Key Questions Will Impact 4 Contenders As Training Camp Begins

There are several teams around the NFL that are viewed as playoff contenders, but these four teams have multiple question marks as training camp gets underway.

As they attempt to mount assault on the defending champion Philadelphia Eagles and perennial AFC kingpin Kansas City Chiefs, here’s a look at some of the key questions that will start to be addressed this summer.

San Francisco 49ers

The Niners have been among the key contenders throughout the Kyle Shanahan era. However, this is a team with a number of aging stars, and it’s fair to ask what players like Christian McCaffrey, George Kittle and Trent Williams have left in the tank. McCaffrey was limited to four games because of Achilles tendinitis and a knee injury last season. Early reports indicate he is ready to roll once again but will that change once he starts to absorb contact?

On the other side of the ball, Robert Saleh returns as defensive coordinator following his unsuccessful run as head coach of the New York Jets. The defense has undergone multiple changes with the losses of linebacker Dre Greenlaw, defensive end Leonard Floyd and safety Talanoa Hufanga, and he will have a difficult job putting together a winning unit.

Dallas Cowboys

After finishing with a 7-10 record a year that left them far behind the Eagles and the Washington Commanders, Dak Prescott returns from the hamstring injury that cost him nine games last season. Frequent injuries have caused him to miss 26 games in the past five seasons. He will have a pair of game breakers in CeeDee Lamb and newly acquired George Pickens to threaten opposing defenses, but what kind of running game will the Cowboys have to take pressure off the passing game?

Head coach Brian Schottenheimer is thought of as a player’s coach who will initially have plenty of support in the lockerroom as he replaces recalcitrant Mike McCarthy. His coaching staff includes college coaches who are going to have to mesh quickly if the Cowboys are going to return to contender status.

Pittsburgh Steelers

After years of steady play under head coach Mike Tomlin, the head coach appeared to be sick of the indifferent quarterback play the team has received since the Ben Roethlisberger retirement. The Steelers are rolling the dice and have brought in diva supreme Aaron Rodgers for what appears to be one last grab at the brass ring. If he can stay healthy, Rodgers is likely to show off his accuracy, but he can’t move the way he did during his prime with the Packers and his ability to throw on the run is an issue at this point.

It has always been Tomlin’s team during his 18 years with the Steelers, but will that change now that Rodgers is aboard? He is known for his early cooperation with the coaching staff, but when the game is on the line, Rodgers will do just what he wants and deal with the circumstances later.

Minnesota Vikings

The Vikings appear to be set up for another winning season as they have addressed weaknesses on the interior offensive line and added strength to the defensive front. Both head coach Kevin O’Connell and general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah have received contract extensions, so leadership appears to be very steady.

However, the Vikings are going with an untested quarterback in J.J. McCarthy. He had a stellar record in winning the national championship at Michigan and O’Connell loves what he has seen to this point. However, McCarthy is coming off a meniscus injury that cost him the 2024 season, and he is an unproven commodity. Will he be able to step in and lead the Vikings to championship contender status?

The Vikings are rolling the dice that McCarthy will step in and perform at a very high level. That’s a huge gamble.