It’s the calm before the storm tonight, as most teams are set to begin OTAs either tomorrow or Wednesday. Given that, let’s take a quick look at some of the main storylines to follow as we inch ever closer to training camp:
- Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer summarizes the uncertainty facing the Panthers after they replaced nearly their entire secondary and drew criticism for the way they handled their receiving corps. Person wonders who will replace Steve Smith as the team’s primary receiving threat, if Byron Bell is ready to slide over to left tackle, and if Ed Dickson can rekindle the embers of high-level ability he once flashed in Baltimore.
- Like the Panthers, the Bears are prepared to head into the season with a pair of new safeties, and Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune describes the positional battle about to unfold between incumbent Chris Conte and new additions like Ryan Mundy and Brock Vereen.
- Staying on the Bears, Dan Wiederer of the Chicago Tribune looks at the adjustments first-round pick Kyle Fuller will have to make as he enters his first OTAs, and Rich Campbell of the Chicago Tribune takes a deeper look at Shea McClellin‘s transition from defensive end to linebacker.
- Rich Tandler and Tarik El-Bashir of CSNWashington.com looks at what the Redskins must do to fix a special teams unit that floundered in 2013.
- Eric D. Williams of ESPN.com writes that the Chargers will continue to focus on pursuit as OTAs unfold, a concept that escaped them far too often last year, and Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune writes that Manti Te’o enters his second year of OTAs at his mental and physical peak.
- Randy Covitz of the Kansas City Star looks at a couple of Chiefs highlights from the days leading up to tomorrow’s OTAs, such as the excellent weekend that converted basketball player Demetrius Harris–who spent last season on Kansas City’s practice squad–enjoyed.
- Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times looks at five burning questions facing the defending champion Seahawks.