NFL training camps: New-look teams, position battles to watch

Per NFL rules, veteran players may report to training camp no earlier than 15 days before their team's first preseason game. For the majority of the league, that means Wednesday marks what many consider the start of the 2018 NFL season.

Veterans from 22 NFL teams were scheduled to report to training camp Wednesday. They include the Super Bowl-champion Eagles and the team Philadelphia beat in last year's championship, the Patriots. They include other contenders like the Jaguars, Steelers, Packers and Saints.

They also include a handful of new-look teams and couple intriguing position battles.

SN over the offseason featured breakdowns of teams that made significant changes via free agency and the draft. We also broke down the position battles that will captivate the NFL world through training camp and into the preseason.

Below are those breakdowns for the teams scheduled to report to training camp Wednesday.

San Francisco 49ers

The 49ers got a jump start on their 2018 offseason changes by trading for Jimmy Garoppolo in October. After locking up the franchise QB with a long-term contract in February, San Francisco is focused on supporting its grand investment.

John Lynch's first year as general manager was more of a feeling-out period than anything; finding the team's biggest weaknesses and working to get the essential building blocks. This year has been about piling on some strengths and adding leadership to lift a young team.

That mindset led to significant roster moves that shook up the depth chart at five key positions: quarterback, running back, wide receiver, offensive line and secondary.

MORE: Breaking down new-look 49ers

​Seattle Seahawks

The Seahawks in 2017 were not a playoff team for the first time in six seasons. That failure led right into a 2018 offseason of change. Seattle's offense has been reset at the skill positions, with running backs Thomas Rawls and Eddie Lacy, tight ends Jimmy Graham and Luke Willson and wide receiver Paul Richardson all gone. The line also has seen more shuffling as the team tries to settle on a better front five.

The defense is dealing with the departure of core players like cornerback Richard Sherman and defensive ends Michael Bennett and Cliff Avril. Defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson left as a free agent. Strong safety Kam Chancellor all but retired, and free safety Earl Thomas is the subject of trade rumors.

On top of all that, Brian Schottenheimer replaced Darrell Bevell as offensive coordinator, and Ken Norton Jr. replaced Kris Richard as defensive coordinator under head coach Pete Carroll. So who does that leave on the Seahawks' roster, and what will it mean in the fall?

MORE: Breaking down new-look Seahawks

Los Angeles Rams

The Los Angeles Rams' response to a long-awaited breakthrough season in 2017 has been a Hollywood marquee-worthy 2018 offseason. After going 11-5 and winning the NFC West for the first time in 14 years thanks to rookie coach Sean McVay getting the best out of the offense, the Rams went to work in upgrading their defense. Six new starters are projected to flank stud lineman Aaron Donald, as the team acquired tackle Ndamukong Suh and cornerbacks Marcus Peters and Aqib Talib to be key personnel in Wade Phillips' 3-4 scheme.

McVay and general manager Les Snead did not forget to make a splash on the other side of the ball. They traded for former Saints and Patriots wide receiver Brandin Cooks late in free agency.

That's a lot of change for a talented, young team still trying to find its championship groove. When examining key parts of the Rams' depth chart going into training camp and cutting through the hype, some new questions come with those new solutions.

MORE: Breaking down new-look Rams

New York Giants

The Giants made some big changes in 2018 with the intent of getting the best out of the core players who helped them make the playoffs in 2016.

At the top, Pat Shurmur and Dave Gettelman form the new head coach-general manager combo, replacing Ben McAdoo and Jerry Reese. Under Shurmur, offensive coordinator Mike Shula and defensive coordinator James Bettcher are taking both sides of the ball in new directions.

Everything has been done with two goals in mind: Get quarterback Eli Manning right again, and get the defense to perform like the often dominant force it was two seasons ago. Armed with a high draft pick and some room under the salary cap, the Giants were aggressive in implementing a refreshing attitude for the upcoming season.

MORE: Breaking down new-look Giants

Dallas Cowboys

When the Cowboys parted ways with Dez Bryant this offseason, his release set in motion some overdue changes at wide receiver around quarterback Dak Prescott. Dallas was right to cut Bryant. He had lost a lot of effectiveness going into his age-30 season, and proof lies in the fact that he remains unsigned in free agency. The Cowboys also chose not to re-sign little used deep threat Brice Butler.

They still have Terrance Williams, Cole Beasley, Noah Brown and Lance Lenoir. They added two other veterans, Allen Hurns and Deonte Thompson, and they traded for Tavon Austin to fill the void of a hybrid receiving threat to complement Ezekiel Elliott in the backfield. But Dallas' biggest 2018 acquisition was third-round draft pick Michael Gallup.

The new group of wide receivers sets up what should be a competetive training camp competition.

MORE: Cowboys WR training camp battle

Green Bay Packers

The Packers know they'll go into the 2018 season with Davante Adams as their well-paid No. 1 wide receiver. As for the rest of the pecking order at the position, almost everything is up in the air.

Jordy Nelson was cut in March. Randall Cobb was retained with one year left on his contract to be the No. 2, but on top of a recent history of durability issues, he's now dealing with a right foot injury from the end of minicamp. Also gone in Green Bay is Jeff Janis. After Adams and Cobb, the "veteran" holdovers are third-year undraftee Geronimo Allison and second-year fifth-rounder DeAngelo Yancey. Then there are the three rookies the Packers drafted — fourth-rounder J'Mon Moore, fifth-rounder Marquez Valdes-Scantling and sixth-rounder Equanimeous St. Brown.

There's one more player to consider in the mix: running back Ty Montgomery. With Montgomery healthy again, the Packers want to give him a key role in the passing game. That might mean the just-converted wide receiver will be deployed as a true hybrid player.

MORE: Packers WR training camp battle

Kansas City Chiefs

The Chiefs for the most part in 2017 enjoyed a successful offensive season thanks to their starting quarterback and offensive coordinator. Now Kansas City hopes to have an even bigger year without Alex Smith and Matt Nagy.

Coach Andy Reid and Nagy's replacement, a promoted Eric Bienemy, have gone to work with second-year quarterback Patrick Mahomes. The Chiefs found their feature running back in Kareem Hunt last year, but now they are trying take the passing game to the next level and being more aggressive to compliment Mahomes' big arm.

Smith is not the only familiar name gone. Defensively, linebacker Derrick Johnson signed with the rival Raiders in free agency, and cornerback Marcus Peters was dealt to the Rams. That's quite a shake-up for an established AFC playoff team.

MORE: Breaking down new-look Chiefs

Tennessee Titans

For a team that just ended a nine-year playoff drought, the Titans have made a lot of changes for 2018, all the way down to their new uniforms.

A 9-7 record and a playoff victory were not enough to save head coach Mike Mularkey. Enter his replacement, Mike Vrabel, with Matt LaFleur succeeding Terry Robiskie as offensive coordinator and Dean Pees taking the reins of the 3-4 defense from Dick LeBeau.

But even with a winning record, Tennessee limped to an AFC wild-card berth. That prompted general manager Jon Robinson to upgrade the veteran talent at key spots and draft more for immediate impact.

MORE: Breaking down new-look Titans

More teams with veterans reporting for training camp Wednesday:

Contributing: Vinnie Iyer