NFL rumors: Eagles hint at starting running back in training camp?
The Philadelphia Eagles were oh-so-close to winning their second Super Bowl title but fell just short against the Kansas City Chiefs this past February. Even though the team did lose a bunch of talent, they still made additions to keep them the favorites to win the NFC in 2023. One position where there was a changeover was at running back.
Mile Sanders became a free agent and signed a four-year, $25.4 million contract with the Carolina Panthers. With one big void at the top of the running back depth chart, the Eagles did address it. First off, they brought in former Seattle Seahawks running back Rashaad Penny and then during the NFL Draft, acquired D'Andre Swift from the Detroit Lions.
So, Eagles fans are probably wondering who has the edge to earn the starting job in 2023.
At training camp on Wednesday, Penny was spotted taking the first carry with the first-team offense, per Eliot Shorr-Parks of 94WIP.com.
While Penny did get the first carry on the first team, things can change. Let's not forget that head coach Nick Sirianni has shown that he is willing to rotate running backs throughout the game.
As Shorr-Parks points out, Sirianni said before practice that he would be using all of his running backs across all three teams.
So, as for the question as to who will be the starter who takes snaps from quarterback Jalen Hurts, it's still a bit early to tell.
NFL rumors: Texans splitting QB1 duties between C.J. Stroud, Davis Mills
Throughout the pre-draft process, it was unknown what the Houston Texans were going to do. They held the No. 2 overall pick, would they go best player available in linebacker Will Anderson Jr., or would they go quarterback? In regards to the latter question, there was buzz that Will Levis would be the second quarterback drafted behind Bryce Young. But, C.J. Stroud was the clear-cut second-best signal caller in the class.
The Texans decided to select Stroud second-overall, then traded up to No. 3 to take Anderson. With that, Stroud was on track to be the team's starting quarterback.
Back in the spring, Stroud was splitting starting quarterback duties in practices with Davis Mills. After a promising rookie season in 2021, Mills split playing time with Kyle Allen and Jeff Driskel, and the need for a quarterback became obvious.
Ahead of training camp, the Texans didn't hand the job to Stroud just yet. Instead, head coach DeMeco Ryans has deemed this a quarterback competition between the rookie and Mills. So, who has the head start on the first day of practice?
Well, the Texans are rotating between Stroud and Mills.
This is something that Ryans has been doing in OTAs and mandatory minicamp, so this isn't exactly a new update for Texans fans. It will be a matter of waiting throughout training camp and the preseason how Stroud does in practices and actual games.
Texans fans, have some patience. You'll get an answer before the end of training camp about whether Stroud will start the year at the top of the depth chart.
NFL rumors: Bryce Young named Panthers starting quarterback
The Carolina Panthers watched how the team performed with Baker Mayfield, P.J. Walker, and Sam Darnold (despite the former third-overall pick showing promise) last season, and decided that they needed a surefire answer at the quarterback position. So, they made a call to the Chicago Bears and were able to get the No. 1 overall pick off their hands. From there, it was a foregone conclusion that Alabama's Bryce Young was going to be their quarterback.
Despite measuring 5-foot-10 and weighing 204 pounds at the Scouting Combine, Young was the best quarterback in the class. He showed what he could do playing in the SEC, and won a Heisman Trophy in his first year as a starter. Even with the talk that head coach Frank Reich wanted a prototypical-size quarterback, he went for the best signal caller available in Young.
Surely he would be the starting quarterback in his rookie season, even though Andy Dalton is on the roster and expressed his confidence that he can still be a starter in the NFL, right?
Well, Young took the first snap of training camp on Wednesday. If that weren't confirmation enough, Reich revealed to reporters, "Yes, he's QB 1."
There you have it, absolutely no quarterback controversy. As long as Young remains healthy throughout training camp and in preseason games, he will start in Week 1 against the Atlanta Falcons.
Panthers fans will certainly be hoping that Young can make an immediate impact under center much like Cam Newton did as a rookie back in 2011.
