Aaron Rodgers, Micah Parsons headline 8 players to watch at NFL minicamps

Ben Arthur

NFL Reporter

Summer break is nearly here for the vast majority of NFL teams. Apart from the Chicago Bears, who held their mandatory minicamp last week, and the Detroit Lions, who don’t have one this year, every other club will wrap up offseason practices within the next two weeks.

As the teams look to end their spring programs on a high note, here are the eight biggest names to watch at the remaining mandatory minicamps — from big-name additions, disgruntled players, contract holdouts and rookies.

Tuesday will mark Rodgers’ first practice with the Steelers, whose patience paid off when the four-time MVP signed a one-year deal with the franchise after a prolonged courtship.

Pittsburgh and its new quarterback are behind the eight-ball, of course. By waiting until after OTAs to sign with the team, Rodgers gets just three days of offseason practices with the Steelers’ offense before training camp. But the 41-year-old’s experience could streamline the process. He also worked out with his new top receiver, DK Metcalf, earlier in the offseason.

Whether Cousins holds in or skips mandatory minicamp all together — and incurs fines — remains to be seen. His preference is to be released by the Falcons, as he wants to be a starting quarterback in the NFL this season and that won’t come in Atlanta, which is committed to Michael Penix Jr. While Cousins did not practice during OTAs, he reported for the start of voluntary workouts.

A trade makes sense for the Falcons if another team picks up a significant chunk of the guaranteed money Cousins is due, which includes his $27 million base salary for 2025 and $10 million roster bonus for 2026. But Cousins also has a no-trade clause, giving him a say in a potential trade.

Amid his contract dispute with the Bengals, Hendrickson has vowed that he won’t play without a new deal. So any update on his availability, or lack thereof, when Cincinnati hits the field Tuesday is noteworthy.

The All-Pro edge rusher skipped OTA practices. He said in May that coach Zac Taylor sent him a text message informing him that he would be fined if he misses mandatory minicamp, which prompted his decision to speak out to local and national media.

If Stewart is not practicing at mandatory minicamp, it would be an indication that the dispute over the language in his rookie contract remains ongoing. The No. 17 overall pick has been present with the team but has yet to practice since being drafted in April, which could be a setback to his development.

Stewart is one of six first-round picks who have yet to sign their rookie deal, but the former Texas A&M standout edge is the only one not practicing for contract-related reasons.

Parsons has already said that he’ll attend minicamp, but his on-field participation (or lack thereof) could indicate whether there’s been progress on an extension. He was present for parts of the offseason program.

Micah Parsons will be present at minicamp despite contract dispute

Entering the last year of his contract, McLaurin could skip mandatory minicamp, just as he did in 2022, when he was also seeking a new deal (and eventually received a three-year extension). The Pro Bowl receiver “unexpectedly” left the Commanders’ voluntary workouts after previously attending, showing frustration with the lack of progress on the contract front, according to FOX Sports’ Jordan Schultz.

The All-Pro edge skipped OTAs as he’s seeking a contract extension, so whether he shows up for minicamp will be a storyline to watch. Back in April, Watt posted a photo on his Instagram story holding up a peace sign, leading to speculation about his future in Pittsburgh.

Cook is another strong option to either hold-in or miss minicamp. Entering the last year of his rookie contract, Cook skipped OTAs.

Coming off a career-high 16 rushing touchdowns and his second straight 1,000-yard rushing season in 2024, the former second-round pick seeks a new deal while other members of his draft class — wide receiver Khalil Shakir, linebacker Terrel Bernard and cornerback Christian Benford — have already received extensions from Buffalo this offseason.

Ben Arthur is an NFL reporter for FOX Sports. He previously worked for The Tennessean/USA TODAY Network, where he was the Titans beat writer for a year and a half. He covered the Seattle Seahawks for SeattlePI.com for three seasons (2018-20) prior to moving to Tennessee. You can follow Ben on Twitter at @benyarthur.

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