Bullet point summary by AI
- The first week of NFL OTAs has sparked massive overreactions across the league as teams begin their offseason programs and assess their current rosters.
- Storylines include the Giants’ poor injury luck, the Browns’ quarterback drama with Deshaun Watson, Chiefs’ receiver woes, and Bengals’ Super Bowl hype.
- While it is early, these developing situations highlight potential roster weaknesses and strengths that could heavily influence the 2026 playoff picture.
There’s nothing like severe overreactions a week into offseason progams in the NFL. Take your pick of what you want to obsess over as teams begin their OTAs. Are you going to think about how the New York Giants’ season already feels like a lost cause before the second phase of the offseason takes shape? Or do you want to dive into the Cleveland Browns’ never-ending quarterback battle?
There’s no shortage of things to dwell on after the first week of OTAs, so here are a few overreactions to think about as offseason plans ramp up.
New York Giants already feeling less optimistic about 2026 season with poor injury luck
It turns out Malik Nabers might not be ready for Week 1. John Harbaugh told reporters that Nabers needed a second knee surgery to relieve stiffness. Nabers could certainly be ready for Week 1, but it’s a minor setback in the recovery from his torn ACL and meniscus last season. The Giants were on the road to being fully healthy for the 2026 season after Nabers and Cam Skattebo suffered season-ending injuries.
Since OTAs began, not only has Nabers’ recovery news put a damper on the start of the year, but losing veteran defensive end Roy Robertson-Harris for the season due to an Achilles injury is just bad luck. This comes after they traded Dexter Lawrence to the Cincinnati Bengals ahead of the NFL Draft.
I’m not saying the Giants’ season is already over, but it’s hard to look past the offseason luck. This season was supposed to prove if the young core they drafted is ready to take that next leap. Not that it can’t happen, but their defense took a major hit, and Nabers could be ailing to start the year.
Shedeur Sanders is closer to being traded than QB1 for Week 1
This is the definition of an overreaction because no player is getting traded after a week of OTAs that wasn’t already on the trade block. That said, there’s growing belief that Deshaun Watson is playing himself into the Week 1 starter in Cleveland. Yep, the Browns are having this dance again. They haven’t learned their lesson and more importantly, are going to force themselves into a premature Shedeur Sanders decision. If Watson is the Week 1 starter, would the Browns really consider trading Sanders?
It makes sense because after this year, the Browns will finally be absolved—to an extent—of their Watson problem and will be eyeing the 2027 NFL Draft class as their target for finding their new franchise quarterback. They aren’t going to bring four quarterbacks onto the active roster. If they’re willing to bench Sanders for Watson, what’s to stop them from turning to Taylen Green or Dillon Gabriel as the preferred backup?
Right now, Sanders doesn’t really have a lot of trade value. If he loses the starting job, his trade value might even take a hit. That said, Joe Flacco wasn’t on their trade radar until he was. Anything can happen, and a future Sanders trade isn’t a completely irrational thought.
Kansas City Chiefs receiver problems will continue to arise in 2026 after Rashee Rice news
The Kansas City Chiefs once again are facing some receiver problems in 2026, and it’s starting with Rashee Rice. He’ll be out of OTAs and training camp because he’ll be serving 30 days in jail for violation of his probation. Rice was supposed to be the star receiver in this offense. Injuries and off-the-field stuff has hindered his career already. Xavier Worthy is a solid No. 2 option, but he didn’t quite have a breakout year and may not be able to provide the way Kansas City needs from their receivers. It’s not an alarm right now because Travis Kelce is still Patrick Mahomes’ favorite target. That doesn’t mean the receivers have to get neglected either.
The Chiefs haven’t been able to replenish what Tyreek Hill brought to this offense since they traded him to Miami. Kelce has carried the receiving load for this offense, which has hidden how poor the receivers have been. If Rice continues to be a problem off the field and Worthy doesn’t develop into a respectable weapon, it will hold this team back. Kelce isn’t playing at the same level he once was. We saw how beatable the Chiefs were last season. That will be exacerbated with more receiver problems.
The Cincinnati Bengals will be Super Bowl contenders in 2026
Joe Burrow believes this is the most talented Bengals team he’s had. There’s a lot of reason to be optimistic about the Bengals this year, but it feels like they’ll finally put it together. When you look at Burrow’s injury history in the NFL, each year he’s had a major injury, he’s bounced back even better. Remember when he tore his ACL his rookie year? The next year the Bengals were in the Super Bowl.
In 2024, after Burrow had season-ending wrist surgery, he threw for 4,918 yards and 43 touchdowns. The defense held Cincinnati back from real success. The Bengals have invested in their defense. With Burrow coming off a major injury last year, you have to believe the Bengals’ run of luck will finally give them the playoff success they’ve desperately wanted since feeling that Super Bowl high back in 2021.
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