This article is part of our Training Camp Notes series.
We've been treated to three days of NFL training camps now, and there is no shortage of news. Let's look around the league at some of the highlights.
Training Camp Storylines
Seahawks Passing Game
DK Metcalf signed a three-year, $72-million extension with the Seahawks on Thursday. The 24-year-old attended training camp but did not practice while his agents and the team worked out the deal, which includes $58.2 million guaranteed and a $30 milion signing bonus. .
Fantasy managers are aware by now that Russell Wilson was shipped to Denver, meaning Metcalf and Tyler Lockett will catch passes from either Geno Smith or Drew Lock. According to coach Pete Carroll, Smith has the lead in the quarterback competition, as he has taken the first-team reps to begin camp.
With Wilson gone, Metcalf and Lockett's numbers are almost certain to suffer. Drafters have adjusted accordingly, as Metcalf, who was consistently a top-20 pick last season, now has an ADP of 44, while Lockett has dropped out of the top 60 overall in 2021 to 78 this season. Lockett outproduced Metcalf last season and could do so again, making him a better value pick.
Injuries/Job Battles
- Gabriel Davis continues to shine in Bills camp, drawing praise from new offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey. With Emmanuel Sanders and Cole Beasley no longer with the team, the 23-year-old is now No. 2 on the depth chart behind Stefon Diggs and is a popular breakout pick and a possible steal going 67th in ADP at the moment.
- Pat Freiermuth left practice early with "lower-body tightness." According to coach Mike Tomlin, the move was precautionary, but Freiermuth will be evaluated further. Assuming it isn't anything serious, Freiermuth is poised to see plenty of targets as the security blanket for either Mitch Trubisky or Kenny Pickett and should be a reliable, low-end TE1 in 2022 with potential for more.
- Donovan Peoples-Jones has a leg up in the competition to be the Browns' No. 2 receiver behind Amari Cooper, and that's because the other two likely options for the job are struggling with injuries. Anthony Schwartz suffered a knee injury Thursday that will require further evaluation, and third-round rookie David Bell is due to miss a couple weeks due to a foot injury. Far more important to all Browns receivers is whether Deshaun Watson will be throwing them the ball, however.
- In some good injury news, K.J. Osborn is back healthy for the Vikings after missing some time this spring with an undisclosed injury. He's third on the depth chart after Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen and could improve his stock in his third year in the league.
- Building on Wednesday's storyline, Michael Gallup still doesn't have a clear timeline to return, but he did admit Thursday that a Week 1 return is a stretch. Third-round pick Jalen Tolbert and veteran James Washington remain the best bets to stand in for Gallup while he is on the mend.
- Rhamondre Stevenson has seen more third-down reps early in preseason for the Patriots, as James White (hip) and rookie Pierre Strong (undisclosed) are out with injuries for the time being. The 24-year-old is likely to reprise his role in a timeshare with Damien Harris but could be in line for a bump in touches if he can seize more third-down work.
- Rams fifth-round pick Kyren Williams could be back from a broken foot before the end of preseason. When healthy, he'll join the mix behind Cam Akers and Darrell Henderson.
- The reason for Packers rookie receiver Christian Watson's absence came to light Thursday, as the 2022 second-round pick revealed he underwent a procedure on his knee after hurting it in OTAs. While it's never good for a rookie to miss time in his first training camp, the 23-year-old has the benefit of not having much competition to jump ahead of him on the depth chart. His ADP is 159.
