NFL 2026 Training Camp And Peseason: The Battles In The NFC

UNITED STATES - CIRCA 2000: Ecstatic Giants fans time off nary uncertainty astir their feelings during National Football Conference Division Playoff crippled against the Philadelphia Eagles astatine Giants Stadium. The Giants triumphed, 20-10, and will return connected the Minnesota Vikings for the title adjacent week. (Photo by Andrew Savulich/NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images)

NY Daily News via Getty Images

NFL 2026 Training Camp and Preseason: What To Look For In NFC

It’s here…it’s here…NFL shot 2026 yet is here. After the frenetic free agency play and the chaotic and somewhat astonishing NFL Draft, we cognize it’s present because the players are yet connected the field.

Sure, the training camp brings retired the interviews wherever the players talk nice. But location are besides the drills, the fights, and the nuances we effort to glean from the practices. The pre-season

will show the 2nd and thirds pinch a little glimpse of the first teamers, but we tin spot schemes and get a glimpse of really caller coaches and coordinators are going astir their tasks.

It’s the 2nd week of training campy and the commencement of preseason. Position battles and subordinate watches are heating up. So, let’s get connected pinch it and commencement pinch the existent Super Bowl-dominant NFC division.

NFC East

Dallas Cowboys

The talk successful Dallas is astir their defense. This season, Christian Parker will return complete the defense from past year’s protect coordinator Matt Eberflus (Parker having the favoritism of being the 3rd protect coordinator successful 3 years).

Last year’s defense allowed the astir points per crippled (30.1), the 3rd astir full yards per crippled (377.0), while tying for the 2nd fewest interceptions (6) and the 5th fewest sacks (35).

So, this off-season is astir the free agents and the first-rounders. Will first-rounder Malachi Lawrence hit retired free supplier acquisition Rashan Gary? Can PJ Locke return complete for Malik Hooker? And what will Parker do pinch rookie Caleb Downs?

New York Giants

New caput coach John Harbaugh, caller violative coordinator Matt Nagy, and protect coordinator Dennard Wilson are tasked pinch making the Giants applicable successful a highly competitory division.

The wide receiver conflict is the watch. The Giants presently person the pursuing successful the wide receiver room:

• Malik Nab
• Darius Slayton
• Calvin Austin III
• Darnell Mooney
• Malachi Fields
• Odell Beckham Jr.
• JuJu Smith-Schuster
• Braxton Berrios
• Isaiah Hodgins

Something has gotta give.

Philadelphia Eagles

New violative coordinator Sean Mannion takes complete an discourtesy that wallowed successful the mediate to the bottommost of the battalion successful each violative stat past season. The Eagles were 24th successful full yards per crippled (311), 23rd successful passing yards per crippled (192.8), 16th successful rushing yards per crippled (118.2), and 19th successful points per crippled (22.1). And their WR1 from past twelvemonth is now successful New England.

The watch is connected arsenic to really Mannion will navigate backmost Jalen Hurts’ strengths pinch the receiving corps that presently consists of DeVonta Smith, Dontayvion Wicks, Makai Lemon, Elijah Moore, Johnny Wilson and Hollywood Brown.

Washington Commanders

The conflict for WR2 begins. The Commanders signed Stefon Diggs to compete for WR2 pinch Treylon Burks and Dyami Brown.

NFC West

Los Angeles Rams

The only mobility is: will Aaron Donald play this play for the Rams? This is the watch of the preseason.

Arizona Cardinals

The Cardinals played a highly competitory crippled against the Carolina Panthers successful the HOF game. Even pinch a loaded moving backmost room, the watch is connected for Zonovan Knight and Corey Kiner.

Knight vanished the crippled pinch 12 touches for 60 yards, while Kiner vanished pinch 14 touches for 57 yards, 2 targets, and 1 touchdown. With Jeremiyah Love planted arsenic RB1, Tyler Allgeier arsenic RB2, and James Conner arsenic RB3, the RB2 position is besides a watch arsenic Kiner and Knight conflict for relevance.

San Francisco Niners

Besides their caput coach being successful a horrific car accident, and the protector of the electrical substation complete their believe facility, and their apical 2 protect players coming disconnected season-ending injuries past season, and Ricky Pearsall being retired for the season, and yeah, Deebo Samuel is back, the Niners are “all good”, thing to spot here.

Seattle Seahawks

The defending Super Bowl Champions mislaid their violative coordinator, Super Bowl MVP, extracurricular linebacker Boye Mafe, and Coby Bryant and Riq Woolen successful the secondary. To switch the Super Bowl MVP and clasp a spot for the injured Zach Charbonnet, the Seahawks added Jadarian Price and drafted Emmanuel Wilson.

The preseason watch is not only who will beryllium RB1 but besides the position of a once-prolific moving backmost room.

NFC North

Chicago Bears

The Bears receiving corps will beryllium the preseason/training campy watch. After trading DJ Moore to the Buffalo Bills, will free supplier Kalif Raymond beryllium the answer? Are the tight ends the superior receiving weapons successful Chicago?

Detroit Lions

Armed pinch what Sharp Football Analysis calls the sixth-easiest schedule this year, the Lions' offseason focused connected the defense that was 22nd successful points allowed past play (24.3) and 17th successful full yards fixed up to opponents (332.8).

While the departure of moving backmost David Montgomery and the acquisition of Isiah Pacheco merit a passing glimpse during preseason, everyone knows this is Jahmyr Gibbs' backfield. So preseason and training campy will attraction connected Dan Campbell’s defense, who will look alongside Adian Hutchinson arsenic the one-year contracts of D.J. Wonnum, Malcolm Rodriguez and the precocious acquisition of Devin White each will conflict for the honor.

Green Bay Packers

Preseason/training campy is each astir the Packers moving backmost room. Josh Jacobs, the Packers RB1, has a legal rumor he is facing and now has a “minor” groin injury. The players who will beryllium looking to measurement into the RB1 position if basal include: Chris Brooks, Marshawn Lloyd, Pierre Strong Jr., Damien Martine,z and Jaden Nixon.

It’s a conflict for RB1 if Jacobs faces suspension.

Minnesota Vikings

This is each astir the quarterback battle, incumbent Kyler Murray versus J.J. McCarthy. Seriously, thing other matters successful Minnesota correct now.

NFC South

This could extremity up being the astir absorbing section successful the convention this year.

Atlanta Falcons

The Falcons and caller caput coach Kevin Stefanski besides person a backmost conflict connected their hands. Last year’s starter Michael Penix Jr. is coming disconnected a near knee ACL tear suffered successful November. The Falcons past went and acquired the services of Tua Tagovailoa for a veteran’s minimum (while Miami foots the bill).

Stefanski has said this is an “open competition”. This preseason/training campy conflict is worthy monitoring.

New Orleans Saints

Tyler Shough and caput coach Kellen Moore offered a glimmer of dream for Saints fans past season. This twelvemonth they doubled down and drafted receiver Jordyn Tyson, acquired moving backmost Travis Etienne, and paid Chris Olave.

This preseason is each astir the expertise of Moore to prolong and build upon the momentum the squad put connected show arsenic the play came to an end. For the 2025 season, the Saints were 28th successful points per game, averaging 18.0; until their past 3 games, erstwhile they doubled their average, averaging 26.7 points per game. The aforesaid upward trajectory was recovered successful their yards per game. For the season,n they averaged 313.6; successful their past 3 games, they averaged 391.7.

Will training campy and preseason springiness a glimpse of really Moore utilizes his caller violative weapons to support the momentum?

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Baker Mayfield feels disrespected, and Mike Evans is gone. Vita Vea is requesting a waste and acquisition and caput coach Todd Bowles is connected the basking seat.

The preseason for the Bucs is conscionable different people-watch successful sunny Florida.

Carolina Panthers

After their HOF game, it is clear that this preseason/triaining campy is each astir the QB2 position. While galore were penciling successful Kenny Pickett arsenic the presumptive QB2, rookie Haynes King threw his helmet into the ringing pinch his 180 passing yards connected 34 attempts, 2 passing touchdowns, and 1 rushing touchdown, averaging 13 yards per rushing attempt.

Preseason Week 1

Preseason Week 1 games officially commencement Thursday, August 13. While it is unexpected that players who are solidified successful their starting position will suit up for these games, the battles for rookies and those hoping to make the roster don’t make it immoderate little interesting; yes, we are looking astatine you, King.