One takeaway from every AFC team's offseason workouts: Chiefs seeing early flashes from first-round rookie

Here's a look at how offseason workouts fared for these AFC teams

School is out for the summer in the NFL. Every team in the league is now off enjoying the summer break with OTAs and minicamp in the rearview mirror, and training camp still somewhat off in the distant horizon. This period on the calendar is one of the true hiatuses the league takes every year, and it presents us with an opportunity to dive into these offseason workouts a bit further. 

While each team is going through the same type of workouts (OTAs followed by mandatory minicamp), what went on during the sessions presents wildly different results. Sometimes the key storyline to come out of offseason workouts doesn't have anything to do with the actual on-field play at all and derives more from who is not participating and whether that's due to contract disputes or injury. 

Below, we're going to comb through the entire AFC and identify one takeaway from their offseason workouts. 

Keon Coleman motivated for Year 2 leap

Arguably, the biggest critic of Keon Coleman's rookie season was ... Keon Coleman. The Bills second-year receiver didn't hold back this offseason when assessing his play in 2024, calling it "trash." While he may not have been thrilled with how his first season in the league unfolded, Coleman has used it as motivation to set up a Year 2 leap, and it has caught his quarterback's attention. 

"He looks very smooth right now," Josh Allen said of Coleman, via Sports Illustrated. "I feel like he's put on some muscle, he's moving quicker, not just physically but mentally with our offensive system. I just think he's attacked this offseason the way you would want a second-year receiver to attack."

The cornerback position is still a major question

What is going to happen with Jalen Ramsey? That's still the biggest question currently hovering around the Miami Dolphins. The two sides have been working to find a trade partner for the veteran corner, but no deal has come across the wire. Ramsey did not attend mandatory minicamp as this trade looms, and his absence does highlight what could be a rather thin cornerback room for the Dolphins. As the room stands, Storm Duck, Cam Smith, and rookie Jason Marshall Jr. headline the position group outside of Ramsey. 

Malachi Corley is on the bubble

There was a solid amount of hype when the Jets drafted Corley with the 65th overall pick at the 2024 NFL Draft out of Western Kentucky. Fast-forward a year, however, and the wide receiver is firmly on the roster bubble. Even without mentioning the overall disappointing rookie season, the new regime change with New York has Corley's place on the opening 53-man roster in doubt. He sat out of mandatory minicamp due to injury, which doesn't help his chances of making the team either, as he's missing critical time building a rapport with Justin Fields and learning the offense. 

"He's going to have to find a way to catch himself up," offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand said, via ESPN.

Something needs to give in WR room

The Patriots have a lot of bodies in their wide receiver room at the moment. This offseason, they brought in Stefon Diggs and Mack Hollins via free agency and then drafted Kyle Williams in the third round. That fills up three spots already, and leaves possibly just three more for DeMario Douglas, Kendrick Bourne, Kayshon Boutte, Javon Baker, Ja'Lynn Polk, and Efton Chism III to fight for. Douglas almost certainly claims one of those spots, and if Chism, an undrafted rookie out of Eastern Washington, carries his strong showing during OTAs and minicamp to training camp, he could crash the party and take another. So, that puts 2024 draftees like Polk and Baker squarely on the bubble. 

The secondary's ceiling has been raised

For the most part, OTAs and minicamp center around how offseason additions made a few months ago are faring with their teams and less about further roster building. However, in the case of the Ravens, they made a splash in the secondary by signing former Packers cornerback Jaire Alexander. While the 28-year-old has battled injuries in recent years that have limited his availability, his arrival in Baltimore does raise the ceiling of a secondary that came on strong down the stretch. If Alexander, who allowed just a 56.7% completion percentage in his seven games played last season, can stay healthy and Baltimore's secondary looks more like the unit that allowed the fewest passing yards per game in the entire NFL from Week 11 to Week 18, this defense could reach new heights in 2025. 

Aaron Rodgers finally arrives

At long last, Aaron Rodgers signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers. While this was speculated for the bulk of the offseason, the longer that the two sides didn't officially come together, the more uneasy Pittsburgh's quarterback situation became. However, just before minicamp opened, Rodgers put pen to paper on his deal, and now it is full steam ahead with the Steelers. With Rodgers secured and DK Metcalf as the new go-to target, offensive coordinator Arthur Smith even alluded to a more pass-heavy attack than a year ago, when Pittsburgh ran the ball the fourth-most in the NFL. 

Trey Hendrickson's holdout continues to loom

For a team that has a top-five quarterback and should be in the Super Bowl conversation, the conversation around the Cincinnati Bengals is currently revolving around Trey Hendrickson. The star pass rusher held out of mandatory minicamp as he seeks a contract extension, and it seems like the two sides are not close to any sort of resolution. Moreover, the Bengals are also in a contract dispute with fellow pass rusher Shemar Stewart. The first-rounder even left minicamp as his dispute continued. Cincinnati did a stellar job securing both Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins this offseason, but retaining those stars may come in vain if they don't have their playmakers on defense. 

Dylan Sampson will be a dual-threat back

Throughout his collegiate career at Tennessee, Sampson hauled in a total of 40 catches, including 20 receptions in 2024. Despite that relatively low output as a receiver, the Browns look at Sampson as a possible dual-threat option out of the backfield and could even line up in the slot at times. 

"Being able to show him as a running back and a receiver," running back coach Duce Staley said of Sampson, via Cleveland.com. "Also meeting with (wide receivers coach Chad O'Shea) in there and going over some of the receiver splits and routes and just being able to just take his game and expand it."

Concerns about C.J. Stroud's shoulder have cooled

Sometimes the tiniest of nuggets get a bit overblown this time of the year, and that seems to be the case with C.J. Stroud and his right shoulder. After sitting out of OTAs this spring due to what head coach DeMeco Ryans previously described as "general soreness," the Texans quarterback returned to throwing during minicamp and even downplayed the injury when speaking to reporters. 

"I think y'all don't have much to talk about," Stroud said, via NFL.com. "So everything is blown up in the offseason. I'm fine, man. I'm really OK."

Stroud added: "I felt great. I'm very grateful to be back out on the field. A little rusty, made some throws, missed some throws. Just very grateful to be out there with the guys."

Anthony Richardson's shoulder is cause for concern

On the opposite end of the spectrum from Stroud is Anthony Richardson and his shoulder injury. The Colts quarterback did not participate in minicamp as he deals with inflammation in his surgically repaired AC joint, according to CBS Sports NFL Insider Jonathan Jones. This puts Richardson's availability for the start of training camp in doubt, which then could effectively hand the starting quarterback job to Daniel Jones. The former Giants quarterback was brought in this offseason to compete with Richardson for the job, but has since gained valuable time working as the lone QB1 this offseason with Richardson sidelined. 

Dyami Brown is an underrated addition

Brian Thomas Jr. entering Year 2 and knocking on the door of becoming an elite wideout, along with the arrival of Travis Hunter, has taken over Jacksonville's receiver room. However, don't sleep on Dyami Brown and his impact on the Jaguars offense. The club signed him to a one-year, $10 million deal back in March, and the 25-year-old has been turning heads this offseason with his ability not only to stretch the field, but also developing his route tree.

"I think over the course of this spring, Trevor and him have gained a little bit of a chemistry on some of those intermediate in-breakers, curls, maybe out-cuts," head coach Liam Coen said of Brown's budding chemistry with Lawrence, via The Florida Times-Union. "I just think that they have a little bit of chemistry in that that was part of the selling point to have him come here was, man, we really want to continue to diversify your route tree and have you do more."

Elic Ayomanor could be early contributor

The Tennessee Titans have some veterans currently sitting atop the depth chart in Calvin Ridley, Tyler Lockett, and Van Jefferson. However, fourth-round rookie Elic Ayomanor could be carving himself a role within the offense. The Stanford product has been making plays throughout the offseason and has the size -- 6-foot-2, 206 pounds -- to be a boundary receiver for Cam Ward pretty early.  

Josh Simmons impressing early

The Kansas City Chiefs desperately needed to fix the left tackle position, and they may have done just that with Justin Simmons. The Ohio State product was looked at as arguably the top tackle prospect in the 2025 class, but fell to the Chiefs in the bottom of the first round due to a torn patellar injury he suffered with the Buckeyes. While that may have contributed to his fall, Simmons has been on the field throughout the offseason program, and Andy Reid also noted that he'll be a full participant come training camp. 

"You can see his athletic ability,'' Reid said of Simmons during minicamp, via ESPN.com. "You can see his want-to. He's got a great attitude. He's approached everything the right way plus a little bit extra. You could tell if you just want to look at his rehab, you can see that he's got a mindset that, 'I'm going to get in there.'

"He worked his tail off to get there. So, we respect that part. He's done a nice job, he's worked well, and we'll just see what training camp does. It's different when things are flying fast up there and you've got full contact and pads on. We'll see how he does."

Rashawn Slater showed up for minicamp

While some players choose minicamp to hold out in hopes of strong-arming their team into a new contract, Rashawn Slater took a different route. The Chargers star left tackle attended mandatory minicamp as he is now eligible for an extension. 

"We'll see," Slater said when asked if he thinks a deal will get done before training camp. "I think, you know, my agent obviously is having those conversations on my behalf, so for me I'm just focused on training and whatever happens happens."

RB room suddenly has depth

The Broncos running back room didn't inspire much prior to the NFL Draft before they selected RJ Harvey in the second round. Even after his arrival, the room felt a little thin, but that has since changed with the team signing veteran J.K. Dobbins just before minicamp. Suddenly, Denver's backfield has an interesting one-two punch with Harvey and Dobbins at the helm. 

Michael Mayer could be primed for a rebound

Even with Brock Bowers entrenched as the top tight end on the depth chart, the Las Vegas Raiders seem to be looking at Michael Mayer and positioning him for a Year 3 breakout. Mayer missed time last season due to personal reasons, but head coach Pete Carroll did commend him for having a "great offseason" and noted that the two sides had met to detail their expectations. 

"We started out going heart to heart with him to understand what we're all about," Carroll said, via the Las Vegas Review-Journal. "And he embraced it and took it as well as anybody could take the challenge of bringing it day in and day out. He had a great camp."