Highlighting the Most Buzzed-About Position Battles in the NFL

Summer time in the National Football League is about a lot of things: rookie minicamps, Organized Team Activities (OTAs) and preparing for training camps in late July. 

But a prevailing storyline that will inject each of these events this summer is the never-ending landscape of positional battles across the NFL. 

As it currently stands, several important positional battles are already taking place. 

In the following slides, we'll highlight some of the more talked-about battles that are taking place in OTAs and minicamps already in mid-May. 

Quarterback, Seattle Seahawks

Quite possibly the most talked-about position battle in the NFL this offseason will be in Seattle, where Pete Carroll and the Seahawks have three starting-quality quarterbacks to pick from in Tarvaris Jackson, Matt Flynn and Russell Wilson. 

Jackson signed a two-year, $8 million deal to come to Seattle last summer and then proceeded to start 14 games for the Seahawks in 2011.

However, the numbers were mostly average (3,091 yards, 14 touchdowns, 13 interceptions, 79.2 passer rating), and Jackson is considered the long-shot now to win back the job for 2012. Also, his contract for '12 is non-guaranteed. 

He'll face stiff competition from both Flynn and Wilson for the spot. 

Flynn was signed this spring to a medium-sized three-year deal ($24.5 million, $10 guaranteed), but it's not a contract that guarantees he's going to be the immediate starter.

While he played well in limited time as a backup in Green Bay—including a 480-yard, six-touchdown performance in Week 17 vs. the Detroit Lions—Flynn has just two career starts and 132 career NFL passes. 

Instead of crossing their fingers that either Jackson or Flynn would take the next step, Seattle hedged their bets and drafted Wilson in the third round of April's draft.

There's no doubting Wilson is short—he was listed at the combine at just 5'11"—but he has the skill set of a starting quarterback in the NFL and was well-versed in a pro-style offense at the University of Wisconsin (the alma mater of offensive coordinator Darrell Bevel, for what it's worth).

While it would make sense to cut Jackson if the Seahawks eventually see this as a two-man race—giving the No. 1 and 2 the appropriate reps needed to be competitive—Carroll hasn't leaned that way yet. In fact, he's given all three equal reps at the Seahawks' OTAs this week.  

Carroll may still cut one down the line, but the Seahawks' quarterback situation is still certainly one to watch this summer. 

Quarterback, Miami Dolphins

If you threw former Texas A&M quarterback Ryan Tannehill onto any other NFL franchise for 2012, he's probably looking at an almost certain wait on the bench to begin his professional career. While Tannehill was widely considered the No. 3 quarterback in the 2012 draft, he's still raw and needs development. 

But landing in Miami gives Tannehill an advantage that could lead to him starting much sooner than he otherwise would. With the Dolphins, former Texas A&M head coach Mike Sherman is now running the Miami offense. 

According to NFL.com's Jeff Darlington, Tannehill said that the Miami playbook is roughly 65-70 percent the same as the one he used in College Station, with 80-85 percent heavily influenced by Sherman. That kind of familiarity within the system could give Tannehill a chance to supplant Matt Moore and David Garrard earlier in 2012 than many would expect. 

The veterans won't just hand over the job, however. 

Moore went 6-3 in nine '11 starts after Chad Henne was lost for the season, completing over 60 percent of his passes with 16 touchdowns and just nine interceptions. While those numbers won't land Moore in Hawaii, they were good enough for Miami to win games down the stretch.

Moore should enter camp and the 2012 season as the team's No. 1, but any slippage could open the door for Tannehill to start games.

Garrard, who the Dolphins signed after missing out on several top free agents, is doubtful to play a big role in the quarterback competition. He's a solid veteran backup in case things go horribly wrong on South Beach.

Quarterback, Arizona Cardinals

The Cardinals have an interesting dynamic at quarterback leading into 2012.

While the team dished out a Pro Bowl cornerback (Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie), a second-round pick and then a $65 million contract with $12 million guaranteed to get Kolb as the starting quarterback in Arizona, he couldn't stay healthy in '11 and was poor in the nine games he did play.

Certainly, 1,955 yards, nine touchdowns, eight interceptions and a 57.7 completion percentage was not what the Cardinals signed up for when they paid so much to get Kolb. 

The other half of the dynamic came into play after injuries ravaged Kolb's season. Skelton went 5-2 as a starter last season, which doesn't include one game in which he came in for Kolb and the Cardinals eventually won.

The numbers weren't great (1,913 yards, 11 touchdowns, 14 interceptions, 54.9 completion percentage), but there's a wide gap in the number of wins with Skelton (six, technically) and Kolb (two).

You also can't forget that the Cards flirted with Peyton Manning when he became a free agent this spring, which shows how impatient the team is to find an answer at quarterback that may or may not be on the roster currently. 

Regardless, Kolb began OTAs as the Cardinals' No. 1, while Skelton ran the second team, according to the Arizona Republic. Whether that remains the case if Kolb continues to slip is yet to be seen. 

Quarterback, Cleveland Browns

The Browns may have missed an opportunity of a lifetime to move up two spots and get Baylor's Robert Griffin III, who eventually went to the Washington Redskins at No. 2 overall. But Cleveland eventually got their first-round quarterback in Oklahoma State's Brandon Weeden at the No. 22 spot. 

Weeden enters Browns' camp as the likely No. 1, but three-year vet Colt McCoy remains on the roster despite a brief period in which Cleveland was thought to be looking to trade their 2011 starter. 

McCoy's play over the last two seasons necessitated a high pick at quarterback for the Browns. While the weapons around him have been lacking, McCoy's 20 touchdowns to 20 interceptions and a 58.4 completion percentage weren't enough to think he could hold down the job long-term.

Overall, the Browns went just 6-15 in games started by the former Texas quarterback over the last two seasons.

The Browns will have a competition to decide who starts in Week 1 at quarterback, but there's no doubt that Weeden is the clear favorite.

In fact, GM Tom Heckert told the Akron Beacon-Journal last week that he "fully expects" Weeden to be that guy, even though he admitted that McCoy or Seneca Wallace would play if either proves to be the best player.  

Quarterback, Tennessee Titans

The quarterback competition is as open in Tennessee as any competition at the position in the NFL. Veteran Matt Hasselbeck and 2011 first-round pick Jake Locker will decide in training camp who will be starting for the Titans come Week 1. 

Hasselbeck showed he can still play the position despite being 35 years old during '11. He completed over 61 percent of his passes and threw 18 touchdowns to 14 interceptions, while the Titans rebounded from a poor 2010 season to win nine games in '11. 

However, Locker showed glimpses of being ready to take over the position long-term while filling in for an injured Hasselbeck on occasion last season. 

In five games, Locker threw for 542 yards and four touchdowns (zero interceptions) and also ran for 52 yards and another score. The completion percentage (51.5) needs work, but Locker showed every other attribute needed to run an NFL offense during his brief stint as a fill-in.

Many are still considering Hasselbeck the favorite to win back the job, but head coach Mike Munchak has stated that this will be a wide-open battle during camp. Locker has all the tools (and the draft status) to win the job right away in 2012. 

Running Back, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The positional battle at running back may not be much of a battle as we get deeper into summer. 

While the Bucs re-signed LeGarrette Blount after rushing for over 1,800 combined yards over the last two seasons, first-round back Doug Martin looks primed to take away his starting job in Tampa Bay sooner rather than later. 

A number of draft scouts compared Martin to Ravens running back Ray Rice, who new Bucs head coach Greg Schiano coached while at Rutgers. That familiarity at the running back position will be a key in determining who plays the biggest role in Schiano's rbvun-heavy offense, and it looks like Martin will be the back who receives most of the touches. 

Blount might not go quietly, however.

According to Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times, Blount trimmed down by five to 10 pounds this offseason and appears to have the motivation necessary to clean up some of the mistakes that have hounded his first two seasons with the Bucs.

This is still Martin's job to lose, but don't count out Blount from playing a bigger role than some are pegging him to next season. 

Running Back/Wide Receiver, San Francisco 49ers

Arguably no team in the NFL has a more jumbled (or talented) depth chart at one position than the San Francisco 49ers do at running back. But San Francisco's current wide receiver position may give its backs a run for the money.

First, the backfield. 

Joining Frank Gore (1,211 yards, eight touchdowns in 2011), Kendall Hunter (473 yards, two touchdowns, 195 yards receiving) and Anthony Dixon (87 yards, two touchdowns) in the 49ers' stable of backs are former New York Giants running back Brandon Jacobs and electric 2012 second-rounder LaMichael James. 

One could argue that the 49ers have at least four players that need to see the football next season at the running back position.

The starting job still looks firmly in the hands of Gore, but how the 49ers divide the touches among Jacobs, Hunter and James is anyone's guess. 

Jacobs is a big body who can play in short-yardage situations, but Hunter and James are both similar change-of-pace type backs who need the ball in space. Each brings something to the running back table. 

When the 49ers aren't deciding who needs the football at running back, however, quarterback Alex Smith will be deciphering between a number of new and old receiving targets. 

Josh Morgan left in free agency, but joining Michael Crabtree and Ted Ginn out wide are free-agent pickups Randy Moss and Mario Manningham and 2012 first-round pick A.J. Jenkins. 

Crabtree looks like a sure-starter at either flanker or in the slot, while Moss, Manningham and Jenkins are expected to be wide players. Who ends up starting a majority of the games with Crabtree is far from determined in San Francisco. 

Having too many quality players at the skill positions is never a problem, but the 49ers have some sorting out to do on the depth chart before the 2012 season.

Wide Receiver, Green Bay Packers

The Green Bay Packers know who will be filling out the top of their receiver depth chart, with Greg Jennings and Jordy Nelson as the unquestioned starters.

But things get messy for the Packers after Jennings and Nelson. 

Thirty-six-year-old Donald Driver will enter this summer fighting for his job in Green Bay, while 2011 second-rounder Randall Cobb could be in line for a big number of snaps in 2012 if he continues to show the kind of explosiveness with the ball in his hands that he displayed at times in '11. 

There were also reports that Green Bay tried to move James Jones before the 2012 draft, but found no suitors. Jones caught 38 passes for 635 yards and seven scores a year ago. 

To further complicate matters, 2011 practice-squaders Tori Gurley and Diondre Borel are likely capable of winning the team's No. 5 receiver job if Driver is let go. Gurley's emergence is part of the reason why Driver is seen as expendable this offseason.

Overall, it's a logjam at receiver for the Packers as they head into camp.  

Jennings, Nelson and Cobb will be around for 2012. After those three, any scenario is in the cards.