The Rookie Class
In addition to Darnold, there are several rookie quarterbacks who will be interesting to watch during training camp. For instance, many believe Lamar Jackson could push Joe Flacco in Baltimore with a strong preseason. Top pick Baker Mayfield will look to push Tyrod Taylor for the starting job in Cleveland. Josh Allen may be able to do the same to A.J. McCarron in Buffalo. Finally, Josh Rosen is someone to watch closely, as he sits behind the injury-prone Sam Bradford on the depth chart in Arizona.
Teams on the Rise
There are a few teams fans may want to watch closely during training camp. It starts with the San Francisco 49ers, who closed 2017 with five straight wins after Jimmy Garoppolo became the starting quarterback. Such success should be taken with a grain of salt, but Garoppolo looks like the real deal and his supporting cast isn’t too bad either.
Keep an eye on the Houston Texans as well. Deshaun Watson was incredible before his unfortunate knee injury last season. If he’s healthy, it changes the entire shape of the AFC South, which is a wide-open division. The Texans also hope to welcome back J.J. Watt from injury. Watt, if you remember, is kind of a big deal.
Finally, don’t overlook the Cleveland Browns. They did a lot of moving and shaking over the offseason, bringing in several free agents to mix in with all the young players they’ve drafted the past few years. They also have Tyrod Taylor, who led the Bills to the playoffs last year, so the quarterback position is far less of an issue than it’s been in past years. If nothing else, they’ll be more interesting to watch than the team that went 0-16 last year.
