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AIPROPX ReportCBS Sports · 1h ago
NFL training camp storylines: Aaron Donald watch, QB battles, rookie breakouts among NFC questions
All 32 teams will have reported to NFL training camp by the end of the week, and this marks step one of the six-month odyssey toward the Vince Lombardi trophy. That means the immediate return of position battles, off-field drama and injuries across the next 44 days between now and the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks kicking off the new season on Sept. 9.
What are the biggest storylines to follow with training camp season upon us? Here's a look at one for each of the NFC's 16 teams.
It seems obvious that the Arizona Cardinals need to hand all their first-team running back snaps to Jeremiyah Love, right? The Cardinals made him the highest-drafted running back since Saquon Barkley. The reason it's been that long is that taking Love third meant locking him into a rookie deal with $53 million guaranteed.
That makes Love the owner of the most guaranteed money for a running back in the entire league before he even takes a snap in a game. He's a dynamic playmaker, leading college football in both rushing touchdowns (35) and touchdowns from scrimmage (40) across the last two seasons. Arizona's investment in Love should lead to immediate starting running back reps, but that won't necessarily be the case at the start of training camp, according to offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett.
"It's a great [running back] room. I'm really excited about it," Hackett told reporters on Saturday when asked if there's a starter at running back at the moment. "... I'm excited for James [Conner] to get out there and show what he's got. I mean, all the guys."
As for Love, Hackett said, "I mean, he's definitely a rookie, as we've talked about, and he'll keep growing every single day."
Conner, a two-time Pro Bowler who is 31-years-old and fresh off a gruesome ankle injury that limited his 2025 season to three games, appears to be in early pole position at the start of Cardinals camp. Free agency acquisition Tyler Allgeier, who signed a two-year, $12.25 million contract with $8 million guaranteed, will also be in the mix. How coach Mike LaFleur and Hackett dole out those reps will be a storyline that Cardinals fans and fantasy football diehards will be on the edge of their seats to follow.
The Atlanta Falcons ' 2026 quarterback competition between Michael Penix Jr . and Tua Tagovailoa features two passers with plenty of similarities. Both are former top 10 picks, left-handed passers with long injury histories.
Penix expects to be fully cleared for training camp and is angling to be 100% good to go for Week 1 after undergoing surgery in November for the third torn ACL he's suffered between his collegiate and professional football career. He hasn't exactly sparkled since being selected eighth overall in the 2024 NFL Draft , in his small sample size of 12 career starts.
Tagovailoa, purely from a health perspective, could be the favorite for the Week 1 starting spot at the start of camp. He's fresh off a Miami Dolphins benching after throwing a career-high 15 interceptions, and the Dolphins were so sick of him they ate an NFL record $99 million in dead money to release him just two seasons into a four-year, $212 million contract. He led the NFL with 60 completions of 20-plus air yards from 2022 to 2023, but once the NFL adjusted to Mike McDaniel's offense and All-Pro wide receiver Tyreek Hill suffered some injuries, Tagovailoa's play declined in a hurry.
The pressure is real for both of these lefties because they have enough playmakers -- Bijan Robinson , Drake London and Kyle Pitts -- to end Atlanta's eight-year playoff drought.
The Carolina Panthers are already the NFL's most injury-plagued team in 2026, and their training camp has been underway for under a week. Edge rusher Nic Scourton , a promising 2025 second-round pick, went down with a torn ACL injury that will sideline him for the entire 2026 season, and that's excluding the team's two starting offensive tackles who entered camp with injuries.
Left tackle Ikem Ekwonu is on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list after tearing his patellar tendon in Carolina's wild-card round loss against the Los Angeles Rams in January. Right tackle Taylor Moton is on the non-football injury list because of a blood clot in his lung. Fortunately for the Panthers, they signed former Green Bay Packers left tackle Rasheed Walker to fill the void left by Ekwonu.
However, 19th overall pick offensive tackle Monroe Freeling will be making a notable adjustment because of the injuries to Moton and Ekwonu. Despite all 18 of his starts at Georgia coming at left tackle, Panthers general manager Dan Morgan told reporters Freeling will be moved to right tackle in place of Moton to start the 2026 season. How quickly Freeling can acclimate to the opposite side of the offensive line will be something worth keeping tabs on in Charlotte.
All-Pro safety Kevin Byard , a 2025 first-team All-Pro after leading the NFL with seven interceptions and Pro Bowl outside cornerback Nahshon Wright , who led the NFL with eight takeaways (five interceptions and three fumble recoveries), are both on other NFL teams in 2026. The Bears lost the two players who accounted for 15 of Chicago's NFL-most 33 takeaways (45.4%). Safety Jaquan Brisker and nickel C.J. Gardner-Johnson also departed in free agency.
The Bears offset the loss of Byard by swiping Coby Bryant away from the Seahawks on a three-year, $40 million deal. Chicago will rely on two players in outside cornerback Jaylon Johnson (missed 10 games with a groin injury) and nickel cornerback Kyler Gordon (missed 14 games with groin, hamstring and calf injuries). Plus, the new starting strong safety will be the 25th overall pick, rookie Dillon Thieneman .
How well the secondary comes together will go a long way in determining how the Bears' 2026 season unfolds.
The Dallas Cowboys have continuity on the offensive side of the ball after ranking seventh in points per game at 27.7. On defense, the Cowboys are undergoing a complete mak...
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