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The scintillating stories to follow as NFL mandatory minicamps get underway
Mandatory minicamps mark a significant milestone in the offseason.
It's the first real opportunity to see how rookies handle the transition to the pro level as they compete with veterans, how new coordinators are shaping their schemes, and, inevitably, which veterans are absent as they push for assurances about their future.
DAZN News delivers three of the key storylines to watch unfold over the next three days.
Will star Buffalo Bills running back James Cook be in attendance?
Running back James Cook delivered consecutive 1,000-yard seasons in 2023 and 2024. He enters the fourth and final year of his current contract in 2025 and wants an extension to remain with the Bills
General manager Brandon Beane revealed in March that the two sides had discussed a potential new deal but said that a new deal was not imminent.
"At this point, we're on to the draft... I don't see us doing any deals anytime soon."
Addressing his contract situation at a celebrity poker tournament in May, Cook remained tight-lipped on the subject.
"I just make sure the business is a business, and just do whatever I can to always be there for my teammates, and however it works out, it works out.
"I necessarily don't want to talk about it right now... just let the business take care of the business."
Cook was absent during voluntary organised team activities (OTAs), but unverified rumors are circulating that he intends to attend mandatory minicamp.
Could a Trey Hendrickson no-show mean he holds out for the whole season?
Edge rusher Trey Hendrickson led the league in sacks last year and was one of the few bright spots on a struggling Bengals' defense.
He enters 2025 in the final year of a three-year extension signed in 2023. The Bengals and Hendrickson held contract talks earlier in the year, but the veteran subsequently expressed frustration with the offer and lack of progress.
Hendrickson previously told The Athletic that he would not play this season on his current deal. And, after being informed by the Bengals that he would be fined if he didn't attend mandatory minicamp, he stated, "Fines are a part of the NFL, right? We'll take them as they come."
An extension could still happen, and skipping minicamp doesn't necessarily mean Hendrickson won't play in 2025. With that said, whether he reports today will offer insight into how serious he is about following through on his promise to forego the season if a new deal is not forthcoming.
Cleveland Browns quarterback competition intensifies
The four-way quarterback battle between Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, Dillion Gabriel, and Shedeur Sanders continues today as each strives to create separation from the rest of the pack.
The presence of two rookie signal-callers and Sanders' infamous draft day slide have created training camp hype rarely seen in Cleveland before, as NFL media tracks every throw of every quarterback during OTAs.
Nothing definitive can be gleaned from the pecking order in reps at mandatory minicamp, but every moment and every opportunity counts for these four players.
