Position battles at 2019 NFL training camp for every single team

Seattle Seahawks – 3-tech defensive tackle

Key competitors: Earl Mitchell vs. Al Woods vs. Nazair Jones

As the Seahawks have almost all of their pieces on defense from their championship run with Bobby Wagner being the one constant, they have added a bunch of young guys who have contributed for them. That included Frank Clark, who they ended up trading for excellent draft capital, the two Griffin brothers, that young safety tandem, and Jarran Reed.

The last of the bunch was just suspended for the first six games of the season and Seattle needs to man that 3-tech spot on their defense until he returns. I think Poona Ford will establish himself as the shade nose on that unit, but they need someone who can get upfield and penetrate. The first two names are both veterans who have already been in the league for nine years with three and four different teams respectively.

Earl Mitchell most recently was a highly thought of four-year, 16 million dollar signing by the 49ers, but with all the talent they had on the defensive line and the fact he only recorded five tackles in the opposing backfield, they decided to decline that two-year option on his contract.

Al Woods quietly had a pretty good year in Indianapolis in 2017, but last year was pushed out of the rotation a little bit because of guys like Denico Autry and Margus Hunt. My favorite would be Nazair Jones, who they drafted late in the third round two years ago and have now asked to move outside potentially. I like the way he can get off the ball and impact plays in the backfield.

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Tampa Bay Buccaneers – That entire damn secondary

Key competitors: Vernon Hargreaves III vs. Ryan Smith vs. M.J. Stewart vs. Kentrell Brice, Jordan Whitehead vs. Sean Bunting vs. Carlton Davis vs. Mike Edwards

Has any team drafted as many defensive backs in these last few years as the Bucs? I don’t think it’s even close. Every single guy in this group is 25 years or younger. They have had some injuries, but mostly they just haven’t had much success drafting secondary players outside of Justin Evans, who will start at one of the safety spots. I think the rest is still up for the competition – just look at the list of key contributors – which includes two undrafted free agents in Lukas Denis and D’Cota Dixon, who I think can play as well.

The highest-drafted guy of the bunch is Vernon Hargreaves, who was a top ten pick for them back in 2016. Like many others, I thought his instincts and quick change-of-direction could turn him into a great player at the next level, but he has struggled to stay on the field and actually played better in the slot more recently. Ryan Smith was actually part of that same draft class, but when you look at how many guys they have brought in to replace him, I can’t really see him be a starter in 2019.

One of my favorites in last year’s draft was M.J. Stewart, who always played his backside off at North Carolina and drove on routes aggressively. I love him in the slot. Strong safety duties should be earned between Kentrell Brice and Jordan Whitehead unless one of those UDFAs steals the show.

Brice was solid as a third safety in Green Bay last year and Whitehead had a rookie season that left him with plenty to learn. Then there are the three rookies. Sean Bunting was a guy I really liked out of Central Michigan because of the explosiveness he displayed and so did the Bucs obviously, as they made him a top 40 pick. Carlton Davis is a guy that just bullied receivers at Auburn with his physicality. And Mike Edwards played a lot in the slot, covering shallow areas and making an impact as a Blitzer for Kentucky.

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Tennessee Titans – Outside linebacker

Key competitors: Cameron Wake vs. Kamalei Correa vs. D’Andre Walker

In last week’s article on second- and round-year players I expect to break out in 2019, I talked about Harold Landry being one of the more obvious candidates. I love his initial burst, bend around the edge and continued effort he displays. However, he is only one part of a young defense that I really like due to guys like Kevin Byard, Jayon Brown and of course the veteran Jurrell Casey. With that being said, I am interested to see who they will line up across from Landry at outside linebacker in week one.

Cam Wake might be 37 years old by now, but he certainly still has plenty left in the tank. I think he can provide some pass rush for Tennessee, but I question his fit at linebacker after having his hand in the dirt all of his career, depending on how versatile Dean Pees wants to be in coverage. Kamalei Correa was once a pretty high second-round pick for the Ravens, but never really fit inside for them. I thought he really flashed in the preseason last year, but he was traded for a sixth-rounder to line up more at his original spot in college.

Despite Landry not even being a starter for most of 2018, Correa still was on the field for more than 30 percent of the defensive snaps. And then there’s the rookie out of Georgia. D’Andre Walker fell all the way to the fifth round because he lacks elite athleticism, but he sets a physical edge and was an impact player for the SEC powerhouse.

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Washington Redskins – Quarterback

Key competitors: Case Keenum vs. Colt McCoy vs. Dwayne Haskins

Just a year ago there was no question about who would start under center for Washington. They had just let Kirk Cousins walk and traded for Alex Smith, who they ended up signing to a four-year deal with 55 million guaranteed. A horrific leg injury will keep Smith off the field for all of 2019 and it is still not clear if he will ever return, so the job is open. If you believe in Jay Gruden and what the organization has said, this should be a true three-man race.

In the middle of March, the Redskins swapped sixth and seventh-round picks with the Broncos to acquire Case Keenum after a disappointing season. He will be highly motivated to prove that 2017 with the Vikings wasn’t just a fluke and while somewhat limited, he can work those bootlegs and extend plays. A good month after the trade they had Ohio State’s Dwayne Haskins fall to them at 15th overall. The Heisman Trophy candidate is coming off a historic season in which he threw 50 touchdowns, as a less mobile but very precise QB who is still very young and could benefit from a year on the bench.

Finally, there is Colt McCoy, who has been a backup in Washington for five years now and been called into action on a few occasions. The coaching staff seems to really like him, but to me, he ultimately should once again be more of an emergency option.