Buying or Selling Early Training Camp Buzz on 2026 NFL Rookies

Believe it or not, NFL training camps have arrived. While most veterans won't report until later this month, the Seattle Seahawks rookies officially opened training-camp season on Friday.

Rookies, unsurprisingly, will be a focal point of early training camp. While fans got some early tidbits about the incoming first-year players during organized team activities (OTAs) and minicamps, they should get a more accurate idea of what these future stars can provide in 2026 during training camp.

Those early offseason tidbits, after all, typically only tell part of the story.

Here, we'll dive into some of the biggest pre-camp, rookie-related news, rumors, and hype, and try to separate fact from fiction.

Buy: Dillon Thieneman Will Add 'Dangerous Edge' to Bears' Secondary

AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh

Dillon Thieneman talks to media during a news conference at the NFL football team's rookie minicamp, Friday, May 8

The Chicago Bears managed to land Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman with the 25th pick in April's draft. That selection represented solid value, as Thieneman was the 18th-ranked prospect and No. 2 safety on the Bleacher Report Scouting Department's final draft board.

According to The Athletic's Dan Wiederer, Thieneman has, to this point, lived up to pre-draft hype:

"What the Bears saw on Thieneman's college tape came to life during the spring at Halas Hall. Speed. Instincts. Versatility. Aggressiveness. Passion. Thieneman is a long-term building block for the defense and his pairing with another newcomer, Coby Bryant, offers a dangerous edge to the back end of the secondary."

Thieneman will, of course, have to solidify a starting role in the coming weeks. However, he has all the traits and intangibles needed to be a legitimate difference-maker out of the gate.

"Thieneman's versatile skillset is being underrated as a true three-down impact defender in the NFL," Daniel Harms of the B/R Scouting Department wrote before the draft. "He can line up anywhere, triggers downhill in a hurry, and gives the coaching staff his all whenever he's on the field."

Seeing as how Chicago parted with 2025 starting safeties Kevin Byard III and Jaquan Brisker, Theineman should indeed have the inside track to starting alongside Bryant. And Bryant, a former Seahawks starter and Super Bowl champion, should help Theineman provide the sort of edge that the Bears' secondary has been missing.

Sell: Kadyn Proctor Already Performing Like a Veteran

AP Photo/Marta Lavandier

Kadyn Proctor (74) works out during the NFL football team's rookie minicamp Friday, May 8

While the Chicago Bears got good value in Thieneman, the Miami Dolphins may have reached a bit for offensive lineman Kadyn Proctor. The former Alabama standout was the 33rd-ranked prospect on the B/R Scouting Department's final board, and he was largely ranked that highly because of his upside.

At 6'7" and 352 pounds, Proctor is a mammoth along the offensive line with the physical potential to be a perennial Pro Bowler. If teammate Aaron Brewer is to be believed, Proctor could be well on his way to early stardom.

"Proctor has made a positive impression on his teammates, with center Aaron Brewer saying he looks like a veteran through two months of offseason practice," ESPN's Marcel Louis-Jacques wrote.

With all due respect to Brewer, it's hard to accurately gauge an offensive lineman's development during practices that don't involve pads or anything close to full contact. It's equally difficult to believe that Proctor has already shed his concerning pre-draft habits.

According to Brandon Thorn of the B/R Scouting Department, Proctor has a "bad habit of dipping head into contact [which] results in getting overextended when the picture changes post-snap, causing him to fall off of blocks too easily" and deals with "undisciplined, erratic positional leverage in pass protection,"

Proctor may well be preparing like a veteran. However, we're inclined to sell the idea that he's already performing like a polished instant star.

Buy: Carson Beck Could Challenge for Cardinals' QB1 Job

AP Photo/Rick Scuteri

Carson Beck participates in the NFL football team's practice, Wednesday, May 27

The Arizona Cardinals aren't exactly expected to have an open QB competition between Jacoby Brissett and Carson Beck this summer. Brissett started the majority of last season, and Beck was a third-round flier out of Miami. However, the early buzz suggests that Beck could have a shot.

Part of the reason Beck could get the chance to compete is the fact that Brissett skipped voluntary workouts while angling for a pay raise. His discontent with his contract will do nothing to entrench him as QB1. Another reason is the reality that Beck has flashed the traits and the work ethic needed to push Brissett in camp.

"The third-round pick out of Miami spends his time talking football with offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett," David Brandt of the Associated Press wrote last month. "He watches film with quarterbacks coach and former NFL QB Matt Schaub. He goes through the playbook, learning the intricacies of a professional scheme that he admits is quite a bit different than his college days."

Brandy added that Beck "looks as if he'll be part" of a QB competition that involves Brissett and free-agent addition Gardner Minshew. At least one teammate believes the rookie has the goods to eventually be Arizona's starter.

"I don't know about Week 1 unless something crazy happens, but he definitely has a chance to be a guy for sure," tight end Trey McBride told Bussin' With the Boys (h/t ProFootballTalk's Josh Alper).

The Cardinals can afford to take some risks with Beck because pivoting from a third-round pick to the loaded 2027 quarterback class won't be difficult if he struggles. Expect him to be in mix for QB1 during camp, even if Brissett is the favorite.

Sell: Fernando Mendoza Should Start Week 1

AP Photo/John Locher

Fernando Mendoza throws during the NFL football team's practice Wednesday, June 10

When a team drafts a quarterback No. 1 overall, as the Las Vegas Raiders did with Indiana's Fernando Mendoza, the expectation is that he will start sooner than later. However, the Raiders added veteran Kirk Cousins earlier this offseason and have treated Mendoza like a developmental player since drafting him.

"The Raiders have been patient with Mendoza's adjustment to the next level, having him play mostly with the second and third teams during OTAs and minicamp," ESPN's Ryan McFadden wrote.

Las Vegas' plan, it would seem, is to ensure that Mendoza is completely prepared before throwing him to the proverbial wolves. However, one former NFL coach believes that the Raiders should instead make the rookie the Week 1 starter.

"Let's get this guy out there Week 1, let's start having our growing pains Week 1," Doug Pederson told CBS Sports HQ on July 13 (h/t Heavy's Eduardo Razo). "Let's not prolong it into October or November or later in the season. Let's get him out there now. Let's get him working with the guys that he's going to be working with."

While some quarterbacks have been able to work through early hiccups on the field and emerge as high-end starters—Drake Maye is a great recent example—we've also seen promising signal-callers fail to recover from initial struggles and bad situations. The last thing Las Vegas can afford is for its new QB of the future to fall into the latter category.

If Mendoza gives the Raiders their best chance to win in Week 1, so be it, but rushing him onto the field just to get his growing pains out of the way would be irresponsible.

Buy: David Bailey Will Have a 'Major Role'

AP PhotoFrank Franklin II

David Bailey takes part in drills at rookie minicamp at the NFL football team's practice facility Friday, May 8

While Mendoza may not see the field early, No. 2 overall pick David Bailey probably will. The New York Jets made Bailey the first non-quarterback off the board in April, even though the talented Texas Tech pass-rusher wasn't a complete prospect.

"Lacks the strength to be an effective run defender; he struggles to get extension on blocks and has skinny legs, which makes setting the edge against offensive linemen difficult," Matt Holder of the B/R Scouting Department wrote.

Despite his deficiencies as a run defender, Bailey is expected to be a big-time contributor as a rookie.

"Bailey's first-step quickness jumps out even to the casual observer," ESPN's Rich Cimini wrote. "He still needs to work on his run defense and learn how to win with power in his pass rush, but he will have a major role."

A different team might take its time developing Bailey in a rotational role, using him strictly in passing situations while developing him as a run defender. Other teams, though, are likely to view winning as their top 2026 priority.

The Jets, though, are essentially playing for 2026 and beyond. Armed with three 2027 first-round picks, New York is expected to find its QB of the future next spring. This season will be all about growing the supporting cast.

Bailey might be a liability against the run initially, but fans should still expect to see him on the field early and often this fall.

Sell: Jadarian Price Not Getting 'First Crack' at Seahawks RB1 Job

AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson

Jadarian Price (8) runs in a drill during the first day of rookie minicamp at the NFL football team's training facility Friday, May 1

Mendoza and Bailey were the first two picks in Round 1. Notre Dame running back Jadarian Price was the last. While Price wasn't a starter in college, he has the potential to be a very good one at the next level.

"Price projects as a potential RB1 in the NFL, with the movement skills to grow into a pass-catcher on third downs," Dame Parson of the B/R Scouting Department wrote.

The Seattle Seahawks need a new starter after losing Zach Charbonnet to a torn ACL and letting Kenneth Walker III walk in free agency. However, the early reports indicate that Price might not be first in line for the gig.

"In the six full-squad practices that were open to reporters, it was [George] Holani—not first-round pick Jadarian Price or free agent pickup Emanuel Wilson—who tended to get the first crack with the No. 1 offense," ESPN's Brady Henderson wrote.

In this case, fans shouldn't read too much into the early offseason split.

Holani knows the personnel and is familiar with new offensive coordinator Brian Fleury, who previously served as the run-game coordinator. Having him work with the starters while the offense is being installed makes sense. If the Seahawks viewed the 2024 undrafted free agent as a viable starter, though, they wouldn't have grabbed Price as early as they did.

Fans should expect to see Holani hold a significant position in Seattle's committee backfield this fall. However, they should also expect to see Price cemented in the RB1 role at some point during the preseason.

Buy: Bryce Boettcher Emerging as Surprise Starting Candidate for Colts

AP Photo/Michael Conroy

Colts linebacker Bryce Boettcher (50) runs a drill at the NFL football team's rookie minicamp in Indianapolis, Friday, May 8

The Indianapolis Colts didn't have a first-round pick this year because of the Sauce Gardner trade. However, Indy may still have multiple rookie starters on a defense that ranked just 23rd overall last season.

Few will be surprised if second-round pick CJ Allen and third-rounder A.J. Haulcy see the field early this season. However, fourth-round pick Bryce Boettcher is also reportedly pushing for a starting role.

"Boettcher took a significant number of snaps with the starting defense during last week's minicamp," ESPN's Stephen Holder wrote in June. "He could make a legitimate push to start in a linebacking unit that lacks depth and is ripe for newcomers to emerge."

There's every reason to believe that when the Colts' rookies report on July 27, Boettcher will continue trending toward a prominent role. The two-sport athlete—also drafted by the Houston Astros—was a walk-on at Oregon, pushed into the lineup, and finished this past season with 136 tackles and six passes defended.

The former Ducks star has the sort of athleticism needed to be a three-down defender in Lou Anarumo's defense.

"Boettcher is a good overall athlete, evidenced by his success as a dual-sport college athlete. Smooth mover who has the change of direction and speed to cover tight ends man-to-man," Matt Holder of the B/R Scouting Department wrote.

The former walk-on also has the drive and work ethic needed to help turn around a defense that wasn't playoff-caliber last season. Expect Boettcher's battle for playing time to be a significant story in training camp.