The beast known as the NFL is back as the month of July winds down.
It was fun to watch LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers win a title and other such memorable sports moments, but, frankly, the sporting realm has been rather boring as of late without the NFL at the forefront of the action.
Rest assured it's about to return in a big way with the onset of training camps around the corner. Remember, there's a new wave of high-profile rookies, a team in a new place and so much more to keep up with as every team gets ready.
Here's a look at the important schedule information, courtesy of the NFL:
Storylines to Watch
The Quest for a Repeat
The Denver Broncos face quite the difficult task this year.
Losing Peyton Manning is the big issue, but perhaps more than anything, it's important to point out a team hasn't repeated as champion since the 2004 New England Patriots.
What have the Broncos done this offseason? Other than losing Manning, the front office watched as mainstays such as defensive lineman Malik Jackson, offensive lineman Evan Mathis, quarterback Brock Osweiler and linebacker Danny Trevathan left for other teams.
To make matters worse, the front office took a hard stance in negotiations with Von Miller, who sounds like he will get a massive deal as a reward sooner rather than later, according to Mike Klis of 9News.
Sure, the team went out and drafted Memphis quarterback Paxton Lynch in the first round, but the Denver Post's Troy Renck made it clear the team doesn't plan on throwing him into the fire:
This means veteran Mark Sanchez under center. He'll get to play with Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders, but he is the guy who has completed just 56.7 percent of his passes with 86 touchdowns to 84 interceptions in his career.
Given the noted losses, this time it doesn't seem like there will be an overwhelming defense to make up for a struggling offense, so it will be interesting to see who steps up and how once the Broncos report.
New Wave of Star Power
The NFL said goodbye to more major names than usual this past offseason.
Manning headlined the act, and the impact on the Broncos above makes plenty of sense. But other star players waved farewell, too, throwing the league into a situation where new star power could blossom.
Think legendary defensive back Charles Woodson, who hung up his cleats after playing for the Oakland Raiders last year. If the team is going to challenge a dimming Denver squad in the AFC West, guys like David Amerson and DJ Hayden need to step up alongside rookie safety Karl Joseph.
On the other side of the football, Detroit Lions wideout Calvin Johnson called it quits, leaving the team hoping Golden Tate can step up and new signee Marvin Jones can blossom after years as a second or third option with the Cincinnati Bengals.
In Seattle, the team lost Beast Mode, otherwise known as Marshawn Lynch. Fans will finally get to see if the front office has loaded up the backfield as much as it seems on paper over the years with the bulk of work going to Thomas Rawls and Christine Michael.
The New York Jets have to deal with the loss of D’Brickashaw Ferguson, hoping Ryan Clady and Breno Giacomini on the edges of a Nick Mangold-led line can get the most out of an iffy quarterback situation.
The NFL isn't a stranger to turnover. But this year is more notable than usual, with some of the biggest names in history calling it quits and leaving room for new stars to emerge. The journey starts now.
Josh Norman Watch
Josh Norman didn't seem like the type of guy to leave his team, especially not after the Carolina Panthers made it to the Super Bowl.
Then the team elected to rescind his franchise tag.
"I got sideswiped—I didn’t see it coming," Norman said at the time, according to ESPN.com's David Newton.
The implosion in the title game probably didn't help, but Norman wound up signing with Washington, impacting both franchises and NFC divisions in a major way.
First, Washington. The Jay Gruden-led team got a major win with the signing, a way to—in theory—combat an NFC East plagued by Odell Beckham Jr. and Dez Bryant, among others. NFL fans will certainly remember Norman's rivalry with the former.
It's a lot to ask of one player, especially because the defense ranked 25th against the pass last year, allowing an average of 258 yards per game.
The Panthers team ranked 11th on the same list last season and also grabbed a league-high 24 interceptions. They hope names such as Bene Benwikere, Robert McClain and Zack Sanchez make the front office look smart.
Both teams are about to find out in a hurry with the strong seasons Kirk Cousins and Cam Newton had last year. The rest of the NFC will watch with eager attention.
Stats courtesy of NFL.com. All advanced metrics courtesy of Pro Football Focus.