Gary Davenport

The NFL is more pass-heavy than ever before. But no matter how good a quarterback is, he still needs someone to throw it to.

Voluntary OTAs have been going on since just after this year's NFL draft, but now things are about to get real.

There was a time when trades were rare in the NFL. They have become more common in recent years, but it's still unusual for true superstars to get dealt.

NFL fans are drawn to a good comeback story, especially when it involves a star player returning from adversity. Those stories are a reminder that even after our worst days, better ones can still be ahead.

We haven't hit training camp yet, but this year's incoming rookie class has already had an opportunity to make an impression on their new teams. There was rookie minicamp. Voluntary OTAs that aren't exactly voluntary for rookies. Mandatory minicamps.

We're well into the summer. The weather is getting hot. Pools and amusement parks are packed. And many folks are going camping.

There is no better time of year in fantasy football than draft season. For every manager in every league, hope springs eternal. Last year's glories are about to be repeated. Last year's disappointments are going to be cast aside.

You can't win in the NFL without talent—recent New York Jets teams are proof of that. But coaching matters, too: assemble a strong roster and pair it with an overmatched staff, and that team still isn't going to do much winning—just ask the Cleveland Browns.

Fans tune in to NFL games to watch stars. They want to see Lamar Jackson rip passes and evade pass-rushers, Jahmyr Gibbs turn a simple counter play into a touchdown, Ja'Marr Chase leap over a defender and haul in a score, and Myles Garrett chase down a quarterback.

We have reached another benchmark in the NFL offseason. At this point, most teams have wrapped up OTAs and mandatory minicamps. When the league's players next gather, it will be for training camp in earnest.