These 5 former Utes have something to prove in NFL training camp

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A few days ago, there was the opportunity for a pair of former University of Utah greats — quarterback Tyler Huntley and running back Zack Moss — to be reunited for the first time since their playing days with the Utes.

It didn’t come to fruition, as Huntley, who was in Cincinnati for a tryout with the Bengals, wasn’t signed by the NFL franchise.

Instead, Cincinnati signed another QB, Desmond Ridder.

Where will Huntley end up next in his NFL journey, and what does the future hold for Moss, who’s heading into his second season with Cincinnati?

Those are two of the more intriguing Utes-related storylines around the NFL as teams begin training camp this week. Here’s a sampling of what former Utah stars face going into the 2025 season.

Will Cole Bishop take a sophomore leap?

Bishop had plenty of high expectations thrust upon him when the safety entered the league as a second-round draft pick by the Buffalo Bills in 2024.

An injury during last season’s training camp slowed his progression, though he showed improvement as the year wore on and ended up starting four games for Buffalo while finishing his rookie campaign with 40 tackles and a tackle for loss.

Now, he has an opportunity to become Buffalo’s Day 1 starter alongside fellow safety Taylor Rapp, if he can beat out the competition on the Bills’ roster.

NFL.com’s Bucky Brooks named Bishop to his 2025 NFL All-Breakout team, citing the former Ute’s athleticism for why he’s optimistic Bishop can experience a sophomore surge.

“The former Utah standout’s athleticism and versatility should help him shine in a defense that prioritizes fast and physical play,” Brooks wrote. “With head coach Sean McDermott and defensive coordinator Bobby Babich intent on utilizing simplistic schemes to make the game easy, we could see Bishop shine as a playmaking defender in the middle of the field.”

What’s ahead for Zack Moss?

Moss is starting training camp on the active/non-injury list for the Bengals, as he continues to work back to full strength after a neck injury ended his 2024 season after just eight games.

Cincinnati reworked his contract this offseason, one that will pay Moss $1.2 million in base salary and $375,000 in a signing bonus this season, according to OverTheCap.com.

At running back, the Bengals return Chase Brown, who led the team with 990 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns a year ago, and they signed veteran Samaje Perine to a two-year deal this offseason and drafted Texas Tech’s all-time leading rusher, Tahj Brooks.

There will be plenty of competition for valuable reps in the Cincinnati backfield. It will be worth monitoring when the 27-year-old Moss is able to get back on the field full-time, as well as where he fits in the pecking order to back up Brown.

Will Caleb Lohner carve out a role in Denver?

During April’s NFL draft, the Broncos took a seventh-round flier on Lohner, the former Utah, Baylor and BYU college basketball forward who suited up one season for Kyle Whittingham’s program at tight end.

While Lohner has a small sample size, his four catches in 2024 all went for touchdowns.

Now, he’s teamed up with Denver coach Sean Payton, whose offensive ingenuity is well-known and helped another former basketball player, Jimmy Graham, become a Pro Bowler in the NFL.

“He’s coming around. He’s doing well,” Payton said of Lohner in June, according to Sports Illustrated. “There are some things that are new to him, and then there are some things that he gravitates to that I think he’s further along with. He’s doing well.”

Will he do well enough to find a spot in Payton’s offense?

Can Julian Blackmon integrate into New Orleans quickly?

On Tuesday, news that veteran safety Tyrann Mathieu was retiring ended up having a direct impact on Blackmon, as multiple national NFL insiders reported that the former Ute was in talks with New Orleans to join the Saints to fill the void left by Mathieu.

Blackmon spent his first five seasons in the league with the Indianapolis Colts but became a free agent in March and has since been without a team.

He’ll be reunited with Terrell Burgess, the journeyman NFL safety who played alongside Blackmon at Utah and signed with New Orleans earlier this offseason.

Can Blackmon get acclimated quickly and be a key contributor for the Saints? He started 62 games over five years in Indianapolis.

Will Tyler Huntley find a new home?

For Huntley to prove himself over the next month in camp, he’ll need to find a team first.

Huntley started five games for Miami this past season on a one-year deal with the Dolphins, as he stepped up when Tua Tagovailoa was unavailable due to injury.

Huntley is a sixth-year veteran who’s started 14 games in his career, coming off the bench for multiple teams when the starter was injured.

Can he find a place somewhere in the NFL when depth concerns at quarterback become an issue during training camp?

In case you missed it

Utah cornerback Smith Snowden discusses why he chose to stay at Utah, after receiving interest from other schools this offseason.

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