​Don’t look now, but NFL training camps open today. The defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks officially kick off the summer camp season as the first team to open the door to the new NFL season. That means we’re just weeks away from live reports, remote broadcasts, and podcasts galore showcasing football in shorts and pads for the first time this summer.However, the 2026 season brings a number of changes to the NFL media buffet. There will be no games for free on YouTube, more games on Netflix, and no more ESPN Monday Night Football doubleheaders. The biggest change this season will be ESPN’s oversight of NFL Network and how programming is executed under different leadership. Some changes will likely happen, while much may stay the same. But there are questions about what ESPN could do with the added oversight and distribution heading into the network’s first Super Bowl broadcast in February.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementWe’ve already seen some of those changes take place. ESPN kept NFL Network’s draft coverage relatively the same. The NFL schedule release, however, was different. NFL Network didn’t have unique schedule release coverage compared to ESPN, which went all in on the event.There are still plenty of questions to ask. What will happen on Sunday mornings? Will NFL Gameday still exist to compete against Sunday NFL Countdown? Could there be a combination of talent from both networks to host the program? Or will everything stay the same?There are also questions regarding weekday programming. With the salaries ESPN is taking on from NFL Network employees, programming changes seem inevitable. Could we see NFL Live become a simulcast and reduce costs by filling NFL Network’s afternoon programming slot? Good Morning Football has been a staple for football fans every morning on NFL Network. Could there be crossover with Get Up on NFL Mondays or Fridays?The possibilities are nearly endless for what ESPN could do with NFL Network, its programming, staff, and distribution. With training camps opening today, here are three moves I’d make if I were ESPN as it begins its first season overseeing NFL Network.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementFirst and foremost, don’t shy away from cross-promotion and the utilization of talent. Ian Rapoport shouldn’t remain exclusive to NFL Network while Adam Schefter stays siloed on ESPN programming. ESPN’s goal during the early part of training camp should be to make both audiences aware of its oversight of NFL Network and the opportunities that come with it.This includes guest appearances, live reports from camps, breaking news, and sharing assets from programs and interviews across both networks. By the end of training camp, football fans should know they can watch either NFL Network or ESPN and see the same personalities who define the league’s premier coverage.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementMessaging on television is just as important as it is on radio. The mo