NFL TEAMS OPEN TRAINING CAMP, STARTING THE LONG JOURNEY TO SUPER BOWL 60 IN SAN FRANCISCO
The Los Angeles Chargers and Detroit Lions already have kicked off training camp. Rookies for several other teams have also reported. All veterans across the league are due this week.
The NFL season is underway. The road to San Francisco for Super Bowl 60 begins in the grueling summer heat.
Some teams have new coaches. A couple of old coaches have new teams. Star players have switched uniforms. There are position battles to determine.
And, plenty of storylines to watch.
Jalen Hurts, Saquon Barkley and the Philadelphia Eagles aim for a repeat. Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs look to rebound after being denied the first three-peat in Super Bowl history.
Training camp dates
The Chargers and Lions were the first teams to have their full roster in camp. The Cowboys and Chiefs will have theirs on Monday. The rest of the league starts Tuesday. The Falcons and Steelers arrive Wednesday.
Jim Harbaugh’s Chargers face off against Dan Campbell’s Lions in the Hall of Fame game on July 31 in Canton, Ohio.
A pair of division rivalry games will open the season. The Eagles will host Dallas to begin the regular season on Sept. 4. The Chiefs and Chargers meet in Brazil the following night.
New head coaches
Pete Carroll is back in the NFL with the Las Vegas Raiders after just one year out of coaching. Carroll, who turns 74 in September, has a tough task building the Raiders into a playoff contender in a difficult division.
Former Patriots star linebacker Mike Vrabel takes over in New England, replacing Jerod Mayo, who lasted one season after replacing Bill Belichick.
The Bears turned to former Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson. The Jets hired former Lions DC Aaron Glenn. Kellen Moore left Philadelphia after one championship season to take over in New Orleans. Liam Cohen’s success as Tampa Bay’s OC landed him the head job in Jacksonville. Jerry Jones gave Brian Schottenheimer a chance to lead Dallas.
Teams with new quarterbacks
The Steelers are going all-in on Aaron Rodgers, hoping the 41-year-old, four-time MVP can take them to the big game.
The Raiders acquired Geno Smith, reuniting Carroll with the quarterback he chose to replace Russell Wilson in Seattle.
Sam Darnold ended up with the Seahawks after a career-year in Minnesota.
Joe Flacco is back in Cleveland where he was the NFL Comeback Player of the Year in 2023. The Browns also traded for Kenny Pickett and drafted Dillon Gabriel in the third round and Shedeur Sanders in the fifth.
Wilson and Jameis Winston ended up in New York, but the Giants also selected Jaxson Dart in the first round.
Justin Fields has a third chance with the Jets.
J.J. McCarthy is the man in Minnesota after he missed his entire rookie season with a knee injury.
Saints rookie Tyler Slough gets an opportunity to replace Derek Carr, who retired.
The Titans have No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward.
Top camp storylines
Some contract issues still need to be resolved.
The Bengals have yet to sign first-round pick Shemar Stewart and they haven’t agreed to a new deal with All-Pro edge rusher Trey Hendrickson, who wants a raise after leading the league in sacks last season.
The dispute with Stewart, a pass rusher the defense needs, isn’t about money; it’s about the team trying to insert language in Stewart’s contract that would trigger the voiding of his salary guarantees with a breach or default by him.
Another contract situation to watch involves Dallas. Micah Parsons is due for a new deal that’s expected to make him the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history. T.J. Watt currently holds that distinction after Pittsburgh gave him a $123 million extension worth an average of $41 million per season. Jones waited too long on Dak Prescott and ended up making him the NFL’s first $60 million man last season. Now, he’s going to end up paying Parsons more than anyone else who doesn’t play QB.
Quarterback competition
The Browns have to choose between Flacco, Pickett, Sanders and Gabriel. Veteran Daniel Jones is competing with Anthony Richardson in Indianapolis. Richardson, the No. 4 overall pick in 2023, has been injured often and has a lingering shoulder problem.
Shough and Spencer Rattler are battling in New Orleans.
Wilson, Winston and Dart should make it a tough decision for the Giants.
Ward has to beat out Will Levis in Tennessee.
Joint practices
With more teams opting to rest quarterbacks and key starters in preseason games, joint practices have become the way to prepare players for the regular season. A total of 29 teams have scheduled joint practices with other clubs.
On the road
Six teams – the Bills, Cowboys, Colts, Chiefs, Rams and Steelers – will spend their entire camp away from their facilities. Dallas, which trains in Oxnard, California, is the only team going out of state.
Roster cuts
Teams can carry a maximum of 90 players throughout training camp and for all of their preseason games. Rosters must be trimmed to 53 by 4 p.m. EDT on Aug. 26.
CHIEFS AND DEFENSIVE END GEORGE KARLAFTIS AGREE TO 4-YEAR, $93M CONTRACT, AP SOURCE SAYS
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs and defensive end George Karlaftis agreed to a four-year, $93 million contract that includes $62 million guaranteed, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press on Sunday, keeping one of the best young players on the roster through the 2030 season.
The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal, which was agreed to the same day that the players reported to training camp at Missouri Western State University, is still pending a physical.
“He’s a heck of a player and he’s done a great job here, and he’s profiting from that,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said. “And our team has profited from him being around. So it’s a win-win.”
It is the second high-profile contract that Chiefs general manager Brett Veach has finished in the past week. The Chiefs signed Pro Bowl right guard Trey Smith to a four-year, $94 million extension on Tuesday, setting the market for his position.
Karlaftis, the second of two first-round picks by the Chiefs in the 2022 draft, has started 44 of his 49 regular-season games for them. His best season came two years ago, when he had 10 1/2 sacks while starting every game, while he had eight sacks in 16 games last season, helping the Chiefs to reach a third consecutive Super Bowl.
Karlaftis has rings from the first two of them. The Chiefs lost to the Eagles in their latest Super Bowl in February.
“I mean, he’s always been a consistent player. Always a relentless player,” Reid said. “You know what you’re going to get with George. He’s smart. Relentless. You can trust him. You can trust that he’s going to be there and do the right things.”
Karlaftis is the first of a heralded 2022 draft class in Kansas City to sign a new contract, though he’s not expected to be the last.
The Chiefs are interested in signing their initial first-round pick that year, Trent McDuffie, to a long-term deal. The cornerback was a first-team All-Pro two years ago and a second-team pick last year, and he has emerged as not only one of the premier slot defenders in the NFL but a versatile, capable defensive back who can player just about anywhere on the team.
What could complicate the negotiations is the fact that the Jets recently signed cornerback Sauce Gardner to a record-setting four-year, $120.4 million extension. McDuffie is likely to demand a contract that meets or potentially exceeds that deal.
“The tough job is to juggle all that, the financial part of it,” Reid said, “but we love having that. Continuity is a big thing with your young players. Veach has done a real nice job with his group in the drafts, so you sort all of that out.”
DESMOND RIDDER RETURNS TO CINCINNATI, SIGNS WITH BENGALS TO BATTLE FOR BACKUP QB SPOT
CINCINNATI (AP) — Quarterback Desmond Ridder, who led the University of Cincinnati to a College Football Playoff spot in 2021, signed with the Bengals on Sunday.
Ridder is entering his fourth season and gives the Bengals another veteran backup behind Joe Burrow. Ridder has played in 25 games and made 18 starts in previous stops with Atlanta and Las Vegas. He has passed for 4,002 yards in his career with 16 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. He also has rushed for five scores.
Jake Browning has been the Bengals’ number two quarterback the past two seasons and has played in 12 games, including seven starts in 2023 after Burrow suffered a season-ending wrist injury.
Logan Woodside was waived to make room for Ridder.
Cincinnati also announced the signings of defensive tackles McTelvin Agim and Taven Bryan, along with center Andrew Raym.
The defensive line signings are likely to provide depth after first-round pick Shemar Stewart did not report with the rest of the rookies on Saturday, and Trey Hendrickson, last year’s NFL sack leader, expected to hold out as he seeks a new contract.
Veterans report on Tuesday, with the first practice scheduled for Wednesday.
SEAHAWKS RELEASE TIGHT END NOAH FANT AHEAD OF START OF TRAINING CAMP
SEATTLE (AP) — The Seattle Seahawks released tight end Noah Fant on Sunday ahead of the start of training camp.
The 27-year-old Fant spent the past three seasons with the Seahawks after being acquired in the 2022 blockbuster trade that sent quarterback Russell Wilson to Denver. Across his Seattle tenure, Fant racked up 130 receptions for 1,400 yards and five touchdowns.
Fant was entering the final season of a two-year contract, and was due a non-guaranteed salary of $8.49 million this year. The Seahawks will save $8.91 million against the salary cap with the move.
In parting ways with Fant, who was a 2019 first-round pick of the Broncos, the Seahawks’ stable of young tight ends figure to be featured much more prominently in 2025. There’s second-year tight end AJ Barner, who caught 30 passes for 245 yards last season, as well as rookie Elijah Arroyo, who the Seahawks selected in the second round this year,
Eight-year NFL veteran Eric Saubert also will be in training camp after signing a one-year deal with the Seahawks. Undrafted rookie tight ends Marshall Lang and Nick Kallerup will be on the scene as well.
LIONS STANDOUT LT TAYLOR DECKER DEALING WITH SHOULDER ISSUE
Detroit Lions Pro Bowl left tackle Taylor Decker is recovering from shoulder surgery, coach Dan Campbell told reporters on Sunday.
Campbell expects Decker, 31, to be on the field in early August. The Lions open the preseason against the Los Angeles Chargers in the Hall of Fame Game on July 31 in Canton, Ohio.
“We feel like there’s a good chance we can get (Decker) back after the Hall of Fame Game,” Campbell said. “He’s good. Just cleaned up his shoulder a little bit and we’re going to work him back in when he’s ready to go. He’s in a good place.”
The Lions placed Decker on the active/physically unable to perform list on Thursday but didn’t divulge a reason for the move.
Decker has started all 126 games played for the team since joining the franchise in 2016.
He played in 14 regular-season games and the playoff loss to the Washington Commanders last season while receiving his first Pro Bowl nod.
LIONS DL LEVI ONWUZURIKE TO MISS 2025 NFL SEASON DUE TO ACL INJURY
The Lions just got a bite from the injury bug with training camp underway.
Detroit defensive lineman Levi Onwuzurike will miss the 2025 NFL season due to having surgery on his ACL, head coach Dan Campbell told reporters on Sunday.
“Let me start with Levi. Levi is out for the year,” Campbell said. “Levi’s surgery it was significant, but it needed to be done. Out of his control and it needed to be done so he will miss the season.”
Onwuzurike, 27, appeared in 16 games for the Lions in 2024 as he recorded 13 QB hits, 28 tackles, 1.5 sacks and one tackle for loss. Onwuzurike ranked top 15 in pressures and pass-rush win rate among interior defensive linemen last season with a minimum of 125 pass-rush attempts, per Pro Football Focus.
On Thursday, the Lions placed Onwuzurike on the reserve/physical unable to perform list. A few days later, Campbell ruled out the veteran DT for the rest of the ’25 season.
The loss of Onwuzurike is a major blow for a defense that is expected to have Aidan Hutchinson back after the star pass rusher suffered a season-ending broken fibula and tibia in October. Veteran Alim McNeill, who is recovering from a torn ACL, is currently on the active/PUP list.
Campbell also said offensive tackle Taylor Decker (shoulder) is expected to be back with the team after the Hall of Fame Game (July 31) against the Los Angeles Chargers.
With the loss of Onwuzurike, Detroit will lean on first-round pick Tyleik Williams, sixth-round selection Ahmed Hassanein, Brodric Martin, D.J. Reader and others to fill in.
2025 NFL ALL-BREAKOUT TEAM, DEFENSE: PACKERS BOAST 2 SELECTIONS IN LUKAS VAN NESS AND EDGERRIN COOPER
NFL.COM (https://www.nfl.com/)
Former NFL player and scout Bucky Brooks knows the ins and outs of this league, providing keen insight in his notebook. In today’s installment, he spotlights 11 youngsters set to ascend in 2025.
Last week in this space, I identified 11 offensive players poised to make serious noise in the 2025 NFL season. Now it’s time to hit the other side of the ball.
Here are 11 defenders to keep an eye on in the coming campaign.
DE LUKAS VAN NESS, GREEN BAY
After slowly acclimating to the NFL as a rotational player for a talented defense, Van Ness should be ready to make his mark as a pass-rushing specialist off the edge. The 2023 first-round pick has produced seven sacks over two seasons, but more opportunities should yield better results from the Iowa product. Whether he is attacking from the edges as a full-time starter or creating chaos as a designated playmaker in a sub-package, Van Ness possesses the size, tools and experience to turn his flashes into disruptive production this fall.
DE LAIATU LATU, INDIANAPOLIS
The most natural pass rusher in the 2024 draft class teased the football world with a four-sack rookie campaign that showcased the first-step quickness, violent hands and closing burst that made him the first defensive player selected two Aprils ago. Latu’s impact in a rotational role should prompt new Colts defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo to create a plan to unleash the 6-foot-5, 265-pound playmaker. With more stunts, games and isolations designed to exploit favorable matchups on the edges, Latu can post impressive numbers as a second-year pro with a polished game.
DL DARIUS ROBINSON, ARIZONA
Despite an injury-riddled rookie year that limited Robinson to six games, there is a lot to like about the versatile defensive lineman’s potential impact as a second-year pro. The 6-5, 285-pounder flashed “wrecking ball” potential while finding his way in fewer than 200 snaps as a rookie. With better health in Year 2, he should see his production spike while playing alongside a collection of veterans (guys like Josh Sweat, Dalvin Tomlinson and Calais Campbell) who command attention at the line of scrimmage.
DT JER’ZHAN NEWTON, WASHINGTON
The heavy-handed defensive tackle exhibited disruptive skills at the point of attack during his rookie campaign. Newton’s powerful hands and non-stop motor helped him amass 44 tackles (six for loss), seven QB hits and a pair of sacks in 16 games, including 11 starts. Given more responsibility and freedom within the scheme, the second-year pro could become Dan Quinn’s designated playmaker on the defensive front, given his unique talents as a power player in the trenches.
LB EDGERRIN COOPER, GREEN BAY
There is always a place in the league for linebackers who specialize in the “hit, run and cover” aspects of the game. Cooper is a rare find as a downhill ‘backer with the speed, quickness and agility to match tight ends and running backs in space, while possessing the power, pop and wiggle to wreak havoc on blitzes. Despite logging just four starts in 14 total games last season, Cooper stuffed the stat sheet with 87 tackles (13 for loss), 3.5 sacks and four turnover plays (one interception, one forced fumble and two fumble recoveries), earning a spot on the Pro Football Writers of America All-Rookie Team. The second-year pro could be in line for more accolades as a designated playmaker in Jeff Hafley’s “see ball, get ball” defense.
LB TYRICE KNIGHT, SEATTLE
The unheralded fourth-round pick out of UTEP quietly made his mark as a rookie with 88 tackles (three for loss), 1.5 sacks and four QB hits in 16 games. Knight quickly outplayed his draft pedigree (No. 118 overall), emerging as a disruptive defender on the second level. With Mike Macdonald poised to tap into the second-year pro’s skills as a sideline-to-sideline pursuer, the Seahawks might have found another defensive gem to build around.
CB TERRION ARNOLD, DETROIT
Assuming newly promoted defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard plans to continue the man-heavy approach of his mentor, Aaron Glenn, this talented cover man could become a household name by the end of 2025. As Detroit’s first-round pick last year, Arnold was thrown into the fire. After some early struggles with penalties, he ultimately acquitted himself well. The Alabama product’s patience and persistence in coverage frustrated wideouts unable to escape his clutches at the line of scrimmage. In addition, his superb instincts and awareness in coverage enabled him to routinely get his hands on the ball at the catch point. Though he did not register an interception on the season, Arnold posted 10 pass breakups, with Next Gen Stats charting him with a 57 percent completion rate allowed. Those numbers underscore that he was consistently in the right place at the right time in coverage.
CB NATE WIGGINS, BALTIMORE
The feisty cover corner held his own on the island in a blitz-happy scheme that puts immense pressure on defensive backs to win their one-on-one matchups. Wiggins finished his rookie campaign with an interception, 13 passes defensed and a 47.8 percent completion rate allowed, per NGS. Most importantly, the ultra-competitive defender displayed the skill, confidence and grittiness to shadow WR1s with minimal help from deep defenders. As the Ravens look to take the next step as a title contender, they will need Wiggins and free-agent signee Jaire Alexander to flourish as lockdown defenders.
CB TARHEEB STILL, LA CHARGERS
It’s all about the ball in Jesse Minter’s zone-based defense. Still quickly adapted to the system, showcasing outstanding instincts, awareness and diagnostic skills in coverage. The former fifth-round pick stole the show in the defensive backfield with four interceptions and 10 passes defensed in a vision-based scheme. Still’s playmaking ability and coverage discipline make it hard for quarterbacks to repeatedly target his area without paying the price. As the Chargers continue to climb the ranks as title contenders, the football world will gain a greater appreciation for this ballhawking corner.
S COLE BISHOP BUFFALO
The second-year pro should make the transition from workout warrior to impact player in 2025. Bishop possesses the prototypical traits (6-2, 207 pounds; 4.45-second 40-yard dash; 39-inch vertical leap; 10-foot-4 broad jump) that evaluators covet in a modern safety who can play as a center fielder or box-area defender. The former Utah standout’s athleticism and versatility should help him shine in a defense that prioritizes fast and physical play. With head coach Sean McDermott and defensive coordinator Bobby Babich intent on utilizing simplistic schemes to make the game easy, we could see Bishop shine as a playmaking defender in the middle of the field.
S TYKEE SMITH TAMPA BAY
After earning rave reviews as a slot defender in 2024, Smith appears set to spend more time as a safety in 2025. As a ballhawking defender with superb instincts, the 5-10, 202-pounder produced two interceptions, three forced fumbles and seven passes defensed. Additionally, Next Gen Stats credited Smith with eight QB pressures, proving his worth as a crafty pass rusher on blitzes. Though a move to safety would alter his role in coverage, Smith’s ballhawking skills and aggressive approach could result in more turnovers for the Buccaneers down the middle of the field.
