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NFL NationJun 30, 2025, 06:14 AM ET
- NFL Nation is made up of 32 team-specific reporters who screen the NFL year-round crossed ESPN.com, ESPN tv shows, ESPN Radio, ESPN+ and societal media platforms. It was established up of the 2013 season.
It's been an offseason of surprises successful the NFL, from Shedeur Sanders' draft-day autumn to Aaron Rodgers yet landing successful Pittsburgh, but determination besides person been much subtle developments that could person large impacts connected this season.
Under-the-radar players person been turning heads successful OTAs and minicamps, warring for starting spots oregon cardinal extent roles. Next up volition beryllium grooming campy starting July 12, followed by full-team activities.
Which players mightiness person amazed their coaches and teammates the most? Our NFL Nation reporters picked 1 subordinate who unexpectedly roseate to the juncture and could marque a superior interaction successful the fall.
Jump to:
ARI | ATL | BAL | BUF | CAR | CHI | CIN
CLE | DAL | DEN | DET | GB | HOU | IND
JAX | KC | LAC | LAR | LV | MIA | MIN
NE | NO | NYG | NYJ | PHI | PIT | SF
SEA | TB | TEN | WSH
AFC EAST
Buffalo Bills
Largely a peculiar teams subordinate arsenic a rookie past year, Andreessen was signed aft trying retired astatine rookie minicamp, and helium past earned a roster spot. He made a important connection going into his 2nd play with his show during the mandatory minicamp.
Availability is thing the Bills emphasize, and Andreessen saw accrued clip during squad drills, successful portion owed to Baylon Spector's injury. He made aggregate notable plays, including picking disconnected Josh Allen. And helium enactment himself successful a bully presumption to vie for the backup mediate linebacker job. -- Alaina Getzenberg
Miami Dolphins
On a squad that features Bradley Chubb, Jaelan Phillips and Chop Robinson, Murphy made splash plays successful the backfield during outpouring practices. The aforementioned 3 walk rushers should predominate snaps erstwhile healthy, but staying steadfast has been hard implicit the past 2 seasons -- adjacent for Murphy, who landed connected injured reserve successful August aft signing arsenic an undrafted escaped cause past season.
He could supply situational oregon rotational pass-rush extent if helium continues his accumulation into grooming camp. -- Marcel Louis-Jacques
New England Patriots
The undrafted escaped cause from Eastern Washington rapidly earned the spot of his quarterbacks, with Drake Maye remarking, "Chis had similar 50 catches successful OTAs."
Among the things that stood retired astir portion watching the 5-foot-10, 198-pound Chism enactment successful the slot were his spatial awareness, quickness and definite hands. Specifically, successful 1 signifier erstwhile seasoned Kendrick Bourne wasn't present, Chism stepped into his relation and led the squad successful catches that day. The Patriots person 12 receivers connected the roster and are apt to support six, with Chism making an aboriginal connection that helium could beryllium successful the premix for 1 of the last spots. -- Mike Reiss
New York Jets
After a beardown offseason, Reynolds is the clear-cut person for the WR2 job. He arrived with small fanfare arsenic a escaped cause (one year, $2.8 million), chiefly due to the fact that of a down 2024 with the Broncos and Jaguars. It besides was a turbulent year; helium suffered limb and caput wounds successful a shooting.
New Jets manager Aaron Glenn knows Reynolds from their clip successful Detroit, wherever the 30-year-old receiver was a coagulated complementary option. Beyond Garrett Wilson, the Jets deficiency big-play quality aft cutting Davante Adams. Reynolds has separated from Allen Lazard and others. -- Rich Cimini
AFC NORTH
Baltimore Ravens
WR Devontez Walker
The 2024 fourth-round prime was Baltimore's astir accordant wide receiver during outpouring practices and recorded 2 of the biggest catches of minicamp. On the archetypal day, Walker made an over-the-shoulder drawback 20 yards downfield. On the 2nd day, helium delivered an acrobatic drawback implicit cornerback T.J. Tampa on the sideline.
Walker is looking to go a bigger portion of the passing crippled aft a forgettable rookie season, erstwhile his lone drawback was a 21-yard touchdown. He appears to beryllium the front-runner to beryllium Baltimore's No. 4 wide receiver down Zay Flowers, Rashod Bateman and DeAndre Hopkins. "Every day, each helium does is amusement up and spell 100 miles an hour," Ravens manager John Harbaugh said. -- Jamison Hensley
Cincinnati Bengals
Burton had 1 of the worst rookie years imaginable, which lone amplified the character concerns helium had successful college. Heading into this season, Bengals exec Duke Tobin made it wide Burton had to amusement Cincinnati something.
This offseason, Burton has made each the close moves. He was attentive and engaged passim the outpouring workouts. He earned praise from each idiosyncratic who was asked astir him, including violative coordinator Dan Pitcher. "He's got a bully look successful his eye," Pitcher said. "He's present putting the clip in." Burton has the tools to go a big-play enactment successful peculiar situations. -- Ben Baby
Cleveland Browns
A 2024 fifth-round prime who caught 3 passes arsenic a rookie, Thrash took vantage of opportunities successful an unproven receiver country and established himself arsenic a reliable enactment for each the Browns' quarterbacks.
"He's had a truly beardown spring," manager Kevin Stefanski said. "He is present each the clip moving connected his body. Very intelligent player, tin enactment up successful aggregate positions which I deliberation is valuable. And past helium showed up, he's caught the shot good and you cognize the quarterbacks similar however helium gets open. He finds a mode to get unfastened versus zone, versus man." -- Daniel Oyefusi
Pittsburgh Steelers
Since trading George Pickens to the Dallas Cowboys, the Steelers are squarely successful request of a No. 2 wide receiver to complement DK Metcalf. WR manager Zach Azzanni, though, believes they already person idiosyncratic successful the gathering to capable that role. "I deliberation that '2' spot is each Calvin's close now," Azzanni said during the Steelers' minicamp.
Selected 86 picks aft Pickens successful 2022, Austin missed his full rookie twelvemonth with an wounded but has turned into a dependable contributor successful each of his past 2 seasons. Austin was conscionable down Pickens past season, averaging 15.2 yards per reception, and helium hauled successful 4 touchdowns to Pickens' three. Austin inactive has to physique chemistry with backmost Aaron Rodgers, but helium made plays passim the Steelers' OTAs and minicamp with Mason Rudolph, Skylar Thompson and Will Howard throwing him the football. -- Brooke Pryor
AFC SOUTH
Houston Texans
The Texans' on-the-field enactment for OTAs were beauteous quiescent arsenic backmost C.J. Stroud didn't propulsion for astir of outpouring shot practices extracurricular of minicamp. But 1 subordinate who did marque sound was second-round rookie wideout Higgins. The big-body receiver (6-4, 215) flashed his down-field quality by beating aggregate cornerbacks passim the spring, including starting cornerback Kamari Lassiter.
When the Texans instrumentality to the tract connected July 23 for grooming camp, Higgins is squarely positioned to vie for a starting role. -- DJ Bien-Aime
Indianapolis Colts
When the Colts selected Walley successful the 3rd circular this year, the determination felt similar a spot of a astonishment fixed the pre-draft projections for the erstwhile Minnesota standout. But Walley has been turning heads passim the offseason with his assertive sum and awesome instincts, and it's present wide helium has a accidental to person a important relation successful the defence arsenic a rookie.
The Colts are expected to play a greater assortment of coverages this season, and Walley is showing imaginable successful dime packages. Walley is "really sticky successful coverage," manager Shane Steichen said. "Has been making a ton of plays done OTAs. So, precise pleased with wherever helium is at." -- Stephen Holder
Jacksonville Jaguars
Heading into OTAs, the thought was the starter other Tyson Campbell would either beryllium rookie Travis Hunter oregon second-year subordinate Jarrian Jones, who played good astatine nickel astatine the extremity of his rookie season. Defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile favors playing a batch of portion coverages, which Jones said helium ne'er played successful precocious schoolhouse oregon assemblage truthful he's inactive learning, and the Jaguars are inactive moving done conscionable however galore antiaircraft snaps they volition beryllium capable to get retired of Hunter.
Brown has worked with the starters, and helium consistently made plays passim the offseason, including a brace of end-zone walk breakups successful reddish portion drills successful minicamp. He has the vantage heading into camp. -- Michael DiRocco
Tennessee Titans
LB Cody Barton
Barton showed helium could beryllium the much-needed savvy seasoned for the Titans' wrong linebacker group, which struggled a spot successful sum and recovered themselves retired of position, starring to immoderate agelong runs by opposing backs.
The seasoned escaped cause summation has a vocal beingness connected the tract and tin beryllium heard barking commands earlier astir each snap. Barton intercepted No.1 prime Cameron Ward twice. Despite being caller to the team, Barton has already go a mentor to the young wrong backers, particularly second-year linebacker James Williams, who helium offered pointers to erstwhile the 2 weren't connected the tract together. -- Turron Davenport
AFC WEST
Denver Broncos
WR Pat Bryant
Perhaps it's hard to beryllium "under-the-radar'' erstwhile your caput manager compares you to Michael Thomas earlier you've acceptable ft successful the team's facility, but the rookie showed helium volition bash his portion to carve retired immoderate playing time. The third-round prime (74th overall) ran a 4.61 40-yard dash astatine the combine, which deterred immoderate successful the league. But the Broncos saw a precise way runner who consistently created abstraction with explosive merchandise astatine the enactment of scrimmage.
He consistently showed physicality to triumph contested catches during the Broncos' offseason program, and backmost Bo Nix showed the assurance to enactment the shot to Bryant successful choky situations. Bryant's drawback implicit first-round prime Jahdae Barron successful minicamp was 1 of the champion receptions successful the three-day affair. Playing clip volition beryllium hard to travel by with Courtland Sutton, Marvin Mims Jr. and Troy Franklin getting astir of the enactment with the starters, but Bryant is successful the premix if helium builds connected his offseason work. -- Jeff Legwold
Kansas City Chiefs
Judging from however helium was utilized successful offseason practices, the Chiefs person plans for Smith, a seventh-round draught prime retired of SMU. Smith was a wide receiver successful assemblage earlier moving to moving backmost for his last season, and the Chiefs showcased his versatility by getting him the shot retired of the backfield, from the slot and divided retired wide. Smith ran a 4.39 40 astatine the combine, truthful helium volition acceptable successful with a radical of different accelerated accomplishment players, including Xavier Worthy, Hollywood Brown and Elijah Mitchell. -- Adam Teicher
Las Vegas Raiders
The fourth-round prime made a beardown lawsuit to beryllium a Day 1 contributor for Las Vegas. Thornton received a bully magnitude of reps with the first-team offense, arsenic his operation of size (6-5, 205) and velocity (4.3 40 astatine the combine) makes him a menace successful the intermediate and heavy passing game. At Tennessee, Thornton was known for his big-play ability, starring the federation successful yards per drawback (25.4) and catches for 50-plus yards (six).
The Raiders didn't marque large moves astatine wide receiver this offseason, meaning Thornton and second-round prime Jack Bech volition beryllium asked to measurement up successful a large mode successful Year 1. Thornton showed helium could beryllium acceptable to reply the call. -- Ryan McFadden
Los Angeles Chargers
The fifth-round rookie was the astir progressive walk catcher this offseason, becoming a favourite people of backmost Justin Herbert. At 6-foot-5, 250 pounds, Gadsden's velocity astatine his size (4.65 successful the 40 astatine the combine) has made him a hard cover.
The Chargers passing discourtesy struggled mightily past season, which led to their first-round exit. If Gadsden tin proceed to beryllium a receiving threat, the Chargers look poised to instrumentality different measurement towards the Super Bowl manager Jim Harbaugh promised erstwhile helium took the occupation past January. -- Kris Rhim
NFC EAST
Dallas Cowboys
CB Kaiir Elam
The Cowboys acquired Elam successful a commercialized from Buffalo aft helium was not capable to solidify himself with the Bills. The Cowboys had him highly rated erstwhile helium came into the NFL. He started conscionable 12 games successful 3 seasons with 2 picks, but helium flashed connected galore occasions successful the OTAs and minicamp. He had aggregate interceptions and dropped 2 more. He besides showed the quality to tally with receivers.
Maybe things alteration erstwhile the pads travel connected successful grooming camp, but fixed the uncertainty the Cowboys person astatine cornerback with Trevon Diggs and third-round prime Shavon Revel Jr. moving backmost from genu surgeries, they request Elam to beryllium a factor. -- Todd Archer
New York Giants
Earlier this offseason, it appeared arsenic if helium was astir to go an afterthought pursuing the signing of Jevon Holland. But deliberation again. "He has been truly bully for america present early. Like he's had a truly bully spring," antiaircraft coordinator Shane Bowen said. "[We're] uncovering ways to get him connected the field, what helium tin bash for america to assistance us."
Belton was making plays seemingly each signifier this spring. He had 3 interceptions successful the 5 workouts unfastened to the media. Even if he's not a starter it appears that the fourth-round prime successful 2022 volition person a relation arsenic the 3rd safety. And wherefore not? When he's connected the tract helium has consistently created turnovers and made plays. -- Jordan Raanan
Philadelphia Eagles
WR Danny Gray
The 26-year-old wideout made an content during the OTA and minicamp practices unfastened to reporters, utilizing his 4.33 velocity to agelong the tract and accelerate past defenders connected catches implicit the middle. Gray was a third-round prime of the San Francisco 49ers successful 2022. He dealt with immoderate injuries and tallied conscionable 1 reception during his clip successful San Francisco.
He was waived by the Niners successful August and signed with the Eagles' signifier squad days later. Philadelphia has 1 of the apical receiving duos successful the league successful A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, but determination are immoderate roster spots up for grabs little connected the extent chart. Gray volition beryllium competing with players similar Ainias Smith, Avery Williams and Terrace Marshall during grooming camp. -- Tim McManus
Washington Commanders
DT Daron Payne
It's not truthful overmuch astir his show connected the tract -- it's intolerable to archer overmuch astir linemen due to the fact that they're not successful pads. But, rather, what stood retired with Payne was what others saw from him. Coach Dan Quinn said helium had a "laser focus" this spring. And antiaircraft coordinator Joe Whitt said, "He conscionable looks truly good, truly intent-ful. You tin truly spot him taking that enactment relation to the adjacent step. He's been the feline that's truly conscionable stood retired to maine the astir from that standpoint." They pointed to him becoming much of a person and being much outgoing astir the building.
Washington needs much from Payne this season. After signaling 11.5 sacks successful a declaration twelvemonth successful 2022 helium has posted a combined 8 the past 2 seasons. But much than sack totals, Payne needs to beryllium felt much successful the walk rush. In 2020-22, helium had 96 walk unreserved wins and a triumph complaint of 11.6 percent. In the past 2 years helium has had 39 wins and a 7.6 percent triumph rate. Payne isn't successful a declaration twelvemonth but could beryllium chopped adjacent offseason for a $16 cardinal savings. -- John Keim
NFC NORTH
Chicago Bears
Ben Johnson singled retired Hyppolite arsenic the subordinate that Bears coaches saw the astir betterment from this spring. With seasoned T.J. Edwards sidelined with a brushed insubstantial injury, Hyppolite got a batch of tally with the starting defence astatine a presumption helium doesn't person overmuch acquisition astatine (weakside linebacker) aft playing mediate linebacker passim his vocation astatine Maryland.
While the hunt for Chicago's No. 3 linebacker isn't the sexiest of presumption battles, Hyppolite -- a fourth-rounder with a 4.39 2nd 40 clip -- made aboriginal impressions connected the coaching staff. "He's done a large occupation adjusting to that velocity arsenic we've gone through, and that's going to person to amusement up erstwhile we bash get the pads on," Johnson said. "But I deliberation he's been improving each azygous day, and really, we're hoping that people continues." -- Courtney Cronin
Detroit Lions
Lions DB Avonte Maddox
Detroit added Maddox, an unrestricted escaped agent, to assistance with the secondary, and caput manager Dan Campbell sees him arsenic a feline who volition "fit close successful with us" aft evaluating him during the offseason program. The Detroit autochthonal has looked bully truthful far, impressing Campbell, and helium brings a ton of acquisition arsenic a Super Bowl champion and seasoned player, who has spent the past 7 seasons successful Philadelphia.
The erstwhile fourth-round prime besides contributed a relation successful the Eagles' title triumph with a walk breakup successful Super Bowl LIX connected Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes during a fourth-down play portion appearing successful each postseason game. -- Eric Woodyard
Green Bay Packers
Almost each the Packers' offseason practices were astatine jog-through speed, truthful it would beryllium unwise to marque immoderate large assessments based connected those sessions. Seeing who lined up wherever and with what units was astir the lone happening worthy noting. In that regard, it was a bully offseason for the second-year center.
With Elgton Jenkins skipping the full offseason program, Monk got the bulk of the enactment with the starters. "He's done a bully job," manager Matt LaFleur said of the 2024 fifth-round pick. "He's a batch much comfy and assured successful presumption of going retired determination and knowing what to do. And for him it's conscionable going to travel down to those unrecorded reps." Jenkins volition beryllium the starting center, but Monk has had the accidental to amusement he's invaluable backup. -- Rob Demovsky
Minnesota Vikings
Rodgers demonstrated wherefore the Vikings pegged him arsenic a apt starter contempt a comparatively obscure vocation since the Colts selected him successful the sixth circular of the 2020 draft. Rodgers displayed playmaking ability, jumping an retired way and intercepting backmost J.J. McCarthy, portion besides showing velocity arsenic a kickoff returner.
It's not wide whether the Vikings volition usage him arsenic a returner, fixed the dense workload he's expected to look arsenic a cornerback. But helium has a large instrumentality successful antiaircraft coordinator Brian Flores, who said helium has been tracking Rodgers since helium played astatine the University of Massachusetts. "He's been a large addition," Flores said. "He's got large shot IQ and acumen." -- Kevin Seifert
NFC SOUTH
Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons didn't person the salary-cap country to marque immoderate immense splashes successful escaped bureau this offseason. But the squad thinks they truly recovered thing successful Deablo, whose basal wage is lone $1.66 cardinal this season.
Head manager Raheem Morris has been impressed with Deablo's size (6-foot-3), magnitude and speed. Even much than that, Morris believes Deablo is susceptible of wearing the greenish dot arsenic benignant of the backmost of the defense. It sounds similar the erstwhile Raider has a coagulated accidental astatine a starting occupation astatine wrong linebacker alongside Kaden Elliss. -- Marc Raimondi
Carolina Panthers
It wasn't conscionable evident to sideline observers, it was evident to teammates that the 2024 fifth-round prime retired of Washington State had a stellar offseason and volition beryllium a origin successful 2025. "Man, I deliberation he's been the astir awesome player,'' Pro Bowl cornerback Jaycee Horn said.
Smith-Wade's quality to play corner, nickel and information makes him invaluable to a young defence trying to rebuild aft finishing past successful the NFL a twelvemonth ago. "Chau took vantage of an opportunity,'' manager Dave Canales said. "He made tackles. He had an accidental connected an interception, and helium made it.'' -- David Newton
New Orleans Saints
The 2022 first-round prime whitethorn person been fixed caller beingness aft his 3rd presumption change. Penning came into the league with the anticipation helium would beryllium a starting LT, was benched successful 2023 and switched to close tackle successful 2024. The Saints did not prime up his fifth-year enactment but intelligibly inactive judge successful him aft moving him to near guard.
Penning was the starting LG each passim OTAs and minicamp, and that's a motion helium mightiness softly find his relation again aft a hard archetypal 3 years successful the league. -- Katherine Terrell
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Bucs lone caught a glimpse of Dennis owed to a season-ending enarthrosis wounded successful Week 4, and the mediate of the tract was rather susceptible past play arsenic a result. But helium had 1 of the astir awesome offseasons of immoderate Bucs defender.
"First time of OTAs, made 1 of the champion plays I've ever seen a linebacker make," linebacker Anthony Walker Jr. said. Dennis moved crossed the tract to leap a way connected a Baker Mayfield walk for an interception. "He's special, man. Very cerebral and knows the crippled precise well. Can truly bash everything connected the tract arsenic a walk dropper, a blitzer and a tally defender," Walker said. -- Jenna Laine
NFC WEST
Arizona Cardinals
ILB Cody Simon
The 2025 fourth-round prime has made a speedy content connected manager Jonathan Gannon successful a abbreviated magnitude of time. He's taken connected the work of wearing the greenish dot, which has added to the steep learning curve that comes with a player's archetypal twelvemonth successful the NFL, but Gannon has praised Simon's quality to larn rapidly from his mistakes.
"He's decidedly flashed here," Gannon said. "We got him playing a mates antithetic spots, truthful that's good. He is playing connected 4th down close now, truthful helium is learning each that. He's anxious to learn. He doesn't marque mistakes doubly and he's got juice. He's physical, conscionable similar each those guys. Long mode to go. But I similar wherever helium is at." -- Josh Weinfuss
Los Angeles Rams
OLB Byron Young
The 2023 third-round prime has had 2 beardown seasons, amassing 15.5 sacks successful his NFL career. But contempt that success, extracurricular linebackers manager Joe Coniglio said helium has noticed however "intentional" Young has been going into his 3rd season. Coniglio said helium challenged Young to proceed to enactment connected his "consistency," due to the fact that "when he's astatine his best, it's a batch of amusive to watch."
"I deliberation he's going to instrumentality different measurement guardant successful regards to his game, his quality to impact games, his quality to disrupt offenses and beryllium the subordinate that he's susceptible of being," Coniglio said. -- Sarah Barshop
San Francisco 49ers
The fourth-round prime retired of Mississippi had nary shortage of opportunities to enactment with starting backmost Brock Purdy due to the fact that chap wideouts Brandon Aiyuk, Jauan Jennings and Ricky Pearsall missed clip with injuries. It's hard to get connected the tract and nutrient successful Kyle Shanahan's discourtesy arsenic a rookie receiver, but Watkins looked creaseless moving the intermediate routes that are a staple of Shanahan's scheme. He consistently made plays successful practice.
"Jordan Watkins has been balling from time 1 really," Purdy said. "He's travel successful and he's done everything beauteous close and he's been connected point. He's had a batch of explosive plays down the tract ... decidedly a rookie that has popped retired successful beforehand of everybody." -- Nick Wagoner
Seattle Seahawks
When the Seahawks hired violative coordinator Klint Kubiak, a fashionable absorption was that Bradford whitethorn person a hard clip winning backmost the starting occupation astatine close guard. After all, he's a big, almighty blocker who doesn't look similar an perfect acceptable for an extracurricular portion strategy that suits much diversion linemen.
It's clip to property intermission connected that conception aft a trimmer-looking Bradford shared first-team reps with Christian Haynes during OTAs and minicamp. "A.B.'s done a large occupation this spring," manager Mike Macdonald said. "His assemblage comp has truly improved, which speaks to his enactment ethic. I deliberation he's made strides ... It's clip to spell beryllium it consistently. He knows that, but he's close successful the heavy of it with the conflict astatine close guard." -- Brady Henderson
