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2011 Training Camp / Preseason Observations, News & Tidbits Thread (2 Viewers)

Camp Confidential: Seattle Seahawks

Excerpts:

THREE HOT ISSUES

1. Why Tarvaris Jackson? The Seahawks decided it was time to move on from Hasselbeck before they had a long-term replacement lined up. Once that decision was made, the team targeted Jackson because he and the Seahawks' new offensive coordinator, Darrell Bevell, had spent five years together. Once Jackson was signed, Carroll wasted little time endorsing him as the starter. Three possible explanations come to mind. One, Jackson knew the offense. Two, Charlie Whitehurst hadn't asserted himself as a leader during offseason workouts when Hasselbeck was without a contract for 2011. Three, a quick endorsement gave Jackson a confidence boost following a rough run in Minnesota. There's a feeling that maybe, just maybe, Brad Childress did not give Jackson the best chance to succeed with the Vikings.

2. Who will lead the defense? Tatupu's release following six seasons with the team leaves the defense in transition. Tatupu was instinctive and adept at getting teammates lined up properly. His play had deteriorated through injuries, but Tatupu had three Pro Bowls and a Super Bowl on his résumé. He was the defensive leader. Carroll pointed to linebacker David Hawthorne, pass-rusher Chris Clemons and defensive end Red Bryant as heirs. He named Thomas and strong safety Kam Chancellor as well. "I'm not worried about it," Carroll said. "There’s a lot of very strong character kids on that side of the ball, particularly."

3. Does Whitehurst have a future? It's tough to see him emerging in Seattle. The decision to go with Jackson even though rules prevented him from practicing right away said plenty about Whitehurst's status on the team. Whitehurst has been running the first-team offense while Jackson waits to become eligible under rules for players with new contracts. Everyone knows he's the backup even though there was never any competition. It's a tough situation for Whitehurst. Still, getting to work with the starters provided an opportunity to impress. It has not happened. Whitehurst's contract runs through the 2011 season. If Whitehurst doesn't show more as camp progresses, it's fair to wonder whether the team would consider bringing in a cheaper veteran.

BIGGEST SURPRISE

Signing Zach Miller in free agency. Miller was on the Seahawks' radar when free agency opened. Assistant head coach/offensive line Tom Cable had high praise for Miller from their days together in Oakland. But the Seahawks never expected Miller to remain available so deep into the signing period. After a while, the Seahawks began to view Miller the way they would view a talented prospect falling to them in the draft. They felt compelled to pursue Miller with a strong offer. The Raiders made a push to keep Miller, but Seattle came through with a five-year, $34 million contract featuring $17 million in guarantees. Having Cable and former Raiders guard Robert Gallery in Seattle helped the Seahawks get this deal done. The team emerged from free agency with a 25-year-old Pro Bowl player.

OBSERVATION DECK

The ankle injuries that slowed left tackle Russell Okung as a rookie last season haven't been a problem so far. Okung appears exceedingly smooth. He rides out defenders effectively during pass-rush drills, sometimes even driving them to the ground. He's a threat to flatten defenders in the running game. Another recent first-round pick on the line, James Carpenter, has made a positive first impression at right tackle early in camp. He's thick and massive. He plays with an edge. He's going to start in Week 1.

Rookie right guard John Moffitt projects as a starter, but he could need time to develop. That was my impression watching Moffitt in drills. Of course, it's not fair comparing Moffitt to Okung or Carpenter. Those guys were first-round picks. Moffitt was a third-rounder. Having youth on the line is a good thing overall. Getting the 31-year-old Gallery into the lineup is critical, however. Gallery has been serving as a coach on the field during practices. He knows Cable's blocking schemes and is already proving valuable as a resource. Durability is a concern for him.

Seattle is finished with the big-ticket purchases in free agency. The team could still add veterans at linebacker and kicker. The team lacks experience in the secondary as well. Marcus Trufant and Kelly Jennings are the only cornerbacks on the team with more than one start. Going young sounds great during the offseason, but throwing untested corners onto the field against veteran quarterbacks isn't very appealing when the games start counting. The Seahawks face Ben Roethlisberger, Matt Ryan and Eli Manning in the first five weeks of the regular season.

Strong safety Jeron Johnson and three linebackers -- Mike Morgan, K.J. Wright and Malcolm Smith -- are among the rookies impressing Seattle early in camp. Another rookie, safety Mark LeGree, is getting a chance to play safety when Thomas, the starter at free, shifts to cornerback against slot receivers. Carroll alluded to such an arrangement during the draft. One more rookie, Pep Levingston, has impressed in early one-on-one pass-rush drills. A defensive tackle at LSU, Levingston projects as an end with Seattle. He's leaner than I had anticipated, an advantage in pass-rush drills.

Seven of the 11 cornerbacks on the roster are at least 6 feet tall. Three are 5-foot-11 and one is 5-10. The biggest, Brandon Browner, goes 6-4 and 221 pounds. Impressive? Perhaps, but only three of the 11 have started an NFL game, and none of the three with starting experience stands taller than 5-11.

Size is a theme throughout the roster. Mike Williams, Rice and fellow receiver Kris Durham are at least 6-4.

The Seahawks might need to find more touches for Leon Washington if they hope to get sufficient return on their investment in him. New rules governing kickoffs figure to diminish the value of Washington and other top returners.

Seattle's front office trusted its coaches during free agency. Just about every free-agent addition has ties to a Seahawks staff member. Miller and Gallery played for Cable in Oakland. Jackson and Rice played for Bevell in Minnesota. Defensive tackle Alan Branch was an exception. Seattle added him after failing to land a defensive tackle in the draft. Ideally, Branch would be a backup. He could start for Seattle at three-technique, with Brandon Mebane moving to nose tackle. Branch will also back up Bryant at five-technique.
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***Fuast Note*** Brandon Browner has honed his craft for the last few years in the CFL with the Calgary Stampeders and played very well for the most part but it is a big jump from the CFL to the NFL...would be great to see him successfully make the transition!
 
Camp Confidential: Jacksonville Jaguars

Excerpt:

1. Will there be a quarterback controversy? The team stands firmly with David Garrard and intends to bring first-round pick Blaine Gabbert along slowly. But Gabbert has looked great early, while Garrard tends to be inconsistent. There are bound to be times during the season when there is some pressure to make a change from inside team headquarters, not just from media and fans.

“If we ever get to the point where we think Blaine is better than Dave, that’s good for the Jaguars,” offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter said. “Because I think Dave is good enough to win with; I think we can win our division with Dave Garrard at quarterback. If Blaine is better than Dave, shoot, that’s good for us.”

Del Rio and Koetter could have a complicated job managing how and when to play Gabbert if they feel he’s forcing his way into the lineup.

“I’ve got a healthy appreciation for the desire out there to make it a story,” Del Rio said. “For us, we’re about maximizing our opportunities as a football team, playing the guys who give us the best chance to win games and working on the preparation. ...

“Through the course of competition and exposure and based on health, those factors kind of take care of themselves. I don’t think we have to get ahead of the story. I think we can just let it play out, and at least we are doing so from a position of strength. There is no reason to make it dysfunctional, make it unhealthy. What purpose does that serve? It’s not going to help us win more games.”

It sounds good, but it can get complicated. Garrard’s the guy right now, and the team and the quarterback need to do a better job of making sure he gets hit far less so he can make consistently good decisions with the ball.

Factor tight ends Marcedes Lewis and Zach Miller and running backs Maurice Jones-Drew and Rashad Jennings into the mix with the receivers, and the Jaguars have sufficient weapons to complement a run-based offense. Mike Thomas, Jason Hill and Cecil Shorts could be a better three-pack of receivers than many people think.

2. How much better can the revamped defense be? If this defense doesn’t improve from 32nd against the pass, 28th overall and 27th in points allowed, Del Rio will lose his job.

The team shelled out $37 million guaranteed to three prime free agents: linebackers Paul Posluszny and Clint Session and safety Dawan Landry. The Jags also added nickelback Drew Coleman.

That group, plus rookie defensive backs Chris Prosinski and Rod Issac, should vastly improve the defensive production and depth.

Smith wanted to build foundations early and spent his first two drafts working on the lines. Defensive tackles Tyson Alualu and Terrance Knighton should take up all kinds of blockers and create space for the two new linebackers and the underrated Daryl Smith to make a lot of impact plays.

“Jacksonville’s interior D-line really stood out,” Posluszny said about his research as a free agent. “They’ve got two studs in the middle that are very active, get to the ball a lot and certainly are going to take up a lot of blockers.”

Safety play last season was horrific, and Landry will be a significant upgrade even though he didn’t bring Ed Reed with him from Baltimore.

“I’m not looking for any grace period to assemble this defense,” Del Rio said. "Guys we’re assembling and counting on for the most part are veterans. ... We’re going to expect to play coming out of the gate as a winning football team, and defensively we’ve got a lot of work to do.”

BIGGEST SURPRISE

Beat writers and fans call Austen Lane “The Bringer of Pain.” It’s funny. But he looks like a guy who will make it hard for the team to look anywhere else for its second starting defensive end. He can be a ball of fury, and that will fit right in with the tone and tempo of the rest of the defensive front.

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT

Right tackle Eben Britton came in with a reputation as a nasty player, and the team missed him last season when he was lost with a shoulder injury. I’ve picked him as a breakout-caliber guy this season. But word is he has not been great so far. Perhaps he’s still being cautious and easing his way back, but he needs to take things up a big notch soon.

OBSERVATION DECK

Two years ago, people were writing off center Brad Meester. But defenses were taking advantage of weak guard play to get to him. He rebounded well last season and is a guy whom coaches love as a reliable offensive line leader.

Knighton’s weight always will be an issue. The defensive tackle is a great player and superlikable guy. The team cannot hold his fork for him. The more he can control it, the more impact and money he will make.

Prosinski could well be in the opening day lineup as the free safety. He worked with the first team early in camp and might be up to a pairing with Landry in the middle of the secondary. Rashean Mathis and Derek Cox need to play better at corner, but the Jaguars will improve from the safety upgrades and from the presence of veteran nickelback Drew Coleman.

Looking for an underdog to root for? How about undrafted free agent Marc Schiechl? He set a Football Championship Subdivision record for sacks at the Colorado School of Mines.

Scotty McGee isn’t working with defensive backs regularly anymore. Can he stick as strictly a punt-return specialist? He caught 185 punts on one day of camp. And the team should move away from using Thomas in the role, although McGee is hardly the only alternative.

I like Miller, and the team raves about his potential. But he’s been inconsistent early in camp with too many drops. He’s got great hands, so it seems to be a focus issue.

Larry Hart may be in the doghouse for coming back from the lockout overweight. At defensive end, he currently ranks behind Aaron Kampman, Lane, Jeremy Mincey and Aaron Morgan.

Fourth-round receiver Cecil Shorts was great in camp early, and I bet the undrafted crop of wideouts has at least one NFL-caliber guy. Keep your eyes on Armon Binns, Jamar Newsome and Dontrelle Inman.

Third-year receiver Jarett Dillard is running well after a couple of injuries cost him the bulk of his first two seasons.

Watch how much better punter Matt Turk gets now that he will be a beneficiary of the Jaguars’ topflight cover guys, Montell Owens and Kassim Osgood.

The Jaguars may be content to use Jones-Drew, coming off a knee operation, very minimally in camp and preseason games.

Veteran Jason Spitz has not been on the field yet, but I think the team would like for third-round pick Will Rackley to win the open left guard spot.
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Edit: How do you not root for a guy who played at the Colorado School of Mines?
 
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A glimpse at Locker at the helm of the Titans offense:

Titans in red zone: Locker and DBs

Excerpt:

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Jake Locker and the Titans' offense paid their first visit to the red zone at practice Wednesday, and Locker threw the ball with great accuracy into tight spots during seven-on-seven work.

Here are some highlights of that period, all from when Locker was throwing to receivers:

[*]Cornerback Jason McCourty stayed tight with Nate Washington and broke up a throw to the right side of the end zone.

[*]Damian Williams made a nice play on the right side and scored against McCourty.

[*]Locker looped a ball to undrafted rookie Michael Preston over corner LeQuan Lewis.

[*]Locker hit James Kirkendoll with Michael Griffin in coverage.

[*]Justin Gage started out on the left and cut quickly inside Vincent Fuller to catch a scoring pass.

[*]Williams had the highlight catch, beating Tommie Campbell on a perfectly placed ball that let him get his feet down in the end zone.

That last throw was just excellent.

Offensive coordinator Chris Palmer said he thought it looked like the fourth or fifth time the offense has been working inside the 20, not the first.
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Rookie TE Julius Thomas shining for Broncos at training camp

Excerpts:

By Jeff Legwold

The Denver Post

The Broncos' football decision-makers have continually said their goal this offseason was to get younger and more athletic.

Some of that was on display Wednesday as rookie tight end Julius Thomas finished several plays in the endzone, including catching a scoring pass from each of the team's top three quarterbacks in various drills. His work highlighted the day.

Rookie running back Mario Fannin, who at 228 pounds was one of the fastest running backs available in this year's draft, flashed his ability to finish plays if he gets a little room to work during 9-on-7 run-game drills.

Lowlight of the day

Alas, training camp giveth and training camp taketh away. While Mario Fannin showed the good stuff, he also put the ball on the ground during a goal-line drill after a quality hit from safety David Bruton.

Ball security was the biggest question surrounding Fannin leading up to the draft and it will determine how much he can get himself into the Broncos offense. It will bear watching in the preseason games.

The offense lost another fumble during the same goal-line segment as well when the second-team group was inside the 10-yard line.

Position battle

The Broncos kept their word. Even as folks were wondering when they would sign a defensive tackle in free agency as the big names went off the board to other teams, they promised the moves would be coming.

They have come, with the signings of Ryan McBean​, Marcus Thomas and Ty Warren​ to go with the trade for Brodrick Bunkley​. Warren isn't even due to arrive until Thursday, but the Broncos have quickly shown they're going to waste no time in putting the new guys to work in the rotation.

In his first day on the field Bunkley got plenty of work with the both the starters and the second-team defense in Wednesday's practice. Warren figures to move into the lineup quickly as well.

And that could mean players like Kevin Vickerson and Louis Leonard, who have been lining up as the starting defensive tackles before the reinforcements arrived, will now have to battle for the practice reps.

The same goes for McBean and Thomas, who both started games for the Broncos last year.

Because now the Broncos have far more defensive tackles than they will have roster spots at the position when September rolls around.

Quarterback watch

Kyle Orton​ — Ran the starting offense and best throw of the day may have gone to rookie tight end Julius Thomas for a touchdown in the two-minute drill.

Tim Tebow — Worked the No. 2 offense for the most, moved the team in two-minute drill, finishing with scoring pass to Britt Davis​.

Brady Quinn​ — Worked with second-team offense in some drills. Was intercepted by rookie Nate Irving in two-minute work.

Adam Weber — May have thrown his best ball of camp for long scoring play to D'Andre Goodwin.
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Oakland Raiders receiver Denarius Moore impresses

Excerpts:

Vittorio Tafur, Chronicle Staff Writer

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Raiders coach Hue Jackson says "wow" a lot, and he knows that we know he says "wow" a lot. So, for Jackson to drop the w-word on Day 8 of training camp, you better know that he means it.

And the way rookie receiver Denarius Moore dominated No. 1 cornerback Stanford Routt on Wednesday at practice in Napa, he probably deserved two w-words.

"Wow! He's a tremendous young player," Jackson said. "I mean when you look around, every time you look up, there's No. 17 making a play."

Moore, a fifth-round pick out of Tennessee, beat Routt deep, on a slant pattern and on a curl. On the slant, he caught the ball with his outstretched hands, and he showed off the hands when he went up later for another catch.

"Denarius Moore is like another Jacoby," quarterback Jason Campbell said, comparing him to last year's breakout rookie receiver Jacoby Ford. "He's like one of those guys that you pick up late in the draft, and you wonder, how did this guy fall? He's so talented, he's so athletic.

"When you see Jacoby, it's kind of like you have to do a double-glimpse, make sure it's him or 17. The guy's playing hard. He runs hard in practice, he has that factor. Some things you just can't coach, he has about him. He's a guy that can add a lot to our offense this year."

Some scouts had the 6-foot, 195-pound Moore pegged as a sleeper, and pointed to 981 yards and nine touchdowns last year despite less-than-great quarterbacks at Tennessee.

Well, wake up everybody. On an otherwise blah day that even Jackson admitted was "not a typical Raiders practice," the only things everybody was talking about were Moore's catches during practice and free-agent tight end Kevin Boss' workout afterward.

Moore is a very humble, low-key player who calls everybody "sir" and, when pressed, admitted that he "had a productive day" on Wednesday. "I got better," he added.

Raiders fans should sit down for the next one. Given the lack of numbers put up by receivers wearing the Silver and Black recently, Moore's modest goals may be a little shocking.

"To get on the field, make a couple plays, I'd say five catches a game, hopefully," Moore said.

Eighty catches. Not bad. The last time a receiver had that many was 2002, when Jerry Rice had 92.

"I have seen it from day one," Jackson said. "There is no question. No. 17 is a playmaker. That's why we drafted him. We draft good players. He is making plays the way I expected him to make plays."
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'Faust said:
'Clifford said:
Bumping this cause I didn't see it and that's why I created the camp battles thread. Slightly more narrowed focus but Faust does a bang up job on these. Good work and keep em coming.ETA: MOds, please pin. Faust has the track record from last offseason/preseason
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Clifford - can you cut & paste your camp battles info into this thread - it would be very much appreciated! I like how you have the information organized in your thread.I am trying to keep this updated, but it slips to the second page quickly - I posted some updates in the wee hours of the morning and by this morning when I woke up, it was on the second page.I love the smell of football in the morning (stealing from Apocalypse Now) :thumbup: The camp report posted earlier in this thread from SI seems to have Beck as the favorite over Grossman
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I put advantage Grossman due to reports of Beck already having a sore arm and his throws being off in practice. Will be a fluid situation all year. Wouldn't be surprised if both started 4 games or more.
 
Great thread.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/blog/redskins-watch/2011/aug/3/practice-observations-and-analysis-83/

Practice observations and analysis: 8/3

Rich Campbell

Published on August 3, 2011

Breaking down what I saw at Wednesday morning’s practice:

Coach Mike Shanahan seemed a bit more hands-on and vocal than usual. After WR Anthony Armstrong made a catch during position drills, Shanahan interrupted them to make a point about getting upfield sharply instead of drifting toward the sideline.

“He’s got to be hands on and keep you on your toes,” Armstrong said. “He just had something he wanted us to improve on right there, so he spoke on it. He does it every now and again. He keeps his hands on everything.”

Shanahan normally moves all over during position drills and watches different groups, but anything he says usually is quiet enough not to reach the sideline. After he watched the receivers on Wednesday, he got involved in the one-on-one drills between linemen.

When seventh-round rookie OLB Markus White beat first-string LT Trent Williams on consecutive snaps by ducking under him around the edge on a speed rush, Shanahan yelled: “Gotta protect the quarterback!” He made Williams get back in against White and was satisfied when Williams drove White into the ground. “That’s what I’m talking about!” Shanahan yelled.

“I was specific today because I saw a couple of things that I wanted to point out from last year,” Shanahan said later. “I might do that with a [defensive back] or tight end or running back. You’re looking at drills and you try to make a point when you see it.”

***

QB John Beck was inconsistent again. That appears to be the norm, and at this point I should just tell you when that starts to wane.

First, the positives: He placed some throws out in front of receivers so they could run after the catch, including one in the flat to FB Darrel Young. It wasn’t a difficult throw, but he missed an easy one like that Tuesday. Beck put some nice touch on deep throws to WR Jabar Gaffney and WR Aldrick Robinson. And perhaps most notably, he drilled Gaffney over the middle on a bootleg left, throwing across his body. The throw was perfectly in stride, much better than the two he bounced on similar plays earlier in the week. Beck also hit TE Fred Davis in stride for a touchdown down the middle in situational drills.

Now, the negatives: Beck occasionally misfired badly. Either the ball came out of his hand wrong or there was indecision that resulted from miscommunication or some other breakdown. He threw two or three passes that weren’t even close to being a spiral. In fact, Beck’s spirals often aren’t tight. Coaches are attributing that to arm fatigue and aren’t overly concerned, and I’ll buy it for now. Recall that Beck wasn’t spinning the ball well back at players workouts in May, and it turned out he had gotten only a few hours of sleep the night before due to travel. Eventually, his spirals tightened. So let’s see if he can clean it up now that Rex Grossman is here to take some of his reps.

***

Speaking of inconsistent, WR Niles Paul had the type of up-and-down practice you’d expect from a rookie. He sealed a defender to open a lane for the running back in 11-on-11 drills; blocking is one of his assets coming out of Nebraska’s option offense. He later caught a pass from Beck near the right sideline by breaking back to the ball to beat the defender. It’s the second time I’ve seen him adjust to a ball in the air and make a catch, the first being a deep sideline throw from Beck earlier this week.

Paul later dropped a pass over the middle when he let the ball get into his body. That caught receivers coach Keenan McCardell’s attention. I’m eager to see Paul return kicks in preseason games. For someone hoping to make the team near the bottom of the depth chart, his blocking ability helps the running game more than what Brandon Banks can provide, and obviously he’s a bigger receiving target. If Paul can demonstrate the type of playmaking ability in the return game that Banks did last season, he’ll have the advantage.

***

If this was CB Kevin Barnes’ last practice with the first string, he made it a good one. (Newly-signed free agent Josh Wilson could replace him Thursday.) Barnes intercepted a late throw by QB Marc Verica to the sideline during 7-on-7 drills. He also drew praise from defensive backs coach Bob Slowik for jamming a receiver..

Barnes is in his third season after being drafted in the third round, and it’s fair to expect him to be more than a fourth cornerback at this point in his career. Despite some occasional flashes last season, including an interception in the Jacksonville game, he still hasn’t convinced coaches that he’s ready for an expanded role. Defensive coordinator Jim Haslett measured his words carefully when discussing Barnes last week. Coaches want him to get more experience, considering he has played only 13 games over the last two seasons.

Barnes can tackle well enough; it’s a matter of recognizing offenses and reading breaks—things that come with experience. He’ll get his chance during the first four games of 2011 because third cornerback Phillip Buchanon is suspended, but then he could face the same predicament as last year when coaches deactivated him in favor of Byron Westbrook because of Westbrook’s prowess on special teams.

***

Rookie WR Leonard Hankerson was open on a slant during team drills, but John Beck’s throw was beyond his reach because Hankerson slowed up as soon as he got free. Beck led him well but didn’t connect. Chalk it up to Hankerson’s lack of experience. Those mistakes can easily be cleaned up.

***

Let’s make it a receivers hat trick: Malcolm Kelly worked as the third receiver during situational drills late in practice. Anthony Armstrong and Jabar Gaffney were the top two.

Kelly has run well so far, and he appears polished and confident compared to the rookie receivers. That said, this effectively is his first year in the offense because he missed all of last year. He attended meetings all last season, but this is his first extended opportunity to practice running plays. The fact he doesn’t play special teams is a disadvantage in his attempt to make the roster, so standing out in the passing game during the preseason is an absolute must.

***

I pointed out rookie OL Maurice Hurt’s sluggish feet in this space yesterday, so I must report that he fared much better in one-on-one drills Wednesday. He slid his feet to keep LBs Eric McBride, Edgar Jones and Markus White at bay. They’re not exactly Brian Orakpo, but it’s a start. I still see Hurt ultimately getting his shot as a guard instead of a tackle.

***

Continuing the early DE Jarvis Jenkins lovefest, he came off the ball low against OL Erik Cook during one-on-one drills and drove him back with ease. Mike Shanahan was watching and complimented Jenkins’ power. Jenkins later said he is focusing on being explosive with his hips. He played a bit today on the left side, and Jim Haslett is going to rotate him at both spots in games, as well.

***

RB James Davis failed to pick up NT Thomas Weaver after Weaver beat his blocker on a play-action pass. Weaver came up the middle, so it’s hard to see how Davis failed to recognize the breakdown in front of him. Poor pass protection will get Davis cut; it’s what landed him on the bench late last year.

***

ILB Perry Riley drew cheers from linebackers coach Lou Spanos after filling the proper gap and stopping a running play during team drills. Rocky McIntosh, who Riley is replacing, got caught in the wrong gaps too frequently last season. If Riley masters his responsibilities, it would be an upgrade. That’ll come with experience, but Riley is off to a good start.
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Just wanted to say thank you to everyone contributing to this thread. This is why I love the Shark Pool.

Also, love the stuff about Denarius Moore. I think he's a guy with a lot of upside who's going pretty late in most rook drafts, and on that team he's going to have every opportunity to shine

 
Just wanted to chime in and say that I've been seeing on Twitter (I want to say Ian Rappaport?) that LB Brandon Spikes has taken over the MLB role with LB Jerod Mayo shifting to WLB when they utilized the 4-3 formation. Given the addition of Haynesworth, it's a potential IDP focus especially.

 
One of the high-tempo highlights Sunday: Staley lining up against No. 1 draft pick Aldon Smith in a couple of one-on-one pass rush drills.

They were both good matchups, but in Round 2, Smith leveraged one of his long arms on Staley’s shoulder and bolted around the edge.

“He’s really good,” Staley said of Smith. “He’s a really talented player. I can see why they drafted him as high as they did.

“I’m just so excited he’s on our team. Going up against him every day is going to make me better. Because he’s one of those dudes that presents a challenge for tackles.

“It’s not every day you see guys with huge long arms but also the size and the strength to go along with it.”

* I mention Joe Staley’s praise of No. 1 pick Aldon Smith towards the end of the column, but I’ll add that Smith is quite a physical presence out there.

In two days, I rarely saw him drop back into coverage–and he certainly didn’t look too smooth doing it in the few times I witnessed. But Smith is a born passrusher and I’d be very stunned if he’s not immediately the 49ers’ best sack man since Andre Carter… and Smith looks like he could be better than Carter eventually. When he worked in the 1-on-1 passrush drill, Smith used those propellor arms to leverage inside, to bullrush and, most effectively, to get on the tackle’s outside shoulder and whoosh around the edge. That’s a three-way rush, which Staley noted is particularly tough for a tackle to prepare for.

* Colin Kaepernick is getting a ton of reps, with no signs yet that he’s tiring, and the ball just flies out of his hand.

He’s got the deep post route down, and he can throw it with gusto even when the defense moves him around in the pocket (though they’re not allowed to touch the QB or even get near his throwing motion).

But you can tell Kaepernick sometimes wants to force it in there–on one throw late today, Reggie Smith pounced from the deep-safety spot to pick off the pass.

* The offense could really use Frank Gore… and he’s coming, which the 49ers confirmed after Matt Maiocco’s scoopage report this evening.

* There were lots of QB-center snap issues in the two days I watched.

That could partly be on Kaepernick, who rarely took snaps under center at Nevada. It could partly be Adam Snyder’s transition over to replace David Baas.

It could be the lack of OTAs, as suggested by Harbaugh.

But it’s something to watch.
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Camp Confidential: Panthers

Excerpts:

By Pat Yasinskas

THREE HOT ISSUES

1. Will Newton be the savior of this franchise? It’s way too early to even have a clue if the guy who played only one full season at Auburn will succeed in the NFL. But the most important thing to keep in mind is that the Panthers aren’t asking Newton to be their savior -- at least not right away.

The hope in Carolina is that Newton will get a reasonable grasp of the offense in training camp and show it in preseason games. If he does, he’ll be the opening-day starter. The Panthers don’t want to prolong the inevitable and start the season with Jimmy Clausen because Newton clearly is their future.

The playbook can expand as time goes on, but the organization believes that Newton can step right in behind an offensive line that should be good and can take advantage of a strong running game, very good tight ends and wide receiver Steve Smith.

2. What will the new offense look like? The popular thing to do in Carolina is assume that the departure of Fox and offensive coordinator Jeff Davidson means the Panthers are suddenly going to start throwing the ball all over the field.

They will throw more, but the Panthers won't pass as often as people think. That would be foolish with a rookie quarterback and it would border on insanity to keep the ball out of the hands of running backs Williams and Jonathan Stewart. Under new offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski, there will be significant differences from the Fox/Davidson era.

Chudzinski came from San Diego and plans to use an offensive scheme that’s based on what the Chargers do. You’ll see more passes to the tight ends, a big reason the Panthers brought in Olsen and Jeremy Shockey. You’ll see plays designed to get Smith away from double coverage. But don’t expect Newton to step right in and immediately be Philip Rivers.

3. What will the defense look like? Rivera has a defensive background. His coordinator is Sean McDermott, who spent time in Philadelphia. Some personnel changes in the middle of the defensive line will allow Beason, Anderson and Davis to again become play-making linebackers. That’s going to make this defense look a little like Fox’s defense of a few years back. But the real change will be a new philosophy that involves taking risks and being aggressive. The Panthers didn’t blitz much last year and didn’t have much success when they did. That’s going to change. McDermott’s going to use those athletic linebackers as blitzers, and with Johnson and Greg Hardy already up front, Carolina suddenly could have a dynamic and disruptive pass rush. The secondary is not loaded with big-time talent, but it could look a lot better if quarterbacks are forced into mistakes.

BIGGEST SURPRISE

Granted, it’s early, but the Panthers are hopeful receiver/return man Armanti Edwards will make an impact. A second-round pick last year, Edwards was a nonfactor as a rookie. That was largely because Fox believed the former college quarterback did not belong in the NFL. He barely let Edwards on the field as he made a statement to an owner and front office that wanted the lame-duck coach to embrace a youth movement. But Fox is gone and there’s sudden optimism about Edwards. The team didn’t know it until after the lockout ended, but it was delighted to find out that Edwards reached out to veteran punter Jason Baker during the offseason. The two worked out together frequently and Edwards made dramatic improvement in his ability to catch punts. There’s a good chance he could be the main punt and kickoff returner this season. He also could be involved in certain packages as a wide receiver.

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT

The perception is the Panthers have done just about everything they’ve wanted to in free agency. But that’s not quite reality. According to a league source, the team made a strong play for free-agent receiver Santana Moss, offering him a three-year deal worth $15 million. Moss took the deal back to the Redskins, who matched it, so he elected to stay in Washington. That one shook the Panthers a bit. Although they have high hopes for young receivers Brandon LaFell and David Gettis, they want to pair a proven veteran with Smith to start the season. Look for them to bring in another veteran at some point before the start of the regular season.

OBSERVATION DECK

[*]Keep your eye on the cornerbacks who remain on the market or come available over the next few weeks. The Panthers let Richard Marshall leave via free agency. They still have Chris Gamble and Captain Munnerlyn, but a team that has been so aggressive this offseason isn’t going to sit still at this position. The Panthers will sign a cornerback with starting experience at some point. They’re just waiting for the right guy at the right price.

[*]The Panthers pushed veteran kicker John Kasay out the door and handed Mare a $4 million signing bonus. Kasay, 41, remained accurate on field goals, but the feeling was that he no longer had the leg strength to make long kicks. Mare’s 38 and still can make long field goals. But the biggest reason the change was made wasn’t about field goals. It was about kickoffs. The Panthers carried a kickoff specialist the past few years and didn’t want to waste a roster spot by doing that again. With the league moving kickoffs up 5 yards this year, the team believes Mare can produce a lot of touchbacks.

[*]Don’t overlook running back Mike Goodson. As long as Williams and Stewart are healthy, he’s not going to get a bunch of carries. But Goodson was one of the few bright spots from last season and the new coaching staff noticed him on film. He can do a lot out of different things out of the backfield, and the coaching staff believes there's a role for Goodson. Think of a scaled-down version of what New Orleans did with Reggie Bush and plans to do with Darren Sproles.

[*]Perhaps the most unsung move the Panthers made all offseason was hiring Mike Shula, the son of legendary coach Don Shula, as quarterbacks coach. He's had ups and downs as an NFL coordinator and college head coach at Alabama. But Shula has grown from it all and is a very good quarterbacks coach and teacher. If Shula can develop Newton or Clausen into a big-time quarterback, the world finally might give this guy his due.

[*]The return of right tackle Jeff Otah is more significant than many realize. Otah missed all of last season with a knee injury but is fully healthy now. That’s going to have a huge impact on the running game.

[*]Ryan Kalil signed his $10 million franchise tender and the team hasn’t talked to him about a long-term deal. But that’s simply because the front office has been so tied up making other moves. This team realizes Kalil is still young and already considered one of the best centers in the game. As soon as things settle down a bit, expect Kalil to be offered a big long-term deal.
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Frank Gore did more Tuesday than simply show up for his first practice of 49ers training camp after a four-day contract holdout.

He glided with ease through the 49ers' increasingly makeshift defense. He picked up blitzing linebackers. He instructed and encouraged teammates.

He didn't do any of it out of spite, either, while still awaiting a possible contract extension.

Gore showed no signs of trouble from the broken right hip he sustained Nov. 29. He did have his left ankle taped 30 minutes into practice but soon was taking handoffs -- from Harbaugh -- in a running-backs drill.

"I felt good out there, and I'm happy to be back," Gore said. "I want to tell my friends I'm sorry about the little holdup. But I'm back and ready to go to work."
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Link
 
Postcard from camp: Colts

Excerpts:

I'm happy to report that Peyton Manning is alive and moving around reasonably well. Because I saw No. 18 standing out there at practice Wednesday night, shooting the breeze with his fellow quarterbacks, even though he can't practice yet due to his rehabilitation from May neck surgery. As for exactly when Manning can be expected to return to the field, no one around here seems to know, but they also don't seem overly concerned. Everyone's quick to point out that Manning won his third MVP award in 2008 after missing a good chunk of the preseason following surgery to clear up an infected bursa sac behind his knee.

It's easy to predict there's no way Manning won't be ready for the team's Sept. 11 opener at Houston, because, well, Manning has never missed a game in his 13-year NFL career. But he is 35 now, and just because it has never happened doesn't mean it never will. Still, my sense is that Manning probably plays at some point in the preseason (Week 3 is always a good guess, as the dress rehearsal game), and definitely will be there when the bell rings in Houston. Until then, it's (Curtis) Painter Time.

I asked Colts head coach Jim Caldwell if anything the team gets out of Manning in the preseason is gravy, and he liked the sound of that assessment. "That's probably a good way to put it, because we just don't know at this point in time,'' he said. "He's working to get himself ready and he's doing everything he can. He knows his body better than anybody, and he knows how to get it into position to function as well.''

I believe Austin Collie is poised for a huge, breakthrough year. Don't forget, before the injuries started mounting last season, Collie through six games was among the league leaders in catches (44), yards (503) and touchdowns (six). Then a broken thumb, two concussions and lingering concussion symptoms first stalled and then ended Collie's season. Even though many consider him the league's poster child for the concussion issue, I think Collie comes back strong, and so does Chris Polian. "I don't think he'll change the way he plays,'' Polian said. "He's a one-speed guy, and a very tough-minded guy. I would be surprised if he changes his game at all. I don't think he's capable of playing that way.''

Step On Up

Melvin Bullitt, safety. With the oft-injured Bob Sanders gone to San Diego and no longer casting a shadow of sorts in the Indy secondary, Bullitt will have the strong safety slot all to himself. The Colts re-signed Bullitt in free agency this month, even though he had his own injury problems in 2010, missing the final 12 games with a broken bone in his shoulder. But Bullitt, a 2007 collegiate free agent signee, has produced for the Colts in part-time duty, starting 24 of his 48 games, with six interceptions and 178 tackles. He'll be a full-time starter now, alongside underrated free safety Antoine Bethea, and the Colts like the back line of their defense.

New Face, New Place

How long have the Colts been sort of piecing things together at left offensive tackle? Twenty years? Thirty? The hope is that's finally over, given that the team at last threw some resources at their problematic offensive line, drafting Boston College's Anthony Castonzo at No. 22 of the first round, and taking Villanova guard Ben Ijalana in the second round. The loss of the entire offseason program is thought to have cost Castonzo a chance to start right away at left tackle, with Colts coaches more likely to give early playing time to second-year man Jeff Linkenbach. But Castonzo is a quick study and might have something to say about that if he progresses smoothly this month. Even if it takes a little time for him to ascend the depth chart, the Colts are confident their on-again, off-again issues at left tackle will soon be a thing of the past.

Looking At The Schedule ...

The Colts can set an NFL record with their 10th consecutive season of 10 wins or more this year, but they'll really have to earn it, as they did with 2010's season-closing rush. It's the NFL's fifth toughest schedule by opponent won-loss record (133-123), and there are plenty of challenges. For starters, the Colts don't get their bye week until the week before Thanksgiving, in mid-November. And there's a trip to New England for the annual Colts-Patriots showdown (on a Sunday night in December for a change, not November), a Week 7 trip to the Saints on Sunday night, and another Sunday nighter, at home against the Steelers, in Week 3. Indy has five national TV games all told, and opens its season against the motivated Texans in Houston for a second year in a row. But I'm not rolling the dice and predicting the Colts' streak of double-digit win seasons will end. No sir. A 10-6 mark sounds about right once again in Indianapolis.
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from CBS rapid reports:

by John Oehser - DE Lane shining at Jaguars' camp so far

Jaguars second-year DE Austen Lane continues to be the talk of early training camp. “He’s off to a great start,” Jaguars coach Jack Del Rio said. “There’s a hungriness you have to play with to play great defense, and he brings that.” Jaguars RapidReports

 
Looks like Jeremy Kerley is continuing to impress... I like him a lot. Strikes me as the kind of player who will bust his butt, be a team player, and do what is asked of him for the betterment of the team. May never be a WR1 for FF purposes but could develop into a later era Donald Driver/Hines Ward "old reliable" type.

TheJetsStream Manish Mehta

Most impressive offensive player so far today: Rookie WR @Jkerley85. Making plays in 11on11s. #nyj

 
Michael Erler - Addition of Edwards should help other WRs

The addition of WR Braylon Edwards to the offense would enable the rest of the receiving corps to slide down to roles that fit. WR Joshua Morgan can now become a reliable third receiver instead of an overburdened starter, and WR Ted Ginn can stick to just being a returner.

Source:

49ers RapidReports

 
Cardinals news via twitter:

Darren Urban

re-tweet by caplannfl

WR Andre Roberts makes another nice grab. I know no one wants to believe it but the kid could earn No. 2 - and he'll deserve it if he does

 
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Darren McFadden - RB -

Raiders Darren McFadden is out two weeks with a fractured orbital bone in his eye.

We usually don't love any missed training camp reps, but the McFadden news isn't at all concerning. Lighting up the practice field before the injury, McFadden will save wear and tear on his legs and probably be fine for the last two preseason games. He already knows Hue Jackson's scheme, so it isn't like the injury will put McFadden behind the eight ball. He remains locked in as a late first-round fantasy pick with top-five running back upside. Source: Vittorio Tafur on Twitter Aug 4, 8:53 PM

 
Impressions: Kolb's debut with Cardinals

By Mike Sando

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. -- Thoughts and observations after watching Kevin Kolb's first practice with the Arizona Cardinals:

[*]Kolb appeared comfortable. He looked like an NFL quarterback. His passes tended to be accurate. Nothing jumped out as negative. He's listed at 6-foot-3 and 218 pounds and has a lean look. He threw the screen pass on time and accurately at one point, producing a big gain for Beanie Wells. The Cardinals will find out during games whether Kolb can play. Off the field, Kolb appears to have a relaxed demeanor, according to teammates and based upon limited interviews. He handled himself comfortably when addressing a large media contingent after practice. That is part of the job, too. Kolb: "It feels great. I also know we have a lot of work to do. But it's a starting point."

[*]Larry Fitzgerald made Kolb look good. His one-handed grab near the sideline stood out. Fitzgerald on Kolb: "He looked good for his first day and threw the ball with some good zip, got the ball to his playmakers. I was excited with the progress."

[*]Kolb was one of 24 newly signed Cardinals players practicing for the first time this season. Ratification of the new labor agreement allowed them to get on the field. The focus was on Kolb, but there's only so much to see from a quarterback in one practice. This session was notable for extremely physical play as Arizona held live drills in pads, punctuated by a spirited goal-line session.

[*]It's tough to believe the exhibition season begins in one week. Kolb and the offensive line are still sorting through basic cadence issues. Kolb noticed the difference between a coach calling out plays and Kolb reading them off a sheet. This is remedial stuff and Kolb knows it, but there was nothing anyone could do. It's August and teams are basically where they might normally be coming out of the draft. Teams with new quarterbacks and lots of new pieces -- the Cardinals among them -- have it rougher.

[*]Newly signed guard Daryn Colledge stood out on his first day. He was blocking far down the field on that screen to Wells, ultimately tangling with strong safety Adrian Wilson. There was no fight, just some jersey tugging. Colledge also blasted linebacker Paris Lenon while the offense scored a touchdown during those live goal-line drills. Colledge's outgoing personality should provide something positive to the locker room and to the line. I also thought Colledge fared well in one-on-one pass-rush drills, which favor defensive linemen as a rule.



[*]Wells fumbled on the first play in goal-line drills, producing the sort of "ugh" moment he needs to avoid. Wells later scored when Rex Hadnot took out safety Kerry Rhodes at the goal line. Rookie Ryan Williams scored twice on goal-line runs. Williams is an obvious threat to Wells. His quickness and ability to change directions without slowing much stand out.

[*]Tight end Jeff King, signed from Carolina, has brought his signature leaping through-the-legs touchdown spike to Cardinals training camp. He showed it off after catching a touchdown pass in goal-line drills.

[*]Rookie fullback Anthony Sherman, a fifth-round pick, produces loud sounds when he hits people. A collision with safety Rashad Johnson reverberated. Keep an eye on him in exhibition games.

[*]Defensive coordinator Ray Horton should know by now he's not in Pittsburgh any longer. The offense dominated those goal-line sessions.

[*]Daryl Washington and Lenon were the first-team inside linebackers, with Joey Porter and Clark Haggans outside. A.J. Jefferson was with the first unit at left cornerback, where rookie Patrick Peterson will play eventually. Coach Ken Whisenhunt generally doesn't throw rookies into the starting lineup right away.

[*]O'Brien Schofield and rookie Sam Acho were the second-team outside linebackers. Reggie Walker and Stewart Bradley were the inside linebackers with the second team. Bradley is expected to move into the starting group at some point.

[*]Colledge and Hadnot were the first-team guards. Floyd Womack and Deuce Lutui were the second-team guards. I'd expect Lutui to take over for Hadnot at right guard once he's in better shape.

That's enough depth-chart gazing. It's early in camp and the lineups will evolve.

OK, there we go. Some first impressions.
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On Matt Hasselbeck's first practice

By Paul Kuharsky

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The Tennessee Titans got what they were looking for at Matt Hasselbeck's first practice and said what you’d expect they’d say afterwards.

The tempo picked up, and while there were plenty of bumps, everyone was upbeat about what unfolded. At the same time, Jake Locker, working at the second quarterback, continued to show improvement and had a very nice night.

“I think I reverted back to some of my old stuff, but Geno [center Eugene Amano] and those guys up front did a great job of just hanging in there with me, snapping the ball,” Hasselbeck said. “I think I only went the wrong way once, that anybody noticed anyway.

“I have to learn it and I have to unlearn this stuff. What was once ‘green’ is now ‘red’ and what was ‘red’ is now ‘blue.’ In a competitive situation where everything is going real fast, everything just reverts.”

He said he’s getting way more from Locker, Rusty Smith and Brett Ratliff then they are getting from him so far and that quarterbacks coach Dowell Loggains has been a great resource for scouting reports on his new teammates.

Coach Mike Munchak said the increased tempo allowed him to add an extra red zone period at the end of practice.

Said receiver Justin Gage: “In a day or two Matt will be right there with the rest of us. You can tell just from today, he’s a fast learner, he learns from his mistakes.”

A few other notes out of the Titans’ evening session on Thursday:

[*]Munchak indicated second-round pick Akeem Ayers is in line to play the strongside and Barrett Ruud was the first team middle linebacker out of the gate as you’d expect. That leaves the Titans with a battle between Will Witherspoon and Gerald McRath for the starting weakside job.

[*]The Titans are blurring the line between free and string safety and Munchak declined to say Chris Hope is solidly in place as a starter before the new free agent acquisition, Jordan Babineaux, even walks in the door. He’ll get a chance to compete.

[*]Titans’ union rep Jake Scott said he believes because there is only one company claiming it can accurately test for HGH, that he is skeptical of the accuracy of the testing. He’s for it in principle. “But their motives are questionable. Their incentive is to catch people,” he said. “If they don’t catch anybody, nobody thinks their test works.”
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Heat, flu, Foster's injury hamper Texans' practice

By DALE ROBERTSON

Copyright 2011 Houston Chronicle

Aug. 5, 2011, 11:31AM

The Texans were supposed to be at full strength for the first time Friday with 85 players practicing — up from 71 Thursday morning — but a spreading stomach flu bug, Arian Foster’s strained hamstring and sweltering conditions dampened their enthusiasm.

Head coach Gary Kubiak dismissed ailing tight end Owen Daniels during pre-practice stretching, then saw Foster pull up lame and grab his leg after a 40-yard run to the end zone on the first play of 11-on-11 scrimmage.

Foster, the NFL’s rushing champion last season, was working out for the first time after been stuck in limbo while the new collective bargaining agreement was being finalized. Speaking after practice, Kubiak admitted he didn’t yet know how bad the injury was.

“I don’t know, but he didn’t feel good so I just said ‘Get out,’” Kubiak said. “He went 35, 40 minutes (in practice) and looked great, so I’m hoping he’ll be right back out here. We’ll see.”

Foster stayed on the field for the rest of practice as a spectator only. He declined interview requests afterwards.

Kubiak, asked if he was worried, replied: “No, I’m not, not right now. I could probably answer better this afternoon.”

Besides Foster and the former Pro Bowler Daniels, the Texans were also missing star receiver Andre Johnson, who’s recovering from a dislocated finger suffered in the first practice Monday and also has been laid low by the flu.

“Offensively we’re missing some key pieces,” Kubiak said. “When Andre’s not practicing, Owen’s not practicing and Arian’s not practicing, that concerns me. But, at the same time, it does give you a chance to get better because all those other guys are getting the reps. We’ve got to just stay focused on them.”

Daniels came out intending to practice, but Kubiak told him to take the morning off.

New free safety Danieal Manning was also under the weather, but he made it through the workout before being taken to get an IV to replenish lost fluids.

With almost no breeze, the conditions were the most difficult the Texans have yet encountered in the first week of training camp.

Kubiak said “two or three players” each day have been under the weather.

“It’s going around,” he said. “I have no idea why. A couple of guys have been able to push through. Three of them did practice.”

Linebacker DeMeco Ryans admitted it’s making him a little less social than usual.

“I’m trying to stay away from guys,” he said, laughing. “I’m not shaking hands, covering my face, things like that."

 
Notes from Browns camp

By James Walker

BEREA, Ohio -- The Cleveland Browns continued their 2011 training camp with a full-padded practice on Friday.

Here are several observations:

[*]This was the best practice Cleveland had this week. It was crisp with a lot of contact. The pace is gradually picking up with the Browns about a week into training camp. Head coach Pat Shurmur focused on a lot on instructing at the start but is now beginning to push the pace of practices.

[*]Friday marked the first full-contact activity for rookie defensive tackle Phil Taylor. He had a great practice and usually got the better of Browns guard Shawn Lauvao in team drills. Taylor is hard to move and also showed the ability to get up field. It's early, but Taylor looks the part.

[*]The Browns are working several receivers in the slot this week, including Josh Cribbs, Jordan Norwood and rookie Greg Little. All three bring something different to the position. But the Browns are trying to get a feel for what type of slot receiver they want in their new West Coast offense.

[*]Backup offensive tackle Brandon Braxton is showing flashes. He has good size and gets good leverage and position in pass protection. Braxton is pushing veteran Tony Pashos, the projected starter, through the first week of camp.

[*]On the injury front, No. 1 corner Joe Haden had stiffness in his hamstring and sat out Friday. Rookie defensive lineman Jabari Fletcher also suffered a sprained knee and was carted off the field. Running back Montario Hardesty (knee) dressed but didn't participate in contact drills. Shurmur said the team believes Hardesty will be ready when needed following last year's ACL tear.
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Camp Confidential: Raiders

By Bill Williamson

NAPA, Calif. -- Hue Jackson doesn’t do anything slow.

He talks fast. He walks fast, and he coaches fast.

The Tom Cable put-your-toe-in-the-water-start-of-training-camp days are over.

There was no warm-up period to Camp Jackson. In his first camp as a head coach on any level, Jackson has not wasted any time. His team has been flying around the field and playing to the whistle on every play since the moment it stepped onto the pristine practice field in Wine Country last week.

Cable believed in getting into the groove of training camp slowly by holding glorified walk-through practices for the first few days while stressing the importance of the classroom. Jackson believes in teaching on the go.

Jackson sees a talented team in front of him, but he also sees a team that needs to block better on offense and tackle better on defense. It’s all about finishing plays on both sides the ball. If you don’t start, you can’t finish.

“It’s a fast game,” Jackson said. “We have to move fast. At all times.”

When they can catch their breath, Jackson's players can see the difference.

"This is totally different, totally different from last year," defensive tackle Tommy Kelly told reporters early in camp. "I mean, he made that plain and clear in the meetings when he was talking about what we had to do …(Cable), he wanted us to learn the stuff. But Hue ain't worrying about that. He just wants to go hard as you can. If you fall out, we'll put somebody else in there."

There is urgency in Oakland. The Raiders teased their fans with an 8-8 record in 2010 -- highlighted by an AFC West 6-0 sweep -- ending an NFL record of seven straight seasons of 11 losses of more. This young team has a chance to continue to improve. Jackson isn’t going to sit around and wait for it to happen.

“We got to go now,” Jackson said. “I talk to them every night about that.”

THREE HOT ISSUES

1. How to replace Asomugha and Miller? The Raiders have to spend training camp trying to figure out how to replace two of their best players. Not many teams are dealing with that this summer. But the departures of star cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha to Philadelphia and tight end Zach Miller to Seattle create holes for the Raiders.

They gave Stanford Routt, formerly a part-time starter, No.1 cornerback money in the offseason and expect him to take over for Asomugha. Oakland has reportedly toyed with signing another cornerback. But for now, veteran Chris Johnson and a host of young players, including draft picks DeMarcus Van Dyke and Chimdi Chekwa (who is currently injured), will be in charge of replacing Asomugha, who is arguably the best cornerback in the NFL. Safety Michael Huff, who just re-signed with the team, could also play cornerback in some situations.

The Raiders probably need to bring in a veteran receiver or a tight end. Right now, their starting tight end is Brandon Myers, who has 16 career catches. Miller was quarterback Jason Campbell’s favorite target, and he led the Raiders in receiving in 2010. He made the passing game go. A replacement must be established in camp. (Update: The Raiders added former Giants tight end Kevin Boss on Friday.)

2. Is the offensive line ready? This has long been Oakland’s weakest spot, and Jackson vowed earlier this year to improve it. Finding a suitable unit will be a top goal in training camp. The team drafted Stefen Wisniewski in the second round, and he will start at center. Joe Barksdale was drafted in the third round, and he could battle Khalif Barnes at right tackle if he has a good camp. If second-year guard Bruce Campbell gets healthy quickly, he could make a push at guard, where the Raiders lost longtime starter Robert Gallery in free agency. The team wanted to sign left tackle Jared Gaither, but he is still dealing with back issues. This unit remains a work in progress.

3. Is Campbell ready to be consistent? This is Campbell’s second season in Jackson’s system, and he is expected to make strides. He must show consistency in camp, and he most continue to grasp Jackson’s offense. He started slowly last season and was replaced. But he finished strong. Jackson is a believer in Campbell. Campbell needs to continue to build chemistry with his receivers and entrench himself as the leader of this offense.

CLEAN UP THE MESS

The Raiders have long been one of the most penalized teams in the NFL. It goes back to their golden era. Whether it was a cheap hit or a false start, the yellow flag is a familiar sight for the Silver and Black.

Jackson wants to end that part of Raiders’ lore.

The Raiders were ranked first in the NFL last season in accepted penalties with 604. It seems penalties have been overlooked in Oakland because it’s long been an issue. Jackson thinks that is nonsense. Playing clean football is an emphasis of this camp.

“It’s over,” Jackson said. “It’s embarrassing ... You can’t win if you keep going backward. I’ve told the team it’s got to stop. It’s not cool at all.”

DEFENSE STARTS UP FRONT

While the offensive line is still in flux, the Raiders are set on the defensive line. This camp is about establishing dominance for the group. If the Oakland defense improves despite Asomugha’s departure, the front four will be responsible.

There are several excellent pieces on the unit. It all starts with defensive tackle Richard Seymour. A likely future member of the Hall of Fame, Seymour is the best player on the team and the leader of his unit. Add Kelly, polished second-year player Lamarr Houston and run-stuffer John Henderson, and the Raiders are primed to dominate teams up front. Pass-rushers Matt Shaughnessy and Trevor Scott (if healthy) give this unit an important dimension.

OBSERVATION DECK

[*]Jackson has often lauded second-year linebacker Rolando McClain during camp. He thinks McClain has developed in the offseason, and McClain is expected to be a stalwart.

[*]Running back Darren McFadden was spectacular during camp before he suffered a broken orbital bone. He is expected to miss two weeks. The Raiders expect him to make a serious Pro Bowl push. He and restricted free-agent Michael Bush should be a good tandem again.

[*]Second-year linebacker Travis Goethel could potentially push Quentin Groves at weakside or Oakland could look for an upgrade elsewhere.

[*]The team is excited about fifth-round receiver Denarius Moore. He is a polished and very fast and has a chance to contribute. It will be interesting to see him in the preseason.

[*]Seventh-round pick David Ausberry has looked good as he makes the transition from receiver. He’s a project, but he has excellent size and speed.

[*]Fourth-year receiver Chaz Schilens is finally healthy and Raiders think he can live up to his potential. But his health is the key.

[*]Kelly looks tremendous. He is in great shape and looks primed to build upon his strong 2010 season.

[*]Trent Edwards will be given every opportunity to beat out Kyle Boller as Campbell’s backup.

[*]Jackson thinks the Raiders fourth-round pick, speedster running back Taiwan Jones, could make his mark this season. It will be fun to watch him in the preseason.
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Postcard from camp: Jets

Excerpts:

Three Observations

1. Tom Moore is an interesting addition, but don't forget Jim McNally. Rex Ryan brought in a couple of old-timers to help on offense as consultants -- Moore to improve the red-zone efficiency, McNally (who consulted last year as well, breaking down tape) helping Bill Callahan on the offensive line. I expect McNally will be a major help to right tackle Wayne Hunter, who is taking on a huge responsibility protecting Mark Sanchez's front side. "McNally's really intense,'' Hunter said after a morning walk-through. Anthony Muñoz used to say the same thing in Cincinnati.

2. Plaxico Burress has a very good chance to start for a Super Bowl contender, and soon. Amazing, really, that two years ago, we were thinking Burress might have played his last football. Now he gets out of jail and has four teams -- the Giants, Steelers, Niners and Jets -- brawling for him. Want to know why the Jets committed $3 million in 2011 cash to get him? Simple. They think he can fall out of bed and be a great red-zone receiver, which the Jets desperately need.

3. Mike Pettine is going to be a good head coach in this league. I don't know Pettine, the Jets' defensive coordinator, well. But I've watched him coach over the past three years, and he has a great grip on his players; he knows how to drive them and get the most out of them. And, as Rex Ryan says, "He thinks just like me.'' If the Jets make another strong playoff run, Pettine's going to get a head coaching interview or two.

Step On Up

Right tackle Wayne Hunter. The Jets gave the career backup a four-year deal last week to be the right tackle of the near future, replacing Damien Woody. "I've never had an opportunity like this, and there were many, many days I never thought I would,'' said Hunter, an eight-year vet from Hawaii who -- mostly -- sat with the Seahawks and Jags before coming to the Jets as the swing backup tackle. Offensive line coach Bill Callahan thinks Hunter has quick enough feet to hold the edge and protect Sanchez. This is one of those decisions, even though the Jets saw him start four times last year (he has but five starts in his career), that will keep Ryan wondering well past opening day whether they made the right call with Hunter.

New Face, New Place

Defensive tackle Muhammad Wilkerson. His mom was at practice the other day. "I love that,'' said Rex Ryan. "Good to have a Jersey kid on the team.'' It will be if the kid can play. Somehow I get the feeling the Jets settled for Wilkerson, and when it came time for their pick late in the first round last April, there was no one they really wanted badly. I even thought -- as did the Ravens -- that they might roll the dice for a second straight year on a cornerback, Colorado's Jimmy Smith. Look for Wilkerson to start at right end unless the aging Shaun Ellis returns from his holdout; if Ellis plays, there would be a job-share between the two.

Looking At The Schedule ...

Two home, three road, two home, bye. At Oakland, at Baltimore, at New England in Weeks 3 through 5 will be a killer, and ending the year at Philly, Giants at home, at Miami won't be much fun either. I wonder if Plaxico Burress will walk into the Linc Dec. 18 and say, "This is really where I should be.'' For the record, the two Northeast Corridor border wars -- Jets-Pats -- will happen Oct. 9 (Foxboro) and Nov. 13 (in New Jersey). Of course, I can't tell you exactly when the third one will be played, but I would bet that there will be a third one.
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Postcard from camp: Chargers

Excerpts:

Three Observations

1. The Chargers have been spending more practice time on special teams than at any point in recent years, according to one team employee. For good reason. Last year they were the Keystone Kops of special teams, allowing four returns for scores, including three on kickoffs, one shy of the league record. They also had four punts blocked and another deflected. The NFL record for blocked punts allowed is six.

Assistant Steve Crosby was made the fall guy and replaced by Rich Bisaccia, whose units were perennially among the most respected in the league during his tenure with Bucs. Some team members say it was time for a change, if only because they had been listening to Crosby's voice for nine years. If the unit doesn't show marked improvement, however, someone else will have to take the fall, and his pay grade will be much higher than Bisaccia's.

2. Eric Weddle says he and Bob Sanders, the former Colts standout, will be the league's best starting safety tandem if they play at their best. Hyperbole? Not necessarily.

Injuries have limited Sanders to nine games over the past three seasons, but in 2007 he was the NFL's Defensive Player of the Year, a lethal combination of intelligence, intuition and fierce striking. Weddle, who signed a $40 million, five-year deal last week, is a rising player whom the coaches identified as one of their two best players on defense in 2010, along with linebacker Shaun Phillips.

Weddle and Sanders have been inseparable since camp started, and they quickly got the attention of new coordinator Greg Manusky when they were among the few players taking copious notes during a defensive meeting early in camp. How they play could go a long way toward determining whether the Chargers' D is good or very good.

3. Continuity ... and change. The offensive line returns its top eight players, including a starting five that has been together for three-plus years save for the right guard position. The group has talent to go with experience. Left tackle Marcus McNeill, guard Kris Dielman and center Nick Hardwick all have played in the Pro Bowl.

San Diego's linebacker corps is not as static. There could be three new players among the four starters. The team chose not to resign both inside starters -- Stephen Cooper and Kevin Burnett -- and Shaun Phillips is the only outside 'backer who played the entire season last year. The only givens at this point are that Phillips and Takeo Spikes, the former 49er, will start. Donald Butler has been getting a long look at the other inside spot, and oft-injured Larry English and free agent signee Travis LaBoy will compete for the other outside spot.

Step On Up

Ryan Mathews, running back. Numerous eyes are on the second-year back, who buckled under the pressure of replacing LaDainian Tomlinson last season. A first-round pick out of Fresno State, Mathews struggled with a high ankle sprain early in the year and never got comfortable with pass protection. If he can be the player management envisioned when it traded up to get him, the offense could reach a nearly unstoppable level. Think about it: Philip Rivers threw for 30 touchdowns with only 13 interceptions last season despite working with a receiving corps that was decimated by injury and holdout. If Rivers could put up those numbers throwing to guys who sometimes did not have a full week of practice before taking the field, imagine what he could do with Vincent Jackson (he missed the first 10 games in a salary dispute), Patrick Crayton and Kelley Washington around for a full season, and veteran Laurent Robinson having a full training camp to get acclimated on top of Mathews' contribution.

Coach Norv Turner is counting on Mathews to not only improve significantly on last season, when he ran for 678 yards and seven TDs on 158 carries, but also to help fill the void that was created when veteran passing-down back Darren Sproles signed with New Orleans as a free agent. Mike Tolbert, who led the team with 735 yards rushing and 11 TDs last year, also could be in the mix. And fullback Jacob Hester could see some time. But Turner says he expects much of the work to go to Mathews.

New Face, New Place

Greg Manusky replaces defensive coordinator Ron Rivera, who was hired as head coach of the Panthers. A point of emphasis for Manusky will be creating turnovers. San Diego ranked No. 1 in total defense last season, but finished tied for 23rd with just 23 takeaways -- four shy of the league average and 16 behind the league-leading Giants.

Players say takeaways are being stressed in meetings, warmups and during drills. The 49ers did not finish above 15th in takeaways during Manusky's four seasons running their defense, but the stat is misleading considering San Francisco often was playing from behind because of struggles on offense. That shouldn't be a concern now; San Diego ranked No. 1 in total offense last season and should challenge for the scoring title this year.

In the meantime, keep an eye on rookies defensive end Corey Liuget and cornerback Marcus Gilchrist.

Liuget, a first-round pick from Illinois, is expected to start at right end. He missed the first seven training camp practices, but was drafted over a seemingly more pressing void at inside linebacker because the team believes he can be a physical, disruptive force (remember the defense's new mantra is "takeaways").

Gilchrist, a second-round pick from Clemson, has flashed ability during camp while subbing for Antoine Cason (finger surgery) and Dante Hughes, who was unable to practice until the CBA was ratified. Gilchrist has earned props for his physical play and fearlessness.

Looking At The Schedule ...

The Chargers have been perennial slow starters under Turner, losing three of their first five games in each of his four seasons. However, everything appears to be set up for a turnaround this year.

For one, they have an experienced roster and established coaches and systems. Hence, they should be less affected by the four-month lockout than teams with new coaching staffs or key changes in personnel.

For another, three of their first four games are at home, where they will face a Minnesota team breaking in a new quarterback, a Kansas City squad it has beaten in six of the teams' last seven meetings in Qualcomm Stadium, and Miami, which has had only one winning season in the last five. The two road games before the bye are at New England and Denver, where they have won four in a row.

If they aren't at least 4-1 heading into the bye, there may no hope for ever having a fast start under Turner.
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Jaguars rookie QB Blaine Gabbert impressing early

Posted Aug. 05, 2011 @ 12:14 p.m. ET

By Arthur Arkush

The Jaguars were one of the busier teams in the league during the first week of free agency, giving the second and third levels of the NFL's 28th-ranked defense in 2010 a vital makeover.

But while the team's newest additions, LBs Paul Posluszny and Clint Session and DBs Dawan Landry and Drew Coleman, were forced to wait until the new Collective Bargaining Agreement was completed before practicing with their new team, the spotlight during the first few days of camp was on the Jaguars' rookie class, highlighted by 10th overall pick QB Blaine Gabbert.

The Jaguars have said all along that they won't rush Gabbert, who is expected to get 30 percent of the snaps in camp while incumbent starter David Garrard takes 40 percent.

If the rookie outplays the veteran, though, all bets could be off.

"(Byron) Leftwich played most of his rookie year despite holding out the first 17 days of camp," said a daily team observer. "Gabbert was on the field the first day, so that should cancel out any missed OTAs."

The source indicated that Gabbert looked very sharp out of the gate.

"The kid is talented," he said. "He kind of reminds me of Roger Staubach. He's got the arm, he can run, he's fast. He could be very good — but until you do it, nobody knows."

Fourth-round S Chris Prosinski also stood out early, working with the first-team defense in place of 2010 starter Don Carey before being sidelined with a calf injury earlier this week.

"Prosinski is going to challenge (Courtney) Greene for a starting job opposite Landry. He is very fast; (a) smart, heady player. He's a guy to keep an eye on."

Third-round OG Will Rackley could also challenge for a starting job after the Jaguars released former starter Vince Manuwai and veteran backup Justin Smiley. Rackley will compete with free-agent addition Mark Spitz for the opening at left guard.

Jaguars head coach Jack Del Rio wouldn't close the door completely on Manuwai, who, for the second year in a row, showed up to camp out of shape before being cut.

"If he got his body back to where he could actually play, then we would leave that door open," said Del Rio on Manuwai, a key factor in the Jaguars' rushing attack last season.
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49ers camp report: Gore, Smith leading team in transition

By Bucky Brooks NFL.com

Analyst

Published: Aug. 5, 2011 at 01:35 p.m.

Updated: Aug. 5, 2011 at 02:13 p.m.

Observation Deck

1. The 49ers look like a team in transition under new coach Jim Harbaugh. They are poised to field a lineup with as many as nine new starters on both sides of the ball. The loss of veteran leaders Takeo Spikes and Nate Clements puts the onus on Alex Smith, Patrick Willis and Vernon Davis to take a more vocal role in the locker room.

2. Alex Smith will unquestionably emerge as the 49ers' starting quarterback despite the talk of a competition with rookie Colin Kaepernick. At practice, Smith took all of the snaps with the first unit and was more decisive and accurate than his competitor. He quickly worked through the first few reads of his progression and typically found an open receiver available underneath. Although he tossed a few interceptions during team drills, he showed flashes of being a productive player in a system that will feature more three- and five-step drops than the previous scheme.

3. Expect Vernon Davis and Delanie Walker to have big years for the 49ers. Offensive coordinator Greg Roman has an affinity for tight ends as a former position coach, and the 49ers' system features a host of multiple tight-end sets. Given Walker's and Davis' athleticism, these formations will create mismatches in space and give Smith opportunities for big plays over the middle of the field.

4. Frank Gore should see his numbers increase this season in the 49ers' new offense. The seventh-year pro is still San Francisco's most explosive offensive weapon, and he will be used prominently in the passing game to take advantage of his skills in the open field. While he has lost some of the suddenness that he displayed in 2006 when he amassed over 2,000 yards from scrimmage, he could put up big numbers in a game plan that will require 20-25 touches on a weekly basis.

5. The 49ers' defense under Vic Fangio will be far more aggressive and unpredictable. Players talked about various pressure packages that have been installed and how Fangio seemed willing to dial up pressure in any situation. In team drills, the defense showed a variety of five- and six-man pressures from numerous pre-snap disguises, and the aggressiveness certainly caught the offense off guard. If they utilize a similar approach during the season, opponents will have a tough time keeping their quarterbacks upright in the pocket.

6. Several veterans upgrade the talent on the defensive side of the ball. Madieu Williams, Carlos Rogers and Donte Whitner give the team a formidable secondary, which should be vastly improved over the unit that surrendered 25 touchdowns and 11 passes of 40-plus yards in 2010.

7. Rookie Aldon Smith has been the most impressive defender in camp. He has been a dominant force off the edge in rush drills, and coaches are blown away by his athleticism. He also possesses the arm length that makes him difficult to block in isolated situations. Although he is still adjusting to playing from an upright position as a 3-4 outside linebacker, he could post eight or more sacks off the edge.

New guy to watch

All eyes should be on Braylon Edwards in the fall. He didn't receive the big-money deal he was seeking on the open market, so he arrives with a chip on his shoulder ready to prove he is worthy of being paid like one of the top pass catchers in the game. While his arrival has been accompanied by some skepticism due to his perceived diva-like personality and off-field issues, he certainly has the game to blossom as a No. 1 receiver in San Francisco.

Rookie watch

Colin Kaepernick might develop into a solid NFL quarterback, but he isn't close to being ready to play at this point. He is still very hesitant with his reads, and the uncertainty in the pocket results in errant throws. Granted, he didn't have a full offseason to acclimate to the pro game, but it's hard to imagine him getting up to speed over the course of the preseason to have a viable shot of taking significant snaps.

Overheard

Jim Harbaugh on changing the culture of a team that has suffered in recent years: "People like the word 'culture.' That seems to be the big buzz word from everybody, but to me it's more attitude. Our attitude is to do as many things right as we possibly can. I think when you can do that, then people feel that they are prepared and that gives them the best chance to not be unsuccessful. That's our attitude that we're taking."

Prediction

The 49ers will be competitive in the NFC West, but their schedule is a monster. They have five cross-country road trips on the schedule, which typically has a negative impact on performance. They also face the AFC North, which means tough dates against the Ravens and Steelers. With three of their final four games on the road, it will be tough for the 49ers to make a serious push at a playoff berth this season. A 6-10 record feels about right.
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From the Cowboys Board:

Zoners,I don't want to report to you on the obvious players Dez, Romo, Ware, Rat, Witten etc.....as we all know how great they are doing.I want to concentrate on the new players who might make this roster. Here is what I have observed personally up through last nights training camp action in S.A. Here are the young player who have gotten my attention and why:1. 34 Tanner, Phillip RB 6-0 214 R Middle Tennessee St keeps making plays. He is built like a pit bull dog and he hits the hole with a purpose. No hesitation on his cuts. Football speed regardless of his 40 time, he seems to barely beat the defender to the spot. His hands seem soft and he can really catch the football with confindence. Prediction: He will make out team2. 42 Church, Barry S 6-2 219 2 Toledo has shown a great amount of improvement over the past year. He must really be studying the Rex Ryan playbook. Rex keeps calling him over and giving him positive feedback. I am just a little concerned if he can have enough speed to cover the deep passes, however, I have seen enough to know he will hit you hard and plug the hole in the run defense. Prediction 3rd Saftey spot and good ST player.3. 54 Cummings, Kenwin LB 6-3 247 3 Wingate has really caught my eye the past week. Ok, now that you are done laughing......I know that he goes up against 2nd/3rd teamers, but he constantly blows up the play big time. I keep waiting on a coach to brag on him or a reporter and nothing materializes. Therefore, I will start a positive on the guy. He can play. Prediction: I don't really know but I am going to keep watching #54. He is earning his training camp money and one of our coaches has to notice.4. 84 Poots, Tysson WR 6-2 214 R Southern Utah made two very impressive grabs last night. I only mention this because of the abuse he has taken in the Cowboyzone in regards to his last name and the rough start he had at his 1st few days of camp. I believe he has some talent and can see why we signed him, however my Prediction: Wavier Wire.5. 86 Radway, Raymond WR 6-3 193 R Abilene Christian I continue to enjoy watching this guy play football. He has caught my eye with his toughness over the middle catches; soft hands; long tall body type; smooth fluid stride; jumping ability; basically, he is a poor mans Dez Bryant....ok, maybe I went over board just a little however my Prediction: He will be our 4th WR and could push Olgetree Zoners.6. 92 Brent, Josh DT 6-2 318 2 Illinois is a STUD in the making. He makes plays all accross the line. He is strong as an Ox in heat. He clogs up the middle on double teams, swim moves, he is causing problems for each OL that tries to block #92 and that is a fact jack. Prediction: part time starter and Rex loves him which will help!Ok, these are the young/new players who have impressed me........Go Cowboys!
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I keep hearing great things about Tanner, one to keep an eye on.
 
'BigTex said:
From the Cowboys Board:

Zoners,I don't want to report to you on the obvious players Dez, Romo, Ware, Rat, Witten etc.....as we all know how great they are doing.I want to concentrate on the new players who might make this roster. Here is what I have observed personally up through last nights training camp action in S.A. Here are the young player who have gotten my attention and why:1. 34 Tanner, Phillip RB 6-0 214 R Middle Tennessee St keeps making plays. He is built like a pit bull dog and he hits the hole with a purpose. No hesitation on his cuts. Football speed regardless of his 40 time, he seems to barely beat the defender to the spot. His hands seem soft and he can really catch the football with confindence. Prediction: He will make out team2. 42 Church, Barry S 6-2 219 2 Toledo has shown a great amount of improvement over the past year. He must really be studying the Rex Ryan playbook. Rex keeps calling him over and giving him positive feedback. I am just a little concerned if he can have enough speed to cover the deep passes, however, I have seen enough to know he will hit you hard and plug the hole in the run defense. Prediction 3rd Saftey spot and good ST player.3. 54 Cummings, Kenwin LB 6-3 247 3 Wingate has really caught my eye the past week. Ok, now that you are done laughing......I know that he goes up against 2nd/3rd teamers, but he constantly blows up the play big time. I keep waiting on a coach to brag on him or a reporter and nothing materializes. Therefore, I will start a positive on the guy. He can play. Prediction: I don't really know but I am going to keep watching #54. He is earning his training camp money and one of our coaches has to notice.4. 84 Poots, Tysson WR 6-2 214 R Southern Utah made two very impressive grabs last night. I only mention this because of the abuse he has taken in the Cowboyzone in regards to his last name and the rough start he had at his 1st few days of camp. I believe he has some talent and can see why we signed him, however my Prediction: Wavier Wire.5. 86 Radway, Raymond WR 6-3 193 R Abilene Christian I continue to enjoy watching this guy play football. He has caught my eye with his toughness over the middle catches; soft hands; long tall body type; smooth fluid stride; jumping ability; basically, he is a poor mans Dez Bryant....ok, maybe I went over board just a little however my Prediction: He will be our 4th WR and could push Olgetree Zoners.6. 92 Brent, Josh DT 6-2 318 2 Illinois is a STUD in the making. He makes plays all accross the line. He is strong as an Ox in heat. He clogs up the middle on double teams, swim moves, he is causing problems for each OL that tries to block #92 and that is a fact jack. Prediction: part time starter and Rex loves him which will help!Ok, these are the young/new players who have impressed me........Go Cowboys!
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I keep hearing great things about Tanner, one to keep an eye on.
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They said the same things about Lonyae Miller from Fresno St last year. Sounds like those two will be battling for one roster spot.
 
Borrowed this one from massraider's post in the Raiders thread:

Camp Report (8/4): Raiders welcome back old faces

Paul Gutierrez

CSNCalifornia.com

Practice No. 7

Summary: With the players union re-certifying itself and voting to ratify the new Collective Bargaining Agreement early Thursday afternoon, the Raiders had a larger complement of players at their disposal. The veterans who agreed to contracts with the team after the lockout ended were finally allowed to practice, giving the Raiders 83 players on their training camp roster. But one big name is still missing, that of restricted free agent Michael Bush, who has yet to sign his first- and third-round tenders. Plus, there were so many guys nicked up that didn't suit up. The offense again got the better of the defense for the second day in a row, even if the defense showed what is likely to be its starting 11 come opening night in Denver. Yes, it was the Denarius Moore show again.

Injury report: Fifteen players sat out practice with various "nicks," receivers Jacoby Ford (broken left hand), Louis Murphy and Eddie McGhee, fullback James McCluskey, tailbacks Taiwan Jones, Michael Bennett and Darren McFadden (fractured eye socket), offensive linemen Cooper Carlisle, Bruce Campbell (knee), Lou Eiliades and Alan Pelc, defensive backs Chimdi Chekwa (shoulder), Walter McFadden and Joe Porter and defensive end Trevor Scott (knee). Plus, linebacker Rolando McClain, cornerback Walter McFadden and quarterback Jason Campbell did not finish practice.

Offensive play of the day: A day after putting together a highlight reel tape against cornerback Stanford Routt, rookie receiver Denarius Moore delivered again. This time, running a post from 25 yards out, an outstretched Moore went up and, between Stevie Brown and DeMarcus Van Dyke, plucked Jason Campbell's pass out of the air. Moore came down with both feet in the end zone for the touchdown, just in front often goalpost. It was as impressive as it was physical.

Defensive play of the day: While a healthy Chaz Schilens has been the most impressive wideout thus far in camp, "forgotten" cornerback Chris Johnson owned him on one play. With Schilens running a short curl, Johnson cut in front of him and intercepted Jason Campbell's pass. For a split second, when Johnson's No. 37 flashed for the pick, it looked like Lester Hayes and gobs of stickum flying into the picture. Almost.

Eye on reps: With all of their players finally available, the defense took on a familiar look. On the line, Lamarr Houston, Tommy Kelly, Richard Seymour and Matt Shaughnessy. Quentin Groves, Rolando McClain and Kamerion Wimbley were the linebackers. And Stanford Routt and Chris Johnson were the cornerbacks while Tyvon Branch and Michael Huff were the safeties.

Rookie report: Center Stefen Wisniewski's baptism by fire continued in an especially grueling session in which he went one-on-one with the Raiders' fearsome three-headed monster of Richard Seymour, John Henderson and Tommy Kelly. All in a day's work for the Raiders legacy. Especially since he's more than holding his own.

Notable: With the Raiders entering the day anywhere from $14 million to $17 million over the cap, reportedly, and the players ratifying the new CBA in time to officially start the new league year, the 1 p.m. deadline for teams to get under the $120-million salary cap was pushed back 24 hours. "We will be in compliance," said Raiders coach Hue Jackson. "(Al Davis) knows that cap as well as anybody in this league." As such, there was no movement in the Kevin Boss talks, though reports came out that Stanford Routt and Richard Seymour both re-structured their contracts to help out. Neither, though, confirmed as much.

Quotable: "Well, you know, I always remain, Hey, I don't talk about contracts and, uh, anything like that. But, you know, I'll be ready for Game 1, so." - Defensive tackle Richard Seymour on if he's re-structured his contract to help the Raiders' salary cap woes.

Next practice: Friday, 3:30 p.m.
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Great thread...

This is from Rotoworld:

Second-round TE Lance Kendricks is off to a "star-of-camp" start in Rams training camp, according to SI.com's Don Banks.

Kendricks will take plenty of buzz into the preseason schedule, as he stood out in player-organized workouts as well. Banks predicts the field-stretching former Wisconsin star will be a "weapon" for new play-caller Josh McDaniels right off the bat. Other rookies with strong early-camp buzz: Julio Jones, A.J. Green, Denarius Moore, Jarvis Jenkins, Akeem Ayers, Mark Ingram, Aldon Smith, Randall Cobb, Jeremy Kerley, and Tandon Doss.

Aug 5, 9:31 PMSource: Don Banks on Twitter

 
NOTES:

The Dolphins practiced in front 2,135 fans at the team’s training facility in Davie, Florida.

The Miami Dolphins signed tackle Micah Kia and re-signed offensive lineman Nate Garner, running back Lex Hilliard, tackle Lydon Murtha and running back Kory Sheets, it was announced today.

The 6-5, 321 pound Kia signed with Miami a rookie free agent after playing collegiately at UCLA. He saw action in 46 games with 20 starts for the Bruins. Kia started five games at three positions, left tackle, right tackle and tight end during his senior campaign in 2010. Born Micah Kamuela Kia, born, June 11, 1988 in Honolulu, HI, Kia lettered three seasons at Mililani (HI) High School.

The 6-7, 325 pound Garner has spent the past three seasons with Miami (2008-10). He was originally a seventh-round draft choice (211th overall) of New York Jets in 2008 and was awarded off waivers to Miami on August 31, 2008. He has played in 16 games in his career, starting eight.

The 5-11, 240 pound Hilliard has been with the Dolphins for the past three years (2008-10). He was originally the third of three sixth-round draft choices (204th overall) of the Dolphins in 2008. In his career, Hilliard has rushed for 89 yards on 23 careers with one touchdown. He has added 20 receptions for 158 yards and two touchdowns.

The 6-7, 315 pound Murtha was signed by the Dolphins off the Detroit Lions practice squad on October 20, 2009. He has played in 10 career games, starting four. Murtha saw action in nine games during the 2010 campaign, with four starts.

The 5-11, 208 pound Sheets was signed by the Dolphins on Oct. 14, 2009 from the practice squad of the San Francisco 49ers. He has saw action in two career games and made his NFL debut in a special teams role at Carolina on November 19, 2009.

THEY SAID IT…

(Head Coach Tony Sparano on his visions for Clyde Gate and Charles Clay) - “I think right now finding a play count for those guys would be important. As we get on in this thing I can see both of those guys maybe being in the mix if they continue to do what they have done in the last couple of days here but there is an awful lot left. Obviously with (Clyde) Gates the reason that we drafted him, this guy catches the football well, but it’s the top end speed. Some of the weapons that we have to create some of these chunk plays doesn’t necessarily mean we throw the ball down field to (Clyde) Gates down the field. To have to account for his speed is something that can help create some of those big plays. Getting him involved that way would be important. His role on special teams, any of those types of things he can do if he can be the returner that we think that would help us as well. That’s my vision for him right now. I don’t want to play him in a lot of positions early I kind of want to get him settled down into one thing and then maybe start throwing some things at him as he handles that. I think the mistake you could make right now is to throw two or three different positions at him. It really is the same with (Charles) Clay that way. Although he plays a harder position when it comes to limiting what he can do. He is a guy that has to play a few positions so the mental part of this thing with (Charles) Clay is going to be important as we go forward. I can see him playing in a few different spots for us right now, it is the reason we drafted him because he had that kind of flexibility. What I am trying to do with a player like that is become a little less predictable.”

(On how is this training camp different than others) - “It is exactly what I thought it would be. We prepared for the scenarios; I have already told you that. Where it becomes different is the free agency end of things. I think because free agency would have happened in March and it would have happened prior to the draft so some of the players drafted in this situation were drafted for need. Maybe you might have been taking, you never know because of free agency. Then the free agency thing right now the way it has shaken down that was a three or four month period that all of a sudden became a three or four day period so it has been kind of crazy that way and it shakes your team up a little bit because there are possibilities out there and there were people that you brought in and people that you had to let go and those things would have taken place in March and the sting of that would have been over and this team would have already been down the path of becoming a team. Like I told the guys the other night you don’t just run up to the top of the mountain and stand there and say we’re a team. There is a lot that has to go into that. With the constant movement that has been created over the last four or five days just because that is the nature of the beast that has stopped that progress until you get everybody out here.”
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http://www.sportspagemagazine.com/content/fb/mp-fb/ln-mp-fb/miami-dolphin-training-camp-notes-2.shtml?48053
By Andrew Carter & Omar Kelly, Sun Sentinel

9:42 p.m. EDT, August 3, 2011

Brian Hartline's been invisible the past few practices, but he made his presence felt on Wednesday, producing a number of big catches against the starting cornerbacks. …

Rookie quarterback Pat Devlin revealed that all the quarterbacks have a speaker in their helmets that offensive coordinator Brian Daboll communicates into. …

Clyde Gates caught a long touchdown pass after beating safety Chris Clemons on a pass under thrown by Chad Henne.
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http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/miami-dolphins/fl-miami-dolphins-rail-0804-20110803,0,5570363.story
 
Seattle Seahawks TC Notes

Friend of the blog and Seahawk obsessed numbers guy Davis Hsu attended Seahawks Training Camp with me yesterday, and had some really great notes to add on his impression of practice, that I asked him to share on Field Gulls. As I explained earlier, Davis has been a big help to me, behind the scenes mostly, as an editor and proofreader, and I bounce ideas off of him on a daily basis. He puts together spreadsheets and tables and I'm fairly certain he's got a Seahawks lab somewhere in his basement where he sits and laughs maniacally to himself while he pours over numbers and stats and bar graphs like a mad scientist. His contributions will be more visible in-season and he'll most likely become a household name for the regulars here moving forward.

He's got sound football I.Q., and has predicted a lot of the things that the Seahawks have ended up doing, so I trust his analysis. He listens to every single #######g radio show and interview all day so he's one of the most keyed in guys around so he's definitely worth a follow on twitter. Obviously, like me, he's just a fan of football so you should take everything with a grain of salt, but really that goes for any sportswriter, radio personality, or draft expert out there. Here are Davis' thoughts and reactions to practice, enjoy:

Defensive Line

These guys are all very big men. Junior Siavii, Red Bryant (who was given the day off), Colin Cole (who was also in sweats), Alan Branch, Ryan Sims, Kentwan Balmer. The best player on the D-line during the drills was Mebane. He looked like he had confidence and the respect of the other players. He is so low to the ground compared to the rest of the guys, powerful and quick. Also, with Chris Clemons limited (I read that he has a foot infection) I was wondering where we were going to get our pass rush- especially if Clemons gets hurt. Good thing after practice we signed up Raheem Brock for a 1-yr stint. I only watched this group for a few minutes. I didn't get to tune in much to Allen and Crittenton.

Linebackers

Leroy Hill looks like a smooth veteran. He looks to be in better shape than in years past. He looks fresh and he looks like he has something to prove. If he stays healthy he could be our best linebacker. Curry is just a big-big linebacker- no wonder people fell in love with him. I thought he looked good- power- but not smooth.

KJ Wright- my honest first impression of him- too tall. He is all of 6-4 and almost looks like a really big safety. Mike Morgan looks like a good athlete and I wonder how Mike Johnson will play in preseason games. I feel good about this group with Ken Norton in charge- it just feels right and I don't know much about Todd Wash (DL) and the secondary coaches. Ken Norton just has that "it" factor.

Secondary

Brandon Browner- I like this guy. He is 27 yrs old but he is 6-4 and can play press as well as bail. I saw him handle Mike Williams in one situation. He is almost as big as Mike Williams. I really want to see Thurmond out there and I am worried that he is missing valuable time with this ankle. Kelly Jennings ran with the 2s and the 1s- and I don't mean to sound like myself- but he plays just like Kelly Jennings. Small, fast, and gets plays made on him at the moment of truth. Great guy- my best man knows him and he is a solid guy. But we are here to talk football.

Trufant looked good- he can't handle Sidney Rice- but there is probably less than 5 guys in the NFL that can guard Rice 1-on-1: Revis, Nnamdi and maybe a few others.

Richard Sherman made some plays. Earl Thomas played up on slots in certain situations, and I believe it was Legree who was deep with Kam- some sort of nickel-dime-bandit package. Earl Thomas picked Pete Carroll- pick 6ed him- lightning. QB Pete was running a few drills. Next play, Legree picked Pete deeper over the middle. Pete has this glove on too- like a bad Michael Jackson white glove- kinda creepy. Matched his all white outfit. Anyways- I think Kam is the real deal- he can play deep- he isn't just a box safety. Didn't see much of Maxwell or maybe I wasn't looking for him. None of the other young guys jumped out at me- but I wasn't searching too hard for them- Johnson, Hoffman, Parker.

I am not surprised they didn't sign Babs- Pete thinks he has the next Babs in Josh Pinkard- he stashed him in 2010 on PUP and the 53 man and the practice squad- almost like he was trying to hide him from the league. He is a CB/S hybrid who I think will play in nickel or bandit. Scott Enyeart (USC guy, radio personality, Seahawks fan, and friend to Pete Carroll and many of the old-school USC guys) says he is instinctual. Like a younger, faster Babs with less Babs savvy. Three knee surgeries though- if he can stay healthy, watch out. What's up with rolling the dice on injuries? - Walt- Leon- Pinkard. How you find value, PCJS.

Tight Ends

I wasn't watching Zach Miller! Maybe today. Guy who looks a WR and catches everything?- Dominique Byrd: Impressed me. Carlson played great today- maybe this whole Miller thing- maybe he always looks good in Training Camp. I think they keep him unless they get like a 4th rd pick or something like that. McCoy seemed inconsistent to me- made some good plays- dropped some balls- he looks the part though. Feel bad for Morrah- he needs to get out there! Turf toe or something like that. We are solid at this position.

Running Backs

Didn't spend much time watching these guys because we know the tri-fecta- Leon, Beastmode, Forsett. Forsett is a good player. So nice on dumpoffs- has a 2nd gear and gets 20-25 yard chunk plays- but he doesn't have that 3rd gear- that 60- yard play. Hopefully this year! I heard Leon looks great but I wasn't watching for him. Only thing I want Marshawn to do is to hang on to the ball- I don't think Forsett fumbled one time in 2010 and Lynch had at least 3 in half a season (2 versus NOR in NOR and that one that almost doomed us versus STL week 17 -defense held up).

OLine-

That will have to be today if I can get out there! Sorry.

Wide Receivers

Teach me how to Dougie. Doug Baldwin. Doug-E-Fresh. #15- unless he stinks up the preseason this cat is making the 53 man roster. He looks like he is always within himself- catches everything. Like a Stokley but younger and faster. If Tate went down (God forbid) I think this guy can play. Carter looked alright too- but I can't see him making the team over Baldwin. Lockette? I don't think so. He doesn't have something that Dougie has.

Dominique Edison, Pat Williams- I don't think so. Isaiah Stanback? I don't know. Ben Obomanu wasn't out there today for family reasons. Mike Williams- he is a #2 WR- not a #1- gets no separation from what I saw. Looks like a TE. Tate is lined up inside which is better for him- I think he will contribute this year. Think his head is in a better place. Kris Durham- I don't know -not quite sure on him yet. If Mike Williams is a 6.5- the guy that is a 9.0 or 9.5 is Sidney Rice.

Sidney Rice is the best player on the Seahawks I think. I didn't watch Okung today and I think Okung will be a pro-bowl player- but I think Rice might be our best player. From the first minute. He made plays over the middle and on the sidelines in single and double coverage. He juked guys and played physical when he needed to. He has body control and great hands. I am serious- this guy is the real freakin deal. I like Mike Williams- but this cat is head and shoulders ahead of Mike Williams. But you already knew that. I feel real good about the WR group.

Quarterback

I thought Charlie was alright today. I thought he played with some urgency. I like how he is 6-5 and can see over the line and has that fastball delivery - overhand- on short throws. He missed few short throws- layups- but I think he played with a little fire today. Tarvaris Jackson- first thing I thought- not that tall- for some reason his 6-2 stood out to me. He has a good arm. He is an athlete- he can scramble and did at times. He hit some decent deeper and intermediate passes. Threw one pick I think- it was tipped over the middle and then picked. He hit Sidney all over the place. Of course they are gonna hook up a lot- (1) Sidney is the best weapon we have (2) they are good friends and played in the same system for years. Before the CBA was approved they threw together alone away from the others. Josh Portis- practice squad.

I think we hang on to Charlie. I don't think he will be the starter Game 1 vs SFO. But TJack gets hurt and Charlie will see action at some point. Tarvaris looked like what you think of when you think of Tarvaris. He doesn't look bad- he just doesn't impress me on that level that you know that great Quarterbacks impress. But we all know that. Fans know that. Coaches know that. Barring a surprise- the Seahawks QBOTF is in the 2012 Draft. I am rooting for TJack and Charlie but my first impression of 2011- as Dennis Green said "They are who we thought they were!"
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Vikings: Friday practice report

By Kevin Seifert

MANKATO, Minn. -- A week into CampTour'11, I finally saw a full-pads practice with a team's entire roster available. So, on the final day of my time at Minnesota State University, Mankato, let's resurrect our traditional practice report.

Be aware that my formal Camp Confidential for the Minnesota Vikings will post Sunday. I'll then resume our NFC North tour on Monday in Bourbonnais, Ill., training camp home of the Chicago Bears.

[*]The Vikings had a spirited and live 9-on-7 run drill, meaning players were tackling to the ground. Coach Leslie Frazier used tailback Adrian Peterson for three plays, a rarity in Peterson's camp career. But Frazier never blinked. "It's OK," he said. "We'll have to watch things. We won't do it too often. But it's part of what we do for a living, is tackling. It's hitting. It's running. It's football."

[*]Peterson made two outstanding catches, one a pass down the hashmarks from quarterback Joe Webb in 7-on-7s and one a back-shoulder grab from Donovan McNabb in team work. "That's something he wants to do," Frazier said. "He wants to be a better receiver. He wants to stay in on third downs. He doesn't want to come off the field. In order to do that, you've got to do what he did today. You've got to catch the football. He's working to get better at that."

[*]Rookie quarterback Christian Ponder mostly worked with the second team for the second consecutive day. It was a rough one. Ponder threw two interceptions during 7-on-7 drills and struggled with his downfield accuracy throughout the practice. Frazier called it "being a rookie in the National Football League" and Ponder said: "Today was kind of a step back, but these are the days you learn the most from."

[*]McNabb once again opened team drills with a successful deep pass down the sideline, this time to receiver Michael Jenkins, who beat cornerback Chris Cook for an 80-yard touchdown.

[*]After a rough debut Thursday, left tackle Charlie Johnson seemed to get his feet underneath him a bit Friday.

[*]The Vikings rotated three veteran safeties among their two positions: Tyrell Johnson, Jamarca Sanford and Husain Abdullah.

[*]Again, I'll have more practice observations and many other thoughts in this weekend's Camp Confidential. I've had a fruitful few days here and look forward to sprinkling some further thoughts into future blog posts.
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Eagles training camp notes

By Dan Graziano

BETHLEHEM, Pa. -- All of the excitement around the new acquisitions is nice, but when I spoke with Philadelphia Eagles head coach Andy Reid I asked him how concerned he is that neither of his top two wide receivers is practicing yet. DeSean Jackson continues to hold out of training camp in a contract dispute, and Jeremy Maclin is still watching from the sidelines after missing the first five days because of a still-undisclosed illness.

"Well, thank goodness they've played with Michael [Vick] the last couple of years, at least," Reid said. "I understand that's a concern. I'd like them to be here, I can't tell you I wouldn't. Number one, with Jeremy, I want to make sure he goes through all the tests he needs to go through, that's the most important thing. And when DeSean gets here, we coach him. And until he does, we go with what we have. That's how we roll."

It's odd -- and disconcerting -- that no one has said what's wrong with Maclin. The Eagles aren't projecting any worry about not having him for the season, though, and Reid said during a news conference earlier in the day that he expects to have him for the opener. So at this point we'll have to take them at their word on that. Jackson is likely to be in camp as soon as the contract gets worked out. And if he's not in by Tuesday he puts next year's unrestricted free-agent status in jeopardy. So there's a feeling around here that Jackson's situation will get worked out, though the people I've spoken with on the other end indicate it could be more complicated that the team thinks. We'll see. But when they lined up to do punt return drills, it felt as though something pretty important was missing.

[*]Defensive tackle Mike Patterson's return to camp two days after leaving in an ambulance following an on-field seizure was the surprise of the day. There's some thought that he could return to practice soon, though I have to believe that's overly optimistic, considering the frightening nature of the things for which they've been testing him. "You know he wants to play," Eagles trainer Rick Burkholder said. "Heck, he would have practiced this afternoon if we would have let him. That's normal, and that's why he's a great player. But as the guy who's got to be responsible for Mike, I have to pull the reigns back on that and make sure we're thorough and we know exactly what we have before we turn him back in there."

[*]Casey Matthews is still lining up at middle linebacker with Jamar Chaney, who played that spot last season when Stewart Bradley got hurt, on the outside. "If you ask me which one I like the best, I like the MIKE," Chaney said. "But it is what it is. I consider myself able to play all three. It doesn't matter. I'm still going to go out and get the job done." I have to think there's still a chance the Eagles bring in a veteran to address this, be it someone for the middle or someone who can play on the strong side and move Chaney back into the middle.

[*]People who want practice observations can know that Sinorice Moss looked great and beat Nnamdi Asomugha on one deep ball, that Asomugha intercepted Vince Young once, that this guy Jason Kelce is sharing first-team reps at center with Jamaal Jackson and that, in general, the Eagles' secondary is dominating the second-string receivers. Oh, and Vick looks fine. I'm not sure how much any or all of that means or matters, but there you have it. I'll have more tomorrow.
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McCluster the Chiefs' odd man out

Posted Aug. 05, 2011 @ 4:30 p.m. ET

By Eli Kaberon

By adding WR Steve Breaston and FB Le'Ron McClain, the Chiefs will have the ability to have a much more wide-open offense than they did a season ago. Breaston gives the team a legit slot receiver who can burn opponents deep with his terrific speed, and McClain is a bruiser who will aid the running game both as a blocker and runner. Each skill set will add to a Chiefs offense that was fairly one-dimensional in 2010.

The arrivals of the two veteran free agents is good news for the offense, but not so much for Dexter McCluster. The second-year pro was expected to be the team's third wideout while also seeing time in the backfield as a running back. Breaston's signing pushes McCluster down the WR depth chart, and McClain's arrival means fewer carries are available in the running game.

We hear Chiefs coaches are still high on McCluster, who has game-breaking ability with the ball in his hands. The problem is that at his size (5-8, 170 pounds), it is tough for the team to count on the 2010 second-round pick to be an every-down player. Expect to see McCluster get some touches both as a receiver, runner and return specialist, but not as many as the team had planned before the free-agent signings.
Click to expand...
 
Twitter:

Chris Wesseling

Bengals.com's @GeoffHobsonCin: "Ho hum. Another practice, another A.J. Green highlight film. He was again all over the place." #Bengals

Chris Wesseling

#Packers 2nd-rounder Randall Cobb has "dazzled" with speeds, hands, athleticism as a "pay-per-view" attraction in camp:

Explosive receiver Cobb has mental grasp of game

Chris Wesseling

Darnell Dockett on Kolb: "It's like night and day from last year. I don't want to disrespect nobody, but I mean, he's good."

Chris Wesseling

Ingram getting more buzz. RT @AlbertBreer: Will say, leaving the Saints facility . . . Mark Ingram's gonna be a star.

Don Banks

re-tweet by SigmundBloom

Steve Spagnuolo says 2 other rookie pass-catchers have impressed early: 3rd rd pick Austin Pettis, 4th-rder Greg Salas. Rams deep at WR.

Sigmund Bloom

Denarius. Moore. get to know that name RT @VittorioTafur After Moore's last catch, Hue said "Mama, there goes that man again"

Chris Wesseling

Aug. 5th Rookie Buzz Meter: 1. Julio Jones, #Falcons 2. A.J. Green, #Bengals 3. Denarius Moore, #Raiders, 4. Jarvis Jenkins, #Redskins, 5. Akeem Ayers, #Titans, 6. Mark Ingram, #Saints 7. Aldon Smith, #49ers 8. Randall Cobb, #Packers 9. Jeremy Kerley, #Jets 10. Tandon Doss, #Ravens

Chris Wesseling

Honorable mention for Rookie Buzz Meter: Jacquizz Rodgers #Falcons, Scott Tolzien #Chargers, D.J. Williams #Packers, Shane Vereen #Patriots

Matt Williamson

@caplannfl Couldn't agree more. Putting a lot of faith in the young pups. Flacco not ready to elevate those around him like stud QBs

MattWaldman thegutcheck

@ShipOFools A.J. Green most talented skill player in draft.

MattWaldman thegutcheck

@eire5199 RT @barrysvrluga: Rookie WR Leonard Hankerson (#theU) has gigantic hands that don't always hold onto the ball. #Redskins #drops

 
'Faust said:
Postcard from camp: Panthers

Excerpts:

Three Observations

1. Tight end may have gone from a position of weakness to one of strength. It's been since Wesley Walls that the Panthers had a good offensive tight end. Now they have two if Greg Olsen and Jeremy Shockey can stay healthy, which is no gimme. Shockey signed as a free agent; the Panthers dealt a third-round pick to Chicago for former first-rounder Olsen the other day. Saw Shockey in the student union after lunch today, hunkered down with tight end coach Pete Hoener, working on learning the playbook. I like what they've done there.

2. All eyes on Cam. No kidding! Newton sat next to left tackle Jordan Gross in the cafeteria Saturday and said, "Man, this is a lot to learn.'' Six weeks to the opener, and Newton will win the job if he's able to do what do few rookies can -- master what opposing defenses are doing, master the playbook and know where your receivers are going. But he's an impressive thrower, that's for sure.

3. The money guys had better come through. Big signings, but also big gambles for GM Marty Hurney. In giving 25-year-old Charles Johnson $12 million a year, Johnson goes from being the underrated strongman no one could block to a guy who's going to have to justify being paid like a top-five defensive player in the league. Kicker Olindo Mare and his $3-million-a-year deal will be microscoped when he misses his first 31-yarder. Running back DeAngelo Williams and Jon Beason re-signed ... for an amazing $20.6 million a year, average. Meanwhile, they've lost value players like cornerback Richard Marshall.

Step On Up

Cam Newton, quarterback. It's rare to ask a rookie quarterback to carry so much weight, and rarer to ask one to do so without the benefit of an offseason with his team. But that is the lot Newton faces. On Sunday night, he threw the ball hard and in a tight spiral, but he was inaccurate for much of the practice until hitting wideout David Gettis on a deep bomb down the right sideline. The fans have welcomed Newton with open arms -- anything successful Sunday night got a rousing hand from the several thousand on hand on training camp -- but Newton knows, as do the Panthers, that he'll be judged on games, not the friendly environment of steamy camp workouts. Owner Jerry Richardson has already let Newton know he'll be under a very hot spotlight, because of being the first draft pick over and because Carolina has been looking for a quarterback of the future ever since letting Kerry Collins walk 13 years ago. It's unfair to ask a young player to shoulder so much of a franchise's burden, but fair or not, it's what Newton faces -- in a hurry -- in Carolina.

New Face, New Place

Tight end Greg Olsen, who came in trade from Chicago for a third-round pick, is a mystifying player. Why did the Bears draft an offensive tight end in the first round, and why wasn't Olsen given the chance to develop his skills in the Bear offense? Both good questions, but with Carolina offensive coordinator Rod Chudzinski calling the plays and loving tight ends, I like Olsen to re-emerge as an offensive threat if he stays healthy.
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Being a Bear guy, I was very frustrated for Martz & Lovey to show no creativity to get Olsen into the flow. This Guy Olsen has the talent to be a top TE. Blame the system he was in not Olsen's ability.

BTW: what inj problem??? He's a horse. never a problem last couple years. Good luck with him.

 
'Faust said:
Twitter:

Chris Wesseling

Bengals.com's @GeoffHobsonCin: "Ho hum. Another practice, another A.J. Green highlight film. He was again all over the place." #Bengals

Chris Wesseling

#Packers 2nd-rounder Randall Cobb has "dazzled" with speeds, hands, athleticism as a "pay-per-view" attraction in camp:

Explosive receiver Cobb has mental grasp of game

Chris Wesseling

Darnell Dockett on Kolb: "It's like night and day from last year. I don't want to disrespect nobody, but I mean, he's good."

Chris Wesseling

Ingram getting more buzz. RT @AlbertBreer: Will say, leaving the Saints facility . . . Mark Ingram's gonna be a star.

Don Banks

re-tweet by SigmundBloom

Steve Spagnuolo says 2 other rookie pass-catchers have impressed early: 3rd rd pick Austin Pettis, 4th-rder Greg Salas. Rams deep at WR.

Sigmund Bloom

Denarius. Moore. get to know that name RT @VittorioTafur After Moore's last catch, Hue said "Mama, there goes that man again"

Chris Wesseling

Aug. 5th Rookie Buzz Meter: 1. Julio Jones, #Falcons 2. A.J. Green, #Bengals 3. Denarius Moore, #Raiders, 4. Jarvis Jenkins, #Redskins, 5. Akeem Ayers, #Titans, 6. Mark Ingram, #Saints 7. Aldon Smith, #49ers 8. Randall Cobb, #Packers 9. Jeremy Kerley, #Jets 10. Tandon Doss, #Ravens

Chris Wesseling

Honorable mention for Rookie Buzz Meter: Jacquizz Rodgers #Falcons, Scott Tolzien #Chargers, D.J. Williams #Packers, Shane Vereen #Patriots

Matt Williamson

@caplannfl Couldn't agree more. Putting a lot of faith in the young pups. Flacco not ready to elevate those around him like stud QBs

MattWaldman thegutcheck

@ShipOFools A.J. Green most talented skill player in draft.

MattWaldman thegutcheck

@eire5199 RT @barrysvrluga: Rookie WR Leonard Hankerson (#theU) has gigantic hands that don't always hold onto the ball. #Redskins #drops
Click to expand...
See, this is where it gets out of hand? So essentially every rookie looks really good? Ok, got it.
 
'gianmarco said:
See, this is where it gets out of hand? So essentially every rookie looks really good? Ok, got it.
Click to expand...
There have been posts talking about rookies who are struggling, so this isn't completely true. The purpose of this thread is to provide a spot to post training camp and preseason observations all in one easy to find spot. If you play in a redraft format, then knowing that Cobb or Moore are looking good early still needs to be tempered by the fact that they play on teams with a number of options ahead of them on the depth charts of their respective teams, but if you are thinking about Green, Ingram, or Jones you likely want to know that they are worth taking the risk on picking them.In deeper dynasty leagues, again it is helpful to know who are the rookies who are quickly acclimating to the NFL and who are the ones who are struggling. The article linked in this specific posting about Cobb was full of great information about his work ethic and how he specifically sought out Green and Jones as they were widely considered as the two best WR prospects in the 2011 draft and he wanted to learn more about their games and what they did as WRs so that he could become a better WR...is that helpful for those of us who are trying to decide between Little, Cobb, and Baldwin for who is the next best WR after Green and Jones?
 
'gianmarco said:
See, this is where it gets out of hand? So essentially every rookie looks really good? Ok, got it.
Click to expand...
So many of the rookies that ended up being real keepers created a ton of buzz from day one. Some of the rookies that create a lot of buzz are just practice studs and they fade in-season. Either way, it is definitely relevant and worth noting when observers are raving about a rook. People can decide to do what they want with the info, but your dismissal of the info is uncalled for.
 
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