Arguably, the most exciting part of NFL training camp is the opportunity to see position battles play out in real time.
Practically every team has at least one position that remains up for grabs going into the 2025-26 NFL season. Whether it’s rookies joining the fray or veterans aiming for a chance in the spotlight, there will be plenty of players fighting for starting spots leading up to the regular season.
Here are the biggest position battles for all 32 NFL teams heading into the regular season.
Biggest Position Battle for Each NFL Team
Arizona Cardinals: Right Guard
The Arizona Cardinals find themselves with an opening to fill at guard. After suffering a season-ending injury last year, incumbent starter Will Hernandez was not re-signed. Trystan Colon, who started in seven games in his absence, left for Detroit, too.
2024 third-round pick Isaiah Adams figures to be the front-runner for the starting right guard spot. Don’t anticipate that he gets handed the job right away, though. The Cardinals signed Royce Newman in free agency, and he has 24 career starts under his belt. Adams is the favorite, but Arizona could go with the more experienced Newman to begin the year.
Atlanta Falcons: Edge Rusher
While the Atlanta Falcons figure to have a position battle at edge rusher again this training camp, it’s because they were very aggressive in adding talent to boost that group.
The Falcons drafted Jalon Walker in Round 1 and traded back up near the end of the first round to add James Pearce Jr. to the mix. They also signed Leonard Floyd, who has tallied 48 sacks over the last five seasons. Young depth pieces Bralen Trice, Arnold Ebiketie, and DeAngelo Malone figure to compete for snaps, as well.
Baltimore Ravens: Left Guard
The Baltimore Ravens lost Patrick Mekari in free agency to Jacksonville, leaving an opening at left guard in their starting lineup. They have a relatively inexperienced group competing for the role.
Andrew Vorhees, Ben Cleveland, and Garrett Dellinger project to compete for the Ravens’ starting left guard spot. Between the three of them, the group only has a combined 10 NFL starts. They’re all gifted, young athletes, but will have to prove themselves as full-time starters at the next level.
Buffalo Bills: Wide Receiver
Khalil Shakir and Keon Coleman return as the Buffalo Bills’ top two wide receivers from last season. Amari Cooper and Mack Hollins are no longer on the team, leaving an opening as their WR1 going into 2025.
Joshua Palmer figures to be the top contender, seeing as though he’s making close to $10 million annually. Curtis Samuel remains part of the rotation, however, and Elijah Moore is just coming off a season with 538 receiving yards. Buffalo’s wide receiver group should be the top position battle on their roster.
Carolina Panthers: Edge Rusher
The Carolina Panthers went all out to make their weakness along the defensive line a strength this offseason. Their interior defensive line feels pretty stable, with Derrick Brown being joined by new additions Tershawn Wharton and Bobby Brown III. That said, Carolina’s starting edge rusher spots remain a competitive position battle.
Last season, nobody on the team had even six sacks. D.J. Wonnum was a starter last year but saw his 2024 season cut short. Carolina signed Patrick Jones II in free agency and drafted both Nic Scourton and Princely Umanmielen on Day 2 of the 2025 NFL Draft.
Chicago Bears: Left Tackle
Braxton Jones has proven to be one of the more polarizing players in the online Chicago Bears community. He graded at 77.4 by PFF in 2024 and is an athletic, young tackle. However, he’s entering a contract year, and some fans aren’t sold he’s improved against power rushes in pass protection enough to warrant a massive extension.
It seems as though the Bears have some trepidation about paying Jones, too. They selected Ozzy Trapilo near the end of the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Though more of an outsider candidate, Kiran Amegadjie was a third-round selection in 2024, as well. Chicago could have a sneaky position battle on their hands.
Cincinnati Bengals: Edge Rusher
Regardless of whether or not the Cincinnati Bengals trade Trey Hendrickson, they figure to have a position battle at edge rusher in 2025. Obviously, he would stay in the starting lineup if he stays in Cincinnati; he just led the NFL in sacks last season.
Outside of Hendrickson, though, the Bengals don’t have much in the way of proven pass-rushing talent. Joseph Ossai has been a respectable rotational piece, but not much else. Myles Murphy hasn’t lived up to his first-round hype from 2023 yet, and rookie Shemar Stewart has yet to even see the practice field due to his own contract snafu.
Cleveland Browns: Quarterback
The Cleveland Browns’ starting quarterback competition is a position battle that remains highly contested, particularly since none of their options seems particularly flattering.
.@JRCherry3 thinks the Browns need to identify a QB1 EARLY in training camp.
“I wouldn’t play the 4 quarterback game”
Do you agree? pic.twitter.com/S4NfsMexJ3
— ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) June 26, 2025
Both Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders enter the fray as rookies, though neither was selected within the first two rounds. Between them, Kenny Pickett, and Joe Flacco, it remains to be seen which quarterback will lead the charge for Cleveland with Deshaun Watson out due to injury.
Dallas Cowboys: Running Back
The Dallas Cowboys’ backfield touches figure to be quite tricky going into 2025. The bigger problem is that they still don’t have a bona fide RB1.
Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders joined Dallas in free agency, but neither averaged four yards per carry last year. They also drafted Jaydon Blue in Round 5, but he was never a full-time starter at Texas.
The Cowboys figure to have a good passing attack to ease pressure off the backfield, but the ground game itself remains an issue. The running back position remains arguably their biggest position battle this year.
Denver Broncos: Running Back
The Denver Broncos improved their RB room this offseason, drafting RJ Harvey in Round 2 and signing J.K. Dobbins. It just remains to be seen who the primary back will be.
One can assume Denver will use a committee backfield. The Broncos also have Jaleel McLaughlin, Audric Estime, and Tyler Badie fighting for roster spots. Denver doesn’t have a bona fide bell-cow back, but it has depth. The question remains if that will be good enough to give the Broncos a strong run game.
Detroit Lions: Interior Offensive Line
Between the last two offseasons, the Detroit Lions have lost three starters along their interior offensive line. Jonah Jackson departed in free agency last year, and Kevin Zeitler did the same in 2025. The biggest hit was the retirement of All-Pro center Frank Ragnow this offseason.
As of this writing, the Lions’ starting interior offensive linemen project to be Christian Mahogany, Graham Glasgow, and rookie Tate Ratledge. It remains to be seen which of the latter two settles into center and which into guard. Regardless, all three spots remain up for grabs. Trystan Colon and rookie Miles Frazier could provide competition at each spot.
Green Bay Packers: Wide Receiver
The running joke is that the Green Bay Packers have an entire group of WR2s in their wide receiver room. The hope is that this changes with the selection of Matthew Golden in Round 1 of the 2025 NFL Draft.
The @packers drafted Matthew Golden in Round 1–he ran 4.29.
Their WRs led the NFL in average speed last season—
Group can flat out burn
— Dan Orlovsky (@danorlovsky7) May 1, 2025
Green Bay has good depth, but slotting on the WR depth chart remains a big position battle. Jayden Reed and Golden figure to take on starting roles. Players like Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs, Dontayvion Wicks, Savion Williams, Bo Melton, and Mecole Hardman will all be competing for spots on the depth chart.
Houston Texans: Offensive Line
C.J. Stroud was the second-most sacked quarterback in the NFL in 2024, and the Houston Texans didn’t do much to improve their offensive line. That leaves a lack of clarity as to who the starters will be in 2025.
Cam Robinson and Laken Tomlinson project as favorites, but neither projects as major upgrades up front. The hope should be that second-round pick Aireontae Ersery breaks into the lineup at a tackle spot. Juice Scruggs could push Tomlinson at left guard or center, and center Jake Andrews, guard Ed Ingram, and tackle Trent Brown all have starting experience.
Indianapolis Colts: Quarterback
Going into the 2025 season, the Indianapolis Colts face a QB battle between Anthony Richardson and Daniel Jones for their starting job.
Jones is coming off a brief stint as the Minnesota Vikings’ backup after the New York Giants ran him out of town. Richardson is just 23 years old but has struggled significantly with inaccuracy and injury issues. The Colts need one of them to live up to their potential if they are to make the playoffs this year.
Jacksonville Jaguars: Safety
Before they lost Andre Cisco in free agency this year, the Jacksonville Jaguars already had concerns at safety. After his departure, safety figures to be a key position battle going into training camp.
Eric Murray steps into Cisco’s place in the starting lineup, and he doesn’t figure to be a massive upgrade, if one at all. He and Darnell Savage both disappointed in 2024. The Jaguars should hold out hope that Antonio Johnson or third-round rookie Caleb Ransaw can take over and prevent them from being one of the worst safety tandems in the NFL.
Kansas City Chiefs: Left Tackle
The Kansas City Chiefs did plenty to invest in the left tackle position this offseason. It just remains to be seen if their moves will pay off and exactly who will begin the year in the starting lineup.
Jaylon Moore and Josh Simmons will compete for the starting LT spot. There’s reason to be excited about both, but Moore was a backup in San Francisco, and Simmons is unproven in the NFL. The two tackles competing to fix arguably Kansas City’s biggest need in 2024 will be an enticing position battle to watch.
Las Vegas Raiders: Cornerback
Nate Hobbs and Jack Jones are no longer on the Las Vegas Raiders, leaving two starting cornerback spots open. Eric Stokes and Darien Porter were brought in this offseason, though Stokes was inconsistent in Green Bay, and Porter is a raw rookie.
The Raiders brought the aforementioned two in to compete with carryovers from last year, Jakorian Bennett and Decamerion Richardson. Both are under 25 years old, but Bennett has graded below average in each of his two NFL seasons, per PFF. Richardson also struggled mightily in coverage as a rookie in 2024.
Los Angeles Chargers: Tight End
All things considered, the Los Angeles Chargers have done a good job of adding talent to the WR room the last two offseasons. That said, the TE position has remained a question mark and figures to be a tight position battle in camp.
Both Will Dissly and Tyler Conklin had 50+ receptions last year, though neither averaged 10 yards per reception. The two are good rotational pieces, but the Chargers lack an alpha receiving threat at tight end. The hope should be that fifth-round pick Oronde Gadsden II eventually develops into that role, though it might not come right away.
Los Angeles Rams: Linebacker
The Los Angeles Rams struggled to find consistency at linebacker last season. With former starter Christian Rozeboom now in Carolina, it figures to be a key position battle for them in training camp.
Omar Speights and Troy Reeder both saw sporadic starting time last year, but neither was particularly elite. The Rams signed Nate Landman in free agency, and he figures to compete for a starting spot. Keep an eye on Chris Paul Jr., their fifth-round pick this year, who feels like a great value selection that late in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Miami Dolphins: Cornerback
After trading Jalen Ramsey to the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Miami Dolphins now find themselves with a largely unproven group of cornerbacks heading into a crucial 2025 season.
Kader Kohou is a solid nickelback, but the Dolphins are thin at cornerback outside of him. Cam Smith, Storm Duck, and rookie Jason Marshall Jr. are all young players with talent, but none of them has proven yet to be capable NFL starters.
Minnesota Vikings: Cornerback
With just one pick in the top 100 selections of the 2025 NFL Draft, the Vikings didn’t have many chances to upgrade their roster. Cornerback was the position that arguably suffered the most from that, with no clear solution besides Pro Bowler Byron Murphy Jr.
Stephon Gilmore and Shaquill Griffin are no longer on the team, making way for Isaiah Rodgers, who was a backup in Philadelphia, and either Jeff Okudah or Mekhi Blackmon. It’s a grouping that’s less than ideal, but it should make for an entertaining position battle in training camp.
New England Patriots: Wide Receiver
After adding Stefon Diggs, Kyle Williams, and Mack Hollins this offseason, the New England Patriots certainly improved at wide receiver. It remains to be seen exactly how the target share will play out, though.
Hollins has totaled just 49 catches over the last two seasons, and Williams is a rookie. Diggs is an elite talent, but coming off a torn ACL and a controversial offseason. There’s hope that either Ja’Lynn Polk or Javon Baker breaks out in Year 2, but both were practically nonexistent as rookies.
New Orleans Saints: Quarterback
With Derek Carr’s impromptu retirement late in the offseason, the New Orleans Saints will face a major quarterback battle in 2025.
Saints’ Cesar Ruiz on QB battle: “Just because we drafted a quarterback super early doesn’t mean you have to push him in there and play”https://t.co/9NVdW1oBg6 pic.twitter.com/Hmjma0o1PW
— Around The NFL (@AroundTheNFL) June 27, 2025
Between Spencer Rattler, Tyler Shough, and Jake Haener, the Saints’ quarterbacks have a combined NFL starting record of 0-7. Not only is that a disappointing group, but it’s a very inexperienced one.
New York Giants: Edge Rusher
Of the position battles listed in this article, the Giants have arguably the most favorable one at edge rusher. They could potentially have a three-headed monster rushing off the edge, but there are only two starting spots at the position.
Brian Burns will secure one of the two starting roles, having totaled 54.5 sacks in his six NFL seasons. However, the battle between Abdul Carter and Kayvon Thibodeaux for snaps alongside him will be intriguing. Carter was the No. 3 pick this year, and while Thibodeaux is coming off a down year, he had 11.5 sacks as a rookie in 2023.
New York Jets: Wide Receiver
Garrett Wilson will surely be the top wide receiver on the New York Jets in 2025. However, with Davante Adams no longer on the roster, they have plenty of touches up for grabs in the passing game.
Allen Lazard was the de facto WR3 in New York last year, though he’s proven to be a lackluster starter. The Jets signed Josh Reynolds and Tyler Johnson in free agency, as well as selecting Arian Smith in Round 4 of the 2025 NFL Draft. Keep an eye on Malachi Corley, a third-round pick in 2024 who impressed in college but had just 42 total yards as a rookie.
Philadelphia Eagles: Cornerback
The Philadelphia Eagles have two extremely talented young cornerbacks in Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean. Both will be starters in 2025, but their third starting spot remains up in the air.
Philadelphia’s releases of Darius Slay and James Bradberry were expected to save money. That said, their departures leave a big hole along the perimeter of the defense. Adoree’ Jackson will compete for a starting job, though he was only a backup for the Giants last year. He’ll battle with Kelee Ringo, who’s younger but only has five career starts to his name.
Pittsburgh Steelers: Wide Receiver
DK Metcalf came in as the Pittsburgh Steelers’ top wide receiver this offseason, and they shipped George Pickens out to Dallas later in the offseason. That swap should be a favorable one for Pittsburgh, but they still have questions elsewhere at the position.
Calvin Austin III should lock down the slot, but the other outside receiver role is up for grabs. Robert Woods is coming off a career-worst 203 yards, albeit in a crowded Houston receiver room. Roman Wilson was a third-round pick in 2024 but played just one game as a rookie. Ben Skowronek hasn’t surpassed 100 yards in either of his last two seasons, either.
San Francisco 49ers: Left Guard
Aaron Banks departed for Green Bay this offseason, leaving a hole at left guard for the San Francisco 49ers in 2025. They seem to have trust in Ben Bartch taking over, seeing as though they didn’t draft an offensive lineman until Round 7 this year.
Bartch only has 10 starts since 2022, though. In his lone year as a starter, he allowed three sacks and 24 pressures for Jacksonville in 2021. Spencer Burford started at guard for San Francisco in 2022 and 2023 before getting demoted last year. Could he work his way back into the starting lineup?
Seattle Seahawks: Interior Offensive Line
Though Grey Zabel was a good addition for the Seattle Seahawks in the draft, their offensive line still has work to do. Two of the Seahawks’ starting interior OL spots remain up for grabs.
Seattle doesn’t have a strong, proven starting center or right guard yet. The hope is that Olu Oluwatimi and Christian Haynes will step into those respective roles and improve. However, players like Jalen Sundell and Anthony Bradford could provide competition for those respective spots.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Linebacker
Lavonte David is still a good starting linebacker for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but he took a slight step back in 2024. At 35 years old, he’s in the twilight of his career.
K.J. Britt left in free agency, opening a starting path for SirVocea Dennis to start in Year 3 of his NFL career. With the latter coming off a major injury, though, there’s no guarantee he’ll be an upgrade. Anthony Walker Jr. provides his stiffest competition towards achieving a full-time role on Tampa Bay’s defense.
Tennessee Titans: Linebacker
The Tennessee Titans underwent a major facelift at linebacker, with their top five players in defensive snap count at the position all departing this offseason. As a result, they have a major position battle on their hands.
Former Broncos linebacker Cody Barton was one of Tennessee’s bigger signings, but outside of him, the Titans no longer have much proven LB talent. Players like Otis Reese IV, Cedric Gray, and James Williams all figure to be in the rotation. However, those three players have only a combined six starts at the NFL level.
Washington Commanders: Right Tackle
After trading for Laremy Tunsil this offseason, the Washington Commanders effectively fixed their need at LT. Now, they’ll have to sort out their solution on the opposite end of the offensive line.
Brandon Coleman was Washington’s starting left tackle year, and he remains a candidate to start at either left guard or at right tackle. Andrew Wylie is the incumbent starter at RT, though he didn’t play very well in 2024. First-round rookie Josh Conerly Jr. projects as the long-term starter but is not a natural right tackle and could sit to start 2025.