The biggest question surrounding the Dallas Cowboys as each season approaches seems to be whether Tony Romo will be healthy enough to keep the team competitive for a full season, and this year is no exception.
Quarterback questions dominate NFC East training camps
Whether it’s centered around health or performance, almost all of the NFC East teams will be looking for clarity on their quarterback situations during training camp.
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Jeanna Kelley has been covering the Falcons for The Falcoholic since 2011 and the NFL for SB Nation since 2015.
Elsewhere in the NFC East, other teams are facing their own quarterback questions. For the Philadelphia Eagles, all eyes are on the development of Carson Wentz. Wentz isn’t expected to start this year, but anything is possible if he manages to outplay Sam Bradford in these weeks leading up to the season.
In Washington, fans want to know whether Kirk Cousins’ performance last year was a fluke, or if they can expect more of the same from him this season. The New York Giants are pretty set in knowing what to expect from Eli Manning, but they’re likely eager to get a look at the new defensive players they brought in via free agency during training camp.
Dallas Cowboys
Location: River Ridge Playing Fields, Oxnard, Calif.
Starting date: July 30
Complete coverage: Blogging the Boys
The Cowboys made it clear the run game would be a priority this season after signing Alfred Morris as a free agent and then selecting Ezekiel Elliott with the fourth overall pick in the 2016 draft. Elliott will likely carry the bulk of the workload, but Morris should get opportunities, too. The plans Dallas has at this position should become clearer over the course of camp.
The most pressing storyline for the Cowboys heading into the season, as it often is, will be Tony Romo’s health. Romo is coming off a fractured collarbone and a fractured clavicle last season, and if the Cowboys want to challenge for the NFC East and make a run in the postseason, they need Romo at full strength. Without Romo, the Cowboys would have to lean on (mostly) unproven backup Kellen Moore and rookie fourth-round pick Dak Prescott. Yikes!
Dallas will be missing several defenders to start the season, all for violating the league’s substance abuse policy. Defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence will miss the first four games of the season, linebacker Rolando McClain will be serving a 10-game suspension, and Randy Gregory's four-game suspension could turn into a 10-game one. Training camp will be an opportunity for other players, like Benson Mayowa, Ryan Russell and Jack Crawford, to step up and fill those voids.
New York Giants
Location: Quest Diagnostics Training Center, East Rutherford, N.J.
Starting date: July 29
Complete coverage: Big Blue View
This will be the first training camp for the Giants in 12 years without Tom Coughlin at the helm. New head coach Ben McAdoo is certainly one of the primary storylines as New York gets ready to hit the practice fields at training camp.
Perhaps more of a pressing storyline, however, is the way the team worked -- that is, spent -- to improve a defense that was one of the worst in the NFL last season. The Giants added defensive end Olivier Vernon, defensive tackle Damon Harrison and cornerback Janoris Jenkins in free agency, paying a pretty penny for all three. They also drafted cornerback Eli Apple in the first round, and Apple should get plenty of playing time. The team’s third-round pick, safety Darian Thompson, will also have a shot to compete for a starting role.
The Giants certainly missed wide receiver Victor Cruz last season, but he should be ready to go at the start of training camp after dealing with a torn patellar tendon in 2014 and surgery on his calf that kept him out last season. The Giants will be eager to see what second-round draft pick Sterling Shepard can contribute to the receiving game, too.
Philadelphia Eagles
Location: NovaCare Complex, Philadelphia, Pa.
Starting date: July 28
Complete coverage: Bleeding Green Nation
Everybody’s been talking about the quarterback situation in Philadelphia since the days leading up to the draft, when the Eagles traded up to select Carson Wentz with the second overall pick. Sam Bradford is penciled in as the starter, though Wentz’s development is a priority for training camp. It’s possible he could overtake Bradford and win the job, but head coach Doug Pederson has been adamant throughout the offseason that they’re going to take it slow with the rookie.
Whoever ends up under center will be dealing with a lack of depth and talent at the wide receiver position. The Eagles have Nelson Agholor and Jordan Matthews and added Rueben Randle as a free agent. There’s room for other receivers to earn playing time.
Pederson will be under a lot of scrutiny heading into the season, and training camp is a chance for him to really shape the direction he wants the team to take under his leadership.
Washington
Location: Bon Secours Training Center, Richmond, Va.
Starting date: July 28
Complete coverage: Hogs Haven
Kirk Cousins is coming off a career year, and Washington locked up a postseason spot due in part to his performance last season. What remains to be seen is whether Cousins can replicate that success in 2016. He’s playing under the franchise tag and bringing in over $19 million this season, so fans will be watching his performance in training camp closely.
Washington drafted a little help for Cousins, snagging wide receiver Josh Doctson in the first round of the 2016 draft. Doctson is nursing an Achilles injury that kept him sidelined during OTAs and minicamp. Washington needs Doctson at full strength, so fans should keep an eye on his status and development throughout camp.
Perhaps the biggest addition for Washington this offseason was their signing of Josh Norman. An All-Pro corner, he should bolster a secondary that desperately needs help. Training camp will be an important time for him to build rapport with his teammates and acclimate to Washington’s scheme.
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