Training camp isn't always a sign of what's to come in the regular season. Summer competitions, after all, often do more to whittle overcrowded positions and finalize final rosters than forecast major fall storylines.
Still, breakout seasons can sometimes be traced to especially bright camp performances. Which means these players deserve a close eye as the 2024 campaign draws near, for most reports indicate they've been darn near unstoppable throughout summer practice:
It helps to have such a dynamic plethora of weapons at his disposal, with Saquon Barkley joining A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith and Dallas Goedert in the Eagles' offensive lineup. Still, Hurts has appeared noticeably more agile after a more mercurial, occasionally sluggish 2023 campaign. He's also kept the ball out of harm's way while pushing the ball downfield, reinfusing some hope in Philadelphia's big-play attack.
This year's No. 1 overall pick faces lofty expectations, with Chicago doing everything in its power to accommodate the USC product. And yet Williams has brought veteran-level swagger and an eye-popping passing zip to the practice field, easily shaking off missed throws with tight-window bullets that plenty of quarterbacks could only dream of executing. The future already looks plenty bright in Windy City.
It's understandable why Arizona, and Murray in particular, have been generally overlooked on a national level, considering the former No. 1 overall pick has missed 15 games the last two seasons. Still, the elusive quarterback has been decisive and sharp as the leader of the Cardinals' offense, especially when feeding rookie wideout Marvin Harrison Jr. If he can finally translate that to the season, look out.
Also our top rookie standout of camp, the first-round pick has lived up to the hype and then some as a preseason darling. Hardly a single offensive drill has gone by without the slippery LSU product stretching the field and/or producing a highlight-reel grab. He's worked the sidelines. He's worked the red zone. He's drawn effusive praise from those around him. There is no doubt Nabers is poised to be New York's go-to.
Adam Thielen and Diontae Johnson are bigger names in Carolina's receiving corps, but the 2023 second-round pick has consistently wowed with improved route-running, get-off movement and tight-window hands, showcasing seamless timing with quarterback Bryce Young. It's no surprise, it seems, that he's listed as a starter over rookie Xavier Legette on the Panthers' first unofficial depth chart.
When the Cincinnati Bengals spent the No. 18 overall pick on Mims this April, many saw the Georgia product's addition as a nice project for the long term, with veteran Trent Brown also aboard as Joe Burrow's new right tackle. Instead, Mims balled out to open camp as Brown recovered from injury, to the point Burrow himself has crowned the rookie an "A+" combo of size, athleticism and tenacity.
Cowboys fans were right to sweat when longtime left tackle Tyron Smith left via free agency, even though the lynchpin had also been injury-prone. The rookie Guyton has quickly quieted concerns, however, instantly settling in as Dak Prescott's blind-side protector. The 6-foot-8 Oklahoma product easily engulfed star pass rusher Micah Parsons in some of his first work in pads, and he's still learning the position.
A Defensive Rookie of the Year candidate in 2023, the second-year interior man flashed elite disruption skills for parts of his NFL debut. He's looked just as, if not more, primed for Pro Bowl production without the aid of longtime defensive anchor Fletcher Cox, who retired this offseason. The entire Eagles front has stayed busy under new coordinator Vic Fangio, but Carter profiles as the centerpiece of the unit.
The fifth-year defensive back met a curiously slow market as a free agent this winter, only to return to Indianapolis following a career 2023 season (88 tackles, eight pass breakups, four interceptions). He's been even more rangy this summer, drawing "phenomenal" grades from head coach Shane Steichen as a visible ball hawk, vocal leader and versatile starter capable of rotating between safety spots.
