In early June, NFL teams kicked off mandatory minicamp for the 2025-26 season. As teams prepare for the upcoming season, minicamp is a great opportunity for veterans and rookies to dust off the cobwebs. Here are the top takeaways from practices for all 32 NFL teams.
NFL Minicamp Takeaways
Arizona Cardinals: Marvin Harrison Jr. Bulks Up
The summer is always “best shape of his life” season for NFL players, but that hyperbole might actually be true for Marvin Harrison Jr.
Kyler Murray couldn’t believe how different Marvin Harrison Jr. looked 😂
(via @AZCardinals) pic.twitter.com/mVush4Xt3y
— NFL+ (@NFLPlus) June 10, 2025
A noticeable gain in muscle mass was the story around the Arizona Cardinals’ 2024 first-round pick at minicamp. Though his rookie numbers fell short of expectations last year, he remains a prime breakout candidate entering Year 2.
Atlanta Falcons: Kirk Cousins, the Backup
Despite being benched at the end of the 2024 season in favor of rookie quarterback Michael Penix Jr., Kirk Cousins is a full participant in the Atlanta Falcons’ mandatory minicamp.
Cousins signed a massive four-year deal with Atlanta last offseason, but they still drafted Penix in the first round. With the veteran’s late-season collapse, he finds himself in the unique situation of being the highest-paid backup in the NFL.
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens don’t complete minicamp until June 19. Check back later for more analysis.
Buffalo Bills: James Cook in Attendance
Buffalo Bills star running back James Cook skipped OTAs as he holds out for a contract extension. When minicamp came around, though, he was a full participant.
Cook avoided the corresponding fines that come with skipping mandatory minicamp attendance. That said, his long-term status with the Bills’ organization still remains up in the air.
Carolina Panthers: A Rejuvenated Bryce Young
Bryce Young’s rookie year was hardly what the Carolina Panthers hoped for, and his second season kicked off in similar fashion. However, he picked up his play in the second half of Year 2 and looks to carry that momentum going into Year 3.
Young has been vocal throughout minicamp, engaging in trash talk and chirping with teammates. Will this newfound edge result in more on-field success? Time will tell. But it’s encouraging to see him finally coming out of his shell.
Chicago Bears: Rookies Ease Slowly Into Things
The Chicago Bears made two explosive additions to their offense early in the 2025 NFL Draft. Tight end Colston Loveland and wide receiver Luther Burden III give them two dynamic weapons to add to an already talented group.
Don’t get your hopes absurdly high for their Year 1 production, though. Both Loveland and Burden have missed minicamp due to injuries. That’s not to say they won’t contribute, as their college tape indicates otherwise, but they find themselves a step behind the developmental curve for missing camp.
Cincinnati Bengals: Edge Rusher Fiasco
Trey Hendrickson led the NFL in sacks last year, and it’s no secret he’s holding out for a contract extension from the Cincinnati Bengals. Hendrickson skipped minicamp altogether, eating the corresponding fines.
Rookie edge rusher Shemar Stewart has also provided the Bengals with attendance issues, leaving minicamp early. The team wants the option to void future guarantees, which Stewart is holding out against.
Cleveland Browns: Dillon Gabriel as QB1?
Starting lineups in mandatory minicamp are hardly meant to be concrete. However, it was interesting that rookie Dillon Gabriel got first-team reps as the Cleveland Browns’ quarterback over veteran Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, and fellow rookie Shedeur Sanders.
While Flacco will likely win the starting quarterback job as the incumbent veteran, Gabriel could sneak into the lineup with a strong camp.
Dallas Cowboys: Micah Parsons Shows Up
In the midst of contract negotiations, Micah Parsons attended mandatory minicamp for the Dallas Cowboys. He avoided any potential fines for refusing to show up.
Parsons has been a Pro Bowler every season he’s played in the NFL thus far. As one of the top pass rushers in the game today, he’s a player the Cowboys will need to fork over top dollar for.
Denver Broncos: Adding to the RB Room
The Denver Broncos signed running back J.K. Dobbins just before the start of mandatory minicamp. Coming off a season with 1,058 scrimmage yards for the Los Angeles Chargers, he figures to be their starter come September.
Dobbins is the most productive back in Denver’s backfield, but they aren’t devoid of talent after him. Jaleel McLaughlin, Audric Estime, and 2025 second-round pick RJ Harvey will all compete with him for touches. It remains to be seen how the touches will be split up in the run game.
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions made the decision to cancel mandatory minicamp practices.
Green Bay Packers: Life Without Jaire Alexander
After months of trade rumors, the Green Bay Packers cut their losses by releasing long-time starting cornerback Jaire Alexander in June. The move indicates a youth movement at the cornerback position and frees up significant cap space.
The release of Alexander and injuries to Kalen King and Micah Robinson meant the Packers were thin at cornerback at minicamp. Wide receiver Bo Melton took some snaps on the defensive side of the ball. Additionally, Pro Bowl offensive lineman Elgton Jenkins was present at minicamp but did not participate.
Houston Texans: Nick Chubb Comes to H-Town
After seven seasons with the Browns, running back Nick Chubb signed a one-year deal with the Houston Texans late in the 2025 offseason.
Coming off consecutive season-ending injuries, Chubb’s unlikely to play at his former All-Pro level immediately. However, the Texans see enough to still bring him in. He figures to be a strong contender for their second-string running back role behind Joe Mixon.
Indianapolis Colts: Changing of the Guard
The biggest minicamp storyline with the Indianapolis Colts likely comes off the field. With the passing of owner and CEO Jim Irsay, the team announced ownership plans at the start of camp.
Carlie Irsay-Gordon, one of Jim’s three daughters, will hold the joint position of principal owner and CEO. Her sisters, Casey Foyt and Kalen Jackson, will also take on ownership responsibilities and different executive roles.
Jacksonville Jaguars: Brian Thomas Jr.’s Minor Injury Scare
During minicamp practice on June 11, Jacksonville Jaguars star wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. collided with cornerback Tyson Campbell and landed awkwardly on his shoulder. Luckily, head coach Liam Coen says the injury wasn’t anything major.
“He’s fine,” Coen said regarding the receiver’s shoulder. “He absolutely could’ve gone back and played — just bruised it a little bit. Said he had great range of motion, strength. He’s all good. No issues, just precautionary.”
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs don’t complete minicamp until June 19. Check back later for more analysis.
Las Vegas Raiders: Bringing in Germaine Pratt
The Las Vegas Raiders made a late-offseason addition to their defense, signing veteran linebacker Germaine Pratt to a one-year deal upon his release from the Bengals.
Pratt, 29, has started in 88 games over the last six seasons for Cincinnati. He most notably finished last season with a career-high 143 tackles. His addition to the Raiders’ defense should be important as they look to build their way back up to playoff contention.
Los Angeles Chargers: A Diamond in the Rough?
It’s incredibly early, but the Los Angeles Chargers have to be pleased with the stellar play of rookie tight end Oronde Gadsden II in minicamp practices thus far.
A fifth-round pick out of Syracuse, Gadsden started off with the second-team offense but worked his way into first-team reps by the end of practices. His experience as a converted wide receiver gives him an athletic advantage over most defenders he goes up against.
Los Angeles Rams
The Los Angeles Rams don’t complete minicamp until June 18. Check back later for more analysis.
Miami Dolphins: 2 Notable Holdouts
Both cornerback Jalen Ramsey and tight end Jonnu Smith opted out of the Miami Dolphins’ mandatory minicamps. While the former’s absence was excused and expected with a trade in the works, the latter’s absence holds more weight.
Smith had a career year with Miami last season and is holding out for a new contract. Trade talks surround the veteran tight end, though an extension and eventual return to the Dolphins is hardly off the table.
Minnesota Vikings: J.J. McCarthy Takes the Stage
With Sam Darnold now in Seattle, the Minnesota Vikings are handing the reins of their starting quarterback spot over to J.J. McCarthy.
After missing his rookie year due to injury, McCarthy is the uncontested starter under center in Minnesota. By all accounts, he has looked the part through minicamp practices.
New England Patriots: Stefon Diggs Appears, No Comment on Boat Video
Though he’s coming off an ACL tear, Stefon Diggs has the inside track to be the New England Patriots’ top wide receiver in 2025. Given they haven’t had a 1,000-yard receiver since Julian Edelman in 2019, Diggs’ presence is surely appreciated.
However, a video went viral before minicamp of Diggs on a boat, handing out a bag of unknown pink crystals to a group of women, causing controversy over his character. He chose not to comment on the matter when asked by the media.
New Orleans Saints: No Consensus QB1 Yet
In Kellen Moore’s first season as head coach of the New Orleans Saints, they have yet to engage in 11-on-11 drills. Because of that, it’s hard to say who the front-runner is for their starting quarterback job.
Spencer Rattler, Tyler Shough, and Jake Haener participated in positional drills. Who will start the year as the Saints’ signal-caller remains to be seen.
New York Giants
The New York Giants don’t complete minicamp until June 18. Check back later for more analysis.
New York Jets: Justin Fields Is QB1
He went through a quarterback battle in Pittsburgh last year, but Justin Fields doesn’t have to look over his shoulder in minicamp this year. He’s going to be the starting quarterback of the New York Jets.
things you love to see…@justnfields finding @J_Rey_11 in the back of the end zone 🎯 pic.twitter.com/J70eo16qx8
— New York Jets (@nyjets) June 11, 2025
The Jets had a disappointing season in 2024, but the cupboard isn’t completely bare of talent. They have a young offensive line on the rise, a legitimate WR1 in Garrett Wilson, and some star defensive pieces. The question now is whether or not Fields will become a consistent starter in Year 5.
Philadelphia Eagles: Only 1 Day
The Philadelphia Eagles have a lighter workload of mandatory minicamp, as they only held one day of practices this year.
Coming off a Super Bowl victory, spirits are high in Philadelphia going into 2025. While some teams come out of minicamp filled with drama, it’s the exact opposite with the Eagles this time around.
Pittsburgh Steelers: Aaron Rodgers Suits Up
After a long, arduous process, Aaron Rodgers finally signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers just before the start of minicamp. He figures to be their starting quarterback heading into the 2025 season.
As the 41-year-old prepares for his 21st season in the NFL, it will be interesting to see how he bounces back from a disappointing 2024 with the New York Jets. This also may be the last season of the four-time MVP’s illustrious career.
San Francisco 49ers: The Addition of Bryce Huff
Coming off a 10-sack season in 2023 with the Jets, Bryce Huff signed with the Eagles last offseason but fell far short of expectations. That resulted in his trade to the San Francisco 49ers just before the start of minicamp.
If Kyle Shanahan’s comments to the media are any indication, the 49ers have high hopes that Huff will bounce back. The trade was relatively low-risk for San Francisco, having only given up a mid-round pick for him. If he does bounce back, he would form a dangerous pass-rushing duo opposite Nick Bosa.
Seattle Seahawks: Offensive Line Battles
Going into mandatory minicamp, the Seattle Seahawks appear to have two starting spots up for grabs on their offensive line: center and right guard.
Olu Oluwatimi and Jalen Sundell split first-team reps at center in camp. Likewise, Christian Haynes and Anthony Bradford split most of the starting reps at right guard. With no front-runner identified at either position yet, it will be important that the Seahawks keep a close eye on both vacancies.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Haason Reddick is Back
Haason Reddick skipped OTAs for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. After a troublesome 2024 preseason, which saw him hold out of practices and games for the Jets, some worried it would be more of the same for the enigmatic star edge rusher this year.
However, Reddick reported for mandatory minicamp and is ready for the new year. He will look to bounce back to his level of play with the Eagles, when he combined for 27 sacks between 2022 and 2023.
Tennessee Titans: The Cam Ward Show
All eyes were on No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward at the Tennessee Titans’ minicamp this year. It’s only practice, but the rookie quarterback lived up to the hype.
Ward completed 18 consecutive passes to close out June 10 practice. That included a perfect 11-for-11 performance in full-team drills. You take minicamp performances with a grain of salt, but the Titans still have to feel confident about their selection in the early stages.
Washington Commanders: Terry McLaurin Skips
A handful of star veterans sat out of minicamp activities, hoping to renegotiate contracts. However, only some of those few didn’t show up at all, and wide receiver Terry McLaurin was one of them.
With Noah Brown getting carted off during practice, McLaurin’s presence in the Washington Commanders’ offense becomes even more crucial.