The Biggest Winners and Losers from 2022 NFL Training Camps

With two weeks of the preseason behind us, training camp is just about over and we can look forward to the real thing getting started in just a couple of weeks.

There's still a third week of preseason and a few position battles out there that need to be settled. But it's already starting to become clear who the winners and losers of this year's preseason action are.

There have been rookies who set themselves up to make an early impact, teams that are struggling to find answers and players who might have already played themselves out of a job.

With camps drawing to a close, here's a look at who has stood out as winners and losers thus far.

Training camp did not start off well for Kenny Pickett, but it's the growth and development of a young player that matter most.

He threw multiple interceptions and had a rough go of it while working primarily with the third-string offense, according to Brooke Pryor of ESPN.

So to see Pickett go from barely managing the third team to exceeding expectations in his exhibition performances makes him one of the biggest winners of the preseason.

After the second preseason game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, the rookie looks like he's legitimately ready to challenge Mitch Trubisky for the starting job. Pickett came in and ran the two-minute offense to end the first half and connected on a touchdown pass to Benny Snell Jr. for Pittsburgh's first score of the game.

Head coach Mike Tomlin came away impressed with Pickett's performance under pressure.

"It's probably who he is," Tomlin told reporters about Pickett's ability to thrive under duress. "I know he did it next door (at the University of Pittsburgh). He probably did it in high school and he probably did it in little league. Some things, people are born with."

Pickett went 6-of-7 for 76 yards and a touchdown, bringing his preseason stat line to 19-of-22 for 171 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions.

Even if the rookie isn't ready to start Week 1, the quick turnaround from looking downright bad at the beginning of camp to lighting up the preseason is huge.

Alex Leatherwood had a miserable rookie season after the Las Vegas Raiders took him in the first round of the 2021 draft.

The Alabama product started out the season at right tackle but was eventually kicked inside to guard. Regardless of position, he just wasn't ready to play as he gave up eight sacks, drew 14 penalties and earned a 45.0 grade from Pro Football Focus.

There was reason to be hopeful he could figure things out in 2022 when the Raiders hired a new coaching staff that included offensive line coach Carmen Bricillo, who previously served in the same capacity with the New England Patriots.

However, Leatherwood hasn't risen to the challenge.

He's moved back out to tackle and has once again looked utterly lost on the edge. Most recently, he struggled in extended action against the Miami Dolphins in the Raiders' third preseason game. He gave up a sack on a speed rush from Porter Gustin in which he didn't even get his hands on the defensive end.

With Joey Bosa, Khalil Mack and the Chargers up first on the schedule, there's no way Leatherwood can be on the line in Week 1.

It's hard to believe that Michael Thomas is only two seasons removed from leading the NFL in receptions and yards. The 2019 season that saw him win Offensive Player of the Year feels like eons ago.

Thomas only played in seven games in 2020 and looked nothing like the receiver who dominated the league. He only averaged 62.6 yards per game before suffering an ankle injury that ended his season.

The 29-year-old didn't even get on the field in 2021.

The Saints offense has drastically changed since Thomas was the true top receiver. Jameis Winston has taken over for Drew Brees, and Sean Payton is no longer standing on the sideline. Getting Thomas back to his 2019 form would be a massive development.

Head coach Dennis Allen—who has served as the team's defensive coordinator since 2015—thinks it's possible based on what he's seen in camp.

"When I watch Michael Thomas out at practice, I see Michael Thomas that I saw pre-injury. I see a big, strong, physical wide receiver that makes a ton of contested catches," he told John DeShazier of the team's website.

Thomas still hasn't seen any preseason action as he is dealing with a hamstring injury, head coach Dennis Allen told reporters Sunday, but the reports from camp are enough to declare him a winner.

Antonio Gibson finished fourth in carries last season and was one of only four players to have 300 touches for the season.

Thus far, there hasn't been any indication in training camp that he'll see that kind of volume in 2022.

Based on reports and preseason usage, Gibson has ceded serious ground to rookie Brian Robinson.

Much of the concern regarding Gibson stems from his lack of ball security. Putting the ball on the ground is a cardinal sin for running backs, and Gibson led all running backs last season with six fumbles.

He coughed up another in the team's first preseason game against the Carolina Panthers. Head coach Ron Rivera also hasn't been pleased with the way the back is running the ball, either.

"Antonio's got to run harder," Rivera told reporters. "When he starts to shuffle and go sideways, that's when he struggles."

In the Commanders' second preseason game versus Kansas City, it was Robinson who got the majority of the carries with the first-team offense. According to Warren Sharp of The Ringer, Robinson is averaging 3.75 yards after contact and a 57 percent success rate while Gibson is generating just 1.0 yards after contact and a 17 percent success rate.

Given his role in the offense last year, it's a surprising turn of events that he's trending toward starting the season in Rivera's doghouse.

Javon Kinlaw has been underwhelming—to put it nicely—in his first two seasons after the San Francisco 49ers selected him with the 14th overall pick in the 2020 draft.

The South Carolina product only notched 1.5 sacks in 14 games as a rookie and didn't do much in the four games he played before tearing his ACL as a sophomore.

He's looked like a different player in training camp. Matt Barrows of The Athletic noted that Kinlaw is down to 292 pounds after weighing in at 324 at the 2020 NFL combine. The change in composition has him looking much more explosive.

He registered a sack in the first quarter of the preseason game against the Minnesota Vikings and is finally able to enjoy playing without pain after being hampered by knee injuries.

"I love being out there. I missed it to be honest," he said, per Jennifer Lee Chan of NBC Sports Bay Area. "I feel like I'm finally getting back to having fun and just really being a kid again now that I'm not in any pain."

The extra work to get his body right and healthy before the season could pay off in a big way. He's primed to enjoy a breakout season based on what he's done to this point.

Last season, the Chicago Bears offensive line finished 22nd in PFF's final season ranking after giving up a league-high 58 sacks, and Chicago ranked 21st in yards per carry.

Things might actually be worse in 2022 based on what we've seen in the preseason to this point.

The Bears have shuffled around their offensive line throughout training camp trying to find the right combination. Most recently, they shifted 2021 second-round pick Teven Jenkins from tackle to guard.

While new head coach Matt Eberflus said he had a "good first outing" at his new position, the same can't be said for the unit as a whole.

As Warren Sharp of The Ringer noted, second-year quarterback Justin Fields has not enjoyed good protection in the preseason. He's getting hit or sacked on 33 percent of his dropbacks and is only averaging 4.9 air yards per attempt after averaging 9.8 last season.

It appears they'll be suiting up 2022 fifth-round pick Braxton Jones at left tackle with Jenkins playing right guard and second-year tackle Larry Borom getting the nod on the right side.

There's a lot of youth on the offensive line who have room to grow, but the early returns aren't good and they could struggle early on.

It's no secret that the Baltimore Ravens need more pass-catching options in the offense. Mark Andrews is one of the best tight ends in the game, but the departure of Marquise Brown leaves Lamar Jackson with even fewer options to throw to.

While there are a few unproven options who could emerge at wide receiver, the Ravens could be getting help from an unlikely source in rookie tight end Isaiah Likely.

Likely wasn't even the first tight end the Ravens targeted in the draft. They selected Charlie Kolar 11 picks before taking the Coastal Carolina product. But it's Likely who has made the biggest impression.

He's been a regular in highlights posted by the Ravens social media team. ESPN Ravens reporter Jamison Hensley tweeted that Likely does something in camp every day to grab your attention.

The 6'4", 241-pound tight end could function as a big slot receiver for the Ravens and become a reliable cog in the offense from day one.

Josh McDaniels was the offensive coordinator for the New England Patriots for the past 10 years and 13 of the last 16 overall. It isn't easy to replace that kind of continuity on a coaching staff.

It's even harder when you're trying to do that without naming an official replacement and the two candidates don't necessarily have experience doing the job.

Throughout the preseason, the Patriots have split the offensive play-calling duties between former New York Giants head coach Joe Judge and former Detroit Lions head coach Matt Patricia.

What makes the situation even more interesting is that Judge's background is mostly with special teams, while Patricia has primarily specialized on defense.

The tough transition has been chronicled throughout camp. Early on, Phil Parry of NBC Sports Boston noted the defense was "running roughshod" over the offense.

Center David Andrews acknowledged that there has been a learning curve with the new offense.

"It's been a lot of change for all of us," Andrews said, per Mike Reiss of ESPN. "I think a lot of guys are really trying to figure it out and embrace what we're trying to do."

This is all a bit concerning given how important it is that Mac Jones builds on a solid rookie season in which the Pro Bowler led the team to a 10-7 record and a first-round playoff exit at the hands of the Buffalo Bills.

We've only seen him for a brief stint in the team's second preseason game but he only connected on four of his eight pass attempts for 61 yards. Most of those came on a deep ball to Nelson Agholor that showcased his arm, but didn't do much to quell concerns about the scheme.

To make matters worse, second-round rookie receiver Tyquan Thornton suffered a serious collarbone injury that is expected to keep him out of the lineup for the foreseeable future. That eliminates a potential field-stretcher for Jones.