8 NFLers who stand to benefit from missed OTAs and minicamp

The coronavirus pandemic forced the NFL to cancel organized team activities (OTAs) and minicamps this offseason, and it remains unknown when players will be allowed to take the field alongside teammates and coaches again.

Though some around the league will suffer without OTAs and minicamps, others could actually benefit from not having early activities this offseason. These are the eight NFLers who stand to gain the most:

Kansas City Chiefs Maddie Meyer / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Who benefits most from an abbreviated NFL offseason? The team that entered it with the least work to do. Ahead of the 2020 campaign, that team is the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs.

The league's other 31 teams will have to attempt to dethrone the Chiefs without the benefit of OTAs and minicamps. That means less time getting rookies and free-agent signees adjusted to systems, and less time for new coaches and general managers to make their marks on their respective rosters.

The cancellation of OTAs and minicamps puts every team at a disadvantage, but less so the squad that last hoisted the Lombardi Trophy. After all, the reigning champs are the ones every other franchise is chasing.

Mitch Trubisky, QB, Bears

Trubisky enters 2020 fighting for his job, fighting to change the narrative around his career, and quite possibly fighting for his future as a starting quarterback in the NFL. The Chicago Bears will field an open competition between Trubisky and Nick Foles for the right to open the year under center, and Trubisky is under contract only for the 2020 season after the Bears declined his fifth-year option.

Trubisky has the benefit of familiarity after playing in Matt Nagy's system for the past two seasons, but his recent play has disappointed. Fortunately for him, Foles won't be able to get acquainted with his new teammates until training camp opens in late July.

The short turnaround between a condensed and heavily regulated training camp and the start of the regular season means less time for Foles to adjust to the Bears' offense. It could tip the scales of what was supposed to be a must-watch quarterback competition in favor of the incumbent.

Rob Gronkowski, TE, Buccaneers

After a season away from football, Gronkowski should enter the 2020 season as fresh as he's been in years. The oft-injured tight end said he stepped away from the game in part to recover from various physical ailments. The 31-year-old hasn't played in an NFL game since Super Bowl LIII, and now his body will be spared the additional reps that accompany OTAs and minicamp.

A reduced offseason workload may translate to more regular-season targets for Gronk, who has established chemistry with quarterback Tom Brady after nine years together with the New England Patriots. Brady is just getting acquainted with his new Tampa Bay Buccaneers teammates; with limited time to learn the Buccaneers' offense and the intricacies of his playmakers, the 42-year-old may start the season relying heavily upon the target with whom he's most comfortable.

Mark Ingram, RB, Ravens Michael Reaves / Getty Images Sport / Getty

The absence of OTAs and minicamps could help Ingram retain his role as the Baltimore Ravens' starting running back.

Baltimore has one of the deepest backfields in football, and Ingram was slated to face competition from Gus Edwards, 2019 draft pick Justice Hill, and 2020 second-round selection J.K. Dobbins ahead of the upcoming campaign. With Hill and Dobbins facing fewer opportunities to challenge him, Ingram has a far better chance to maintain his spot atop the depth chart.

The Ravens owned the league's top running game in 2019, with league MVP Lamar Jackson leading the team in rushing with 1,206 yards. Ingram, meanwhile, amassed 1,018 yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground. In an offseason of uncertainty, Baltimore can feel comfortable relying on Jackson and Ingram.

Philadelphia Eagles

The NFC East underwent an unprecedented amount of change this offseason. In a year of upheaval, the teams that stand to benefit most are those with continuity.

While the Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, and Washington Redskins are introducing new head coaches, Philadelphia Eagles coach Doug Pederson is entering his fifth season in the City of Brotherly Love. He's also bringing back the same top three coordinators - assistant head coach Duce Staley, defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz, and special teams coordinator Dave Fipp - he's had by his side since 2018.

While Mike McCarthy, Joe Judge, and Ron Rivera work to implement new systems without being able to see their players in person, the Eagles at least have the stability of a proven coaching staff and a scheme and roster that won the NFC East last season. Those factors should give the Eagles a distinct advantage over their division rivals entering the 2020 campaign.

Tyrod Taylor, QB, Chargers

After the Los Angeles Chargers missed out on Brady and failed to add another veteran quarterback in free agency, Taylor was primed to be the team's Week 1 starter. Until Los Angeles drafted Justin Herbert with the sixth overall pick in April's draft.

A prospect selected with such a high pick would typically be expected to start right away, but the Chargers may now be best served opening the year with a veteran under center. With the coronavirus pandemic throwing the offseason off course, Herbert won't have the luxury of rookie minicamps and OTAs to get his bearings in the pros. Away from the team facility until July, Herbert can only improve by burying his nose in the playbook.

It's yet another quarterback competition that could be sapped of its drama. If the Chargers have little more than a month to determine their starting signal-caller for 2020, it makes sense for them to choose Taylor, who spent 2019 in Los Angeles' system as Philip Rivers' backup.

Myles Garrett, DE, Browns Diamond Images / Diamond Images / Getty

The Cleveland Browns defensive end tainted his reputation when he hit Mason Rudolph in the head with a helmet in November. That nationally televised incident was the last we saw of Garrett, as the league handed him an indefinite suspension that ended his 2019 season.

Garrett has since been reinstated and is reportedly working toward an extension with the Browns. With team activities shelved until at least July, Garrett can continue working in silence, as he did in the weight room Tuesday. Fewer prying eyes may not be such a bad thing.

Garrett was a favorite to win Defensive Player of the Year before his suspension. With much of this offseason canceled, the stud pass-rusher should benefit from a near-direct transition from that ban to his next game action.

K.J. Wright, LB, Seahawks

The Seattle Seahawks used their 2020 first-round pick to select middle linebacker Jordyn Brooks, but that role is currently occupied by five-time All-Pro Bobby Wagner.

Seahawks general manager John Schneider previously floated the idea that Brooks could immediately challenge Wright for the starting job at weak-side linebacker. Wright has spent the majority of his nine-year career lining up on the weak side, but Brooks' arrival could force the veteran to move across the formation.

Though Wright underwent offseason shoulder surgery, he's expected to be healthy for training camp. With Brooks' time on the practice field limited to said camp, Wright might get to remain at his familiar position during his contract year.

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