Highlighting NFL's Most Important Position Battles Heading into OTAs

The start of organized team activities represents the opening stages for the many positional battles ready to be waged around the NFL. 

While starting jobs are rarely secured in May, players can gain the inches of separation that could make a difference come September. At the very least, we can begin digesting information like where players stand on the depth chart at this point in the process. 

Much can and much will change between the start of OTAs and Week 1. Here's a closer look at some of the most important positional battles of the summer.

Honorable Mention

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Quarterback, Tennessee Titans 

Zach Mettenberger vs. Marcus Mariota shouldn't be close, and it likely won't be given the difference in talent level and draft position between the two quarterbacks. This might not even be a real "competition." Just don't ruin the Heisman winner, Tennessee. 

Defensive Line, New York Jets

Few position groups in the NFL are as stacked as New York's defensive line. How is anyone going to consistently block a unit made up of Sheldon Richardson, Muhammad Wilkerson, Damon Harrison and Leonard Williams? The Jets' task in OTAs is to start sorting out how to play all the talent together. 

Receiver, Miami Dolphins 

Miami traded away a bad fit in Mike Wallace, traded for a more efficient version of Wallace in Kenny Stills, signed crafty veteran Greg Jennings and drafted stud rookie DeVante Parker. Jarvis Landry returns after catching 84 passes in 2014. So many pass-catching options for Ryan Tannehill. Are there enough targets to go around?

Right Tackle, Arizona Cardinals

Incumbent starter Bobby Massie can't feel great about his job in Arizona after the Cardinals used a first-round pick on tackle D.J. Humphries. The rookie will immediately compete to start on the right side. His quest to get into the starting 11 begins this month. 

Receiver, Minnesota Vikings

The Vikings traded for speedster Mike Wallace and dumped veteran Greg Jennings, giving offensive coordinator Norv Turner the deep threat his offense needed. The rest of the receiver depth chart is muddy, with Charles Johnson, Jarius Wright and fifth-round pick Stefon Diggs. And don't forget about the talented but disappointing Cordarrelle Patterson.

Running Back, New York Jets

Chris Ivory returns after leading New York in rushing last season, but he now enters OTAs with plenty of competition. The Jets re-signed Bilal Powell, signed former New England Patriot Stevan Ridley in free agency and swung a trade with the St. Louis Rams for Zac Stacy. The battle for snaps and carries should be fierce. 

Quarterback, Cleveland Browns

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Josh McCown vs. Johnny Manziel

The quarterback who bombed as a first-round rookie and spent a part of his offseason in rehab will take on the 35-year-old journeyman who has now turned five good starts in 2013 into a second chance to start in as many seasons. 

Ladies and gentleman, your Cleveland Browns quarterback battle for 2015!

The $6.25 million guaranteed given to Josh McCown this offseason should give the veteran a significant lead in becoming the starter, and it seems every week a new report leaks about the Browns wanting to dump Johnny Manziel. 

But counting out the former Heisman Trophy winner seems awfully premature, especially if he's cleaned up his life off the field. Playing the 13th-year veteran with a career passer rating of 76.1 over the disappointing but still promising top pick just doesn't add up. Manziel can start winning over his critics in OTAs.

Running Back, Dallas Cowboys

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Darren McFadden vs. Joseph Randle vs. Lance Dunbar vs. Ryan Williams 

Job description on a board somewhere in Jerry's World:

"

Looking for a player capable of taking a handoff, making one sharp cut and running forward between massive holes created by the game's best offensive line. Previous employee ran for nearly 1,900 yards under similar circumstances. Winning candidate can expect to run for at least 1,000 next season.

"

OK, so maybe it isn't that simple. But the opening at running back is unquestionably there. Rushing champ DeMarco Murray bolted Dallas for Philadelphia, leaving the Cowboys with a stable of Darren McFadden, Joseph Randle, Lance Dunbar and Ryan Williams jockeying to take his snaps in arguably the best situation for a running back in the NFL. 

McFadden might be the most physically talented of the bunch and an early front-runner, but all four should get a crack at the job. OTAs will give a glimpse of how the Cowboys view the quartet early on. If one starting running back emerges by September, he could have a huge season for Dallas.

Quarterback, Houston Texans

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Ryan Mallett vs. Brian Hoyer

Houston might be home to the least exciting quarterback competition in recent memory. 

In one corner, we have Ryan Mallett, a big-armed but so far disappointing quarterback who posted a 67.6 passer rating over two starts in Houston last season. In the other, we have Brian Hoyer, who signed with the Texans as a free agent after starting 13 games and completing 55.3 percent of his passes in Cleveland in 2014. 

This isn't exactly a heavyweight fight. It's an undercard to the undercard. 

Yet the Texans otherwise possess a playoff-ready roster, meaning the winner of the quarterback battle should have an opportunity to exceed expectations. Mallett's experience in Bill O'Brien's system likely gives him an early lead, but OTAs present Hoyer a chance to start gaining ground. Stay tuned for this epic clash.

Running Back, Oakland Raiders

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Latavius Murray vs. Trent Richardson

The Raiders are stressing a competition at running back, where favorite Latavius Murray and megabust Trent Richardson will duke it out to start in Derek Carr's backfield. 

But OTAs should really be the beginning of the end for Richardson's starting crusade. 

The 24-year-old Murray is far from a sure thing, but his final six games in 2014—in which he rushed for 413 yards and made a big splash on a national stage—are still far superior to anything Richardson has done recently.

In fact, since a promising rookie season in 2012, Richardson has averaged just 3.1 yards over almost 350 carries. Even a chance to play in Andrew Luck's offense in Indianapolis couldn't cure what ails the former No. 3 overall pick. 

Murray is more talented. He has a higher ceiling. All things equal, Oakland's running back "battle" will be over quickly.

Quarterback, Buffalo Bills

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EJ Manuel vs. Matt Cassel

The clocking is ticking on former first-round pick EJ Manuel. 

The Bills have changed ownership and football management since drafting the Florida State product in 2013, and his first two NFL seasons provided precious little proof of his ability to be a franchise quarterback. Now, Manuel will enter the offseason program battling veteran Matt Cassel for the starting job. 

Cassel remains steady but unspectacular; he's the definition of a stopgap option at quarterback. His career numbers include a passer rating of 80.1 and a completion percentage of 59.0. The Bills are talented enough to win in 2015 with Cassel under center, but the perfect scenario remains one in which Manuel makes a huge leap and takes over full control of the gig.

Jobs aren't won in May, but it wouldn't hurt for Manuel to start showing signs of life in OTAs.

Outside Linebacker, Chicago Bears

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Jared Allen vs. Willie Young vs. Lamarr Houston vs. Pernell McPhee vs. Christian Jones

Chicago's transition to a 3-4 defense will include giving 4-3 defensive ends a chance to stand up and attack at outside linebacker. Jared Allen, Willie Young and Lamarr Houston will all make the occasionally difficult switch, while also competing with 3-4 veterans Pernell McPhee and Christian Jones on the edge. 

The position looks like a logjam for defensive coordinator Vic Fangio. 

Salary gives McPhee, Houston and Allen the best chance to play the most snaps. But Allen is coming off a terrible season, Houston (ACL) and Young (Achilles) are still rehabbing serious injuries and Jones hasn't played on the outside in the NFL. McPhee might be an emerging star, but he was mostly a rotational player in Baltimore. 

OTAs will give Fangio a closer look at his defense's most important position. A learning curve is to be expected, but so is progress.

Running Back, Atlanta Falcons

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Devonta Freeman vs. Tevin Coleman

Matt Ryan and Julio Jones represent one of the game's best quarterback-receiver combinations, but the Falcons currently lack a proven running back to join the dangerous duo. 

OTAs provide an opportunity for such a runner to emerge in Atlanta. 

Last season's fourth-round pick, Devonta Freeman returns as an early favorite to win the starting job, but he'll be pushed by 2015 third-round pick Tevin Coleman. The ideal scenario is probably one in which Coleman breaks out as one of the best rookie running backs while Freeman establishes himself as Atlanta's go-to third-down back.

Big-play machine Antone Smith is also in the mix. The Falcons can start carving out roles for the three over the next few months.

Cornerback, Cincinnati Bengals

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Leon Hall vs. Dre Kirkpatrick vs. Adam Jones vs. Darqueze Dennard

The Bengals lost veteran Terence Newman to free agency, but Cincinnati's cornerback position remains flush with talent. 

Former All-Pro Leon Hall played in 15 games last year after missing most of the 2013 season, and first-round picks Dre Kirkpatrick and Darqueze Dennard look primed for bigger roles. That'd be enough for most teams, but the Bengals also have Adam Jones, who returns for a sixth season. He intercepted six passes over the last two seasons. 

Cincinnati has four capable cornerbacks but not enough starting snaps to feed everyone's appetite. OTAs will be another important proving ground, especially for the youngsters.

Receiver, Pittsburgh Steelers

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Markus Wheaton vs. Martavis Bryant vs. Sammie Coates

The No. 1 receiver in Pittsburgh isn't in question. Antonio Brown and his 239 receptions over the last two seasons have an iron grip on the top of the depth chart. It's the rest of the spots that remain up for grabs. 

The Steelers have proactively reloaded their receiver position in recent years, spending a top-125 pick on a pass-catcher in three straight drafts: Markus Wheaton 79th overall in 2013, Martavis Bryant at No. 118 in 2014 and Sammie Coates 87th last month. Pittsburgh now has the enviable problem of possessing a handful of promising youngsters all vying for snaps behind Brown. 

Wheaton and Bryant should have a leg up in the competition because experience often wins out. But Coates could force Pittsburgh's hand by flashing his impressive skill set in OTAs. No matter what happens, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger figures to be a happy man by September.

Inside Linebacker, Philadelphia Eagles

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Mychal Kendricks vs. DeMeco Ryans vs. Jordan Hicks 

Eagles head coach Chip Kelly is always wheeling and dealing. 

After first acquiring inside linebacker Kiki Alonso from the Buffalo Bills early in the offseason, Kelly has since attempted—and so far failed—to move incumbent starter and emerging star Mychal Kendricks. Unless a deal materializes, the Eagles will be facing a logjam of sorts at the position to start OTAs. 

Veteran DeMeco Ryans figures to return for training camp after last season's Achilles injury, and he'll be joined by free-agent signing Brad Jones and third-round pick Jordan Hicks.

Depth is never a bad thing, but the Eagles must now sort out how to incorporate the group into the defense. While Ryans won't be available for OTAs, we should get a better look at how Kelly wants to use the other four in 2015.

Cornerback, New England Patriots

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Logan Ryan vs. Malcolm Butler vs. Justin Green vs. Robert McClain vs. Bradley Fletcher 

Quite possibly no position group in football looks more different entering 2015 than New England's cornerbacks. 

Home to Darrelle Revis, Brandon Browner and Kyle Arrington during the team's Super Bowl run, the Patriots are now completely remade at cornerback—with the likes of Logan Ryan, Malcolm Butler, Justin Green, Robert McClain and Bradley Fletcher suddenly headlining the depth chart.

Bleacher Report's Erik Frenz aptly nicknamed the group the "Legion of Whom."

It's not a position without hope. Butler became part of Super Bowl lore with his game-saving interception of Russell Wilson on the goal line, Ryan has made 13 career NFL starts and McClain defended 20 passes over his last three seasons in Atlanta. Bill Belichick will begin shaking out the group during OTAs. 

Running Back, Jacksonville Jaguars

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T.J. Yeldon vs. Toby Gerhart vs. Denard Robinson

The Jaguars will enter OTAs with three running backs capable of handling the starting job. 

Jacksonville gave Toby Gerhart $4.5 million guaranteed last March to be the main guy, but he instead dealt with a debilitating foot injury and rushed for just 326 yards during his first season. 

Former Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson pounced on the opportunity to fill in for Gerhart in 2014, averaging 4.3 yards per carry and scoring four times over 135 attempts in 13 games. 

The Jags clearly weren't satisfied with the duo going into 2015. After flirting with DeMarco Murray in free agency, Jacksonville spent a second-round pick on Alabama's T.J. Yeldon, who figures to get a fair chance to win the starting job. 

Teams don't use second-round picks on running backs without plans to play them early and often, so Yeldon could quickly seize the job. Regardless, OTAs should provide an early look at how Jacksonville wants to use Gerhart and Robinson in other roles.