Gregg Rosenthal

Bill Belichick says the mourning period over a previous season lasts all the way to training camp. That’s because every OTA and minicamp practice proves phony. They are teaching sessions, not football.

“There is a lot of work that goes into the offseason, don’t get me wrong, and I’m not trying to minimize the offseason,” Belichick said at his season-ending press conference last year. “But it’s a lot of hot air. Until you actually get out there and start really doing it [in full pads], that’s when you feel like you can really make some progress.”

The pads start popping shortly. Here’s what we’ll be watching for in training camp.

1. Big Ben’s Return
No one wanted Ben Roethlisberger. Not the Steelers organization, frustrated by his second sexual assault allegation in less than a year. Not the city of Pittsburgh, which sees their pro football team as family. Not the rest of the NFL, which didn’t bite when the Steelers cautiously tested the trade market.

Roethlisberger wasn’t charged with the crime, but the damage was done. We heard too much about the night in question, when the two-time Super Bowl champion trolled for college girls in Georgia. We heard too much about Roethlisberger’s boorish behavior elsewhere, and questions about his commitment to football.

The NFL suspended Roethlisberger for at four games, and the Steelers dumped Ben’s most talented target Santonio Holmes when the receiver had his own off-field issues. Roethlisberger will try to press reset in camp, while dealing with the media onslaught. Meanwhile, the coaching staff will have to re-integrate Roethlisberger to the team while trying to prepare expected interim starter Byron Leftwich for the season’s first month. It will be a trying balancing act for all involved.

2. Brett Favre’s inevitable return
The only drama left: What awkward explanation will the Vikings use to explain Brett Favre’s absence from the first half of training camp?

We’ve seen this movie before. Brett Favre no longer sleeps in college dorms. The team heads back to Minneapolis from Mankato, Minn. on August 13. Favre should join the team shortly after.

Ignore any drama Favre’s comments may cause in the meantime. (Although we hope his agent Bus Cook keeps popping off.) Focus on the fact Favre underwent ankle surgery this offseason and returned quickly to the field to throw to his summertime receivers at Oak Grove High School in Hattiesburg.

His Vikings teammates, as talented as any roster in the league, don’t get him until mid-August. The drama queen act grew old years ago, but his 2009 season proved Favre is still worth the wait.

3. Jets’ reality show kicks off
Rex Ryan doesn’t just want to beat you. He wants to be more interesting than you while he does it. Ryan and G.M. Mike Tannenbaum laughed at the restrictions placed on them by the uncapped season and loaded up their roster with big-talking big names that will spice up Hard Knocks, the HBO reality show documenting their training camp.

LaDainian Tomlinson gets the headlines, but he will likely make the smallest impact of the Jets’ big acquisitions. He’s an average backup at this stage of his career and may not handle a reduced workload with grace. The Jets also signed Jason Taylor to help rush the passer and swiped cornerback Antonio Cromartie and wide receiver Santonio Holmes in trades. Meanwhile, holdovers like cornerback Darrelle Revis and center Nick Mangold want new contracts and could hold out.

We’re skeptical how all these pieces will fit together; you can’t script the type of drama Rex Ryan invites. Expect plenty of yapping.

4. Matt Leinart tries to be the man
Kurt Warner retired, leaving the keys to the explosive Cardinals offense to former USC golden boy Matt Leinart. That is, as long as coach Ken Whisenhunt lets Leinart stay behind the wheel.

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Whisenhunt inherited Leinart from previous coach Dennis Green, and has never fully embraced the lefty. Initially, that was probably because of Leinart’s work ethic and sense of entitlement. (Is Leinart still who we thought he was?) Now it’s probably because of questions about his accuracy and arm strength.

The Cardinals brought in Derek Anderson and reportedly eyed Marc Bulger over the offseason, but this is Leinart’s job to lose. Four years removed from a legendary collegiate career, Leinart must prove to Whisenhunt he’s not what he thought

5. Can Mike Shanahan prevent Albert Haynesworth from being a distraction?
The grumpiest $30 million defensive tackle of all time won’t make Mike Shanahan’s job any easier. The new Redskins coach has to teach his offense to Donovan McNabb, rebuild an entire offensive line, revive three calcifying running backs, and help transition his defense to a new 3-4 scheme.

Make no mistake; the Redskins aren’t embarking on a rebuilding project. Shanahan and G.M. Bruce Allen want to win now. They have an old roster, and an older starting quarterback. Getting Haynesworth in step with the program will be the new regime’s first big test and a bellwether for the Shanahan era.

Haynesworth skipped the offseason thus far, sulking over an expected role that will include more grunt work and less pass rushing. He says he’ll show up to camp on time, but comments from his teammates indicate he won’t be welcomed with open arms.

6. Where will Terrell Owens land?
No longer a No. 1 receiver, T.O. could be a useful complementary part. But T.O. still sees himself as a star; VH1 said so! Owens wants the money of a quality starter, but teams are no longer sure he has the desire or ability to consistently separate from defenders any longer.

Owens’ pricetag would drop for a contender, but his talent no longer matches up with his high maintenance. Look for T.O. to settle ultimately for somewhere around $2-3 million from a maverick owner with a whiff of desperation. (Oakland, Cincinnati, and Jacksonville make some sense.)

7. Tim Tebow tries to climb the Broncos ladder
The most popular jersey of the league belongs to a third-string quarterback. It could be worse. Denver’s surprising first-round pick, Tim Tebow, started the offseason fourth on the depth chart, but quickly dispatched Tom Brandstater. The next two steps won’t be so easy.

Kyle Orton is the Rodney Dangerfield of NFL quarterbacks, performing far better than people realize. Still, the Broncos brass doubts his leadership skills. Brady Quinn knows what it’s like to be the most popular (and divisive) rookie quarterback in football, and can remind Tebow life in the NFL doesn’t always go as planned.

Tebow has no chance to pass Orton in camp, but a strong performance could earn him a special package of plays and consideration late in the season should Denver’s season go south.

8. Pete Carroll takes his act to the Pacific Northwest
Mantras, motivational tools, and boundless energy worked for Pete Carroll in college. But can he win in Seattle using similar tactics on grown men? (Though some of his former USC players may be taking a paycut at the next level. Hey now!)

Carroll wants to change the Seahawks’ culture, but first he needs to overhaul a roster that ranks among the league’s worst. Plenty of spots are up for grabs in camp on both sides of the ball, but Matt Hasselbeck remains entrenched as the starting quarterback. We’ll be duly impressed if Carroll can help cook up a pass rush from this lackluster group.

9. Mad Mike tries to save Lovie Smith’s job

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A decade ago, Mike Martz was the coach of the defending champion St. Louis Rams, with Lovie Smith his trusty defensive coordinator. Now the roles are reversed, with Martz brought to Chicago to save the Bears offense and his old friend’s job.

This was a marriage of desperation. Bears G.M. Jerry Angelo wanted no part of Martz, but his top candidates for the coordinator job wouldn’t jump aboard what many consider a sinking ship. (Only Martz could almost make the signing of Julius Peppers an afterthought when considering the ’10 Bears.)

If nothing else, watching what Martz does with Jay Cutler will be fascinating. When’s the last time you said that about a Bears offense?

10. Training Camp Battles Galore!
The t-shirts and shorts practices can’t be trusted so position battles really start now. Here are five battles to watch around the league.

Browns running back: Montario Hardesty vs. Jerome Harrison

Bills quarterback: Trent Edwards vs. Ryan Fitzpatrick vs. Brian Brohm.

Raiders running back: Michael Bush vs. Darren McFadden

Rams quarterback: Sam Bradford vs. A.J. Feeley

Giants middle linebacker: Jonathan Goff vs. Philip Dillard vs. Chase Blackburn

11. Patriots in transition
Bill Belichick hasn’t coached team like this in nearly a decade. No longer the AFC East favorites, camp competition exists on the Patriots at nearly every position. Up to ten starting jobs are up for grabs, including six on defense. The natives in New England are restless, even Tom Brady. After a stale ’09 season, you get the sense Belichick wouldn’t have it any other way.

Also on NBCSports.com Beyond the Arc: No. 11 Mich. St. takes big step forward Chandler: Jeremy Lin was special even in 8th grade What NFC teams need this offseason  |  And AFC DeMarco: Dodgers could become a contender Follow us on Twitter: @NBCSports  |  And Facebook