Buying or Selling Early Training Camp Buzz on 2023 NFL Rookies
Training camps are underway across the National Football League, and that means excitement for the fans and hard work for the players.
And it also means buzz.
It means the buzz of quarterback competitions involving two of the top-five picks in the 2023 draft. The buzz of another highly-drafted rookie passer already being named his team's Week 1 starter. It means the buzz of pass-catchers who continue to turn heads, and that of an edge-rusher whose absence is raising some eyebrows.
Some of that buzz is meaningful—a harbinger of things to come in the regular season. But some of it will fade quickly, as the harsh realities of fall overtake the optimism of summer.
Here's a look at some buzz from the early days of camp, and whether it's a sign of things to come or full of sound and fury that signifies nothing.
Anthony Richardson Will Play 'When He's Ready'
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The Buzz
While speaking to reporters this week, Colts general manager Chris Ballard said the team isn't going to rush No. 4 overall pick Anthony Richardson into action until he's ready:
"That's discussions that Mr. [Jim] Irsay, Shane [Steichen], the coaching staff—all of us will have. You don't want to put him out there and he's not ready to handle everything that requires playing the position. I'll lean heavily on our coaching staff—on what they think and what they think he can handle and what he's ready for. Then eventually he'll play. But until he's ready, we'll make that determination and if the coaching staff thinks he's ready to go, then we'll play him."
Buying
So far, the Colts appear to be taking the cautious approach with Richardson.
According to Kevin Bowen of 107.5 The Fan Indianapolis (h/t CBS Sports), veteran Gardner Minshew handled all 15 starting reps in the team's first practice session of training camp.
For all Richardson's prodigious talents and plus athleticism, he's a raw prospect who was only a one-year starter at Florida. He may well be the future under center in Indianapolis, but he may need time to acclimate to the NFL. And over four years with the Jacksonville Jaguars and Philadelphia Eagles, Minshew has made 24 starts.
Frankly, this is all going to come down to the preseason. Even if he's out there with second-teamers, if Richardson puts on a show in the exhibition season the clamoring for the rookie to start is going to get awfully loud.
And the Colts' position on his readiness could easily change.
Bryce Young Named Panthers Starter
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The Buzz
This is less buzz and more a proclamation. The Colts may not be sure who their Week 1 starter will be, but the Carolina Panthers have no such doubts.
Per Anthony Rizzuti of Panthers Wire, the team has already named No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young the Week 1 starter against the Atlanta Falcons.
Young said he's honored to have been given the opportunity:
"That means a lot. That's a huge blessing. I always trust the coaches and I wanna do everything I can to play whatever role it is I'm called on to help the team. So that means a lot. For me, it doesn't change my approach. Make sure that I take things day by day. There's a lot I want to keep growing in, keep improving in, a lot to learn. And we're all in it as a team, in this together."
Buying
There's not much to do but "buy" this—it's happening. Young will be the starter against the Atlanta. But what we're really buying here is the wisdom of going ahead, making the call and naming him the starter.
This isn't the same situation as Richardson in Indianapolis. Young attempted almost 950 passes at Alabama. He won a national championship and a Heisman trophy.
Where Richardson was the rawest of this year's prospects under center, Young was the most NFL-ready.
Naming him the starter over Andy Dalton will allow the 22-year-old to get that many more first-team reps before the season begins to work on his timing with Adam Thielen and D.J. Chark and smooth out some of the rough spots.
This doesn't mean Young will look like a grizzled veteran against the Falcons, There will be bumps in the road. There always are with rookies.
But there was no point in waiting to make the decision everyone knew was coming.
Open QB Competition in Houston?
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The Buzz
A decision may have already been made in Charlotte, but Houston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans hasn't made up his mind who the team's starting quarterback will be for the regular-season opener.
As was the case in OTAs, the Texans are rotating reps between third-year pro Davis Mills and second overall pick C.J. Stroud.
According to Texans beat writer Aaron Wilson, it was Mills who drew the first rep with the first team on Wednesday:
In June, Ryans told reporters that this was going to be an open competition.
"We'll see where their process goes in training camp and see as the competition continues," he said. "We'll see who separates themselves."
So far at least, Ryans appears to be keeping his word.
Selling
Ryans can call this a "competition," but this writer isn't buying Mills as the starter against the Baltimore Ravens on September 10 unless Stroud forgets how to throw between now and then.
And even then, it would be a toss-up because Mills isn't good.
It's not like the 24-year-old is an unknown commodity. Over the past two seasons, he has made 25 starts in Houston and won five. He has averaged an interception per game, tied for the league lead in picks in 2022, completed just 61 percent of his passes and posted a passer rating of less than 80. For his career, he has averaged 206.5 passing yards per game.
Stroud was a two-year starter at Ohio State who averaged over 4,000 yards per season and threw 85 touchdown passes against just 12 picks.
He should be Houston's Week 1 starter. And he will be.
Big First Year Ahead for Lions TE Sam LaPorta?
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The Buzz
There aren't many teams generating more buzz this offseason than the Detroit Lions, and one of the most buzzed-about first-year players on the team has been tight end Sam LaPorta.
The second-round pick out of Iowa has worked his way into first-team reps, and offensive coordinator Ben Johnson told reporters that the 22-year-old has earned every snap:
"I think as a coaching staff, we're very much, 'You need to earn your stripes.' And so you saw in the springtime, he got minimal work with the first team and he's earned the right now to be in that first-team huddle with Jared (Goff) and that offensive line. He's proven that over the course of the springtime and the work that he's put in. So, encouraged with where he's going. He's still making mistakes, he's still learning, we are putting a lot of pressure on him to pick it up. But I think he's in a really good spot for a first-year tight end, particularly with the volume we are playing with the installs right now."
Selling
Let's make one thing clear: We aren't selling LaPorta. He's a talented young tight end from a school that has churned out NFL-relevant talent at the position like McDonald's churns out cheeseburgers. He's probably going to have a fine professional career.
But it's relatively rare for first-year TEs to make a big splash on the field, for every Kyle Pitts who tops 1,000 receiving yards in his first season, there's a George Kittle or a T.J. Hockenson who posts relatively modest numbers in their first campaign, There's also no shortage of passing-game weapons in Detroit, especially once Jameson Williams returns from suspension.
LaPorta could well go on to be a force in the NFL, but we need to tap the brakes on it happening in 2023.
All Aboard the Achane Train in Miami?
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The Buzz
The Miami Dolphins already had one of the more crowded running back rooms in the NFL, and that room became even fuller when they used a third-round pick on Texas A&M running back De'Von Achane.
The 5'9", 187-pounder who ran a 4.32-second 40-yard dash at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine has done nothing but turn heads since his arrival in South Florida, and while speaking to Joe Schad of the Palm Beach Post (via Marek Brave of SB Nation), quarterback Tua Tagovailoa said that he's been impressed by the team's newest back.
"Achane has been very impressive throughout the first OTAs that we've had," he said. "I think when you look at the practices that we've had, I mean, he's shown some pretty cool bursts of his speed. His hands. Understanding the plays. He's done a really good job with that."
Buying
We aren't necessarily buying the idea of Achane opening the season as Miami's No. 1 running back—the team still has Raheem Mostert and Jeff Wilson, and the Dolphins are regularly mentioned as a potential landing spot for Dalvin Cook.
Achane is also an undersized back, although that didn't stop him from topping 230 touches for the Aggies in 2022.
But his combination of blazing speed, ability to make people miss in the open field and receiving chops are going to get him on the field—at least in passing situations. And if he can show he can hold up to an even bigger workload, he could be an even larger part of what could be one of the NFL's most explosive offenses.
Zay Flowers to Bloom in Baltimore in 2023?
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The Buzz
The Baltimore Ravens made a concerted effort to upgrade the team's wide receivers in the offseason, signing veteran Odell Beckham and drafting Zay Flowers of Boston College with their first pick of the 2023 draft.
Flowers, who hauled in 78 passes for 1,077 yards and 12 touchdowns last year, spent OTAs learning all three receiver spots in Todd Monken's offense. He told Ryan Mink of the team's website he expects his first season with the Ravens to be a big one.
"That's what I want. That's exactly what I want," Flowers said. "As long as I'm touching the ball, I feel like I can make a play from anywhere, no matter where it is. [Monken's] offense allows everyone to be able to get the ball. Just spread everybody out, move pieces around, and get everybody open. I just want to touch the ball. I don't care how – screens, deeps balls, intermediate routes, shallow crosses – it doesn't matter. As long as I'm touching the ball, I feel confident that I can help the team."
Selling
Again, this is less a matter of selling Flowers than the idea he's going to make a big rookie impact. The 5'9" 182-pounder has 4.42-second speed, solid route-running ability and soft hands. He's the real deal.
But even if Monken opens up the Baltimore offense some, the Ravens aren't going to suddenly morph into the Kansas City Chiefs or Buffalo Bills. In three of the past four seasons, the Ravens have been a bottom-five team in passing attempts. The Ravens are a running team. That's who they are.
There's also the matter of the pecking order in the passing game. Tight end Mark Andrews is the unquestioned No. 1 pass-catcher in Baltimore. Beckham didn't get $15 million in guarantees to be a decoy.
The reality is that Flowers is (at best) the No. 3 option in a low-volume passing attack.
The talent may be there, but the numbers won't. At least not in 2023.
Raiders Not Worried About Tyree Wilson Injury
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The Buzz
I suppose we should include at least one defensive player here. They do still play defense in the NFL after all—at least sort of.
The Las Vegas Raiders have made some, um, questionable first-round picks in recent years, and with Tyree Wilson on the shelf as training camp opens, the former Texas A&M edge-rusher threatens to join them.
However, while speaking to reporters, Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels said the team isn't concerned about the 6'6", 271-pounder:
"No timeline, but he's [Wilson] headed in the right direction, no question about it, excited about that. And this is, again, just a process that we expected based on what was happening at the time we drafted him. So, we knew that there was going to be a rehabilitation process and then there's going to be a re-acclamation phase here. He's doing a great job of everything that he's doing right now. And once he's ready to roll, then we'll re-enter him into practice the right way and then get him ready to go for the regular season."
Selling
Wilson may not be the No. 1 concern for the Raiders right now (there are many), but for McDaniels to say the team isn't worried at all about him smacks of insincerity.
For starters, the Raiders managed just 27 sacks in 2022—third-fewest in the NFL. And that was with a Defensive Player of the Year-caliber season from Maxx Crosby. Chandler Jones was a bust in his first season in Vegas, and he's entering his age-33 season.
Also, there may not be a position in the league with a steeper learning curve than at edge-rusher. The Raiders badly need Wilson, and he needs every practice rep he can get.
Christian Gonzalez Looking the Part Early On
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The Buzz
The New England Patriots made Oregon cornerback Christian Gonzalez the No. 17 overall pick in the 2023 draft, and when training camp opened, the 6'1", 197-pounder was running with the first team.
Per Jordy McElroy of Patriots Wire, the 21-year-old wasn't flawless. But for the most part, he looked the part of a youngster who belonged on the field with the starters.
"Gonzalez was right back to working with the top unit after spending time on the field with the group during the spring," McElroy wrote. "He got beat on a play in the low red zone by tight end Hunter Henry for a touchdown, but for the most part, he fit right in and looked like he belonged on the field, which is saying a lot for a rookie.
"Gonzalez will only get better through repetition and experience. The ceiling is exceptionally high for the first-round draft pick, who has all of the physical traits to be a dominant player in the defensive backfield for years to come."
Buying
On some level, this feels a little weird. Usually, the Patriots get their starting CBs as undrafted free agents, because Bill Belichick is a sorcerer. But this time they went the early-round route, and Gonzalez has been as advertised so far.
Physically speaking, he has everything an NFL team could ask for in a cornerback, whether it's size, speed or ball skills. If he turns out to be a quick study and does open the season as a starter, he could work his way into the Defensive Rookie of the Year conversation.
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