One of the most exciting by-products of the NFL Draft is the competition it creates on every team’s roster. When training camp comes around, the most interesting thing is how rookies push veterans for starting jobs and when those same rookies take over.

For some, it happens right away. For others, it might take a couple of games or a whole season to crack the starting lineup. These are three positional battles I’m excited to watch this summer.

3 Exciting Training Camp Battles

New York Jets

Joe Tippmann vs. Connor McGovern

Just a few days before the draft, the New York Jets finally traded for quarterback Aaron Rodgers. The Jets continued to add some of Rodgers’ former weapons, as they recently signed wide receiver Randall Cobb. Plus, the team already has reigning Offensive and Defensive Rookie of the Year winners in Garrett Wilson and Sauce Gardner. 

The Jets seem to have all the pieces set to make a legit Super Bowl run. Ultimately, it will come down to the offensive line, which still has questions at left tackle with Mekhi Becton. Becton reportedly lost 40 pounds this offseason and is in the best shape of his life, but he hasn't been reliable since the Jets drafted him in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft.

When looking at the interior offensive line, Connor McGovern is slated to start at center. However, I was excited when the Jets drafted Joe Tippmann out of Wisconsin in the second round because he and McGovern make for a great camp battle. 

It won’t be a long battle because I believe Tippmann will be the Day 1 starter in the end. Coming out of Wisconsin, there’s no question about his size, toughness, athleticism and intelligence to make calls at the line of scrimmage. 

But if he struggles as a rookie, guess who will be behind him to make corrections? Possibly one of the best quarterbacks to play the game — Rodgers. 

So look for Tippmann to pass McGovern on the depth chart sometime during training camp. Tippmann will help solidify the Jets' offensive line, although there will still be a lot of questions for that unit heading into the season.

Indianapolis Colts

Anthony Richardson vs. Gardner Minshew

The Indianapolis Colts got what they believe is their franchise quarterback when they drafted Anthony Richardson out of Florida at No. 4 overall. No one questions Richardson’s athletic skills or his developmental ceiling. It's just a matter of experience and how long it takes him to get used to the speed of NFL games. 

The Colts were aggressive in signing Gardner Minshew to be the placeholder until Richardson is ready. Minshew is a great backup, who can win a couple of games, but he's not a full 16 or 17-game starter. 

I'm eager to see how quickly Richardson can close the gap in training camp and if he can start opening day. The popular sentiment during the pre-draft process is that Richardson wouldn't be ready immediately. Still, I'm interested to see what the Colts do and how quickly Richardson catches up to Minshew because Richardson is the Colts’ future.

Chicago Bears

Roschon Johnson vs. Khalil Herbert, D’Onta Foreman

The Chicago Bears did a phenomenal job addressing their running back need after they lost David Montgomery to the Detroit Lions in free agency. The Bears went out and signed D’Onta Foreman, a productive running back for the Carolina Panthers last year. 

Plus, the Bears still have Khalil Herbert, who has been productive thus far in his career. Herbert rushed for 731 yards and four touchdowns in just 13 games last season, including one start. 

However, Chicago also drafted Roschon Johnson in the fourth round of the 2023 NFL Draft. He might be one of the best running backs to come out of this class. I say that because Johnson doesn’t have a lot of tread on the tires since he backed up Bijan Robinson at Texas. 

When I watched Johnson on tape, the first thing that popped into my head was the Monsters of the Midway. The Bears can wear teams down in December and January with a work-horse back like Johnson. 

I'll be interested to see how these three runners shake out on the depth chart. All three will make the roster, but what will the pecking order be when the season starts?

Rick Spielman is a former general manager of the Dolphins and Vikings, and winner of the NFL Executive of the Year award by Pro Football Weekly in 2017. Follow him on Twitter @spielman_rick