NFL position battles in 2026: Picks to win 12 notable training camp competitions - NFL.com

What the report says

NFL.com senior news writer Kevin Patra published a training-camp analysis on July 28, 2026, projecting winners in 12 prominent NFL position competitions as teams open camps. The piece focuses first on four quarterback battles and frames several jobs as unsettled because of injury questions, new coaching fits and uneven recent performance.

Patra picks Tua Tagovailoa to beat Michael Penix Jr. for the Atlanta Falcons’ quarterback role, citing Penix’s recovery from a knee injury and Tagovailoa’s early work in head coach Kevin Stefanski’s offense. For the Cleveland Browns, he calls Deshaun Watson versus Shedeur Sanders a genuinely open race but chooses Sanders, noting Watson’s long absence and poor recent form. He projects Kirk Cousins to start for the Las Vegas Raiders over rookie Fernando Mendoza, while suggesting Mendoza could accelerate the timeline with a strong camp. In Minnesota, Patra selects Kyler Murray over J.J. McCarthy despite Kevin O’Connell’s insistence on a real competition.

The analysis also highlights offensive line decisions. Patra expects Braxton Jones to hold off Jedrick Wills Jr. and Theo Benedet at left tackle for the Chicago Bears, with Ozzy Trapilo unavailable as he recovers from a patellar tendon injury. He picks Tyler Guyton over Nate Thomas for the Dallas Cowboys’ left tackle job, though he notes concerns about Guyton’s development. For the Detroit Lions, he projects rookie Blake Miller at right tackle and Ben Bartch at left guard.

The article underscores why camp battles matter: early depth-chart decisions can shape quarterback development, pass protection and offensive stability before Week 1. The available text also begins a New England Patriots backup receiver competition involving DeMario Douglas, Kyle Williams, Kayshon Boutte and Efton Chism III, but does not include Patra’s full breakdown or pick for that group.