Full Breakdown
Rookie Contenders Poised for Starting Roles as NFL Training Camps Loom
7/17/2026, 8:55:28 AM
Core Event: Upcoming Training Camps and Rookie Battles
With the NFL’s month-long offseason pause ending in mid-July, teams will convene for training camp in three weeks, followed by preseason games and a regular season that begins the week of Sept. 7. As part of a league-wide preview, Newsweek highlighted one rookie from each of the Tennessee Titans and New York Jets who could earn a starting job during this camp.
Performance Background of the Prospects
Keldric Faulk – Tennessee Titans (DE, 1st-round pick)
- 2023 season (sophomore year): 45 pressures, 31 hurries, 11 tackles for loss, seven sacks, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery.
- 2022 season (down year): 30 pressures, 27 hurries, five tackles for loss, two sacks.
Omar Cooper Jr. – New York Jets (WR, 1st-round pick)
- 2023 season at Indiana: 13 touchdowns, with nearly 20 % of receptions resulting in scores.
- 2022 season at Indiana: 21.2 yards per catch, indicating big-play capability.
Team Context and Needs
The Titans entered the 2023 season with a pass-rush that ranked 12th in sacks, largely due to defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons’ 11 sacks. Without Simmons, the team would have fallen to the sixth-fewest sacks. Departures of secondary pass-rush contributors—Jihad Ward (free agent), Dre’Mont Jones, Arden Key, and T’Vondre Sweat—leave the Titans seeking fresh impact, positioning Faulk as a “wild-card” candidate.
The Jets struggled offensively last season, ranking last in passing yards (140.3 yards per game). Wide-receiver depth was limited: Adonai Mitchell, Isaiah Williams, and Arian Smith combined for only 57 catches, 546 yards, and two touchdowns. While quarterback Geno Smith is viewed as an upgrade over previous starters, the Jets’ receiving corps remains a concern, creating an opening for Cooper Jr. to contribute immediately.
Why It Matters
If Faulk secures a starting role, the Titans could bolster a depleted pass-rush without relying on free-agent signings, potentially improving their sack totals and defensive pressure. Conversely, a starting slot for Cooper Jr. would address the Jets’ chronic receiving deficiencies, offering a high-percentage scoring threat and deep-field playmaking that could lift the team’s passing production. Both prospects therefore represent pivotal pieces in their teams’ efforts to translate offseason draft capital into on-field performance as the 2026 season approaches.
