on the sideline because of lingering symptoms from a concussion.
Though McCoy has a significant edge over Tune in experience, the rookie can win over the Cardinals' new coaching staff with his athleticism and playmaking ability. In his last two years at Houston, Tune threw for 70 touchdowns and 20 interceptions and rushed for 700 yards and seven touchdowns.
Like Purdy, Tune has a lot of collegiate starts (42) on his resume, which may shorten his learning curve. Assuming the Cardinals give Murray extended time to recover, they may prefer Tune's upside over McCoy's experience.
Colts QB Anthony Richardson Wins Starting Job
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As the top two picks in the 2023 draft, Bryce Young and C.J. Stroud could win starting jobs well before Week 1 of the season. No one would be surprised by a couple of blue-chip prospects getting on the field early in their careers.
The Indianapolis Colts took Anthony Richardson with the No. 4 overall pick, but many draft analysts viewed him as more of a "project" than Young and Stroud.
For the starting job, Richardson has an uphill battle against Gardner Minshew, who's picked up head coach Shane Steichen's system in two years (2021 and 2022) with the Philadelphia Eagles.
During an interview on 1010 AM, 92.5 FM in Jacksonville, respected quarterback coach Denny Thompson, who's worked with Richardson and Minshew, picked the former to win the camp battle.
Between 2021 and 2022, Minshew started in four games under Steichen's tutelage, and he has 24 career starts on his resume. The fifth-year veteran should be the front-runner to open the season under center, though Richardson's potential could become a deciding factor if he's in close competition with the veteran signal-caller.
B/R scout Derrik Klassen believes Richardson has a ceiling comparable to Cam Newton. The 6'4", 244-pound Florida product threw for 10 touchdowns and two interceptions in his last four collegiate starts and finished the 2022 campaign with 654 yards and nine touchdowns on the ground.
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Jets Acquire RB Josh Jacobs from Raiders
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The Las Vegas Raiders have remained tight-lipped about negotiations with Josh Jacobs. While no one knows what the running back wants or how much the team is willing to pay him beyond a $10.1 million franchise tender, we can guess that the ball-carrier isn't close to an extension.
Over the past month, Jacobs has posted two cryptic tweets that could be construed as a threat to hold out for a new deal, and that he wants (in his view) a fair shake at the negotiating table.
The Raiders don't seem eager to sign Jacobs at a premium price. If that's the case, the two sides may explore trade options.
The Raiders selected running backs Zamir White and Brittain Brown in the fourth and seventh rounds of the 2022 draft, respectively. They resigned Ameer Abdullah, and going back to his time in New England, Brandon Bolden has played under head coach Josh McDaniels for nine (active) seasons since 2012.
None of the Raiders running backs have come close to matching Jacobs' recent productivity, but McDaniels may revert to a running back by committee approach as he's done in New England. In the event that happens, a team in the market for a running back may have an enticing offer for Jacobs.
Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio said the New York Jets have been "gaining momentum" in pursuit of free-agent running back Dalvin Cook (h/t Paul Andrew Esden Jr. of The Score 1260).
That being said, NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported that Cook has "multiple offers" and will "command a significant contract."
If the Jets miss out on Cook, they can pivot to Jacobs. Vegas could make its All-Pro running back available for a Day 2 pick, and Gang Green may be willing to meet that demand with the cap space ($22.7 million) to give him a short-term pay raise in a sign-and-trade scenario.
Keep in mind that Jets running back Breece Hall's status remains unclear as he recovers from a torn ACL. Also, New York is in win-now mode with 39-year-old quarterback Aaron Rodgers on the roster.
Raiders Acquire LB Patrick Queen from Ravens
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The Baltimore Ravens may have foreshadowed Patrick Queen's imminent exit.
Last October, the Ravens acquired linebacker Roquan Smith from the Chicago Bears and signed him to a five-year, $100 million extension. In the third round of this year's draft, Baltimore selected linebacker Trenton Simpson. Subsequently, the team declined to pick up Queen's fifth-year option.
Going into training camp, the Ravens have the present and future at linebacker in Smith and Simpson, respectively. Meanwhile, Queen will prepare for a contract year with a chance to cash in on a strong campaign as a free agent in 2024.
Simpson may look the part of a starter right away, which may result in Queen's early departure from Baltimore. If the Ravens make the latter available on the trade block, the Las Vegas Raiders could make a move to bolster their limited linebacker unit.
Aside from Divine Deablo, who wore the green dot during spring practices, Vegas needs another three-down linebacker on the roster. They signed Robert Spillane, but he allowed a 109.2 passer rating in coverage with the Pittsburgh Steelers last season.
Queen would fill arguably the Raiders' biggest roster need. In return, he would have a better chance to stand out and earn a big contract in Las Vegas alongside Deablo as opposed to lining up next to Smith, an All-Pro linebacker, with an early-round rookie pushing for snaps.
Saints WR A.T. Perry Exceeds Expectations, Earns Big Role
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The New Orleans Saints will head into a training camp with a revamped passing attack led by quarterback Derek Carr, who signed with the team after nine seasons with the Las Vegas Raiders.
During his time with the Raiders, Carr clicked with big-bodied and possession pass-catchers who used size or technical skill to win their one-on-one matchups. The former Raiders signal-caller built a strong rapport with tight ends Darren Waller and Jared Cook as well as wideout Michael Crabtree and Mack Hollins in recent years.
The Saints' offseason moves indicate that they see something in Carr's connection with bigger targets. They signed wideout Bryan Edwards (6'3", 215 lbs), tight end Foster Moreau (6'4", 250 lbs) and inked tight end Juwan Johnson to a two-year extension.
Yes, Carr played with Edwards and Moreau in Las Vegas, but they're guys with a wide catch radius at their sizes.
The Saints selected A.T. Perry in the sixth round of this year's draft, and he's an intriguing fit with Carr because he's a 6'5", 205-pounder who ran a 4.47 40-yard time at the NFL Scouting Combine. With his combination of size and speed, he has the potential to turn heads at training camp.
Remember, wideout Michael Thomas has played in just three games over the past two years because of injuries. If he's unable to stay on the field, Perry could join Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed in three-wide receiver sets. If Thomas avoids the injury bug, the Saints can move him into the slot and insert Perry on the outside for a bigger receiving trio in 11 personnel.
Texans Feature WR Tank Dell with Starters
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When the Houston Texans selected quarterback C.J. Stroud with the No. 2 overall pick, Tank Dell gained a supporter with a voice in the building.
Dell told Chancellor Johnson of KPRC 2 in Houston about his budding connection with Stroud, and the quarterback's suggestion to draft him. Maybe the Texans already had an interest in Dell on Day 2 of the draft. Regardless, the team may have a dynamic rookie quarterback-receiver duo.
At Ohio State, Stroud completed 69.3 percent of his passes. Meanwhile, Dell posted gaudy numbers at Houston, racking up 199 receptions for 2,727 yards and 29 touchdowns over the last two years.
Dell is an undersized 5'10", 165-pound wide receiver who will likely line up primarily in the slot, but his route-running and agility should open up the Texans' passing game. He's primed to become a catalyst for big plays downfield.
If Stroud's pinpoint ball placement translates on the pro level, he's going to put together some highlight plays with Dell on the receiving end.
Because of his ability to get a quick first step ahead of defenders and rack up a ton of yards after the catch, Dell is a more explosive playmaker than fellow Texans wideouts Nico Collins, John Metchie III and Robert Woods.
Vikings Acquire S Budda Baker from Cardinals
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Budda Baker has already made it clear that something has to change in his situation with the Arizona Cardinals. He wants to be the highest-paid safety or a change of scenery, per ESPN's Adam Schefter.
In Year 1 under a new regime, the Cardinals may opt to trade Baker rather than pay top dollar for a player at a low premium position. Keep in mind that the club outright released three-time All-Pro wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins in May.
Baker attended but didn't participate in mandatory minicamp practices while working "through some things" related to his contract. Potentially on his way out of Arizona, he could draw interest from a playoff-caliber squad.
Even though the Minnesota Vikings are at a contract impasse with defensive end Danielle Hunter, Baker may not want to reset the safety market with a viable contender (based on the wording in Schefter's report). Perhaps the Vikings can satisfy Hunter and Baker with short-term pay raises; they have $18 million in cap space.
In the early weeks of training camp, Minnesota may not see enough out of second-year safety Lewis Cine, who's coming off a compound leg fracture that required surgery, to trust him in a starting role. As a solution to bolster a pass defense that gave up the second-most yards last year, the Vikings could make an attempt to acquire Baker.
College football statistics are provided by cfbstats.com.
Maurice Moton covers the NFL for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @MoeMoton.
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