NFL Rookie Training Camp Battles
MITCHELL TRUBISKY VS KENNY PICKETT | QB
The Pittsburgh Steelers have a fresh reboot at QB after the retirement of future Hall of Famer, Ben Roethlisberger, and arguably the biggest camp battle in the NFL this season will be veteran Mitchell Trubisky vs rookie first round pick Kenny Pickett. Trubisky had a semi-successful start to his career in Chicago then falling off and landing in Buffalo as the backup to star QB Josh Allen. Many believe Trubisky has some qualities of a starting level QB and just needs the right fit, maybe like Pittsburgh. On the other hand, the Steelers invested a first round pick in Pittsburgh standout Kenny Pickett who burst on the scene and finished with a Heisman Trophy worthy season. Unlike most rookie QBs drafted outside the top 15, Pickett has a very good chance of not only making it a fair competition vs Trubisky but a real chance at winning the starting gig prior to week 1. Once again, in this situation, Trubisky would be seen as a potential starter only to wind up as a backup.
MARCUS MARIOTA VS DESMOND RIDDER | QB
Atlanta made the surprising move of trading away former MVP Matt Ryan to the Indianapolis Colts and replaced him with former Titans’ QB, Marcus Mariota. Mariota has experience working with HC Arthur Smith during his time in Atlanta which should give him the slight advantage in the QB battle vs former Cincinnati Bearcat Desmond Ridder. Ridder ha the upside to be the Falcons QB of the future but at least for this year Mariota looks like he will get the first crack at the starting gig for 2022.
SAM DARNOLD VS MATT CORRAL | QB
Out of all the QB battles that will take place this off-season, none may be more interesting than down in Carolina where young vet Sam Darnold will try to hold off rookie Matt Corral. Darnold, once viewed as a franchise QB, as yet to come close to the expectations of a former top 3 pick which has led to the loss of shine from the once prized prospect. On the other hand, rookie Matt Corral is a complete unknown who could give Darnold a run for the starting QB job or prove why he fell out of the first round. This should be an interesting storyline throughout the off-season.
MATT PRYOR VS BERNHARD RAIMANN | LT
Now that the QBs are out of the way lets look at some other position battles starting with the Indianapolis Colts and their starting LT position. After the departure of veteran OT Eric Fisher, the Colts current LT looks to be Matt Pryor who is anything but a surefire starting caliber OL. Enter third round pick, Bernhard Raimann, a Central Michigan prospect who is viewed as having one of the higher upsides of all the lineman in this year’s draft and could shape up to be a quality LT in the future. The main question will be can Raimann beat out Pryor for the starting job. The Colts brought in Matt Ryan as the team’s franchise QB and while Ryan still has some good year left, he is getting up there in age and isn’t known for being a very mobile QB. If the Colts want to protect their asset, they have to evaluate Pryor and Raimann equally and figure out is the starting LT for week 1 will be the veteran or the rookie.
DEVON KENNARD VS CAMERON THOMAS / MYJAI SANDERS | EDGE
Another position group battle that should be fun to watch leading up to week 1 will be in Arizona with the Cardinals pass rushers. Currently the Cardinals starting outside edge rushers are a pair of veterans in Devon Kennard & Markus Golden and while Golden had a productive year (11 sacks), Kennard failed to secure this spot as a starting quality defender. Arizona double dipped in the third round for pass rushers with San Diego State’s Cameron Thomas & Cincinnati’s Myjai Sanders, both of which were productive college defenders with sights at the NFL as future starters. The question will be who comes out on top from this three horse race? Sanders had some standout moments for the Bearcats during their historic 2021 season while Thomas held is own as his team’s top pass rusher. I would assume Kennard gets first dibs due to his experience but don’t be surprised if both rookies split time in the starting rotation.
UCHENNA NWOSU VS BOYE MAFE | EDGE
While we’re on the topic of pass rushers another fun matchup to watch this summer will be in Seattle as they try to find another outside pass rusher opposite Darrell Taylor. The Seahawks brought in veteran Uchenna Nwosu from Los Angeles while upgrading in the draft as well with Boye Mafe from Minnesota. While Nwosu has the experience, he isn’t a true pass rusher and has yet to break more than 5 sacks in a season. Mafe may be a rookie but he flashed some pass rush moves in 4 years with the Gophers and should push Nwosu for starting reps early.