With training camps set to begin and the regular season just weeks away, we look at the biggest questions for each AFC team. Tap a team's abbreviation below to read its entry.
AFC | NFC (Tuesday)
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Baltimore Ravens
What kind of identity will Declan Doyle's offense take on?
A reinvigorated Zay Flowers said in June that Doyle's scheme has "stuff that I've never seen," which only added to the hype behind the new offensive coordinator's arrival. After the Ravens finished 11th in scoring and 16th in yardage in a dreadful 2025 campaign, Doyle's first test as an NFL play-caller is to return this offense to its usual heights. We should get hints in camp about just how he intends to get there, but initial comments from the team suggest an increased focus on explosive plays, motions, and shifts. While Doyle's inexperience could lead to some hiccups, he has all the home-run hitters he needs with Flowers, Lamar Jackson, and Derrick Henry.
Buffalo Bills
What kind of role will Keon Coleman have?
Though Coleman finished last season as the butt of jokes and memes, new coach Joe Brady has been adamant that the third-year receiver will have a meaningful role in 2026. In fact, Brady even guaranteed Coleman a roster spot shortly after taking over for Sean McDermott despite the Florida State product's disciplinary issues and lack of production over his first two years. Still, with the Bills acquiring DJ Moore in March and Khalil Shakir entrenched in the slot, Coleman will have to battle for snaps behind them.
Cincinnati Bengals
How much better is the revamped defensive line?
Dexter Lawrence, Jonathan Allen, and Boye Mafe head to Cincinnati with high expectations, but they also come with major questions. Allen is on his third team in three years and wasn't great for the Vikings last season. Although Mafe served as a solid rotational piece for the Seahawks, the Bengals need him to produce more than the two sacks he posted last year. Lawrence had a great run with the Giants, but he recorded a career-low 0.5 sacks in 2025. If Cincinnati is going to turn around one of the NFL's worst defenses, all three need to be big-time disruptors.
Cleveland Browns
Who wins the QB battle?
The highly publicized duel between Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders features a high-priced veteran returning from a twice-torn Achilles and a sophomore with more career interceptions than touchdowns. Sanders seems to have a rapport with new coach Todd Monken, but Watson will make $46 million this year - that sure ain't backup money. The Browns might be in a lose-lose situation with these two, but one of them has to win it.
Denver Broncos
How quickly can Bo Nix and Jaylen Waddle develop chemistry?
Optimistic about their chances with a healthy quarterback, the Broncos made only one major acquisition: Waddle. The team believes the speedy receiver will take the offense to new heights, though it's worth noting that Waddle's production stalled over his last two seasons with the Dolphins. However, Denver traded a first-round pick to get him, a sign the organization considers his regression more about the situation in Miami. In theory, Nix has ample arm strength to maximize Waddle's explosive, game-breaking talents. But as we know, theory doesn't always translate to practice.
Houston Texans
What on earth will this offense look like?
Between three new starters on the offensive line, a new starting running back in David Montgomery, and the elephant in the room known as quarterback C.J. Stroud, questions galore hang over this offense. After a sensational rookie year in 2023, Stroud has come nowhere close to replicating that form and is coming off a postseason filled with misfires, sacks, and turnovers. Second-year coordinator Nick Caley must establish an identity in camp to help get this unit going by Week 1 because the Texans can't let another inept offense waste their championship-caliber defense.
Indianapolis Colts
How healthy are QB1 and WR1?
A lot is riding on Daniel Jones and Alec Pierce recapturing their early 2025 form, including the jobs of coach Shane Steichen and general manager Chris Ballard. Jones is working his way back from a torn Achilles but said he expects to play Week 1, while Pierce might miss some of training camp due to offseason ankle surgery. Just having both of them on the field when the season kicks off won't be enough for Indy, as Jones and Pierce will need to quickly shake off any rust from their injuries and perform at a high level from the start. Things could go south if there are any issues.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Where are we at with the Travis Hunter experience?
A year ago, we pondered how the Jaguars would deploy the two-way sensation they traded up to draft second overall. Hunter took most of his snaps on offense, but he finished with only 298 yards and one touchdown in seven games as a receiver before a knee injury ended his season. Now, Jacksonville plans to bring him back as a full-time cornerback with some offensive sprinkling still possible. Not only have they strayed from the initial vision, but the Jags already have two starting corners locked in with Montaric Brown and Jourdan Lewis. It's possible the former Heisman Trophy winner comes out of camp as a backup on both sides of the ball.
Kansas City Chiefs
Is adding Kenneth Walker's firepower enough to fix the Chiefs' offense?
Creating explosive plays, particularly in the backfield, is the one area the Chiefs' offense has notoriously struggled in over the past couple of seasons. Kareem Hunt averaged just 3.7 yards per carry last year, while Isiah Pacheco averaged 3.9. Walker, the Super Bowl LX MVP, should remedy the situation. If that isn't enough, Kansas City also brought back Eric Bieniemy as its offensive coordinator. The team had the league's No. 1 offense the last time he was around. With the receiving corps still thin and Patrick Mahomes working his way back from a torn ACL, the Chiefs need Walker to be a difference-maker.
Los Angeles Chargers
How different will Jim Harbaugh's offense look under Mike McDaniel?
At their cores, Harbaugh and McDaniel both want to run the ball. But Harbaugh typically leans on a smashmouth, north-south scheme, whereas his new coordinator has found success stretching defenses horizontally and finding creative ways to get the ball to speedy playmakers in space. To that end, the Chargers targeted explosive skill players this offseason, signing Keaton Mitchell as a free agent and drafting Brenen Thompson, the fastest receiver at the combine. McDaniel will also have to elevate quarterback Justin Herbert, who possesses MVP talent but has never really had an MVP-caliber campaign.
Las Vegas Raiders
Can Fernando Mendoza close the gap on Kirk Cousins?
First-year coach Klint Kubiak has been clear about not wanting to start a rookie quarterback out of the gates, meaning Cousins is a safe bet to be the Week 1 starter. But Mendoza, the first overall pick, represents the Raiders' future, and the present-day prospects of this roster with Cousins don't seem great. The better Mendoza looks in camp, the earlier he'll be able to wrestle that job away from the 37-year-old.
Miami Dolphins
Who will emerge as Malik Willis' go-to target?
It's no secret the Dolphins are in rebuild mode, but they still want to see a return on the $67.5 million they invested in their new quarterback. For that to happen, Miami needs at least one of its new receivers to fill the void left by Tyreek Hill and Waddle. Malik Washington, Jalen Tolbert, and Tutu Atwell head into camp as the top receivers, but they combined for just 712 yards last year and each played on different teams. The Dolphins also drafted three wideouts, though none before the third round.
New England Patriots
What kind of impact will A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs make?
Drake Maye finished as the runner-up for MVP while throwing the ball to the likes of Stefon Diggs and Kayshon Boutte. This year, he'll be passing to Brown and Doubs. Doubs is coming off a career-high 724-yard campaign and should be a reliable move-the-chains type of target. However, it's Brown who all eyes are on. After he stopped feeling the love in Philly, Brown should be hungry to prove he's still an elite receiver. Notably, he's shown that he can thrive in a new environment. His best NFL season came in 2022, when he put up 1,496 receiving yards after being traded to the Eagles.
New York Jets
Will the 1st-round rookies earn starting jobs?
The Jets are looking for all three of their first-round picks to emerge as Day 1 starters, if not impact players. Edge rusher David Bailey (No. 2 overall) must bolster a pass rush that had the second-fewest sacks last year. Tight end Kenyon Sadiq (No. 16) missed time this summer after hernia surgery and will battle Mason Taylor, a second-round pick in 2025, for snaps. And with no other established pass-catchers on the roster, wide receiver Omar Cooper (No. 30) has a chance to slot in behind Garrett Wilson on the depth chart.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Can Mike McCarthy and Aaron Rodgers recapture some magic?
Despite being a year older, the Steelers are hoping the Rodgers experience is even better in Year 2. Much of that optimism stems from reuniting him with McCarthy, his former coach in Green Bay. McCarthy's offense should be a lot more aggressive than the one the 42-year-old quarterback ran in 2025, but that doesn't change the fact that the last time Rodgers and McCarthy were a formidable duo was about a decade ago. As we know, sequels are rarely as good as the originals. Time will tell if Rodgers-McCarthy II is a swan song of greatest hits or a box-office disaster.
Tennessee Titans
Does Cam Ward have the right weapons at his disposal?
Considering the Titans' leading receiver last year was tight end Chig Okonkwo with 560 yards, the organization didn't do a good job setting Ward up for success. Tennessee rectified that in a big way this offseason, signing Wan'Dale Robinson to a four-year, $70-million deal and drafting Carnell Tate with the fourth overall pick. Calvin Ridley is also back, but his disappointing 2025 season is a big reason the Titans had to use so many resources at wide receiver. While none of these players are true game-changers (at least not yet), they'll be massive improvements over what Ward had in 2025. That should translate into additional wins.
