Twenty-one NFL teams will throw open the doors to training camp for rookies this week, bringing the league total to 22. (Baltimore Ravens rookies reported Saturday.)
Some teams need huge contributions from their rookie classes — we’re looking at you, New York Giants and New Orleans Saints — while others (Philadelphia Eagles and San Francisco) may have the luxury of bringing their rookies along more slowly.
We asked Yardbarker NFL writers to give each NFC team a pressure rating for its rookie class, with “5” being intense pressure to perform this season to “1” signifying the lowest pressure.
NFC East
DALLAS COWBOYS | Pressure rating: 4 | With offensive linemen Tyron Smith and Tyler Biadasz now with other teams, rookies could account for two-fifths of the team’s O-line in 2024. First-round pick Tyler Guyton will take over for Smith at left tackle and third-round selection Cooper Beebe is expected to replace Biadasz at center, which could put quarterback (and 2025 free agent) Dak Prescott in a precarious position.
NEW YORK GIANTS | Pressure rating: 5 | First-round wide receiver Malik Nabers will look to improve the NFL’s second-worst passing game while second-round safety Tyler Nubin hopes to fill the void left by Xavier McKinney, who signed with the Green Bay Packers. Meanwhile, fifth-round running back Tyrone Tracy got first-team reps at minicamp and fourth-round tight end Theo Johnson will be counted on more after Darren Waller’s retirement.
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES | Pressure rating: 1 | Of Philadelphia’s nine draft picks, only first-round cornerback Quinyon Mitchell is expected to start. The former Toledo Rocket must play well to improve the team’s 31st-ranked secondary, but new coordinator Vic Fangio will have a greater impact on a defense that allowed the third-most points per game (25.2) last season.
WASHINGTON COMMANDERS | Pressure rating: 5 | It’s easy to say Washington will go as far as rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels can take it, but the No. 2 pick in this year’s draft will struggle without protection from rookie left tackle Brandon Coleman. New head coach Dan Quinn holds no allegiance to veteran players, which means second- and third-round picks wide receiver Luke McCaffrey and cornerback Mike Sainristil should get meaningful snaps this season. — Bruce Ewing
NFC West
ARIZONA CARDINALS | Pressure rating: 4 | The Cardinals will lean heavily on their two first-round picks (WR Marvin Harrison Jr. and edge-rusher Darius Robinson) to fill two huge voids in their lineup. Harrison Jr. is expected to be the No. 1 receiver, and Robinson must play a major role on one of the league’s worst pass rushes from a year ago.
LOS ANGELES RAMS | Pressure rating: 3 | The Rams picked in the first round for the first time since 2016, landing edge-rusher Jared Verse with the No. 19 pick. Verse, along with second-round pick Braden Fiske, should make an immediate impact on a defensive line that lost one of the league’s greatest all-time players (DT Aaron Donald) to retirement.
SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS | Pressure rating: 2 | The roster is so talented and so deep that the rookie class probably won’t do much beyond providing depth. That is especially true for first-round wide receiver Ricky Pearsall, who will take a place behind Brandon Aiyuk, Deebo Samuel and Jauan Jennings on the depth chart.
SEATTLE SEAHAWKS | Pressure rating: 3 | The Seahawks have the talent on offense to make the playoffs, but they desperately need to improve a defense that ranked as one of the league’s worst over the past two seasons. First-round pick Byron Murphy, a cornerback, will be leaned on most. — Adam Gretz
NFC North
CHICAGO BEARS | Pressure rating: 3 | Quarterback Caleb Williams faces the immense expectations of being the No. 1 pick and the pressure to be the franchise’s savior. However, aside from punter Tory Taylor, who is penciled in as starter, roster depth should help Chicago avoid having to lean on the rest of the 2024 class, including wideout Rome Odunze, offensive lineman Kiran Amegadjie and defensive lineman Austin Booker.
DETROIT LIONS | Pressure rating: 2 | Super Bowl contenders don’t usually have a ton of holes to fill, and such is the case for the Lions, who won’t have to lean on their rookie class. Detroit’s first two picks, defensive backs Terrion Arnold and Ennis Rakestraw, will be asked to sure up a secondary that was lacking in talent, but sixth-round picks Mekhi Wingo (DT) and Christian Mahogany (OL) are rookies who are likely to get meaningful action only if injuries occur.
GREEN BAY PACKERS | Pressure rating: 3 | First-round pick Jordan Morgan may ultimately find a spot along the offensive line, but with Rasheed Walker blocking him at left tackle, it’s still uncertain if he’ll start immediately. Green Bay’s next three picks, LB Edgerrin Cooper, DB Javon Bullard and RB MarShawn Lloyd, could carve out significant roles from the jump, but most of the remaining draft class will battle for backup spots and spots on special teams.
MINNESOTA VIKINGS | Pressure rating: 2 | The pressure on Minnesota’s rookies depends on if and when first-round pick J.J. McCarthy takes the reins at quarterback. If QB Sam Darnold, the presumptive starter, plays through the season without incident, the only other rookies in line for starting jobs are first-rounder Dallas Turner, a linebacker, and kicker Will Reichard, a sixth-rounder. — Mike Santa Barbara
NFC South
ATLANTA FALCONS | Pressure rating: 3 | Atlanta’s first-round pick, quarterback Michael Penix Jr., can likely relax in Year 1, serving as Kirk Cousins’ projected backup. More pressure is on defensive tackle Ruke Orhorhoro (second round, No. 35 overall) and edge-rushers Bralen Trice (third round, No. 74 overall) and Brandon Dorlus (fourth round, No. 109 overall) after the Falcons failed to add meaningful pieces to the defensive line in free agency.
CAROLINA PANTHERS | Pressure rating: 4 | Panthers rookies have perhaps the most difficult task of any in the division: make Bryce Young look good. Carolina selected wide receiver Xavier Legette (No. 32 overall), running back Jonathon Brooks (No. 46 overall) and tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders (No. 101 overall) with three of its first four picks, and all could be significant factors in Young making a second-year leap.
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS | Pressure rating: 5 | The Saints’ hopes of reaching the playoffs, snapping a three-year drought, could hinge on the development of rookie first-round tackle Taliese Fuaga (No. 14 overall). New Orleans had one of the league’s worst offensive lines last season, finishing 28th in ESPN’s pass-block win-rate rankings and 31st in rush yards per attempt (3.6), the second-lowest average in the NFL.
TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS | Pressure rating: 2 | Center Graham Barton (first round, No. 26 overall) must anchor Tampa Bay’s offensive line, undoubtedly a tall order. But besides Barton, Tampa added depth via the draft rather than players expected to contribute immediately, putting the class under less pressure than others in the division. — Eric Smithling
