2025 NFL mandatory minicamps: Biggest storylines, players to watch for every NFC team

The National Football League’s summer break is almost upon us. 

Free agency is done, the 2025 NFL Draft has been completed for over a month and nearly all 32 teams’ rookie classes are locked down. Organized team activities have been underway, but they are voluntary. 

Now that the calendar has flipped to June, that means team minicamps are fast arriving, and attendance at those three-day sessions are mandatory for players. That is why we will zoom in on the NFC’s 16 teams and the major storyline and key player to watch during mandatory minicamp, the last time together teams have prior to training camp. Some squads have obvious ones to follow like the Atlanta Falcons, New Orleans Saints and New York Giants — all of whom are experiencing turnover at the quarterback position. We’ll take a look at those and some of the less obvious storylines as well. 

For example, it’s hard to find warts on the Super Bowl LIX champion Philadelphia Eagles, but they still have question marks, smaller than most teams, but they have them nevertheless. 

Arizona Cardinals

Biggest camp storyline: How cohesive will the new-look defense be? 

Player to watch: 2025 second-round CB Will Johnson

Jonathan Gannon’s Arizona Cardinals made the leap from being the NFL’s second-worst scoring defense (26.8 points per game allowed in 2023) to being league average (22.3 points per game allowed in 2024, 15th in NFL in 2024). 

Now, he has a legit defensive line after an offseason in which Arizona signed his former Eagles pupil Josh Sweat (four years, $76.4 million) and veteran defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson (two years, $29 million) before drafting Ole Miss All-American defensive tackle Walter Nolen 16th overall. That group could help lift this unit to new heights.  

More will be asked of Michigan All-American cornerback Will Johnson, CBS Sports’ top-ranked cornerback prospect in the 2025 NFL Draft. He fell to the Arizona Cardinals in the second round with the 47th overall pick. The reason for that happening was a reported knee issue that could impact his NFL longevity. Johnson also missed seven games in 2024 with the Wolverines, thanks to toe and shoulder injuries. A hamstring injury also prevented him from participating in Michigan’s Pro Day in the spring.

If he’s on the field and moving well, the rookie can ball. He surrendered the second-lowest passer rating when targeted (31.0) in college football throughout his three-season career from 2022-24. Johnson will need to look like that guy in a hurry with Sean Murphy-Bunting now out for the season. 

Atlanta Falcons

Biggest camp storyline: Quarterback Michael Penix Jr. and if he can show that there’s no need for the team to retain Kirk Cousins

Players to watch: Penix and Cousins

The Falcons signing 36-year-old quarterback Kirk Cousins to a four-year, $180 million contract with $100 million in guarantees and then drafting 2023 Heisman runner-up quarterback Michael Penix Jr. eighth overall in the 2024 NFL Draft was a curious allotment of assets to one position. Yes, quarterback is the most valuable position in football, but it was confusing to see such big commitments made to two players at a position in which only one can be on the field at a time.

Cousins looked every bit like someone in his mid-30s coming off an Achilles tear as his inability to fully step into throws and lack of mobility led to him co-leading the NFL in interceptions with 16 last season. Penix came in at the end of the year to start Atlanta’s final three games, and he threw for the eighth-most passing yards in the league from Weeks 16-18 (737). He also threw the same amount of touchdowns (three) as interceptions (three). 

Last offseason, offensive coordinator Zac Robinson was tasked with building an offense that was tailored to mask Cousins’ deficiencies in the mobility department. That’s why the Falcons had the NFL’s lowest play-action pass rate (7.6%) by a wide margin: The Dallas Cowboys were the next-lowest team with an 11.1% rate. This offseason, Robinson can reinvolve the play-action pass in all forms, which should further showcase fellow first-round picks at running back (Bijan Robinson), wide receiver (Drake London) and tight end (Kyle Pitts). Should Penix ball out this offseason, perhaps Atlanta becomes more willing to deal Cousins to a quarterback-starved team. Should their pursuit of Aaron Rodgers fall through, the Pittsburgh Steelers could be making a call to Atlanta about Cousins’ availability, who is now disgruntled. If Cousins does show up, it will be interesting to see if his mobility improves. If he doesn’t that will also speak volumes. 

Carolina Panthers

Biggest camp storyline: The Panthers’ offensive growth in Year 2 under head coach Dave Canales

Players to watch: QB Bryce Young, WR Tetairoa McMillan

Young, the 2023 NFL Draft’s first overall pick, appeared to turn a corner in 2024 — his first season under new head coach Dave Canales who came over from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Canales benched him midseason last year, and he returned with improved ball security, registering 20 total touchdowns to just eight turnovers in his final 10 games of 2024, four of which were wins. That’s a big jump from his first 18 games when he produced 12 touchdowns to 19 turnovers and only two wins.

Naturally, the Panthers sought to empower their quarterback in the 2025 NFL Draft with the selection of the draft’s top pure wide receiver prospect in Arizona All-American Tetairoa McMillan. He led the nation in both receiving yards (3,423, an Arizona program record) and catches of 20 or more air yards (35) during his three-year Wildcats career.

* Arizona program record

Watching Young and McMillan’s chemistry develop is a key storyline to follow because all the other moves Carolina has made won’t really matter if this pairing doesn’t work.

Chicago Bears

Biggest camp storyline: Quarterback Caleb Williams in his first offseason under new head coach Ben Johnson

Player to watch: QB Caleb Williams

Caleb Williams’ rookie season was mostly a wasted year of development. Sure, getting plenty of NFL reps helped Williams mature as a player, but he also struggled mightily as well. 

The 2024 first overall pick was the league’s most sacked quarterback after absorbing 68 of them last season, which is tied for the third-most taken in a single-season ever. Some of that was on the offensive line, but much of the blame is Williams’ too: His average time to throw of 3.13 seconds was the fourth longest in the entire NFL in 2024.

New Bears head coach Ben Johnson comes down to Chicago after his Detroit Lions offense from 2022-2024 led the league in scoring offense (29.0 points per game since 2022). Seeing if he can coax Williams into getting the ball out faster, taking his checkdown when it’s available and throwing the ball away, aka playing the position smarter, will certainly be something to keep an eye on. 

Dallas Cowboys

Biggest camp storyline: What will All-Pro edge rusher Micah Parsons’ involvement be and when will he be signed to an extension? 

Player to watch: Parsons

Quarterback Dak Prescott was the 2023 NFL MVP runner-up the last time he was fully healthy, and he looked strong at the start of Cowboys OTAs last week. However, the uncertainty of three-time All-Pro edge rusher Micah Parsons’ contract situation and a potential training camp holdout loom large. 

There’s a case to be made that Parsons, who just turned 26 years old on May 26, is the best pass rusher in football. From when he returned from an ankle injury that caused him to miss four games in Week 10 of the 2024, Parsons dominated. He led the entire NFL in both sacks (11.0) and quarterback pressures (49) to finish the second half of the season. He’s also the only player since sacks became an individually tracked statistic in 1982 to have 12 or more in each of his first four seasons in the league. 

However, a potential training camp holdout could be looming if a deal isn’t done before the Cowboys head to Oxnard, California for training camp. He has been in and out of OTAs, and there’s a good chance he’ll show up to mandatory minicamp. Parsons said it’s “extremely important” to get a new deal done before training camp when the pads come on. Otherwise, Dallas’ top defensive player will likely miss crucial reps getting comfortable in new defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus’ scheme. 

Detroit Lions

Biggest camp storyline: The offense’s cohesion under new offensive coordinator John Morton

Player to watch: Quarterback Jared Goff

Ben Johnson is now the coach of the Chicago Bears, and Lions coach Dan Campbell opted to replace the departed offensive coordinator internally. He promoted John Morton, Johnson’s passing game coordinator, to the OC role this offseason. Morton has only been an NFL OC for one season, and it was in Sam Darnold’s rookie year with the New York Jets in 2018. New York produced the league’s 23rd-ranked scoring offense (20.8 points per game), and then-head coach Todd Bowles’ entire staff was fired after a 4-12 campaign in 2018.

Yes, Morton has been with the Lions during Johnson’s entire tenure since 2022, but it will be interesting to see if Detroit’s offensive approach and method of attack will be maintained or tweaked under new management. Goff led the entire NFL in both passing yards (13,641) and passing touchdowns (96) under Johnson’s tutelage from 2022-2024. His acclimation to working with Morton will be the top thing to watch at minicamp. 

Green Bay Packers

Biggest camp storyline: Will Pro Bowl cornerback Jaire Alexander show up amid contract dispute? 

Player to watch: Alexander

The Packers and their No. 1 cornerback Jaire Alexander have been at odds this offseason. Alexander has two years remaining on his four-year, $84 million contract, but he’s failed to stay healthy across the last two seasons, playing in 14 games total since 2023. When the two-time All-Pro has played, the Packers have won: They’re 10-4 when he has played the last two years, and just 10-10 without him.

The Athletic reported the Packers have offered Alexander a restructured contract, but will that be enough to get the two-time Pro Bowler back in the fold for mandatory minicamp? Green Bay did sign 25-year-old cornerback Nate Hobbs away from the Las Vegas Raiders in free agency this offseason, and while he can play outside corner, Hobbs is probably at his best manning the slot. In order for Green Bay to maximize quarterback Jordan Love and the rest of the young offensive playmakers’ potential, they need their defense to continue its high level of play. The Packers were the league’s sixth-best scoring defense (19.9 points per game allowed) under new defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley in 2024, and for them to get another step forward, they need Alexander.

Minnesota Vikings

Biggest camp storyline: How new starting quarterback J.J. McCarthy looks

Player to watch: McCarthy

The Vikings traded up in the 2024 NFL Draft to select McCarthy 10th overall, and then he tore his meniscus last preseason. That opened the door for veteran journeyman Sam Darnold to take the reins, and he produced the first Pro Bowl season of his seven-year NFL career. 

Minnesota possesses perhaps the best offensive ecosystem in the NFL with Pro Bowlers at running back (Aaron Jones), wide receiver (Justin Jefferson), tight end (T.J. Hockenson), center (Ryan Kelly) and right tackle (Brian O’Neill). That list doesn’t include young first-round talents at wide receiver (Jordan Addison) and guard (Donovan Jackson). Plus, head coach and offensive play-caller Kevin O’Connell is the reigning NFL Coach of the Year. How healthy will McCarthy look, especially after being robbed of crucial developmental reps as a rookie because of his injury? The Vikings are all in on McCarthy, so it’s critical he shows he might have what it takes to be a reliable NFL starter. 

New Orleans Saints

Biggest camp storyline: The quarterback competition

Player to watch: Tyler Shough

The Saints were stunned by quarterback Derek Carr’s offseason retirement that was triggered by a lingering shoulder injury. The team went 0-7 in the games Carr missed because of injury last season, and New Orleans has the same quarterback room it had last season with the exception of 2025 second-round pick Tyler Shough.

Shough struggled with injuries in college, which is why the 25-year-old started just 32 games in seven collegiate seasons. Given the Saints’ perpetual state of salary cap purgatory, the only notable offensive additions New Orleans has made this offseason is signing the soon-to-be 32-year-old Brandin Cooks and drafting Texas All-American offensive tackle Kelvin Banks Jr. ninth overall. Will Shough provide hope in a hopeless place, or will the Saints need to hop on the quarterback carousel again in 2025? 

New York Giants

Biggest camp storyline: The Giants’ quarterback development

Players to watch: Russell Wilson, Jameis Winston and Jaxson Dart

The Giants have made it clear that veteran Russell Wilson will enter the 2025 season as the starting quarterback. However, is Wilson vulnerable to losing his starting job to a rookie in the same way he took then-Seattle Seahawks free agent signee Matt Flynn’s job back in 2012? Jaxson Dart will likely start the year on the bench, but could college football’s yards-per-pass-attempt leader (10.8) in 2024 make Wilson sweat in OTAs and training camp? Now is the time to monitor the first-team offense snaps at the quarterback position in New York. 

Philadelphia Eagles

Biggest camp storyline: How cohesive will the young secondary look?

Players to watch: Cooper DeJean, Quinyon Mitchell, Kelee Ringo, Andrew Mukuba

Safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson is now a Houston Texan, and six-time Pro Bowl cornerback Darius Slay is now a Pittsburgh Steeler. That means the training wheels are now off for second-year cornerbacks Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean, third-year cornerback Kelee Ringo and 2025 second-round pick safety Andrew Mukuba out of Texas. Their adjustment to starting roles in defensive coordinator Vic Fangio’s scheme will be something to monitor throughout the offseason. 

San Francisco 49ers

Biggest camp storyline: How star running back Christian McCaffrey looks

One thing to watch: McCaffrey

In 2023, three-time Pro Bowl running back McCaffrey was the NFL’s Offensive Player of the Year, and the 49ers reached overtime of the Super Bowl before losing to the Kansas City Chiefs. In 2024, McCaffrey played four games while dealing with bilateral Achilles tendonitis and a PCL injury in his knee, and the 49ers went 6-11. Those 11 losses were tied for second by a team in the season after a Super Bowl loss ever. 

How much the soon-to-be 29-year-old running back participates in mandatory minicamp and how he looks will be something to watch because San Francisco’s 2025 hopes may rest on his banged up body. 

Seattle Seahawks

Biggest camp storyline: New quarterback Sam Darnold’s adjustment to Seattle

Player to watch: Darnold

Darnold was in the perfect situation with the Vikings. Now, he’s on a Seahawks team that had massive offensive line issues in 2024. Seattle allowed a 39.4% quarterback pressure rate in 2024, the third highest in the league last season. Darnold melts when pressured: He was pressured 49 times combined in Week 18 at the Detroit Lions and in a wild-card round loss at the Los Angeles Rams, and the Vikings were blown out twice as a result. 

Yes, Darnold can’t get hit in practice, but it will be interesting to see how he acclimates to becoming the Seahawks quarterback with rookie 18th overall pick Grey Zabel at one guard spot next to two other youngsters at center (third-year lineman Olusegun Oluwatimi) and at the other guard spot (second-year lineman Christian Hayes). It’s possible to track quarterback pressures and sacks in non-contact drills. 

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Biggest camp storyline: Quarterback Baker Mayfield and Co. adjusting to life under another new offensive coordinator

Player to watch: Mayfield

Mayfield has been a Pro Bowler in each of his first two seasons with the Buccaneers in both 2023 and 2024. Both of those seasons have been under different offensive coordinators in 2023 (now-Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales) and in 2024 (now-Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Liam Coen). 

Now, Mayfield is set to enter his eighth NFL season while playing for his eighth different NFL offensive coordinator in Josh Grizzard, who was Coen’s passing game coordinator last season. Grizzard has never been a coordinator at either the college or NFL level until now, so seeing if Mayfield can maintain his high-level rhythm and play with him calling the plays will be something to note this offseason.

Washington Commanders

Biggest camp storyline: Offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury’s usage of new wide receiver Deebo Samuel and how he looks

Player to watch: Samuel

Samuel’s value has taken a hit. Washington was able to acquire him for a fifth-round pick from the San Francisco 49ers in a salary dump this offseason following a 2024 campaign in which he averaged a career-low 53.7 yards from scrimmage per game. He’s still on a contender, joining the 2024 NFC runner up and reigning NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year quarterback Jayden Daniels. 

How he looks in Kingsbury’s attack will be intriguing to watch. There was a prevailing sentiment that 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan was uniquely positioned to maximize Samuel’s unique talents for many years. He is the only player in the Super Bowl era with at least 4,500 receiving yards and 1,000 rushing yards in his first six seasons in the Super Bowl era (since 1966). Samuel also leads all wide receivers in yards after catch (3,084) and yards after catch per reception (9.2) since entering the league in 2019.

Will Kingsbury utilize him traditionally, or in a more dual-threat capacity with Samuel now 29 and entering his seventh NFL season? OTAs could be the first chance to observe such details.