Key Points
Bullet point summary by AI
- NFL training camp is underway, highlighting five teams that are already positioning themselves for success through key player contract extensions and health upd
- Philly secured Jalen Carter, Cardinals restructured Jacoby Brissett, Patriots added A.J. Brown, and Colts' Daniel Jones and DeForest Buckner were cleared.
- Early moves and roster health set the stage for season-long momentum, eliminating camp distractions and solidifying core positions before games even begin.
It’s still early in NFL training camp, but just a few days in we’re seeing some early winners. This isn’t just teams that are winning a few days into training camp, it’s also the teams that are getting set up for success with big moves. From contract extensions to getting healthy, these teams are already ahead of the game.
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles didn’t waste any training camp time trying to finalize a deal with Jalen Carter. Carter and the Eagles agreed to a four-year, $152 million rookie extension, with $106 million guaranteed, making him the highest paid interior defensive tackle in the NFL. It was a big move for a team that needed to secure their defensive line. After losing Josh Sweat, they had a massive hole on the defensive line. While Carter doesn’t necessarily plug that hole, being down one position is better than two.Â
There’s still a lot of work for Philly to do to get this defense to the level of being Super Bowl contending, but they’re headed in the right direction. Defense has been the key for all the top teams in the NFL and the NFC specifically. Anchoring Carter just ensures this Eagles defense remains one of the best – on paper anyway. This is a big win and something that should go over well with Eagles fans, even if it was a costly move.Â
Arizona Cardinals
The fact that the Arizona Cardinals got their quarterback room solidified with Jacoby Brissett back is huge. Not just because they have a veteran starter that’s good enough to be a bridge option for the time being, but they get a veteran leader for Carson Beck to learn behind is invaluable. The Cardinals and Brissett agreed to terms of a contract restructure and while it doesn’t add any more years, it does give him the pay bump he was seeking to be compensated like a starting quarterback.Â
The most important factor of this move is that it eliminates unnecessary drama looming over training camp. While Brissett showed up to all mandatory activities in the offseason, if this lingered over a few million dollars, that honestly wouldn’t have been worth it, not for Brissett or this team. Now the Cardinals can focus on their major problems which are injuries to the defensive line.Â
New England Patriots
According to NFL.com, A.J. Brown is quickly getting acclimated to the New England Patriots offense. He’s already learned 90 percent of the offense and training camp is just a few days in. This is important because the quicker he gets acclimated, the quicker the offense can start to get in sync. He was the big addition in a post-June 1 trade with the Philadelphia Eagles to get Drake Maye an elite perimeter weapon. They also added Romeo Doubs, giving Maye more than enough weapons.Â
The Super Bowl was sobering for Maye and the Patriots, who looked unbeatable through most of the regular season. This offense isn’t just good on paper. With everybody getting on the same page, they’re on pace to be good on the field too. Brown wanted to land with a team and a quarterback that will actually utilize him, and his eagerness to learn another new offense is everything Patriots fans need to hear in the early days of camp.
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are getting healthy at the right time. Daniel Jones is fully cleared for training camp and DeForest Buckner was cleared as well after having back surgery. This is a great sign for a team that desperately needs to have a good season. Last year went sideways after Jones’ injury, but him being healthy and back at training camp means the Colts can re-focus on contending for the playoffs. Buckner’s return is important too because the Colts’ defensive line isn’t great right now.Â
They lack a threatening pass rush, so getting Buckner back healthy is a step in the right direction for a team looking to get back to the postseason. Buckner had four sacks in 10 games last year. He is the lifeline of this defense right now, and the fact that he’s cleared makes this season that much more important. The Colts do have some injury questions with C.J. Allen, but getting positive updates from Jones and Buckner is a huge plus.
Cleveland Browns
While the pending quarterback battle is going to dominate headlines for the Cleveland Browns for the foreseeable future, it’s good they can have something positive to fall back on with their defense. Denzel Ward inked a $62.5 million extension for two years, making him the highest-paid defensive back in NFL history for the second time in his NFL career. It’s a huge move for Cleveland, who restructured this defense after taking Jared Verse and some draft capital off the Los Angeles Rams for Myles Garrett.Â
Keeping Ward around on a long-term deal not only silences the trade rumors that swirled shortly after the Garrett trade but also ensures this defense doesn’t take a massive hit. While the Garrett loss will be felt, they couldn’t have replaced him with a better option in Verse. They wouldn’t get near the return for Ward, and if Browns fans want anything to be appreciative of this season, the defense is their only hope.Â
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