Mandatory NFL minicamps mark the last checkpoint in all 32 offseason programs, and the 2026 preseason is almost upon us.
Mandatory minicamp for the Miami Dolphins is already in the books. The Arizona Cardinals and New York Giants kick off their minicamps today. The New York Jets, Cincinnati Bengals, Denver Broncos, Los Angeles Chargers, Dallas Cowboys, Washington Commanders, Atlanta Falcons and Tampa Bay Buccaneers will conclude their respective minicamps on June 18.
Mandatory minicamps represent an ideal time to check in on the stars around the league who are working their way back from season-ending injuries. Patrick Mahomes, Daniel Jones, Micah Parsons, Malik Nabers and George Kittle are among the biggest names rehabilitating toward their returns.
Kansas City Chiefs three-time Super Bowl MVP quarterback Patrick Mahomes tore his ACL and LCL in his left knee on Dec. 14 against the Los Angeles Chargers, and he's pushing to start in Week 1 against the Denver Broncos.
"I am making progress," Mahomes said on May 28, via ESPN. "It's not always perfect. It's hard days and you've got to push yourself through [in rehab] because you know the end goal is where you're trying to get to. I want to play. I don't want to miss games as much as possible. I'm going to give myself a chance by the way I work to be the best I can be. I'm in a good spot now compared to where some people thought, but I thought I was going to be here. I know it's still a long way away. I can't predict the future. All I can do is be great today. I've gotten to where I've gotten to because of that mindset."
Mahomes possesses this faith after going through a full practice workload in terms of individual and position drills at Chiefs' organized team activities (OTAs) for three straight days, according to ESPN.
"I wore a brace in college and on the same knee. It's not too different," Mahomes said. Obviously, I'm not running and cutting yet. That'll be another adjustment period at some point. It's good to get these reps now so I can speed that adjustment period along."
However, Kansas City has yet to give Mahomes the full green light to participate in team drills -- 11-on-11 work. That's because coach Andy Reid doesn't want Mahomes to take incidental contact during certain packages.
"He can travel under center, but I just don't want him in any area where there might be a jet sweep coming or something of that sort," Reid said, via ESPN. I've liked what I've seen. He's working hard. This is good for him, getting out there and throwing. He keeps a feel with the receivers. It's important for him to keep his timing up. He has busted his tail to put himself in this position. Most guys wouldn't even be able to do this."
June began with good news for Daniel Jones. After tearing his Achilles tendon in his right leg in a Dec. 7 loss against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Jones is now cleared to participate in 7-on-7 work at OTAs as of June 1. Jones isn't expected to do full 11-on-11 work until at least training camp in July.
"To get him out there in 7-on-7 was huge, to get him in the fold, running plays with the guys," Colts coach Shane Steichen said, per ESPN. "We'll keep that trend going, probably through the end of OTAs and then, obviously, get him into team stuff at training camp. It's spring, we don't play for a while, so we've got to be smart with his injury. But he's making great progress."
Indianapolis reportedly believes Jones is on track to start in Week 1 against the Baltimore Ravens.
The Green Bay Packers are handling All-Pro edge rusher Micah Parsons' rehabilitation from a torn ACL in a conservative manner. Parsons tore his ACL in a Dec. 14 loss against the Denver Broncos, and he told reporters on June 3 that he is just beyond five months into his rehab process post-surgery. He also revealed that an October or November return appears most likely.
"We have a pretty good, strong nine-month rule," Parsons said, via ESPN. "Through the research and the data, there's no good outcomes with players coming back early from an ACL, especially if you had other things that had to get fixed up. It's just all about completing the rehab to the best of our ability and then seeing where we're at from there."
Should he kick off the 2026 season on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list, he would be eligible to be activated for his 21-day practice window prior to a Week 5 home game against the Chicago Bears. In Week 6, Green Bay hosts Parsons' former team, the Dallas Cowboys.
"I don't think Gutey [general manager Brian Gutekunst] or Nate [athletic trainer Nate Weir] or Matt [LaFleur] wants me to go out there if I'm not at 100% and risk reinjury and lose me for the year and it's just a waste of a year," Parsons said. "Everything is about playoffs and winning football games deep [into the season]. Yeah, those games are important, but maybe we don't see Dallas twice, but we see Chicago twice and the games that we have in December or, even more, playoff games. ... We got a tough schedule this year, and I think for the betterment of everyone, everyone wants me at 100 and wants me in those games so we can make this championship run."
Unlike Parsons, Malik Nabers' torn ACL was "not a simple knee injury." His torn ACL, which involved a full meniscus repair, required an additional procedure to remove inflamed scar tissue. Nabers' return to action is unknown. The goal for Nabers is to get on the field in training camp with an eye toward Week 1 against the Dallas Cowboys. However, that appears to be trending toward wishful thinking.
"He's in the middle of it. It's such a hard thing. It's an ACL, and whatever else he had in that knee," Harbaugh said on May 21, per ESPN. "Not a simple knee [injury], you know? So, um, he's in the slog of it, the grind of it, I would say. So, he's fighting through it, and he's here every day working hard at it. Just impossible to predict. I mean, the goal is to start the season and get out there sometime in training camp. That'd be the goal, and we'll see what happens."
San Francisco 49ers All-Pro tight end George Kittle tore his Achilles tendon five months ago during the NFL playoffs, and told reporters last week that he is "doing great."
"When I had the surgery and [Dr. Neal] ElAttrache told me, he said, 'Hey, I think if you do everything the right way, you have a chance,' it definitely ignites something and makes you push for it," Kittle said, via ESPN. "We're on track. We're ahead of schedule."
He is still working in the rehab group at 49ers OTAs, limited to single-leg hops and jogging, but that is still a big progress marker for the 32-year-old.
"There's just boxes you have to check before you're cleared to do something else," Kittle said. "And then once I'm actually allowed to go train the way I want to train, then it'll be just really fun to be able to go back to doing all the football movements I want to do: run blocking, pass pro, running routes, catching the ball. Then, it's just knock some of the rust off because I haven't done a lot since January and just get back out there."
Despite tearing his Achilles during the 2026 calendar year, Kittle expressed some optimism about suiting up in Week 1 to face the Super Bowl favorite Los Angeles Rams in Australia.
"Unfortunately, I missed one game and that sucks," Kittle said. "It was a playoff game, but when they tell me I have an opportunity to play Week 1, it's like, 'All right, well there's not half the season gone.' As long as I do what I'm supposed to do, work incredibly hard, maybe do some extra things that I'm allowed to do, hey, I'll make it work. And so, it's been a pretty easy mental process for me."
