For NFL fans, the season is still far away. With more than one month to go, it feels like an eternity to wait until September, and the 2026 season kicks off. Yet, with training camp going strong, the stories from top NFL franchises are pouring in from all sides. Depending on how these stories play out, some might have a big influence on the upcoming season. Here they are:
Aaron Donald Return
It's not official yet! With that said, Aaron Donald's return might be a real possibility for Rams. After the Myles Garrett trade, the stories of Donald's return started to circulate. The player himself didn't rebut the rumours. Donald even was caught commenting on Instagram posts touting at the possibility. If he is to return, Los Angeles Rams would become instant favourites to win the Lombardi come February. Even now, football season outrights have them as front runners with odds of 6.50 of winning the trophy come season end.
Lamar Jackson & New Ravens Era
The two time MVP, Lamar Jackson is the leader of the Baltimore Ravens franchise. He is a fan favourite, and one of the most electric NFL quarterbacks. Yet, what he's lacking is winning the Vince Lombardi Trophy. Whether this is a possibility for the 2026 NFL season, depends on how well he will kick off with his new coaching staff. John Harbaugh is no longer in Baltimore, and the new face in town is Jesse Minter. Minter brought a new OC for Lamar, and Declan Doyle has a tough task of making the Ravens offense more potent than in season prior. If he manages to get on the same page as Jackson, the Ravens will go far this season.
Joe Burrow Return
When healthy, Joe Burrow is one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. Some offseason rankings have him as the second best at the moment, behind only Josh Allen. Yet, the asterisk of his health is always there over Bengals' fans heads. His health will be the most important factor for the Bengals in the offseason. If his O-line manages to keep the defenders away from him, we might have a Burrow resurrection in 2026. With him healthy, the Cincinnati franchise is an instant championship team.
Browns QB Situation
There's never a dull day in Cleveland. The Browns franchise just traded their cornerstone DE Myles Garrett, and with their QB situation unclear, the team lacks a leader, and are entering the 2026 season as one of the year's underdogs. As far as training camp goes, the Browns have one of the most interesting QB rooms, as nobody knows who the starter is. Deshaun Watson was supposed to be the man when he was brought from Houston, but after a string of injuries and off field issues, his position is in jeopardy with Shedeur Sanders looking for an opportunity to be a starter. The chances are, regardless of who wins the starting spot, they're not going to have a lot of fun playing for this Browns team.
The NFL 2026 season starts on September 9, 2026, with a duel between the defending champs Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots in a Super Bowl replay. Before the kick off we will have plenty more training camp and pre season stories coming your way.