Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians might be considered more pessimistic than others in NFL circles.

The Buccaneers leader on the sideline posited a sense of concern with respect to the coronavirus pandemic, adding he feels players are naturally going to get sick. But, as Arians stated, it is a matter of how sick, via Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times.

“Tom is probably the healthiest one of all of us,” Arians said. “We’ve got to be careful. The players, they’re going to all get sick, that’s for sure. It’s just a matter of how sick they get.”

Of course, the obvious objective would be to limit potential exposure to illness, and especially COVID-19. But football is played in close proximity, and Arians sees to hint the incessant physical contact will inevitably result in players getting sick.

NFL training camps are set to get going around the league later this month. It’s been a long time coming for players after the entire off-season program was scrapped due to the ongoing pandemic. 

Players will want to show out for their teams. That includes rookies in both Detroit and Tampa Bay. Meanwhile, youngsters with the Cardinals and Broncos are primed for big showings this summer.

Here’s a look at five NFL players set to surprise during training camp. 

D’Andre Swift, running back, Detroit Lions

The Lions do have a young back in Kerryon Johnson who performed extremely well as a rookie back in 2018, averaging a robust 5.4 yards per rush. However, the Auburn product struggled to the tune of 3.6 yards per rush and missed eight games as a sophomore last season. 

Enter into the equation record-setting former Georgia ball carrier D’Andre Swift. He was selected 35th overall by Detroit back in April. The 5-foot-8, 212-pound back recorded nearly 2,700 total yards with 21 touchdowns in his final two seasons with the Bulldogs. He’ll have an opportunity to show out once camp opens. Expect him to be a major story in Detroit. 

Christian Kirk, wide receiver, Arizona Cardinals 

More than any Cardinals player outside of Kyler Murray, this young receiver is going to benefit from Arizona’s acquisition of DeAndre Hopkins. Kirk, 23, is coming off a sophomore season that saw him record 68 receptions for 709 yards while catching 63% of his targets.

Now that Kirk is entrenched in as the Cardinals’ top slot receiver with Hopkins and Larry Fitzgerald outside, the sky seems to be the limit for this Texas A&M product. I am highly intrigued to see Kirk work his magic with Murray during training camp. It could be special.

Now that the Browns have reworked the contract of defensive end Olivier Vernon, Cleveland is likely out of the Jadeveon Clowney sweepstakes, a source tells Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk.

The Browns are one of several teams known to have actually offered a contract to Clowney. Cleveland reportedly was willing to pay Clowney up to $15MM on a one-year deal, and also gave the veteran pass-rusher his best multi-year proposal.

Instead, the Browns will now retain Vernon and play him opposite Myles Garrett at defensive end.