NFC East training camp preview: Key players to watch Published: Jul 09, 2018 at 06:25 AM Digital Content Editor Dallas Cowboys rookies and veterans (July 25). Marriott Residence Inn in Oxnard, California. Most important position battle: Wide receiver. is unemployed and is in the "Monday Night Football" booth. With their departures from Dallas go 219 targets and 132 receptions from last season, most of which will have to be replaced by the ' mostly unproven receiving corps in 2018. and remain from last year, though the latter might be . In former Jags wideout , Dallas believes it has its No. 1 receiver for next season; in , a spark plug who, according to Stephen Jones, can earn a dozen touches per game; and in , a reliable rookie. It's a wide-open race for seeding on Dallas' depth chart, one that will likely persist past training camp and throughout the season. Newcomer to watch: . That's right -- a college basketball player who's never played a regular-season down in the NFL . The discourse surrounding Gathers' potential is nearing Bigfoot levels of legend, overstated thanks to his unavailability to disprove his worth. The power forward-turned-tight end is entering his third year in the pros having played in only two preseason games, but has the potential -- -- to be Dallas' starter by Week 1, thanks to Witten's retirement and a hodgepodge position group. With Witten out to pasture, the tight ends on Dallas' roster account for just nine career receptions, all of which are Jerry Hughes Jersey the property of , while second-year UDFA and 2018 fourth-round pick are also present. Gathers, with his Gatesian basketball pedigree, has the most exciting highlight reel on the roster, but if he can't demonstrate recovery from last year's head injuries, the tight end is a potential cut candidate. Boom or bust for the Baylor big man. Looming camp question: What does a more Dak-friendly offense look like? After last year's letdown -- more if you ask me -- Dallas focused on supporting and surrounding 2016 Rookie of the Year quarterback with a cast that tailors to his needs and strengths. What that resembles and whether the have succeeded in that approach will be the talking point in the weeks leading up to September. Prescott defined in February as an attack with improved accuracy and more run-pa s options, or RPOs (they're back!), so that Dallas can scare defenses into playing by the ' rules. Let's see if that definition wavers as the summer deepens. New York Giants rookies (July 22) and veterans (July 25). Quest Diagnostics Training Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Most important position battle: The entire right side of the offensive line. In acquiring left tackle , second-round steal and No. 2 overall pick , the made a concerted effort this offseason to defibrillate their bottom-rung running game and improve a scattered offensive line. But the job isn't finished. 's blind side might be protected now thanks to Dave Gettleman's springtime spending, but the right half of the offensive line remains in flux, if not inadequate. Long maligned left tackle is moving to the right side, where he impre sed during OTAs but isn't guaranteed a starting gig. Last year's left guard is projected to lose out at right guard to . Even , who started 13 games for New York last year, is being pushed by . Newcomer to watch: . Aside from the offensive line transactions, is arguably the most important acquisition of New York's offseason, as he'll be tasked to shore up one of the ' weakest position groups. BUT the new talent worth gawking over during training camp is Barkley, who's already embraced the New York spotlight, doubling as a leading Tommy Doyle Jersey jersey seller and . The No. 2 pick will be expected to put up 2016 numbers, but first, he'll have to get acclimated to running against NFL defenses and behind New York's aforementioned offensive line. His preseason snaps will likely be the most anticipated of any non-quarterback rookie. Looming camp question: How do the handle amid contract questions? Cameras and critics were drawn to Beckham (as always) this off-season as the eccentric wideout engaged . But with -- or at least, expected -- the attention surrounding Beckham will shift to his health as he returns from last season's devastating ankle injury. OBJ never truly took off last season, even before his Week 5 setback, due to a preseason injury scare in Cleveland, one that forced him out of New York's season opener. Mostly healthy, Big Blue's offensive lynchpin was limited to individual drills during June's minicamp, but should be back in the swing of things when training camp opens later this month. With the wideout's exhibition-injury history in mind, how the monitor and play Beckham over the next two months will explain how cautious of an approach Taron Johnson Jersey the new regime is willing to take with its star attraction as his rookie deal nears its end. Philadelphia Eagles rookies and veterans (July 25). NovaCare Complex in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Most important position battle: vs. . On a near-pristine -- and improved -- roster, cornerback is one of the few positions where there are more questions than answers. While is expected to start on one side of the field, and will jockey for the other slot. Jones, who might have started last season if he didn't mi s all but one game with an Achilles injury suffered before the draft, during OTAs. 's departure down to New Orleans paves the way for either Jones or Mills to move inside to the nickel corner position. Newcomers to watch: (and Richard Rodgers). After Philadelphia released Brent Celek and LII third-leading pa ser left to join Chicago, the moved quickly to fill the No. 2 tight end role behind , signing Rodgers from Green Bay and drafting Goedert. The latter showed out as a red-zone threat during OTAs and our own Bucky Brooks projects he will end up as the top tight end from the 2018 cla s. The are flush with field-stretching talent -- Philly swapped for and is getting back from injury -- so the TE duo's imprint might not be as large out of the gate. But Rodgers and Goedert will be asked to fill the blocking and pa s-catching duties vacated by Celek and Burton, respectively, and how quickly they a sume those roles will be something to track. Looming camp question: Will be healthy by Week 1? It's presumed that Wentz, who in the midst of an MVP-caliber campaign was forced to mi s Philadelphia's run after suffering ACL and LCL injuries in Week 14, will be fully recovered by the time Week 1 rolls around, and LII MVP will happily cede the starting role. That's because all reports out of minicamp and Matt Breida Jersey OTAs are overwhelmingly positive. Wentz was cleared to participate in team drills, started throwing "with the same zip" and is running at about "90 percent" speed. That and because Foles said he has no i sue handing the reins back to Philly's true franchise quarterback. But just because evaluations are sunny in June doesn't mean they'll stay that way in August. Wentz's repaired knee and how it affects how he plays the game will and should be the focus of much discu sion this preseason. Does the once-nimble QB scale back his adlibbed runs? Will the start him more than a series per game during their preseason contests, if at all? If Wentz's progre s is slower than expected, will calls grow for Foles, a Philly hero, to start in Week 1? Washington Redskins rookies and veterans (July 25). Bon Secours Training Center in Richmond, Virginia. Most important position battle: Running back. Forever a position group stuck in the Landover mud, the ' running back room is now overflowing with talent and po sibility. Second-round rookie joins a group already populated by pa s-catching threat , decisive runner and second-year veteran . At the moment, Guice is projected to be Washington's Week 1 starter with Thompson as the third-down and slot threat, but all that can change come training camp. Kelley's second season was cut short by injury, and Perine underwhelmed after being heralded in the '17 preseason as an OROY candidate. Developing his RB room will be important for Jay Gruden, who has overseen as many playoff appearances (one, 2015) as 1,000-yard rushing seasons in his time in D.C. ( , 2014). Player returning from injury to watch: . Of the dozenish who mi sed significant time during their lost season in 2017 (including Thompson, Kelley, , Jonathan Allen), no player will have more question marks surrounding his return than Reed. A Pro Bowler in 2016, Reed looked to be the league's next great, super-athlete tight end. But a litany of injuries -- concu sions, hamstring i sues and most recently a toe fracture -- have forced Reed to mi s 14 games over the last two seasons; the tight end hasn't completed a full 16-game slate in his five-year career. Though Reed signed a six-year deal in 2016, Washington's patience with the tight end might run thin if he can't stay healthy this season, especially considering the 'Skins can save more than $20 million over three years by releasing Reed before next season. In short, it's do-or-die for Reed in 2018 in his ongoing battle . Looming camp question: Did Washington lose ... Brandin Bryant Jersey and improve? Rare is it that a franchise lets a perennial 4,000-yard pa ser walk in free agency and get better in the proce s, but that might be what happened this off-season when the 'Skins traded in an hyper-valued ($84M over three years in MIN) for on a relative discount ($94M over four years in WAS). We likely won't learn how 'Skins offensive coordinator Matt Cavanaugh intends to tailor the offense around Smith until game plans are implemented in the regular season. But first impre sions matter, especially when you're a 34-year-old quarterback who was just handed $70 million guaranteed. Smith admitted he doesn't expect a lengthy honeymoon period this season, so don't be surprised if the evaluation proce s of D.C.'s quarterback decision begins in earnest this month. See NFL Network's Gregg Rosenthal's for a more detailed analysis of where Washington is headed with Smith at the helm. This article has been reproduced in a new format and may be mi sing content or contain faulty links. 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