Training Camp & Preseason Observations (1 Viewer)

Every year the major media dispatch writers to cover training camp and preseason. I always enjoy reading these reports, and sometimes you can pick up very valuable information from the reports that they file.

I am launching this thread for all things relating to these reports, so please feel free to post the information here (or even reports from the local beat reporters)

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writ...card/index.html

Postcard from camp: Cowboys

Excerpts:

Dallas has to have the best skill-player depth in the NFL. Felix Jones is projected to start in the backfield, with Marion Barber and Tashard Choice in reserve, and no team has a better 1-2-3 punch there. Miles Austin, Roy Williams, Dez Bryant and Patrick Crayton are a good to very good receiver group. And no one's better overall at tight end, with Jason Witten starting and Martellus Bennett (underachieving so far) behind him. And don't forget the unknown John Phillips, who's having a great camp so far (watch your back, Martellus). Phillips made a spectacular one-handed catch at practice Tuesday afternoon and is a blocking monster. Jones, by the way, missed practice today with a sore knee, but it's not considered serious.

I didn't see first-round wideout Dez Bryant light it up in the two workouts I saw the way he lit it up over the weekend. (Wednesday morning's installation walkthrough for the newbies made it futile to make judgments on players.) But this is how high Bryant's stock is: Two members of the Cowboy hierarchy told me they've got to start ratcheting down the Bryant's-a-superstar talk coming out of camp. So you watch -- you're going to start hearing the coaches say, "This kid's got a long way to go,'' in the next week or so. But deep down, the Cowboys have been wowed by his work ethic, ability to go up and make tough catches, and how quickly he's picking up the offense.

The Cowboys seem worried, really worried about only one position -- kicker. That's where David Buehler (last year's kickoff specialist) is favored to beat out Delbert Alvarado. Wise guys here think Dallas will go get Matt Stover or John Carney if the bosses are worried about Buehler in Week 3 of the preseason.

Complete Training Camp Schedule for SI

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/foot...dule/index.html

Trent Edwards opened Bills camp as the starter but that's hardly news. Haven't heard anything about the backs.

great thread, Faust.

Thanks

Some snippets

Friday, July 30, 2010

9:39 am Ravens OG Chris Chester is playing center in the absence of Matt Birk, who is sidelined with an elbow injury. Birk's injury is not considered to be serious.

9:37 am Ravens FS Tom Zbikowski is playing with the first team, in the spot vacated by the injured Ed Reed. Ken Hamlin mans the position for the second team.

9:35 am Ravens coach John Harbaugh has wasted no time setting the tone for training camp. The players are in full pads and are hitting during 11-on-11 drills.

9:33 am TE Owen Daniels is still recovering from knee surgery and is not practicing during the first session of training camp. Daniels is riding an exercise bike next to the sidelines of the Texans' main practice field.

9:16 am The following Ravens are not practicing because they are on the non-football illness list: OT Oniel Cousins (throat) and TE Todd Heap (sick).

9:16 am The following Ravens are on the PUP list: C Matt Birk, RB Matt Lawrence, S Ed Reed, DB Lardarius Webb and LB Brendon Ayanbadejo.

8:47 am WR Terrell Owens himself admits some of his skills have eroded, but Bengals offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski can't deny one fact: Owens can fly. "That's the one thing he can still do," Bratkowski said. "He will just run by people."

8:46 am Consensus among coaches and players was that WR Terrell Owens has a special aptitude for the game that allowed him to walk off the plane and into first-team reps without seeing a playbook.

8:44 am Carson Palmer accurately describes the atmosphere at Bengals WR Terrell Owens' first practice: "Oh yeah, it's a circus."

link

Just heard on audible that Joey Galloway is running with the first team in Washington. I didn't even know he was on a team. Agree with Cec and Sig that this can't be good news for Devin Thomas/Malcolm Kelley.

Jeff Tefertiller said:

great thread, Faust.

Click to expand...

Thanks!

Redskins camp:

Postcard from camp: Redskins

Excerpts:

While the Donovan McNabb and Haynesworth stories have dominated the offseason headlines in D.C., how quickly and how well the Redskins can transform themselves into a 3-4 defense might wind up being the pivotal factor in how the 2010 season turns out. It's early, but here's my reading of what the Redskins hope their front seven looks like when Washington plays host to Dallas on Sunday Night Football in Week 1:

Ex-Rams first-round pick Adam Carriker at left end, ex-Panthers nose tackle Maake Kemoeatu at nose tackle, and Haynesworth at right end. The four-man linebacker contingent should have London Fletcher and Rocky McIntosh inside, with 2009 rookie sensation Brian Orakpo on the strong side, and fourth-year veteran Lorenzo Alexander on the weakside. What about 10th-year veteran Andre Carter, the former end who's trying to make the transition to weakside linebacker? Alexander has the inside track on the job, and Carter could be this year's version of Aaron Kampman, a natural 4-3 end who struggles making the transition to stand up and play in space.

Thanks to Haynesworth, people barely noticed that some new guy was at quarterback for Washington on Thursday. Name's McNabb, and he was wearing No. 5. I didn't think it was a particularly sharp first day for the Redskins latest starting quarterback, but I'm told by observers that he has already proven he can make throws that Jason Campbell never dreamed of in the past.

The tempo and intensity of the Redskins offense Thursday was higher than its execution level, but it was only a 75-minute workout, without full pads, on a field that had been twice drenched by thunderstorms in the preceding two hours. The enthusiasm is definitely sky-high on offense, and McNabb is in the center of all that.

"This team's attitude is a lot different, from what I understand, than what it has been in the past,'' McNabb said. "There's a focus on the new energy here.''

That was definitely the idea when the Redskins landed the former Eagles star on Easter Sunday night.

Sorry to repeat my tweet, but I found it amusing when McNabb came out of the Redskins locker room bound for his first camp practice with a guy named Westbrook at his right shoulder. Just like old times in Philly. Only this time, it was Byron Westbrook, the Redskins second-year cornerback and the younger brother of ex-Eagles running back Brian Westbrook.

I asked McNabb if it was an intentional move on his part, and he just laughed said: "He (Westbrook) paid me to walk out there beside me.''

Speaking of Brian Westbrook, Shanahan said Wednesday the club hasn't closed the door on signing the two-time Pro Bowl pick and adding him to the crowded mix at running back. But how do you begin to get everyone enough work in the preseason to sort out that position's depth chart? There's Clinton Portis, Larry Johnson, and Willie Parker, plus two young backs in Ryan Torain and Keiland Williams.

When the smoke clears in early September, I'd put my money on Portis, Johnson and Torain (an ex-Bronco fifth-rounder under Shanahan in 2008) being the roster survivors. I'm not sure Parker has much left, and Westbrook's age and concussion issues obviously are significantly impacting his marketability. From what I saw of Johnson on Thursday, he looks fit, ready and very determined.

CBS Training Camp Reports

CBS Camp Reports

Dallas Cowboys Report by Pete Prisco

ESPN Camp Confidential Schedule

ESPN Camp Confidential Reports

The Raiders are the first team report on the schedule with a 7/31 date

This should be pinned

I have always wondered why there isn't a thread where all training camp reports could be put in one place. You could put homers as correspondents, for example I follow the Niners very closely and will read reports daily from their beat writers, but there is no way I can follow each of the other 31 teams daily beat writer reports. Is there anyway we could assign homers to post snippet reports each day?

Schilens lasted 20 minutes today.

12:06pm Just 20 minutes into practice, WR Chaz Schilens (sore left foot) walked off the field and to the locker room. Schilens broke his foot a year ago and underwent surgery twice.

USA Today Patriots Camp Report

Excerpts:

AROUND PATRIOTS TRAINING CAMP

The scene: The Patriots don't need to travel to a remote location to have the intense practices that Bill Belichick relies on to lay the groundwork for future success. Belichick's old-school approach works just fine at the team's regular practice facility. The schedule for the first seven days of camp includes six double sessions. Quarterback Tom Brady serves as an on-field coach, constantly exhorting teammates and ensuring that everything is done at a fast pace.

Reason to believe: As long as Belichick is the coach and Brady is the quarterback, there is always reason to believe. New England boasts nine consecutive winning seasons and has ruled the AFC East six of the last seven years. Sure, the New York Jets are loaded with talent and the Miami Dolphins look to be dramatically better. But the Patriots' track record suggests they should never be discounted.

Trouble spot: The linebacking corps, the heart of the team for much of the last decade, is loaded with question marks beyond rising star Jerod Mayo. The unit may be hard-pressed to generate the pass rush that is critical in today's let-it-fly game. The front office has focused the last two drafts on upgrading the secondary, including the selection of first-round corner Devin McCourty in April. While the talent is promising, it's young and may therefore be vulnerable.

Who's new: Wide receiver Torry Holt, in his 12th season, may be a nice fit for Brady, who lacked attractive options beyond Randy Moss and Wes Welker last season. Gerard Warren, in his 10th year, is expected to claim a starting spot on the defensive line.

Positional battle: Second-year safety Patrick Chung is mounting a serious challenge to veteran James Sanders. With linebacker Derrick Burgess absent from the start of camp, Belichick made it clear that will create opportunity for others. Second-round pick Brandon Spikes may be put on a fast track in his development.

On the mend: Welker is on the physically unable to perform list. While there is a great deal of optimism surrounding his comeback due to the enormous effort he is putting in, don't forget that he suffered a devastating knee injury in Week 17 and is a player who relies on quickness rather than speed. It would not be wise to assume he can be ready for the opener or that he can be the same player who paced the NFL with 346 catches the last three seasons.

Rookie watch: The Patriots, in serious need of help at tight end, are excited about Rob Gronkowski, their second-round pick, and Aaron Hernandez, a fourth-round choice. Although Gronkowski sat out last season at Arizona with a back injury, he offers a rare combination of blocking and receiving skills. He could emerge as a key figure in a rare 12-member draft class.

Postcard from camp: Bengals (SI.com)

Excerpts:

The Bengals have gone from being short at the skill positions to being fat and pretty happy. They were tight end-less last year, in effect, beset by injuries, and now they've added Jermaine Gresham (still unsigned), "the best tight end prospect to come out in the draft in the eight years I've been here,'' coach Marvin Lewis told me. The backfield is relatively intact, because with Cedric Benson back, they were never going to pay Larry Johnson anything substantive. And at receiver, they've added Antonio Bryant and Terrell Owens, along with third-round slot guy Jordan Shipley -- and the playing-to-be-seen-by-someone-else's-scouts Matt Jones, who had a good morning practice today.

Carson Palmer, whose arm and accuracy were suspect at the end of last year, looked very good throwing the ball this morning. He's determined to prove me, and a lot of others, very wrong.

I'll write more about Pacman Jones in MMQB, but the most controversial Bengal who doesn't play wide receiver is chastened, working hard and taking lots of lessons from training camp coaching intern Rod Woodson. Jones attached himself to starting corners Leon Hall and Johnathan Joseph through the offseason, working out with them regularly, and kept his nose clean off the field. "I'm here for football and football only,'' he told me on the field after practice. Time will tell.

Third-round pick Jordan Shipley all of a sudden is in a tough spot because of the addition of Owens, but expect offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski to find a few important snaps this fall for one of the best slot receivers in college football history. Shipley caught a school-record 248 balls with 33 touchdowns at the University of Texas -- and he was an efficient kick returners for the Longhorns. "The one thing we've got to be sure we do is find a way to get Jordan on the field, because we know he can help us,'' Lewis told me. The rookie looked smooth and able to get off the jam this morning in his first camp practice.

On the first snap of 11-on-11 drills, Pacman Jones lined up across from Chad Ochocinco. Jones played off-coverage, Palmer handed it to Benson, and Ocho blocked Pacman out of the play. The next time they lined up, with Ochocinco wide left, Chad drove Pacman upfield, stopped suddenly on a classic dig route, turned to the sideline and caught the pass easily from Palmer. About a 12-yard gain. Jones got there too late, and he slapped his hands angrily. Good competition.

I've heard there was some division in the Cincinnati brain trust about bringing in Owens. I've known Lewis for quite awhile and I spent 70 minutes with him today, and I got no sense of that whatsoever. My belief is the Bengals think they got Owens for the right price ($2 million in salary and $2 million in incentives, which will only be earned if T.O. has a good year).

As for what the addition of T.O. means to the WR depth chart, we all know he is going to cut into Bryant's playing time. Bryant, who signed a four-year, $28 million contract in March, will be practicing once a day to try to protect a knee he is still rehabbing. Bryant is saying all the right things, but what must he think when the Bengals drafted Shipley in the third round and now bring in Owens, who is determined to start alongside Ochocino.

Lewis is not happy with Andre Smith, the second-year tackle from Alabama. He doesn't think Alabama shot him straight with its pre-draft info (the kid's work ethic leaves a lot to be desired) and Smith was not diligent enough in the offseason rehabbing a foot injury. The Bengals expect him to be ready for the start of the season, but I wouldn't be surprised if: 1. The Bengals start him on the PUP list because he won't be in good shape; or 2. He doesn't start the season as a starter.

Expect linebacker movement on defense. Second-year man Michael Johnson is moving from defensive end to strongside linebacker, where coaches would like him to win the starting job. And this likely will be the year the Bengals move Rey Maualuga to middle linebacker and move Dhani Jones out of the starting role. Jones will still make the team as one of the key leaders, but there is a lot of sentiment among the coaching staff that Maualuga is ready.

ESPN Camp Confidential: Raiders

Excerpts:

Will Campbell ignite this offense? He is the key to Oakland's season. If he performs well, the Raiders could win two or three more games than last year.

The Raiders were remarkably better with fiery journeyman Bruce Gradkowski last season than with Russell. It was as if the offense was relieved that the unprepared and ineffective Russell was not on the field. Oakland believes the unit will react just as positively to Campbell, who is more polished and experienced than Gradkowski.

But Campbell must prove he can be a difference-maker. All he really has been in the NFL since being drafted in 2005 is a decent game manager. Washington tried to upgrade at quarterback in 2009 and then succeeded in the offseason by trading for Donovan McNabb. Still, the earnest Campbell has a big arm and he fits what Oakland wants to do in the vertical passing game.

Who’ll emerge as the lead tailback? The Raiders have intriguing running backs in Michael Bush and Darren McFadden. Cable has gone back and forth this offseason on what he wants from the duo.

Earlier in the offseason, Cable said he wanted one of the two backs to emerge as starter. Then he said he thought the powerful Bush and the elusive McFadden could share carries. Now Cable said he thinks it is going to be a great battle between the two in training camp.

It really doesn’t matter what the end result is, but what does matter is Oakland finding a successful running system, whether it’s Bush starting, McFadden starting or the two sharing carries.

For all their ability, Bush and McFadden have been inconsistent and the team has not found the right way to use these players.

Even though the Raiders are excited about 2009 first-round pick Darrius Heyward-Bey, early camp returns indicate he must be more consistent. Heyward-Bey dropped too many passes last season.

The Raiders have decent young receivers in Chaz Schilens, Heyward-Bey and Louis Murphy, but they are not deep at the position. If Oakland suffers an injury in camp, it must find reinforcements.

Postcard from camp: Panthers (SI.com)

Excerpts:

I saw two good young receivers. Actually two good, young, third-round rookie receivers. Brandon LaFell (LSU) is an angular guy with terrific hands (he made a circus one-handed catch that drew oohs from the crowd on campus this afternoon) who is ahead of the Michigan killer, converted Appalachian State quarterback Armenti Edwards. Edwards had two drops this afternoon, but I'm told he's been impressive and will definitely win a spot barring a very disappointing summer.

Replacing three starting defensive linemen (Julius Peppers, Maake Kemoeatu, Damione Lewis) won't be easy. And I worry that tackle Ed Johnson -- twice kicked off the Colts for disciplinary reasons -- will eventually disappoint John Fox. That's a huge key to the Panthers' season, whether the new pieces on the defensive front can get similar production to last year's eighth-ranked NFL defense.

Because the Panthers did nothing of note in big-name free-agency, I'll nominate a player returning from a 2009 concussion who has a chance to make a little noise this year in the event of a backfield injury -- running back Mike Goodson. At 6-foot and 212 pounds, Goodson plays a little bigger than that without sacrificing speed. He showed a good burst in practice this afternoon taking some of the reps that normally would have gone to Jonathan Stewart, who is on the active Physically Unable to Perform list, meaning he can return to practice at any time. (Stewart had offseason surgery to remove bone spurs pressing on his Achilles tendon.) Goodson's going to have to make every preseason carry count, but he runs violently and has good quickness. He's got a chance.

Rookie Report

Second-round quarterback Jimmy Clausen, wearing No. 2, showed more accuracy with more zip on his ball this afternoon than sixth-rounder Tony Pike -- particularly in the accuracy department. Clausen, very simply, looks like he belongs. He operates confident in and out of the huddle, throws a strong ball, and I'm hearing Jeff Davidson's offense is not too big for him. But Clausen is not in competition for the starting job with Matt Moore. The job is Moore's to lose, and Moore would really have to stink it up early in the season to lose it.

Memorable Image

The hands of Brandon LaFell. I don't know he 'LaFell' to the third round of the draft, but he made one terrific catch and another couple of nabs in traffic that were big-time. I would be surprised if by the end of the year we don't see LaFell making big catches down the field for Carolina. Coaches love him.

Carolina's the only team in NFL history to have two 1,100-yard-plus backs, Stewart and DeAngelo Williams, and if both stay healthy, Fox plans to use them the same way. Last year, Stewart had 221 carries, Williams 216, and it was the perfect way to keep both relatively fresh -- although Williams missed three games with a knee injury last year.

Carolina's going to score. The question is whether they can defend. When they lost weakside OLB Thomas Davis to his second ACL injury in June, that was a blow Fox and company never expected -- and it meant that one of their best two front-seven players (along with Jon Beason) was gone for the year, in a year they couldn't afford to lose him. "Coach Fox brings in fighters,'' Beason told me, "and that's what we've got out here right now. We'll need that this year. I think we'll be fine.'' Beason, who has moved to strongside linebacker with Dan Connor taking over the middle (he would have preferred to stay inside, but understands he needed to move because Connor's a better option in the middle than Carolina had outside) will need to be more of a sideline-to-sideline playmaker this year, to help make up for so many missing pieces.

Carolina's the only team in NFL history to have two 1,100-yard-plus backs, Stewart and DeAngelo Williams, and if both stay healthy, Fox plans to use them the same way. Last year, Stewart had 221 carries, Williams 216, and it was the perfect way to keep both relatively fresh -- although Williams missed three games with a knee injury last year.

Quickie observations: Armenti Edwards, I thought, would be a duplicate in body type and play of Antwaan Randle El, but he's thicker than Randle El in the shoulders ... Tight end Dante Rosario might have only 50 catches in 46 career games, but if you saw him in practice this afternoon, you'd have said: They've got to use this guy a lot more. Good hands, good power moves over the middle ... Matt Moore is an unlikely starting quarterback, to be sure. He's an anonymous guy, not a holler guy, and it'll be an adjustment for him to be the kind of leader Delhomme was. He throws a good, accurate ball. I'm more bullish on Moore than my peers. I think the proof is in how he played down the stretch last year, and he played very well in winning his last three starts ... Jordan Gross back at left tackle after 2009 knee surgery, looking stout.

One fact is certain in the Bengals battle at WR: Matt Jones will be a non-factor. He looks like he's running in one of those super-slow motion cameras used to analyze golf swings.

Postcard from camp: Ravens (SI.com)

Excerpts:

Here's how the Ravens look at rookie second-round linebacker Sergio Kindle at this point: If he's active and on the team's 53-man roster at any point this season, it's gravy. Kindle, the team's top pick, suffered a fractured skull last week when he fell down two flights of stairs in the dark at a friend's house. He remains hospitalized in Austin, Texas, with concussion-like symptoms and swelling.

Sources within the Ravens organization don't seem to be buying the notion that the medication Kindle takes for narcolepsy might have played a role in Kindle's fall, as Kindle's former college coach, Texas's Mack Brown, suggested Thursday. Said one: "Brown is doing what a good parent might do in that situation [by offering a plausible explanation for the accident]. But we were well aware of the narcolepsy and it came up in the draft scouting process.''

I don't think we're going to see Ed Reed playing football any time soon. Not a news flash, I know, but it seems like there's plenty of people here who think it'll be at least mid-October before Reed is recovered enough from major hip surgery to get on the field. Reed is on the physically unable to perform list to start camp, and he worked off by himself on a side field Friday morning. He's almost certain to miss the entire preseason, and he may start the regular season on the Reserve PUP, meaning he'll be ineligible to play the first six weeks of the season.

As if the Ravens secondary doesn't have enough challenges about now, Reed's absence leaves third-year veteran Tom Zbikowski as the team's likely starting free safety to open the season. Veteran safety Ken Hamlin just arrived not long ago and is still learning the Ravens system, and reserve safety Haruki Nakamura is coming off a broken leg, suffered last season. The Ravens have confidence in Zbikowski, and he has played well at times, picking off two passes last year. But he's not Reed, and the more you play him, the more you increase the likelihood of him being exposed.

The Ravens are going to be patient with Reed and let him dictate what he's ready for. They're counting on his well-known competitiveness to help him defy the expectations of his recovery time and get him back in the lineup sooner than later.

New Face, New Place

The people who matter in Baltimore couldn't be more pleased with what they've gotten so far from receiver Anquan Boldin, the team's centerpiece acquisition of the offseason. Newsome told me Boldin was at the team complex working out even on days he wasn't supposed to be, and said the ex-Cardinal is "a better person and better leader'' than even he realized.

Newsome, a Hall of Fame tight end, also raved over Boldin's hands. "He's got as good a pair of hands as I've seen in a long time,'' Newsome said. "And that's saying a lot for me. He can really catch the ball, and he's going to be able to get us some additional yards after the catch.''

Don't go counting out incumbent Billy Cundiff in the two-man Ravens kicking battle. Baltimore signed ex-Bengal Shayne Graham in June, but it's a legit competition and Graham is going to have to earn the job. He won't win it on reputation alone. Speaking of which, I saw Graham shank one field goal attempt Friday that almost picked off Newsome at the water dispenser. It was a bit too reminiscent of the two critical field goals that Graham missed in the Bengals' home-field, first-round playoff loss to the Jets.

I liked what I saw of Ravens rookie Dennis Pitta, a pass-catching tight end out of BYU. The fourth-round pick has soft hands, and team sources say he has deceptive yards after catch ability, with a good understanding of pass routes. He's an "old'' rookie at 25, like a lot of ex-BYU players who have served a stint on a Mormon mission. But the team sees that as a benefit because of his increased maturity level.

Postcard from camp: Patriots (SI.com)

Excerpts:

I suppose it speaks well of the Patriots improved receiving depth chart that a guy with more than 900 catches and 13,000 receiving yards in his career faces a potential fight for a roster spot, but that's where Torry Holt finds himself this summer. Holt, who signed with New England in April after spending 2009 with Jacksonville, may need the Patriots to keep six receivers in order to be safe. He's had a rough first few days in camp, and continued to struggle at times Saturday catching the ball.

Randy Moss and Wes Welker are givens, and second-year men Julian Edelman and Brandon Tate look like sure bets to make the roster. (Tate especially has sparkled early on.) That leaves Holt, 34, and third-round pick Taylor Price, who the Patriots liken to a young David Givens.

Rookies in New England are seen and not heard, so I didn't get the opportunity to chat up new Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez after Saturday morning's workout, but from early indications he's the pass-catching option the team thought he would be.

After struggling in the red zone in 2009, the Patriots totally revamped their tight end position, drafting University of Arizona's Rob Gronkowski in the second round, Florida's Hernandez in the fourth, and signing veteran Alge Crumpler in free agency. They intend to use them all, and have thrown to tight ends often so far in camp. I asked Crumpler, the former Falcon and Titan, for the scouting report on Hernandez:

"What Aaron has is a good knowledge of football, and that probably started with his coaching in college,'' Crumpler said. "Those (Florida) guys are successful for a reason. He's very inquisitive and asks a lot of questions, because he wants to be a very good player. But he still has a long way to go. As a group, us tight ends are the only position in the building that hasn't had any chance to be a part of this team before, so we're all still trying to prove ourselves.''

You're probably wondering how I've gotten this far in the Patriots postcard from camp without mentioning Tom Brady and the fact he remains unsigned beyond this season. Fair enough. It's a big, stinking important story and I have no doubt that there's some frustration on Brady's part that his new contract negotiation has been tied up to some degree by the league's looming labor showdown in 2011.

But here in a nutshell is what I think about Brady's deal: It's going to get done. There are only two people who really matter in this case, and it's Patriots owner Robert Kraft and Brady. The rest are peripheral. When push comes to shove, I can't see Kraft wanting to risk being the guy who chased Brady out of New England, where he's a deity. I don't think Kraft wants that as part of his legacy, and I don't think the relationship between Brady and him will ever deteriorate to that point. Brady is going to be a tough businessman this time and get every dime he thinks he has coming. It might even get contentious, but I believe the marriage between No. 12 and New England ultimately will continue.

The building consensus in Patriot-land is that second-year cornerback Darius Butler has a chance to be very good. Maybe not Revis Island good, but one of the game's better cover men. Butler has superb hands and his coverage skills are improving by the day. You're going to be hearing more about the team's 2009 second-round pick out of UConn.

I can predict some improvement for the Patriots running game-by-committee this season, but I don't see it taking a significant step even with the healthy return of Fred Taylor, 34. He and Laurence Maroney combined for 1,026 yards and 13 touchdowns last year and should again form a lead-back tandem. Obviously the Patriots need more than six games out of Taylor this season. Then there's Sammy Morris in short yardage situations, the reliable Kevin Faulk as a change of pace or third-down (or even fourth-down, remember?) back, and the wonderfully named BenJarvus Green-Ellis (i.e. "Law Firm'') waiting in the wings for a larger role.

Postcard from camp: Chargers (SI.com)

Veterans reported on Friday and, during the first 11-on-11 drill, Rivers directed his initial pass to Legedu Naanee. Coincidence? Not for a second. A message was being sent that life will go on without Jackson, the Pro Bowl receiver who is boycotting workouts until he receives a lucrative long-term deal. Naanee grabbed the pass and immediately cut upfield, but no one should fool themselves into believing that he is the second coming of Jackson. The 6-foot-4 Jackson is bigger, stronger and faster -- a matchup nightmare because he has the size and strength to beat press coverage at the line, and the speed to run by cornerbacks playing off coverage. Naanee is better built for the slot, as his numbers attest. Last season he averaged 10.1 yards on 24 catches. Jackson averaged 17.2 yards on 68 receptions to rank second in the league among players with at least 60 catches.

Brandyn Dombroski will get the first shot at replacing McNeill. Talk about contrasts. McNeill is a former second-round draft pick who went to the Pro Bowl in each of his first two seasons and is regarded as one of the game's better left tackles. Dombrowski is a second-year pro who wasn't drafted, received a $4,000 signing bonus and spent his first year on the practice squad. The former San Diego State product played solidly in eight starts last season -- one at right guard, seven at right tackle last season -- but this is his first attempt at left tackle at any level. If he struggles, veteran Tra Thomas could take over, although he's well past his prime. Either way, that's a lot of uncertainty protecting the blind side of a QB who signed a $92 million extension last season.

When the running game struggled last season, Tomlinson pointed to play-calling and Turner's desire to run the offense through Rivers. The comments did not sit well with Turner, who bit his tongue out of respect for the local icon. Yet when asked if there's a possibility he might run Mathews more than normal to prove that the struggles were about Tomlinson and not the play-calling, Turner said: "Maybe subconsciously there is. I hate to get where you personalize something. What you really want to do is have the best team that you can have."

Now that Cromartie has been traded to the Jets, more players are expressing their belief that his departure is addition by subtraction. For instance, when asked why the defense would be better with Cason instead of Cromartie, Cooper, the starting inside linebacker, said: "Antoine is very unselfish. He's all about the team. He's not worried about putting up big numbers. He wants to play within the defense and make plays. He wants to make sure that we win games."

The Chargers have never been active in free agency under general manager A.J. Smith, and this year was no exception. They made a handful of low-level signings in Thomas, wideout Josh Reed and cornerbacks Nathan Vasher and Donald Strickland, but none is expected to start. More notable are the departures: running back LaDainian Tomlinson, defensive tackle Jamal Williams, cornerback Antonio Cromartie and special teams ace Kassim Osgood. The feeling within the organization was that Tomlinson and Williams were past their primes, Cromartie was a selfish distraction, and Osgood didn't fit because he wanted more time at receiver.

Faust said:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writ...card/index.html

Postcard from camp: Cowboys

Excerpts:

Dallas has to have the best skill-player depth in the NFL. Felix Jones is projected to start in the backfield, with Marion Barber and Tashard Choice in reserve, and no team has a better 1-2-3 punch there. Miles Austin, Roy Williams, Dez Bryant and Patrick Crayton are a good to very good receiver group. And no one's better overall at tight end, with Jason Witten starting and Martellus Bennett (underachieving so far) behind him. And don't forget the unknown John Phillips, who's having a great camp so far (watch your back, Martellus). Phillips made a spectacular one-handed catch at practice Tuesday afternoon and is a blocking monster. Jones, by the way, missed practice today with a sore knee, but it's not considered serious.

I didn't see first-round wideout Dez Bryant light it up in the two workouts I saw the way he lit it up over the weekend. (Wednesday morning's installation walkthrough for the newbies made it futile to make judgments on players.) But this is how high Bryant's stock is: Two members of the Cowboy hierarchy told me they've got to start ratcheting down the Bryant's-a-superstar talk coming out of camp. So you watch -- you're going to start hearing the coaches say, "This kid's got a long way to go,'' in the next week or so. But deep down, the Cowboys have been wowed by his work ethic, ability to go up and make tough catches, and how quickly he's picking up the offense.

The Cowboys seem worried, really worried about only one position -- kicker. That's where David Buehler (last year's kickoff specialist) is favored to beat out Delbert Alvarado. Wise guys here think Dallas will go get Matt Stover or John Carney if the bosses are worried about Buehler in Week 3 of the preseason.

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Not sure what Peter King was smoking a few days ago in San Antonio, but BARBER is the starter still and has been declared so this past week by the coaching staff. Barber reported in the best shape of his career and Felix Jones came in over his past weight and actually put on more pounds than Marion. Felix Jones must have some kind of hypnosis on sportswriters and radio jocks....

Camp Confidential: Saints (ESPN.com)

Can the offense live up to last year’s standards? Brees remains the quarterback and, as long as that’s the case, this offense is going to be great. Brees clearly is in his prime and his pairing with head coach/offensive genius Sean Payton makes magic possible on every play.

This is an offense that can hit you from every angle -- Brees throwing short or long, Pierre Thomas running inside and Reggie Bush outside and an offensive line filled with Pro Bowlers. Keep in mind that the Saints had some injuries at the skill positions last year, but they still were phenomenal on offense. If they can keep Bush, Thomas, Marques Colston, Heath Evans and Jeremy Shockey healthy, last year’s production could be eclipsed.

Is left tackle really that important? The Saints used to have a Pro Bowl left tackle. His name was Jammal Brown and they traded him to Washington in the offseason. That happened after Brown missed all last season with an injury and the Saints got by with Jermon Bushrod quite nicely.

The Saints aren’t touting Bushrod as a franchise left tackle, although he’s the favorite to be the starter. They also drafted Charles Brown, and Zach Strief, who filled in when Bushrod slumped a bit last season, also is in the mix. The Saints gave Bushrod plenty of help last season and they’re prepared to do it again for him -- or for Brown or Streif. But the lesson that came out of last year is, in this offense, it’s not a necessity to have a dominant left tackle.

But that’s partly because the Saints have the league’s best guard tandem (Jahri Evans and Carl Nicks), a Pro Bowl right tackle (Jonathan Stinchcomb) and an excellent center (Jonathan Goodwin). Throw anyone out there at left tackle and the rest of the line and Brees will make him look good.

It really didn’t get much attention, but the best move the Saints made in the offseason might have been signing Patrick Ramsey to serve as Brees’ backup. Veteran Mark Brunell was a good fit in that role for a couple of years, but the Saints needed to get a little younger. The Saints hope and pray nothing ever happens to Brees. But, if he were to miss some time, the New Orleans offense might not suddenly fall apart. Ramsey’s a guy who has bounced around the league. He got messed up by Steve Spurrier early in his career in Washington, but he still has some talent. This is a quarterback-friendly offense with all sorts of weapons and Ramsey could win games for the Saints -- if that ever becomes necessary.

BIGGEST SURPRISE

Jimmy Graham. The Saints took what seemed like a bit of a leap when they drafted the tight end in the third round. He played basketball at the University of Miami before deciding to switch to football in his final year. The conventional wisdom was that Graham would be a bit of a project and would take a year or two to really have an impact. But there already is a buzz among the coaching staff and other offensive players about Graham. Everyone knew he had great athletic ability coming in, but he’s picked up things faster than anyone expected and he got some first-team work with Brees in June workouts. He might play a bigger role faster than anyone expected.

I know this might sound like blasphemy to Saints fans because Sharper is very popular and had a huge impact last year. But the fact is he’s 34 and coming off micro-fracture knee surgery. I’ve suggested before I think there’s a good chance Jenkins takes his place in the starting lineup. But I’ll take it one step further here and say -- I’m not promising this will happen -- I can see a scenario where Sharper doesn’t even stay on the active roster. The Saints are high on Jenkins. They also like Usama Young and are hopeful about Chip Vaughn, who missed his rookie year with an injury. Ideally, the Saints would like to keep Sharper around for his leadership. But if his knee doesn’t come along, he could spend part of the season on the physically-unable-to-perform list, the injured-reserve list or maybe even be released or retired. Even with all his credentials, Sharper can’t contribute if his knee isn’t right. The Saints have a lot of other safeties with young legs.

The Saints used a three-headed backfield with Bush, Thomas and Mike Bell last season. Bell is gone, but the playing time division should be pretty similar this year. Just plug Lynell Hamilton into Bell’s place. The Saints wouldn’t have let Bell go if they didn’t think Hamilton was ready. I don’t want to tease you and say this is the year Bush shows he can run between the tackles. But remember how well he ran in the playoffs and how he was more physical than at any time in his career? That was because he was completely healthy. That seems to still be the case, so don’t be surprised if you see Bush’s numbers go up a bit. This guy can do a little bit of everything.

Shockey’s always been an easy target and there’s no doubt he’s brought some of that on himself. But he appears to be in very good physical shape. Shockey hasn’t really been a distraction in New Orleans like many thought he was when he was with the Giants. He’s just been banged up for much of his time with the Saints. Maybe –- and I’m just saying maybe -- Shockey might have matured and might be taking better care of himself in an effort to stay on the field.

Camp Confidential: Bears (ESPN.com)

Excerpts:

Can the Chicago offense hit the ground running in Week 1? The Bears hired Martz to inject life into the offense, but there can be no growing pains. It's going to have to happen immediately.

Why? The Bears' first five games include a pair of divisional games at home, against Detroit and Green Bay, and three tough road games at Dallas, the New York Giants and Carolina. That schedule is tough enough as it is. If a still-developing offense contributes to, say, a 1-4 or 2-3 start, it won't matter how good the offense eventually becomes. The die will be cast.

It's almost unfair to grade an offense on that kind of curve, but every high throw and missed hole -- and there were a fair share of both during the practices I watched -- must be noted. It was interesting to hear quarterback Jay Cutler's description of the scheme in an interview with ESPN's Adam Schefter.

"Very complicated," Cutler said. "You see some of the stuff on film and you hear stories from different quarterbacks, how hard it is to learn, how difficult it is. But once you grasp it, it is very dynamic and you can be very successful in it. But I've heard that there is a lot of speed bumps in it."

Unfortunately for Cutler and the Bears, this situation is too urgent to be slowed by speed bumps.

Are the Bears going to be better at safety? Smith identified the position as a critical area of need this offseason, and general manager Jerry Angelo complied by re-acquiring veteran Chris Harris and making Major Wright his top draft choice. Smith believed it was critical to have Harris because "you need some veterans around that have been through it that know how to play."

But Harris, who sat out some spring drills to freshen up his legs, didn't make it past the second practice of camp before being sidelined by a strained back. The Bears have high hopes for Wright, but don't think he's ready to step in to the starting lineup so early in camp. So when the Bears lined up for their first full-pads practice of the summer, their first-team safeties were holdovers Danieal Manning and Craig Steltz.

Nothing against either player, but they represent the status quo. By definition, that's no upgrade. During 11-on-11 drills in Saturday night's full-pads practice, Bears receivers had their way with the secondary. Their first-team secondary did not manage an interception, and cornerback Zack Bowman dropped the only real opportunity.

What are the Bears' intentions for running backs Matt Forte and Chester Taylor? The Bears paid Taylor too much money (four years, $12.5 million) to be a third-down back, so speculation has centered on how many carries Taylor might take away from Forte, the starter and workhorse over the past two seasons.

During early practices this summer, Forte and Taylor both got extensive work with the first team at roughly a 50-50 split. That won't necessarily continue into regular-season games, but it would represent the best way to utilize both players' skills while keeping them fresh for a 16-game season.

Both are solid inside runners and above-average receivers, making them good fits for Martz's attack.

"You look at all the success that Marshall Faulk had in this offense and know it can happen," Forte said. "As for carries and all that, it'll be up to the offensive coordinator. He'll make that call game-to-game."

BIGGEST SURPRISE

We've noted that Cutler favored receiver Johnny Knox during early practices, while Devin Hester, Earl Bennett and Devin Aromashodu played secondary roles. But the bigger surprise was how frequently -- and, probably, deliberately -- the Bears threw to their tight ends in the first practice of the summer. Backup tight end Desmond Clark caught at least eight passes during team drills, and of the first 29 passes Cutler threw in those drills, eight went toward tight ends. That might not sound like a high number, but keep in mind that no tight end has caught more than 38 passes over the course of a season in Martz's offense. "I have heard an awful lot about the tight end not being involved in our offense," Smith said. "... Well, you saw that the tight ends will be a big part of our offense."

Clark's future has been in question since the Bears signed free-agent tight end Brandon Manumaleuna, presumably to pair with Greg Olsen on the first team. But it's hard to imagine the Bears parting ways with Clark, who at 33 is determined to prove he can make it in a pass-oriented offense. "I'm trying to establish a role right now," Clark said. "That's all I can do right now is try to show and prove that I can play in the offense, and leave it up to the coaches to create a role for me."

Smith created a mini-stir on the opening day of camp by declaring that Peppers' presence could lead to more blitzing than last season. Two quick points here. Peppers' individual pass-rushing skills should lessen the need to blitz, lifting pressure on the back end of the defense. Second, the Bears blitzed more than all but four teams last season, according to ESPN Stats & Information. They can't blitz much more than that. What I think Smith was trying to say: His secondary will do a better job in man-to-man defense, allowing more flexibility from a play-calling standpoint.

Martz hired Shane Day as his quarterbacks coach this offseason, but during the first few days of camp, Martz worked almost exclusively with the quarterbacks himself and was rarely more than a few feet away from Cutler. Both men know how important the other is to their collective success this season. As a result, Martz's early practice plan has featured Cutler and backup Caleb Hanie getting all of the snaps in team drills. Teams usually find some snaps for the No. 3 and/or No. 4 quarterbacks, but the Bears' situation is too urgent this summer.

texasbirdfan said:

BARBER is the starter still and has been declared so this past week by the coaching staff.

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wdcrob said:

texasbirdfan said:

BARBER is the starter still and has been declared so this past week by the coaching staff.

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from the Footballguys.com news page:

Dallas Cowboys RB Marion Barber III, as of right now, will remain the team's starting running back this season, according to Matt Eatman, of DallasCowboys.com.

STrib Vikings Camp video Update

Percy looks like a beast. Watch the vid and then compare him to a rookie picture. Poor guy can't get a break though, after tweaking his ankle he's had a death in the family and may miss time. Rookie CB Chris Cook is still on the second team but is looking like a star in the making. Rosenfels is falling apart and has little chance to stay on the roster in the event that Brett comes back.

compilation of pro and amateur thoughts from the first public Chargers workout

http://forum.signonsandiego.com/showthread...e=3#post4098521

everyone really happy with Ryan Mathews and Malcom Floyd

Jeff Tefertiller said:

from the Footballguys.com news page:

Dallas Cowboys RB Marion Barber III, as of right now, will remain the team's starting running back this season, according to Matt Eatman, of DallasCowboys.com.

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You mean the Matt Eastman opinion piece that doesn't have a single quote from a coach about Barber being the starter? The one that includes this bit of speculation: In my opinion, enough hasn't occurred for Barber to be replaced, that got picked up by the Rotoworlds of the world as if it were gospel from the Book of Wade?I assume that's not what texasbirdsfan was referring to since he had it coming from the Dallas coaches.

Saints Camp Report (USA Today)

Excerpts:

Trouble spot: Veteran Scott Fujita is now playing the strong-side for the Cleveland Browns and Jo-Lonn Dunbar, a former Boston College middle linebacker, and ex-Jacksonville Jaguars linebacker Clint Ingram are competing to replace him. Fujita was a locker-room leader whose well-timed blitzes will be missed. Dunbar and Ingram are younger and faster. But they must show the positional discipline that made the Saints want to re-sign Fujita until the Cleveland Browns blew them away with a three-year, $14-million offer.

Who's new: Brown, the ex-Chicago Bears defensive end, replaces Charles Grant, who took his inconsistent effort to Miami. Brown is a complete defensive end whose high motor along with the acquisition of former Tampa Bay defensive end Jimmy Wilkerson add depth and an upgrade opposite right end Will Smith, who rang up a team-best 13 sacks. Fourth-round defensive tackle Al Woods looks the part at 6-4, 307 and is expected to join Sedrick Ellis and Remi Ayodele in stuffing the run.

Positional battle: With veteran free safety Darren Sharper on the team's active/PUP list coming off microfracture surgery, Williams said second-year former corner Malcolm Jenkins has made the transition to safety where he is expected to push the 34-year-old Sharper. "He's someone who has a real good skill set and real good football instincts we saw his rookie season," Payton says. "He's handled that transition well. He's got range. Most important, he's got that read to get a jump on a ball or a run read." Says Williams of Sharper: "It'll be important for him to come out and show everybody one more time, he's not too old to come back from this injury and that he can do it again. If he plays with a chip on his shoulder, his knee will be fine. If he doesn't have a chip on his shoulder, he'll be competing with you guys in the media industry."

On the mend: Last season's leading receiver Marques Colston is not far away from returning to the field following arthroscopic knee surgery. Fellow wideout Robert Meacham is also working his way back from toe surgery. Ingram is returning from ACL surgery.

Rookie watch: Robinson, Woods and tight end Jimmy Graham have impressed. Keep an eye on Graham, the unpolished but gifted former basketball player from the University of Miami who has the luxury of learning behind starters Jeremy Shockey and backup Dave Thomas. Graham made the catch of the day, a diving, one-handed 40-yard grab of a Brees seam pass against safety Roman Harper. It won't be long before Payton finds a way to get that kind of jaw-dropping athleticism into a new wrinkle.

AFC Whispers (ProFootballWeekly)

Here are some Whispers we're hearing around the AFC:

• Patriots S Patrick Chung is being counted on to make a big leap in Year Two and was praised by the staff this offseason. But if the first few training-camp practices are an indication, Chung still has noticeable room for improvement, we hear. The biggest concern came in red-zone drills, where Chung failed to match up against bigger, stronger tight ends.

• The Jets' interest in veteran free-agent receivers before training camp has created the perception that they lack confidence in WRs Brad Smith and David Clowney, who are in line to be the club's third and fourth receivers while Santonio Holmes serves a four-game suspension to start the year. The Jets had talks with Terrell Owens' agent before he signed with the Bengals and had Laveranues Coles in for a workout July 30.

• There was speculation that Dolphins QB Chad Pennington would be placed on the physically-unable-to-perform list at the start of training camp as he recovers from a third surgery on the shoulder of his throwing arm, but he reported to camp ready to participate. Head coach Tony Sparano said Pennington will compete to become Chad Henne's primary backup.

• The way we hear it, the Bengals are likely to go into the 2010 season with Roy Williams as the strong safety and Chris Crocker as the free safety, just as they did at the beginning of last year before Williams suffered a season-ending arm injury. Steady veteran FS Gibril Wilson, whom the Bengals added in May, figures as a reserve.

• The sense in Cleveland is WR Josh Cribbs will keep his starting spot, the way we hear it. Cribbs played all 16 games last season (12 starts) and caught just 20 passes, but he did attempt 55 rushes, and his ability to be deployed in various ways is quite valuable to an offense that lacks punch.

• There's some sentiment that the return of ILB Larry Foote and CB Bryant McFadden to the Steelers' defense will, in addition to bolstering the club's depth at their respective positions, have a positive effect on the defense's chemistry. McFadden is expected to start, while Foote is likely to be a reserve.

• Browns president Mike Holmgren, speaking to reporters before training camp, praised the influence QB Jake Delhomme has already had on the offense. "I am really glad we have him," Holmgren said. "He (has) already made an imprint on this football team. We needed the leadership, in my opinion. We needed the leadership there as much as anything. The passing I didn't worry about too much, but I needed someone to bring everyone together, and I think he's done a nice job of that so far."

• We hear it is possible that RB Maurice Jones-Drew will be on the field less often on third downs this season. Jones-Drew's production tailed off in the second half in 2009 — he averaged 3.7 yards per carry in the last seven games after banging out 5.1 yards per carry in the first nine games — and the club really likes the pass-catching abilities of second-year RB Rashad Jennings and rookie RB Deji Karim.

• Titans TE Jared Cook's productivity could be tied to how ready to contribute WR Kenny Britt is after a disappointing offseason, a source close to the team suggests. Cook, who has very good speed, has the ability to be split out wide and could be used more in that role if Britt disappoints, the way we hear it.

• Word is defensive coordinator Larry Coyer wants to get rookie DE Jerry Hughes on the field with Pro Bowl DEs Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis as much as possible this season. We could see Hughes, who is more athletic and verstaile than former Colts DL Raheem Brock, on the field sometimes as a fourth linebacker.

• We're hearing that disgruntled Chiefs S Jarrad Page, a restricted free agent who still has not signed his one-year tender, is more likely to be cut than traded. With teams offering nothing more than a sixth-round draft pick for the fifth-year veteran, Kansas City would rather prove a point by releasing him instead of acquiescing to his trade demands. The Chiefs could change their tune if a club offers a fourth-rounder in exchange for Page, but that appears very unlikely.

• Raiders DE Richard Seymour had a couple of surprises for team observers in the early days of training camp. He was the first player off the bus that transported rookies to camp, putting to rest any doubts about his eagerness to join the team, and took reps exclusively at defensive tackle in one practice while rookie Lamarr Houston played next to him at defensive end. Seymour could still line up at both tackle and end this season, as he did last year.

• Raiders WR Chaz Schilens' durability continues to be a concern. Schilens, who has undergone two surgeries on his left foot within the past year, left training-camp practice early on July 29, which led to speculation about his health. Schilens missed eight games last season recovering from surgery to repair a broken metatarsal.

• Although he is not looking for more money or a long-term contract, OLB Shawne Merriman recently said that he plans to stay away from Chargers training camp until the team assures him that he won't be on the trading block this season. The unsigned restricted free agent, whose name was reportedly brought up in trade talks over draft weekend, said he is perfectly fine playing on a one-year deal, but he needs the Bolts to give him a sense of security before he reports to camp.

NFC Whispers (ProFootballWeekly)

We've been hearing the following whispers around the NFC:

• Redskins RB Clinton Portis is the odds-on favorite to win the starting job, despite having the most competition he has seen in Washington. Mike Shanahan has issued a challenge to Portis this offseason, and from what we hear, Shanahan and the other offensive coaches have been impressed with the way Portis has responded. Many feel he could have a bounce-back season.

• Cowboys TE Martellus Bennett has flirted with his immense talent, but the team is growing weary of his lack of progress. Don't be surprised if John Phillips, who was a nice surprise last season as the third tight end, passes Bennett on the depth chart. If the rumors are true that Jerry Jones previously had resisted trading Bennett for a first-round pick, then he might be kicking himself because so far Bennett has not proven worthy. Phillips, who has had a great offseason by most accounts, has been terrific, however.

• Although Giants head coach Tom Coughlin said that FS Kenny Phillips would begin training camp working mostly with the trainers until they clear him medically to play, Coughlin was very optimistic that he would have Phillips, who is coming off microfracture surgery on his knee, on the field for some of the 20 days of camp. "Oh, definitely," Coughlin said, "I expect to get him as much as a week or two (of practice)."

• Felix Jones weighing more than Marion Barber? It's true. Jones added bulk in the offseason and currently sits in the 220 range while Barber is below that, at around 215. That won't change the way either back runs with the ball, but it might help Jones when it comes to handling the added load he's expected to receive.

• The Vikings have kicked around the idea of signing another veteran receiver as training camp was opening. The top three — Sidney Rice, Bernard Berrian and Percy Harvin — are extremely strong, but there's little established depth beyond them. Plus, the health of Rice (hip) has come into question.

• Lions rookie CB Amari Spievey struggled in his first work with the team this spring and appeared to be more of a project this season. But his work in the team's final minicamps in June gave the staff hope that Spievey can be more than a special-teams contributor and sideline student this year. He enters camp with a very real chance to earn a significant role - if not as a starter, then as a valuable sub-package defender. No secondary spot — other than FS Louis Delmas' — is anywhere close to being set in stone.

• It would appear veteran Bears LB Hunter Hillenmeyer's roster status is a great deal more secure than it was a year ago at this time. "A couple of the Bears' coaches thought he had his best year ever (in '09)," said one team insider of Hillenmeyer. "He's definitely in the mix. The LB unit is not nearly as deep with Jamar Williams gone (traded to Carolina for S Chris Harris)."

• A very interesting battle for the third-down RB job could be shaping up in the Packers' training camp between sixth-round rookie James Starks and incumbent Brandon Jackson. We hear Starks could have a leg up as far as running and receiving skills are concerned, but Jackson, who has significantly bulked up his lower body, has worked extremely hard to make himself into arguably one of the league's better backs in terms of blitz pickup.

• Almost one year after being suspended for violating the league's substance-abuse policy, Buccaneers FS Tanard Jackson appears to have figured things out and is staying away from whatever led him to be disciplined by the NFL, sources say. Jackson, who usually keeps quiet around the media, was apologetic after being suspended but didn't reveal what substance he was using. He has started every game he's played for the Bucs.

• Several players are competing for reps in the Panthers' rotation at defensive tackle, but training-camp observers say Ed Johnson and Tank Tyler both showed a quick first step in initial practices. Carolina is going to need tackles who can get pressure on quarterbacks for its cover-2 defense to be effective.

• With only four running backs on the Rams' 80-man roster at the start of training camp — including Steven Jackson, who is coming off back surgery — we hear the Rams plan on seriously checking out other teams' camps for a potentially decent backup to Jackson. The best bet currently on the roster appears to be second-year RB Chris Ogbonnaya, an apparent favorite of GM Billy Devaney's. Word is former Eagles star Brian Westbrook remains very much on the Rams' radar screen.

• Although Niners 2008 first-round DL Kentwan Balmer continues to be viewed as a major disappointment who appears to have fallen behind 2009 seventh-round pick Ricky Jean-Francois on the depth chart, team insiders tell us Balmer probably will just manage to hang on to a roster spot as "a back-end-of-the rotation guy," although there are hardly any guarantees.

• We hear Cardinals fourth-round rookie OLB O'Brien Schofield is doing everything in his power to make it back at some point this season after suffering a torn ACL during a Senior Bowl practice in January. "The kid is working his tail off. He's here every day," said one team insider. "But if a lot of these young guys like Will Davis, Cody Brown and Stevie Baggs come through, there won't be any rush to get Schofield back."

• After appearing to drop behind Deion Branch, T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Golden Tate, Deon Butler and Mike Williams on the Seahawks' depth chart at wide receiver, veterans Ben Obomanu and Sean Morey could both struggle to make the final roster, our sources tell us.

FavreCo said:

One fact is certain in the Bengals battle at WR: Matt Jones will be a non-factor. He looks like he's running in one of those super-slow motion cameras used to analyze golf swings.

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Jones will need to hope that he catches the eye of some receiver starved team, as he is a long shot to make the final roster with the Bengals.FavreCo, what does this say about Obomanu and Morey that they are behind Mike Williams for a roster spot:After appearing to drop behind Deion Branch, T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Golden Tate, Deon Butler and Mike Williams on the Seahawks' depth chart at wide receiver, veterans Ben Obomanu and Sean Morey could both struggle to make the final roster, our sources tell us.

Faust said:

Postcard from camp: Panthers (SI.com)

Excerpts:

I saw two good young receivers. Actually two good, young, third-round rookie receivers. Brandon LaFell (LSU) is an angular guy with terrific hands (he made a circus one-handed catch that drew oohs from the crowd on campus this afternoon) who is ahead of the Michigan killer, converted Appalachian State quarterback Armenti Edwards. Edwards had two drops this afternoon, but I'm told he's been impressive and will definitely win a spot barring a very disappointing summer.

Memorable Image

The hands of Brandon LaFell. I don't know he 'LaFell' to the third round of the draft, but he made one terrific catch and another couple of nabs in traffic that were big-time. I would be surprised if by the end of the year we don't see LaFell making big catches down the field for Carolina. Coaches love him.

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As a homer, I have seen him drop too many easy passes to believe this. He has talent with the ball in his hands and he will make sportscenter with the catch of the day, but struggles leaping up to fight for a ball and concentrating catching with his hands at the worst times in a ball game.

Also to add, everyone being carted off doesn't give a good indication of the severity of the injury. Only a couple of years ago if a player was carted off there was a serious head trauma or severe tear. Heck even torn ACLs, players would walk off the field on their own power.

Now it feels like the world cup where the player is taken out on a stretcher in every instance. I don't know if it is now standard practice for every team now because of insurance or liability or if it is the standard in medical care for players now, but it seems pretty ridiculous.

ATC1 said:

Faust said:

Postcard from camp: Panthers (SI.com)

Excerpts:

I saw two good young receivers. Actually two good, young, third-round rookie receivers. Brandon LaFell (LSU) is an angular guy with terrific hands (he made a circus one-handed catch that drew oohs from the crowd on campus this afternoon) who is ahead of the Michigan killer, converted Appalachian State quarterback Armenti Edwards. Edwards had two drops this afternoon, but I'm told he's been impressive and will definitely win a spot barring a very disappointing summer.

Memorable Image

The hands of Brandon LaFell. I don't know he 'LaFell' to the third round of the draft, but he made one terrific catch and another couple of nabs in traffic that were big-time. I would be surprised if by the end of the year we don't see LaFell making big catches down the field for Carolina. Coaches love him.

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As a homer, I have seen him drop too many easy passes to believe this. He has talent with the ball in his hands and he will make sportscenter with the catch of the day, but struggles leaping up to fight for a ball and concentrating catching with his hands at the worst times in a ball game.

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This is exactly why I started this thread -- to provide one central thread for these observations, and to have the local FBG guys check in with their observations also.

Camp Confidential: Steelers (ESPN.com)

Excerpts:

1. Will the Steelers properly handle QBs? How do you manage a $100 million quarterback who won't play for at least a month, a veteran who is the favorite to replace him, and a talented youngster with very little experience?

There is no handbook for what the Steelers' coaching staff is going through this summer. Roethlisberger's suspension has put Pittsburgh in a unique situation in which the team has to delicately balance preparing for Week 1 and the entire season.

In all likelihood, "Big Ben" will have his suspension reduced to four games for good behavior. But he will be forced to stay away from the team during that span, which means he will miss reps and practice time for at least a month before he returns. That is why training camp is so important for Roethlisberger. Meanwhile, the team also has to find out if Byron Leftwich or Dennis Dixon is the best option for the Steelers in the immediate future.

"We want to make sure that at the end of this thing that Ben has a productive camp," Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said. "But as we proceed at this juncture, our focus, of course, is who's going to be playing quarterback for us the week of the opener. I like where the guys are right now."

2. Is safety Troy Polamalu back? Polamalu is a special talent. He is so unique that there is no other NFL player who closely resembles his playing style or offers his versatility.

Last year the Steelers missed that versatility when Polamalu was sidelined for 11 games with a knee injury. Pittsburgh still finished in the top five in defense, but its inability to close out games in the fourth quarter without Polamalu led to several bad losses that kept the Steelers out of the postseason.

But Polamalu was healthy for the start of training camp and looks ready to go. He has made sudden cuts without issues, looks fast and was making plays in camp.

"He just kind of opens the playbook to anything you want to do," Steelers defensive coordinator **** LeBeau said. "It's just a matter of how far off the diving board you want to go."

3. Can the Steelers stay afloat early? The first four to six games could make or break Pittsburgh's season.

A slow start, such as 1-3 or 2-4, will have the Steelers playing catch-up the rest of the year in a competitive AFC North division. But a .500 record or better during Roethlisberger's suspension could set the table for Pittsburgh to make a playoff push in the second half.

Everything shouldn't be put on the quarterback position. Sure, Leftwich or Dixon has to do his part. But the running game and defense also have to step up for Pittsburgh to win early.

The Steelers' first four games are against the Atlanta Falcons, Tennessee Titans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Baltimore Ravens. Tampa Bay is the only team in this group that had a losing record last season.

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT

I don't think you can truly pick a disappointing player a few days into training camp. But based on the opening weekend, I wasn't particularly overwhelmed by Leftwich.

The veteran quarterback shared snaps with Roethlisberger with the first team, and there is clearly a difference when each player runs the offense. When Roethlisberger was in, the ball rarely touched the ground. Meanwhile, Leftwich missed several throws in team drills that I felt he should have made.

But again, it's very early in camp. A stronger indication will come during the preseason.

Roethlisberger may be in the best shape of his career. The quarterback often uses the offseason to rest his body and recover from injuries. But as a result, Roethlisberger usually shows up to camp on the heavy side. That's not the case this year as he's thin and looks like he's in midseason form. Roethlisberger said his offseason incident and time away from the team motivated him to show up in shape as a sign of dedication.

Look for Pittsburgh to put a stronger emphasis on the running game, especially with Roethlisberger out early in the season. Starting tailback Rashard Mendenhall recorded his first 1,000-yard season in 2009 and should get a lot of carries behind this revamped O-line.

Keep an eye on rookie receivers Emmanuel Sanders and Antonio Brown. Both are very competitive and making plays early in camp. Sanders, a third-round pick, looks smooth running his routes and coming out of his breaks for a first-year receiver. He may be able to contribute at some point this season. Brown, a sixth-round pick, is more raw but always gives good effort.

Veteran receiver Antwaan Randle El was fielding punts this weekend and has to be considered one of the favorites to win the job. The kick return game is one area Pittsburgh struggled in last season. Randle El has five punt returns for touchdowns in his career.

Anyone interested in this thread needs to be reading the Rapid Reports from CBS:

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/rapid-reports/date

Nice thanks. Looks like Chester Taylor and Mendenhall have been having fumbling issues.

massraider said:

Anyone interested in this thread needs to be reading the Rapid Reports from CBS:

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/rapid-reports/date

Click to expand...

Most important news in training camp so far:

The Ravens' lunch menu included a salad bar, a deli bar, pasta and sauces, meatballs, roasted vegetables, grilled chicken and the state's best fruit and yogurt smoothie bar.

Click to expand...

Seriously though - great site. Will be keeping an eye out on this one.

ESPN

Ryan also revealed that team doctors advised LaDainian Tomlinson to miss the conditioning test due to a hamstring injury, but the running back wouldn’t have it. “He made it, Ryan said. “He’s in great shape he looks super.”

Faust said:

FavreCo said:

One fact is certain in the Bengals battle at WR: Matt Jones will be a non-factor. He looks like he's running in one of those super-slow motion cameras used to analyze golf swings.

Click to expand...

Jones will need to hope that he catches the eye of some receiver starved team, as he is a long shot to make the final roster with the Bengals.FavreCo, what does this say about Obomanu and Morey that they are behind Mike Williams for a roster spot:After appearing to drop behind Deion Branch, T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Golden Tate, Deon Butler and Mike Williams on the Seahawks' depth chart at wide receiver, veterans Ben Obomanu and Sean Morey could both struggle to make the final roster, our sources tell us.

Click to expand...

Anybody's guess in Seattle. Williams could do something stupid and join Reggie in the unemployment line. Or he has woken up and will see significant palying time. He's the only big WR they have.

massraider said:

Anyone interested in this thread needs to be reading the Rapid Reports from CBS:

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/rapid-reports/date

Click to expand...

Nice work - this link is a great addition to this thread!

FavreCo said:

Faust said:

FavreCo said:

One fact is certain in the Bengals battle at WR: Matt Jones will be a non-factor. He looks like he's running in one of those super-slow motion cameras used to analyze golf swings.

Click to expand...

Jones will need to hope that he catches the eye of some receiver starved team, as he is a long shot to make the final roster with the Bengals.

FavreCo, what does this say about Obomanu and Morey that they are behind Mike Williams for a roster spot:

After appearing to drop behind Deion Branch, T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Golden Tate, Deon Butler and Mike Williams on the Seahawks' depth chart at wide receiver, veterans Ben Obomanu and Sean Morey could both struggle to make the final roster, our sources tell us.

Click to expand...

Anybody's guess in Seattle. Williams could do something stupid and join Reggie in the unemployment line. Or he has woken up and will see significant palying time. He's the only big WR they have.

Click to expand...

Williams seems to finally recognize that this is his last shot at turning around his NFL career. I just think that it speaks volumes about Obomanu and Morey that they can't beat out a career WR underachiever who has bounced around and was completely out of the NFL for the last 2 years!

EDIT:

I take back the Morey part after reading this:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writ.../01/mmqb/2.html

Camp Confidential: Buffalo Bills (ESPN.com)

Excerpts:

Can quarterback Trent Edwards capitalize on another opportunity? Bills fans seemed to be pulling for Brian Brohm to emerge as the favorite to win the starting quarterback job. A major reason is they haven't seen him truly fail yet -- unlike Edwards and Ryan Fitzpatrick.

Yet, after several months working with his quarterbacks, Gailey liked Edwards best and installed him as the No. 1 quarterback to begin training camp. The battle remains open, but with Fitzpatrick and Brohm sharing reps with the backups and surrendering a few here and there to rookie Levi Brown, it's Edwards' job to lose. Based on Edwards' medical chart (combined with Hot Issue No. 2 below), there are no guarantees.

But Edwards has yet to get a fair shot to prove what he can do. He has experienced plenty of chaos since the Bills drafted him in the third round in 2007. Gailey is the first offensive-minded head coach Edwards has played under. Last year, offensive coordinator Turk Schonert got fired 10 days before the season, the Bills jettisoned both starting tackles (two-time Pro Bowl left tackle Jason Peters and the most experienced member of the offensive line, Langston Walker) from the season before and endured a futile no-huddle experiment.

Gailey has run successful offenses everywhere he has been. This finally could be a legitimate chance for Edwards to show what he can do.

How will the Bills survive without proven offensive tackles? The Bills aren't known for their pass rush, but it was apparent in the early days of practice their offensive tackles were overmatched in pass protection. For their safety, quarterbacks wear red jerseys to remind oncoming defenders not to hit them. Good thing, or else the Bills might have needed to sign some replacements already.

While some front offices believe guards are fungible and tackles vital, the Bills have operated contradictorily in recent years. They've drafted guards within the first two rounds (Eric Wood and Andy Levitre) and paid big bucks for a free agent (Derrick Dockery) while declining to draft a tackle earlier than the fifth round since 2002.

Left tackle Demetrius Bell has been limited in 11-on-11 drills because he's recovering from knee surgery. He received his first snaps Sunday. His replacement, Jamon Meredith, has been overwhelmed at times. The other tackles likely to make the 53-man roster -- Cornell Green, Kirk Chambers and rookie Ed Wang -- have looked ordinary at best.

BIGGEST SURPRISE

Wide receiver Steve Johnson was an afterthought when the Bills drafted him in the seventh round three years ago. But the front office was quietly confident he would be a player someday. After getting buried on a depth chart that no longer includes Terrell Owens and Josh Reed, Johnson might be ready to emerge. Johnson opened camp as the starting No. 2 receiver opposite Evans. That puts James Hardy on the spot. The Bills took him in the second round the same year they drafted Johnson.

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT

Rookie running back C.J. Spiller, the ninth overall draft choice, still hasn't been signed. Reports indicate it might be a while before he's under contract. The players around him in the draft order have come to terms, but Spiller was the first running back off the board and was considered the most electric playmaker in the draft. His agent, Gary Wichard, certainly is hammering home that point every time he speaks to the Bills. While it's true running backs can afford to miss practice more than other positions because their role is so reactionary, Spiller is more than that. The Bills also consider him a receiver, and that makes practice time more precious for learning the nuances of Gailey's offense.

Fitzpatrick has been plagued by interceptions through the first few days of camp. Bills defenders seem to have developed a strong read on where he's going to throw.

The Bills' defensive backs have sensational hands. In every drill I watched, it was rare to see a ball hit the ground.

Left cornerback Leodis McKelvin has demonstrated lapses in concentration. He seemed lost in a passing drill Saturday, getting beaten by Hardy for an easy touchdown. Secondary coach George Catavolos had trouble getting McKelvin's attention afterward for some instruction. Soon after, McKelvin was dropping punts in a return drill.

I focused on the tight ends at the blocking sled Friday morning. I saw why sophomore Shawn Nelson is viewed as more receiver than blocker. He looked considerably less powerful than the rest. While Derek Schouman, Jonathan Stupar and Michael Matthews jacked the sled, Nelson merely budged it. Nelson is listed at 6-foot-5 and 240 pounds. Only Matthews is larger at 6-4 and 270.

Peter King MMQB

Excerpts:

Pacman, from one practice, looked a lot more mortal than he used to. He got singed two or three times by Chad Ochocinco in drills I saw, and then worked with Ocho one-on-one after practice -- at Chad's prompting. Pacman looks older than 26, that's for sure. He hasn't started a game in 21 months, and if he's going to win the starting nickel job, he'll have to re-adapt to the speed of the game.

Andre Smith should never, ever, ever have been the sixth pick in the draft in 2009. The sixth pick overall didn't work hard to rehab his foot after February surgery, not even being a stickler about keeping the foot in a protective boot at times in the offseason.

Still don't know how the Bengals are going to have enough balls for everyone on offense. Last year, Cincinnati had 1,011 offensive snaps. Half --505 -- were run plays, and Lewis told me the offense was still going to be centered around the run. Ochocinco, Owens and Bryant, if I had to guess, will get 350 chances, collectively, if they're healthy most of the year. But what of Gresham? Shipley? Andre Caldwell, who caught 51 balls last year? And the forgotten 2008 draftee, Jerome Simpson of Coastal Carolina, who, according to personnel man Jim Lippincott, "is the receiver on our team with the most God-given talent?'' We'll see.

The Panthers rarely have a really down season, but I'm not sure that streak is going to continue (suffice to say I'm wavering on my May pick of Carolina for the playoffs). Steve Smith, the only household name left in camp, is out until late August with the broken arm suffered in a flag-football game this offseason, and when I saw him, I asked: "You sure you'll be back for the opener against the Giants?''

"Positive,'' he said. "I'd bet my game check on it.'' Smith also said he plans to make a beeline for Giants safety Michael Johnson early in that game. Johnson's the guy who laid the vicious hit on Smith that broke his arm -- and ended his season in Week 16 last December. "I'm going after him,'' said Smith, and he walked away.

The Merriman squabble is not difficult to understand, in my opinion, because the Chargers can't be sure what kind of player he is anymore. (He had four sacks in the past two years, over 15 total games.) But I find it odd and counterproductive -- as do many Charger fans -- that Smith hasn't negotiated long-term deals with two players I would consider cornerstones, McNeill and Jackson. Not only does he apparently not consider them vital players, but in lowering their one-year contract offers from $3.2 million to around $600,000 in June, he slapped two very good players in the face and made it nearly impossible for them to accept offers they certainly consider insulting.

Smith told me he does not plan to change the offers on McNeill or Jackson, nor will he enter into long-term contract discussions for them.

"We have a priority list of players we want to get signed, and that began 11 months ago with Philip Rivers,'' he said. "Then we got Antonio Gates done. We have a priority list still, which I'm not going to discuss.''

Rivers and Gates are cornerstones. McNeill and Jackson aren't in the same category to Smith. That's got to be a bitter pill for two important players -- particularly McNeill, I would think. Jackson has had some off-field problems, and his recent violation of the league's personal conduct policy resulted in a suspension for the first three games of the 2010 season. Said Smith: "Disappointment lurks around every corner. You'd love to have everyone on your roster happy, but that's not the world of the NFL. It is disappointing, but I have to run the team and build the roster the way I see fit.''

Understood. But I wouldn't want to alienate two of my top six or seven players -- perhaps losing them for the season -- on the verge of a year when the Chargers are a legitimate Super Bowl contender. Figuring his team can survive this distraction is a big gamble by Smith.

On the first pass play of Dolphins training camp Friday, Brandon Marshall had run one of the common routes in the Miami playbook, a slant and go. Some teams call it "sluggo.'' Whatever, the Dolphins called it a touchdown, because Chad Henne threw it long downfield, perfectly, for a score. "I got chills,'' said quarterbacks coach David Lee. "I don't know how it's possible to get chills in 95-degree weather with 90-percent humidity, but I did. What a beautiful thing that was to see.''

I remember going to Denver last summer and interviewing Marshall, who I've known for three or four years. Every answer was forced, clipped. He was ticked at the world then, a combination of being labeled a malingerer and feeling like he was lied to about getting a new contract. In the players' cafeteria Sunday, he grinned like a madman ... even when I asked him what he would have done differently in Denver before finally getting his wish via a pre-draft trade and new contract in Miami last April.

He paused, and I said: "Would you have punted the ball in practice that day?'' You remember the infamous tape, when he was a disruptive force in practice.

"I wouldn't have punted the football,'' he said. "There were a few things last year I didn't handle well. But what I've learned is that sometimes the more powerful lessons are the most painful lessons.''

Marshall doesn't want to return to the nightmare that was last year. He's married now -- to a different woman than the one he says caused "90 to 95 percent'' of his problems in the past. But he realizes talk is cheap, and no matter what he says now about being a different person in a different place, he's got to show it, day after day, week after week.

He has a five-year, $47-million contract extension, and he's on a team that he thinks is more suited to his physical style. "I've always had the attitude that I'm going to impose my will on the defense,'' he said. "So I fit in well with the philosophy of this team. Everyone in the building, everyone in the organization, has a toughness here. I like that. It's all football. We don't play games here. I see Bill Parcells, and he always says one word to me: 'Stamina.' I know I'm going to be happy here.

I think Ricky Williams is the best running back on the Dolphins. Think about how amazing that is. He's 33. He's carried the ball 401 times the last two years. And watching practice Sunday at Dolphins camp, I saw a spry, still-explosive back working as hard as rookies. It'll be very interesting to see if Miami tries to re-sign him after this year. Both he and Ronnie Brown are set to be free agents next winter.

Postcard from camp: Vikings (SI.com)

Excerpts:

You'd think the biggest question in Vikings camp would be when is the starting quarterback arriving, but the Brett Favre watch is pretty low key this time around. After all, no one expects to see him before the club heads back to its team complex in Eden Prairie in mid-August anyway.

The more pressing concern is Pro Bowl receiver Sidney Rice, and when he might be full speed after starting camp on the physically unable to perform list due to a lingering hip injury that has lingered longer than expected.

Rice first hurt the hip in January's NFC title game loss at New Orleans, and even though he thought he was ready to take part in a June minicamp, he wound up being shut down after experience trouble making cuts and in getting in and out of pass routes. Eventually Rice saw three specialists, two of which recommended surgery, while noting it wasn't absolutely necessary. Rice has said he'll definitely be ready for the Vikings' opener at New Orleans on Sept. 9, but then again no one expected he wouldn't be ready to go at the start of camp, so there's some building skepticism.

But if you look a little closer, there's not quite so much mystery to the situation. Rice is certainly injured, but there's also a contractual component to his easy-does-it early camp status. He's entering the last year of his rookie deal, making just $550,000 this season, and his new agent, Drew Rosenhaus, is looking to get him a rich new deal. With that in mind, Rice is taking a very cautious approach to his hip, and the Vikings are fully on board with that.

"I'm going to be cautious, and it wasn't a problem with Coach (Brad Childress),'' Rice told me after Monday's afternoon workout. "He recommended I start (camp) on the PUP list. It's something that's been bothering me and you want to be healthy for the season ahead and trying to win that trophy. So you want to be smart. Right now, it's just day-by-day and we're taking it slow. We don't want to rush anything.''

After his 1,300-yard-plus breakthrough season of 2009, in which he and Favre tormented defenses all season with their little version of lob ball, Rice is clearly in line for a huge raise. Vikings officials I talked to don't seem overly concerned with his hip, but given the looming labor showdown next year I also don't sense the club is about make a contract extension offer any time soon. For now, Rice and his balky hip are running something of a holding pattern.

Adrian Peterson can't really enjoy everyone asking all the time about his fumbling issue. But that's kind of what you bargain for when you develop that particular problem, so naturally my first question to the All-Pro running back was about his renewed efforts to protect the rock.

"It's going well, but it really is all mental,'' Peterson said. "It's not really anything I'm really stuck on. It's just knowing to keep the ball high and tight at all times. But it's funny, no matter how much good you do, they're going to find something to point out and focus on.''

True enough, but those two critical fumbles in the NFC title game loss to the Saints (and he actually took credit for another fumble charged to Favre) are the last image we have of Peterson. It's not a stretch at all to say Minnesota clearly outplayed New Orleans, minus its inability to hang onto the ball. Childress told me he doesn't want Peterson to change his violent, thrashing running style, but the ball-security issue is one of those stories that won't go away until Peterson makes it go away. The way one-time chronic fumbler Tiki Barber did with the Giants.

3. This team knows it's built to win now, and there's no beating around the bush about it. A couple players told me Childress said as much in his first team meeting this season, framing 2010 as Super Bowl or bust. But, after losing in overtime of the NFC title game, what other goal can there be? Especially if Favre returns.

"That's just the harsh reality of it,'' Peterson said. "There's definitely a sense of urgency. This group understands that and this whole organization understands that. To shoot for anything else but that would be cheating ourselves. That puts it right in your face and makes you understand what's at stake. For the young guys this year, that tells them the mindset and what we're trying to accomplish.''

And ultimately that's why Favre will once again come back and play later this month. Because he knows this Vikings team has Super Bowl talent and Super Bowl potential, and there's no way he's passing up another shot at getting a career-capping ring. He wants one more go-round with this team, maybe even badly enough that he'd be willing to drive himself from the airport to the team complex this time.

Rookie Report

Got my first up-close look at Vikings rookie running back Toby Gerhart, and my only regret is that I wasn't here on the first day of camp, when defensive tackle Pat Williams and linebacker Chad Greenway combined to welcome the Stanford star to the NFL in that veteran sort of way.

"It was a screen play and I kind of got wrapped up and I spun back around,'' Gerhart told me. "And right in the middle of the spin, Pat and Chad just laid me out. It was a good welcome to the NFL. I didn't see it coming at all, but I should have expected it.''

Gerhart said he loves that the Vikings are predominantly an inside zone blocking team, because that suits his running style. "It's one cut for me, and then I'm heading north and south,'' he said. "I think it'll translate well to what I do.''

The exact nature of Gerhart's role hasn't completely been decided, but Childress is high on the change of pace that Gerhart's running style offers in contrast with Peterson's. He could wind up spelling Peterson on first and second down at times, rather than just serving more as a third-down back, as departed Vikings rusher Chester Taylor was used.