Finally, the NFL is about to take a breather, with most teams done with minicamps and nothing on the calendar until training camps open late next month. This offseason has given us plenty to think about and -- in some cases -- fret over. Since childhood, though, we've been conditioned to believe the summer is meant for relaxing. So, we're here to advise on a few storylines from this offseason we shouldn't overreact to -- yet, at least. And, because the NFL is what it is -- a factory of news -- we threw in two storylines that deserve more scrutiny.
DON'T overreact to ...
1) The quarterback competition in Cleveland. Forget about the spring rotation and division of practice repetitions among Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders; the real battle will be waged in training camp and continue into preseason games. Much of the curiosity will center on how the rookies (Gabriel and Sanders) perform, but even then, this competition might be best consumed with a large grain of salt. The Browns have two first-round draft picks next season, putting them in prime position to select a quarterback early in the 2026 NFL Draft, pulling from a class that is already being forecast as stronger than 2025's group. That gives the Browns the ultimate safety net. If Gabriel, Sanders or Pickett emerges and the Browns win some games, they can turn the page to their future. If not, the Browns know they can hit reset on their quarterback room yet again in less than a year.
2) The breakdown of Travis Hunter's practice time. Admittedly, this is going to be a hard one to resist, but hear us out. Hunter's development and evolution as a two-way player was not set in stone during the spring, and it almost certainly won't be even during training camp. The Jaguars started him at wide receiver, but he also practiced in the spring at cornerback. Hunter wants to play both. It's up to Hunter to show that he can handle the physical and mental load -- if he does, his job will inevitably morph. The Jaguars did not give up all that draft capital in their trade up for Hunter to play him at only one spot. Over the course of his rookie season, and likely his career, his role will shift, perhaps continuously, based on the few glimpses we have gotten so far.
3) Stefon Diggs' offseason activities. Was it ideal for a video of the Patriots' new receiver partying on a boat -- holding a pink substance -- to go viral, prompting coach Mike Vrabel to issue a public reminder that he wants his team "to make great decisions on and off the field"? No. But Diggs showed up to OTAs a few days after the video surfaced, Vrabel said Diggs was engaged with the team during minicamp, and the Patriots need Diggs this season to boost an offense that, in recent years, has been glaringly lacking in playmakers. Far more important is Diggs' progress in returning from the ACL tear he suffered after eight games with the Texans last season. Diggs did not take part in competitive, full-speed work during minicamp. Whenever he returns, though, the Patriots will count on him to be a steady target for second year quarterback Drake Maye -- who called Diggs an "awesome teammate" -- and to provide veteran leadership to a relatively inexperienced wide receiver group.
4) C.J. Stroud's partial participation. Obviously, this bears monitoring, but it's too early to stress about Stroud experiencing what the Texans described as "general soreness" in his right shoulder, which led them to keep Stroud from throwing during OTAs. Stroud himself scoffed at any concerns after subsequently throwing during minicamp, saying he felt great and partially attributing the soreness to the hard work he did in the offseason to get faster and stronger. Stroud did not have a documented shoulder injury last season, his second in the NFL. Two facts that were well-documented: He played behind an overmatched offensive line and with an injury-depleted receiving corps. It was a promising sign that he threw in minicamp, so until further notice, this one appears to be, as general manager Nick Caserio said, "much ado about nothing." It moves quickly into complete freakout territory if Stroud is limited in any way when training camp opens.
5) Aaron Rodgers' "late" arrival. The four-time MVP didn't sign with Pittsburgh until just before veteran minicamp -- but in a way, he was actually early. Last year, Rodgers missed mandatory minicamp with the Jets for his trip to Egypt, an unexcused absence, and still threw for 28 touchdowns and nearly 4,000 yards for a team on the way to a housecleaning. Had Rodgers chosen to time his arrival for training camp in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, nobody would have been surprised. Rodgers already had a throwing session with DK Metcalf. Participating in minicamp allowed him to meet and greet everyone else -- including veteran leaders like Cameron Heyward, who had expressed apparent irritation with the Rodgers waiting game -- and begin learning the tendencies of his offensive teammates. That Rodgers and coordinator Arthur Smith could start diving into the offensive playbook is a plus, as is Rodgers being another year removed from his Achilles tear. It's worth remembering that he was better later last season than he was at the beginning.
Pay MORE attention to ...
Anthony Richardson missing minicamp. Among the issues that have led the Indianapolis Colts to stage a quarterback competition between Richardson and former Giants quarterback Daniel Jones is Richardson's inability to stay on the field. Physically, Richardson looks indestructible, but in the two seasons since Indianapolis drafted him fourth overall, he has missed 17 games to injury. He sprained his right AC joint five weeks into his rookie season, which required season-ending surgery. In 2024, he missed six games, two of which were when Richardson was benched. The AC joint is the injury he has aggravated, causing him to be shut down for an undetermined period of time. Coach Shane Steichen was noncommittal about whether Richardson would be ready for the start of training camp, although he said Richardson does not need surgery again. A shoulder injury is obviously not good for any quarterback at any time, but is it particularly problematic for Richardson, who badly needs the reps because he had limited experience as a starter in college and has missed so much time since being drafted. The current setback clearly gives Jones a significant edge in a competition he had a good chance of winning anyway. But Richardson's absence, which underscores existing concerns about his durability, may have longer term implications for his future.
BONUS: And don't forget about ...
Pass rusher contracts. The Bengals' Trey Hendrickson and the Steelers' T.J. Watt both skipped mandatory minicamp while awaiting new contracts. Watt has been mostly silent on the matter, but Hendrickson, last season's sack leader, has made his displeasure with the Bengals clear and has sought a trade, saying he will not play for the Bengals under his current deal. To say Hendrickson and Watt are critical to playoff hopes for their respective teams is an understatement. (Bengals rookie pass rusher Shemar Stewart, whose contract has yet to be completed, reported to minicamp but did not participate and has already been vocal about his displeasure with the team.) In Dallas, Micah Parsons did report for minicamp while his own contract negotiation drags on. The Cowboys have an unfortunate pattern of allowing negotiations with their best players to linger deep into the summer -- remember Dak Prescott getting extended hours before the regular season kicked off? -- and it seems Parsons is headed that way, too.
