Training camp notebook: Key storylines heading into the NFL preseason

With the Hall of Fame Game in the books, we'll recap and analyze the biggest storylines ahead of the first full week of preseason action.

The Jonathan Taylor saga continues Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / Getty

The standoff between the Indianapolis Colts and star running back Jonathan Taylor has intensified.

First, Taylor reportedly requested a trade last weekend over not receiving an extension following a private meeting with Colts owner Jim Irsay. Then, Irsay vehemently shut down any possibility of the star halfback being dealt.

It seemed inevitable that Taylor would earn a lucrative new deal after leading the league and setting a franchise single-season record with 1,811 rushing yards during the 2021 campaign. Even despite his career-low 861 yards in 2022, the Wisconsin product has rushed for 3,841 yards and 33 touchdowns while averaging 5.1 yards per carry through three seasons.

Yet, with the 24-year-old tailback entering the final year of his rookie contract that'll see him earn $4.3 million, per Over the Cap, the Colts don't have immediate plans to sign him to a contract extension.

Now, Taylor is on the physically unable to play list to begin training camp. Head coach Shane Steichen didn't specify the injury that's preventing the starting tailback from participating in practice. However, there were reports that the rusher suffered a back injury while away from the team this offseason.

As a result, Indianapolis was apparently considering moving Taylor to the non-football injury list, although he quickly refuted the reports. The Colts wouldn't have to pay Taylor's salary for the 2023 season if they placed him on the NFI list, and they could potentially prevent him from becoming an unrestricted free agent.

Although the Colts have indicated that they won't entertain offers for Taylor, there are teams willing to give the star the kind of contract he desires, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. Indianapolis also signed Kenyan Drake on Friday amid the uncertainty, and after Zack Moss underwent arm surgery.

Taylor's impasse with the Colts is emblematic of the devaluation of running backs across the league. Similar to most clubs, Indy seemingly doesn't feel compelled to pay its star rusher.

Jets' hype flight reaches new elevation Rich Schultz / Getty Images Sport / Getty

The New York Jets have been enjoying the spotlight since the start of training camp. Off the field, quarterback Aaron Rodgers threw shots at Denver coach Sean Payton for calling Jets offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett's 2022 Broncos tenure one of "the worst coaching jobs in the history of the NFL." Hackett said Payton broke the coaches' code. Seems like there'll be plenty of inspiration when the two sides meet in Week 5.

On the field, the Jets hosted four-time Pro Bowler Dalvin Cook, but a deal has yet to be reached. However, the rusher said the odds are pretty high that he'll sign a deal with New York. The addition of a tailback that's rushed for 1,000-plus yards in each of the past four seasons would further elevate the expectations around Florham Park.

Plus, second-year starter Breece Hall is continuing to ramp up his workload after his rookie campaign ended due to a torn ACL. A combination of Cook and Hall, who averaged 5.8 yards per rush and scored four touchdowns in seven games in 2022, would create one of the league's most formidable backfields. If the Jets don't add Cook, Michael Carter, Israel Abanikanda, and Zonovan "Bam" Knight are each jockeying for the RB2 spot.

And if that wasn't enough Jets content for you, you'll be pleased to know that the season premiere of HBO's "Hard Knocks" is set to take place Aug. 8.

Pro Football Hall of Fame Game

For the first time in what felt like ages, we finally got to see actual football during an exhibition contest between the Jets and Cleveland Browns. Aaron Rodgers, Deshaun Watson, and most of the notable starters for each team didn't suit up, but seeing live action was a welcome sight.

you see the Dorian block though?!?!

GAMER. pic.twitter.com/z7VmnWDDyL

- Cleveland Browns (@Browns) August 4, 2023

Jets quarterback Zach Wilson showed off his arm by completing three of his five passes for 65 yards, including a 57-yard completion to Malik Taylor. Rookie signal-caller Dorian Thompson-Robinson provided a spark to the Browns, as Cleveland pulled off a 21-16 comeback win amid a fourth-quarter delay due to a light malfunction.

Updates on notable holdouts, standoffs Michael Owens / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Here's the latest intel on some of the most notable holdouts, hold-ins, and contract dispute across the league.

Nick Bosa: San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch is preaching patience as the team works toward an extension with its star pass-rusher. The reigning Defensive Player of the Year is poised to reset the market at his position. Bosa has tallied 34 sacks over the past two seasons, including a league-leading 18.5 in 2022. It appears to be a matter of time, but this will continue to be a storyline until a deal is announced. While Bosa is incurring a $50,000 fine for each day he misses, they are rescindable since he's still under his rookie deal, per ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Josh Jacobs: The stalemate between the 2022 leading rusher and the Las Vegas Raiders continues. Jacobs still hasn't signed his franchise-tag tender or reported to camp. Head coach Josh McDaniels remains optimistic he'll rejoin the club, while Ameer Abdullah, Brandon Bolden, Zamir White, and Austin Walter have been taking reps at the position in Jacobs' absence.

Zack Martin: There doesn't seem to be any sense of urgency from the Dallas Cowboys to get a deal done for All-Pro offensive lineman Zack Martin. While the guard has held out for a raise (he's set to earn $13.5 million this season), Dallas has struck a deal with Trevon Diggs and is eyeing extensions for CeeDee Lamb and Micah Parsons. With Martin's demand currently not high on the Cowboys' priority list, it's unclear when his holdout will be resolved.

Chris Jones: In an offseason where several defensive tackles secured extensions, Chris Jones continues to wait for his turn. The four-time Pro Bowler is reportedly seeking an annual average salary of $30 million on his next contract.

Highest-paid defensive tackles in the NFL (AAV)

Defensive tackle	Average per Year	Age
Aaron Donald	$31.6M	32
Quinnen Williams	$24M	26
Jeffery Simmons	$23.5M	26
Daron Payne	$22.5M	26
Dexter Lawrence	$22.5M	26
Javon Hargrave	$21M	30
Leonard Williams	$21M	29
DeForest Buckner	$21M	29
Chris Jones	$20M	29
Jonathan Allen	$18M	28

While Aaron Donald's $31.6-million annual salary remains an outlier, Jones has the best shot of approaching his position-leading mark. The two-time Super Bowl winner earned first-team All-Pro honors after tying a career high with 15.5 sacks while adding 17 tackles for loss and 29 quarterback hits.

Kamara handed 3-game suspension Sean Gardner / Getty Images Sport / Getty

With the hammer hovering over New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara for over a season, it finally came down this past week. Following Kamara's meeting with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, the league suspended the rusher for the first three games of this season. The ban was a result of Kamara pleading no-contest to a February 2022 criminal case in which he was accused, alongside three other defendants, of beating a man unconscious.

Although Kamara will miss the team's season opener against the Tennessee Titans, along with matchups against the Carolina Panthers and Green Bay Packers, New Orleans took a proactive approach to addressing the situation. Jamal Williams isn't a fan of beignets, but he'll surely salivate at an early-season feature role after leading the league with 17 rushing touchdowns. Rookie Kendre Miller should also earn some snaps after missing most of the club's offseason activities.

Lackluster QB battles take shape Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / Getty

The 2023 quarterback battles have lacked the accustomed sizzle and flair entering training camp. While a few starting jobs remain up for grabs, a large majority have felt more like a formality. For example, the Carolina Panthers quickly tabbed Bryce Young as their starter just a day into camp. Here, we'll focus on a couple of other rookies and a pair of veterans aiming to win their respective competitions.

Buccaneers: It initially seemed that Baker Mayfield would just assume the starting quarterback role following Tom Brady's second retirement in as many seasons. Yet Bucs offensive coordinator Dave Canales said Kyle Trask has really settled in this past week. Both players are splitting first-team reps and will each get a chance to start a preseason contest. Whoever gets the start for the team's final preseason clash against the Baltimore Ravens will likely be under center for Week 1 against the Minnesota Vikings.

Texans: When Houston used the second overall selection on C.J. Stroud, it appeared it'd only be a matter of time before he'd assume the starting role. However, the Ohio State product finds himself in a close race with incumbent Davis Mills. While Stroud doesn't want the job handed to him, he'll have to separate himself from the two-year veteran who has 26 starts under his belt.

Colts: After missing a day of action following a minor nose procedure and looking shaky with the first team, Anthony Richardson has reportedly strung together consecutive practices with the first-team offense that suggest his development is coming along just fine. However, Gardner Minshew remains in the mix to get starting reps.

Injuries beginning to mount Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times / Getty

The inconvenient truth about training camp is that no team is spared from its share of injuries. No one wants to see the cart come out or a player miss out on a season before it even begins. This week, there were several scares, as well as a few ailments that'll impact some teams.

The Los Angeles Rams are breathing a sigh of relief after star wideout Cooper Kupp left practice Monday's practice with a hamstring injury. Although the ailment was initially expected to keep the former All-Pro receiver sidelined for at least a few weeks, offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur described Kupp as day-to-day. Kupp missed most of the second half of the 2022 season due to a high ankle sprain.

The Denver Broncos appear to have been plagued by the injury bug early in camp. Receiver Tim Patrick saw his campaign come to an end in training camp for the second time in as many seasons after tearing his Achilles. Denver's wideout depth chart took another hit when K.J. Hamler announced he was diagnosed with a mild heart condition called pericarditis. The Penn State product was waived, but the Broncos plan to bring him back in the near future as he's only expected to be sidelined for weeks after dealing with chest pains.

Additionally, linebacker Jonas Griffith reportedly tore his ACL, while cornerback Riley Moss will be sidelined for at least a month after undergoing core muscle surgery.

Trayveon Williams, who's projected to be among the contenders to back up Joe Mixon in Cincinnati this season, had to be carted off the field after going down Tuesday. Fortunately, he's only sustained a mild ankle sprain that should keep him on the shelf for a couple of weeks. The fifth-year player is competing with rookie Chase Brown and Chris Evans to replace former teammate Samaje Perine.

Atlanta Falcons cornerback Jeff Okudah was carted off the field after sustaining an ankle injury during a one-on-one drill in practice Friday, although the severity and nature of his injury weren't disclosed. Although the former Detroit Lion suited up for 15 games last season, the 2020 first-round pick was seeking a fresh start after his first two seasons in the league were derailed by multiple ailments.

In a story that illustrates that NFL stars are just like us, Calvin Ridley was hobbled in practice Tuesday due to a sore foot as a result of some ill-fitting cleats. Talk about a bad shoe day. Ridley returned to practice the next day but was plagued by a few drops.

Highlight-reel moments from practice

George Pickens is quickly making a name for himself by making highlight-reel grabs look routine. The Pittsburgh Steelers receiver was back at it again in practice this week, making a remarkable snag during a one-on-one drill against Joey Porter Jr. Ever the gentleman, Pickens handed the rookie a souvenir shortly afterward. Porter didn't seem to be too impressed with Pickens' gesture.

BRO! OMG!!! Pickens vs JPJ!!! #HereWeGo pic.twitter.com/SzIIbGgmBr

- B-Wall (@BWall) August 1, 2023

Kansas City Chiefs wideout Justyn Ross has been turning heads since camp opened up. After going undrafted in 2022 and missing the team's Super Bowl run last year following foot surgery, Ross is stepping up in camp with Kadarius Toney on the mend and Rashee Rice still learning the ropes. The 23-year-old put his superb route-running on display with a smooth shake of a defender, calmly wiping his gloves on a towel before hauling in the reception. It looks like Patrick Mahomes will have himself another impressive target this season.

.@Chiefs WR Justyn Ross with the nasty route.

: Back Together Weekend on @NFLNetwork, ABC, ESPN pic.twitter.com/D7n9HkzuQq

- NFL (@NFL) July 29, 2023

Jason Brownlee might not be a household name at the moment, but that could soon change. The undrafted wideout made a sensational one-handed catch similar to Odell Beckham Jr.'s. The Southern Miss product appears to be in a good spot to make the final roster.

OMG @Slideweezy pic.twitter.com/qBgRYnxexP

- New York Jets (@nyjets) August 1, 2023

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