Top offensive position battles during NFL offseason: Vikings QBs, Jags RBs and more

Organized team activities are underway for the majority of NFL teams, with mandatory minicamps soon to follow.

As offseason workouts heat up, we go position-by-position and look at the top offensive positional battles to watch over the summer heading into the 2026 season.

Minnesota Vikings quarterback

Options: Kyler Murray • J.J. McCarthy | This situation feels similar to the one the Indianapolis Colts were in last offseason after signing castoff Daniel Jones to compete with former first-round pick Anthony Richardson for starting quarterback. That ended in Jones' favor, and he was in the midst of a career-best season before tearing his Achilles in Week 14.

McCarthy struggled mightily in his first season as a starter, making this battle potentially his final shot at becoming a part of Minnesota's long-term plans.

Jacksonville Jaguars running back

Options: Bhayshul Tuten • Christopher Rodriguez Jr. • LeQuint Allen Jr. | "It's truly wide open," Jaguars head coach Liam Coen told reporters on Tuesday in regards to his team's running back situation after losing 2025 leading rusher Travis Etienne to the New Orleans Saints in free agency. (h/t Pro Football Talk)

Tuten and Allen are entering their second seasons after both were selected by Jacksonville in the 2025 NFL Draft. Of the two, Tuten saw the heavier workload as a rookie, finishing last season with 83 carries, 307 yards and five rushing touchdowns. Allen only took 23 carries but has the most upside as a receiver.

Rodriguez is another physical runner and could make a strong case for the starting role, however, after flashing potential in 13 games (seven starts) for the Washington Commanders last season, ending 2025 with 112 carries, 500 rushing yards and six rushing touchdowns.

Miami Dolphins wide receiver

Options: Tutu Atwell • Chris Bell • Kevin Coleman Jr. • Caleb Douglas • Jalen Tolbert • Malik Washington | To get an idea of how bleak things are for the Dolphins in 2026, one must only look at the wide receiver battle after the organization parted with stars Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle during the offseason. Those moves left Washington, who had 46 receptions for 317 yards last season, as the top returning wideout. Free-agent additions Atwell and Tolbert are projected starters, but the two combined for 24 receptions last season. Rookies Bell, Douglas and Coleman, all selected during April's NFL Draft, could challenge for first-team offense roles with big summers, although their lack of pro experience may force Miami to play things safe.

Los Angeles Rams tight end

Options: Colby Parkinson • Tyler Higbee • Davis Allen • Terrance Ferguson • Max Klare | The Rams are at the forefront of offenses shifting to more multi tight end sets, but unless they start running 05 personnel, head coach Sean McVay must settle on a rotation. Parkinson (621 snaps) and Allen (585 snaps) received the most playing time at the position a season ago, while Higbee (366 snaps) and Ferguson (356 snaps), a 2025 rookie, contributed in valuable secondary roles. Klare, a 2026 second-rounder, enters the picture, and he could squeeze another out of frame by living up to his draft billing.

Baltimore Ravens center

Options: Corey Bullock • Jovaughn Gwyn • Danny Pinter | Tyler Linderbaum's offseason departure created at vacuum in the middle of Baltimore's offensive line.

"We're trying to figure that out," general manager Eric DeCosta told WBAL Radio in late April following the conclusion of the draft, while adding a trade could be in play during an appearance on "The Lounge" podcast.

"Some of the best deals we ever made happened in June, July, August. I rule nothing out," DeCosta said, per the official team website.

Until then, Bullock, Gwyn and Pinter are the team's options. All have minimal experience, with Pinter, a 2020 fifth-rounder, playing 899 offensive snaps for the Colts in five seasons. Bullock and Gwyn combined for 24 offensive snaps last year.

Las Vegas Raiders left guard

Options: Spencer Burford • Trey Zuhn III | Before figuring out starting quarterback, the Raiders must land on who'll protect rookie Fernando Mendoza or veteran Kirk Cousins. Las Vegas added former San Francisco 49ers guard Burford on a one-year, $3.255M free-agent contract and used a late third-round draft pick on Zuhn, a four-year college starter at Texas A&M, putting the two on a collision course for the starting left guard role.

Chicago Bears left tackle

Options: Theo Benedet • Braxton Jones • Jedrick Wills | Ozzy Trapilo's ruptured patellar tendon, which ESPN's Courtney Cronin reported in early April is expected for force him "to miss the majority of the 2026 season," complicates things for Chicago. Jones, a 2022 fifth-round pick, has 44 career starts but was benched during a Week 4 win for Benedet. He was later placed on injured reserve due to a knee injury, followed by Benedet injuring his quadriceps in November, which paved the way for Trapilo.

Wills signed a veteran minimum contract during the offseason and missed all of 2025 due to a leg injury, leaving left tackle — arguably the most important on the Bears offensive line — up for grabs.