The NFL Roundup - 2016 Preseason Preview

​Written by John Edward Betancourt

(David Zalubowski/Associated Press)

The time has come at last ladies and gentlemen. The NFL offseason comes to its end this evening (a little late courtesy of the Hall of Fame Game debacle) as the 2016 NFL Preseason gets underway. It's a weekend filled to the brim with football, but while these games don't count, the storylines surrounding them do and while we here at Nerds That Geek won't be covering every single week of Preseason games, we thought it would be a good idea to at least preview this time of year in the NFL. So without further ado, here are some key storylines over the next four weeks to keep an eye upon. 

Who will become the starting quarterback for the Denver Broncos?
Peyton got to ride off into the sunset as a hero and Super Bowl Champion at the end of last season, leaving an incredible void at Quarterback for the Denver Broncos and the three men they have chosen to potentially replace this legend, are locked in a three way tie to lead this team as the starting quarterback. Mark Sanchez has shown flashes of brilliance, but also some of his bad habits in training camp. Trevor Siemian has shown hesitation in running the offense and Paxton Lynch has shown off his arm, but is clearly a rookie. Tonight's game in Chicago should help the Broncos coaching staff get a better idea of where their quarterbacks truly are but this is a battle that may take the entire preseason to settle.  

When (and if) will Joey Bosa report to camp for the San Diego Chargers?
When the Collective Bargaining Agreement was signed by the players and the league in the summer of 2011, a grand and sweeping change came to Rookie contracts. Rookie wages were dictated by the salary cap, eliminating the need to hand out giant contracts to new players, and we said goodbye to hold outs. Or so we thought when it comes to the latter, because in the midst of training camp, Joey Bosa, the third overall pick in the draft has yet to sign his contract with the Chargers. As of right now the two teams are at quite an impasse over guarantees and such, and neither side is talking and that's unfortunate. Bosa needs every rep possible to learn his playbook and get used to playing in the NFL and a contract dispute isn't helping him, or the Chargers. At this point it's anyone guess when the deal will get done, so keep your eyes on this one, because who knows when the standoff will end. 

Will the Cleveland Browns make a statement in the Preseason?
Cleveland is a team that quite frankly needs to do something special and quickly. The fans most certainly aren't happy with their consistent losing ways, and despite the changes made in the offseason for the better, it's all about wins and losses at this point. Which leaves one to wonder, will the Browns actively attack teams in the preseason and try to send a clear cut message that they should be taken seriously this year? It may sound silly, or seem like a bad idea since hey, these games don't count. But don't put it past Head Coach Hue Jackson to do such a thing so that the players know what he truly expects on the field, and to give the city of Cleveland a little bit of hope when it comes their regularly abysmal football team. 

Will the Jets be able to re capture their offensive chemistry in the next four weeks?
Speaking of critical contract disputes, Ryan Fitzpatrick spent most of the offseason working out at home during an epic stalemate with the New York Jets and well, that's a bad thing. Despite the fact he knows the playbook backwards and forwards, spending time away from his teammates and not throwing the ball means Fitzy is as rusty as can be and the synergy between his receivers and himself, is most certainly broken at the moment. With that in mind, they have a short window to find that chemistry once again and have it ready for the regular season, so keep a close eye on the Jets during the preseason, since they will no doubt be keeping Fitzpatrick in for a little longer to get those live game reps and get him caught up on all that he missed. Also, speaking of players who need more playing time...

Should we expect to see A LOT of Jimmy Garoppolo this Preseason?
Tom Brady's suspension is official now, and it was already announced earlier today that he will be sitting out at least today's game to give Jimmy the start, but...will Tom sit out the entire preseason? My guess is yes. Brady knows his game and is the kind of unique quarterback that lifts his receivers, not the other way around, so any time he loses won't be a big deal because his freakish talent alone. But more importantly, Garoppolo needs the live game reps. The first four games of the season belong to him, so it makes sense to let him play as much time as possible with the first team to make him comfortable when Kickoff Weekend rolls around. Whether or not he will able to get the Patriots to 4-0 in the regular season...is a mystery to be solved later this year. 

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