NFL Training Camps Progress with 2021 Season Approaching

August is underway and that means the NFL season is right around the corner. The first pre-season game kicks off Thursday night with the annual Hall of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio. The Steelers and Cowboys will go head-to-head at 8 p.m. ET.

Vaccinations, injuries, and conflicts within training camps topped the headlines in recent days.

Cowboys Being Conservative with Star QB

The Dallas Cowboys will begin their second season under Head Coach Mike McCarthy and look to bounce back from a 6-10 stint in 2020. Dak Prescott and company are searching for their first playoff appearance since 2018, but have hurdles to get past before they can think about that. Prescott will not play in Thursday’s Hall of Fame Game as he is recovering from a shoulder strain from earlier in the week. Mike McCarthy stressed the importance of being cautious and not rushing Prescott’s return.

“He is doing everything he possibly can, but we are just being conservative with his rehab.”

However, Cowboys fans have reason to be optimistic with a healthy Ezekiel Elliot and standout rookie Micah Parsons.

Fight Night at Giants Training Camp

Moving through the NFC East, the New York Giants camp was highlighted by an all-out brawl in Tuesday’s practice. Tensions bubbled over when RB Corey Clement was hit hard after a run.

Hard to see exactly what happened. RB Corey Clement took a big hit at the end of a run. TE Evan Engram retaliated and then he got popped by Logan Ryan.

Then everybody — and I mean everybody — jumped in.

— Ralph Vacchiano (@RalphVacchiano) August 3, 2021

Head Coach Joe Judge was not having it and made the players run and do push-ups as a result.

Although seemingly bad at first, Logan Ryan reassured the media that the scuffle also had its benefits.

New York quarterback Daniel Jones talked about learning from the practice and moving forward.

“We got to make sure we are controlling our enthusiasm and excitement.”

Injury Deprived Indianapolis

It has not been the ideal start for the Colts, losing Carson Wentz and Quenton Nelson both to foot injuries. Wentz has had his fair share of injuries since joining the NFL, but his surgery this week, fortunately, revealed no further damage.

Despite the injuries, Indianapolis is hopeful for a Week 1 return for the pair, but it is something to keep an eye on.

Minnesota Vikings Emphasize Transparency

President Mark Wilf is “very concerned” for the team amidst its COVID-19 issues. Assistant Coach Rick Dennison was recently let go after refusing to receive the vaccine. Following this, Kirk Cousins and two backup quarterbacks tested positive. Wilf continued to say that 64.5% of the team has been fully vaccinated.

His efforts are currently focused on working closely with the team and organization to educate everyone about making the right decisions.

For most teams throughout the NFL, it has not been smooth sailing up to this point in the 2021 training camps. The NFL season officially starts September 9 with the Cowboys heading to Tampa Bay to face the defending champs.