Offseason workouts are nearing their end, but first 25 teams will take the field this week for minicamp workouts.
Minicamps mark the first time this offseason that attendance is mandatory and players can be fined for skipping. Per the Collective Bargaining Agreement, players under contract are subject to fines up to $72,920 for missing the entirety of the three day event. Franchise-tagged players who have not signed their tenders, like Dez Bryant, Justin Houston and Jason Pierre-Paul aren't subject to fines.Â
Teams can hold two practices on two of the three minicamp days, but one must be a walkthrough, no on-field session can last longer than 2.5 hours, and players can't be on the field more than 3.5 hours in one day.
There is no contact work allowed in drills, which includes live blocking, tacking or physical coverage. Teams are subject to punishment for violating the contact rule -- the Seahawks forfeited two days of minicamps after being cited for physical practices in 2012. Seattle's players and coaches will conduct three days of meetings this week, but will only be on the practice field on Thursday.
Given the non-contact rules, it's hard to get a good view of how a team will play out of minicamps. Things like trench play are nearly impossible to judge at this point.
Even with the limitations, let's take a look at a few questions off the top of our heads facing each team as they open minicamp:
How will the running back rotation of Tevin Coleman and Devonta Freeman shake out? Will rookie Vic Beasley provide consistent pressure and continue to earn the Von Miller comparisons? How will a shuffled offensive line look under new coordinator Kyle Shanahan?
How much of the zone-blocking scheme that Baltimore thrived with last year will new coordinator Marc Trestman utilize? Can Breshad Perriman crack the starting rotation? What does the defensive line look like behind Timmy Jernigan and Brandon Williams?
Does anyone want to play quarterback in Buffalo????? How will Greg Roman shuffle his offensive line? Who could get squeezed out of Rex Ryan's linebacker rotation?
Can the towering duo of Kelvin Benjamin and Devin Funchess improve Cam Newton's completion percentage given their massive catching radiuses? What role will rookie linebacker Shaq Thompson play in an already studly defense?
Will Kyle Long see more time at right tackle? How does Adam Gase plan to utilize the duo of Alshon Jeffery and Kevin White? How is the goal of converting a bunch of 4-3 defensive ends (Willie Young, Jared Allen, etc.) to outside linebackers coming along?
How is Marvin Jones' comeback looking and how will Hue Jackson use him alongside A.J. Green? What is the backfield rotation between Jeremy Hill and Giovani Bernard? How will the linebacking corps shape up as the Bengals wait for Vontaze Burfict to get healthy?
Darren McFadden or Joseph Randle? Where will La'el Collins play? How many reps will Randy Gregory get and is he in shape yet?
Is Ameer Abdullah the real deal or just another hype bunny? Who will play defensive tackle alongside Haloti Ngata? Is Joe Lombardi's offense still stuck in second gear?
In what packages will Clay Matthews play inside 'backer and what is the rotation inside? Aaron Rodgers has hyped Davante Adams this offseason, how is their rapport early on? Will Richard Rodgers overtake Andrew Quarless for tight end snaps?
Quarterback Battle!!!!!! Who will seize the job: Brian Hoyer or Ryan Mallett? How is Jadeveon Clowney's health? How does rookie Jaelen Strong look and will he win snaps opposite DeAndre Hopkins?
T.J. Yeldon will be a three-down back, no? How have Blake Bortles' mechanics improved? How will the pass rush rotation shake out without Dante Fowler?
Will Alex Smith actually throw the ball beyond five yards? How will Andy Reid rotate his receiver corps? Who will take Justin Houston's snaps as he sits out and what will the linebacker rotation look like?
Will Jay Ajayi eat into Lamar Miller's reps? Will a remade receiving group push Ryan Tannehill to new heights -- i.e. will he ever complete a deep ball? Who is going to play linebacker behind the stud defensive line?
How will Mike Wallace mesh with Teddy Bridgewater -- i.e. will he catch a deep pass? Is Anthony Barr ready to make the leap in Year 2 under Mike Zimmer? Jerick McKinnon or Matt Asiata behind Adrian Peterson?
How does Jimmy Garoppolo fair with increased reps? What will be the backfield rotation with no obvious workhorse? How will the cornerback rotation begin to unfold?
How will the Mark Ingram-C.J. Spiller backfield look and how will each be utilized? In what formations will Sean Payton deploy tight end Josh Hill? What will the corner rotation be with Brandon Browner in the fold?
How will the offensive line gigs work themselves out? How is the safety duo of rookie Landon Collins and Cooper Taylor looking? What is the health status Victor Cruz and Odell Beckham?
Is Sam Bradford making progress from ACL injury? How will Chip Kelly utilize the talents of DeMarco Murray, Ryan Mathews and Darren Sproles? How does Walter Thurmond look at safety in a remade secondary?
How are the young pass rushers coming along under a new coordinator? Does the added weight for Martavis Bryant mean bigger production? Will Dri Archer be part of the offense or relegated to special teams in his second season?
Will Melvin Gordon get the starting job and how will the rest of the rotation land? Will Steve Johnson provide playmaking ability for Philip Rivers? Who is going to rush the passer on defense?
With just one practice, how much Beast Mode will we see and who will take the majority of the snaps (where you at Christine Michael)? How does the defensive tackle rotation play out? Can corners Cary Williams and Will Blackmon keep the secondary scary or will they just get picked on?
Who will be the lead running back? Will Jameis Winston's blockers be as bad as they were for Bucs quarterbacks last year? Does Lovie Smith have the pass rushers to make his defense work?
Will the David Cobb Hype Train run off the rails? How is Marcus Mariota adapting to the offense (or vice versa)? Will Dorial Green-Beckham be healthy and will he pick up the offense if he is?
How does Alfred Morris look in Bill Callahan's power-blocking scheme? Will the RGIII saga continue or can he cast aside all doubters, including his coach? How has a maligned secondary improved this offseason?
We'll track those and many, many, many other storylines as minicamps progress this week.
The latest Around The NFL Podcast discusses Dez Bryant's contract situation and ranks the best backfields for the 2015 season. Find more Around The NFL content on NFL NOW.
