The NFL Season is just days away, and for some teams, it’s a fresh start. For others, it’s an attempt to continue their momentum. Here are the biggest stories ahead of Week 1, and the biggest questions.
In the NFL, players are constantly on the move. The quarterback is the most important position, and teams are always looking for their star, even in unlikely places.
Daniel Jones (Indianapolis Colts), Sam Darnold (Seattle Seahawks), Russell Wilson (New York Giants), Aaron Rodgers (Pittsburgh Steelers), Geno Smith (Las Vegas Raiders), Joe Flacco (Cleveland Browns), and Justin Fields (New York Jets) are all in new environments this year. Flacco and Wilson are seemingly playing the role of mentor to rookie quarterbacks, but have been named the Week 1 starters for their respective teams.
Daniel Jones and Justin Fields are simply looking for new opportunities. Neither of them were developed well early in their careers, and both are trying to prove they belong as NFL starters. Fields did a great job in his six starts for the Steelers last season, but was benched for the rest of the year.
Speaking of the Steelers, Rodgers is likely entering his final season, hoping to go out with a bang in Pittsburgh on an “all-in” year. Smith and Darnold have shown they can play at a high level, and they look to continue that on their new teams.
Week 1 will be an interesting time for these QBs, and fans should keep a close eye on their development as the season goes on. First impressions are important, right?
The 2025 NFL Draft was loaded with talent in almost every position group. Cam Ward, Ashton Jeanty, Travis Hunter, Abdul Carter, and Tetairoa McMillan headlined a deep class. Now it’s time to see how they adjust to the pro level.
Ward is expected to be the Tennessee Titans’ franchise QB. He’s facing one of the Denver Broncos, one of the best defenses in the NFL. While one game isn’t everything, it’s important to see how he fares in real, difficult competition.
Jeanty and Hunter were the two Heisman finalists, with the latter receiving the honor. Jeanty is a monster running back who can be fed the ball repeatedly and never stop. Hunter is an athletic two-way player who can line up at wide receiver and defensive back.
McMillan and Carter were considered two of the best at their respective positions ahead of the Draft. Carter drew comparisons to Micah Parsons, while McMillan was compared to Mike Evans. They have big shoes to fill, and Week 1 will be an immediate temperature gauge for them.
The Chicago Bears were once again the NFL’s “offseason champions” in many ways. They hired Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson as their new head coach. They followed it up by making huge free agency moves and revamping the offensive line, and they drafted Colston Loveland and Luther Burden to round it out.
Johnson is touted as an offensive guru. He turned the Lions’ offense into a powerhouse with stars like Jahmyr Gibbs, Amon-Ra St. Brown, and Jared Goff. Now he takes the reins in Chicago with the 2024 first overall pick in Caleb Williams.
Williams struggled through his rookie season with bad coaching and a horrendous offensive line. He still threw for 3,541 yards, 20 touchdowns, and only six interceptions. He was sacked 68 times in his rookie year and faced 23 unblocked pressures (league-high).
The Lions’ identity is being tough and gritty, and Johnson excelled with those players. Caleb Williams is as tough as they come, and he proved that last season. He’s the perfect QB for the NFL’s most creative mind.
Now, Williams has a myriad of weapons at his disposal, and Johnson is like a kid in a candy store. The Bears have a ridiculous amount of talent, and all they needed was someone to corral it and make something wonderful out of it. Their new head coach is the man for the job. 2025 will see the Chicago Bears become a legitimate football team, and Caleb Williams will become their first 4,000-yard passer.
The 2025 NFL season is chock-full of intriguing storylines. The worst teams in the league have made tremendous strides this offseason, and the juggernauts continued to get stronger.
This year’s Draft class is stacked to the gills as well. We’ll see several players in a close race for Offensive and Defensive Rookie of the Year. This could be one of the most competitive seasons in recent memory, so let’s all sit back, rejoice, and enjoy the fact that NFL football is finally back.
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