After what seems like the longest and strangest offseason in league history, the NFL is finally scheduled to kick off Sept. 10. In the meantime, teams around the league are working restlessly to get a good feel for which players will make the 53-man roster on the cutdown day, scheduled for Sept. 5. Let’s take a look at how former NC State players have been performing in camps.
Russell Wilson, quarterback, Seattle Seahawks
Wilson is entering his ninth year as starter with Seattle and the team looks to be formidable once more. The Pack product finished with a career-low in interceptions and his second-most in single-season passing yards last year, and now has a proven D.K. Metcalf, as well as Phillip Dorsett, Paul Richardson and potentially Josh Gordon to throw to.
The Seahawks added star safety Jamal Adams through trade over the offseason, and many experts are picking Seattle to go the distance. Wilson has never missed a game in his career, and if he can keep this up, a Super Bowl run and potential MVP are within reach.
Philip Rivers, quarterback, Indianapolis Colts
After spending 16 seasons with the San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers, Rivers finally moved on over the offseason to the Colts to take over for fellow Pack pro Jacoby Brissett. Brissett had an up-and-down season last year that caused the Colts to miss out on the playoffs and Rivers is hoping to right that ship.
Behind one of the best offensive lines in the league led by Quenton Nelson, Rivers will have some of the most stable protection he has ever had in his time in the league. Look for Rivers to have a huge rebound season with a sturdy line and solid receiving options, including T.Y. Hilton, who Rivers seems to already click with, according to reports.
Bradley Chubb, linebacker, Denver Broncos
After just four games last season, Chubb’s sophomore campaign was ended prematurely due to a partial ACL tear. Now, Chubb is back and hopefully better than ever in a rejuvenated Broncos defense that many are picking as a dark horse playoff contender this season.
With Chubb back, and with new additions like Jurrell Casey and A.J. Bouye, it isn’t hard to see why so many are mile high on this Denver defense. If Chubb can match or outdo his production from his rookie season which saw him record 12 sacks and 41 solo tackles, it will surely make the Broncos a formidable defensive stalwart for years to come.
Nyheim Hines, running back, Indianapolis Colts
Last season, the Colts suffered from inconsistent quarterback play and injuries to players like T.Y. Hilton. Hines didn’t jump out in his third season in the league, but still managed to finish with 519 total yards. With Rivers under the helm, Hines has been a popular pick to have a breakout season.
Running backs who exhibit elite pass-catching abilities are a hot commodity across the league, like Christian McCaffrey, Alvin Kamara or Saquon Barkley, and Hines has a perfect opportunity to establish himself in this group of backs.
Larrell Murchison, defensive tackle, Tennessee Titans
Murchison has reportedly been turning heads in Tennessee’s training camp, and seems to have already come close to a starting spot; not bad for a fifth rounder. Tennessee is returning a decent amount of players from its AFC Championship run last season, so it is all the more impressive that Murchison is already getting this sort of attention and should speak to his projected longevity in the league.
B.J. Hill, defensive tackle, New York Giants
As opposed to Murchison, Hill has not done much to stand out in training camp and lost snaps after New York’s acquisition of Leonard Williams at the trade deadline. Hill has been serviceable so far for the Giants, and it would make sense to keep him, but with such a deep set of players at that position, it is entirely possible that Hill is not on the Giants to begin the season.
Jaylen Samuels, running back, Pittsburgh Steelers
Another player suffering from a talented position pool is Samuels, who is scheduled to be scrapping for minutes in a loaded Pittsburgh backfield. Aside from the obvious James Conner, Benny Snell is also primed for a second-year breakout and will likely push Samuels from his primary backup role. Do not be surprised if Samuels is traded or released Sept. 5.
Jakobi Meyers, wide receiver, New England Patriots
Like Hill and Samuels, Meyers is on the bubble but for entirely different reasons. Simply put, Meyers has had a suboptimal training camp, having missed a decent chunk of time due to injury and looking far from the undrafted gem that he was last season. With Julian Edelman, N’Keal Harry, Mohamed Sanu and Gunner Olszewski as near or certain roster locks, Meyers joins Damiere Byrd and Devin Ross as players gunning for the final 53.
Juston Burris, safety, Carolina Panthers
Burris’ career has been somewhat of a rollercoaster since entering the league in 2016, having already changed teams four times. However, Burris picked up the pace in his latest stint with the Cleveland Browns and showed enough for the rebuilding Panthers to pick him up.
Burris is a natural leader, and his $8 million contract shows just how much confidence Carolina has in the former NC State safety. In fact, Panthers head coach Matt Rhule has been singing praise about Burris and his ability to be built around in the secondary. If Burris can keep improving and capitalizing on his ever-increasing opportunities in Carolina, it’s entirely possible that the safety has found his home.
Other updates:
Longtime Buffalo Bills kicker Stephen Hauschka was waived after the Bills selected a kicker, Tyler Bass, in the 2020 NFL draft. Hauschka has since gotten a tryout with the Titans, who are in the market for a kicker. On the other side of the special teams spectrum, punter A.J. Cole has seemingly won the Las Vegas Raiders punting job for the season, as the team has yet to bring in any competition for the Pack product.
Meanwhile, defensive tackle T.Y. McGill returned to the Philadelphia Eagles, who he spent a few games with in the past, though he is not expected to make the final 53-man roster.
Another standout from training camp is linebacker Germaine Pratt, who looks poised to be a starter for the Cincinnati Bengals alongside fellow North Carolina linebacker Akeem Davis-Gaither. Meanwhile, center Garrett Bradbury has been dominant in camp, earning praise from coaches, while defensive tackle Justin Jones has also stood out to his teammates.
