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Sports Seriously
As the warm summer days give way to cooler nights, it’s just about time to get a fire going.
Between making smores and perhaps listening to quality music, there is time for chatter and storytelling. Possibly, there are secrets to be shared or personal tales to be told.
NFL minicamps are, in a way, no different.
The offseason workout programs continue on the gridiron with a season fast approaching. Dreams will be realized for some, and others will chart a new path forward.
It’s a time of year for teaching and learning, as many teams come together for the first time during these mandatory sessions. It’s also a time of year for competition, with applicants greatly exceeding the number of available jobs.
There are countless stories to tell and even more to monitor at this stage of the game. So get the fire started and gather around as we take a look at the top storylines to follow during NFL minicamps.
NFL minicamp storylines 2025
Who emerges as the starting quarterback in Cleveland?
There is only one starting quarterback job and four players vying for it. Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders all head into the final stages of the offseason with the chance to win the job. Flacco figures to be the leader in the clubhouse. The veteran comes in with plenty of experience, especially in Cleveland, running Kevin Stefanski’s offense.
However, all eyes will be on Sanders, the fifth-round rookie who was once considered to be in the No. 1 overall pick conversation. It was previously reported that he has a chance to win the job, though the odds of that are seemingly slim. As the Browns continue their rebuild, it’s a mystery whether they’ll opt for experience or youth. With a much better quarterback class looming in the 2026 NFL Draft, they could prefer the latter, which would allow for a quick pivot next offseason if things fall apart.
Rookie watch
Minicamp is only three days, but it’s our first real glimpse at the NFL’s next generation on the field with the current crop of stars and veterans. We’ll see how Travis Hunter is adjusting to the pros as a two-way player and how Ashton Jeanty fits in with the new-look Las Vegas Raiders. Can Jaxson Dart challenge for the New York Giants backup quarterback spot? How will J.J. McCarthy look as the starter in Minnesota after an injury ruined his true rookie season?
While the excitement centers around the players on the field, there is also plenty to watch with the guys patrolling the sidelines. Five of the seven new head coaches – Ben Johnson, Kellen Moore, Brian Schottenheimer, Liam Coen and Aaron Glenn – are rookies in their own right, meaning there will be some growing pains for them as well.
Trade winds swirling
Jalen Ramsey and Jonnu Smith are two of the more notable names out there, but what if there are more? The trade market tends to percolate this time of year, when teams decide to reshape their roster around the edges – either by choice or by necessity. An untimely injury or an unhappy player is all it takes to get the ball rolling. Could Kirk Cousins be in that group?
Old faces, new places
After taking a peek behind the Steel Curtain, you’ll notice that Aaron Rodgers and DK Metcalf are now Pittsburgh Steelers. Justin Fields and Russell Wilson both packed up and headed to New York, Davante Adams is back out west with the Rams, Nick Chubb has gone to Houston and Stefon Diggs is up in New England.
The 2024 offseason was mostly quiet in terms of player movement, but many familiar faces will be wearing different jerseys in 2025.
What are the Steelers getting with Aaron Rodgers?
The offseason’s biggest question was finally answered last week when Rodgers signed with the Steelers. Now set to take part in minicamp, it’s unclear what Pittsburgh will be getting from the 41-year-old who missed most of the offseason activities. He was serviceable but average last season with the Jets.
The quarterback struggled to get New York to the finish line many weeks and they never came close to ending the NFL’s longest playoff drought. Can he rebound after another year removed from the torn Achilles, or is this the Rodgers that Pittsburgh should expect? Considering no one has seen him for most of the offseason, we’ll all be finding out together.
Injury report
Speaking of injuries, it’s a bad time to be an AFC South quarterback. C.J. Stroud is throwing again but has been dealing with a shoulder issue. Anthony Richardson is out indefinitely with a shoulder issue. Trevor Lawrence is returning from a shoulder issue. That will be a division worth monitoring as Cam Ward prepares for his rookie season in Tennessee. After all, one of these teams will be playoff-bound at season’s end. Early indications are that it might be the healthiest team left standing.
Outside of the AFC South, there are Joey Bosa concerns in Buffalo, and Dak Prescott is still working his way back in Dallas. Recently, it was revealed that Amon-Ra St. Brown will be ready for training camp after having knee surgery.
In other words, the NFL’s infirmary is packed and could continue to grow in the coming days.
Contract talk
Summer is almost here, but that is merely the more common name for the season. Holdout season is upon us in the NFL as players continue their efforts for a new contract or a new home. Trey Hendrickson and T.J. Watt are the big names sitting out this year, headlining the list of players applying the pressure to their respective teams.
It’s unclear whether those will transition into holdouts when training camp begins in about a month, but contract talk will be all the rage going forward.
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