Top three can't-miss storylines to follow as NFL OTAs kick-off
As May draws to a close, NFL teams are beginning to shift gears. Organized Team Activities, or OTAs, officially began today across the league, marking a significant step toward the 2025 season.
OTAs are where teams start building the foundation for the months ahead. Players participate in meetings, classroom activities, and on-field sessions as they attempt to shake off the rust, familiarise themselves with new schemes, and begin developing chemistry with new coaches and teammates.
Cleveland Browns quarterback competition
While it's not uncommon for a team to have four quarterbacks on their roster at this point in the season, it is rare that any one of those four could start for the team in Week 1.
Cleveland traded for former first-round quarterback Kenny Pickett in March, sending a 2025 fifth-round pick and Dorian Thompson-Robinson to the Philadelphia Eagles.
Less than three weeks later, co-owner Jimmy Haslam admitted that the team made a mistake in trading for Deshaun Watson before signing 40-year-old Joe Flacco to a one-year, $4.25 million deal with $3 million in guarantees.
Pickett has failed to impress during his three-year career, and Flacco clearly isn't the long-term plan. So, as the 2025 NFL Draft approached, NFL experts widely tipped the Browns to select a quarterback.
Cleveland selected not one but two quarterbacks in the draft, taking former Oregon player Dillon Gabriel at the end of the third round before ending Shedeur Sanders' surprise slide in the fifth.
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The stage has been set for one of the hottest storylines of the offseason. Cleveland began their OTAs today, so expect to see your timeline flooded with various reports about how Gabriel and Sanders have fared.
When and how much will Micah Parsons get paid?
The 26-year-old is entering the final year of his rookie contract and will almost certainly receive an extension before the end of the season.
When he gets paid, Parsons is expected to become the highest-paid defensive player in NFL history, eclipsing the extension Myles Garrett signed in March, worth $40 million annually.
Many NFL fans have wondered why the Dallas Cowboys delayed re-signing Parsons to what would have likely been a more affordable deal before the salary cap was raised.
In April, owner and general manager Jerry Jones revealed the Cowboys had made an offer to Parsons' agent but didn't disclose further details.
Parsons is doing all the right things in the meantime. He congratulated teammate CeeDee Lamb for receiving a blockbuster extension when others might have been disgruntled at being seemingly passed over.
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Parsons also attended voluntary workouts, citing the importance of demonstrating leadership and his relationship with head coach Brian Schottenheimer.
The rise of Travis Hunter and his role moving forward
Enamored with his undeniable talent, the Jacksonville Jaguars traded up to the second overall pick to select arguably the most talented and electrifying player in the 2025 NFL Draft.
A two-way star who dominated on offense and defense with Colorado, many were keen to understand whether Jacksonville viewed Hunter's primary role as a wide receiver or cornerback.
Jaguars head coach Liam Coen didn't leave the NFL community waiting, explaining that Hunter would "begin his Jaguars career primarily on offense while learning the defensive system and practicing on defense throughout this offseason."
The extent to which Hunter spends time with the offense or defense will be closely monitored by the media during the OTAs.
With the potential to become the most impactful two-way star since Hall of Famer Deion Sanders graced the NFL, Hunter's story is one of the most intriguing storylines of the offseason.