We’re simply 119 days from the NFL’s “Thursday Night time Soccer” season opener between the Baltimore Ravens and the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs. Whereas that feels like loads of time for the league’s rookies to be able to shine in Week 1, you may wager the league’s coaches are considering the subsequent 17 weeks are nowhere close to sufficient.
Which brings us to the significance of this weekend. Whereas “rookie minicamp” sounds comparatively benign — what with the most effective gamers on the earth not concerned — the subsequent three days set the tone for all the brand new guys.
Every workforce will get to work 30 hours (10 per day Friday via Sunday) with their newcomers. Significantly for groups which have invested a lot of their franchise’s future on a rookie or two, these three days provide an enormous trace as as to whether their franchise may change into the subsequent Chiefs — or the subsequent laughingstock.
Listed below are 4 groups that actually want to come back away feeling good about their draft:
Tennessee Titans
Final month, Cam Ward turned the nineteenth quarterback within the final 25 drafts to be the No. 1 general choose. Guess what number of of these 19 have received a Tremendous Bowl? Yep, simply two: Matthew Stafford and Eli Manning.
We point out this for 2 causes: First, it’s statistically incorrect to count on Ward to guide the Titans to a Tremendous Bowl. Second, nobody’s going to care in regards to the first purpose. The strain to be particular begins now.
Head coach Brian Callahan and offensive coordinator Nick Holz had months to determine that Ward was the most effective match for the No. 1 choose. They consider they perceive how he thinks, how he works and the way he reacts to success and failure — however this weekend is the equal of the top of the honeymoon. Will Ward and the Titans dwell fortunately ever after? The primary indicators — good and dangerous — will come out this weekend.
Jacksonville Jaguars
![The Jacksonville Jaguars’ first-round pick, Colorado Buffaloes wide receiver and defensive back Travis Hunter, left, answers questions as General Manager James Gladstone, right, sits next to him during a press conference Friday, March 25, 2025 at Miller Electric Center in Jacksonville, Fla. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union]](https://images.deadspin.com/tr:w-900/1746799467575)
The Jacksonville Jaguars’ first-round choose, Colorado Buffaloes huge receiver and defensive again Travis Hunter, left, solutions questions as Normal Supervisor James Gladstone, proper, sits subsequent to him throughout a press convention Friday, March 25, 2025 at Miller Electrical Middle in Jacksonville, Fla. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union] One of the crucial thrilling storylines that can play out over the course of the 2025 season is what number of snaps Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter can deal with every week.
Is he a receiver first? Is he a nook first? Does he have the mental bandwidth together with the athletic capacity to organize to play either side of the ball?
Contemplating Hunter was a two-time Educational All-America — he reportedly posted a 3.79 GPA whereas incomes his diploma in anthropology — his meeting-room preparation sounds prefer it received’t be an issue. However with Hunter out there to the Jaguars 10 hours per day this weekend, they’ll begin studying precisely how a lot they will pile on his plate earlier than he begins to buckle.
Las Vegas Raiders
Oct 12, 2024; Honolulu, Hawaii, USA; Boise State Broncos working again Ashton Jeanty (2) runs the ball in for a landing in the course of the first quarter an NCAA school soccer sport in opposition to the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors at Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complicated. Obligatory Credit score: Marco Garcia-Imagn Photographs Ashton Jeanty wasn’t drafted sixth general to take slightly warmth off new Raiders quarterback Geno Smith. He’s going to be the franchise. Jeanty is simply the sixth working again drafted within the prime 10 over the past 10 years. Three have been Corridor of Fame-worthy: Saquon Barkley (No. 2 in 2018), Christian McCaffrey (No. 8 in 2017) and Ezekiel Elliott (No. 4 in 2016).
Bijan Robinson, who racked up 1,456 speeding yards and 14 touchdowns final yr after a so-so rookie season, is also on his strategy to Corridor of Fame standing. Even Leonard Fournette (No. 4 in 2017), who’s the “bust” of the group, earned a Tremendous Bowl ring in 2021.
Of all these guys, Elliott loved the most effective rookie yr. He piled up 1,631 yards and 15 touchdowns on the bottom and completed third within the NFL’s MVP voting. He touched the ball a mean of 23.6 occasions per sport. Anticipate Jeanty to the touch it at the very least that usually — although he may catch thrice as many passes as Elliott did (32) in his rookie yr.
This weekend, the Raiders begin to uncover how superhuman and versatile Jeanty may be.
Atlanta Falcons
Jan 18, 2025; Atlanta, GA, USA; Notre Dame Preventing Irish security Xavier Watts (0) throughout 2025 CFP Nationwide Championship Media Day at Georgia World Congress Middle, Constructing A. Obligatory Credit score: Kirby Lee-Imagn Photographs Keep in mind when the Falcons drafted quarterback Michael Penix Jr. in final yr’s first spherical regardless of signing Kirk Cousins to a four-year, $180 million deal only one month earlier than? The Falcons and GM Terry Fontenot caught some severe flak.
Now fast-forward to this draft: The Falcons obtained extra ridicule once they gave up their 2026 first-round choose to maneuver up 20 spots to get cross rusher James Pearce Jr. with the No. 26 choose — although that they had simply used the fifteenth general choose on edge rusher Jalon Walker.
The one method this is sensible is that if Pearce is significantly better than the vast majority of the NFL believes him to be. The Falcons will breathe quite a bit simpler if Pearce, who handled pre-draft whispers that he has a stiff physique and he’s “tough,” proves to be tough to dam.
