Biggest NFL Depth Chart Question Marks This Offseason
The 2016 NFL offseason is almost over. Organized team activities (OTAs) and minicamps are nearly in the books, and with training camps set to kick off in about a month, we're beginning to see rosters come together around the NFL.
While some positions are secure—guys like Aaron Rodgers and Adrian Peterson probably don't even remember how to look over their shoulders—there are plenty of jobs still up for grabs.
Let's take a look at the biggest unanswered questions surrounding NFL depth charts this offseason, including position battles that need to be settled, as we move toward training camps.
Which Running Back Will Start for the Ravens?
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The Baltimore Ravens will head into training camp with a number of interesting backfield options, but there doesn't appear to be a clear-cut starter in the group.
Eight-year veteran Justin Forsett has filled the role admirably over the past couple of seasons, but he also ended 2015 on injured reserve with a broken arm. The good news is he looks like he'll be ready for the coming season.
"I'm pretty much trying to work my way back in there," Forsett said last month, per Jake Lourim of the Baltimore Sun. "But I'm good to go."
Still, the fact he's 30 years old and coming off a major injury has to carry questions.
If Forsett isn't ready for a workhorse role, the Ravens could turn to rookie fourth-round pick Kenneth Dixon. The former Louisiana Tech standout rushed for 1,070 yards last season, so there is promise. However, he's still a rookie learning to adapt to life in the NFL. He also missed valuable OTA time with a hamstring injury.
Other backs vying for playing time include Terrance West, Javorius Allen and Lorenzo Taliaferro.
Oh, former first-round disappointment Trent Richardson is also in the mix—with sights reportedly set on the Hall of Fame.
Can Sam Bradford Maintain His Grip on the Starting Job?
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The Philadelphia Eagles have three realistic participants for their quarterback competition. Right now, it appears 2015 starter Sam Bradford has the edge over Chase Daniel and No. 2 overall pick Carson Wentz.
By most accounts, Bradford has looked strong in offseason workouts. According to Matt Lombardo of NJ.com, the quarterback has created a strong bond with first-year head coach Doug Pederson.
"It's great that he's done as well as he's done this spring," Pederson said. "And he's put himself in a great position now going into training camp."
Can Bradford maintain his bond with Pederson and continue edging closer to the starting job? That won't be known until training camp and the preseason.
The Eagles have to be anxious to get an extended look at Wentz—you know, the kid they essentially traded a boatload of picks to get. The Eagles also have to consider Daniel, who spent time under Pederson when the two were with the Kansas City Chiefs.
If Bradford can lock down the starting job in Philadelphia, the next question is whether he can stay healthy.
Do the Browns Have a Starting Quarterback?
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Since returning to the NFL as an expansion team, the Cleveland Browns have been cursed by an inability to find a quarterback. That curse extends to this offseason, where a handful of uninspiring options reside.
The "headline-grabbing" option is Robert Griffin III, the former first-round pick benched and eventually discarded by the Washington Redskins. The better option—at least based on 2015 statistics—is 13-year journeyman Josh McCown.
McCown passed for more than 2,100 yards and 12 touchdowns in eight games last season. He also finished the year with a respectable passer rating of 93.3.
The problem is injuries limited the 36-year-old veteran to those eight games in 2015. Cleveland cannot count on him as a long-term option.
Other quarterbacks on Cleveland's current roster include Austin Davis, Connor Shaw and rookie Cody Kessler.
Yay?
Unfortunately, no one from this bunch has yet to emerge as a favorite for the starting job.
"I'm seeing the improvement out of the whole group that I'm looking for, but we still have a little bit more that I need to see to feel very comfortable and confident in saying, 'This is our guy,'" Browns head coach Hue Jackson recently said, per Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal. "I think they're all competing extremely hard and extremely well."
The fact the Browns can't identify an early favorite out of this quarterback group has to be alarming. The big remaining question is whether or not they can find a quality starter before the 2016 season begins.
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Who Starts at Quarterback for Denver?
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While poor quarterback play has left the Browns in the proverbial basement for more than a decade, the Denver Broncos were able to bypass the affliction and grasp a Super Bowl victory last season.
But there is no guarantee the Broncos won't deal with subpar quarterback performances again in 2016.
Peyton Manning retired this offseason, and backup/temp starter Brock Osweiler signed with the Houston Texans in free agency. This leaves second-year man Trevor Siemian as the lone entrenched signal-caller in Denver. In training camp, Siemian will battle with offseason acquisition Mark Sanchez and rookie first-round pick Paxton Lynch.
So do the Broncos have a clear-cut favorite for their starting quarterback job?
Nope.
Lynch is presumably the future in Denver but is also obviously unproven. According to head coach Gary Kubiak, Siemian and Sanchez are currently on equal footing, per Cameron Wolfe of the Denver Post:
"Trevor and Mark have looked each other in the eyes the whole offseason. When I sit there and watch them practice, I think they're right there banging on each other.
Those two guys are right there with each other. It's a very competitive situation. They're obviously ahead of our young guy right now from a mental standpoint.
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The Broncos head into training camp with a championship-caliber defense and plenty of offensive weapons on the roster, but it's unclear who will lead that offense in 2016.
Can the Broncos Get Von Miller on the Roster?
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Denver might not know which quarterback will be under center when the 2016 season starts. The team knows for sure, however, that it wants star pass-rusher Von Miller on the game-day roster.
The Broncos ensured they could keep Miller—who logged 11.0 sacks in the regular season last year—for the coming season with the franchise tag. Unfortunately, Miller has yet to sign his tender and could be in line for an offseason holdout.
Miller has eschewed offseason workouts as he tries to leverage for a new long-term contract. According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Denver offered a six-year, $114.5 million deal. That deal reportedly included close to $40 million guaranteed over the first two years.
Miller has yet to bite.
This leaves Denver without the Super Bowl 50 MVP in the fold. Getting him back there won't be made any easier by the fact the Philadelphia Eagles just signed Fletcher Cox to a reported six-year, $103 million deal.
Is Cox a superb player? Absolutely. However, his overall profile isn't quite on the level of Miller's. We can expect Denver's defensive star to continue pushing until he's the highest-paid defender in NFL history.
Can the Broncos get a deal done in time for Miller to make the season opener?
Who Is the No. 1 Wideout in Tennessee?
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The Tennessee Titans seem to have a franchise quarterback in second-year man Marcus Mariota. They also appear to have a strong backfield, as the team acquired DeMarco Murray and drafted Heisman winner Derrick Henry this offseason.
What the Titans now need is for someone to emerge as the team's top receiving target—well, someone besides tight end Delanie Walker.
The Titans have a few intriguing options on the roster. Second-year wideout Dorial Green-Beckham has all the physical tools to develop into a true No. 1 wideout. Kendall Wright has shown glimpses of greatness in the past with a 1,000-yard season back in 2013.
The Titans acquired Rishard Matthews in free agency. He racked up 662 yards in just 11 games last year. Rookie Tajae Sharpe has been getting work with the first-team offense and could also be in the mix.
Unfortunately, the Titans don't have a clear answer for the No. 1 receiver position. According to John Glennon of the Tennessean, the lack of a No. 1 target is killing the offense's chemistry on deep-pass attempts.
"We've had chances to make plays," head coach Mike Mularkey said, per Glennon. "[Mariota] is giving guys opportunities to make plays down the field. I need to see them make them. He needs to see them make them, for his confidence."
Do the Seahawks Have a Plan for Their Offensive Line?
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The offensive line of the Seattle Seahawks wasn't a standout group in 2015—Pro Football Focus rated it as the third-worst unit in the NFL last season—so Seahawks fans should use a positive lens when looking at the offseason departure of starting left tackle Russell Okung and starting guard J.R. Sweezy.
The downside is that Seattle's offseason activity leaves the team with perhaps the most unproven position group in the entire league.
Rookies Germain Ifedi, Rees Odhiambo and Joey Hunt could be in line to start this season. Free-agent additions J'Marcus Webb and Bradley Sowell might be counted on even more. Guard Mark Glowinski—who started one game as a rookie in 2015—could be one of the "proven veterans" in the bunch.
If third-year tackle Garry Gilliam successfully makes the transition from right to left tackle, he'll be the anchor of the group.
Third-year lineman Justin Britt—who has spent time at both guard and tackle over the past two years—has been again asked to switch positions. Oddly enough, he seems to be the guy the Seahawks are banking on.
"We're not doing anything right now but getting ready to go to camp, so right now it's a big teaching time," Seahawks offensive line coach Tom Cable recently said, via the team's official website. "I like where all those young kids are at, I like what Justin [Britt] is doing at center, but until you really play football, you don't really know. But in terms of preparation for camp, I think we're right on schedule."
As of now, the Seahawks need to prepare for entering the 2016 season with one of the biggest question marks in the league manning the offensive trenches.
Is Geno Smith a Reliable Backup Plan at Quarterback?
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Quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick did some impressive things for the New York Jets last season. He passed for more than 3,900 yards and tossed an impressive 31 touchdowns. He also helped lead New York to a 10-win season and the brink of the playoffs.
Unfortunately, Fitzpatrick isn't currently on the Jets roster, and it doesn't appear the team is in any real hurry to get him there.
"The later he comes in—if he comes in—the more he has to catch up on," head coach Todd Bowles said of Fitzpatrick, per Rich Cimini of ESPN.com. "Hopefully, [it's] sooner than later, but you treat it like an injury. If he's not here, you get other guys ready to play."
The other guys Bowles is referring to include Geno Smith, second-year quarterback Bryce Petty and rookie Christian Hackenberg.
Smith is probably the team's best option if it cannot get Fitzpatrick under contract. However, his two seasons as a starter were disappointing at best. Pro Football Focus rated him just 68th overall among quarterbacks in 2014 and 68th overall as a rookie in 2013.
Of course, Smith has to have improved over the past year, right?
"He's light-years ahead from where he was last year," Bowles recently said of Smith, per Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News.
Is Smith far enough ahead that the Jets don't need to worry about signing Fitzpatrick? That question remains unanswered.
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