* OFFICIAL * 2012 Training Camp / Preseason News & Tidbits Thread (2 Viewers)

[Faust]

Camp Confidential: Atlanta Falcons

By Pat Yasinskas | ESPN.com

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- As you first watch and listen to the Atlanta Falcons in training camp, you quickly realize something is different.

They’ve got a bunch of marquee players (Matt Ryan, Roddy White, Julio Jones, Tony Gonzalez, Michael Turner, John Abraham and Asante Samuel), but the buzz isn’t about them. Instead, most of the talk is about two new assistant coaches -- offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter and defensive coordinator Mike Nolan. That’s understandable, because a lot of people thought the Falcons needed some major changes after they got thumped by the New York Giants in the first round of last season’s playoffs.

With offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey (now head coach in Jacksonville) and defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder (now defensive coordinator at Auburn) leaving, Koetter and Nolan are big storylines. They might not have star power all by themselves, but watch and listen a little more and you’ll see the two new coaches have plenty of star power behind them.

“Mike Nolan and Dirk Koetter have done a fine job of bringing their respective systems to the table and working with (coach) Mike Smith and the rest of the staff and developing a system that is melding well with all of our coaching opinions,’’ general manager Thomas Dimitroff said. “It’s a collaborative effort. It’s not just one stamp from one coordinator or the other. It’s been really interesting seeing everyone come together on the respective sides of the football to develop this new system.’’

In conversations with Smith and Dimitroff, each repeatedly emphasized that key players (the guys listed above and a few others) have had extensive input into what the Falcons will do on each side of the ball. As soon as league rules allowed coaches and players to get together in the offseason, Ryan and Koetter began meeting regularly and discussing what the playbook should look like.

“There are a lot of things we’ve done well over the last few years, and the first thing Dirk asked me was what I liked and what I felt most comfortable with,’’ Ryan said. “Then, we took the things I said and looked at our production in those situations and some of it was surprising because we didn’t have as much success as I would have thought in some of the things I said I was most comfortable with, and we had some pretty good success with some of the things I didn’t necessarily think I liked.

"We also watched a lot of film of Jacksonville (where Koetter was offensive coordinator last year), and we talked a lot about why they did certain things at certain times. There was a lot of very good give-and-take. He’s extremely open to input, which is great for players, and I know he sat down and did the same thing with some other guys. But he also has his own opinions and is firm on his own opinions, and I like that about him.’’

The Falcons have been very public about some of the ways their offense will change. They said they don’t want Turner having to endure a 300-carry season. They said they want to use the screen pass more, after almost completely ignoring it in recent years. And they’ve made it very clear that they want to improve their downfield passing game.

What the actual playbook looks like is likely to be a combination of what both Koetter and the Falcons have done in the past.

The changes on defense are likely to be similar because Nolan also has consulted extensively with his key players. Nolan has spent 14 years as a defensive coordinator in the NFL, seven of them in the 4-3 defense and seven in the 3-4. The Falcons will continue to use the 4-3 as their base, but there could be some 3-4 looks and principles.

“We just have a lot of different things that we can do,’’ outside linebacker Sean Weatherspoon said. “We’re going to be aggressive. We’re not being passive at all. Our mindset is that we want to go out there and dictate. We don’t want to adjust to what an offense is doing. We want to put it on them to make changes.’’

That would be a change from the VanGorder days, when the Falcons had some individual talent and a fair amount of overall success, but never really had an identity as a defense. The Falcons will be different on both sides of the ball.

“When you have new eyes, so to speak, you get a different view,’’ Smith said. “We may have had a view that this guy’s strengths are A, B and C and his weaknesses are D, E and F, and a new guy comes in and, because he’s coming from a different perspective, he sees it differently. I think that’s interesting in terms of evaluating your roster because you have two new sets of eyes.’’

Maybe the eyes will have it. Maybe the new coordinators and new playbooks will be enough to help the Falcons win a playoff game for the first time since Smith, Dimitroff and Ryan arrived in 2008.



THREE HOT ISSUES

1. The running game with Turner’s limit on carries. Despite all the talk about the downfield passing game, I don’t think the Falcons want to suddenly just abandon the running game. Turner still is powerful and can help open things up for the passing game. The Falcons just don’t want to wear him out. They’ve used Jason Snelling at times to give Turner some rest, and Snelling will be involved again this season. But I don’t think he’s really the guy the Falcons are looking at to pick up a big chunk of Turner’s carries.

I’m almost certain they have big plans for second-year pro Jacquizz Rodgers, and I think those plans might be a lot bigger than people realize. That’s largely because Rodgers is bigger than the Falcons realized when they drafted him last year.

“Jacquizz is not little,’’ Smith said. “He’s short, but he’s thick. People projected him to be a third-down back, a change-of-pace back. I think the guy has the skill set to play on all three downs. One of the things that stood out to me more than anything is his ability to pass protect. A lot of times, your change-of-pace back, you’ve got to get him the ball and not ask him to be a part of the protection. I don’t think that’s the case with Jacquizz. I think Jacquizz is an all-around back that can play on all three downs.’’

Translation: The Falcons aren’t looking for Rodgers to be what Jerious Norwood once was. They want him to be more like what Warrick Dunn once was.

2. Positive reinforcement. I don’t know if they were veiled shots at Mularkey, VanGorder and former middle linebacker and defensive leader Curtis Lofton, but I think it was significant that Smith and Dimitroff repeatedly used the word “positive’’ when they talked about the coaching styles of Koetter and Nolan, and as they talked about the leadership qualities Samuel brings, and what kind of leader they expect Weatherspoon to become.

“Sean is such a positive guy,’’ Smith said. “He is vocal, but he’s never negative in the way he speaks. He’s always very positive.’’

Samuel was described in the same way. So were Nolan and Koetter.

I never sensed a lot of negativity from Mularkey, VanGorder or Lofton, but I also never sensed any of them were rah-rah guys. It sure seems like Smith and Dimitroff feel their team needed more positive reinforcement.

3. The pass rush. For far too long, Atlanta’s pass rush has consisted of Abraham and almost nothing else. Maybe fellow defensive end Ray Edwards steps up after an injury-filled season that limited him to 3.5 sacks. Or maybe reserves Lawrence Sidbury and Kroy Biermann produce more. But I get the sense Nolan isn’t looking to have only defensive ends rush the passer.

“The way practice is going right now, we’re really excited about getting the linebackers more involved in rushing the passer,’’ Weatherspoon said. “Even in seven-on-seven, we’re going. That will help those guys out there on the edge because now offenses are going to have to account for us all day. It’ll be better because we’ll be able to keep them on their heels.’’

And it won’t be just the linebackers. Look for the cornerbacks and safeties to also get plenty of opportunities to blitz.

REASON FOR OPTIMISM

Time to fly. A lot of great young quarterbacks have seemed to hit a wall early in their careers. Even Peyton Manning had a reputation for not being able to win the big one early in his career, and look how that’s worked out. I’m not saying Ryan is going to turn into the second coming of Manning, but I think this is the year in which Ryan finally can earn a firm spot in the category of elite quarterbacks.

The guy has done some very good things in his first four seasons and he’s worked very hard to bulk up this offseason, so that he’s not worn down when the playoffs roll around. Ryan has a good arm, excellent mental skills and a strong work ethic. But, for some reason, he just hasn’t been able to take the next step. Last year, the Falcons brought in Jones to give him another weapon to go with White and Gonzalez. This year, they brought in Koetter, who has obvious instructions to get the most out of Ryan’s skills.

When you keep doing things the right way, sooner or later it’s all bound to click.

REASON FOR PESSIMISM

The offensive line. This was a big problem spot last year. Ryan frequently didn’t have enough time to throw the deep ball. The Falcons got rid of offensive line coach Paul Boudreau and replaced him with Pat Hill, who has a nice history with offensive lines. They also used their second-round pick on guard Peter Konz.

But were those two moves enough to bring dramatic improvement up front? Should the Falcons really be sticking with Sam Baker at left tackle? And even if they want to give Baker another shot, shouldn’t they at least have brought in a viable alternative in case he struggles?

I know a lot of fans think the Falcons should have done more up front. But the Falcons think they’ve done enough. We’ll find out who is right soon enough.

OBSERVATION DECK

[*]The Falcons lost a steady return man when Eric Weems left as a free agent. They’ve thrown out a lot of names, including some undrafted rookies, as candidates to take Weems’ spot as the punt and kickoff returner. But this is a team with a lot at stake this season, and I don’t see the Falcons handing either job to an untested rookie. I think they play it safe and go with third receiver Harry Douglas as their punt returner. He could also be an option on kickoff returns. If not, reserve cornerbacks Dominique Franks and Christopher Owens, as well as Rodgers, could be possibilities.

[*]Ever since he was drafted in 2010, I’ve been expecting to see some flash from wide receiver Kerry Meier. Part of that is because the Atlanta coaches still talk about the former college quarterback as a guy that can play just about any position. Meier missed his rookie season with an injury and didn’t get a lot of playing time last year. But I did see him make a couple of nice catches in camp and also saw him getting work as the backup holder on field goals and extra points. Meier may have a tough time getting much playing time at wide receiver because the Falcons are so deep. But Koetter might be able to throw off some defenses by lining up Meier at H-back, fullback and tight end at various times.

[*]I don’t want to raise hopes artificially, but I saw defensive tackle Peria Jerry working with the first-team defense while I was at camp. He seemed to show a little of the burst that made him a first-round pick in 2009. But Jerry tore up his knee early in his rookie season and has been reduced to a role player. He’s getting the first-team work because Corey Peters is temporarily sidelined with an injury. Peters’ starting job will be there when he gets back. But the Falcons would get a tremendous boost if Jerry can give them some production as a backup.

[*]Veteran center Todd McClure has been getting all the first-team work early in camp. But I think the Falcons would be wise to take a long look at Joe Hawley and maybe even start him in a preseason game or two. McClure is 35, and there is no question he’s slowing down. I can see a scenario in which McClure wears out or gets hurt as the season goes on, and Hawley gets thrown into the starting lineup. The better long-term approach might be to go with Hawley as the starter and have McClure as a fallback option.

[*]I don’t know what the Falcons are going to do about a No. 3 tight end after Gonzalez and Michael Palmer. They have six tight ends in camp. At least while I was there, the one that seemed to stand out was Tommy Gallarda. He looks like he can catch the ball a bit. More importantly, he’s 6-foot-5 and 259 pounds and looks like he can block.

[*]A lot of fans are excited about third-round pick Lamar Holmes. They believe he could end up beating out Baker for the starting left tackle job in training camp. That’s not going to happen. The Falcons are going to give Baker every benefit of the doubt. If he’s injured or really struggles, they’ll turn to Will Svitek. Holmes is viewed as a project, and it could be a couple of years before he gets on the field.

[*]Since the arrival of Samuel, the common assumption among many fans is that Dunta Robinson will be the nickelback and Samuel will start opposite Brent Grimes. That’s not as automatic as most think. Yes, Robinson will play the nickel position, lining up inside against slot receivers on passing downs. But that doesn’t mean Robinson won’t be starting and playing the outside on running downs. Samuel’s age, 31, is a concern, and the Falcons may not want to overuse him. They may start Robinson and, when they go to the nickel package, insert Samuel on the outside and slide Robinson inside.

 

[griff321]

Thanks Faust, and I'm happy to help! You set the standard sir!

Vikings veterans have their favorites in camp so far

"Who looks good at Vikings camp?"

It's the question that's asked most often and yet has no definitive answer. The signs of beauty, or lack thereof, are in the eyes of each sweaty, tired, sunburnt, my-back-is-killing-me training camp observer.

Through the first week of practices, we can tell you that starting quarterback Christian Ponder looks more comfortable. That tight end Kyle Rudolph has 10-foot fishing nets for hands. That running back Jordan Todman was quick and fast before he was injured and temporarily out. That backup quarterbacks Joe Webb and Sage Rosenfels are developing quite a chemistry with the defensive backfield.

Opinions are based on head-turning snapshots from a daily practice that includes 90 players and lasts about 2 hours, 15 minutes. Reporters have their thoughts, but we decided to give 16 of the team's veterans a crack at this. So we asked them, "If you had to pick ONE player who has turned your head the most so far in camp, who would it be and why?"

No clichs about how we're all working to get better (yawn). No multiple selections. Pick a guy and go. Here are the results:

The winner: Jerome Simpson, receiver

Votes: 6 (left guard Charlie Johnson, punter Chris Kluwe, linebacker Chad Greenway, defensive tackle Kevin Williams, running back Toby Gerhart, safety Eric Frampton).

If one thing is clear from Week 1, it's this: Simpson is popular among new veteran teammates who know all too well what it's like to try and win in the NFL without a deep threat.

"He's fast," Johnson said. "I watched the clip on TV [Wednesday] when he did the double move on that deep ball. Not only just the speed to get away, but the way he sold the double move. The safeties bit on it and it was just over from there. Over."

Frampton was the last veteran to cast his vote. He couldn't help but ask for the tally.

"I'm guessing Simpson is leading, right?" Frampton said. "Yeah, Simpson's the guy so far, for sure."

Second place: Tie, Ponder and cornerback Reggie Jones

Votes: 3 apiece (Rudolph, Simpson and receiver Percy Harvin voted for Ponder; linebacker Erin Henderson, cornerback Chris Cook and safety Jamarca Sanford voted for Jones).

Perhaps you've heard of Ponder, so we'll brush over him quickly.

"You can tell he's going to be a leader," Simpson said. "Just you wait and see."

Now, about that other fella, who isn't exactly a household name, even among teammates.

"Who's turned my head the most?" Henderson asked. "The kid, Reggie. What's his last name?"

Jones.

"Yeah, yeah, Jones," Henderson said. "Reg is making splash plays around the ball out there."

Jones is a 6-foot, 195-pounder from Portland State. He joined the Saints as an undrafted rookie in 2009 but spent that Super Bowl-winning season on injured reserve. He also spent part of the 2010 season on the Redskins' practice squad before joining the Vikings' practice squad for eight games last season.

Jones' biggest admirer is Sanford, who often can be heard yelling, "I see you, Reg!" from the sideline when the backups are on the field.

"Keep an eye on Reggie," Sanford said. "I watched him in OTAs. I watched his body develop. You can tell he's a hard worker because in OTAs, he came in and was slimmed down. You can see his abs this year."

Jones laughed when he heard the last part.

"Actually, I stayed the same weight," he said. "But my body fat last year was 10 percent. Last time I got it checked, it was 3 percent."

Also-rans: Undrafted rookie cornerback Bobby Felder, receiver and rookie fourth-round pick Greg Childs and rookie left tackle Matt Kalil, the fourth overall draft pick

Votes: 1 apiece.

Cornerback Zack Bowman on Felder: "Did I know who Bobby Felder was before this? No. He went to Nicholls State. But the kid is getting better every day."

Offensive tackle Phil Loadholt voted for Childs, while Jones picked Cook and guard Geoff Schwartz selected Kalil.

"Off the top of my head, I think you have to go with Matt," Schwartz said. "Considering the expectations that are on his shoulders, he's my pick. He's showing why he was a high draft pick."

Actually, we polled a 17th veteran who proved to be wise beyond his 24 years.

"I don't know," Ponder said when asked for his ONE person. "I think there are several guys, especially on the offensive side."

Ponder then went on to name his blind-side protector (Kalil) and his top three receiving threats (Rudolph, Harvin and Simpson).

"I think it's been great to have Jerome here," Ponder said. "I think he's pushing Percy a little bit. I think Percy has gotten a lot better. There's almost a competition between them to see who is the better receiver right now."

Very diplomatic of a blossoming team leader not to pick just one head-turner. Right, Christian?

"Exactly," he said. "Exactly."

 

[Faust]

Camp Confidential: Cleveland Browns

By Jamison Hensley | ESPN.com

BEREA, Ohio -- Long before the announcement that Jimmy Haslam was buying the Browns, a new era had already begun in Cleveland.

It started with the Browns moving up one spot in the draft to select running back Trent Richardson third overall. It continued with taking quarterback Brandon Weeden later in the first round. Throw in a couple of second-round picks -- right tackle Mitchell Schwartz and wide receiver Josh Gordon (supplemental draft) -- and the Browns have the potential to start four rookies on offense this season. The rest of the teams in the AFC North may only start a total of four rookies combined.

This offseason rebuilding project in Cleveland has turned an unwatchable, 29th-ranked offense to the city's best attraction since the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Drawing the most fans to camp since they started tracking attendance seven years ago, the Browns watched 4,200 fans show up for the second practice. How impressive is that? The Browns' facility only holds 3,000, which meant more than 1,000 fans waited outside for people to leave so they could get a glimpse of the team's future.

"Offense sells tickets," linebacker D'Qwell Jackson said with a smile.

The Browns have certainly generated a buzz. The challenge is keeping fans interested. This franchise has recorded double-digit losses in eight of the past nine seasons, and the Browns are the consensus pick to finish last in the division -- again.

These younger players haven't had to endure the constant losing, but they're just as motivated to prove the skeptics wrong.

"I’ve dealt with it the last few years when Oklahoma State was picked in the middle of the Big 12," Weeden said. "When we did win the Big 12 championship, it felt good to say, 'What now?’ We really don’t listen to it too much. If anything, it sparks a little fire and makes us work that much harder."

THREE HOT ISSUES

1. Change in ownership. For all the hope surrounding the future, there's an equal amount of uncertainty after Haslam bought the team from Randy Lerner. New owners typically overhaul the decision-makers and put their trusted associates in place. Haslam won't make any changes until he's approved by the NFL owners in either September or October, which makes it seem like everyone is on a one-season audition.

Many predict Holmgren will be gone because Joe Banner, Haslam's unofficial consultant and a former executive for the Eagles, is expected to end up running the organization. General manager Tom Heckert could also be out based on mixed reports of his 10-year relationship with Banner in Philadelphia. And Shurmur might be done if the Browns win a handful of games again this year.

"This thing is headed in the right direction," offensive tackle Joe Thomas said. "Sometimes, it’s hard not to think what the new guy is going to think. Is he going to see what we see?"



2. Loss of defensive tackle Phil Taylor. The 2011 first-round pick is on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list after having surgery to repair a torn pectoral muscle in May. The hope is Taylor will be able to return in the first half of the season and perhaps as early as Week 7 at Indianapolis.

While Scott Paxson continues to surprisingly fill Taylor's spot in the starting lineup, no one player is going to fill that void. "I would say we’re going to have to roll a few people in there," Shurmur said. "That’s what we’re trying to find, that right mix."

It's really become a defensive line by committee because each player has a particular strength. Paxson and rookie third-round pick John Hughes are more stout against the run, and rookie sixth-round pick Billy Winn is showing quickness as a pass rusher. Despite this collective effort, it will be hard to replace Taylor.



3. Wide receiver Josh Gordon's impact. The development of Gordon will determine the success of the Browns' passing game. Cleveland used a second-round pick in the supplemental draft on someone who is on the fast track to becoming the No. 1 receiver on the team.

Gordon's three failed drug tests makes him a risk, but it was a risk that the Browns had to take considering they have one of the worst wide receiver groups in the league. Gordon has the size (6 feet 3) and breakaway speed to be a top target, which prompted one league executive to say he has "Randy Moss-like" talents. On one route over the middle, Gordon never broke stride as two defenders bounced off of him. His height will show up on fade routes in the end zone, and his size will benefit him on slant routes.

Expectations have to be tempered by the fact that Gordon is raw. He didn't play last season (although he did practice) after transferring from Baylor to Utah, and he comes from a limited route tree from his days in the Baylor offense. The learning curve might not be as steep because Gordon has proven to be a great notetaker in meetings. He's already working with the first-team offense in three-receiver sets after a handful of practices.

"He’s one of those guys that you can tell to correct something, and he corrects it on the next snap," offensive coordinator Brad Childress. "You can say what you want about him off the field. I found him to be a very good student of the game and able to put into play what you ask him to do immediately."

REASON FOR OPTIMISM

The way Richardson loves contact in training camp bodes well for the Browns. Richardson brings a physical identity to an offense that struck no fear in defenses last season. The only way the Browns will be able to compete with the Steelers and Ravens is to have an offensive centerpiece who can match the toughness and intensity of those defenses.

Richardson has the look of being the best back to come out of college since Adrian Peterson, only he's stronger. He benches 475 pounds, using that muscle to hold onto the ball (no lost fumbles last season) and break tackles. His success will allow the Browns to shorten games.

Richardson's biggest impact will come around the end zone. The Browns ranked 30th in points scored last season because they lacked punch in the running game. Cleveland scored four rushing touchdowns last season, which was tied for the the second-fewest in the past 15 NFL seasons, according to ESPN Stats & Information. This is why the Browns gave up three picks to move up one spot to get Richardson, one of three players in SEC history to score 20 or more rushing touchdowns in a season.



REASON FOR PESSIMISM

The only thing that has piled up more than losses since the Browns returned to the league is rushing yards. Over the past 13 seasons, the highest the Browns' run defense has ranked is 23rd. Cleveland allowed 147.4 yards rushing per game last season, which ranked 30th in the 32-team NFL. No other team in the division gave up more than 104.7 yards a game on the ground, and no other AFC North team ranked lower than 10th in run defense.

The Browns' defense is giving up some long runs in camp, a sign that this could be another long season for the Cleveland front seven. The Browns upgraded at defensive end by signing free agent Frostee Rucker, only to lose Taylor for at least the first six games. Defensive end Jabaal Sheard, a menace on the pass rush, has struggled against the run. Another bad sign is three of the Browns' starting front four (Taylor, Rucker and Ahtyba Rubin) have missed time because of injuries and there's only been one full week of camp.

"To be successful in this league and in the AFC North, you have to stop the run," Jackson said. "Around November and December and the weather is bad, it’s going to be a run day. From looking at last year, that’s one thing we’re focusing on from Day One, it’s stopping the run. It’s a quiet confidence you have to build and it starts right here in training camp."

OBSERVATION DECK

[*]Weeden's persistence will serve him well. After missing tight end Alex Smith in the back of the end zone, he completed a touchdown pass on the next throw to tight end Jordan Cameron on the same route route.

[*]There's been talk that Colt McCoy has improved since last season, but it didn't show during my visit. His throws lacked any zip, especially when following Weeden's passes, and were continually behind receivers. McCoy, who is taking most of the second-team snaps, could be helped by a Holmgren departure. If Holmgren goes, Seneca Wallace would likely follow, which would leave the No. 2 spot for McCoy.

[*]Josh Cribbs, the second-leading receiver on the team last season, has disappeared from the offense in camp. "He’s a special teams player that plays receiver," Shurmur said. This is a clear indication that the Browns want Cribbs to focus on being a returner and a core player on coverage teams.

[*]The surprise of camp is Sheldon Brown holding onto the starting cornerback job opposite Joe Haden despite being the weak link of the secondary last season. It was assumed Dimitri Patterson would take that starting job after he re-signed with the Browns this offseason, and there's still a chance that Patterson could end up in the starting lineup by the end of the preseason. "Sheldon is starting right now," Shurmur said. The key part of that comment is "right now."

[*]Second-round pick Mitchell Schwartz is still on track to start at right tackle even though he has struggled against speed rushers like Sheard. Schwartz split reps with Oniel Cousins early in camp before taking over the job. The Browns would be in trouble if Schwartz couldn't beat out Cousins, a third-round bust from Baltimore.

[*]The frontrunner to be the starting free safety is Eric Hagg, although he stood out more in minicamp. It's noticeable that Hagg is talking to strong safety T.J. Ward before and after plays. Strong communication is the key to any successful secondary.

[*]Don't be shocked if rookie fourth-round pick James-Michael Johnson gets the nod to replace Scott Fujita when the outside linebacker has to serve his three-game suspension. Johnson's ability to always be around the ball has overshadowed the play of Kaluka Maiava, who started the last five games in 2011.

[*]Montario Hardesty has separated himself from Brandon Jackson to be the primary backup to Richardson. Hardesty has more of a burst than last season, especially when hitting the edge and making contact with tacklers. A back who has frequently been injured, Hardesty isn't running hesitant.

[*]Cameron is taking full advantage of tight end Evan Moore being sidelined. Leaping to catch balls, Cameron looks like the most improved player on offense. But he isn't close to taking Ben Watson's starting job.

[*]There's been speculation that Buster Skrine could overtake Brown as the starting cornerback. He is among the faster players on the team, but he doesn't seem to trust his speed. Skrine too often grabs receivers when he really doesn't need to do it.

[*]The perception of wide receiver Travis Benjamin is changing. During minicamps, the 5-foot-10, 175-pound Benjamin was relegated to deep downfield routes on the outside. Now, he's going over the middle. During a red-zone drill, he fought off a defender to grab McCoy's touchdown pass. "I anticipated with his natural size that he might get banged around and be less efficient, but he has done a great job," Shurmur said. "I think he handles the traffic pretty well.”

 

[Faust]

Powell prominent in his second camp

By Jane McManus | ESPNNewYork.com

CORTLAND, N.Y. -- Bilal Powell doesn't want a lot of attention, but the Jets running back isn't flying under the radar at his second training camp.

As offensive coordinator Tony Sparano likes to put it, Powell has been pushing through the smoke of the line of scrimmage to find daylight behind it so often, the second-year pro is getting reps with the first team.

Jets coach Rex Ryan hasn't declared an official camp battle, but Powell is threatening Joe McKnight for the third-down back role.

"The biggest challenge this year has been getting in with the ones," Powell said. "It's like you're on 'Front Street.' So you have to know it and be confident with it."

Ryan likes Powell's ability to focus when the tackles are live.

"When we had to play him in a game, he had no mental mistakes, made absolutely zero mental mistakes," Ryan said of Powell's rookie season. "And that tells you a lot about him."

Powell benefited last year from the presence of running back LaDainian Tomlinson, who he didn't think at first would be a real resource. But the veteran was approachable from the start.

"When I first got here I had an assumption -- it's LaDainian Tomlinson, he could have big-timed me or anything," Powell said. "But it was open-wings when I stepped foot in the door."

Feature back Shonn Greene has been impressed with Powell at camp. What has Greene seen?

"A lot," Greene said. "He has shown the ability to run between the tackles, the ability to block. I think I'm especially surprised with him in third down. He does a great job of picking up blocks on the line."

Last year, without an offseason training program due to the NFL lockout, Powell wasn't physically as ready to play as the Jets had hoped. He had 13 carries for 21 yards.

"So mentally, he was on top of it," Ryan said. "From a physical standpoint, he wasn't. He had a lot of injuries, little thing here, little thing there, that set him back. We never really got to see his capabilities. Now he's healthy. He's in great shape. He came in camp in great shape.

"It seems like every day he does something that like, 'Ooh that was a nice run' or he does a good job in protection, which isn't surprising."

Ryan has said that Powell's college career at Louisville followed a similar arc. As a senior, he had 1,405 yards on 229 carries, averaging 6.1 yards per carry after a 2009 season where he averaged 3.6 on only 108 carries. Ryan has said he hopes for a similar breakthrough year for the Jets.

"I know the offense," Powell said. "The OTAs and the minicamps actually helped us out, really helped me out a lot. It allows me to go out and play with a lot more confidence now."

 

[Faust]

Luck's presence re-energizes Colts

By John Clayton | ESPN.com

INDIANAPOLIS -- The first thing you notice about the new Indianapolis Colts is the energy.

Owner Jim Irsay has reinvented his organization since releasing Peyton Manning. He has a new coach: Chuck Pagano. He has a new general manager: Ryan Grigson. Gone is the Cover 2 defense, replaced by a 3-4 scheme similar to the ones run in Pittsburgh and Baltimore.

The energizer, though, is Andrew Luck. There is no replacement for a future Hall of Fame quarterback like Manning. Ask the Dolphins, Bills and others who have tried to manufacture offense after departures of great quarterbacks. The Colts' disastrous 2011 season allowed Luck to fall into Lucas Oil Stadium.

You also see the extra energy from the veteran defenders. Without Manning, the Colts had no hope last season, and their defense sagged. Quarterback Curtis Painter couldn't generate any offense, so the defense felt as though it were pedaling a stationary bike. Seeing Luck revitalizes not only the defense but also the fan base.

Here are my five observations from Colts training camp.

1. Don't be modest about Luck's statistics: When the Colts drafted tight ends Coby Fleener and Dwayne Allen, my first visions of the Colts' offense in 2012 were conservative. Going to a two-tight end running offense for a rookie quarterback is smart. From what you see on the field at Anderson University, it's not out of question for Luck to throw between 3,500 and 4,000 yards.

As pass-catchers, the Colts should be better than anticipated, and Luck is as billed. He has the look of being the most complete quarterback talent to enter in the NFL in decades. He makes all the throws. He's mature beyond his years. He's the real deal. And the Colts have weapons. Peyton Manning entered the NFL in 1998 with Marshall Faulk at halfback, Marvin Harrison at receiver, Ken Dilger at tight end and Adam Meadows and Tarik Glenn at tackles. He threw for 3,739 yards in a season the Colts went 3-13. To give Luck dependable targets, the Colts retained Reggie Wayne and Austin Collie. Third-round selection T.Y. Hilton is in development. The surprise in camp is fifth-year veteran Donnie Avery, who could emerge as a deep threat.



2. The Colts made the right hire for offensive coordinator in Bruce Arians: Peyton Manning helped turn the NFL into more of a quarterback-driven league, but Arians' role in this transition can't be underestimated. Behind the scenes, Arians played a big part in developing some of the top quarterbacks. He was Manning's first quarterbacks coach, did good things with Tim Couch in Cleveland and developed Ben Roethlisberger in Pittsburgh. He sees the skills of all three of those quarterbacks in Luck.

Arians has 14 years of experience working with first-round quarterbacks, and he has a chip on his shoulder after the Steelers let him go after the season. What he brings from the Steelers is the ability to develop unknown receivers within his scheme to work with great quarterbacks. A couple of years ago, no one had heard of Mike Wallace, Antonio Brown or Emmanuel Sanders. He brings the vision of those Pittsburgh success stories to Indianapolis. Avery, in Arians' eyes, could become his Wallace. In time, Hilton could become his Brown or Sanders. Arians didn't hold anything back in presenting his offense to Luck. He threw the entire playbook at him, hoping to see what works and what doesn't. Arians won't be calling 40 passes a game for Luck, but he'll try to make sure he can complete 20 a game.

3. Job changes for Robert Mathis and Dwight Freeney: It's strange seeing the league's best pass-rushing defensive ends at linebacker, but Pagano came from Baltimore and is installing the 3-4. Here's the rationale: Under Tony Dungy, the Colts built a defense that worked with the lead. Manning put up seven consecutive seasons of 12-plus wins and was a master of setting up victories in the fourth quarter. Working with the lead, Freeney and Mathis were expected to close out games with sacks, turnovers and stops. Minus Manning, the Colts don't figure to be working with the lead, and Pagano has had to figure a way to augment the changing personnel.

The 3-4 gives Pagano the chance to be creative with where he lines up defenders to confuse offenses. Because more teams are using three- and four-receiver sets, Freeney and Mathis figure to put a hand on the ground and rush from defensive end positions in sub packages more than 50 percent of the time. Freeney and Mathis have a great chance to pick up sacks at Lucas Oil Stadium. The crowd can be loud, and the home schedule features a slew of young quarterbacks -- Christian Ponder, Blaine Gabbert, Brandon Weeden, possibly Jake Locker and maybe Ryan Tannehill late in the season.

4. Fleener and Allen have been impressive: The tight end combination of Coby Fleener and Dwayne Allen isn't anything like the Patriots' tandem of Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez, but the Colts' duo is an impressive pair. Fleener is the classic tight end: a tall, angular pass-catcher who can work the middle of the field and be a favorite target of his former college teammate, Luck. In some ways, Allen looks more impressive even though he was drafted a round later than Fleener, a second-round choice. Allen is a big athlete who can move well in addition to being a good blocker. He has a little bit of a Jermichael Finley look to him.



5. Study the rosters of the Ravens and Eagles: Pagano comes from Baltimore. Grigson comes from Philadelphia. The Colts have depth problems at linebacker and in the secondary. Many of those holes will be filled by players cut or traded by the Eagles and Ravens. Pagano has already brought in defensive end Cory Redding and safety Tom Zbikowski. On Thursday, the Colts traded cornerback Kevin Thomas and a conditional seventh-round choice to get Moise Fokou and Greg Lloyd. The next moves will be at cornerback. Jerraud Powers is their best corner. Justin King and Cassius Vaughn are their next two. Both the Ravens and Eagles are deep at corner. Expect some to be with the Colts, who have the top waiver-wire-claiming clout.

 

[DawnBTVS]

Miami Dolphins Scrimmage Report

By Ben Volin

Continuing the trend from the first week of training camp, David Garrard began the scrimmage with the first-team offense and got by far the most work with the starters compared to Matt Moore and Ryan Tannehill. At this point, it’s probably safe to say that the job is Garrard’s to lose. Barring a disastrous performance in the first one or two preseason games, Garrard will likely be the starter Week 1 in Houston.

Moore getting the most work was pretty interesting. Even though the team kept going three-and-out, coach Joe Philbin kept sending Moore back out on the field. He got some work with the 1’s later in practice in goal line work, but appears to be a clear No. 2 behind Garrard. As I wrote yesterday, it’s not a guarantee that all three quarterbacks will be kept on the roster.

Philbin said he’s not pleased with the centers – Mike Pouncey and undrafted rookie Josh Samuda – and their shotgun snaps. Garrard dropped one early in practice, and Tannehill put one on the ground on one third down play.

 

[Faust]

Ryan Tannehill wows in Miami Dolphins scrimmage

By Gregg Rosenthal

Around The League editor

It was only a scrimmage. But at this stage, a scrimmage is all we have.

Miami Dolphins rookie quarterback Ryan Tannehill looked sharp overall during Saturday's scrimmage at Sun Life Stadium, leading the Miami offense on its only touchdown drive during six possessions that started at the offense's 30-yard line.

The Associated Press and the Miami Herald disagree on the overall numbers, but Tannehill had only two incompletions on the day. His touchdown came as he scrambled right and found Anthony Fasano just past linebacker Gary Guyton from 26 yards out.

"It was really impressive," Fasano said. "It was a great touch pass on the run. I've said it all along and I think everyone has said it. He doesn't really play like a rookie quarterback. It's a great sign to see and he's only going to get better."

David Garrard got the first snaps with the starting unit and the most snaps with the starters. As we mentioned Friday, this is starting to look like Garrard's job to lose. The offense sputtered in the red zone under Garrard, but Matt Moore struggled everywhere on the field. He only converted one first down in three drives.

(In Moore's defense, he was leading the second-team offense against the starters on defense.)

You can't read too much into scrimmages, but Tannehill acquitted himself well for his first showing. The Dolphins let him rip a play-action bomb down the field on his first attempt to give him some confidence. (The pass barely fell incomplete.)

"I thought he looked natural out there," Philbin told the Herald. "It wasn't too big for him."

 

[Faust]

Tennessee Titans training camp: Locker pushing to be starter

By Ian Rapoport

Reporter, NFL.com and NFL Network

WHERE IS NFL.COM?

The Titans are a no-nonsense team with an old-school coach, so it's not surprising that their training camp takes place at home. No fancy setup, minimal atmosphere and little fanfare just outside Nashville. That seems to be just fine with them. Fans line the fields looking for autographs and cheering them on, and most can get as close as shouting distance. Eighties classics such as E.U.'s "Da Butt" form the soundtrack, creating a relaxed pre-practice atmosphere. Only the consistent heat makes a visit to the Titans anything less than enjoyable.

OBSERVATION DECK

1. The QB competition is real... but there is a favorite. It's not a farce. The Titans, specifically coach Mike Munchak, aren't splitting reps between second-year Jake Locker and veteran Matt Hasselbeck for fun. They aren't doing it to keep Hasselbeck engaged before turning over the franchise to the No. 8 pick in 2010. Hasselbeck and Locker are locked in a duel, and both have had their moments. On Friday, Hasselbeck was 13 of 15 during the team drills portion, while Locker was 16 of 20 with an interception (according to the Tennessean). That came on the heels of Locker having a rough time with night before. "When you go out and don't have your best performance, you want to bounce back and have a good showing," Locker said. In the locker room, Locker has earned widespread respect for his work ethic and diligence, along with his athleticism, while Hasselbeck has the wisdom. It's clear internally that the Titans' brass would like Locker to earn the job and become the team's franchise passer for the next decade. That is the team's sincere hope. But Hasselbeck isn't making it easy.

2. Chris Johnson is back to his old tricks. Only toward the end of the season in 2011 did Chris Johnson begin to feel like his old self. And that was fleeting. "I can't even say I was really, really myself, honestly," Johnson said, shaking his head about a year that saw him gain just 1,047 yards. He held out and never made it back into football shape, spending the entire season trying to find his groove. One needs the entire camp, and even when we chatted Friday, he admitted, "It takes toward the end of camp to get into football shape. But when it's time to get into a game, I'll be used to it already." Can he find himself and begin a march toward 2,000 yards again? Time will tell. The truth is, Johnson looked incredibly fast during the workout, even during drills that were supposed to be half-speed. His cuts were sharp, the spring is back and teammates have noticed. So has the team's brass. "CJ, it's his old self," general manager Ruston Webster said. As fantasy owners drool ...

3. The Titans have a solid foundation as a franchise. You can really tell how strong a team is when things don't go right. Lose a star or two, meet adversity, then see what's up -- like the New England Patriots when they went 11-5 without Tom Brady. I won't put the Titans in that category just yet, but they are extremely solid as an organization. How did Tennessee go 9-7 despite Johnson being a shell of himself and star receiver Kenny Britt playing a mere three games? By having depth, including the eighth-ranked scoring defense. A sound and fierce offensive line, several serviceable receivers, a beastly front four that now includes Kamerion Wimbley and an underrated secondary even without last year's standout Cortland Finnegan. The Titans are primed to compete with the Houston Texans in the AFC South. And if they stay healthy, they may do more than compete.



4. Hey, did someone mention Kenny Britt? While the Titans got after it for two hours on one field, there stood a shirtless, chiseled figure in the distance working with trainer Steve Watterson, on an adjacent field. It was Britt, whose troubled offseason included an arrest for DUI and surgeries on both knees. The team is being cautious about Britt, wanting to bring him off the physically unable to perform list slowly while also waiting for possible league disciplinary action. "We'll probably be more conservative on that than not," Webster said about when to activate Britt. But Britt has been progressing at a rapid pace, which could force the organization to change their expectations. On Friday, the player said he was "feeling good," and Munchak said, "I think he's surprised how well he's progressing." Don't be surprised if Britt is playing almost immediately upon activation, likely with a small package of plays to work him in.

THE NEW GUYS

Kendall Wright: The first-round draft pick was late to camp, waiting for his contract to get figured out. And on Friday, he was forced to mostly watch as his teammate went in full-pads. But his selection wasn't made to have him standing on the sidelines. Depending partly on Britt's status, the plan is for Wright to play immediately, and the team's brass doesn't think it'll be an issue. He impressive during minicamp and has been studious when it comes to learning the playbook. When we watched limited reps on Friday, he seemed to be still thinking things through, not playing as fast as his own speed. Figure that will dissipate as he becomes more comfortable. Whoever the quarterback is will gain a weapon with serious play speed.

Kamerion Wimbley: One of the offseason's most under-the-radar (yet massive) signings, Wimbley gives the Titans gain a natural pass-rusher who can play multiple roles. He burst onto the scene with 11 sacks as a rookie but hasn't approached that mark since. With so much depth on the D-line, the Titans' rotation might keep it that way. But Wimbley's impact will be felt, and if the 6-foot-4, 255-pounder can rush the quarterback like the in-his-prime star he is, the secondary will improve quickly, too. No wonder Munchak was bragging about the team's front four during the offseason.

Steve Hutchinson: How much can a 34-year-old guard help the Titans? When it's Hutchinson, the answer is easy. Immensely. No, he's not quite the player he was at 28, but his experience and prowess should help the run game. So should his nastiness. If Locker is the quarterback, his mobility will lead to more sacks, but Hutchinson should still only improve a line that gave up just 24 last year. With the Titans on to their third-string center in camp, figure Hutchinson's knowledge will help ease that issue, too. Johnson smiled broadly when discussing his offensive line.

OVERHEARD

"My mobility allows for consideration for defensive coordinators. Play-calling, I think they might just alter how they call a game a little bit just knowing there is the possibility of getting outside the pocket, making something happen." -- Locker, on the best thing he brings to the offense.

EXTRA POINTS

1. The Titans are still stung by the loss of former teammate O.J. Murdock, so great move by Munchak to allow tight end Jared Cook and receiver Damian Williams to attend Murdock's funeral.

2. It makes for an odd dynamic, but Hasseleck and Locker are friends. They've known each other since Locker was at Washington, and Hasselbeck actually is still teaching him.

3. Not a great sign for former first-round defensive end Derrick Morgan, who has been getting some work with the second team. Perhaps this serves as a wakeup call.

OUTLOOK

The focus has, rightly, been on the quarterback competition. But there is a lot to like about this team whoever the signal-caller is. It's deep in the front four, the secondary is sound, Johnson looks impressive, and there is enough depth at receiver to withstand itself if Britt has to miss a few games. Once the Titans nail down that quarterback spot, they will challenge the Texans for supremacy in their division. How seriously they can do so depends on how well Locker or Hasselbeck plays. If Locker starts and can build on the flashes he showed last year, look out.

 

[Faust]

It's a new day for Bradford, Rams

A coaching change and a revamped receiving corps should boost his stats

By John Clayton | ESPN.com

ST. LOUIS -- The St. Louis Rams aren't messing around in trying to fix their franchise.

They paid $7 million a year to land Jeff Fisher as head coach. Front-office execs are working the politicians and arbiters to get a new stadium that would allow the Rams to stay in St. Louis. More important, they are trying to build the Rams the right way.

It started with the draft. A miserable season that featured bad offensive coaching, poor roster construction and a drop-off from 7-9 to 2-14 cost coach Steve Spagnuolo his job. In comes Fisher with general manager Les Snead. Their bold move was acquiring three first-round picks plus one in the second round from the Redskins in a deal that let the Rams drop four spots in the first round and let the Redskins draft Robert Griffin III.

The mistake last season was thinking the Rams were close to being a playoff team. They added veterans who took the roster from the 10th youngest to the fifth oldest. Fisher and Snead are rebuilding with youth. Even better, having two first-round picks in each of the next two years allows them to manage the cap well enough to keep their starters together for years.

Here are my five observations from Rams training camp:

1. Bradford is back: As a rookie, Sam Bradford had the look of an elite quarterback. Then-offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur had him working three-step drops and quick five-step throws, and Bradford completed 60 percent of his passes for 3,512 yards. Josh McDaniels, last year's coordinator, destroyed that. In one of the most baffling offensive changes in years, McDaniels had Bradford work out of seven-step drops and five-step throws to 15- to 18-yard routes. The Rams couldn't block it. Receivers weren't good enough to get open. Bradford was battered physically and lasted only 10 games. His completion percentage fell to 53 percent, and the offense averaged only 12.1 points a game. McDaniels' departure alone should be worth six points a game. A revitalized Bradford and the hiring of Brian Schottenheimer could be worth more. Bradford looks great. He has lifted weights in the offseason and is bigger and stronger. He finished last season at 216 pounds. Now, he's 225 and throwing with authority. Schottenheimer is adding more motion to the offense with his receivers to confuse defenses. A smarter offensive scheme should mean better quarterback play for the Rams.

2. Receivers are better than expected: This isn't the Greatest Show on Turf. There is no Isaac Bruce or Torry Holt in this receiving corps. The Rams have a bunch of potential No. 2s and No. 3s, but there are options. The surprise is former New York Giant Steve Smith. Signed after a couple of years of knee problems, Smith arrived in St. Louis healthy and with more speed than anticipated. Instead of playing the slot he worked in New York, Smith is working as an outside receiver who can get downfield. The coaching staff has the receivers using their hands more to get off the line against press coverage, another missing element from last year's team. Veteran Brandon Gibson is having a good camp. Danny Amendola remains Bradford's favorite target and is working the slot. The key to the offense is the development of 2012 draft choices Brian Quick and Chris Givens. Although Givens was taken two rounds later than Quick, he seems to be slightly ahead in his development because he can do one thing -- run. Givens is a deep threat from the flanker position. Quick shows flashes as a big receiver at the split-end positions, but coaches are working on his consistency. Danario Alexander and 2011 draft choices Greg Salas and Austin Pettis also are competing for precious roster spots.

3. Age is just a number: Steven Jackson knows 29 is not a good age for a running back. The league tends to phase out runners as they approach 30, but the Rams plan to use Jackson more. Under Schottenheimer's system and Fisher's philosophy, the Rams will be a run-first team featuring Jackson and supplemented by second-round choice Isaiah Pead. Pead is a Darren Sproles-style back with speed, decent hands and an ability to run up the middle well. In the offseason, Jackson visited a specialist who took blood tests to evaluate his eating patterns. Those studies found he had bad reactions to salmon. His favorite egg breakfasts were eliminated. He weighs 235, his body fat dropped from 6.5 to 5.1, and he's quick and powerful every time he touches the ball. The last time the Rams had a run-first mentality was in 2006 under Scott Linehan. Jackson will be able to run behind a fullback, something that was missing last year. The Rams are deciding between Brit Miller and former Falcon Ovie Mughelli.

4. Coverage is now a strength: Spagnuolo tried to bring coverage cornerbacks to the team, but injuries ruined the plan. In one offseason, Fisher and Snead turned a weakness into a strength. They signed veteran Cortland Finnegan for $10 million a year, then drafted Janoris Jenkins in the second round. Jenkins had some off-the-field problems, but, on the field, he might be one of best coverage cornerbacks Fisher has ever had. He has the knack of sticking with receivers in man and has good ball skills that should allow him to make interceptions. Third-round pick Trumaine Johnson is a bigger cornerback who looks a little lost at times. He's competing against Bradley Fletcher for the No. 3 job.

5. No more "Wide Nine" for Fisher: In Tennessee, Fisher developed the "Wide Nine" philosophy for defensive ends that placed them outside the open shoulder of offensive tackles. With Jim Washburn working as Fisher's defensive line coach, the Titans developed countless defensive ends who could rush the passer whether they weighed 240 or 280 pounds. Washburn is in Philadelphia, so Fisher hired veteran assistant Mike Waufle, who uses a more conventional four-man line approach. Ends Chris Long and Robert Quinn can line up more in the faces of ends, but each has the pass-rushing skills to get to the quarterback. Defensive tackle Michael Brockers, a first-round choice, seems to get into the opposing backfield on virtually every play. Massive defensive tackle Kendall Langford came over from Miami to stop the run and push the pocket.

 

[Raider Nation]

Greg Childs over-the-back catch

00:30 – Minnesota Vikings rookie wide receiver Greg Childs makes an unbelievable over-the-back catch in Vikings training camp.

That's gonna be the highlight of his rookie year.

Greg Childs - sources say significant injury to both knees... done for the season.

 

[Faust]

Bears camp report: Chip on Forte's shoulder is bad news for Packers

By Mike Freeman | National NFL Insider

Matt Forte is wearing a Superman hat. It's appropriate since, in some ways, Forte has carried the Bears on his back the way the man of steel carried airplanes to safety.

Forte is coming off a freshly signed deal, and when I ask him about it you can still see there are some interesting emotions churning inside of him. Forte had to scratch and claw for a new deal when it should have been a forgone conclusion, like using an umbrella in a driving rain. You can pick apart Forte's stats all you want but there is no doubt that he makes this offense go.

In the end, the Bears did what they're supposed to do: they took care of a vital organ in the team's circulatory system, a guy who produces and doesn't end up in the back of a police cruiser. Forte signed a four-year, $32 million deal after some contentious negotiations. It's all over, right? Right?

"What happened with my contract is how it's supposed to happen," Forte said. "Only thing I would say is, deal could have been done last year. I'm not sure why it wasn't. You have to ask the Bears. But you can't get a deal done when one side wants to do it and the other side doesn't."

I asked Forte if he remains bitter.

"Not necessarily," he said. "More bitter about stuff that was written about me. Stuff about my knees being shot or how I was asking for Adrian Peterson money. None of that was true and I don't know where any of it was coming from."

Was it coming from the Bears?

"Probably," he said. "Who knows?"

To be clear: Forte doesn't come off as bitter as much as shocked he had to go through it all. He seems, actually, almost pissed. Chip meet shoulder?

"I'm going to show people I deserve this contract," he said.

An uber-motivated Forte is a scary Forte. Should the rest of division and league be worried? Forte laughed. "I'm not saying that," he said, "but I'm going to be me."

And that's one of football's most versatile weapons. His success again will dictate the success of quarterback Jay Cutler and the entire offense.

So Forte is back, fresh contract in hand. And he still seems a tad ticked off?

This bodes well for Chicago.

Team Objectives

• Protect Cutler. If Cutler stays healthy, this offense has the potential to be one of the league's most explosive. It won't be Green Bay, but it will be good. Cutler is now part of an offensive scheme that protects the thrower more, and if Cutler stays upright so much is set up for him to have a huge season.

• Keep Brandon Marshall out of trouble. This will not be easy. We are now seeing the Marshall we've seen before. The one who makes sense, says all the right things, does all the right things. Then something goes astray. His physical abilities are outstanding but there's a reason why one of the best wide receivers in football has been let go from two different teams. He can be a huge distraction. A happy Marshall, a non-problematic Marshall, is a hugely productive Marshall. But that has always been a roll of the dice.

• Step up on defense. Otherwise known as slow down Aaron Rodgers. The only hope the Bears have of unseating the Packers in the division -- other than divine intervention or Rodgers being abducted by Romulans -- is slowing what will again be a vaunted Packers offense. It's all ... about ... Rodgers. The problem for Chicago remains -- though it's fearsome up front and getting better across the board -- a lack of athleticism on defense. Like, say, the Giants, which slowed down two great offenses in New England and the Packers.

Camp Battles

The Bears really only have one true battle and that's at the left tackle spot. Of course, that's not an insignificant position. The winner will be Cutler's biggest protector. Marcus Webb and Chris Williams have been alternating there. The coaching staff insists that -- even though one day recently Williams shifted to right tackle -- Webb has not won the job. But it still seems like Webb has the edge. At least at this point.

Somebody to Watch

Julius Peppers. Of course, he remains one of the game's best-known pass rushers, and is always someone to watch. But seeing him these days, he looks even faster. He looks more aggressive. I'm not sure why or even if that's totally accurate. In speaking with Bears players and coaches, some of them believe the same, that Peppers might have his best season ever.

Injury Roundup

The Bears have had more injury scares than actual scary injuries. Devin Hester and Marshall both had what looked like bad injuries but were falce alarms. Linebacker Brian Urlacher has missed time because of his knee injury but he's expected to be fine. Wide receiver Eric Weems has a minor ankle injury.



The Final Word

Lovie Smith is 71-57. He's been to a Super Bowl as Bears coach and since taking the helm in 2004 has only three losing seasons. That's not bad at all. In an NFL era of mediocrity, Smith wins, yet there remains the ridiculous notion that Smith should be on the hot seat. The Bears have enough talent and coaching to make the playoffs and challenge the Packers. Smith's alleged hot seat will be nice and cool.

 

[Faust]

CampTour'12: Vikings Day 3

By Kevin Seifert | ESPN.com

MANKATO, Minn. -- Some thoughts and observations from the final Minnesota Vikings practice of CampTour'12:

[*]On one of the final plays of the night, rookie receiver Greg Childs suffered an injury significant enough to leave him screaming in pain. Coach Leslie Frazier didn't have any immediate information on its severity or nature, but it happened about 10 feet in front of me as I watched practice from the end zone. Childs jumped to catch a ball thrown slightly behind him. It bounced away, and Childs landed awkwardly. He initially clutched his right leg, but a team of medical officials were also examining his left leg. Eventually, four men lifted him, his legs fully extended, onto a cart.

[*]Childs, whom we profiled in the spring, tore the patella tendon in his right knee in October 2010. The Vikings have been excited about his size and potential, and he made the catch of camp Thursday.

[*]Frazier did confirm that offensive lineman Geoff Schwartz will undergo surgery for a sports hernia and will miss at least a month. That in essence makes Brandon Fusco the Vikings' unquestioned right guard.

[*]During an extended special teams period, rookie place-kicker Blair Walsh converted seven of eight attempts, including one from 50 yards. Based on unofficial practice tracking from Tom Pelissero of 1500ESPN.com, Walsh has now converted 24 of 26 field goals during team drills in training camp.

[*]Quarterback Christian Ponder hit receiver Percy Harvin on a slant for a touchdown in an early team drill, but afterwards he was lamenting an overthrow on a deep post route to receiver Jerome Simpson. "At this level," Ponder said, "you can't miss those."

[*]Rookie cornerback Josh Robinson got his first extensive action since injuring a hamstring early in camp. Robinson showed up on several plays, including a tip-away of an earlier pass intended for Childs.

 

[griff321]

Rookie receiver Childs hurts knee late in scrimmage

MANKATO - Things were going well in Saturday night's light-hitting, controlled Vikings scrimmage until rookie receiver Greg Childs went down clutching his right knee, the same knee in which Childs suffered a torn patellar tendon in during his junior season at Arkansas.

Childs was injured on a pass into the left corner of the end zone at Blakeslee Stadium. He was quickly tended to by Vikings head athletic trainer Eric Sugarman before being taken off the field on a cart. The extent of the injury was to be determined during further examination Saturday night.

"I don't have any information at this point of exactly what happened and what his state is," coach Leslie Frazier said. "You hate to see any player go down for any injury. And Greg has struggled with injuries, as we all know, as he was coming out of college. Hopefully things will work out and it's nothing serious."

Childs fell to the Vikings in the fourth round of this year's draft (134th overall) in part because of the knee injury his junior season. He was injured during the eighth game that season and didn't fully recover during a senior season in which he caught only 21 passes for 240 yards and no touchdowns. As a junior, he was limited to 46 catches for 659 yards and six touchdowns.

The Vikings are banking on Childs returning to health and becoming at least a red-zone weapon because of his size (6-3, 217), athleticism and ball skills. He is having a good camp and has put himself in position to be one of the team's top four receivers.

 

[Faust]

Camp Confidential: Jacksonville Jaguars

By Paul Kuharsky | ESPN.com

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- If you care to think the Jaguars are a mess that’s going to be in the running for the No. 1 pick in the 2013 draft, they’re fine with that.

As they worked through the early days of Mike Mularkey’s first training camp, they repeated the new coach’s mantras (like, “we just want to get a little bit better every day”), fell in line with his policies (like potential $10,000 fines for answering media inquiries about injuries) and gave team-first answers to questions about the absence of their two biggest names -- Maurice Jones-Drew (holding out for a new contract) and Justin Blackmon (unable to strike a rookie deal).

Sure, they don’t have much choice but to buy in.

But there is an undertone that they’ve got a secret to spring on the league in a couple weeks.

Every team at this stage of camp thinks it can be good. In Jacksonville, a significant improvement from 5-11 is certainly possible, no matter what the popular storylines are. Honest.

Theirs is a defense loaded with quality front-line talent. Beyond middle linebacker Paul Posluszny, most of it remains largely unknown. But if you don’t know linebacker Daryl Smith or cornerback Derek Cox or defensive tackle Terrance Knighton, that’s not the Jaguars' concern.

“If anyone feels we are not in a proper place or we have problems, that’s OK,” Posluszny said. “We feel like inside these walls we’re doing everything that we can to be a very successful team.

“Mularkey’s done a great job for us. He’s a former player who’s been through it. To me, that all means a ton, because he knows exactly what we are going through and what it takes to be successful.”

While the offense is being revamped, and Mularkey and his assistants are trying to reformat quarterback Blaine Gabbert after a horrific rookie season, the defensive system and bulk of the staff have been in place for a while now.

Gabbert has nice moments, but his overall inconsistencies halt any anxious proclamations that he made a significant offseason jump.

No matter how much players and coaches talk about his gains in leadership, no matter how much faith the organization has in him, no matter how patient they are, it comes down to making throws under pressure.

The early snapshot says the defense can be really good, but that a limited offense could be the obstacle to the surprise the Jaguars would so like to produce. There is a lot of time to work on what’s been installed, to find what works and to run it better than it’s been run so far.

THREE HOT ISSUES

1. Is Gabbert good enough? He folded under pressure too often last season, but the rush wasn’t all he was facing. The team drafted him 10th overall intending for him to sit and learn for a season, but that didn’t pan out and he was hurried into starter status for 14 games during which he had poor pass protection and very limited receivers.

There were big distractions off the field, too: Jack Del Rio got fired and the team was sold.

Mularkey was hired in large part because he’s developed quarterbacks, and Mularkey, coordinator Bob Bratkowski and quarterbacks coach Greg Olson have to get steadier play from Gabbert and get his arrow pointing up. His good moments look very nice. There are still too many bad ones that leave you trying to figure out what just happened. A kneel down would seem less disheartening in those instances.

It’s a slow process, installing a new offense and rebuilding a quarterback’s confidence. How slow, is the question we need answered.

Mentions of mechanical or technical adjustments by his coaches have been well-received, and he acts on them quickly. That’s great, but when the rush turns live and the pocket starts collapsing, will he have open people he can stand in and find? We simply can’t know yet.

2. The missing pieces. Jones-Drew is demanding a new contract. The Jaguars have said they won’t give him one with two years left on the old one. Boom -- a stalemate. I can’t see the team altering its stance unless he holds out into the season and it struggles horribly without him. He’s got an ego that will make it hard for him to return without any contract alteration. So this could drag on.

Blackmon is a rangy target who can go get the ball, and missing early camp is helping no one. He got a DUI after they drafted him fifth overall, and the team wants insurance against any further troubles. He’s unwilling to give the Jaguars what they are looking for.

So we’re seeing second-year man Cecil Shorts work in the Z spot where Blackmon will eventually be, with veteran addition Laurent Robinson at the X. Rashad Jennings is the lead back without Jones-Drew in camp, and is a bigger guy who also ranks as a power runner. I liked what I saw and heard from him.

3. Will there be enough of a pass rush? The Jaguars had 31 sacks last season. To be as good a defense as they can, they need more. More consistent pressure and more sacks will come with improved coordination from the defensive linemen.

Their line coach, Joe Cullen, said they just missed on a bunch of chances last season, and another season together and the work they are doing now will result in better communication and coordination. They face Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, Matthew Stafford, Jay Cutler and Andy Dalton in addition to two games against Matt Schaub and two against hotshot rookie Andrew Luck this season.

They won’t win too many of those games without some consistent pressure. The relentless Jeremy Mincey promises the production will increase. Andre Branch was drafted in the second round to help, and looks like a quality player. Depth off the edge remains a concern. Austen Lane suffered yet another injury while I watched practices, during which John Chick walked the width of a practice field dragging heavy weight as he rehabilitated his knee.



REASON FOR OPTIMISM

Mularkey and his staff. There is planning and logic to everything that is going on here, and the new staff has genuine concern for players in and out of football situations. Here’s what we are doing, here is why it is the right way to do it. Players felt that was lacking with the previous regime, and welcome it.

Position coaches like Olson, receivers coach Jerry Sullivan and one of the key holdovers, linebackers coach Mark Duffner, are true teachers, and they have guys under them who want to learn. That leadership and teaching faltered in many areas at the end of Del Rio’s tenure. It’s present in full force now. If guys follow and doing so produces results, it’ll snowball.

REASON FOR PESSIMISM

A lot more is in place for Gabbert, and everyone has faith: The GM that traded up to draft him needs him to succeed, the new coach who was hired to polish him needs him to succeed, the high-priced free agent receiver and first-round draft pick receiver need him to succeed, the talented defense needs him to succeed.

He’s saying the right things and working hard and you can see some improvements on some drop backs. But there are still dud plays splashed into practices that make you wonder if he can succeed. The team wants him to avoid turning the ball over -- staying away from the worst-case scenarios. It’s a smart goal, but will it make him cautious?

Can you ask him to be cautious and function as a game-manager type when the best attribute he has is his big arm that can get the ball into tight windows? It might turn out to be complicated.

Also, there is not great roster depth. I have particular concerns about the offensive line, defensive end and safety if someone goes down.

OBSERVATION DECK

[*]The team appears to be high on undrafted rookie linebacker Julian Stanford out of Wagner. With Clint Session’s future in doubt because of post-concussion issues, Russell Allen is likely to start opposite Daryl Smith outside. Stanford could make the team as a special teamer who can provide depth. Brandon Marshall, a fifth-round pick, also has what looks to be an NFL-ready linebacker frame.

[*]Mike Thomas needs Blackmon signed, in camp, and taking the bulk of the snaps at one of the two outside receiver spots. I’m convinced that to get his head right, Thomas needs to be given the slot role and asked to focus on it exclusively. And his snaps were cut down during my visit, as Shorts began to work at the front of the line in Blackmon’s Z spot. The slot is what Thomas is best suited for, and his performance has slipped when he’s been expected to do more. He had a lot of drops early in camp. Mularkey agrees with the potential for less to be more with Thomas.

[*]Josh Scobee has the leg to get a lot of touchbacks and Bryan Anger has the leg to force a lot of fair catches. The Jaguars obviously still have to work on covering kicks and punts. But how often will they actually be covering kicks and punts? If the offense can produce some first downs, we should see more scoring, and more scoring will mean more kickoffs from Scobee and less work for Anger.

[*]The depth at tight end is interesting after No. 1 Marcedes Lewis. Colin Cloherty got a lot of work as the No. 2 early on, and Zach Miller is another move guy who’s very intriguing, though rarely healthy. Zach Potter is giant, but hasn’t earned a lot of time, and undrafted rookie Matt Veldman is also extra large.

[*]Posluszny is the centerpiece of this defense. He covers a ton of ground and makes big hits. He’s a model for doing things the right way, which is a major point of emphasis for Mularkey and his staff. Posluszny was really a solid signing last season, and continues to deliver just what they’d hope for. That helps offset the fact that Session, who also came to Jacksonville for a big contract in 2011, might not see the field any time soon, or even again.

[*]The cornerbacks look good. Cox is really solid, and Aaron Ross and Rashean Mathis as second and third will be effective. The depth grew with last season's injury onslaught, and William Middleton and Kevin Rutland can play.

[*]Branch, the rookie pass-rusher, came into the league facing questions from many teams about his ability to stand up against the run. The Jaguars have no such concern at this point. He’s got to be an effective part of a four-man group at end with Mincey, Lane and Chick. Branch certainly looks the part. But so did Derrick Harvey, who busted. So we can’t put much on the early eyeball test.

[*]Along with Stanford, running back Jalen Parmele caught my eye. He’s spent time with Miami and Baltimore.

 

[Faust]

CampTour'12: Jerome Simpson's impact

By Kevin Seifert | ESPN.com

MANKATO, Minn. -- Last week, we joined the chorus of people who think tight end Kyle Rudolph could emerge as the favorite target of Minnesota Vikings quarterback Christian Ponder. We also know the Vikings have an established all-around playmaker in Percy Harvin.

Here's one question I'm still asking: What exactly do they have in receiver Jerome Simpson?

Even an amateur's eye can see that Simpson's size (6-foot-2) and ball skills separate him from the rest of the team's receivers. We know he can jump over defensive backs (literally), and it's easy to envision Ponder targeting Simpson both on crossing routes and down the sideline.

But even if you assume Simpson has set aside the personal problems that led to a 15-day jail term this spring, it's only fair to note he has played one full season since joining the Cincinnati Bengals in 2008. Most of his 71 career receptions came last season, and he is far from a finished product.

If nothing else, however, three days at the Vikings' camp revealed Simpson making a genuine and inspired attempt to earn the trust of Ponder and the rest of his teammates.

"Really, all I want to do is get comfortable with this offense and get on the same page with Christian," he said. "Every day I'm just basically talking it through with him to understand how he reads everything."

Simpson appears also to have tapped into the competitive side of Harvin, who carries the unofficial title of the Vikings' No. 1 receiver.

"It's been great to have Jerome here and I think he's pushing Percy a little bit," Ponder said. "I think Percy has gotten a little better, and it's almost like a competition to see who is a better receiver right now. I love seeing their relationship. The have a great relationship with each other. They're hanging out off the field together and they both look good. They're getting me excited."

Said Simpson: "Percy is one of my best buds. He's helped me out a lot, just helping me understand the offense and the terminology and everything. We're able to talk about anything."

So how big of a role will Simpson play in the Vikings' offense once he returns from a three-game NFL suspension? An important clue has come during training camp, where the Vikings have used Simpson extensively with Harvin on their first-team offense rather than giving repetitions to the players who will take his place during the suspension.

"He's one of those guys who plays lights-out in practice, diving for balls, making the hard catches," coach Leslie Frazier said.

Much could change between now and Week 4, when Simpson will be eligible to play in the regular season. The Vikings didn't commit much by signing him to a one-year contract worth $2 million, but expectations are beginning to rise.

 

[Faust]

Three things: Cardinals-Saints

By Mike Sando | ESPN.com

Three things to watch for in the Arizona Cardinals' preseason game against the New Orleans Saints at 8 p.m. ET:

1. Kevin Kolb's performance. The Cardinals' quarterback competition includes John Skelton as well, so his performance also matters. But Kolb is the most intriguing variable on the team's roster this summer. Can he command the offense and finally appear comfortable running it? Can he make it through the game healthy after injuries derailed his 2011 season? We shouldn't expect an all-world performance right out of the gates. We shouldn't read too much into a seemingly shaky one, either. Quarterbacks and offenses in general can struggle during preseason if opponents decide crank up the pressure or get creative. But perceptions matter for Kolb or any highly paid player trying to prove his worth. In a best-case scenario, Kolb connects with Larry Fitzgerald and rookie first-round choice Michael Floyd for meaningful gains. For reference, Kolb completed 4 of 7 passes for 68 yards in his 2011 Cardinals preseason debut. Skelton completed 6 of 10 for 94 yards and a touchdown in that game.

2. Right side of the OL. The Cardinals have a new look on that side of their offensive line. Right guard Adam Snyder signed from San Francisco in free agency. Veteran Jeremy Bridges remains at right tackle for now after replacing Brandon Keith during the 2011 season. The team hopes rookie Brian Massey can grow into the starting role and take over for Bridges at some point in the near future. This game against New Orleans provides a first look. The Saints have been working with left defensive end Cameron Jordan to drop into coverage in zone-blitz packages, a change for him. We should still see Jordan, a 2011 first-round choice, get some pass-rushing reps against the right side of the Cardinals' line.

3. Cornerback competition. The Cardinals know Patrick Peterson will be starting at left corner this season. They feel great about the likelihood of him emerging as a Pro Bowl-caliber force at that position. Arizona also likes the possibilities on the other side, but it's unclear how that race will settle out. Free-agent addition William Gay represents the known. Greg Toler, coming off ACL surgery, has starting potential. So does A.J. Jefferson, who made seven starts last season after Toler was injured. Throw in third-round choice Jamell Fleming, the team's most impressive rookie during minicamps, and the Cardinals have a genuine camp competition on their hands. The assumption is that Michael Adams would project more in a nickel role, not as a starter. He's as competitive as anyone in the Cardinals' corner mix.

 

[Faust]

John Harbaugh: Joe Flacco 'really on the money'

No quarterback in NFL history has won more regular-season games over his first four years in the NFL than Joe Flacco.

Still, the Baltimore Ravens starter isn't mentioned among the elite passers. He's an enormous physical presence with a cannon arm, but he's failed to pull the Ravens into a Super Bowl.

Flacco will annoy you at times, but the Ravens have stuck by him. Entering his fifth season, he's impressed the team with his early work in camp.

"Joe is really on the money, so that's good to see," coach John Harbaugh told Aaron Wilson of the Carroll County Times.

Wilson reported that Flacco already is in rhythm with veteran wideout Anquan Boldin and newcomer Jacoby Jones. Torrey Smith finally gives Flacco a player who can take the top off of a defense, but Smith hasn't shown he can operate over the middle with much consistency.

Part of the problem with Flacco is the scheme in which he plays. Offensive coordinator Cam Cameron tends to abandon the passing game for a run-first attack whenever Flacco gets into hot water. Rotoworld pointed out that you rarely see Cameron employ three-receiver sets outside of third-down situations -- that's behind the times. Meanwhile, the predominance of the spread and no-huddle offense is turning Flacco's contemporaries into video-game passers.

It might be time for the Ravens to set him loose. There will be growing pains, but Flacco's early body of work suggests he's ready to be tested.

 

[Faust]

Unheralded rookies who could make big impacts in 2012

Chris Burke on the NFL

Excerpts on the offense players:

Nick Toon, WR, Saints (4th round, No. 122 overall): Peter King kind of let the cat out of the bag on Toon last week when he stopped by Saints camp and then wrote: “Are you kidding? Another weapon for Brees?” Toon has good size at 6-foot-3 and really goes up well to get the football. With Robert Meachem departing, there’s some space at the back end of the Saints’ receiver depth chart — and since they’ll easily use four or five guys a game there, Toon could see lots of time out of the gate.

Juron Criner, WR, Raiders (5, 168): Criner was so good in OTAs that the hype surrounding him in Oakland is probably much too high at the moment. That said, he had 157 combined catches over the past two years for Arizona and slides into a Raiders’ receiving corps that could use another reliable pass-catcher or two. Making things happen in early July is a lot different from doing it in late August or September, so Criner still has work to do. The upside is there, though.

Brandon Bolden, RB, Patriots (Undrafted): This isn’t the first time Bolden’s name has been mentioned here on Audibles, and even though Stevan Ridley has the inside track to start at running back for the Patriots, Bolden has made a name for himself early. The fantasy sports site Rotoworld recently described him as “a speedier version of BenJarvus Green-Ellis” — good news for the Patriots, since Green-Ellis, another undrafted find, led last year’s AFC title team in rushing. Bolden can run, catch passes out of the backfield or return kicks. It will be hard to keep him off the field if he makes the final roster.

 

[Faust]

Bills camp report: Optimism brewing in Buffalo, and for good reason

By Clark Judge | Senior NFL Columnist

PITTSFORD, N.Y. -- General manager Buddy Nix says the time is now for the Buffalo Bills to be "relevant," and no translation is needed. He wants more wins than losses.

Period.

But that happened only once in the last decade, and even then it wasn't good enough to get the Bills to the playoffs. Nope, the Buffalo Bills haven't been to the postseason since 1999, and if that sounds like a long time it's only because it is.

Nobody has been absent longer, and Buffalo is due ... if not overdue.

"We've kind of had the attitude that we walk around with our hat in our hand and apologize for being here," Nix said. "Well, that's over. We don't do that anymore. We've got to win some games.

"Talk is cheap this time of year. Everybody does it. Now we need to seal it and win games."

Buffalo hasn't won more than seven games in any season since 2004 when it was 9-7, but there's a feeling around the league that the Bills might be ready to break through. The reason: Defense. They didn't have it a year ago; they should have it now.

It's not just that they signed free-agent Mario Williams, added pass rusher Mark Anderson and drafted cornerback Stephon Gilmore. It's that a team that couldn't pressure the pocket a year ago should now, and that unit is in the hands of new coordinator Dave Wannstedt, whose strength is squeezing quarterbacks with a four-man line.

Well, this just in: The Bills have the people to suit Wannstedt's scheme.

"We've not been where we want to be the last couple of years," said coach Chan Gailey, "but we think we're on the right track."

So do I.

Team Objectives

• More sacks. They had 29 last season, which wasn't very good. But they had 10 in one game, which means ... uh-huh, they had 19 in the 15 games that were left, and that stinks. Now you know why the Bills put the full-court press on Williams and Anderson. With their additions, Buffalo figures to do something it hasn't since 2006 -- namely, average more than two sacks per contest. But it's not just Williams and Anderson. Shawne Merriman, who once had 17 sacks in San Diego, says he's over a lingering Achilles that handicapped him in recent years, and he figures to be used as a designated pass rusher off the edge for 15-20 snaps a game. "I think it could be good for him," said Gailey, "and I think it could be really great for us. Because he's a force when he's healthy."

• Keep Fred Jackson healthy. The star back was on pace to run for nearly 1,600 yards a year ago and was second in the league in yards from scrimmage when he bowed out with a broken leg. The Bills were 5-5 then. They finished 6-10. Do the math. They won exactly one game without Jackson. But he's back, he's healthy and he's headed for some split shifts with C.J. Spiller, who excelled in Jackson's absence a year ago. Coaches believe Spiller gained confidence from the experience and plan to use him with and without Jackson in the backfield. The feeling is that Spiller not only helps the club; he can help the 31-year-old Jackson, too, but reducing his carries and the hits he absorbs. "Either one of them wouldn't admit they want to give up snaps," said Nix, "but it will make them last longer."

• Reduce Ryan Fitzpatrick's mistakes. He led the league in interceptions with 23, but look a little more closely: He committed 17 of them in the last 10 games, including four in the season finale. Some of that has to do with where the Bills positioned themselves early, and, usually, it was behind their opponent ... and sometimes way behind. So Fitzpatrick did what any quarterback would and threw ... and threw ... and threw. "He was in a bad situation," said Nix, "but we're going to make it better for him." With the Bills' defensive improvements, the hope is that sacks go up, yards go down, turnovers go up and short fields translate to more Buffalo points and fewer Fitzpatrick gaffes. "It's a huge domino effect," Gailey said. "When one area of your team can get significantly better it impacts the rest of your football team. There's not nearly as much pressure."

Camp Battles

• Left tackle -- Chris Hairston is the holdover, but he has only a year's experience at the position. Now the Bills have gone out and spent a second-round draft pick on Cordy Glenn, and let the games begin. Glenn is strictly a left tackle, while Hairston can play either side. Conventional wisdom says that would give Glenn the edge, but there is no leader at the position ... not now there's not. Both take roughly the same number of reps, and both have taken turns with the first team. "I don't know how that one is going to end," Gailey admitted.

• Defensive right end -- Mario Williams holds down the left side by choice. So that leaves Anderson and Chris Kelsay to duke it out on the right side, and there is something here for each. Logic tells you that Kelsay starts in base defense, with Anderson -- who had 10 sacks a year ago -- off the bench in passing downs. But the team's first depth chart of the summer defies that logic, listing Anderson as the starter. Look for Merriman to take turns off the bench, maybe when Williams catches a break.

• Backup defensive tackle -- Marcel Dareus and Kyle Williams are the starters, and they're two good ones. But who are the backups? Good question. Dwan Edwards, Spencer Johnson, Torell Troup, Kellen Heard, Alex Carrington and Jarron Gilbert are the competition, and you'd have to think Edwards -- a starter in the Bills' 3-4 scheme -- would be a lock. But nobody is at this point. Nevertheless, when the Bills released their first depth chart Edwards and Johnson were listed as second-team backups.

Somebody to Watch

CB Stephon Gilmore. The Bills' first draft pick, he's an immediate hit at camp. No matter whom you seek out on the club, and no matter which side of the ball he plays, the guy winds up gushing over Gilmore. "Besides the pass rushers," said safety George Wilson, "Stephon is probably the guy I'm looking most forward to. From the first snap in OTAs and mini-camps he's challenged our receivers and has been very physical at the line of scrimmage. He's a big guy. He has great size and speed. And he has great ball skills when the ball is in the air. I'm very excited to see Stephon line up against some of the best receivers this league has to offer." And he will. He lines up opposite Aaron Williams on the first team.

Injury Roundup

• CB Terrence McGee isn't fully recovered from a torn patellar tendon he suffered in November, and it could determine where he plays -- and I'm not talking about the depth chart; I'm talking about a zip code. The expectation is that McGee makes the team, but he's not healthy and admitted recently that he's concerned he might not make the 53-man roster.

• WR David Nelson is sidelined with a strained tendon in his right knee but should return to practice this week. DL Terrell Troup is recovering from back surgery but had small setback Friday that kept him off the field a day later. Right tackle Erik Pears, who is recovering from off-season surgery (sports hernia) resumed practicing at camp. C Eric Wood, who tore his ACL last year, has been eased back into team workouts, a sign that he should be ready for the season opener. WR Stevie Johnson aggravated his groin and has been out lately, but look for him to return to practice Monday. DT Kellen Heard (ankle) returned to practice Saturday.

The Final Word

There's a quiet confidence about this Buffalo team that is encouraging for long-suffering Bills' fans. This is a team that made few ripples over the years, yet shook up the league in the offseason by landing the best free-agent defender in Williams.

Williams likes the team, likes the defense and, OK, likes that $100-million contract he signed. But most of all, he said, he likes the area. You heard me. He said Buffalo reminds him of his North Carolina roots, which means he feels as if he's home.

"Everybody worries about the weather," he said, "but if the weather is going to hold you back from making something of yourself you're really not pushing yourself. You want to go to Houston where it's 110? Or you want to Green Bay where it's 20 below? So you pick your poison."

Williams did, and now the Buffalo Bills are a legitimate playoff threat. People tell me Fitzpatrick could hold these guys back, but he shouldn't -- not if the defense is as good as it's supposed to be.

A year ago, it hemorrhaged a franchise-record number of yards and allowed the second most points in team history. That's not going to happen again, which should make Fitzpatrick better and the Bills more dangerous.

"On paper," said Gailey, "we're better. But you have to prove it over the course of a season."

So prove it, Buffalo. We're all waiting.

 

[Faust]

Panthers wondering if LaFell will seize opportunity

By Dan Parr

We hear no one in Panthers’ camp is posing a legitimate challenge to Brandon LaFell, who is in line to be Carolina’s starting wide receiver opposite Steve Smith.

LaFell’s top potential challenger, David Gettis, is still working his way back from injury (the Panthers have said they expect him to be ready to play at some point before camp concludes Aug. 15). LaFell has the talent to be an effective third option in the passing game behind Smith and TE Greg Olsen. We are told Carolina coaches are still wondering about LaFell's desire, though.

Camp observers say LaFell is having his moments in practice, just as he did last season, when he made 36 grabs for 613 yards and three touchdowns. With the attention defenses will be paying to Smith, who we hear is having a strong camp, the Panthers need LaFell to make significant progress in his third season and earn greater trust from QB Cam Newton.

Jaguars' WR corps a work in progress

By Arthur Arkush

After investing heavily in the WR corps this offseason, the Jaguars probably hoped that, one week into training camp, the two bright spots of the unit weren’t Cecil Shorts and Brian Robiskie. That has been the case, however, as one source described the new-look unit as a “work in progress,” adding that too many footballs have wound up on the ground (and not just the ones QBs Blaine Gabbert and Chad Henne have thrown at their receivers’ feet).

Free-agent acquisition Laurent Robinson appears to be pressing, though the club isn’t too concerned with his slow start. Mike Thomas is a bigger mystery, we hear. He simply hasn’t blossomed the way the club envisioned since giving him the contract extension early last season. But a source said Thomas is remaining upbeat and taking everything in stride, including being replaced by Shorts at top pick Justin Blackmon’s “Z” position earlier this week.

Speaking of Blackmon, we hear the Jaguars aren’t backing off — and rightly so — their insistence on being protected financially if the top pick’s off-field troubles persist.

 

[Faust]

What to expect from Browns WR Gordon

By Steve DiMatteo

Cleveland is a receiver-starved city, desperate for any kind of reliable production from its WR corps. Since Braylon Edwards’ departure during the 2009 season, finding wide receiver help has been an exercise in futility.

Mohamed Massaquoi, a second-round pick in 2009, was supposed to be the No. 1 option, but he hasn’t lived up to expectations. Brian Robiskie was a disastrous second-round pick from ’09 and is no longer with the team. TE Ben Watson actually led the team in receiving in 2010 with 763 yards. The Browns have even tried to convert KR Josh Cribbs into a viable receiving option, which has produced mixed results.

With that desperation reaching a fever pitch after yet another dismal season of offense in 2011, the Browns took a chance on WR Josh Gordon in the second round of this year’s supplemental draft.

Despite displaying intriguing talent at Baylor in 2010, when he caught 42 passes for 714 yards and seven touchdowns during his sophomore season, Gordon's off-field behavior is a cause for concern. From failed drug tests to a marijuana arrest, he has a checkered past that led him to transfer from Baylor to Utah after being suspended indefinitely before the 2011 season.

Rather than play his senior year at Utah (after sitting out last season), Gordon chose to enter the supplemental draft this summer. And, other than his off-field issues, scouts have had many good things to say about him. He has the size, strength, and athleticism to become a standout receiver and could have been a second- or third-round pick in the 2013 draft had he played college ball this season.

Naturally, the inclination will be to compare Gordon’s rookie campaign to that of 2011 second-round WR Greg Little. For starters, Little has had off-field problems of his own. The Browns took him in the second round despite the fact that he had sat out the previous season after lying to investigators about receiving travel accommodations and jewelry from agents while at North Carolina.

The two receivers even have similar builds — Little is 6-2, 220 pounds and Gordon is 6-3, 225 pounds — so the comparisons were bound to happen.

In his rookie season, Little caught 61 passes for 709 yards and two touchdowns. He also had a major problem with drops (12) and was dealing with a stagnant offense that finished 29th in the league in yards per game.

This doesn’t mean Little’s stats should be used as a barometer for Gordon, however. Consider what Gordon has working against him. His quarterback — Brandon Weeden — is a rookie; his running back, while full of potential, is a rookie as well; the offensive line has been inconsistent; and, perhaps most importantly, Gordon is expected to quickly become the No. 1 receiver for a group with few proven weapons.

The fact that Gordon is already working with first-teamers in training camp points to illustrates the expectations the team has for him. GM Tom Heckert called Gordon an “eventual starter,” though the hope is that he will produce right away.

On the other side of the coin, many of those obstacles can turn into strengths that work in Gordon’s favor. Weeden and his stronger arm would appear to be an upgrade over Colt McCoy and defenses will have to prepare for Trent Richardson. There's no doubt there will be growing pains, but Gordon isn’t exactly walking into a hopeless situation.

However, no one should expect even 900 yards from him. WR Julio Jones, a player of comparable size and talent, caught 54 passes for 959 yards in his rookie season, and that was in a much more mature offense.

It’s obviously difficult to be a rookie at the NFL level, and sitting out an entire season beforehand doesn’t make the transition any easier. Like every other aspect of the Browns’ offense, Gordon will face a steep learning curve. He has the talent to succeed — just don’t expect it to happen right away.

 

[Faust]

Gordon: Rams display strengths, weaknesses

by Jeff Gordon

The Rams did a fine job with a fan appreciation day at the Edward Jones Dome, running a crisp practice for better than two hours in air-conditioned comfort.

All in all it was a feel good day. Fans could see for themselves which team areas were progressing nicely and which areas still need work.

The Rams are a long way from being even a .500 team again. Efforts to upgrade this team will continue through training camp -- and through the season as well as first-year coach Jeff Fisher and general manager Les Snead build a more competitive team.

Here are some observations on the state of the team.



There is no quarterback competition. Charter Communications spokesman Sam Bradford has looked sharp thus far in training camp and back-up Kellen Clemens has looked, well, like Kellen Clemens. Since he did some good things as a fill-in last season and he worked with offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer with the Jets, Clemens seems likely to get the back-up role here. But fans demanding that Clemens get a shot at the starting job need to check their medication. Kellen’s scattershot passing during Saturday’s drills reminded us that he is no where near Bradford quality.



There is wide receiver competition. Post-Dispatch beat reporter Jim Thomas details the Brandon Gibson story elsewhere on the site. Gibson has a knack for showing well in camp. He is a bit of a tweener – not a big target and not a burner – but he keeps making plays in camp. For instance: He came back to make a diving catch on an underthrown Bradford deep ball during the scrimmage. Danny Amendola remains as the clear No. 1 receiving target. He is a great fit for the Schottenheimer offense, which features some of the West Coast principles the Rams deployed two years ago when Danny broke out. Greg Salas showed well Saturday and seems to offer the size, toughness and route-running skills to be effective over the middle. Rookie Brian Quick flashes potential but also reminds everybody that needs work. He made a great one-handed grab on a fade route during drills, but he didn’t run a crisp route and forced the quarterback to throw the ball wide of the end zone. Later he used his size to seal off and make a catch on the other side. But he also dropped a Clemens pass on the right sideline during situation work.

There is plenty of tight end competition too. The top returning targers are Lance Kendricks and Michael Hoomanawanui, but Fisher is placing a premium on blocking skills at that position. Several of the eight tight ends in camp are blocking specialists. Kendricks did not participate in Saturday’s drills. Mike McNeil, bidding for work, made many notable plays in the Dome.

The back-up running backs have much to prove. Rookie Isaiah Pead was far from perfect in the passing drills and potential No. 3 back Daryl Richardson did not practice Saturday. Will they show enough once the preseason games start or will Fisher and Snead pluck replacements off the waiver wire once other teams start cutting down.

The defensive front appears stout. Of course, it has only been working against the Rams offensive line to this point – and that group remains suspect. Right defensive end Robert Quinn picked up where he left off last year, turn heads with his speed rush. Rookie defensive tackle Michael Brockers has been getting an excellent push on the middle of the line. Defensive end Eugene Sims continues progressing as a pass rusher.

The offensive front is lagging. Or course, Scott Wells is still getting healthy. The Rams expect him to shore of the middle of that unit when he can go full speed. With rookie Rokevious Watkins still working himself into shape, six-year veteran Quinn Ojinnaka got an early leg up on Bryan Mattison in the left guard competition. Ojinnaka has been a utility lineman for the bulk of his career, filling in at guard and tackle at both sides of the line. Watkins made up for lost time with some nice moments during the blocking drills. He is a big man and he can move the man in front of him. As for tackles Rodger Saffold and Jason Smith . . . well, there is some work to do there. Saffold, like Wells, missed Saturday’s work day.



The secondary could turn the corner. Free agent addition Cortland Finnegan looks ready to make a big impact at cornerback, as do rookies Janoris Jenkins and Trumaine Johnson. Jenkins flashed his high-end talent Saturday, breaking explosively on the ball. Johnson made a nice break to grab an interception. Incumbent Bradley Fletcher finds himself fighting for playing time. He made some nice plays Saturday, including his nullification of a Clemens-to-Austin Pettis pass in the end zone.

Rookie place kicker Greg Zuerlein has a huge leg. It’ll be interesting to see how he adapts to the pro pace when the preseason games start. It’s long way from Missouri Western to the NFL, but, as Bryan Burwell noted, the lad put on quite a show Saturday. He looks capable of drilling 60-yard field goals, especially in a dome.

Injuries are inhibiting team progress. Former Mizzou star Danario Alexander is one example of that. His latest leg injury, a hamstring pull, caused him to miss the first week of work. He can be a playmaker when healthy but he needs to get on the field and show this coaching staff what he can do. He ran reasonably well while getting some work in Saturday. Safety Darian Stewart has also been slowed by nagging leg injuries, interrupting his job battle with Craig Dahl.

Fisher hasn’t backed off his goal of NFC West contention this season, but in this corner of cyberspace this still looks like a six- or seven-victory team.

 

[Dinsy Ejotuz]

Brandon Bolden

The Boston Herald blog observes:

Brandon Bolden has often been the second running back on the field in running situations.

 

[Faust]

On Luck, Wayne and Colts Sunday practice

By Paul Kuharsky | ESPN.com

ANDERSON, Ind. -- Quick hits from my first half-day with the Colts, out of a long practice and some interviews afterward.

[*]Yes, it’s a snap judgment -- camp practice reports are filled with such snapshots. But everything I’ve read and heard about Andrew Luck was on display. He’s got great command of the offense considering how long he’s been running it. I tweeted that and got hammered by some for anointing him. Of course we need to see him against better defenses that are more unfamiliar. But what we see now is all we have, and all we have is pretty good. I did feel like he sputtered towards the end of a long practice, when he put two balls too low in a red zone period -- one to T.Y. Hilton at the goal post (which rolled to me) and another short one low and behind Reggie Wayne. But after those he made a beautiful throw to Austin Collie in stride as he angled to the front left corner of the end zone with corner Brandon King nearby. It’s easy to say it, but Luck’s mannerisms and execution do remind one a bit of Peyton Manning -- he does the quick pump fake as he drops back, he’s got a little hop, etc.

[*]There were a lot of short throws by all the QBs. I don’t know if the coverage dictated it or if it was the stuff they were focusing on today or if there was any big meaning to it. But the ball was out quickly for steady, if small, chunks of yardage. And guys were getting the ball with a chance to turn and look to find additional yards.

[*]Wayne working on a Jugs machine is something to behold -- I watched his session after practice and got a couple decent pictures. It’s mesmerizing in a Zamboni-like fashion, but there is obviously a lot more variance. He takes balls from one side, then the other, then straight on. He catches with both hands. He makes sure they are coming at difficult angles that force him to make the sort of tough plays he’ll see in game situations.

[*]Early quarterback work I liked: Working on their own with QB coach Clyde Christensen, they took drops into a corridor of the other two QBs, two coaches and a couple equipment guys. They slapped and poked at him while he dropped and as he moved back up in the “pocket” before making a throw.

[*]During early special teams, Robert Mathis spent a bit of time on his own working on his drops into coverage. Not long after, linebackers and defensive backs covered tight ends and running backs in a one-on-one period. Mathis covered rookie Coby Fleener on the first snap, stayed on his hip and picked off Drew Stanton’s throw.

[*]Rookie running back Vick Ballard made a nice cach in the back left corner of the end zone in the same period, despite tight coverage from linebacker Scott Lutrus, who never turned to find the ball.

[*]I planned on my initial bite of the apple here to be on veteran receiver Donnie Avery. He had a big chance with the Titans last year when Kenny Britt went down and couldn’t work his way onto the field. Now he’s drawing a lot of praise and sounds like he could factor into the mix for Luck and the Colts. Alas, he made a sprawling catch for a long TD from Luck (120 yards away from where I was, so it was hard to see) and landed badly. He was taken off the field with a left leg injury. Sounds like he will have an MRI, but coach Chuck Pagano promised “it’s nothing major, I know that.”

[*]I spent three and a half days with the Jaguars last week and found it hard to judge the offense , which looked bad, because of the talent on the team’s defense. It may be the opposite here – it may be hard to judge the offense, which looks good, because of the lack of talent on the team’s defense -- especially at corner. Justin King, who’s been running with the ones, has a hip flexor and missed his third day.

[*]Antonio Johnson, the team’s front-line nose tackle, said he’s up to 330 pounds from 320 but feels like he’s running around just the same.

[*]More to come on this, but tight end Dwayne Allen is very good. Fits right in with what they are trying to do. Looks like a natural for this offense. A bright guy. His play and our chat is worth its own post. Stay tuned.

 

[Faust]

Postcard from camp: Chargers

Jim Trotter

Where's SI.com?

At Chargers Park, the team's year-round training facility a few miles north of Qualcomm Stadium. There wasn't much to observe during my morning visit, as the squad was going through a pad-less walkthrough. Still, here are some thoughts from conversations with players, coaches and general manager A.J. Smith.

Three Observations

1. After years of being hyped as Super Bowl contenders in the preseason only to fall short in January, the Chargers are flying under most radars. They like it that way. But don't get it twisted; these players firmly believe the team's two-year playoff drought will end this season. QB Philip Rivers says this is the best team, players one through 90, he has been on. What excites him most, he says, is that he's surrounded by players who love playing the game. Football isn't just a job for them, it's a passion. Will that be enough? Time will tell. But there's definitely a sense of urgency in the locker room and the front office. "Any year if you don't go to the playoffs, you have wasted an entire season because you didn't allow yourself to chase a championship," Smith says. "The purpose of a regular season is to fight your tail off and get one of those special bids to go."

2. The defense will be better than it was a year ago, and not simply because it has no place to go but up after ranking last in third-down efficiency. Opponents converted on 96 of 195 third downs -- a staggering 49.2 percent conversion rate that was 11 points higher than the league average. Coordinator Greg Manusky was fired in the offseason and replaced by long-time team assistant John Pagano, who has eliminated many of the gray areas that resulted in breakdowns last year. The objective is to beat opponents with execution and technique rather than complicated schemes. Pagano believes there is a direct correlation between thinking less and playing faster.

San Diego also has upgraded its personnel, adding linebacker Jarret Johnson and safety Atari Bigby in free agency as well as pass rusher Melvin Ingram and end Kendall Reyes via the draft. No one is more aware of the improvements on defense than Rivers, who sees it each day in practice. "I hate to say it but yesterday we threw two interceptions and they stripped four balls in practice," he said. "Our defense has a huge emphasis on that this year. It seems like they're just flying around. There are more contested balls in the secondary; they're getting their hands on 'em. I know it's making us better as an offense."



3. Rivers can't contain his excitement when discussing the weapons at his disposal, most notably tight end Antonio Gates, who for the first time in several years is healthy and running without pain. Gates has been having his way with defenders in practice, meaning opponents won't have the luxury of single-covering him on Sundays. Secondly, Rivers can't stop gushing about slot receiver Eddie Royal. San Diego has not had an inside receiver like Royal since Rivers arrived in San Diego in 2004. The Chargers lost vertical threat Vincent Jackson in free agency and won't be able to replace him with one player, including Robert Meachem, who was signed to fill the No. 1 slot. But Meachem, Vincent Brown and Malcom Floyd together figure to see a lot of one-on-one matchups because of Gates and running back Ryan Mathews, who is poised for a breakout season in Year 3. Mathews shared time with Mike Tolbert the past two years, but the Chargers allowed Tolbert to leave as a free agent, which means Mathews will have an even more prominent role in the offseason.

Step On Up

Jared Gaither, left tackle. The sixth-year pro was a life-saver for the Chargers last season. After Baltimore allowed him to leave as a free agent and Kansas City released him, he was claimed off waivers and inserted into San Diego's starting offense. He quickly provided stability to an injury-ravaged line and helped San Diego stay in playoff contention. In the offseason the Chargers signed him to a potential $24.5 million deal that includes virtual guarantees of $13.5 million, but the 6-foot-9, 335-pounder has been missing in action at camp. Reportedly suffering from cramping and back spasms, he has participated in only one practice. Personnel people throughout the league are viewing the situation with arched eyebrows. They questioned when he signed the contract whether his desire would remain as strong once his pockets were full. He has to step up because the Chargers don't have a legitimate option behind him.

New Face, New Place

Jarret Johnson, outside linebacker. Johnson is one of those football junkies to whom Rivers referred. He plays with high intensity, is no-nonsense and last missed a game in 2006. In other words, just what the Chargers defense needs. Johnson won't overwhelm you with stats -- he had a total of four sacks the past two years and never has had more than six in a season -- but he's the type of selfless player who can make an inconsistent defense efficient.

Looking At The Schedule

The schedule is conducive to a quick start. The Chargers open at Oakland, which is breaking in a new coaching staff and lost some key players in cost-cutting moves in the offseason, then they host Tennesssee and Atlanta. There's no reason to believe they won't come out of those games 3-0, which means nothing considering they lost six in a row last year after starting 4-1. Two key stretches that could greatly impact their season: Sept. 30 through Oct. 15, when they visit Kansas City and New Orleans before hosting Peyton Manning and the Broncos; then Nov. 1 through Dec. 9, when they'll host the Chiefs and visit the Bucs before playing four 2011 playoff qualifiers: at Denver, vs. Baltimore and Cincinnati, and at Pittsburgh.

 

[jacobo_moses]

2012 Steelers Training Camp Observations: Part Two

by Ivan Cole (RickVa) on Aug 6, 2012 11:00 AM EDT

Saturday afternoon, Saint Vincent College.

I'm not feeling Steely McBeam. At the risk of being perceived as crank or even a really bad person, I have no use for the Steelers 'mascot', at least not as conceived. My reasoning here is much the same as my not favoring cheerleaders. Now I can't think of a lot of situations where I would be against half naked women running around (and they're usually a lot more than just half naked), but professional football, and particularly Steelers football is one of them.

What's my problem with Steely? At bottom it's a puppet; a wannebe Muppet. Western Pennsylvania takes its football seriously. On Friday night I witnessed parents patiently explaining to seven year old girls the intricacies of the zone blitz. It is neither necessary nor desirable to tart up the proceedings with preening women. And we don't need to pander to children with puppets. Every Steelers home game I fully expect to see a shot of Steely McBeam face down in the Ohio River. I know I'm not the only person who harbors fantasies about euthanizing this thing. It is probably only out of respect for the Rooneys that it hasn't happened already.

I have given the matter some thought, and believe that Steely can be re-imagined in a way that better represents Steeler football and the Pittsburgh Way. We begin by sticking a knife in his back. Well, not literally. Stick with me on this one. Pittsburgh's heroes tend to be tragic figures and that's the direction this needs to go. So, we stick a knife in Steely's back (fake of course) right between the shoulder blades. The handle of this knife is purple and is engraved with the name: RAVENS. And just to make sure we get the point, written around the wound in magic marker is the message "Ray-Ray Was Here". And just to make the taunt complete add one of those smiley face emoticons. Then you take the smile off Steely's face. You have a knife in your back you're not likely to be smiling. His cheeks are streaked with black and gold tears.

Even though puppets don't talk the message could not be clearer as Steely wanders among fans and the team; "Will I not be avenged?" Now, that's a mascot I can get behind.

Injuries. Willie Colon and Isaac Redman sat this one out with ankle injuries. What I found interesting about this is that a lot of people insisted that Colon was present on the field. I asked two different groups of people on two separate occasions if they had spotted Colon. Each time they swore that they did. My guess is that there are some similarities in body type and hair style with Colon and tackle Chris Scott. There is even a relative similarity with uniform numbers; 74 vs 71. Brett Keisel and Manny Sanders who both sat out Friday's practice returned to action.

Todd Haley. I was watching one of the other position groups when the roar of the crowd pulled my attention to the quarterbacks. A big fan favorite on Friday night was a competition where the four quarterbacks attempt to drop footballs into a barrel on the sidelines. They were at it again on Saturday. Byron Leftwich started off strong this time, but all four quarterbacks had their moments. The reactions when they succeeded, saluting and playing to the crowd were hilarious. There was a fifth player in the competition, Offensive Coordinator Todd Haley. Haley did alright, but as they say; those who can't do, coach.

What has stood out about Haley over the two days is how physically active he is with his coaching. On Friday night when the tight ends were practicing pass patterns Haley would drop into coverage to give the players a picture. He didn't do this once or twice but consistently throughout the drill, as he also did with this passing contest. He's definitely involved, and from the body language he seems comfortable with the players. But that wouldn't make for good headlines, would it.

Antonio Brown. When he's not busy working, and Brown continues to work as hard as anyone, he has terrific chemistry with the crowd. During warm ups he gets the crowd into a competition. He points to different sections to determine which group cheers the loudest. When he made a decision he throws a football into the winning section. Everybody likes Antonio.

One of the few areas where there is sustained competition among top players is between the wide receivers and defensive backs. The headliners are Antonio vs Ike Taylor. Each player won their share of rounds, but what stood out was a pass to the corner of the end zone. Taylor had great position and it seemed that he would either knock the ball away or intercept it. Well, this being Ike, maybe not. Somehow the pass got through, Brown made a great catch. Ike went ballistic. He ranted, he snatched off his chin strap, he interrupted the rant to congratulate Antonio, and then continued to rant. Seems most folks really like Ike too.

On the other side Manny Sanders and Keenan Lewis were going at it. With all the talk about Brown and Wallace it is easy to overlook Sanders. Lewis did well, but Sanders was better, and in my view gave away nothing to Brown. In the undercard Jerricho Cotchery abuses a bunch of people and once again turns Will Allen into burned toast. Extremely impressive for the second day in a row was David Gilreath. It's still early but I would say that this guy can play in this league, whether it is with Pittsburgh remains to be seen.

The running backs continued to impress. All of them scored in one drill or another. But the most impressive from my perspective was Chris Rainey who demonstrated that he could be just as lethal in the relative close quarters of the red zone as he is in the more open spaces. Clay scored on goal line by leaping over the line breaking the plane into the end zone.

I've become a fan of the kicker Daniel Hrapmann. I haven't seen enough to speak to his accuracy, but no question he has the stronger leg. He was doing kickoffs today and was consistently making it into the end zone.

With Willie Colon being out the starting line up for the offensive line was (left to right) Adams, Foster, Pouncey, De Castro and Gilbert. It appears that Adams has earned his way to the first group, at least until Starks returns.

He hadn't shown much previously, but toward the end of practice cornerback Curtis Brown had a nice interception that would have been certainly a touchdown in a game situation. Safety Robert Golden also had a quality interception during a seven on seven drill. At the opposite end of the spectrum Tony Clemons did have a drop on a pass from Byron Leftwich during the short yardage segment.

While there were some interesting individual and position group battles the most interesting aspect of this practice were the eleven on elevens. The reports that I had heard up to this point would seem to indicate offensive dominance. If so then a sense of balance has been restored. The defense won the short yardage and goal line drills. The offense did better in when there was more room such as red zone passing.

Perhaps the most impressive offensive play was a pass play where Ben dropped back, bought time by scrambling right and then hit Manny Sanders crossing to the right in the end zone covered by Ike Taylor. This seemed slightly uncharacteristic given the fact that the quarterbacks have been more prone to throwing the ball away if the player was not open initially.

Emotion and pride were evident with the defense. During the goal line drill in particular the leadership of three players stood out from my vantage point; Larry Foote, Ryan Clark and, in particular, Ike Taylor. And while many were happy when the offense did well in the drill (especially Clay's touchdown) the Nation's passion for defense was clear as chants of "Defense!" rang out from the crowd.

Finally, a word or two about process. I believe the value of reports of this type is that while the facts are important, context is important as well. For example, one of the things I noticed with eleven on eleven over two days is that only three of the four quarterbacks play. On Friday Ben was the odd may out. Saturday it was Jerrod Johnson, who only played because Ben was pulled for a minor injury. If you attended only one of those practices you might be inclined to come to an inappropriate conclusion concerning what was going on.

Many of the top line players haven't done much, and I believe that is pretty much by design. They need a certain amount of reps for timing and conditioning purposes, but they don't have much to prove unless they are in a position battle. Consequently, players such as Polamalu and Woodley have been essentially invisible over the past two days. Although I saw some promising things and had some concerns over these two days I have enough sense to know I don't have enough information to draw any final conclusions. And it frankly amazes me that there are those who are writing people in, or out after witnessing a practice, or even worse, on hearsay from someone else. And we're not privy to half of the practices. Can we at least wait until they've had an opportunity under game conditions before making final judgments?

The evaluation process is a movie. The information that I and others have been giving you have been snapshots; maybe indicative of broader truths, maybe not. I think we might all be well served to keep that in mind over the coming days and weeks that remain before Labor Day, when half the people who are currently in uniform will be out of football.

 

[Faust]

Postcard from camp: Ravens

Don Banks

Where's SI.com?

At the Ravens' spacious team complex in suburban Baltimore, where they're staying home for training camp a second consecutive year after a 15-year run of sweating through their summer work at McDaniel College in Westminster, Md., about 30 minutes or so northwest of here. The Ravens stayed home last year because of the late end to the lockout, and then decided it made more football sense to not hit the road every July and August. That's now the majority view in the NFL, with 18 of the league's 32 teams training in their own facility instead of camping elsewhere. It has not been a popular move with Ravens fans, because the team can't accommodate big crowds at their 200,000-square foot facility during camp, but Baltimore has tried to offset that by scheduling several off-site practices that thousands of fans can attend this month.



Three Observations

1. Even with the Bryant McKinnie drama in the first week of camp, the Ravens are feeling pretty good about their offensive tackle position. McKinnie played well last season after joining Baltimore late in the preseason, but by no-showing early in camp and only re-joining practice over the weekend after passing his conditioning test, he has opened the door for Michael Oher to reclaim the starting left tackle job he held prior to 2011. Oher has looked solid in that spot so far, and rookie Kelechi Osemele has progressed rapidly at right tackle, with veteran Jah Reid giving Baltimore some depth on the right side.

Add it all up and the Ravens have the option of parting ways with McKinnie if he doesn't keep his weight under control and prove he's one of the team's five best linemen. If he can't beat out Oher, Baltimore won't keep him around as a backup, even if it did pay him a $500,000 roster bonus in the offseason. McKinnie still has time to change some minds, but he needs to be able to run and move and handle the fast-paced, up-tempo style game that Baltimore wants its line to play. It's just my hunch, but unless injuries occur, I'd put my money on Oher at left tackle in Week 1's Monday nighter at home against division rival Cincinnati.



2. Ray Lewis is definitely leaner, but time will tell if his game got meaner. Entering his 17th NFL season, Lewis decided on his own that it was time to shed some weight and gain some speed at inside linebacker. He has said he's "much lighter'' than his listed 240 pounds, after playing near 260 last season, and I believe it judging from the eyeball test. Lewis looks to be in the 230 range, and at the camp practice I attended, when he and 225-pound Ravens safety Bernard Pollard were standing side by side, it was difficult to tell who weighed more.

Lewis has gotten heavily involved in biking for exercise the past couple years, and he is said to do a minimum of 20 miles a day on his offseason rides (in full Tour de France-style biking gear I'm told). He wants to make sure he can run with and cover those ultra-productive tight ends that New England sends at him in waves, but as an inside linebacker, he also still has to stand up against the run at some point during the game. Is he too light, or just right? The regular season will provide the answer.

"It's all Ray,'' Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome said. "He sees the way the game is going, to the shotgun and three wides. The game is not played between the hashes any more for a great part of the game. So he felt like he needed to do that to adjust to the way the game is being played.''

3. Teams with legitimate Super Bowl aspirations aren't usually willing to trust a rookie kicker, but the 2012 Ravens could be an exception. We all know how veteran Billy Cundiff's 2011 season ended, with that galling miss of a 32-yard field goal attempt at New England in the AFC title game, a kick that would have sent the game into overtime and kept Baltimore's Super Bowl dreams alive. The Ravens signed rookie Justin Tucker this April to at least push Cundiff in camp, and the ex-Texas Longhorn is doing that and more. It's now an honest to goodness competition.

Tucker has a powerful leg (he made a 62-yard field goal in Saturday's practice at M&T Bank Stadium) and it's hard to miss how different the ball sounds coming off his right foot compared to Cundiff's. Their battle will likely come down to how they fare in the preseason games, and a tie probably still favors Cundiff, based on the experience factor and how much the Ravens rely on winning low-scoring, close games. But in the practice I watched, Tucker was booming every kick long and straight, and Cundiff's efforts were a little less impressive, although he is apparently working on technique issues in camp. I know how some Ravens fans want to see this showdown end, especially those who have yet to forgive Cundiff for his critical miss last January.

Step On Up

Paul Kruger, outside linebacker. No pressure on Kruger this season. All he has to do is replace the league's reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year in Terrell Suggs, who tore his Achilles' tendon this offseason and likely won't return to his high-impact self until 2013. Suggs, of course, has been one of the NFL's most disruptive players from his weakside rush-linebacker slot, and in reality the Ravens know that one player alone probably can't make up for his lost production.

The Ravens already knew Kruger had strong pass rush skills, but they've been encouraged this camp by his improvement in the area of pass coverage, knowing when and how to go into his drops. Staying healthy and surviving the 16-game grind is another key for Kruger, but he's off to a strong start and seems determined to seize the starting opportunity at hand and make sure the Ravens season didn't end when Suggs went down.



New Face, New Place

Jim Caldwell, quarterbacks coach. In Caldwell coming to Baltimore, yet another ex-head coach from the 2011 season has landed with a new team that seems thrilled to have him (see Tony Sparano, Raheem Morris, Steve Spagnuolo, Todd Bowles, Jack Del Rio, Todd Haley, etc...). Caldwell, who was let go by the Colts after last year's Peyton-less meltdown in Indy, is a great fit with Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco, and the two have reportedly clicked almost effortlessly. Both have the same even temperament and calm demeanor, and Caldwell has been a welcomed and needed buffer between Flacco and offensive coordinator Cam Cameron, whose relationship has been known to have bouts of tension at times.

Caldwell brings a lot of credibility to Baltimore, and Flacco already is benefitting from his steady-as-she-goes coaching style. Harbaugh told me his fifth-year quarterback is having his best camp as a Raven "by a significant margin,'' with quicker reads and decisions, faster footwork, better on-field posture, and more accuracy than he has ever shown. If Flacco's head is troubled by the lack of a long-term contract extension in the final year of his rookie deal, he certainly hasn't shown it thus far in camp. It sounds like Caldwell gets at least partial credit for that.



Looking At The Schedule

Baltimore was my pick to win the AFC Championship last preseason, but I don't foresee reprising that one. Not after checking out the Ravens' brutal 2012 schedule. For starters, they play just two home games in the stretch of Weeks 5-12, or one each in the season's middle two months of October and November. Baltimore also draws its two annual AFC North grudge matches against the Steelers in a three-game span (Weeks 11 and 13), gets the Manning brothers back to back in Weeks 15 (Denver visits) and 16 (as do the Giants), and has challenging trips to Philadelphia (Week 2), Houston (Week 7) and San Diego (Week 12) sprinkled in. And let's not forget about the Week 3 AFC title-game rematch with New England, which may be the highlight of the Ravens' entire home schedule.

 

[Faust]

Postcard from camp: Buccaneers

Peter King

Where's SI.com?

At the Bucs' training complex in Tampa. Three full all-grass fields, and I'm pleased to see what good shape they're in considering the beating they take from an unforgiving sun every day in the summer. I watch the morning practice at 9, pausing to speak with old favorite Mike Alstott, who's just taken a high school head-coaching job here at a small Christian school, then spend some time with players, GM Mark Dominik and coach Greg Schiano. Today, the community-minded Bucs are hosting the Special Olympics after practice, and there's a boisterous group of Special Olympians on hand.

Three Observations

1. No one seems up in arms about any of Greg Schiano's myriad rules. It's like what Aqib Talib told me (and he's not a guy to just automatically get in line): "All it is is hard work. You don't want to work hard, you're in the wrong place." Even if you're around the team for just one day, as I am, you get the sense the players and staff are thrilled for a more organized coach than Raheem Morris, and a more disciplined one.

2. Josh Freeman is cut and determined. The Freeman I saw on the field during practice was leaner (down to 237 from 258 last year) and seeming to move well and confidently in his new offense under coordinator Mike Sullivan, late of the Giants. The Freeman I spoke with after practice self-scouted in the offense and was disgusted by his minus-six touchdown-to-interception ratio last year. "I won't be as impatient this year,'' he said. "I tried to make too many things happen that weren't there last year.''



3. I'm not too optimistic about Da'Quan Bowers playing football after his May Achilles tear. He's on the PUP list, and the Bucs say they're cautiously confident he can play sometime this year. But really -- how likely, or smart, is it that a speed-rush player would be ready to play football six or seven months after Achilles surgery? Looks like Adrian Clayborn will get more attention than the Bucs had hoped from offensive protections, because there's no other pass rusher in-house who will scare foes.

Step On Up

Gerald McCoy, defensive tackle. With the losses of Brian Price (traded to Chicago because of a slew of distractions in his life) and Bowers, two of the supposed cornerstone young front-seven players are gone, meaning there will be even more pressure on McCoy to play well. That starts with staying on the field; he's missed 13 of his first 32 NFL games due to injury. But when he's played, he's played better than the locals think. He's very good against the run, and has penetrated well despite his anemic sack production. Schiano has been staunchly defending McCoy locally, and it's no show -- he thinks McCoy's a very good player.

New Face, New Place

Vincent Jackson, wide receiver. Schiano's been raving about Jackson's effort during camp and his leadership -- Tampa Tribune beat man Roy Cummings notes young wideout Mike Williams has been sitting next to him in meetings and watching how he studies -- and the $55 million relationship is off to a good start. Jackson showed flashes of speed during Thursday's practices, and it's clear Freeman was looking for him in competitive drills. "Great system for me,'' Jackson told me. "I can go downfield, and I can work underneath, and I know Josh has the arm to get me the ball anywhere.'' Jackson should get plenty of chances, and his leaping ability and wide catch radius is going to make Freeman a better quarterback.

On The Menu

In the Bucs' cafeteria, the PR staff put Team SI (We're on the SI-EvoShield Training Camp Trip, with a party of five) in a side room so we could grill Josh Freeman. And grill a turkey burger. I had the grilled turkey burger on a wheat roll with raw onion, lettuce and tomato (B-plus), along with a mixed salad with balsamic (C; the lettuce was a tad on the other side of ripe), and a bottle of fruit punch G2. Grade: B. Freeman rather enjoyed his healthy meal, led by turkey, lettuce and tomato on whole-wheat bread, with red beans and rice.

Looking At The Schedule

So, just how important is the tandem of Aqib Talib and Eric Wright (I still am stunned at him making $7.5 million a year), the nominal starters with Ronde Barber moved to safety? Consider that the Bucs will face Eli Manning, Drew Brees, Peyton Manning, Philip Rivers, Cam Newton, Mike Vick, Tony Romo and Matt Ryan a total of 11 times this season. The pass rush and secondary will be vital to keeping the Bucs in games this year, because I don't know how many shootouts they're going to win.

 

[Faust]

Excerpts from Peter King's MMQB:

Monday: San Francisco (Santa Clara, Calif., 49er training facility).

Three football nuggets: Niners return 11 starters to NFC's top-rated defense. Doubt that's ever happened in free agency era. "I'd be surprised if a top-five defense ever brought all its starters back,'' said GM Trent Baalke ... Randy Moss had a good practice, beating Perrish Cox and Carlos Rogers in one-on-one drills. "Defensive coordinators will be dumb if they treat him like the Moss of Tennessee a couple years ago,'' Rogers told me. "He's got a lot left.'' ... Niners think rookie back LaMichael James could be the quick difference-maker they didn't have in offense last year. I agree.

Tuesday: Oakland (Napa Marriott, Napa, Calif.).

Three football nuggets: Darren McFadden, who's been hurt in all four of his NFL seasons, told me: "It drives me crazy. I want to go out there and prove I can stay healthy a full season.'' ... Matt Leinart is a solid No. 2 at quarterback. I'd be surprised if Terrelle Pryor dents the top two without an injury ... Dennis Allen, the new coach, went to school on the salary cap in a big cap-strapped year, a lesson taught by GM Reggie McKenzie. They went around and around trying to figure a way to keep Kamerion Wimbley, but in the end, keeping Wimbley likely would have cost them a more valued player in Tyvon Branch. "The pie's only so big, and I needed to learn about that,'' Allen said. "A head coach in the NFL needs to learn about those things.''

Allen's running a high-energy camp. His two most important players, Carson Palmer and Darren McFadden, have bought in. Palmer says he's never been more excited about a football season in his life, and Allen has rid the team of worrying about anything but football.

Imagine being Palmer, being told you're definitely not being traded by the Bengals last year, not doing any football training or much throwing after the season started, getting traded on the day of the deadline, and playing an NFL game five days later?

I'm not close to Palmer, but I've known him pretty well over the years, and when we met here at the Marriott, I saw an enthusiasm I hadn't seen since he entered the league. The Bengals years beat him down, and he didn't play well near the end, and he decided he wasn't going to play football anymore unless the Bengals traded him. Which, finally, they did.

Palmer told me offensive coordinator Greg Knapp is "a phenomenal teacher, a genius'' (someone call Terrell Owens for comment). Palmer also said running back Taiwan Jones "is the fastest man in the league,'' Darren McFadden "is as good as any running back there is,'' called back Mike Goodson "shockingly good,'' and added, "I know I can play as well as any quarterback in this league.''

On the field in the afternoon practice, Palmer was accurate and fast with the ball, throwing to his cadre of world-class sprinters. And Criner. Big target. Showed good hands. Around here, he's part of the new future.

Wednesday: Miami (Davie, Fla., Dolphins practice facility).

Three football nuggets: Cameron Wake had 39 sacks in two CFL seasons playing defensive end, which is a major reason the Dolphins aren't worried about Wake's transition from outside linebacker to defensive end as Miami switches from the 3-4 to the 4-3 ... Very impressive early in camp: offensive line coach Jim Turner, a former Marine who comes from college. Players love him ... The receiver position is very iffy. Chad Johnson has a chance to win a starting job (he'd better, or he may go X-rated on us, as you'll read below). What the Dolphins need is for one of their two or three young big receivers -- like 6-4 Roberto Wallace of San Diego State, who made a good catch of a long touchdown pass from David Garrard at the practice I saw -- to come through, or they'll be in trouble at the position.



I really like how the Dolphins practice.

I wrote about this in my Dolphins training-camp postcard (cheap plug ), but wanted to expand on it here. I've seen some interesting, fairly new things on this trip. The Jaguars' Big Uglies doing yoga in the locker room after practice, for instance. But the smartest thing I've seen so far is the practice regimen of Joe Philbin. He doesn't want to keep his players on the field for the full three-hour allotment for padded practice because of the south Florida heat. But while they're out there, he wants to max out the number of plays because he's trying to get the three quarterbacks competing for the starting job as much work as he can wedge into a two-and-a-half-hour practice.

Here's how he changes it up to get the play count up: On a full field, the coaches line up at the 50. One full team plays 11-on-11 heading north on the field; when I was there, David Garrard piloted the first offense against the defense. As soon as Garrard ran a play and the whistle blew, ending the play, the coaches turned around to see an entirely separate 11-on-11 play, the offense led by rookie quarterback Ryan Tannehill. When that play ended, boom, the coaches turned around and Garrard was calling signals for his next play. And so on. Ten plays per period per 11-on-11 unit, so 20 in all -- in maybe four or five minutes.

In the first five practices this summer, Philbin's coaches scripted what he called 572 competitive plays. Because of the hurry-up concept, the players ran 657. That's an extra 85 plays -- 17 per day.

"I've never seen it before,'' said GM Jeff Ireland. "The tempo's earth shattering.''

Garrard was very good the day I saw him, throwing well on the run and hitting Wallace on a deep go. And very determined. "I've got a fire in my belly to finish my career the right way,'' said Garrard, released just before the Jacksonville opener last year. Which, by the way, still hurts. "They introduced me at the team luncheon as the starting quarterback, and as soon as we get back after the luncheon I'm told to go see [coach] Jack Del Rio, and he says, 'We feel it's best to go in a different direction.' They threw me under the bus, which I didn't appreciate.''

Now he has a chance to climb out from under the bus and get the last laugh. But he'd better be fast about it.

Thursday: Tampa Bay (Tampa, Bucs' training facility).

Three football nuggets: Dallas Clark's healthy -- for now -- and looking like a good security blanket for Josh Freeman ... Jeremy Zuttah's transition from left guard to center has gone well in the wake of the Jeff Faine firing ... With two rookie backs (Doug Martin of Boise State, Michael Smith of Utah State) impressing early, LeGarrette Blount has some pressure to keep his carries (184 last year) at the same level. Blount's taking the challenge seriously, but Martin may be a better all-around player anyway.

Friday: Jacksonville (Jacksonville, EverBank Field).

Three football nuggets: The $7-million-a-year free-agent wideout, Laurent Robinson, hasn't had a starry first week of camp, but he caught a bullet from Blaine Gabbert on a well-run cross in the Friday scrimmage ... Jag brass is working hard to integrate football analytics into football strategy, as are several teams I've seen on this trip, and it'll be interesting to see how the Moneyball stuff is accepted by the coaches and traditional scouts ... Organization's very bullish on second-round rush end Andre Branch. Wouldn't be surprised if he wins a starting job opposite Jeremy Mincey. Also on the line, I spent some time with defensive tackle Terrance Knighton, who says he's almost all the way back from an incident outside a bar in April that left him in danger of losing sight in one eye. "I didn't panic 'til the doctors panicked,'' he said. "But it's a lot better now.'' Knighton's dropped his weight to a pro-career-low of 328 and looks good.

It all comes down to Gabbert.

Let's assume wideout Justin Blackmon, the last remaining first-round holdout, will make it to camp soon; the two sides are battling over how much risk the team should take if Blackmon, who has two alcohol incidents while driving, has another. Then the question becomes whether the team will cave to rushing champ Maurice Jones-Drew, who has two years left on his deal at $4.5 and $4.95 million. (Doesn't look like they'll address the contract and set a precedent for players with two years left on their deals.)

With such a shaky performance by last year's first-rounder, quarterback Blaine Gabbert, common sense says Jacksonville has to have Jones-Drew playing great for the team to have a chance. But wise, old Jacksonville scribe Vito Stellino has it crystal-clear correct when he notes that the Jaguars aren't going to prosper, Jones-Drew or no Jones-Drew, unless Gabbert is significantly better than he was last season.

And I mean significantly. There were times last year Gabbert looked scared under a heavy rush, and his numbers reflected it -- Curtis Painter had a better passer rating with Indianapolis, for crying out loud. I could accept the he-had-no-offseason-program reasoning, what with the NFL lockout. And each player is different. But I'd argue Cam Newton had the best rookie season an NFL player has ever had -- 4,051 yards passing, 35 passing and rushing touchdowns combined -- and the lockout didn't seem to hurt him.

So fast-forward to the Jags' night scrimmage inside their stadium Friday night. Unfair as it is, this was a significant test for Gabbert, to see how the new teaching group of Mike Mularkey, Bob Bratkowski and Greg Olson were working with him. He threw a nice 21-yard cross to Laurent Robinson, led a 70-yard scoring drive, and threw two accurate line-drive touchdown passes in the red zone. I'm not sure he threw a ball 18 yards past the line of scrimmage in the session, so this certainly wasn't the acid test. The coaches accomplished what they wanted to. This summer is about building Gabbert's confidence after the shattering 2011 debacle (he was the lowest-rated quarterback among NFL qualifiers), and this was a start. No deep throws, just an emphasis on chain moving.

Mularkey emphasized to me that he didn't think Gabbert ever played scared last year. (Sure looked it to me.) His best point to me: "When I coached Matt Ryan [in Atlanta], he entered the league after his fifth-year senior year. This is the equivalent for Blaine, his fifth year [of college and pro football combined]. He came out as a true junior.''

Mularkey's right -- the expectations probably were unfair last year. But Gabbert was picked 10th overall, and the coaches probably will have more patience with him than the fans this year.

Sunday: Atlanta (Flowery Branch, Ga., Falcons' training facility).

Three football nuggets: Offensive coaches and QB Matt Ryan walk off field giddy after the post-afternoon practice because of three deep-ball completions, two to Julio Jones, in the competitive seven-on-seven and 11-on-11 periods ... Ryan's got more of an uncluttered mind under Dirk Koetter, from the looks of things ... Mike Smith told me he wants linebacker Sean Weatherspoon to take the role as defensive team leader, with ex-middle 'backer Curtis Lofton in New Orleans now. Weatherspoon can do it, but he'll have to yell louder than Asante Samuel.

I think the idea that Seattle will work out Terrell Owens today -- first reported by KJR's Dave Mahler Sunday and confirmed after midnight ET by the Seahawks -- says a couple of things. One: They're worried about their crew of wideouts, which they should be. Two: They're not sure if Sidney Rice, who has had surgery on both shoulders in 2012, will be ready for the rigors of the regular season in a month.

I think this tells you more of what you need to know about New England's further offseason obsession with tight ends: The Patriots were interested in acquiring Kellen Winslow from Tampa Bay before the Bucs dealt him to Seattle. I'm told the relationship between Bucs coach Greg Schiano and Bill Belichick had something to do with the deal not getting made with the Patriots. Schiano knew Winslow wouldn't be Belichick's kind of player, and so the Bucs -- who would have been advantaged by sending Winslow to an AFC team instead of the NFC 'Hawks -- made a deal for a conditional seventh-round pick with Seattle.

I also hear New England might have been willing to offer a sixth-round pick for Winslow at one point. The Pats ended up signing Visanthe Shiancoe, another solid veteran. Belichick obviously is going to continue using the tight end tight to the formation, split out, set in the slot and lined up in the backfield.

 

[Faust]

Nine things to know about latest NFL depth charts

By Gregg Rosenthal

Around The League editor

With the first full slate of preseason games starting Thursday, every NFL team has to release an unofficial depth chart. And then every beat writer in the country has to dissect such release.

Some teams like the Green Bay Packers release a depth chart that doesn't remotely line up with how players are getting snaps in practice. We tend to ignore those. But there are little nuggets on other teams that are worth noting.

1. The Denver Broncos listed Knowshon Moreno as their fourth-string running back. Yikes. Former first-round draft pick Robert Ayers also is listed as a backup.

2. As Brian MacIntyre noted, David Garrard is listed as the starting quarterback for the Miami Dolphins.

3. We noted Saturday, Dolphins cornerback Vontae Davis could lose his starting job to Richard Marshall. The team's depth chart confirmed the demotion.

4. Legedu Naanee, Chad Johnson and Davone Bess are listed as the Dolphins' starting wideouts. This Chad Johnson revival should make it into the regular season. Brian Hartline remains sidelined and on the second team.

5. Atlanta Falcons corner back Asante Samuel is listed as a backup to Dunta Robinson and Brent Grimes. All three cornerbacks should be on the field most plays.

6. Brandon Tate is a starting wide receiver for the Cincinnati Bengals. There are a lot of horses still in this race, though, including Armond Binns and rookie Mohamed Sanu.

7. Taylor Mays is listed as the starting strong safety for Cincinnati. The Bengals do a good job rehabbing other teams' draft busts.

8. Daniel Thomas is listed as Reggie Bush's backup in Miami. Steve Slaton is next, with Lamar Miller behind him.

9. The Baltimore Ravens don't play games with their depth chart. Rookie Courtney Upshaw is an immediate starter. Outside linebacker Sergio Kindle is his backup.

 

[Faust]

Training Camp Buzz: Terrell Owens' last best chance

By Gregg Rosenthal NFL.com

Around The League editor

There's only room for so many reclamation projects on Pete Carroll's Northwest Isle of Misfit Toys. Antonio Bryant got the boot over the weekend. Braylon Edwards remains. Terrell Owens might be joining the club soon.

We have no idea whether Owens will get signed by the Seattle Seahawks, but he's not going to get a better chance to make an impact in the NFL again. Carroll isn't afraid to take chances. And he's clearly not happy with his split end position. There is an opportunity to start. Otherwise, why bother with a player like Owens who won't help on special teams?

Golden Tate should be leading this battle, but Carroll's stopgap veteran wanderlust proves there is room for a newcomer to make an impact. In theory, the hardest part for Owens was getting his foot in the door. Carroll appears willing to take a chance on him. Without getting too overdramatic, I suspect this will be Owens' last chance.

What we learned from team scrimmage weekend

We analyze practice throughout training camp, so why not scrimmages? Here's what we learned from some of the teams that held scrimmages over the weekend.

1. No one stepped up for the Dallas Cowboys in their No. 3 receiver battle during their scrimmage. Undrafted rookie Tim Bedford came the closest. The Cowboys have seven guys battling for the spot and don't seem to love anyone. This hasn't been a great camp for the Cowboys.

Miles Austin is out a week with an injury. Morris Claiborne got hurt again after missing most of the offseason. Seemingly every guard on the team is hurt.

2. It didn't feel like a scrimmage for the Denver Broncos. Over 41,000 fans showed up to watch the Broncos, double the amount that came for Tim Tebow's unveiling in 2010. Peyton Manning threw the ball over 50 yards on the first play from scrimmage, although it fell incomplete.

"I actually changed that play to a deep pass just to keep the fans from leaving," Manning said.

Manning had two three-and-outs before leading a touchdown drive.

3. Andy Dalton's first three passes in the Cincinnati Bengals' "Mock Game" went to A.J. Green for 74 yards. Good to see nothing has changed there.

4. Norv Turner admitted that he wanted the San Diego Chargers scrimmage to be "vanilla" because you never know who is watching. Thanks for showing up, Chargers fans!

5. We overanalyzed Tim Tebow's struggles at the New York Jets scrimmage over the weekend. The good news: Santonio Holmes' rib injury won't keep him out long. Linebacker Demario Davis made a sack; he could wind up passing Bart Scott on the depth chart.

Advantage, Skelton

It's rare anything of consequence happens during the Hall of Fame Game. Sunday night was an exception.

Kevin Kolb's nightmare 2011 season got off to the worst start imaginable with a quick interception and an injury. Around the League's Marc Sessler talked one-on-one with Kolb after the game, and the Arizona Cardinals quarterback didn't think his rib injury would keep him out long.

Still, any missed time will give John Skelton an edge in this quarterback battle. Skelton mostly looked composed Sunday night and even showed an ability to improvise. Sessler has the rest of the big takeaways from the game, including the replacement officials botching the coin toss.

 

[Faust]

Cutler primed for a big season

New scheme, better weapons should mean good things for Chicago's offense

By John Clayton | ESPN.com

When Jay Cutler was at his first training camp with the Chicago Bears, plenty of fans seemed to be skeptical.

Even though Cutler is the most talented quarterback to hit the Windy City in decades, several fans who attended his first training camp jeered Cutler if he made a bad throw. They see his arm and skills, and they demand perfection.

Three seasons of inconsistent play still have fans wondering, but at this year's training camp, Cutler seems to be among friends. General manager Phil Emery brought in Cutler's former favorite target in Denver, Brandon Marshall. Lovie Smith hired Cutler's former quarterback coach, Jeremy Bates. And Cutler already had former Vanderbilt teammate Earl Bennett on the roster.

Even the crowds seem to be warming up to him. Optimism about the season has the Bears drawing 10,000 to 12,000 spectators to some key practices. All signs point to Cutler having his best season in Chicago.

Here are five more observations from Bears camp.

1. Numbers never added up: What baffled me the past couple seasons was why the arm of Cutler and the mind of former offensive coordinator Mike Martz never produced big numbers together. Martz put together one of the best offenses in NFL history when he was with the Rams. Cutler threw for 4,526 yards in his final season in Denver. With Martz, Cutler never had a 4,000-yard season, and the team needed Devin Hester's special teams heroics to average more than 20 points per game. On Sunday, promoted offensive coordinator Mike Tice completed the installation of the entire Bears offense, and it points to Cutler getting back to the 4,000-yard level.

The Bears offense will have a run-first mentality, but Cutler now has weapons that should bring out the best in him. The key is how Tice uses Cutler. Gone are the seven-step drops that the offensive line couldn't protect. Some routes are shorter. When he passes, Cutler can get rid of the ball quicker. A better receiving corps will also enhance his numbers. Don't forget, the Bears were 7-3 before Cutler got hurt last year. His departure ruined the season, because the Bears weren't prepared to replace him with a quality backup. Should he get hurt this year, the offense won't have too much of a drop-off, because Jason Campbell looks good running the offense behind Cutler. The most important thing for the Bears is that Cutler likes this offense. It reminds him of better days in Denver.



2. The Bears finally added front-line receivers: For years, Bears management tried to get by with a bunch of No. 2 and No. 3 receivers, hoping they would overachieve and play like No. 1 options. Emery made receivers a priority this offseason. Getting Marshall for two third-round picks was a steal. Sure, Marshall has had off-field issues and his 100-catch seasons in Denver dropped into the 80s in two years with the Dolphins, but talking to Marshall, I figured out why. The Dolphins used portions of the Patriots' offense that called for deeper, slower-developing routes. Without a quarterback like Tom Brady to run that offense in Miami, Marshall's value declined for two seasons. That won't happen in Chicago.

Tice and Bates will make sure Cutler gets him the ball quicker and let him gain yards after the catch. Marshall looks great, is in exceptional shape and his close relationship with Cutler should get him back to the 100-catch level. The other plus was the addition of second-round choice Alshon Jeffery, a big target with great hands who is working behind Devin Hester at flanker. When Jeffery is on the field, Cutler has big targets to choose from. When Hester is out there, the Bears can get good yards after the catch, and Bennett is dependable from the slot.

3. Forte is on a mission: Now that Matt Forte has his four-year contract and job security, he's having the best camp of his career. Many observers remarked how much faster he is running. He's a threat as a runner and a pass-catcher out of the backfield. What makes the backfield even better is having Michael Bush as a backup. Bush is a tough inside runner who could produce a 1,000-yard season if asked to fill in, should Forte get hurt. With Tice calling the plays, the Bears will follow Lovie Smith's orders to be a run-first team.

4. The scheme will make the offensive line better: Because he helped rebuild the Bears offensive line, Tice will make sure the unit won't be set up for failure. When Cutler passes, he will be getting rid of the ball quicker. Tice will try to make his runs less predictable. As much as Martz tried to run the ball to fit Lovie's philosophy, he had a pass-first mentality and loved deeper throws. The line couldn't block for them. It appears the line is set this year, though. J'Marcus Webb beat out former first-rounder Chris Williams for the starting left tackle job. Williams has moved to right tackle and is working behind Gabe Carimi. Williams appears to be set as the backup to both tackle positions. Chris Spencer and Lance Louis are the guards. Roberto Garza is the center. Chilo Rachal and Edwin Williams are the other favorites to be backups. Now, the Bears have three backups with starting experience.

5. Time for the defensive line to step up: As much as the Bears need first-round pick Shea McClellin to develop as a pass-rushing threat opposite Julius Peppers, the key to the season may be how Stephen Paea does at defensive tackle. Paea, a second-round pick in 2011, has done well in camp and shown he might be able to get good push against centers and guards. Defensive tackle has been a Bermuda Triangle for the Bears recently. Several high draft choices vanished in the middle of the defensive line and were labeled busts. But Lovie Smith has good things to say about Henry Melton, a fourth-round pick from 2009, and his play at the three technique. As for McClellin, his hustle could make him a threat to quarterbacks. The guy attacks blockers relentlessly. Corey Wootton, a fourth-round pick from 2010, could also get more playing time in the rotation at defensive end. The Bears need these players to develop for the defense to thrive.

 

[Faust]

Camp Confidential: Vikings

By Kevin Seifert | ESPN.com

MANKATO, Minn. -- The Minnesota Vikings carry absolutely zero national expectations with them to training camp this summer. They parted ways with a half-dozen key members of the 2008 and 2009 NFC North champion teams, shifting into a transition period that will make it difficult to compete in a division filled with elite quarterbacks and playoff contenders.

As it turns out, the Vikings are devoid of internal expectations as well. They have in no way conceded a last-place finish in the division, but they appear realistic about their situation. Three days at Minnesota State University, Mankato, revealed an emphasis on the process rather than bottom-line results.

"This is the most focused and probably unassuming camp I've been a part of," linebacker Chad Greenway said. "And that's great. The last three or four years, we've been surrounded by hype, whether it be right or wrong or good or bad. There's been a lot of media fanfare, sometimes for good reasons but sometimes for bad. "

Greenway paused to choose his words carefully.

"There's no good way to say this, but we've sort of regained the youthful focus of having so many guys that are trying to make the team and make an impression. When you have that, you have guys just coming to work. … It's just about our work, less about what's going on outside of us and more about how we can try to get better. We haven't had perfect practices. We have maybe had some exceptional periods here and there. But we're grinding it out and having fun doing it."

"The only thing we're trying to do," cornerback Antoine Winfield said, "is come out each day and work to get better at something, whether it's technique or studying film. We're just trying to get better."

It's obvious the Vikings are more organized and have a clearer vision after a full offseason under general manager Rick Spielman and coach Leslie Frazier. Their camp is less hectic than the one they put together after the 2011 lockout, and as a result, Frazier said, "We've hit the ground running."

That's a good thing, because everyone agrees they have some catching up to do.

"Nobody is going to sit here from the inside and say we're going to be 10-6 and make the playoffs," Greenway said. "No one is going to talk like that, because we know it's about nothing but grinding it out every day. We just want to stack good days on top of each other."

THREE HOT ISSUES

1. Quarterback Christian Ponder's progress: By all accounts, including the amateur naked eye, Ponder has made strides since the end of an uneven rookie year. His throws in team drills came more often from the pocket than on the run. They were decisive and more accurate than what we saw last year, and Ponder has convinced most everyone surrounding the team that he will be better in his second season.

"He's much, much improved," Frazier said. "I was telling him the other day that we and his teammates all recognize how much more confidence he seems to have. He's communicating more as far as talking to players, telling them where to be and where to line up. He's in his second year. There is still some growth yet and some progress to be made, but he's come along."

During practice, Ponder circulates among veterans and young players with ease, discussing previous plays and keeping the mood light with a goofy but ever-present grin. After overthrowing receiver Jerome Simpson, Ponder stood next to him on the sideline, put his arm around him and said with a smile: "Well, I put it high and outside, just like you wanted it!"

Speaking later with reporters, Ponder said: "This is my team. I'm able to perform so much better and feel so much more comfortable knowing that, and knowing the situation I'm going to be in. I can play and I can prepare, and it's a good feeling."

2. Tailback Adrian Peterson's recovery: Aside from a one-day setback following an allergic reaction, Peterson continued to demonstrate a fanatical determination to rejoin the team in time for its Week 1 game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. During the first day of my visit, Peterson spent more than 30 minutes trying to beat prescribed times in a 50-yard dash. The next day, he ran stairs at Blakeslee Stadium.

Although no one has an exact date in mind, the sense at camp is that Peterson's off-field recovery is nearing its end. Soon it will be time to be activated from the physically unable to perform (PUP) list and add football drills to his routine.

3. Changes up the middle: An overhaul of the middle of the defense remains a work in progress. The Vikings debuted new starters at nose tackle (Letroy Guion) and middle linebacker (Jasper Brinkley), and it's expected that rookie Harrison Smith will soon take over one of the safety spots. "We knew we needed to get better up the middle," Frazier said.

Brinkley has allayed any short-term fear about his availability after injuries limited him during offseason practices. "We missed him this offseason and that was a little scary," Frazier said. "But he's come back this training camp and he's looked good. He hasn't missed a practice. Hasn't missed any drills. You can see that thump he had before his injuries, so we feel good about where he is right now."

Brinkley figures to have limited reps during the season because he has been coming off the field in nickel situations, and Guion probably will serve as a placeholder until the Vikings find a longer-term solution at nose tackle. But Smith projects as a cornerstone player whose ascension to the first team appears imminent. "Drafting Harrison is going to be a good move for us," Frazier said. "He has some range, the athleticism to really help us." Mistral Raymond appears to be the likeliest option to start alongside Smith.



REASON FOR OPTIMISM

A favorable early schedule (at home against the Jaguars in Week 1 and at the Indianapolis Colts in Week 2) provides an opportunity for a 2-0 start, a confidence boost that could propel the Vikings to a more successful season than most have projected.

But from a big-picture perspective, the best thing you can say about the Vikings is they are following a clear long-term vision for the first time in years. They have rid themselves of players they believe no longer can contribute, pushed forward a core of young players -- a group that includes Ponder, Smith, tight end Kyle Rudolph and left tackle Matt Kalil -- and refused to overstep in their search for replacements at other positions.

What we've seen this summer isn't a finished product, but it can be viewed as a clearly identifiable step in building a winning program.



REASON FOR PESSIMISSM

No matter how much progress the Vikings make, they are in a tough division and will compete against teams whose program-building began years ago. The Green Bay Packers, under general manager Ted Thompson, have been at it for eight years. The Chicago Bears' core has been together since the mid-2000s, in most cases, and the Detroit Lions are in Year 4 under general manager Martin Mayhew and coach Jim Schwartz.

Meanwhile, it's important to view Ponder's progress in the context of division foes. Even if he is much better in 2012, Ponder likely still will be the fourth-best quarterback in the NFC North.

OBSERVATION DECK

[*]New defensive coordinator Alan Williams isn't expected to make many schematic changes to the Vikings' Tampa 2 structure. "We're just going to try to take the things we've been good at in the past and do them better," Frazier said. With that said, Winfield said he has been encouraged by some minor tweaks that will allow corners "to play more aggressive and have a few more blitzes."

[*]Winfield is healthy at 35 but the Vikings are protecting him with limited reps in camp. He has gotten some work as an outside cornerback, but it's expected he will serve mostly as a slot defender. "Who knows how much I'll be outside,'" he said, "but I'll definitely be inside. That's my home position."

[*]It appears second-year player Brandon Fusco has won the right guard spot, even if by default. Veteran Geoff Schwartz was set to compete with Fusco for the job, but a sports hernia has put Schwartz behind and brought his availability for the start of the season into question.

[*]Placekicker Blair Walsh, drafted to replace veteran Ryan Longwell, demonstrated an accurate and powerful leg early in camp. Unofficially, he missed only two of 26 kicks in team drills in the first nine days of practice, based on full-camp tracking from Tom Pelissero of 1500ESPN.com.

[*]Tight end John Carlson's knee sprain provided extra practice repetitions for young tight ends Allen Reisner, Mickey Shuler and Rhett Ellison. It appears that Ellison, a fourth-round draft choice from USC, has quickly captured the imagination of his teammates. "We all love that kid," Ponder said. "He's got a little bit of [retired Vikings fullback] Jim Kleinsasser in him. He's tough. We watch his blocks, some of his one-on-one drills against linebackers. He's tough, man. He's got a little crazy in him. Great kid, too, and he's doing really good. ... He's got a little angry side to him. It's pretty cool."

[*]Kalil's matchups with defensive end Jared Allen generated plenty of attention. But Kalil's early-camp performance was also notable for the energy with which he chased downfield blocks. "It's definitely an emphasis for me to finish downfield," Kalil said. "[Offensive line coach Jeff] Davidson makes a good point. You never know what can happen. You can grab a fumble or be there if something bad happens. It's always good to get downfield to be there or try to make that last block. Basically, the more effort, the better."

[*]Greenway is among those who are trying to recalibrate the Vikings' locker room mentality to accommodate the influx of youth. "I think the biggest difference from years past," he said, "is that the veterans are trying to do a better job of embracing the rookies and help them. We need their help now, and we need their help to win now. We need them to come along as fast as possible."

[*]The loss of receiver Greg Childs (knees) on Saturday night was a blow for the team's long-term plans, but in 2012 it's been expected that Simpson, Rudolph and Percy Harvin will be Ponder's top targets. Simpson has worked hard to earn Ponder's trust, while Rudolph's huge catch radius is a comfort for any young quarterback.

 

[Faust]

Terrell Owens impresses Seahawks

ESPN.com news services

Terrell Owens had a very impressive workout Monday in Seattle and the Seahawks are engaged in contract negotiations with the free-agent wide receiver and expects to complete a deal soon, league sources told ESPN's Ed Werder.

Owens' time in the 40 was 4.45 seconds, sources said.

Owens hasn't played in the NFL since the 2010 season with Cincinnati when he caught 72 passes for 983 yards and nine touchdowns.

The 38-year-old Owens didn't get any NFL offers to play last season after surgery on his left knee.

If Owens makes the Seahawks' roster, expecting production from him might be a long shot based on recent history. According to ESPN Stats and Information, of the 187 NFL players with at least 20 catches last season, Donald Driver was the only one older than 35. Hines Ward and Tony Gonzalez each had more than 20 catches, but were just 35 last season.

Owens had 35 catches for 420 yards and 10 touchdowns while playing eight of 11 games for the Allen Wranglers of the Indoor Football League. He was released and lost an ownership stake in the team in May.

 

[netnalp]

Giants - Star Ledger

 

[Faust]

Steelers camp report: Status quo in Pittsburgh; Super Bowl within reach

By Jason La Canfora | CBS Sports NFL Insider

LATROBE, Pa. -- Nothing much ever changes in Pittsburgh. The Rooneys run the family business seamlessly, same as it has always been, and Steelers coaches and executives are long-tenured and signed for years to come and stability is the rule. Expectations rarely change.

Super Bowl or bust.

The sting of losing to Denver in overtime in the playoffs -- getting Tebowed, no less -- is still very real, but that's also in the past. Injuries riddled the roster as 2011 wound down, and escaping those age and health issues will be imperative this season. Getting Ben Roethlisberger on the same page as new offensive coordinator Todd Haley is key as well, and top receiver Mike Wallace is still a training camp no-show.

But for this franchise, that's no big deal. The Steelers are aiming for another Lombardi Trophy, and there's no reason to think they don't have a legitimate shot.

"There is a great history here, and so much tradition, and that's comforting to be a part of," coach Mike Tomlin told me. "But every season is its own story."

Team Objectives

• QB-coach chemistry. Haley is a very different type of coach than anything Roethlisberger has experienced in Pittsburgh. He is demanding and can be demonstrative and he will challenge the Pro Bowl quarterback in practices and games. He's also bringing a more dynamic offensive system with him, one that will cull more out of positions like tight end. Haley is taking his time with his star pupil. "I've always said this, whether it be with Kurt [Warner] or other quarterbacks I've worked with," Haley said. "It takes some time to really get to know a guy and what makes him tick. And training camp is when a lot of that really starts to come together."

• Get Wallace signed. The Steelers are still very interested in securing him long-term, and once Wallace comes to grips with the fact that $10 million a season is his price point, that will get done. Extending his absence into the regular season doesn't make sense. In the meantime Antonio Brown and Emmanuel Sanders can hold down the receiver spot, but several Steelers players told me that without Wallace there to take the top off the defense, they aren't the same. Until Wallace reports to camp, there will be no further negotiations.

• Young blood. Much is made about the Steelers' age on defense, and it's true Troy Polamalu, James Harrison, Brett Keisel and Casey Hampton aren't getting any younger. But this team always drafts well and feels good about the next wave of youngsters, including Ziggy Hood, Cameron Heyward, Stevenson Sylvester and Chris Carter. General manager Kevin Colbert says he can see Heyward, a top pick in 2010, spelling Keisel, and Carter "is more comfortable now doing the things he has to do as a linebacker." With LaMarr Woodley and Lawrence Timmons in their prime, the linebacker group will be just fine, but the veterans are getting plenty of rest at this camp, which means ample reps for the youngsters.

Camp Battles

Running back: The Steelers are pretty confident that feature back Rashard Mendenhall (knee surgery) will play at some point this season, but it's likely not until the stretch run in December. They probably will go somewhat by committee with Jonathan Dwyer, Isaac Redman and rookie Chris Rainey getting a look. But Rainey already was being held out of more physical drills in camp -- he is a speedster and quick-burst change of pace guy, nowhere near an every-down back. Redman has the most experience but Dwyer, a sledgehammer, was the buzz of the offseason and early camp. He's finally in great shape and seems determined, with several hardened defensive players telling me he is a handful. He has had a 100-yard game in the past in a limited role and could be a breakthrough player with the light bulb apparently now on. "It better be," Tomlin said. "It's his third year, it's time to produce and we like what we've seen so far."

Right tackle: The Steelers have more depth and youth on the offensive line than they have for a long, long time. And good competition. Rookie Mike Adams, a top-15 talent who fell because of a failed drug test, is seen as the right tackle of the future. He'll fight it out with Trai Essex through the preseason, both getting time with the starters. Rookie David DeCastro, a little hobbled at the start of camp, is trying to push for playing time at guard as well. Regardless of how it shakes out, Roethlisberger should feel better about his protection than he has for quite some time.

Return specialist: Brown is now a $42 million man after signing an extension at the start of camp. That means subjecting him to the return game mostly is a thing of the past. He'll still do it on occasion, if a spark is needed, but the Steelers are going to experiment with a bunch of guys in the preseason. Tomlin brought in former return whiz Desmond Howard to work with the group early in camp. "Antonio will be doing a lot less returning," Colbert said, "and we're hoping someone else will supplement that role."

Somebody to Watch

Injuries have robbed former starting tackle Willie Colon of time in recent years, but he is healthy, fit and thriving at left guard. Having tackle size at guard with a power running game is never a bad thing. "He looks very, very comfortable at guard," Colbert said. "He's a very physical presence there for us." Again, if this reshuffled line is as good as it seems it can be, one of Pittsburgh's biggest weaknesses in recent years could become a major strength.

Injury Roundup

• Harrison has dealt with all kinds of ailments in recent years and Colbert and Tomlin seemed fine with leaving him and Hampton on the PUP list for a while. Tomlin always manages his veterans through camp well.

• Tight end Heath Miller was dealing with a minor ankle sprain but there was no real concern there.

• Punter Jeremy Kapinos was dealing with back issues early in camp but should be fine in short order.

The Last Word

The AFC North again will be tough and the Steelers are always a factor. Big Ben could be more prolific than ever, the defense was still a highly ranked unit and you would think they couldn't get as banged up as they did a year ago. Eventually, Wallace will be back, and that will be another big boost (assuming he doesn't stay away to the point where it becomes a doomed season for him because of health/conditioning).

This looks like a team that can compete for a title and winning 11-12 games is well within reason. Another Super Bowl appearance wouldn't surprise me at all.

 

[Faust]

Camp Confidential: Philadelphia Eagles

By Dan Graziano | ESPN.com

BETHLEHEM, Pa. -- A year ago, as excitement swirled around the free-agent-happy Philadelphia Eagles and preseason predictions called for big things, something didn't feel quite right.

"I didn't think the expectations were too high, but I knew that the timing might not match up as quickly as everyone wanted it to," cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha said after practice last week. "Because you would hear, 'Oh, they're going to be this, going to be that,' and then you'd come out in practice and you could see us blowing plays. Yes, we could be there, but we weren't there yet. That's what I was feeling in training camp. Right now in training camp, it feels completely different."

Last week, before the Eagles' training camp was rocked by Sunday's news of the death of coach Andy Reid's son Garrett, the atmosphere was serene and businesslike. The players have been practicing together since February, when Asomugha and quarterback Michael Vick were organizing players-only workouts at the University of Pennsylvania. Late July welcomed them to one of the hardest-hitting camps in the NFL. Their motivation is clear and simple: They were 8-8 last year and believe they should have been better. They admit to being downright angry about the way the 2011 season went.

"I think there's a determined effort to try to maximize our opportunity," Eagles general manager Howie Roseman said. "You see it from the players. You see it from the coaches. You see it from the support staff. And I think last year, maybe you underestimated how long it takes to acclimate."

No such issues or excuses this time around. This is basically the same group as last year, with new guys at middle linebacker and left tackle. All of the coaches who were new to the team or their roles last season are back. All of the new schemes implemented last year by defensive coordinator Juan Castillo, defensive line coach Jim Washburn and offensive line coach Howard Mudd are familiar by now, and everybody should be more comfortable in them. If the Eagles flop again, there won't be anywhere to look for explanations other than within. That's why this August's focus is internal, on the things that are important rather than any hype they might be attracting.

"I don't want anyone buying into anything," Asomugha said. "I just want us to get into this season and just play the way we know how to play. I'll be completely honest with you: Our team looks very good. Obviously it's camp. We're not playing against anybody, but we're under specific instruction. Don't talk. Don't blow this thing up. Don't nothing. Let's just get in the season, and let's just start playing football."

Once they do that, the Eagles believe that this time around, everything will be just fine.

THREE HOT ISSUES

1. Can Vick lead them to greatness? No player in the league is under more pressure in 2012 than Vick. The brilliance of his 2010 season disappeared under the disappointment of his injury- and interception-riddled 2011, in which he failed to take that critical next step in his late-career development as a leader and a quarterback. The popular narrative is that this is the first time since 2006 in Atlanta that Vick has had a real offseason as a team's starting quarterback. He began 2010 as the Eagles' backup, and the 2011 offseason was wiped away by the lockout. The result, everyone says, is that Vick has spent more time at the team facility, working out, studying film and applying himself to details in order to get better.

"It's all evident," Vick said of his 2011 film review. "A lot of the turnovers I had, I think eight of them, were on balls that got tipped, so I need to try and release the ball a little higher, do something differently. There's nothing more gratifying than learning from a mistake. Interceptions are going to happen, but you try to keep them to a minimum and think about ball control."

The more focus on detail, the better for Vick, who has long relied on his unusual and considerable talent to carry him through. As last season proved, being a quarterback is about the little things, much more than just what you can do with your arm and your legs.

"I see him just being smarter," wide receiver DeSean Jackson said of Vick. "He's taking a leadership role where he can be coached and be taught by other people as well. He's not at a point where he doesn't feel like anybody can tell him anything. He interacts, and he wants to know what it is that he's doing something wrong. And if he is doing something wrong, you can just get on him, just like a regular individual, a regular player."

2. The "quarterback of the defense" The big acquisition of the Eagles' offseason was middle linebacker DeMeco Ryans, whom they acquired in a trade with the Houston Texans prior to the draft. Ryans is a well-respected veteran who was emerging as one of the top linebackers in the league before his 2010 Achilles injury.

A misfit in the 3-4 defense the Texans implemented during his rehab, Ryans is more comfortable playing the middle linebacker spot in the Eagles' 4-3. He is healthy and looking like the player who was universally loved and respected by Texans teammates, who called him Cap. The Eagles' defense, which started unprepared rookie Casey Matthews at middle linebacker last September, should benefit from Ryans' veteran presence.

"You see that stability there," Reid said. "The game's slower for him than it would be for a rookie. So he's able to just kind of get everybody lined up, get everybody settled and calmed down."

Roseman said it was a priority for the Eagles to find "the quarterback of our defense," and Ryans is aware that he was brought in to correct 2011's biggest defensive flaw. Ryans is trying to keep those expectations as calm as he's trying to keep his defensive teammates.

"It's not going to take one person to fix all the problems," Ryans said. "It takes everybody working together and finding out how we can make all 11 guys play better and have a better defense."

What the Eagles like about Ryans is that he can teach everybody just how to do that. And he can play a little too.

"It's not like we just got a guy off the street who has some experience," Asomugha said. "This guy is a big-time player."

3. Replacin' Jason Left tackle Jason Peters may have been the best player on the Eagles' roster last season, and that's no slight to anyone else. Peters was a monster blocker who was critical to the success of the offensive line and to the breakout season of running back LeSean McCoy. But Peters injured his Achilles in the offseason and is out for the season.

His replacement is free-agent signee Demetress Bell, who is athletic like Peters and has the potential to be an adequate replacement. Bell's issue has been staying healthy and on the field, but so far his teammates say he is looking good and picking up Mudd's complex blocking schemes.

"He's one of the best options we could have had to replace Jason," left guard Evan Mathis said. "He displays great athleticism. He has a hunger to learn and a hunger to get better. And what's good for him is, Jason had a monster season, so he can go look at the film of Jason having a monster season, take what he's learning from Howard, apply it to what he's doing on the field and just try and replicate that and do exactly what Jason was doing. He's making strides daily."

REASON FOR OPTIMISM

For all that went wrong last season, the Eagles managed to finish 8-8 and weren't eliminated from playoff contention until Week 16. Had they managed to hold just one of those blown fourth-quarter leads -- against the 49ers, Falcons or Giants, say -- the discussion of their 2011 might be very different. They played well enough at the end of last season, and in the first three quarters of their September games, to prove to themselves they can be as good as they think they can be. If they can cut down on the costly mistakes, and if they get the mental boost they say they got from their season-ending four-game winning streak, it's not a long journey from where they were to a division title.

REASON FOR PESSIMISM

So much comes down to Vick. With a backup corps that comprises Mike Kafka, Trent Edwards and rookie Nick Foles, it's more important than ever for Vick to stay healthy. He hasn't played 16 games in a season since 2006, and the Eagles were 1-2 in the three games he missed last season. When he is at his best, Vick gives the Eagles advantages at the position over any team in the league. He can do things with his arm and his legs that other quarterbacks can't. But his relatively small size and all-out style of play have created a history of injury that can't be overlooked when forecasting his -- and the Eagles' -- season. If he doesn't play well, or if they lose him for an extended period of time, it's going to be difficult for them to compete with the top teams in the NFC.

OBSERVATION DECK

[*]Wide receiver Jeremy Maclin is a breakout candidate. He was sick at this time last year and wasn't able to get a lot out of training camp, and he had injury issues throughout the season. He is 100 percent healthy now, and he gives the Eagles a speed threat opposite Jackson in the wide receiver corps. Don't be surprised if Maclin has a better statistical season than Jackson.

[*]I think McCoy will miss Peters at left tackle. The Eagles ran outside a lot last season, and Peters' upfield blocking was a huge help to McCoy's ability to break long runs. Having watched the Eagles work on their inside running in camp, I get the impression they're so strong in the middle of the offensive line -- especially given how much better 2011 first-round pick Danny Watkins looks at right guard -- that McCoy will be able to run successfully between the tackles more than he did a season ago.

[*]Brandon Graham is the 2012 Eagles in microcosm. Fans are sick of hearing how good he is supposed to be and just want to see it. The 2010 first-round pick looks fantastic in the early going and should be able to make a contribution as part of the rotation at defensive end. Reid says the plan is to rotate eight guys on the defensive line and "throw fastballs, if we can, at the offensive line." A healthy, productive Graham subbing in to give Trent Cole or Jason Babin a breather would go a long way toward enabling that.

[*]Jamar Chaney was playing well enough to look like the starter at weakside linebacker before a hamstring injury in the second week of camp sidelined him. The starter could be Matthews or Brian Rolle if Chaney can't keep his momentum going. Rookie Mychal Kendricks is supposed to start on the strong side, but the Eagles are taking things slowly with him. Don't be surprised if, as with Watkins a year ago, his role is bigger in the second half than it is at the start.

[*]Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, the starter at cornerback opposite Asomugha, looks spry and comfortable in his new role. He played the slot cornerback position last season, which he never had before, and should be better on the outside.

[*]Rookie Brandon Boykin could win the slot corner job ahead of veteran Joselio Hanson. Boykin is also helping as a kick returner.

[*]It's possible the Eagles could go without a fullback. They didn't use one much last season, and they like what backup tight end Brett Brackett has been showing in camp. Philadelphia could use him or Clay Harbor along with Brent Celek in multiple tight end sets.

 

[Faust]

Bratkowski: Jaguars' passing game 'not very good'

By Dan Hanzus

Writer

The Faint Praise Express rolled in Jacksonville on Monday.

Jaguars offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski served as the conductor, doling out a lukewarm assessment of new wide receiver Laurent Robinson.

"I think Laurent has been a fairly consistent player," Bratkowski said, a statement unlikely to appear in any Inspirational Quotes book series. "It's a work in progress. He's learning a new offense. I think he's been a good addition."

Robinson, poached from the Dallas Cowboys in March with a five-year, $32.5 million contract, has not had a good training camp. Jaguars coach Mike Mularkey said last week Robinson needs to "make some plays" and wondered if the receiver is pressing after signing the first big-money deal of his career.

Robinson isn't the only problem in the Jaguars' passing offense. First-round draft pick Justin Blackmon finally agreed to a contract Monday, and has already missed vital practice time. Bratkowski praised the progress of Blaine Gabbert, but said the second-year quarterback needs help.

"That passing game right now is not very good," he said. "It starts with the protection, the drops, running the routes improperly. I know when you stand on the sidelines and look at it a lot of times it looks like it's a quarterback, but I'll be honest with you many cases the quarterback is getting fooled or he's under pressure and having to make decisions faster than you would want him to make."

Blackmon could be on the field Tuesday, adding another piece to the puzzle. But it certainly sounds like the Jaguars still have a lot of work to do. We're sure Maurice Jones-Drew can't wait to get back to work.

 

[Faust]

First look: Texans' depth chart tidbits

By Paul Kuharsky | ESPN.com

The Texans' first unofficial depth chart, released in advance of their preseason opener at Carolina on Saturday, contains no huge surprises.

Teams generally defer, at this stage, to the veteran over the rookie -- if not in the rotation or play time, at least on paper.

Here are a few items of note:

[*]Fourth-rounder Keshawn Martin is listed as a second-team receiver behind Andre Johnson, ahead of Lestar Jean.

[*]Veteran Bryant Johnson is listed as a No. 2 receiver behind Kevin Walter, and ahead of third-round pick DeVier Posey.

[*]First-round outside linebacker Whitney Mercilus is listed as the weakside backup behind Connor Barwin.

[*]Second-year outside linebacker Bryan Braman is listed as the backup on the strong side behind Brooks Reed.

[*]Alan Ball is listed as the backup to left cornerback Kareem Jackson, who platooned with the departed Jason Allen last season.

[*]Veteran kicker Shayne Graham is listed ahead of fifth-rounder Randy Bullock.

 

[Faust]

Weeden taking aggressive approach

By Jamison Hensley | ESPN.com

Watch a couple of seven-on-seven drills involving Browns quarterback Brandon Weeden and you'll leave with the same impression: He has a different mindset than Checkdown Colt.

There were times when Weeden could have played it safe and dropped it to a running back. Instead, he took a shot downfield. Some throws were successful, and others were not.

The key is that Weeden is being aggressive in his first NFL training camp. This attitude was missing from the Browns offense last season, when Colt McCoy ranked 33rd in the NFL with an average of 5.9 yards per attempt (only Jacksonville's Blaine Gabbert was worse among starting quarterbacks).

"You have to pick your spots and take your shots," Weeden said.

Offensive coordinator Brad Childress said it's too early to put the "gunslinger" label on Weeden, and Childress knows that type of quarterback all too well. To be fair, Weeden was more conservative in team drills, tossing the ball to running back Trent Richardson in the flat a couple of times.

This shows that Weeden knows when to be smart, especially in certain areas of the field.

"In the red zone, they stress the importance of taking care of the football," Weeden said. "You work that hard to get down here ... We have a great field-goal kicker. Phil [Dawson] is really good, and you have to take advantage of him."

Weeden is still getting a feel for the playbook. He said 90 to 95 percent of the offense has been installed. The Browns have had seven days of practice, but they only have four more practices before the preseason opener at Detroit. There's not a lot of time to waste.

"The stuff I’m comoftable with, I’m really comfortable with, if that makes sense," Weeden said. "There’s obviously stuff I really like and there’s stuff I’m still getting comfortable with, and terminology I’m still learning. It’s still a learning process. It’s going to take me some time to get it down where I feel comfortable with everything I do. I’ve done a pretty good job of taking advantage of every single rep."

Browns should have named Weeden earlier

By Jamison Hensley | ESPN.com

Brandon Weeden was named the Browns' starting quarterback, coach Pat Shumur announced after Monday's practice.

"There's no looking back," Shurmur told reporters, via the Cleveland Plain Dealer.

There was never any doubt on who would be the Browns' starter. The only question was: What was taking the Browns so long to make a decision?

The coaching staff had already determined that Weeden would be the starter because he took all of the snaps with the first-team offense for the first eight days of training camp. Even if Weeden struggled during camp, the Browns were going to have to stick with Weeden. In reality, this isn't a playoff year for the Browns. One of the big goals for this season is determining whether Weeden is a starting quarterback in this league.

When a team invests a first-round pick in a 28-year-old quarterback, he's going to play right away. Bringing Weeden along slowly isn't in the cards when he will turn 30 in the second month of the 2013 season.

The Browns should have named Weeden the starter at the June mandatory minicamp. Yes, the announcement should have come nine weeks ago. The Colts and Redskins wasted no time in handing the ball to Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III. The Browns should have followed suit. It would have put more pressure on Weeden, but he could've handled it. He already looked like the starter at that point by his confidence and comfort level in the offense.

This decision goes beyond the age factor. It only takes one drill to see Weeden has the strongest and most accurate arm on the team. Colt McCoy, who averaged 5.9 yards per pass attempt (33rd in the NFL), and Seneca Wallace, who is 1-8 over the past three seasons as a starter, were never a threat to the 22nd overall pick in the 2012 draft.

Shurmur declined to name the primary backup to Weeden. Now, that is a real quarterback battle. The competition for the Browns starting quarterback was always a charade.

 

[Touchdown There]

Giants - Star Ledger

M Bennett needs to improve his self-esteem.

TE Martellus Bennett caught a throw-back screen for the second straight practice. LB Keith Rivers was among those who went with the flow the other way and had to fight through blockers. On his way back to the huddle, Bennett jogged past reporters and said, “Now you can write about the speed.”

 

[Faust]

Cowboys Monday practice observations

By Dan Graziano | ESPN.com

OXNARD, Calif. -- For you East Coast night owls, or for you Dallas Cowboys fans out here on the West Coast, I hereby offer one man's take on what he saw at Cowboys practice Monday afternoon here. As always, you can follow the hard-working fellas at ESPNDallas.com for more. I can see them all right now as I type, sitting in the row in front of me in the press tent. They're busting their tails for you guys. But you know, I'm here, and you seem to want to know what I think too, so here you go:

[*]If you didn't know anything about his off-field issues and you just showed up to watch a Cowboys practice, you'd think Dez Bryant was one of the best wide receivers in the NFL. Yeah, there was a play on which Brandon Carr carried him on a route and took the ball away from him for a nifty interception. And there was another on which he didn't turn and look when Tony Romo threw it to him on a hot route. But Romo throws the ball to him a lot, and you can see why. Bryant creates a physical mismatch against any defensive back that tries to cover him. (Carr beat him with guile and timing.) Romo can throw it high if he needs to and knows Bryant will out-jump his man. He can be confident in Bryant's ability to use his body to shield the ball from the defender. He can throw deep to him. He can hit him on an underneath route and feel good about his chances to shake a tackle and turn it upfield for a big gain. He can hit him, as he did, on a fade route in the end zone from the 1-yard line. If he can stay out of further trouble and on the field, there's little reason to believe Bryant can't have a huge season.

[*]The first team offensive line, left to right, was Tyron Smith, David Arkin, Phil Costa, Ronald Leary and Doug Free. Arkin also got snaps at center with the second-team line, which featured Derrick Dockery and Daniel Loper at guard with Jermey Parnell and Pat McQuistan at tackle. The offensive line looks like a major area of concern, and there's little depth with so many potential starters out.

[*]Smith is the one player on the line to feel great about. Coach Jason Garrett said he was "still learning how to get out of his stance on the left side," which makes sense since Smith played right tackle throughout college and during his excellent rookie season last year. And it's not 100 percent fair to judge a guy against DeMarcus Ware. But once he gets his hands on the defender, there's no getting by Smith. Once the footwork and everything on which he needs to re-train himself becomes second nature on his new side, he should be just fine.

[*]Everyone on Twitter is asking me who has the edge in the No. 3 receiver battle. I didn't think anyone looked that great. Andre Holmes and Dwayne Harris dropped passes. Raymond Radway got yanked off the field for bad body language. Kevin Ogletree didn't really stand out. The best down-roster receiver Monday was Cole Beasley, who made three catches including the touchdown in the two-minute drill with the second-team offense led by Kyle Orton. Safe to say No. 3 wide receiver remains wide open. Here's Tim MacMahon on why DeMarco Murray could help make that less important.

[*]Murray, by the way, looks fantastic as a runner and natural as a pass-catcher. Also, it really hurts when you shake his hand. He's got that Adrian Peterson/Oklahoma vise-grip thing going. My hand is still throbbing.

[*]Inside linebackers Sean Lee and Dan Connor looked tough and aggressive blowing through blocks. Connor made one impressive stop on Felix Jones behind the line of scrimmage. I thought Bruce Carter looked good in coverage a few times. Lee's the superstar in that group, but the Connor/Carter fight for the other starting spot could be interesting.

[*]I'm back out here for one more day tomorrow, watching practice and doing more interviews. I'll have more posts from here tomorrow and throughout the rest of the week, with the Cowboys "Camp Confidential" scheduled right now for Friday. But this ought to hold you for now.

 

[Faust]

Rookie Report: Nine nuggets from around the NFL

By Gregg Rosenthal

Around The League editor

Last Monday, we told you about five rookies making an impact early in training camp. This time we'll give you nine rookie nuggets about from around the league. (The final four come free of charge.)

1. Andrew Luck reportedly completed over 75% of his passes in his first week of training camp. We don't put too much stock in camp completion percentage, but that is pretty ridiculous. It should get Colts fans excited that Luck's decision-making has traveled with him from Stanford to Indianapolis. Everyone around him says the same thing: You can't tell he's a rookie. That should get Colts fans excited.

2. St. Louis Rams first-round pick Michael Brockers has consistently made noise at practice, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. The team's scrimmage didn't sound too different from a normal practice, but the defensive tackle stood out during the weekend session. Brockers has been a handful for the Rams' line all camp. That's a great early sign for a player that many thought would take time to develop.

3. The Pittsburgh Steelers listed left tackle Mike Adams as a backup on their initial depth chart. Mike Tomlin's usage at practice lately tells a different story. The second-round pick from Ohio State has lined up as a starter on Ben Roethlisberger's blind side, and we expect that to continue indefinitely. Despite his draft status, Adams could wind up as one of the most integral rookies on a Super Bowl team in the NFL.

4. The Minnesota Vikings waived/injured fourth-round receiver Greg Childs after his devastating injury over the weekend. We'd be absolutely stunned if anyone claimed him because the severity of his injury. Childs should end up on injured reserve.

5. Despite a few big plays, the New York Post reports Stephen Hill is having a very quiet New York Jets camp. This is not a shock because of the basic offense Hill played in at Georgia Tech.

6. Arizona Cardinals first-round pick Michael Floyd worked exclusively with the second team in the Hall of Fame Game. It's a little too early to assume he'll remain the No. 4 receiver heading into the season, but that's the most likely scenario. Ken Whisenhunt works his guys along slowly.

7. Receiver Brian Quick was talked up all offseason in St. Louis as a starter. It sounds like he's running behind fellow rookie Chris Givens and a number of other Rams wideouts, like Danny Amendola, Brandon Gibson, and Steve Smith, thus far in camp. We're not sure why everyone expected Quick to make such a smooth transition from Appalachian State.

8. Houston Texans fourth-round wideout Keshawn Martin will probably have a significant role on the team's offense at this rate. Houston will need their young receivers to step up.

9. We'd be very surprised at this point if Chandler Jones and Dont'a Hightower don't start for the New England Patriots. Safety Tavon Wilson is carving out a role as the man to cover opposing safeties. This will be an exceedingly young Patriots' defense.

 

[Faust]

Five questions from Steelers camp

By Pat Kirwan | NFL Insider

One of the special days on my annual NFL camp tour is the stop it Latrobe, Pa., to visit the Steelers. Every year, I make sure I am in town for the scrimmage at Latrobe High School on the first Friday of August. This year the team honored four retiring Steelers: Joey Porter, Aaron Smith, Marvel Smith and Willie Parker. A reported 55,000 fans showed up, which drives home the point that the Steelers are a mighty force because of their close-knit family mentality. Like all teams they have questions this summer. Thanks to Art Rooney, Mike Tomlin, Todd Haley, Brett Keisel, Antonio Brown and Joey Porter for spending time with me to take a look at the 2012 season.



1. What is happening with WR Mike Wallace?

Some Steelers fans are mad at Mike Wallace for holding out, but the people who know this team best believe he will be in camp around mid-August. I agree. Wallace will not win his toe-to-toe battle with the Rooneys for a big contract. Granted, when the Steelers dropped a big deal in the lap of Antonio Brown it looked like Wallace was destined to a restricted tag this season and a potential franchise tag for the 2013 and 2014 seasons. That's one option for the club, but I am more inclined to think they get a long-term deal done with Mike Wallace. A critical receiver injury in camp could turn some leverage back to Wallace but not enough for management to give in to his demands.

2. Can the Steelers run the ball significantly better than last year?

Pittsburgh was 14th in the NFL last year, averaging 119 yards a game on the ground. There was a strong opinion among many of the 55,000 fans at practice that the team needs to run it more. Fans think Todd Haley is spinning the clock back to the glory days of the '70s and '80s to run the ball. Haley was quick to point that getting in the right plays -- run or pass -- and executing them is a bigger concern than percentage of running plays. But mark my words: The Steelers running game will be among the league's top 10. The offensive line is looks better than it has in years. Willie Colon, now the left guard, can pull and lead a 'G' power-run scheme to his right with great results. The other day in practice he pulled and exploded into linebacker Lawrence Timmons, sending Timmons flying. Stanford rookie David Castro is wearing Alan Fanaca's number (No. 66) and has excellent pull skills. Pittsburgh will run effectively anywhere across the line of scrimmage. Finally, don't underestimate rookie LT Mike Adams as a zone-run blocker. In the scrimmage he got up to the second level and drove linebackers into the ground. Last year, Pittsburgh ran 55 percent of the time for 5.0 yards a carry on first down. Those results are sure to improve this year.



3. Who are the team leaders with Hines Ward and James Farrior gone?

In the absence of Ward and Farrior, Tomlin believes the natural leaders will rise to the top. He also pointed out Ben Roethlisberger, Brett Keisel and Ryan Clark all have gone out for the coin toss in the past and have leadership skills. After watching practice, I'll throw the names Maurkice Pouncey, Lamar Woodley and, of course, Troy Polamalu into the mix. True leaders set the pace their own way and are not always rah-rah types. The Steelers' leadership is healthy and ready to go.

4. Where are the key camp battles?

• The most intriguing position battle is going on at cornerback opposite Ike Taylor. Many have penciled Keenan Lewis in as the starter but he's getting a serious challenge from 2011 third-round pick Cortez Allen. Between the two, they had one start last season but each looks capable of having a great season. I think Allen wins the job, but that doesn't mean the loser is the nickel back. The top player in camp for the slot nickel corner is Curtis Brown, who can explode as a blitzer. There is opinion in Pittsburgh that Brown will beat out the loser of the starting right corner spot for the nickel job.

• The fifth wide receiver spot is wide open, assuming Mike Wallace eventually returns. Antonio Brown, Wallace, Emmanuel Sanders and Jericho Cotchery have the first four spots locked up. Tony Clemons, a 2011 seventh-round pick, was singled out as a guy looking good but I could see the Steelers keep a guy like Chris Rainey, a hybrid runner/receiver/returner, instead.

5. Who steps up if the guys on PUP can't go right away?

Key players on the PUP (physically unable to perform) list are Casey Hampton, Jason Worilds, James Harrison, and Rashard Mendenhall. It's clear to me that the Steelers have answers for most of these situations after watching a two-hour practice. Steve McLendon is no longer the 280-pound college free agent from 2009. He is now the 325-pound starting nose tackle working in place of Hampton. McLendon won some terrific battles vs. All-Pro center Maurkice Pouncey and is no downgrade after Hampton. With two OLBs sidelined, the Steelers have opened the door for 2011 fifth-round pick Chris Carter (Fresno State). He needs work and there would be a significant drop-off if he has to start. While Mendenhall heals Isaac Redman is stealing the show and may not surrender the RB role after Mendenhall returns. Redman plays angry and is just the kind of guy Todd Haley will want carrying the ball.

 

[Faust]

Observation deck: Cardinals-Saints

By Pat Yasinskas | ESPN.com

Let’s run through some thoughts and observations from the New Orleans Saints’ 17-10 victory against the Arizona Cardinals in Sunday night’s Hall of Fame Game.

[*]Quarterback Drew Brees and most of the first-team offense played only the first series of the game. But it was a very efficient drive. The Saints went 77 yards on 10 plays to score a touchdown. Brees didn’t do anything fancy, but completed four of five passes for 41 yards and the first offense looked as smooth as you could hope for in a preseason opener.

[*]Second-year running back Mark Ingram scored the opening touchdown on a 1-yard run. Ingram also had a nice 10-yard cutback run before that. Ingram missed part of his rookie season with injuries and had knee and toe surgery this offseason. But he looked like he’s completely healthy and that means he likely will share time in the backfield with Darren Sproles and Pierre Thomas.

[*]Free safety Malcolm Jenkins didn’t produce a single interception last season. He got one precisely five minutes into this game, jumping a route and picking off Kevin Kolb. I expect a lot more interceptions out of Jenkins this season as he gets a chance to be a true center fielder for the first time in his career.

[*]Curtis Lofton had a tackle for a 2-yard loss on a run by LaRod Stephens-Howling on Arizona’s second possession. Get used to that. Lofton is better than any linebacker the Saints had last season, particularly against the running game.

[*]Defensive tackle Sedrick Ellis, who hasn’t been known as a pass-rusher, got nice pressure on Kolb in the Arizona end zone midway through the first quarter. Kolb barely got a pass off to avoid a safety. He also was shaken up on the play and left the game.

[*]Overall, the Saints' first-team defense didn’t do anything that stood out either way. The unit wasn’t real sharp with its tackling against the Arizona running game.

[*]There were some encouraging things from the Saints' second-team defense. Martez Wilson, who is making the move from linebacker to defensive end, produced a sack in the second quarter and another early in the third quarter.

[*]Joseph Morgan and Laron Scott each misjudged a punt return in the first quarter. Scott redeemed himself with a nice kickoff return in the second quarter.

[*]Undrafted rookie running back Travaris Cadet looked great catching the ball out of the backfield and in the return game. But it’s going to be tough for Cadet to make a roster that already includes Ingram, Sproles, Thomas and Chris Ivory. Cadet’s best hope might be to catch on with another team or to end up on New Orleans’ practice squad.

 

[Faust]

Fantasy football notebook: Kevin Kolb stumbles in opener

By Adam Rank NFL.com

Writer

The reign of Arizona Cardinals starting quarterback Kevin Kolb as the top signal caller in the desert lasted about as long as the Daniel Bryan title defense in Wrestlemania. But at least Bryan got a peck from AJ for his troubles.

Kolb had what we would call a worst-case scenario moment in the Hall of Fame game. Kolb was intercepted on his first pass attempt and then it somehow managed to get worse as he eventually left the game with a rib injury. Not the kind of start a guy with history of injuries is looking for.

I'd be shocked if Kolb is the starter in Week 1. Backup John Skelton looked poised in the pocket and good enough to win the job. The Cardinals invested a lot in Kolb, but I expect them to treat this situation the same way the Angels have approached the Vernon Wells situation and just have a well-paid backup quarterback.

This is good for Larry Fitzgerald, who would excel with anybody, but check out these numbers provided by Michael Fabiano last week:

Fitzgerald played in 16 games last season. In the eight contests where Kolb led the team in pass attempts, he averaged 4.7 receptions, 82.2 yards and scored two touchdowns. In the other eight games, where Skelton led the team in pass attempts, Fitzgerald averaged 5.2 receptions, 94.1 yards and scored six touchdowns. Kolb is the current favorite to start heading into 2012.

Let's hope it's Skelton

Are you worried now?

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger sat out practice on Sunday because of an ankle injury after he threw a touchdown to Emmanuel Sanders (told you the team would be fine without Mike Wallace) earlier. Coach Mike Tomlin said the injury was not serious.

Yes, so "not serious" the team held him out of practice because of an injury. Got it.

Still though, I'm not going to be overly concerned about his. Ben Roethlisberger likes to sell injuries like he's Dolph Ziggler (more of an over-seller compared to Heath Slater), so it's not a surprise his name is in the news because of an injury.

But here's the thing... he always plays. He's like the anti-Kolb in that respect.

Quick Outs

Your Darren McFadden injury update: He's good! Wait, let me check .... yep, still going strong! Hey, this guy stole my line.

» Another takeaway from the Hall of Fame game is Mark Ingram looks like he will be the goal-line back for the New Orleans Saints. If he can reach the team's target of 200 touches and get the goal-line Ingram is a great option as a flex guy. His average draft position (ADP) is round 10. He's a good value there.

» Arizona Cardinals receiver Michael Floyd played with the second team. Keep an eye on this, though. Floyd has the talent to be the No. 2 receiver opposite Larry Fitzgerald, and this should be a matter of when, not if, he takes the spot this season. Floyd has been going in the 15th round in drafts, a great value for him right there.

» Dallas Cowboys receiver Miles Austin will be out at least a week with a hamstring injury. Awesome. Austin admitted he wasn't in shape last season, and this year is off to a smashing start. I don't have a lot of faith in Dez Bryant (even though ATL's Dan Hanzus said he's enjoying a great camp). But if you want a deep sleeper, remember receiver Andre Holmes. You won't need to draft him, but keep an eye out for him as a guy who can come out of nowhere, like Laurent Robinson last year, if Austin continues to have injury troubles.

» Terrell Owens is working out for the Seattle Seahawks. T.O. won't have much fantasy value if he does join the team. But what you should take away from the Seahawks receiver position becoming the NFL version of TNA is the team is hurting for help at the position. Don't trust any of these guys, including Sydney Rice who has been going in the 15th round on NFL.com drafts.

» Tennessee Titans receiver Kenny Britt met with the commissioner on Monday, and I can't imagine this ending well for Britt. The enigmatic receiver was able to avoid discipline for his transgressions during the lockout, so I would expect him to receive a multi-game suspension.

» Houston Texans receiver Dre Johnson returned to practice on Monday. Hurray! Dre's value is way too high for an injury-prone lead receiver on a run-based team. Dre is the third receiver taken (on average), but you have better options with Roddy White, Julio Jones, Greg Jennings and Steve Smith.

» Congratulations Darren McFadden, looks like you made it through again!

 

[Faust]

Kuechly looking disruptive in run, pass 'D'

Posted Aug. 06, 2012 @ 9:32 a.m. ET

By PFW staff

Here are some Whispers we've been hearing from our sources around the NFL:

• We hear Panthers rookie LB Luke Kuechly has looked very good in pass coverage through the early stages of training camp. Some team observers expected that part of his game would take longer to develop and that he would shine most vs. the run initially, but he appears ready to be disruptive in both areas right off the bat.

• The Bears re-signed Tim Jennings this offseason before going to the free-agent well to add competition for him at left corner. Early signals from training camp indicate that Jennings still has a fairly secure lead in the position battle, though. Former Colt and Falcon Kelvin Hayden, the top competitor for Jennings' job, has not stood out as much as Jennings in practice, we hear, and Hayden is the third corner on the depth chart at this point.

• There have been no signs of a sophomore slump from Buccaneers DE Adrian Clayborn in training camp after his strong first season, we hear. He already is one of the team’s most reliable defenders.

• The rest of the Redskins’ offensive line might be beset by question marks, but the good news is that OLT Trent Williams is displaying his terrific movement skills and appears to our sources to be playing some terrific football early in camp. The team is thrilled with what it has seen from him.

• The Giants are not disappointed with fourth-round TE Adrien Robinson so far, but it’s clear what he is: a project. Although Robinson has the athleticism to factor in as a “move” tight end and could make game-day active rosters as a special-teamer, he is not yet ready for prime time as a receiver — not if the early results in camp are any indication.

• The Eagles are loading up on cornerbacks in camp with the recent trade addition of Kevin Thomas, and their excellent depth could lead to a few interesting decisions when cutdown day approaches. With Nnamdi Asomugha, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Thomas and fourth-round draft pick Brandon Boykin near certainties to make the final roster, that could leave Joselio Hanson, Trevard Lindley, Curtis Marsh, Brandon Hughes, Wade Bonner and Cliff Harris fighting for one or two roster spots.

• Brandon Fusco is almost certain to be the Vikings’ starting Week One right guard as things stand now. Geoff Schwartzsuffered a sports hernia and will undergo surgery and miss a month minimum. Fusco, who played sparingly as a rookie after a big jump as a center from Division III Stony Brook, has shown a nasty side and could add a little snarl to a Vikings O-line that was inconsistent a year ago.

• We hear it’s still unclear how a fullback will be used in the Patriots’ offense, but it did seem to be one of the team’s focal points this offseason after adding Spencer Larsen and Tony Fiammetta. The Pats placed Fiammetta on the exempt-left squad list, leaving Larsen as the one to make the team as a No. 1 fullback. Josh McDaniels had Heath Evans as a fullback in New England during his first stint as the team’s offensive coordinator, and Larsen was with him in Denver. The Pats have used extra linemen and versatile players in the past as lead blockers, but getting more efficiency from that spot with a prototypical fullback like Larsen is still an option — late last season New England brought FB Lousaka Politeaboard.

• The Bills worked out, and reportedly offered a contract to former Jets S Jim Leonhard, who signed with Denver on Saturday. GM Buddy Nix mentioned adding another safety, as the team currently only goes three deep. No. 3 safety Da’Norris Searcy, who made some nice plays as a rookie, got a few snaps with the first team last week, as Chan Gailey mentioned the injury risk putting Searcy one play away from being a starter. George Wilson and Jairus Byrd form one of the league’s top safety duos but the Bills have made it a point to add depth, and Wilson missed three games last season, his first as a full-time starter. A veteran still could be added.

• With all the spring hype surrounding WR Eddie Royal, it’s easy to forget that second-year WR Vincent Brown remains a viable weapon for Philip Rivers. Royal has been out with a groin injury, and Brown has impressed after his first full offseason. Brown had 19 catches for 329 yards and two touchdowns last season. “He was put in a difficult situation during the lockout, but he’s had a great offseason,” QB Philip Rivers told reporters about Brown. “He’s another one of those guys, and we have a handful of them, he’s one who can play every position out there.”

• Two players who we hear have performed well in Jets camp are pass rushers Aaron Maybin and Ricky Sapp, a couple reclamation projects for Rex Ryan. Maybin had six sacks in 2011 and is trying to prove he can be a run stopper as well. Sapp has yet to appear in an NFL game. He was projected as a top-50 pick in PFW's 2010 Draft Preview, but injuries have plagued his career.

• Amid all the positive buzz surrounding the Cardinals’ up-and-coming young OLB trio of Daryl Washington, Sam Acho and O’Brien Schofield, it’s easy to overlook the contributions provided by savvy veteran OLBs Paris Lenon, who continues to start over Stewart Bradley at right inside linebacker, and Clark Haggans, who has been replaced in the starting lineup at the LOLB spot by Schofield. “You need guys like that,” Washington told PFW this week. “They’ve been here for a long time, and we need their experience and leadership. They don’t talk much and lead by example. You have to respect them.”

• We hear one new wrinkle worth keeping an eye on in the Cardinals’ offense is an intriguing four-WR package featuring Larry Fitzgerald and rookie Michael Floyd on the outside and Andre Roberts and Early Doucet in the slot. Daily team observers also tell us that offensive coordinator Mike Miller appears to be a bit more vocal on the practice field so far this offseason.

• We hear it could take quite a while to clear out the crowd competing for the Seahawks’ No. 2 WR job behind Sidney Rice. If there’s a front-runner among the six challengers for the position at last count, it would probably have to be third-year pro Golden Tate, who displayed some promising flashes late last season after Rice was placed on injured reserve. “But it’s hard to say with him,” one team insider said. “Just when you’re ready to anoint him, Tate backslides. He’s a heck of an athlete, but he still needs to work on refining his skills.” Ben Obomanu, Deon Butler, Kris Durham, Ricardo Lockette and Braylon Edwards are also competing for the No. 2 spot.

• We hear Rams fourth-year DT Darell Scott could be facing an uphill battle to make the final roster. But the news is a bit more promising for scrappy WR Brandon Gibson, who some observers believed could get squeezed out of a crowded WR corps. Word is Gibson continues to hold his own in competition for a starting WR job.

• Colts new head coach Chuck Pagano has drawn early comparisons to former Colts head coach Tony Dungy, who visited with Pagano on the eve of training camp beginning last week. We hear Pagano’s upbeat personality, which strikes a balance between firm and fun, has really struck the right chord with his players. Dungy was a player’s coach, but he always had control of his players, much like Pagano has early in his tenure.

• The training-camp battle between savvy veteran Rashean Mathis and ex-Giant Aaron Ross for the starting LCB spot has been fairly one-sided, the way we hear it. Ross’ youth and athleticism give him the clear upper hand over Mathis, who is still working his way back from a season-ending ACL injury. Mathis has made some plays in camp, however, and seems to be open to taking over the nickel job if that is the way the cards fall.

• The early reports on the health of Chiefs RB Jamaal Charles are good so far. Although he has had to overcome the mental part and learn to trust his rebuilt knee — which has required some rest along the way — we hear the Chiefs are happy with his progress to date, even though Charles isn’t quite 100 percent healthy.

• The Ravens are high on second-year CB Jimmy Smith, their 2011 first-round pick, and his upside is no secret. That said, Cary Williams, who held the starting CB job opposite of Lardarius Webb a season ago, is off to a good start at camp, the way we hear it, and he’s certainly not going to fade from the scene even if Smith makes major strides this season. We hear durability and consistency are areas in which Smith could stand to improve.

• Lions rookie CB Dwight "Bill" Bentley has had a nice start to his first training camp, head coach Jim Schwartz said. “He’s a good player,” Schwartz said of the third-round pick from Louisiana-Lafayette. “We liked him when we drafted him. You know, he’s done nothing but justify that pick. He’s been playing outside, he’s also been playing inside for us. He gets his hands on the ball. Still have a few too many sort of college interference and illegal contacts and he’s sort of working his way out of a lot of those. Got a long way to go, but he’s shown us some good things also.”

 

[netnalp]

@NYPost_Schwartz

Hakeem Nicks said he is starting to run routes today.

@art_stapleton

Hakeem Nicks has been running every day. Feels no pain in foot.Wearing special orthotics in his cleats

@art_stapleton

Hakeem Nicks is stopping and starting, cutting with ease. Have not seen him drop a pass thrown to him by team trainer yet #NYG

 

[Faust]

@NYPost_Schwartz

Hakeem Nicks said he is starting to run routes today.

@art_stapleton

Hakeem Nicks has been running every day. Feels no pain in foot.Wearing special orthotics in his cleats

Hakeem Nicks 'on target' to play in Giants' opener

By Marc Sessler

Writer

The New York Giants refuse to rush Hakeem Nicks back into action, but after breaking his foot in May, the veteran wideout is making progress on his vow to start the season opener against the Dallas Cowboys.

Nicks told Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News that he'll run routes for the first time on the sideline during Tuesday's practice. Last year's leading pass-catcher for the Giants said he's "definitely still on target" to play Week 1.

Nicks has already managed to run straight ahead and in circles without any pain in his right foot. Cutting and route running are the next test.

The Giants are fortunate Nicks suffered the injury early enough in the offseason program, and there's a silver lining to his absence. The team's younger receivers, especially rookie Rueben Randle, have taken on a larger workload with Nicks out of the picture, which only makes this a deeper, more productive unit (a scary notion for the rest of the NFC East).

Let people talk about Eli Manning vs. Tony Romo. The top matchup on Sept. 5 is New York's gang of receivers against Rob Ryan's rebuilt secondary. With Nicks back on the field, the Cowboys will have their hands full.

 

[Faust]

Scott Pioli: Chiefs' expectations should be high

By Brian McIntyre

Around the League writer

As noted on Around the League this morning, the Kansas City Chiefs hould have their "ACL Trio" of Eric Berry, Jamaal Charles and Tony Moeaki for the preseason opener on Friday night. Losing those three key players early last season might have been the difference in making a return appearance to the postseason, and their healthy returns is fueling much of the optimism swirling around this year's squad.

Though he wouldn't put a number on wins, or predict a second AFC West title in three seasons, Chiefs general manager Scott Pioli told NFL Network's "NFL AM" on Tuesday that entering his fourth season with the franchise, expectations should be high.

"Expectations should be higher than what they've been in the past. I mean, it's only right," Pioli said Tuesday. "We're in our fourth season in this program. We've done a lot of work to retain very good players in the Derrick Johnsons, the Tamba Halis, the Jamaal Charles and some other players, but we've also added some other good players. I feel we have a really good coaching staff intact, so expectations should be high.

"And when I say that, I don't just mean for the coaches and players, for me, as well. We're all in this together and I don't know how high they should be, but they should certainly increase. Pressure's a good thing. Pressure makes everybody respond to the way that they truly are and I think the pressure of increased expectations isn't a bad thing necessarily."

As for the "ACL Trio", Pioli said that all three players are at different points in their recoveries and that Berry, a Pro Bowl selection during his rookie season, is a little more ahead of Charles and Moeaki. All three are "day-to-day" in terms of soreness and swelling and will be monitored "week-to-week" in terms of playing in the preseason.