Fact or Fiction: Buying or Selling Latest Buzz Coming Out of 2024 NFL Minicamps
NFL minicamps just wrapped up last week, and while the start of training camp is still a month away, there is no shortage of buzz to keep fans interested throughout the 2024 offseason.
The rumor mill has been churning out plenty of fresh content in recent weeks, much of it based on contract-related issues such as extensions, holdouts and potential trades. There's also some early depth chart rumbling and speculation on how positional battles will shake out.
While some of these reports have some merit, others appear to be smokescreens or unfounded speculation.
It can all be a bit difficult to untangle, which is why we've done the hard work for you and played a round of fact or fiction regarding the latest minicamp buzz.
Read on to see which reports you should buy into and which you should sell as false.
Spencer Rattler Rapidly Climbing Saints' Depth Chart
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The New Orleans Saints whiffed on a chance to bring in a franchise quarterback early in the 2024 NFL draft, but they may have plucked a diamond on Day 3.
By selecting Spencer Rattler—the South Carolina product who was once projected as a potential early first-round pick following his breakout 2020 campaign for Oklahoma—the Saints brought in one of the more polarizing signal-callers in the class.
While it didn't cost the club anything more than a fifth-rounder, the 23-year-old will have to prove that the concerns related to his size, leadership, attitude and skill that caused his draft stock to plummet were unfounded.
According to Outkick's Glenn Guilbeau, Rattler is already making headway in this quest early in the offseason. He was spotted at minicamp working as New Orleans' QB2 with only entrenched veteran Derek Carr ahead of him on the depth chart.
While Rattler did struggle with turnovers and poor decision-making during OTAs, Guilbeau noted that he "looked his best as a Saint" during last Wednesday's practice. That doesn't mean much, however, as he has almost no competition for the backup job in the Big Easy.
New Orleans elected not to retain Jameis Winston after his contract expired following the 2023 campaign and is transitioning longtime utilityman Taysom Hill into an expanded offensive role that doesn't seem to involve much QB work.
That leaves Jake Haener, a fellow Day 3 pick who didn't see a single snap as a rookie in 2023, as Rattler's only real competition.
With neither young signal-caller poised to usurp Carr as the starter, the Saints will have to hope Rattler can tap into his vast potential while learning behind the four-time Pro Bowler for a few seasons.
Even with Saints legend Archie Manning vouching for Rattler—saying the quarterback has a "bright future in the NFL"—and head coach Dennis Allen highlighting the "good progress" he's made since his first practice in New Orleans, there's a long way to go before the No. 150 overall pick will be ready to make an impact in the pros, if he ever does.
Verdict: Sell Rattler becoming the Saints' starter anytime soon.
Bo Nix Has Inside Track to Becoming Broncos' Starting QB
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The Denver Broncos are on the verge of one of the most intriguing positional battles of any team during training camp, with three different quarterbacks set to compete for the starting gig.
While the team has a pair of veterans in the mix, a highly touted rookie appears ready to take the reins.
Jarrett Stidham, the journeyman who earned some starts for Denver down the stretch last year, is returning to duke it out with newcomers Zach Wilson—who was traded to the Mile High City following a brutal stretch with the New York Jets—and first-year talent Bo Nix, the team's controversial choice on Day 1 of the 2024 draft.
The trio already began jockeying for positions on the depth chart during minicamp, although head coach Sean Payton told reporters that the initial offseason program was focused on getting each player familiar with the offense and setting the tone for what the team hopes will be a friendly competition later this summer.
Jeff Legwold of ESPN reported that team insiders believe Nix had the inside track after Payton went all-in to get the Oregon product.
Denver used the No. 12 overall pick on a player the Bleacher Report Scouting Department had ranked as their No. 61 overall prospect and also traded up to grab Troy Franklin—Nix's top target with the Ducks—early on Day 3.
Cecil Lammey of Denver Sports believes Nix, who played in 61 collegiate games and is 24 years old, will be ready from the jump. John Kosko of Pro Football Focus also thinks he "should be the day-one starter" due to the lack of viable competition and his fit in Payton's offense.
While Stidham's familiarity with Payton's scheme and Wilson's experience stemming from 33 career starts may provide the veterans with a slight edge early on, it's hard to see Nix losing to either.
Stidham has already proved he's not a viable NFL starter after getting opportunities with three different franchises over his first half-decade in the league. Wilson is a reclamation project after a concerning 12-21 record with more interceptions than touchdown throws in his career, making Nix the clear-cut best choice for the Broncos both now and in the future.
Verdict: Buy Nix becoming the Broncos' Week 1 starter.
Raiders Expect Jakobi Meyers To Make Huge Leap
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The Las Vegas Raiders may have a future Hall of Fame wideout in Davante Adams playing at a superstar level, but head coach Antonio Pierce is expecting another receiver to play a bigger role in 2024.
According to SI.com's Ezekiel Trezevant, Pierce recently heaped praise upon Jakobi Meyers, calling him "that guy" and an "alpha" while noting that the veteran pass-catcher has "taken a really good jump for us" during the offseason.
Meyers joined the team last spring, but reuniting with former New England Patriots offensive coordinator and Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels didn't go as planned.
McDaniels lasted just eight games into the 2023 season before being fired, while Meyers managed just 71 receptions for 807 yards—his lowest per-game receiving yardage average since his rookie campaign.
Although the 27-year-old did score a career-high eight touchdowns and established himself as the clear-cut No. 2 option behind Adams, it's difficult to envision him raising his game too much this coming season.
While free-agent pickup Gardner Minshew II projects to be a slight upgrade over incumbent starter Aidan O'Connell, neither the quarterback nor Vegas' offensive system offers enough upside for Meyers to truly break out.
The Raiders have heavily emphasized the ground game under Pierce, including racking up 60 rushing attempts against a mere 52 throws in the two victories the team notched over the final three weeks of 2023.
Meyers must also contend with Brock Bowers—the generational prospect who was drafted No. 13 overall—for an already limited amount of targets. The Georgia product has already been impressing teammates, including Adams who nicknamed the tight end "BM" (short for business man) due to his workmanlike approach to the game.
If Bowers is as good as advertised and Adams, who has amassed 2,660 yards and 22 touchdowns on 203 receptions since joining the team in 2022, continues to play at an elite level, there won't be enough looks for Meyers to make significant strides in 2024.
Verdict: Sell Meyers making a leap for the Raiders in 2024.
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Dak Prescott Poised to Earn Record-Breaking Extension from Cowboys
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The Dallas Cowboys had a relatively quiet offseason in wake of their disappointing Wild Card Round exit. While they didn't make much noise in free agency, the lack of pricy marquee signings has helped open the door for quarterback Dak Prescott to secure a blockbuster contract extension.
The 30-year-old is entering the final season of a four-year, $160 million deal he inked after the 2020 campaign. His current deal now ranks No. 12 among QBs in terms of average annual value, and he's likely to secure a massive raise after Trevor Lawrence and Jared Goff set the table with eye-popping extensions this offseason.
While Lawrence just joined Joe Burrow as the NFL's highest-paid players making $55 million per year each, Prescott may smash that record when he signs his next deal.
According to Yahoo! Sports' Charles Robinson, agents and NFL executives believe the Mississippi State product could earn upward of $60 million annually.
While the quarterback hasn't led Dallas back to a Super Bowl or even an NFC Championship Game, he's orchestrated three consecutive 12-5 campaigns and finished second in MVP voting last season while making his third Pro Bowl. He also has a clause in his contract that disallows the Cowboys utilizing the franchise tag on him, giving him plenty of leverage.
Considering the alternatives in a perceived weak 2025 quarterback draft class and lack of notable veterans poised to become free agents, Dallas has no choice but to pay Prescott if it wishes to remain competitive in the coming seasons.
The team's brass seems to grasp the urgency, as ESPN's Jeremy Fowler revealed on a recent SportsCenter broadcast that the signal-caller's contract is ahead of new deals for both Micah Parsons and CeeDee Lamb on the to-do list.
It may not be easy to retain both Lamb and Parsons after doing so, but the Cowboys know how important a star quarterback is to sustained success in the NFL and will likely pay Prescott whatever it takes to keep him around.
Verdict: Buy Prescott earning a record-setting contract extension from the Cowboys.
Sam Darnold Could Start All Season for Vikings
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The Minnesota Vikings landed a potential franchise quarterback in J.J. McCarthy during the 2024 NFL draft, but there's a chance he won't see the field as a rookie.
During an appearance on SportsCenter over the weekend, ESPN insider Jeremy Fowler reported that the Vikings are high on Sam Darnold and are likely to not only have him start the 2024 season but also finish it as their top quarterback if things go well.
Fowler said Minnesota's brass "believes that there is untapped potential here," noting that he will finally have an opportunity to play with a quality supporting cast for the first time in his career.
Darnold was the No. 3 overall pick in 2018 but struggled during his three seasons with the New York Jets. His brief tenure with the Carolina Panthers was also forgettable, leading him to sign with the San Francisco 49ers as a backup last year.
It's worth noting that the USC product did get an opportunity to play with the eventual Super Bowl runner-up, starting the season finale and seeing sporadic action in several other contests.
Darnold's San Francisco stat line of 28 completions on 46 passing attempts for 297 yards and two touchdowns against one interception and six sacks wasn't too impressive, though, and it's hard to envision him keeping McCarthy at bay for long if he doesn't step up in Minnesota.
There's a chance Darnold rehabilitates his career thanks to the opportunity to work with elite receivers such as Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison, but the cries for the Michigan product to take over will be heard quickly and loudly if the 27-year-old stumbles at all.
With a tough opening slate that includes a slew of strong defenses in the New York Giants, San Francisco 49ers, Houston Texans, Green Bay Packers and New York Jets in the first five weeks, it wouldn't be a shock to see Darnold benched in favor of McCarthy by the time the rival Detroit Lions come to town following Minnesota's Week 6 bye.
Verdict: Sell Darnold starting a full season for the Vikings.
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