Training Camp Questions for Every Team
Feb. 2, 2013; New Orleans, LA, USA: The NFL logo on display near the red carpet prior to the Super Bowl XLVII NFL Honors award show at Mahalia Jackson Theater. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Arizona Cardinals: Will Karlos Dansby be effective returning to his old team? Is Carson Palmer exactly what the Cardinals have been waiting for? Who is going be the No.2 cornerback – can it possibly be Tyrann Mathieu?
Atlanta Falcons: Michael Turner was a train of the run game and was nearly impossible to bring down with one defender. Can Steven Jackson fill his shoes? Jackson has a history of injuries. Can he stay healthy? Will rookie Desmond Trufant fill the shoes of Brent Grimes?
Baltimore Ravens: The defending champs’ defense has been broken down due to the retirement of Ray Lewis, trades, and loss of veterans. Will the team remain stable on defense? Bernard Pierce was acknowledged in the second half of the season – he was effective when Ray Rice was taking a breather. Will Pierce get more reps in 2013? Anquan Boldin has been traded to San Francisco. Torrey Smith will be the number one receiver, but can Jacoby Jones effectively step up as the starting receiver?
Buffalo Bills: Who will have the more reps in the running back unit, C.J. Spiller or Fred Jackson? Will E.J. Manuel or Kevin Kolb win the starting quarterback position?? Who will be the starting strong safety?
Carolina Panthers: Ron Rivera’s job could be in jeopardy because of the inconsistency of his team. Will he remain the coach past 2013? The Panthers need a spark in the receiver unit – the only player that has been consistent is Steve Smith. Who will be Cam Newton’s number two target? Which rookies will make an immediate impact? The running game was effective and efficient in previous years. Will the Panthers be able to return the running game to its former glory?
Chicago Bears: Devin Hester was an explosive and elusive returner. Can he regain his mojo? Will Matt Forte be associated in the passing game more? Can the defense continue to play at a high level despite the loss of Brian Urlacher and the fact that the unit in general is getting older?
Cincinnati Bengals: James Harrison is a shutdown linebacker but gets fined often due to illegal hits. How effective will he be? Will A.J. Green be ready for Week 1 after a knee injury? Who will be the starting running back?
Cleveland Browns: Brandon Weeden has shown the potential to be a good quarterback, but doesn’t have many offensive playmakers. Will Brandon Weeden improve drastically in 2013? Who will be the backup for Joe Haden at cornerback? Who will step up at wide receiver?
Dallas Cowboys: Who will the two starting safeties be? Tony Romo has his good moments but also has his bone-head mistakes and decisions. Will he move past his woes? Will Terrance Williams take minutes away from Dez Bryant and Miles Austin?
Denver Broncos: Denver acquired Wes Welker, who is one of the league’s best slot receivers. How well will he and Manning gel? How far can Manning take the Broncos? Will Montee Ball have a huge impact on the offense? Can Rahim Moore and the defense bounce back from the costly mistake in the team’s only 2012 playoff game?
Detroit Lions: The Lions haven’t had a solid running back in several years. The team acquired Reggie Bush, a speedy back. Is Bush going have a huge impact on the offense? Who will return kicks and punts?
Green Bay Packers: Who will be the backup quarterback? Randall Cobb is an explosive kick returner, but will he remain the returner even as a starting receiver? The Packers’ Pro Bowl cornerback/safety Charles Woodson signed with the Raiders after Green Bay released him. Who will fill his position?
Houston Texans: Who will be the No. 2 receiver opposite Andre Johnson? Ed Reed had been a shutdown safety with Baltimore. When Ed Reed is healthy, how big of an impact does he have on the team? Since Andre Johnson has aged he has lost his mojo and he is a step backwards according to NFL Network .Will Andre Johnson be very effective this year?
Indianapolis Colts: Andrew Luck is arguably the best second-year quarterback. Will he exceed expectations again? Darius Heyward-Bey was one of the main targets for Carson Palmer with the Raiders. Will he be the No. 2 receiver for Andrew Luck opposite Reggie Wayne, or will T.Y. Hilton retain that spot?
Jacksonville Jaguars: Who will have the starting job at Jacksonville? Will Maurice Jones-Drew be associated in the passing game? Who will be the No.1 receiver?
Kansas City Chiefs: Alex Smith led his team to the NFC Championship Game in 2011 and was benched in favor of Colin Kaepernick last year. Is Smith a bigger prize then the Chiefs expected? Will Dwayne Bowe improve this year? Will the Chiefs be contenders this year?
Miami Dolphins: Mike Wallace is a huge deep threat to defenses. Will Ryan Tannehill target Wallace frequently? Can Miami’s secondary duplicate the front seven? Can the front seven be among the NFL’s best in 2013? How well will Lamar Miller fit into the starting role at running back?
Minnesota Vikings: Will Kyle Rudolph have a breakout season? Joe Webb has the speed of some receivers and could possibly receive time at the position. Can Webb succeed? Can Adrian Peterson repeat his success that he had in 2012?
New England Patriots: The Patriots released their No. 2 tight end, Aaron Hernandez. Who will be the new backup to Rob Gronkowski, and who starts there if Gronk can’t make it back to start the year? Who will be the starting wide receiver opposite Danny Amendola? Will Tim Tebow continue to play at the quarterback position after the horrendous first day of camp (according to reports)?
New Orleans Saints: Who is going be the No. 2 cornerback? Who will step on the receiver unit? Will Rob Ryan improve the defense after a historically terrible 2012 season for the unit?
New York Giants: Will David Wilson and Andre Brown split reps? Will all the injured players (Justin Tuck, Jason Pierre-Paul, and several members of the secondary) be ready by Week 1? Does Justin Tuck have enough left in the tank to be productive? Will David Wilson have another excellent season?
New York Jets: Who will be the starting quarterback? Who will be the starter at free safety? Will Mark Sanchez have fewer turnovers if he starts? Will Santonio Holmes play at all this year?
Oakland Raiders: Who will start at quarterback, Matt Flynn or Tyler Wilson? Who will the No.1 wide receiver spot? Will the defense be competitive?
Philadelphia Eagles: The starting quarterback spot is the biggest question – will it be Nick Foles or Michael Vick? After the injury to Jeremy Maclin, who will start at receiver opposite DeSean Jackson? Will Matt Barkley see the field at all this year?
Pittsburgh Steelers: Will the Steelers regain their dominant defense? Who will start at running back? Can the Steelers pass rush improve in 2013?
San Diego Chargers: Can Danario Alexander duplicate his 2012 season? Has the offensive line improved enough so that Philip Rivers can stay upright? Will Dwight Freeney adapt to his new team’s atmosphere?
San Francisco 49ers: Will Eric Reid successfully replace Dashon Goldston? Who will be the starting receivers after Michael Crabtree’s injury? Can the Smiths on the defensive line return back to their dominant selves after closing the regular season poorly due to Justin’s injury?
Seattle Seahawks: Will Percy Harvin be ready by Week 1 after a hip injury? Will Russell Wilson duplicate his 2012 season? Who will be the backup quarterback?
St. Louis Rams: Who will be the No. 2 wide receiver, assuming Tavon Austin is the number one target? Who will emerge as the starting running back? Will the starting offensive lineman unit stay healthy?
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Will Josh Freeman improve in 2013 and keep his starting job safe? How effective will Darrelle Revis be? Who will be the backup running back to star second-year player Doug Martin?
Tennessee Titans: Will Jake Locker prove himself worthy of a top-10 pick Will Chris Johnson improve more in 2013? Who will be the starting cornerback opposite Jason McCourty?
Washington Redskins: The biggest concern is the health of Robert Griffin III. Will he back by Week 1? Will David Amerson evolve to be in the starting lineup by the end of the season? Will Brandon Meriweather be ready by week 1? Who will be the backup tight end, Jordan Reed, Niles Paul, or Logan Paulsen? Who will back up Alfred Morris?