OFFICIAL 2013 Training Camp & Preseason: News & Tidbits Thread (1 Viewer)

[Faust]

Texans Observations: Schaub leaves last year's slow finish in pastJason La Canfora

HOUSTON -- The common perception of the Houston Texans is that they may not have the quarterback to get them to the Super Bowl. And there is no goal here other than winning a championship. Nothing else will suffice, which is clear from the front office to the coaching offices to the locker room.

There will be no shortage of those wondering if Matt Schaub can lead this talented group to a title, and the Texans will likely hear about it for much of the season. They believe it's a little more involved than that, however. Players and coaches spent the early portion of the season assessing why a team that seemed to be riding as high as any in the NFL for much of the season somehow lost that mojo down the stretch.

Schaub clearly wasn't at his best, but this is also a team that struggled to run the ball nearly as effectively as it had in the past, and the defense began to surrender big plays with too much regularity as the season went on. So there is more to tighten up beyond just the passer.

"It's a team game, and whenever you hear things about the quarterback, it come with the territory of that position," stalwart tight end Owen Daniels said. "But Matt's a great player, he does an excellent job running this offense, and we wouldn't want to have anyone else here doing it. I think what happened last year was we just weren't playing well together. We had a lot of penalties, turnovers, and that was everybody. Collectively, we have to be better."

Schaub said that a Super Bowl "has to be the next step for us, and we just maintain the level of consistency to get there." Schaub said he watched all the film from their decline right after the season and players talked about it prior to OTAS, but then moved on.

"It was like unspoken," Schaub said. "We just knew what needed to get done. We didn't really need to say a whole lot but we did get together in groups to go over it."

More observations

• Arian Foster had his first real practice of the offseason Friday and the general consensus was he looked good. Privately, the Texans are pleased with where he is now after some concern in the past. The reality is, however, that the team was only rushing around 4 yards per carry last year, Foster has been dinged up quite a bit in recent years and given all of the time he has missed, I'm not sure he dives in on Week 1. I could still see a fair amount of Ben Tate early on, and it's hard not to look at the abuse Foster has taken over the years playing as hard as he does. Regardless of who is handling the ball, there has been a heavy focus on getting back to being an elite ground team. "We didn't run at the clip we wanted last year," Daniels said. "We want that yards-per-carry to be around 4.5. We expect it there."

• Future Hall of Fame safety Ed Reed will return to the team this weekend after seeing a hip specialist in Vail, Colo., for the final time. Reed has told friends he is feeling better each week and some who know him well believe that a return by Week 1, though not certain, would hardly be a shocker. Reed has always been a guy who knows his body well and has taken his time in the preseason, so this isn't foreign to him. Bottom line is it would take a weird setback for him to land on the PUP list in the regular season, and I would expect to see him in September. It's not so much a pain issue at this point as it is working through some scar tissue and just getting back into the football grind. He's always been a tremendous gamer. He'll be in uniform sooner rather than later.

• Right guard Brandon Brooks has the chance to be very good. He is bigger than the norm for linemen in this zone scheme, but he continues to wow people around here and he is plenty agile enough. This could be a big season for him.

• Rookie receiver DeAndre Hopkins was having a tremendous camp and preseason, and is currently dealing with a concussion. He is in the early stages of that recovery and the good news for him and the team is he did not have a history of head trauma in college. There will be no rush to get him back, but when he does come back in September he could make an immediate impact. Hopkins looks like a great compliment to Andre Johnson, and there is no shortage of faith in him around here. Schaub said early on in OTAs he could see Hopkins slowed a bit, having to think his way through things. But the youngster stayed in this area through the offseason, catching balls regularly from Schaub, and they already have a chemistry going. "He knows what he's doing now and he had a two-day stretch where he had like 10 catches each practice," Schaub said. Schaub said Hopkins' ability to use his frame, compete for the ball, and his massive hands -- "the ball disappears when he catches it" -- make him a real weapon. "The sky is the limit for him and it's my job to make sure he knows what he's doing," Schaub said. "I have full trust in him."

• Receiver Keshawn Martin is opening eyes in his second season out of Michigan State, and not just in the return game. Expect him to be a bigger part of this offense as well, working both on the inside and the outside. "In my opinion he's made the best jump from Year 1 to Year 2 that I've ever seen in my 10 years in the league," Schaub said.

• The Texans have renewed depth at tight end. Look for more jumbo packages from them and ways to get multiple tight ends on the field at once. It used to be a staple for them. "I know everyone talks about New England," Daniels said, "but, shoot, we've been doing it since I got here. We didn't do it as much last year, but we have more depth this year, and we can get to those three tight-end sets a lot more often." Garrett Graham, in particular, should see plenty of action.

• Schaub said JJ Watt only knocked down one of his passes through the entirety of training camp. "Just one, believe it or not," Schaub said. "I'm pretty proud of that. Just one. But he let me know about it when he got it."

• The battle between Case Keenum and TJ Yates for the backup quarterback spot could go down to the wire. It's that close. Regardless of who loses, the Texans usually feel strongly about keeping three QBs, and they really like the depth they have there, so I'd be really surprised if they shopped whomever isn't right behind Schaub on the depth chart.

 

[Faust]

Saturday's 43 takeaways: Rex Ryan loses his cool

By Kevin Patra, Gregg Rosenthal, Marc Sessler, Chris Wesseling NFL.com

The NFL calendar said it was just another August preseason game at MetLife Stadium. But the aftermath felt like the middle of December.

Rex Ryan's worst-case scenario came true for the New York Jets. Rookie quarterback Geno Smith imploded, throwing three interceptions and taking a ridiculous safety in his first preseason start. Mark Sanchez left with a shoulder injury after being inserted into the game in the middle of the fourth quarter. Ryan was under attack by a sea of swarming, hyperbolic reporters looking for blood.

The post-game scene teetered between contentious and bizarre, the most tense back-and-forth of the Ryan era. In the middle of August.

"I can say anything I want," Ryan said. "That's the beauty of this country. I can answer it 100 (times). I can stand backwards and answer the question. I'm going sideways. We'll make the (starting quarterback) announcement when I think it's the appropriate time. All week, you're talking about winning a game and competing, and that was my decision (to play Sanchez)."

Smith's rough performance briefly left Ryan no choice but to start Sanchez in Week 1. Sanchez's injury now might leave Ryan no choice but to go with the rookie. Saturday night felt like the end of a downward spiral because it's a continuation from last season, when Sanchez was the one melting down on the field against Tennesee.

This is what happens when you half-commit to rebuilding, bringing back Sanchez, Santonio Holmes and a coach neutered by a new general manager: You get an August news conference that's destined for a Coors Light commercial.

"I'll take it," Ryan said of the 24-21 overtime win over the Giants. "I don't care. I'm not apologizing for it. We'll take the win. Do we have to correct a lot of things? Absolutely, but I'd much rather do it after a win. We'll take Snoopy, too."

Here's what else we learned during Saturday's 10 preseason games:

New York Jets 24, New York Giants 21 (OT)
1. The "Snoopy" that Ryan referred to is the "Snoopy Trophy" annually given to the Jets-Giants preseason winner. This really happened.

2. Sanchez reportedly will have an MRI on his injured shoulder Sunday.

3. Jets wide receiver Stephen Hill had a brutal night, getting a taunting penalty, losing a fumble and having X-rays after the game.

4. Giants cornerback Terrell Thomas saw action for the first time in the preseason as he recovers from two ACL tears in two years. Big Blue need him because they lost cornerback Jayron Hosley and safety Stevie Brown to injuries. Brown's injury looked serious.

5. Other than David Wilson's breathtaking 84-yard touchdown run, the Giants' starting offense looked lost. Eli Manning completed 8 of 20 passes for 83 yards.

Philadelphia Eagles 31, Jacksonville Jaguars 24
1. The Eagles spent millions on James Casey and a high draft pick on Zach Ertz, but Brent Celek still looks like the primary pass-catching tight end. Celek led the team with seven targets and would've had a touchdown had Michael Vick not overthrown him in the end zone.

2. Bryce Brown has a decisive talent edge on Chris Polk, but the latter continues to run as LeSean McCoy's backup. Even with another fumble from Brown on Saturday, we suspect he'll ultimately overtake Polk. Eagles coach Chip Kelly can't let Brown's playmaking ability go to waste.

3. The Jaguars' first-team offense looked downright frisky for the second consecutive week, this time with Chad Henne at the helm. Don't underestimate the talent on this offense. Cecil Shorts and rookie right tackle Luke Joeckel both returned from injuries, and Maurice Jones-Drew is getting closer to peak form. Backup running back Jordan Todman has passed the eye test in back-to-back games.

4. Jaguars wide receiver Justin Blackmon looks quicker and more agile than last season, when it took him five or six games to reach game shape following a holdout. Impressive rookie Ace Sanders likely will start opposite Shorts until Blackmon returns from his suspension in Week 5.

Tennessee Titans 27, Atlanta Falcons 16
1. The Falcons have failed to quell concerns over their revamped offensive line. Although Steven Jackson found success between the tackles for the second consecutive week, Matt Ryan was sacked five times in just over two quarters of action.

2. There's no indication that Roddy White's ankle injury will cause him to miss regular-season time. If it does happen, keep in mind that Julio Jones has been an unstoppable target hog since White went down last week.

3. Jacquizz Rodgers absolutely is a bigger threat in the Falcons' passing game than Jackson, but he continues to be used as a pure backup as opposed to the change-of-pace/passing-down-specialist role he played last season.

4. Falcons cornerback Asante Samuel (thigh) and defensive tackle Peria Jerry (jaw) were injured. Both players were listed as questionable to return.

5. Jake Locker's line of 11 of 13 for 133 yards and one touchdown produced a passer rating of 134.9. The Titans' passing attack has shown tangible progress in consecutive games despite the absences of Delanie Walker and Kendall Wright.

6. The Titans' overhauled ground attack is close to clicking on all cylinders, with both Chris Johnson and Shonn Greene excelling. Johnson is averaging 7.75 yards per carry through three preseason games, but Greene went down with an injury Saturday night.

Washington Redskins 30, Buffalo Bills 71. Undrafted rookie quarterback Jeff Tuel is the favorite to start in the Bills' season opener after Kevin Kolb was forced from this game with concussion-like symptoms. Frankly, Tuel has outplayed Kolb in three preseason games this month. Kolb might be out indefinitely, as his last concussion persisted for months. And now, Matt Leinart and John Beck might be in the mix. Yes, you read that right.

2. C.J. Spiller's knee scare turned out to be nothing more than a cut from another player's spike. The Bills running back re-entered the game and looked fine.

3. Roy Helu continues to impress as Alfred Morris' primary backup. The Redskins likely will use Helu as their primary passing-down back, while Evan Royster sits on the roster bubble.

Dallas Cowboys 24, Cincinnati Bengals 18
1. Despite some skepticism coming into the season, Monte Kiffin's Dallas defense continues to force turnovers (four more against Cincinnati). The first-string defense has yet to allow a touchdown in the preseason, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. PRESEASON STATS!!!

2. Phillip Tanner showed well for the Cowboys after DeMarco Murray was benched early in the game for fumbling deep in his own end. Tanner showed power on several strong runs, but the lack of explosiveness is evident without the starter. Murray clearly got the message, returned in the second half and ran with a purpose -- eight carries for 45 yards and a tackle-breaking 7-yard TD on the opening drive.

3. The Bengals' secondary is susceptible to being picked apart when the ferocious front is slowed. When given time, Tony Romo was able to carve up Cincinnati's back end. Romo force-fed Dez Bryant on the first TD drive (five catches for 53 yards and one touchdown on the drive).

4. Bengals left tackle Andre Smith continued his disappointed offseason/preseason since signing his big contract. He left the game with a tweaked left knee.

5. We also learned that you shouldn't hit ginormous video displays with punts.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers 17, Miami Dolphins 16
1. Josh Freeman might have to look over his shoulder if this keeps up. The Bucs' veteran quarterback had a dismal perfomance, completing just 6 of 16 passes for 59 yards. Rookie QB Mike Glennon wasn't spectacular against backups, but he did lead a game-winning drive. How bad was it for Freeman? This from a Dolphins beat writer after an inexplicable Freeman fumble:

Armando Salguero @ArmandoSalguero

Josh Freeman with a weird fumble. Derrick Shelby with the recovery. Freeman is Miami's most productive player tonight.

2. Both teams' offensive lines were particularly bad. The Bucs' front allowed five sacks and didn't give backup running backs Mike James or Brian Leonard a chance to show they could take some of the weight off Doug Martin, who sat out the game. The Dolphins' line wasn't much better as Ryan Tannehill was smashed early and often but avoided several sacks with a quick trigger.

3. The Dolphins' run game was dismal. Lamar Miller burst out of the gate with a 20-yard run but did little else, finishing with just 35 yards on eight carries. Daniel Thomas was worse, however, rushing seven times for just 3 yards. Thomas also wasn't able to pick up several short-yardage opportunities. Like we've said for a while, this isn't a competition. The problem is Miller seems to be playing like he knows that as well.

4. Advice for Dolphins: Go Matthew Stafford-style and just throw it 700 times. Tannehill looked good, even under duress, completing 17 of 27 passes for 150 yards and one touchdown. He also suffered several dropped passes by his receivers, including a sure score by Brandon Gibson.

Indianapolis Colts 27, Cleveland Browns 6
1. Bernie Kosar couldn't find any ugly words for the Colts' wide receivers. Andrew Luck spread the ball to six targets and made the most of Cleveland leaving Reggie Wayne in single coverage. The presence of T.Y. Hilton had much to do with how Wayne was defended. The Browns seemed overly aware of Hilton, leaving Wayne to haul in seven passes for 79 yards. When Wayne was doubled, he won those matchups, too.

2. This looked more like Pat Shurmur's Browns on offense. Preseason rock star Brandon Weeden came tumbling to earth, leading Cleveland to one field goal in seven possessions and failing to build rhythm. New coach Rob Chudzinski, agitated by a string of three-and-outs, kept his starters in the game well into the third quarter until they finally produced points. Earlier in the night, when an announcer called Weeden "special," Chris Wesseling's laughter rang through the newsroom. Fair reaction.

3. Colts cornerback Greg Toler was very impressive. Underused with the Cardinals last season, Toler had an athletic interception of Eli Manning last Sunday, and he recovered a Greg Little fumble in this game. Toler is a gambler in pass coverage, and occasionally pays for it, but he fits well in Chuck Pagano's defense.

4. Colts left tackle Anthony Castonzo left in the first half with a right knee sprain. Castonzo's no Joe Thomas, but this would be a costly loss for Indy.

San Diego Chargers 24, Arizona Cardinals 7
1. The Cardinals had a rough night. Their starters couldn't score, and they lost four starters to injury. No. 7 overall draft pick Jonathan Cooper broke his leg. The Cardinals are maintaining some hope that he could return later in the season. It's a massive loss because Cooper was the key to an improved offensive line. Tight end Rob Housler (ankle), running back Rashard Mendenhall (knee) and nose tackle Dan Williams (ankle) also were hurt. Mendenhall's injury didn't appear serious.

2. Ryan Mathews has looked outstanding through the Chargers' three preseason games, not only lowering his pads and running with purpose but also showing more speed and agility than last season. He even remained on the field in no-huddle situations, both as the lone back and a slot receiver. One slip-up was a fumble approaching the goal line, as Mathews never gained control of the handoff. Without question, he's the featured back in San Diego.

3. Antonio Gates looked like Antonio Gates again after the catch. This is a great sign for the Chargers.

Kansas City Chiefs 26, Pittsburgh Steelers 20 (OT)
1. Steelers first-round draft pick Jarvis Jones was taken to a hospital after the game to examine a chest injury. Jones is competing to start opposite LaMarr Woodley at outside linebacker.

2. Felix Jones rushed eight times for 29 yards in reserve duty for Pittsburgh, which acquired him from Philadelphia in a trade Friday. That just might be enough for Jones to make the Steelers' squad considering all of the team's injuries at running back.

3. Pittsburgh's big-play pass offense was working again. Ben Roethlisberger threw for 166 yards on just 19 attempts, including a beautiful 49-yard strike to Antonio Brown.

4. A.J. Jenkins didn't have a catch in his Chiefs debut. Alex Smith was very efficient throwing the ball, but Kansas City couldn't get anything going on the ground.

Denver Broncos 27, St. Louis Rams 26
1. The more the Broncos play, the more we think Knowshon Moreno will have a big role. Ronnie Hillman fumbled for the third consecutive game; coach John Fox wasn't amused afterward. Rookie Montee Ball was ordinary again (43 yards on 14 carries) and had a killer drop in the red zone. Moreno did a lot (75 yards from scrimmage) on just eight touches.

2. Rams linebacker Alec Ogletree made a handful of sensational plays, including an interception of Peyton Manning and a fumble return for a touchdown. He moves like a safety and could be one of the best linebackers in coverage in the league ... as a rookie.

3. Tavon Austin remains quiet as a wide receiver, but he had two punt returns for 104 yards, including an 81-yarder. We think the Rams are keeping their first-round draft pick under wraps as a wideout in the preseason.

4. Peyton Manning threw 34 passes in only one half of work. He misfired on a few deep throws, with Eric Decker and Demaryius Thomas primarily catching short passes (they combined for 13 catches and 130 yards).

The "Around The League Podcast" is now available on iTunes! Click here to listen and subscribe.

 

[Faust]

Andrew Luck running too much, Colts' Pagano saysBy Kevin Patra NFL.com

The Indianapolis Colts' no-coast offense sliced and diced the preseason darling Cleveland Browns Saturday night. In the midst of wrapping sophomore quarterback Andrew Luck in a praise blanket, Colts coach Chuck Pagano pointed to the one thing that could doom his offense in 2013.

"He's running way too much," Pagano said after the Colts' 27-6 victory. "I know that. He's running way too much. We've got to do a better job of keeping him clean."

Keeping its franchise quarterback upright was a key goal heading into the offseason, but those efforts might have been hindered when left tackle Anthony Castonzo left Saturday's game with a right knee sprain.

Luck's ability to extend the play is borderline Roethlisbergian, leaving him susceptible to more hits than normal. Luck showed in 2012 he's capable of taking a beating, however he must protect himself better once he is outside the pocket.

The Pro Bowl quarterback said Saturday night he's still trying to figure out how to get down.

"I don't know, I haven't figured out how to slide," Luck said. "I'm just going to go down and however way I go down and avoid a hit is the way it'll be."

To be fair, Michael Vick still hasn't learned how to slide either. Who thought something done in every Little League World Series baseball game could be so difficult.

"The Around The League Podcast" is now available on iTunes! Click here to listen and subscrib

 

[Faust]

Preseason Week 3: Time to do away with preseason altogether?

 

[Donnybrook]

Washington Redskins 30, Buffalo Bills 7

1. Undrafted rookie quarterback Jeff Tuel is the favorite to start in the Bills' season opener after Kevin Kolb was forced from this game with concussion-like symptoms. Frankly, Tuel has outplayed Kolb in three preseason games this month. Kolb might be out indefinitely, as his last concussion persisted for months. And now, Matt Leinart and John Beck might be in the mix. Yes, you read that right.

Wow, I was assuming Kolb would be back by the season opener. Tuel is the only health QB on the roster. Does he play the entire 4th pre-season game? Starters don't usually play in that game. Do they bring in a free agent QB just to play the final game of the preseason?

 

[Donnybrook]

I have been following Tuel since he declared for the draft. I thought he could develop into a good QB 2 or 3 years down the road. No one could guess that he could be starting week one year one.

 

[Faust]

Washington Redskins 30, Buffalo Bills 7

1. Undrafted rookie quarterback Jeff Tuel is the favorite to start in the Bills' season opener after Kevin Kolb was forced from this game with concussion-like symptoms. Frankly, Tuel has outplayed Kolb in three preseason games this month. Kolb might be out indefinitely, as his last concussion persisted for months. And now, Matt Leinart and John Beck might be in the mix. Yes, you read that right.

Wow, I was assuming Kolb would be back by the season opener. Tuel is the only health QB on the roster. Does he play the entire 4th pre-season game? Starters don't usually play in that game. Do they bring in a free agent QB just to play the final game of the preseason?

QBs Matt Leinart, John Beck to work out for Jets, Bills Colt McCoy being shopped by San Francisco 49ers

 

[Donnybrook]

Only San Fran would be stupid enough to give up anything for McCoy.

 

[Faust]

Rotoworld:

Randall Cobb (biceps) returned to Packers practice Sunday.
Both Cobb and Jordy Nelson (knee) were back on the field Sunday, though they likely weren't full participants. It's still a good sign, especially for Nelson. Cobb was never in danger of missing Week 1. He hasn't played at all this preseason, and don't expect him to suit up in the finale. Draft Cobb as you normally would this week. He's a borderline WR1 in all formats with more upside in PPR.

Source: Tom Silverstein on Twitter

Jordy Nelson (knee) and Randall Cobb (biceps) returned to Packers practice Sunday.
Outstanding news. Neither player is likely to play in Green Bay's preseason finale, but both have progressed right on schedule and are on track to start Opening Day. Nelson's injury was the bigger concern after in-camp knee surgery, the details of which were never revealed. Clearly, it was a minor operation. Nelson would be a value pick in the fifth and sixth rounds of fantasy drafts.

Source: Tom Silverstein on Twitter

The Raiders are "holding out hope" TE David Ausberry (shoulder) will be ready for Week 1.
CSN Bay Area confirms Ausberry was leading the battle to start before going down with a shoulder injury in the second preseason game. Ausberry has some deep sleeper appeal because the Raiders will be in catch-up mode a ton this year.

Source: CSN Bay Area

According to the Baltimore Sun, the Ravens were more comfortable cutting Visanthe Shiancoe due to UDFA TE Matt Furstenburg's impressive August.
Furstenburg has four catches for 54 yards through three preseason games, including gains of 17 and 24. He's also been shining in practices. Furstenburg ran a 4.62 forty coming out of Maryland and projects as a possible long-term "move" tight end. He's going to make the Ravens behind Dallas Clark and Ed Dickson. Furstenburg is squarely on the radar in deeper Dynasty leagues.

Source: Aaron Wilson on Twitter

 

[Donnybrook]

Washington Redskins 30, Buffalo Bills 7

1. Undrafted rookie quarterback Jeff Tuel is the favorite to start in the Bills' season opener after Kevin Kolb was forced from this game with concussion-like symptoms. Frankly, Tuel has outplayed Kolb in three preseason games this month. Kolb might be out indefinitely, as his last concussion persisted for months. And now, Matt Leinart and John Beck might be in the mix. Yes, you read that right.

Wow, I was assuming Kolb would be back by the season opener. Tuel is the only health QB on the roster. Does he play the entire 4th pre-season game? Starters don't usually play in that game. Do they bring in a free agent QB just to play the final game of the preseason?

As if the situation could get any worse - the Bills play the Patriots in week 1. Yikes.

 

[Faust]

Eagles Observations: Can the offensive line handle the fast pace?

Pete Prisco

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- There is no doubt the Philadelphia Eagles will be an up-tempo, play-fast offense under Chip Kelly, a skill player's heaven.

So what about the guys up front? How can they handle the speed, the pace, the amount of plays Kelly hopes to get for his offense.

It's one thing to be 210 pounds and play that way, but what about 310-pound linemen?

To help answer that question I went to Eagles left guard Evan Mathis, who also happens to be a thinking-man's offensive lineman.

"We're good athletes up front," Mathis said. "That will make it easier. And we're practicing at this speed, so we will be used to it. It takes time, but when we're in shape, ready to play at that speed, the defenses will be struggling because they haven't worked against it."

Mathis is an athletic 300-pound guard who is coming off two impressive seasons.

There are other good athletes on the line as well. Left tackle Jason Peters, who saw his first game action Saturday night here against the Jaguars since tearing an Achilles' tendon last year and missing the 2012 season, is a former tight end. Right tackle Lane Johnson was once a junior-college quarterback.

"We have the guys to make this work," Mathis said.

The line seemed to have some trouble with the Jaguars line slants and stunts Saturday night, but that was because the Eagles hadn't seen a lot of that this preseason. That's not a man getting beat man on man.

The Jaguars got a lot of pressure on Mike Vick, but much of it was because of confusion up front.

It takes time for a line to come together, and this was the first time on a game field for the projected starting five.

"We will be a good line," Mathis said.

I tend to agree. And it will be an in-shape line as well.

Fatties need not apply for a Kelly-led offense.

More observations•Vick is the starter, and he should be. But a couple of things about him. First, he can still get loose as a runner. At 33, he still has speed to get to the edge. But he ran eight times against the Jaguars, which is too much. That's too much risk. He also makes some really bad decisions at times, which has plagued him throughout his career. Take his ill-advised pick Saturday night. While falling backward, he threw to an area -- not a receiver he could see -- where only Dwayne Gratz was there to pick it off. "The one where he threw the interception, he was trying to throw the ball away," Kelly said. "Hopefully, we can get that stuff out of him. There are times where you've got to cut your losses and get us back to the line of scrimmage.” Backup Nick Foles has been impressive this preseason, but starting Vick is the right thing to do.

•The Eagles have major issues at the back end of their defense. The safeties aren't very good. Patrick Chung is a liability in coverage and Nate Allen looks the part but doesn't make enough plays. Rookie Earl Wolff also is in the mix. Kenny Phillips, signed as a free agent, reportedly was cut. Kurt Coleman is also in the mix. That will put a lot of pressure on the corners, who aren't exactly the top shutdown variety.

•DeSean Jackson said the Eagles still haven't shown much of what they will show during the season. "We will tire out a lot of defenses," he said. Jackson will be the big-play threat outside, but losing Jeremy Maclin for the season with a knee injury was huge. That will put more pressure on Jason Avant and Riley Cooper to have good years. The problem there is neither one has great speed.

•The Eagles have a great player in LeSean McCoy at running back. And I think Bryce Brown is more than capable as a backup. The only problem is that Brown is fumbler. He had trouble holding onto the ball last season and he fumbled going into the end zone against the Jaguars, and the ball went out of the end zone for a touchback. Brown is an explosive runner, but if he can't hold onto the football can the Eagles trust him?

•I love young players ready for stardom. Eagles defensive lineman Fletcher Cox is one of those players. He flashed as a rookie playing tackle, but could be ready for a possible Pro Bowl season in 2013 as a down end in the 3-4 scheme.

•Where do the Eagles get the outside pass rush from this season? Shifting to a 3-4 scheme is why they signed Connor Barwin to play outside linebacker. But he had only three sacks last season for the Texans. He did have an interception against the Jaguars on Saturday night. Trent Cole is moving from down end to outside rusher, but he is coming off a down season and turns 31 in October. He has trimmed his body fat to make the switch, but how much does he have left?

•Kelly is far from conventional in the way he does things, which is refreshing. And a lot of it makes sense, such as his views on sleep and nutrition and quick, fast-paced practices. The players have taken to his approach since they feel like there is no wasted time and it will help keep them fresher.

There, I said it•Vick will be the same maddening quarterback he's been for much of his career. He will put up huge numbers, but he will also turn it over a bunch.

•The Eagles will be in a lot of shootouts. The offense will be fun, but the defense will struggle.

•Kelly's offense will be the most scrutinized the game. But he's a smart man and will make it work.

•The Eagles are one good draft and a good free-agency class from competing for the NFC East title.

•It is so weird seeing the Eagles play live without Andy Reid on the sideline.

 

[Faust]

What we learned: Houston Texans are getting healthy

By Chris Wesseling

Around the League Writer

Bad news for the rest of the AFC South: The Houston Texans are getting healthy just in time for the start of the regular season.

NFL Network's Brian Billick, who coached Ed Reed early in the safety's Baltimore Ravens career, stated confidently during Fox's broadcast of Saturday's preseason game that the All-Pro would return from hip surgery in time to play the season opener versus the San Diego Chargers.

Even if he wasn't quite as bold as Billick, coach Gary Kubiak expressed optimism that Reed would soon be activated from the physically unable to perform list.

"Ed is leaving tonight to see a surgeon, we'll see where we're at in the middle of the week," Kubiak said. "But I know we're very, very close and hopefully sooner than later."

Reed is close to joining three-time Pro Bowl tailback Arian Foster, who has the team feeling confident after his return to full practice Friday.

The next step will be getting impressive first-round draft pick DeAndre Hopkins back from a concussion. Kubiak said Friday that "Nuk" was feeling a lot better, but was still in stage 1 of the recovery process.

Once the Texans get that trio back on the field, their roster might stand toe-to-toe with any team in the AFC.

Meanwhile, Matt Schaub's offense had little trouble moving the ball against the Saints on Saturday, racking up more than 300 total yards and four scoring drives in the first half.

Here's what else we learned during Sunday's two preseason games:

New Orleans Saints 31, Houston Texans 23
1. With Foster still rounding into game shape, Texans backup Ben Tate upgraded his portfolio entering a contract year. Tate showed his usual blend of power and speed en route to 74 yards and one touchdown on just 11 carries. The Texans will lean on him more heavily this year than last.

2. Andre Johnson hasn't lost a step at age 32. He ran free throughout the Saints' porous secondary, racking up 131 yards and seven catches in one half.

3. Overshadowed in previous years, the Texans' No. 2 tight end, Garrett Graham, appears to have an increased role in the passing game with H-back James Casey now in Philadelphia.

4. The Saints can talk up an increased role for Mark Ingram, but Pierre Thomas isn't going away. Thomas started the game and totaled 70 yards and one touchdown on five touches versus Ingram's 52 yards on six touches. Ingram does have more bounce to his step this season; he's still not a better player than Thomas.

5. If there were any remaining doubts about rookie Kenny Stills nailing down the No. 3 receiver role, he answered them emphatically on Saturday. Stills came down with a 40-yard circus catch over Texans starter Kareem Jackson. A few plays later, he beat top cornerback Johnathan Joseph for a 14-yard touchdow.

San Francisco 49ers 34, Minnesota Vikings 14
1. Christian Ponder provided the usual grab-bag of shaky pocket presence, poor decision-making and the inability to challenge defenses down the field mixed with just enough bright spots to keep faith alive in the Vikings' passing game. The quarterback desperately needs Adrian Peterson on the field to sustain drives and consistently move the offense.

2. Speaking of Peterson, his 2013 preseason debut lasted just two plays. As per the Vikings' plan, both plays were passes to avoid any risk of injury to the franchise back. There might not have been any logic to Peterson's appearance beyond getting him back into a comfortable routine for the regular season.

3. Vikings All-Pro defensive tackle Kevin Williams went down with what appeared to be a nasty knee injury on a low block. He likely will be sent for tests Monday.

3. Kendall Hunter appears to be Frank Gore's primary backup. Hunter erased doubts about his health with a strong burst on a 15-yard scamper. It was the most impressive form we've seen from any running back directly returning from Achilles surgery. The key will be avoiding the nagging leg injuries that have hampered those recovering tailbacks in the past.

4. Marlon Moore couldn't get on the field in three years with the Miami Dolphins, but he's started all three preseason games opposite Anquan Boldin on a Super Bowl contender. If Moore is the favorite to start the season as the "X" receiver, then fourth-round draft pick Quinton Patton might be the clubhouse leader in the slot. Sidelined by a fractured finger since the beginning of training camp, Patton tallied 35 yards and one touchdown while operating as Colin Kaepernick's No. 3 receiver.

5. Over the past two weeks, Justin Smith has proven to be the same dominant player he was prior to the triceps tear that sapped his effectiveness down the stretch last season. There's plenty left in his tank.

6. Even with the injuries to Michael Crabtree and Percy Harvin, the 49ers and Seahawks still boast the league's deepest, most talented rosters. The NFC West superpowers are the class of the NFL after three weeks of preseason action.

The "Around The League Podcast" is now available on iTunes! Click here to listen and subscribe.

 

[Faust]

Observation deck: Vikings-49ers Three things revisited: Vikings-49ers

 

[Faust]

Observation deck: Texans-Saints Andre Johnson made it clear: he's ready

 

[Faust]

Sorting the Sunday Pile: Raiders should roll dice with Terrelle Pryor

 

[Faust]

Peter King's MMQB

Disclaimer in his own words:

More than nursing an injury, Foster said he thinks sitting out a month of camp will pay off over the long haul of the season. He said he’d recommend anyone who plays a physical position in football have the bare minimum of contact in the time leading up to the season. “My body feels great,” he said. “It’s because I haven’t had the grind of camp.

Think about it: During the season, you never play football six days in a row. You get your body tired and worn down during training camp. When you don’t have that on you, you feel fresh. Getting some reps in practice, it does help you get your game ready. But when you get to a certain point in your football career, you know how to play football. Football is reactionary then.”

And you can react better if you’re fresher, Foster thinks. Let the debate between old and new school begin. Don’t tell Mike Tomlin this; he thinks you have to toughen up your players in camp in order to play tough during the season. But all of you out there prepping for your drafts—you’ll have to ask yourself if you’ve got the third or fourth pick and are thinking seriously of Foster, “Do I feel lucky?”

My advice (which is usually worth a used dryer sheet): I’d pick Foster in the first half of your first round.

Excerpts:

The Eagles could run 1,200 plays.

That’s 75 plays a game, and it’s nine more than the oft-frenetic Patriots ran last year. The number of plays in NFL games has increased five years in a row; offenses like to use the no-huddle to limit defensive adjustments, and smart offenses figure it’s to their advantage if they can run it efficiently without getting overly fatigued.

On Saturday night in Jacksonville, the Eagles’ first unit, which played until midway through the third quarter, didn’t show anything stunning. But they continued to play fast, without huddling. Of the 45 snaps Michael Vick orchestrated, only one came with the play clock inside five seconds. Mostly, Vick snapped with between about 21 and 15 seconds left on the 40-second clock.

There was an 11-play no-huddle sequence late in the first-quarter on a Philly field goal drive; Vick ran twice on it, and jogged back to the line each time, getting the play call in the helmet and snapping the next play each time with the play clock in the teens. The guy’s got to be in fabulous shape. Now, Vick threw two brainlock passes during the game—one an interception, one while he was going down for a sack that was the classic careless Vick we’ve seen at times in his star-crossed career. And this was probably his worst offensive performance of the three preseason games, though his numbers were good. “The thing I’m most proud of is I didn’t approach this preseason the way I approached the last three or four years. I came to play,” Vick said. The Eagles will struggle on defense, but they’ll be a constant chemistry experiment on offense.

Two impressive things about the Saints.

One: their rookie class. Kenny Stills, the fifth-round receiver from Oklahoma, made a great catch against the Texans down the left sideline on a bomb, and first-round safety Kenny Vaccaro has fit in seamlessly and shows good instincts around the line; he made a good tackle on a run blitz. Another first-year player (technically not a rookie), wideout Andy Tanner, made a fingertip touchdown catch from ex-Tulane quarterback Ryan Griffin. But I liked the two defensive linemen who shone Sunday: third-round tackle John Jenkins, who has some Wilfork-type moves for a 350-pound man, and undrafted free agent end Glenn Foster, who had a sack and a quarterback pressure. How is someone as athletic as Glenn Foster not drafted? Probably comes from a decided lack of production—four sacks in 23 college starts at Illinois—but he looked promising Sunday.

Two: defensive end Cameron Jordan, who had a sack and was buzzing around Matt Schaub for much of the first quarter. Jordan and J.J. Watt were the best big ends in the 2011 draft, and he looked to have some of Watt’s quickness, spin moves and strength Sunday. Defensive coordinator Rob Ryan plans to move Jordan—son of former NFL tight end Steve Jordan—around on the defense. Sort of like last year. “I was a Swiss Army knife last year,” he said after the game. “I played everywhere. I think that’s how I’ll be used again, which is fine. I can excel wherever they put me.” The Saints need the combination of Jordan, Junior Gallette and Akiem Hicks (and the rookies) to pressure the passer. It’s essential if Rob Ryan’s pressured defense is going to work.

Five Things I Thought About the Jaguars

Observations from a third preseason game in Jacksonville:

1. Jacksonville’s optimistic about Blaine Gabbert being ready to play against Kansas City in the season opener, and maybe he can play 22 days after cracking a bone at the base of his thumb against the Jets last week. But I shook hands with Gabbert on the field before the game, and his right thumb is casted, with the cast due off, tentatively, four days before the opener. In a year when this franchise has to decide whether to take a first-round quarterback next May, it seems counter-productive to the biggest goal of this season (finding out if Gabbert’s the future) to rush him back.

2. The Jags are serious about wedging Denard Robinson into the game in as many as five spots—wide receiver, slot receiver, running back, quarterback and kick returner. That’s where he played Saturday night against the Eagles. Before the game, in GM David Caldwell’s office, it was evident how much the Jags want to see Robinson on the field this fall. On Caldwell’s magnetic team depth chart board, right next to the quarterbacks and running backs, was a category labeled “OW.” For “offensive weapon.” That’s the label Robinson gave himself after Jacksonville picked him in the fifth round last April. Robinson told me he wasn’t upset about being moved from quarterback. “As long as I get in the game, anywhere, I’m happy,” he said.

3. This team’s definitely a year, or more, away. I wonder if Justin Blackmon will be part of the 2014 Jags, and I asked Caldwell if he thought Blackmon would be a part of his team’s future. “That is our hope,” Caldwell said. Give the GM credit—he didn’t want to lie. I wouldn’t trust Blackmon after his track record of alcohol abuse. And to hear the Jaguars insiders talk glowingly about opening-day starters Cecil Shorts III and Ace Sanders—the Pedroia-sized Jag version of Tavon Austin—it’s clear that if they have to move on from Blackmon, the team will. But Blackmon showed against the Eagles—with his hands, quickness and length—that as a player he’s a key cog to a winning team. I know this makes too much sense, but my plaintive cry to Blackmon after three major alcohol incidents while driving in his 23-year-old life is this: Spend $40,000, or whatever it would take to hire a permanent driver. Stop driving. Just stop. You can hire a driver to be on call for you for a fraction of your $7.11 million 2012 signing bonus. Isn’t that worth the peace of mind when you’re one vehicular mistake away from ruining your NFL career?

4. Very impressed with the offensive imagination, which will be vital for the Jags to be competitive. Impressed, too, with rookie safety Johnathan Cyprien, a smart player and person.

5. I have no idea who’s going to rush the passer. I have no idea who’s going to cover Andre Johnson, Reggie Wayne or Kenny Britt. There’s going to be tremendous pressure on the offense to stay close in shootouts, and though offensive coordinator Jedd Fisch has been imaginative and resourceful, the Jags were 30th in scoring last year and return the same quarterbacks who struggled so mightily. Gus Bradley’s always been good at figuring ways to invent pressure, and he’d better be this year. This sets up to be one of the worst pass defenses in football this year.

I think, after this weekend, the Jadaveon Clowney Draft Sweepstakes has three leading contenders: the Raiders, the Jets, the Jaguars.

I think the best play I saw all weekend was Ben Tate’s terrific block on the onrushing Will Smith, taking him out before he could clobber Matt Schaub. That’s the kind of play coaches notice more than great runs.

 

[Faust]

Rotoworld:

Lions coach Jim Schwartz has been impressed with Joique Bell's preseason.
Running ahead of Mikel Leshoure and thoroughly out-playing him, Bell has averaged 6.50 yards on his 12 preseason carries, and caught seven passes for 91 yards. "He's strong and he's got very good balance," Schwartz said. "He's done a nice job, both in the pass game and the run game. ... It's just a continuation of what we saw last year." Bafflingly still behind Leshoure by ADP, Bell is Reggie Bush's clear backup. He should be drafted as such. Leshoure has no fantasy value.

Related: Mikel Leshoure

Source: MLive.com

The Washington Post projects Evan Royster to lose his roster spot to Keiland Williams.
Ouch. Royster was the Redskins' nominal third-down back last season, but failed to make any sort of a positive impact. Williams appeared in 14 games between the Redskins and Lions, but notched just two carries. Both players contribute on special teams. The Post also has the Redskins cutting rookies Jawan Jamison and Chris Thompson.

Related: Keiland Williams, Jawan Jamison, Chris Thompson

Source: Washington Post

The Cleveland Plain Dealer believes Davone Bess has become Brandon Weeden's "go-to guy on third down."
Bess was a satisfactory chain mover in Miami, but offers little after the catch. He's still a better bet on third down than stone-handed Greg Little. Ideally, Weeden would look for Josh Gordon or Jordan Cameron on third down, or check it down to Trent Richardson. If Bess has fantasy value this season, it will be of the WR4/5 variety in PPR leagues.


Source: Cleveland Plain Dealer

Redskins coach Mike Shanahan called out rookie RB Chris Thompson after he lost his second fumble in as many preseason games Saturday.
"No matter how good you are, if you fumble you can’t play," Shanahan said. The gaffe likely sealed Thompson's fate as a practice squader as the Redskins attempt to sort out a crowded running back corps.


Source: Washington Times

Appearing on SportsCenter Monday, ESPN New York's Rich Cimini suggested Mark Sanchez (shoulder) is closer to "week to week" than "day to day."
Sanchez isn't going to practice this week or play in the Jets' preseason finale, setting up Geno Smith to start in Week 1 despite his faceplant in the third exhibition game. It's unfortunate, but an injury will likely end up deciding the Jets' QB battle. And Smith will hold onto the job as long as he plays well. He still has overwhelming support in the Jets' front office.

Coach Jim Harbaugh announced after Sunday night's preseason game that Colt McCoy has won the 49ers' No. 2 quarterback job.
(On the same day McCoy agreed to cut his salary in half.) "I feel real good that Colt is the backup," said Harbs. Rookie B.J. Daniel will likely be kept as the third-stringer, with Seneca Wallace and Scott Tolzein getting cut. If Colin Kaepernick were ever hurt, the 49ers' offense would likely revert to the Alex Smith-like version with conservative playcalling to compensate for McCoy's numerous limitations. He's not a starting-caliber passer.


Source: Matt Maiocco on Twitter

 

[Faust]

Amendola back at Patriots practice; Gronk progressing

By Dan Hanzus

Around the League Writer

Danny Amendola is back at practice with the New England Patriots.

Field Yates of ESPN Boston reported that Amendola was practicing with the team Monday following a one-week absence with an unspecified issue. According to Yates, Amendola was "seemingly a full go."

Amendola's return to practice is a very good sign the receiver will be ready for Week 1 against the Buffalo Bills. The wide receiver's availability was never really in doubt, though Amendola's past durability issues, coupled with the Patriots' tight-lipped approach, created some sense of uncertainty.

Amendola wasn't the only positive health update for the Patriots on Monday. Yates reported that tight end Rob Gronkowski worked "extensively" with an assistant strength coach off to the side. Gronkowski -- recovering from surgeries on his back and forearm -- caught passes and took part in agility drills.

Gronkowski is not expected to be ready for the start of the regular season, though a return at some point in September remains possible.

The "Around The League Podcast" is now available on iTunes! Click here to listen and subscribe.

 

[Faust]

Rotoworld:

Coach Mike McCarthy told reporters Monday that DuJuan Harris' (knee) availability for Week 1 against San Francisco is in doubt.
He's getting a second opinion, the results of which may determine whether Harris needs a scope. Already playing alongside Aaron Rodgers in Green Bay's shotgun offense, Eddie Lacy has a chance to open the season as an every-down back. Harris has injured his right knee twice since the start of Packers camp. Fourth-round pick Johnathan Franklin is a distant No. 3 on the depth chart.


Source: Ty Dunne on Twitter

ESPN AFC North blogger Jamison Hensley considers Brandon Stokley a "lock" to open the season as Baltimore's slot receiver.
He's already passed Tandon Doss. Torrey Smith and Jacoby Jones are the starters, and UDFA Marlon Brown has emerged as the frontrunner for the No. 4 spot. Seventh-round pick Aaron Mellette and LaQuan Williams are candidates to be Nos. 5 and 6, depending on how many wideouts GM Ozzie Newsome elects to keep. Brown is probably the best deep fantasy sleeper of the group.


Source: ESPN.com

Malcom Floyd (knee) returned to Chargers practice Monday and is on track to play in Week 1.
The right knee injury proved to be a minor sprain. Floyd is tentatively expected to open the season as San Diego's starting X receiver -- Danario Alexander's old position -- with Vincent Brown at Z and Eddie Royal in the slot. That all assumes Floyd stays healthy enough to hold off third-round pick Keenan Allen.


Source: Union-Tribune San Diego

Texans coach Gary Kubiak expects Ben Tate to have a "really good year."
Averaging 5.73 YPC in the preseason, Tate's 2013 role will increase due to concerns over Arian Foster's 2010-2012 workloads and inability to recover quickly from supposedly minor injuries. "I think Ben is ready," Kubiak said. "I think he's going to have a really good year. I've been impressed with his camp." Tate has much to play for in the final season of his rookie contract.


Source: houstontexans.com

Chiefs TE Tony Moeaki is out indefinitely with a fractured shoulder.
That should just about do it for Moeaki in Kansas City, though he'll likely be stashed on injured reserve as opposed to released with an injury settlement. The 2010 third-round pick was already on the roster bubble, and just can't stay healthy. Rookie Travis Kelce and veteran Anthony Fasano will hold down tight end for the Chiefs this season.


Source: NFL.com

ESPN's Ed Werder reports Packers TE Brandon Bostick is drawing trade attention.
Werder reports the Packers view tight end as a position of strength, and are open to making a move. A second-year undrafted free agent, Bostick is a former college basketball player who has drawn raves for his athleticism. He has three catches for 29 yards this preseason. With Jermichael Finley, Andrew Quarless and D.J. Williams also in the fold, the Pack could easily afford to move Bostick.


Source: Ed Werder on Twitter

Coach Doug Marrone told reporters Monday the Bills are currently planning to start UDFA QB Jeff Tuel in Week 1 against the Patriots.
Tuel would be the first undrafted rookie quarterback to ever start a season opener. Ever. Marrone is still "hoping" E.J. Manuel (knee scope) will play, but the Bills would be smart to avoid rushing their franchise-quarterback hopeful's recovery. A Washington State product, Tuel played in Mike Leach's pass-happy spread offense and showed "very little arm strength" on college film, according to ex-NFL scout Russ Lande. Expect C.J. Spiller to pile up carries against New England, even if when Buffalo falls behind.


Source: Tim Graham on Twitter

 

[Faust]

Rotoworld:

ESPN's Chris Mortensen predicted on NFL Insiders that the Texans will open the season using a "timeshare" at tailback.
"I think we'll see more shared carries as we open the year," Mortensen said. It's a concern for Arian Foster because his per-play effectiveness has diminished so rapidly while handling the most touches in the NFL over the past three years. Meanwhile, Ben Tate has looked as sharp as ever in August, earning a larger role. Foster presents obvious risk in the first round of fantasy drafts.

 

[Dinsy Ejotuz]

Rotoworld:

ESPN's Chris Mortensen predicted on NFL Insiders that the Texans will open the season using a "timeshare" at tailback.
"I think we'll see more shared carries as we open the year," Mortensen said. It's a concern for Arian Foster because his per-play effectiveness has diminished so rapidly while handling the most touches in the NFL over the past three years. Meanwhile, Ben Tate has looked as sharp as ever in August, earning a larger role. Foster presents obvious risk in the first round of fantasy drafts.

I don't own Foster anywhere and have nothing but respect for the guy, but his price isn't going to fall nearly fast enough for me to buy him going forward.

 

[Faust]

Redskins Observations: RG3's a go; so is read-option, running game

Jason La Canfora

ASHBURN, Va. -- Let's get this out of the way: Robert Griffin III is starting Week 1 against Philadelphia. Barring the remote chance he has a setback -- and that would be a shocker given his steady recovery from torn knee ligaments at the end of last season -- he is going to be under center for the Washington Redskins.

That doesn't appear to be an issue at Redskins Park. Oh, sure, Dr. James Andrews will evaluate the quarterback again at the end of this week, after Griffin sits out the preseason finale Thursday at Tampa Bay. But the idea that Griffin would, or should, sit until the bye week a month into the season isn't grounded in reality. Everything about the way this injury has been handled was with an eye to the opening game, and we remain on that path.

"He seems to me to just be getting stronger and stronger," said backup quarterback Kirk Cousins, himself returning to practice Monday from a minor foot sprain. "I anticipate him being ready to go on Monday night [sept. 9] and putting on an amazing show."

And, don't fool yourself into thinking just because Griffin suffered his share of abuse last season, particularly in the read-option, that the Redskins offense will be drastically different. Because that's not the expectation here, either. Perhaps the percentage of plays the Redskins have Griffin out in space, pitching the ball with burly defenders darting toward his sinewy frame will decrease slightly. But the overall scheme and philosophies remain the same, and the thought is that the unit will be much more potent in 2013, with a second year together running it.

If anything, the Redskins are actually better primed and prepared to utilize the read option this season than they were a year ago. Back then, everyone, except for Griffin who thrived in pistol concepts at Baylor, was figuring it out as they went along. So figuring a team that won its division last season in this fashion to abandon or marginalize it this season is folly. Griffin must get out of bounds and not overextend plays and better protect himself, but the Redskins' offensive identity isn't changing.

The best way to protect Griffin is to hand the ball off. Lest we forget Washington was fifth in the NFL in rushing a year ago. Alfred Morris no longer is a rookie running back and should have another monster season. And the entire offensive line -- whose strength is much greater as a collective, lacking individual brilliance besides left tackle Trent Williams -- returns as well. Running the ball behind Coach Mike Shanahan's proven zone-blocking scheme, and sprinkling in the read-option out on the perimeter, makes a lot of sense. So the read-option isn't going anywhere.

"Last year the zone read was a work in progress," Cousins said, "and somewhat of an experiment, and we were learning on the fly and Robert was sort of teaching everyone how it works most effectively. And now you have a more normal installation of the plays, where we've done it before and we have clips of it to show guys, and it's much more comfortable. That alone should make a big difference.

"It's a very effective play, and even with a guy like myself who, I'm not going to run it 70 yards for a touchdown, it's a great changeup. It keeps defenses honest and forces them to think more than just be able to react. It slows them down. There are a lot of benefits even if you don't have a 4.3 guy behind center, where it can help you win football games. I think you're going to see it, no matter who is in at quarterback. And how much, I guess, will depend."

Without such a fertile run game, this offense wouldn't go. During Shanahan's first two seasons here, they were chucking the ball all over the place with inadequate quarterbacking.

"I remember when we didn't have that run game the first couple of years,” veteran receiver Santana Moss said, "and we had to throw so much and we didn't get enough out of us. Sit back and throw all the time, and everybody is ready for it."

Morris, a sixth-round pick, ran for 1,600 yards, averaged 4.8 yards per carry and scored 13 touchdowns -- the latest in what has been a series of interchangeable Pro Bowl backs for Shanahan. Trying to defend the Shanahan zone running scheme is a chore. Add the read-option and a quarterback as insanely athletic as Griffin, and you realize why Shanahan's son, Kyle, the play caller as offensive coordinator, would lean so heavily on it.

"You've got so many different sets and formations and about four or five people in the backfield and you don't know who is going to get the ball," said Redskins linebacker Brian Orakpo, trying to explain the difficulty of facing it, even in practice. "It's a zone-read option with the option on the backside. For a pass rusher or D line, it's very tough. That's why they were top five [in rushing] with a lot of rookies. Now they've got another year under their belt and have a chance to be even better. I'm glad I'm not playing against that myself."

Numerous players commented on how much more comfortable the offensive line is compared to a year ago. The zone scheme is predicated on synchronized lateral movement, born of endless practice. This should be even more sequenced this year, and -- looking at how poor divisional opponents like the Eagles appear to be against the run -- Morris could be a fantasy football god in Week 1.

"You don't really understand the speed and the angles the offensive linemen are taking," Redskins defensive lineman Kedric Golston said. "A lot of teams run variations of the zone, but this makes defensive linemen literally work through the down. The first two steps aren't good enough; you have to work through steps four, five and six. Whereas normally offenses, after step two or three, you've defended the block and you kind of know what's going on. But when they stretch that thing and Alfred is making his cut on the numbers, there's a lot of time in there for someone to misfit something."

And the delicious possibilities this run game and the read-option set up for play-action passing are too good to resist as well. Think of the Houston Texans' offense, at its best, but with a freak-of-nature athlete at quarterback. And put Redskins receiver Pierre Garcon in the role of Andre Johnson. If Garcon stay healthy, a Johnson-esque season (1,500 receiving yards) is within reach.

"In this offense you would love to be Pierre," Moss said. "He's going to be the Andre Johnson to this offense. That's what they brought him here for, and if he keeps playing the way he's playing, which I don't doubt he will stop, he's going to be that guy and he has every opportunity to be that guy. I used to sit back and watch Andre and say, 'How can he be so open?' And now I see it because there is so much you have to cover in this offense, and you can't cover everybody."

Don't expect that to change anytime soon.

Redskins ObservationsFrom what I'm hearing, there is a good chance Pat White plays the entire fourth preseason game at Tampa Bay. White has been very effective in a limited role, and given his elite athleticism, and the need for developing quarterbacks because of injuries striking other clubs, I'd be pretty surprised if he doesn't make this roster.

Especially with Griffin and Cousins on the mend, and given the limitations of backup Rex Grossman, White's presence would be important. Of course, carrying four quarterbacks is untenable and White doesn't have practice squad eligibility.

Here's the rub: If you cut White he'll be scooped up. If you cut Grossman, an older, system guy who doesn't stand out in any way, it's likely the same as carrying four quarterbacks because it's doubtful he gets signed elsewhere, and his preference would be to be back here with the Shanahans.

There's always the possibility of a trade, given teams having a need, but the Redskins did a fine job cultivating White after he spent years out of football. He is a great fit in this scheme and he's someone who could really benefit them from continuing to develop under Mike Shanahan's eye. As an organization, you hate to give a burgeoning asset away, especially at the most important position in pro sports.

• The players are pretty intrigued by some of the looks defensive coordinator Jim Haslett has been using this preseason. He had three linebackers rushing the passer in a nickel package and displayed a package with six linebackers on the field over the weekend. Usually, the pass rush has come from relying on all-out blitzes, but that might not be the case this season.

They call that linebacker-heavy unit a "swift" package and Orakpo said they were keeping it very vanilla, even when getting after Buffalo with it.

"As you've seen so far, we haven't blitzed at all, and that's something Haslett loves to do," Orakpo said. "But he hasn't had a need for it. We've been getting after it with four guys."

• Veteran linebacker Darryl Tapp has had a tremendous camp and preseason and should thrive in this scheme. I also came away impressed by underrated linebacker Perry Riley.

• There could be some continued concern over the overall leg strength of kicker Kai Forbath, but he certainly seems like a major upgrade to the revolving-door of kickers at Redskins Park. He was plenty accurate. While kickoffs didn't always grade out as the team would like -- which can hurt the coverage teams – there are always sacrifices, and finding a trustworthy kicker is a priority around here. Forbath enters his second season in the league in a good spot.

• This secondary could use suspended safety Tanard Jackson. Pass coverage looks like it could be the biggest issue with the team, and if Jackson can find a way to get himself reinstated this season -- which wouldn't shock me -- that could provide a significant boost. The Redskins are young at corner, and vulnerable at safety. That's far from ideal.

The assumption, however, is that the improved pass rush will allow these youngsters in the secondary to develop. "They can play at ease at times if you know you've got a great pass rush up front," Orakpo said.

• Orakpo has impressed the staff with his consistency, and he's been a sight battling star Williams, the star left tackle, in individual drills. This is a contract year for Orakpo and if he can stay healthy -- the biggest issue of his young career -- then I foresee a double-digit sack total.

• Continue to worry about the return game here. The loss of Richard Crawford for the season in Saturday's game is not insignificant. They have been searching for productivity and consistency in this regard seemingly throughout Dan Snyder's tenure as owner. It hasn't worked through free agency (Chad Morton and Antwaan Randle-El) or the draft. But Crawford, a second-year corner, was looking like he could provide a spark there after thriving in a limited role last year.

"He was literally leading the NFL in returns in the small sample size we had last year," said Golson, a special teams ace. "He just had a knack for it and making guys miss. He was making plays, spectacular plays, each and every day. It's definitely a blow."

This team isn't loaded with proven options at punt return, but they do have at least one veteran who would eagerly accept the call and has produced in the past. "If called upon I wouldn't think twice," Moss said.

If the NFC East is as jam-packed as I expect it will be, every little advantage will help, and losing a plus returner is far from ideal.

• Penalties were an issue last season, and still have cropped up this preseason.

 

[Faust]

Roster cuts for all 32 NFL teams

 

[Dinsy Ejotuz]

And put Redskins receiver Pierre Garcon in the role of Andre Johnson. If Garcon stay healthy, a Johnson-esque season (1,500 receiving yards) is within reach."In this offense you would love to be Pierre," Moss said. "He's going to be the Andre Johnson to this offense. That's what they brought him here for, and if he keeps playing the way he's playing, which I don't doubt he will stop, he's going to be that guy and he has every opportunity to be that guy. I used to sit back and watch Andre and say, 'How can he be so open?' And now I see it because there is so much you have to cover in this offense, and you can't cover everybody."

I'm not down for 1500 yards, but I think Garcon does have top 10 potential. Based on the games he was healthy last year he could be a target monster.

 

[Faust]

What we don't know after three preseason weeks

By Gregg Rosenthal

Around The League Editor

Three preseason weeks are in the books. We learned a lot over the weekend, but not every starting job around the league is locked up. With just 10 days remaining before the season opener, there still are a few key hanging questions around the NFL.

What we still don't know:

Buffalo Bills starting quarterback: Coach Doug Marrone says the Bills will "plan" for undrafted rookie Jeff Tuel to start in Week 1 against the New England Patriots, but that plan will change if rookie EJ Manuel can return to practice next week.

I've seen a number of outlets report Tuel as the definite starter. That's not the case. Manuel has a reasonable chance to be ready in time, so let's wait until next week to break out those stats about undrafted rookie quarterbacks never starting in Week 1. (OK, the last time was 1960.) Kevin Kolb is out indefinitely with a concussion, so Matt Leinart and Thaddeus Lewis will compete for the No. 3 quarterback job.

New York Jets starting quarterback: Mark Sanchez (shoulder) isn't going to practice all week. That leaves Geno Smith taking all the reps for the first-team offense for a second consecutive week. Coach Rex Ryan doesn't want to name a starter, which shows Sanchez will probably get the job back when healthy.

It would be a surprise if Smith didn't start the season opener, even if he wins the job by default. But Smith's three interception performance in the third preseason game showed that the rookie isn't ready. He might not keep those first-team reps for long.

Oakland Raiders starting quarterback: This wasn't supposed to be an open competition. Matt Flynn's contract and veteran status made him the presumptive starter all summer. General manager Reggie McKenzie said as much. Flynn's rough preseason outings has coach Dennis Allen thinking otherwise. Flynn had nine dropbacks from center against Chicago. They included two interceptions, a sack and fumble.

Terrelle Pryor has shown a knack for improvisation even if he's not always accurate. He's more equipped to play behind a brutal offensive line. He'll start the team's preseason finale while Flynn sits out with a mysterious arm injury. It's Pryor's job to lose now.

Denver Broncos starting running back: Coach John Fox supported starting running back Ronnie Hillman in public, and then he took away his first-team practice reps. Rookie Montee Ball, who has looked unremarkable as a runner in the preseason, practiced with the "ones" on Monday. Knowshon Moreno has outplayed both youngsters. The Broncos wanted Ball to take this job, and Hillman to step up from a year ago. It didn't happen in August.

Chip Kelly's offense:The former Oregon coach gave hints about his offense in the preseason, but tight end Brent Celek hinted that Kelly was keeping it a big "reveal" in Week 1 against the Washington Redskins. Mike Shanahan similarly kept most of his Robert Griffin III-led offense under wraps until the regular season started last year. The offenses in Jacksonville and Buffalo also are going to play fast.

San Francisco's starting wide receivers: Well, it won't be A.J. Jenkins. After the trade to acquire Jonathan Baldwin, the 49ers' top receivers after Anquan Boldin are Marlon Moore, Quinton Patten, Baldwin and Kyle Williams, probably in that order. It looks like Moore will be the Week 1 starter for a Super Bowl contender, which is bizarre.

Pittsburgh's starting running back: With Le'Veon Bell sidelined, this should be Isaac Redman's job. But Redman can't get healthy either. It's also unclear if first-round draft pick Jarvis Jones will pass Jason Worilds on the outside linebacker depth chart before the opener.

Brian Urlacher's successor: D.J. Williams can't get back on the field, so this looks like rookie Jon Bostic's job. He's looked the part in the preseason. The Chicago Bears got a surprising amount of love in our "Around The League Podcast" NFC North Preview.

Honorable mention: Philadelphia's free safety, the Jets' starting running back, the Denver Broncos' starting tight end and the Oakland wide receiver group are among the other open questions.

And a few things we do know
1. Undrafted rookies Kenbrell Thompkins and Zach Sudfeld will play huge roles with the New England Patriots. Throw in Aaron Dobson as a starter and rookie Josh Boyce getting snaps, and the Patriots will have one of the youngest groups of pass-catchers in the league.

2. The Ravens' high profile rookies won't have the roles that were expected coming into training camp. Safety Matt Elam and linebacker Arthur Brown should be coming off the bench.

3. The Cardinals had the worst weekend of any team. They lost four starters to injury, including No. 7 overall pick Jonathan Cooper to a broken leg. It's uncertain if Rashard Mendenhall will be ready for Week 1. The same is true for their starting tight end. Running back Ryan Williams hasn't been healthy enough to make the roster.

4. More than 600 NFL players will lose their jobs between now and Sunday. There are always a few surprises. We'll have it all covered on Around The League.

5. The regular season is now days away, not weeks. We've made it.

The latest "Around the League Podcast" recaps all the preseason games and previews the NFC North.

 

[Faust]

Bills believe they uncovered a hidden gem in Jeff TuelBy Dan Hanzus

Around the League Writer

If Jeff Tuel is the Buffalo Bills' starting quarterback on Sept. 8, he'll become the first undrafted rookie to start in Week 1 in his first season out of college since at least 1950.

This is the type of tidbit that would hint at very bad things for the Bills, especially with the mighty New England Patriots on tap.

But the Bills have reason for hope if EJ Manuel is unable to return from knee surgery in time. During a Monday appearance on "NFL Total Access," NFL.com's Ian Rapoport relayed a conversation he had with general manager Doug Whaley during a visit to Rochester this month.

Rapoport said he asked Whaley if the organization felt it had hit on something in Tuel, who wasn't even a regular starter his senior season at Washington State.

"If he keeps progressing, we think we may have," Whaley said, according to Rapoport. "This guy's got a little something to him."

Tuel has had a nice preseason, posting a 106 passer rating. He's actually outplayed Kevin Kolb, whose career is in jeopardy following a serious concussion this weekend.

Rapoport has been told that Manuel is still on track to start Week 1, meaning Tuel's star moment may not ever actually arrive. Still, the Bills don't sound like a team that believes all is lost if Tuel takes the field.

The "Around The League Podcast" is now available on iTunes! Click here to listen and subscribe.

 

[Faust]

Packers practice report: Williams returns

By Rob Demovsky | ESPN.com

GREEN BAY, Wis. -- The Green Bay Packers needed some good news in their secondary, and it came on Monday in the form of cornerback Tramon Williams’ return to practice after missing nearly a month because of a knee injury.

For the first time since July 30, the fourth practice of training camp, Williams was back in action, clearing the way for him to be ready for the Sept. 8 regular-season opener at San Francisco.

It was not a full-pads practice, so Williams couldn’t put his knee through a complete test. But he took part in most of the practice drills and even took a few reps as a punt returner. Williams described his injury as a bone bruise, and he wore a protective wrap on his knee.

“Coaches limited my reps, obviously, but it felt good for the most part, moving around against different guys,” Williams said. “I wondered how that would feel. It held up.”

With only one more practice remaining before Thursday’s preseason finale at Kansas City, it looks like Williams won’t get any exhibition snaps before the opener.

“I still don’t want to go out and say that I will be there Week 1,” Williams said. “But for me to be out there now, I think it’s definitely a possibility.”

Even with Williams back, the Packers were still missing two key players in the secondary -- safety Morgan Burnett and cornerback Casey Hayward. Both sustained hamstring injuries on Friday against Seattle and have been ruled out against the Chiefs.

In other developments on Monday:

• Tight end Brandon Bostick saw his role increase on special teams. He was on the No. 1 punt return, the No. 1 kickoff return and No. 1 punt coverage units. If a player is on several of the top special teams units, it can be a sign he’s in good shape to make the roster. However, on the final play of practice, Bostick dropped a touchdown pass from Aaron Rodgers. It came on the same day in which ESPN’s Ed Werder reported the Packers are fielding trade calls about their tight ends, including Bostick.

• Rookie linebacker Nate Palmer made one of his best plays of training camp, when he broke up a deep pass to tight end Jermichael Finley. Palmer, a sixth-round pick from Illinois State who is on the bubble to make the roster, had good coverage on Finley’s seam route and knocked the ball away.

• Vince Young threw a pair of interceptions, one by safety M.D. Jennings and one by cornerback Micah Hyde.

• Receiver Tyrone Walker had perhaps the catch of the day on a back-shoulder fade from Rodgers.

• Heavy rain forced the Packers indoors for the first time during training camp.

Medical report: Rookie receiver Kevin Dorsey was back on the sidelines because of a toe injury. Dorsey missed 10 practices and two preseason games earlier this summer because of a leg injury.

Linebacker Dezman Moses dropped out of practice halfway through because of a toe injury.

The Packers were still waiting for the results of more tests on running back DuJuan Harris’ knee injury.

Linebacker Brad Jones (hamstring) was added to the list of players who would not play against the Chiefs.

A total of 12 players did not suit up for practice. They were CB Jarrett Bush (ankle), CB James Nixon (ankle, knee), S Sean Richardson (neck), LB Jarvis Reed (ankle), OL J.C. Tretter (ankle), T Bryan Bulaga (knee), T Derek Sherrod (leg), DE Jerel Worthy (knee) Hayward, Harris, Burnett and Jones.

What’s next: The final practice of training camp is Tuesday at 11 a.m. local time.

 

[Faust]

Broncos practice report: It's still Miller time

By Jeff Legwold | ESPN.com

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- Broncos coach John Fox has made it pretty clear he wants to get Von Miller as much work as possible, even with a six-game suspension on the horizon for the two-time Pro Bowl selection.

And it's pretty clear when Fox does that it means somebody else isn't getting the work. A tough call, but Fox has elected to keep Miller engaged and with the starters as the suspension nears.

Fox has had to weigh the benefits of working Miller in the starting defense now to better prepare Miller for his scheduled return to the field in Week 7, against the snaps that could have gone to players elsewhere on the developmental curve. Because every snap Miller takes in practice, as well as in the preseason games, is a snap that didn’t go to one of the Broncos younger, less experienced players.

Fox said following the league’s announcement of the suspension he would play Miller against the Rams this past Saturday and he did just that, starting Miller in the game. Miller finished with 18 snaps on defense. Miller will also play Thursday night against the Cardinals in the preseason finale and will officially begin his suspension Saturday.

But as Fox explained it this past weekend, Miller has a six-game suspension and “I wasn’t going to make it eight."

All of that said, however, it has really been injuries to Robert Ayers (Achilles/ankle) and Derek Wolfe (neck) that have made it possible for the Broncos to work Miller and still get the linebackers the work they need to cover for his absence. Miller played at defensive end against the Rams and is expected to do that against the Cardinals as well. Miller worked with the starters at defensive end in Monday’s practice, with veteran Shaun Phillips at the other defensive end spot, while Wesley Woodyard, Nate Irving (in Miller’s strong-side linebacker spot) and Danny Trevathan worked at linebacker in base defense.

Malik Jackson, a fifth-round pick in the 2012 draft, has also gotten plenty of work with Wolfe and Ayers being out. Like they do with Wolfe, the Broncos like Jackson’s potential because he can play on the interior in the defensive line and at end.

• Broncos running back coach Eric Studesville may grow hoarse as he tries to get the message across, but with the regular season closing in, pass protection will continue to be a huge piece of the decision about who plays at running back for the Broncos. And it’s why Knowshon Moreno has steadily worked his way into the conversation and earned a selection of snaps with the starters over the last week, including in the 2-minute drill to close out the first half this past Saturday night against the Rams. Rookie Montee Ball has surrendered the biggest hit on quarterback Peyton Manning in the preseason with Ball’s missed protection assignment against the Seahawks. Asked Monday, after he had taken the majority of snaps with the first-team offense in practice, if Manning had said anything to him after the play, Ball said; “No, he didn’t have to. Coach E (Studesville), he did a great job being the coach the he needed to be and he was yelling at me, screaming at me, which was most definitely needed.’’

• With the first round of cuts having been made and Omar Bolden (ankle) out of practice, Quentin Jammer had the opportunity to try to show the team’s coaches he can be an option at cornerback. Jammer had been signed in the offseason to primarily be a coverage safety who could line up and handle some cornerback duties in situational work from time to time. But Jammer played at cornerback against the Rams and lined up there exclusively in Monday’s practice. It will be a big week for Jammer as he is likely on the bubble to make the 53-man roster, so any multi-tasking skills will help his cause. At one point the secondary for the second-team defense was Jammer and rookie Kayvon Webster at cornerback with David Bruton and undrafted rookie Ross Rasner at the two safety spots. Rasner has caught the team’s eye and certainly is, a quality practice squad candidate if he can’t wedge his way into what will be the most difficult position group for the Broncos to make the cuts.

• Broncos wide receiver Wes Welker, who was held out of Saturday’s game because of an ankle injury he suffered in Seattle, was back with the starters in Monday’s practice. He, like most of the Broncos regulars, is not expected to play in Thursday night’s preseason finale.

• Cornerback Champ Bailey (foot), safety Quinton Carter (knee) and tight end Joel Dreessen (knee) did not participate in Monday’s practice. Bailey and Dreessen continue to work toward trying to get back for the regular-season opener. Even with Julius Thomas’ emergence in the passing game for the Broncos as a tight end who can line up on the line as well as out wide and in the slot, Dreessen is still the team’s best receiver/blocker combination and the offense will need him, especially out of the three-wide receiver set against the better pass-rush teams.

 

[Faust]

RG III Report: Increased reps fuels optimism

By John Keim | ESPN.com

The workload increased again this week, with Robert Griffin III taking yet another step toward starting the season opener against Philadelphia.

He continues to get more reps in practice and once again faced the regular defense, giving him a better look against live competition. The Redskins ended practice for the week, with only a walkthrough scheduled for Wednesday. So Griffin will reach his examination with Dr. James Andrews Thursday with continued positive momentum.

“I can see a big improvement from the start when he came out on the first day,” Redskins coach Mike Shanahan said. “You can see he’s in football shape. There hasn’t been a setback. Everything’s been very positive. ... He just feels more relaxed. We put him in more team situations. You can tell when somebody’s had enough reps to where it starts to be automatic and you don’t have to push it.”

Griffin will be examined by Andrews at some point Thursday, either before or after the Redskins game at Tampa Bay.

“I’ve seen improvement from the first day to where he’s at now just in his ability to move and ability to scramble,” Shanahan said. “Just the ease in which he practices.”

Earlier Tuesday, Griffin told ESPN980 radio that he was 100 percent. It’s hard for others to measure how a player feels, but offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan isn’t about to argue with Griffin.

“He looks 100 percent to me,” Kyle Shanahan said. “He can fly around. He can make the throws. There’s no gimp at all -- obviously he wouldn’t be out there if there was. But he looks good. Everything from a coaching standpoint is about getting the rust off. He’s gotten better each practice and I’m excited to get him out there Week 1.”

 

[Faust]

Rotoworld:

According to a source with knowledge of the situation, the Redskins view Robert Griffin III (knee) getting cleared for Week 1 as a "formality."
"He’s taking all the snaps with the ones," the source said. "He’s looking great. I don’t think there’s any doubt he’s playing and I think everyone in the building is looking at it that way. I think they look at that last checkup as a done deal." It's just the latest non-update on RGIII's Peterson-esque recovery. He can safely be drafted as a QB1.

Source: Washington Post

 

[Faust]

Rotoworld:

Speaking after Tuesday's practice, Brandon Marshall said he's not as far along as he'd like to be in his recovery from offseason hip surgery.
"So yeah, I’m not where I want to be right now," he said. "It’s a little frustrating. But we’ll see. ... Some people might think I need to be farther on than where I am, so it’s a little frustrating not being where I want to be right now and maybe being pushed a little bit." They're eye-brow raising comments, but Marshall has been suiting up for preseason games, and missing very little practice time. Marshall's frustration appears to be with his conditioning as much as anything else. It's just something to file away when you're deciding on a WR1 this week.

Source: Chicago Sun-Times

 

[Faust]

NFL Stock Watch: Lions defensive line fully reloaded already

 

[Catbird]

Trouble in the information pipeline? Is Faust missing in action or just way tired of the vigilant hunt for information? I know I haven't been expressive enough in my thanks for the effort and for keeping this info flowing in. Is nothing being written about NFL players 10 days before the season opens? This thread is the first thing I check in the pool. Seeing nothing for a couple of days and finding it here on Page 4 leaves me feeling out of touch as my drafts draw near. Please come back to us.

 

[Faust]

Sincere apologies to the SP, as work and a few other events in my life have kept me exceptionally busy the past few days!

 

[Faust]

Nineteen takeaways from Preseason Week 4By Gregg Rosenthal

Around The League Editor

The best day of the preseason is always the last one. It's finally over.

Starters barely stepped on the field during the 16 games Thursday night, but we still got an interesting snapshot of four quarterbacks around the league at very different stages of their development.

Washington Redskins coach Mike Shanahan confirmed that Robert Griffin III was finally cleared for game action. One of the game's brightest stars won't miss a regular season contest after tearing his ACL.

Tim Tebow once was a cultural phenomenon like RGIII, but now the former Heisman Trophy winner is just trying to keep his career alive. Tebow's performance on Thursday probably didn't help his case.

Tebow had his chance to be a starting quarterback. Terrelle Pryor is trying to earn his. His 3-of-8 outing in the preseason finale wasn't a convincing closing statement, although he made big plays with his legs once again.

Perhaps the most noteworthy nugget on Thursday came from NFL.com's Ian Rapoport before the games started. Mark Sanchez is not expected to be ready to start the season opener, so Geno Smith should be the New York Jets' starting quarterback.

A month of positioning is done. Guys like Tebow have to sweat out roster cuts, while guys like Pryor wait to find out if they are starting. The best part: The waiting is almost over.

Here's what else we learned Thursday night:

1. New York Giants running back Andre Brown fractured his leg against the Patriots, another big setback in a career full of them. Brown downplayed the injury after the game; it's unclear how long he will be out.

Meanwhile, Giants starter David Wilson capped an impressive preseason with 37 yards on six carries. He finished the preseason with 179 yards on 24 carries (7.46 YPC). Wilson's workload is only going to increase.

2. Cincinnati Bengals running back Giovani Bernard scored his third one-yard touchdown of the preseason. They aren't afraid to use the diminutive runner at the goal line.

3. New York Jets cornerback Kyle Wilson played a lot Thursday night. It's a sign he's falling down the depth chart or a potential trade candidate.

4. The Denver Broncos started Ronnie Hillman at running back. That's coach John Fox making a statement of support.

5. Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb, and Tramon Williams all returned to action for the Green Bay Packers, although they only had cameo appearances.

6. St. Louis Rams running back Isaiah Pead fumbled a punt. It's been a rough month for him.

7. San Diego Chargers tackle Max Starks surrendered three sacks in the first half.

8. Ted Ginn went nuts with five catches for 149 yards and two touchdowns in the first half for Panthers. This means nothing, even if he thinks otherwise.

9. Chicago Bears left tackle J'Marcus Webb didn't get on the field for Bears until start of the fourth quarter. Quick fall from grace almost complete. He's likely to be released.

10. Philadelphia Eagles backup quarterback Nick Foles completed only six of 17 passes for 63 yards.

11. New York Jets "starting" quarterback Matt Simms threw 44 passes for 285 yards, and showed some toughness getting up from six first half sacks. He's probably won the team's No. 3 job over Greg McElroy.

12. Matt Leinart's Bills cameo went as well as you'd expected after only practicing in Buffalo for a few days. He went 3-for-10 passing for 11 yards, throwing two interceptions. EJ Manuel was seen throwing on the field before the game.

13. Matthew Stafford was one of the rare starting quarterbacks to play a couple of series on Thursday night. His lackluster preseason continued, completing just one of six passes. Coach Jim Schwartz probably wanted Stafford to get more work because he's looked poor.

14. Running backs Joique Bell and Mikel Leshoure rotated with Lions' starters, but it appears that Bell has won the team's backup job. Pro Football Focus noted Bell gained 36 of his 52 yards after contact against the Patriots. His best run Thursday was a 23-yard touchdown dart that gave the Lions a 21-0 lead. Leshoure is probably safe for a roster spot, but he isn't a help on special teams and hasn't separated himself this summer.

15. Buffalo Bills wide Marquise Goodwin left the field under his own power in the second quarter against Detroit, looking a little groggy.

16. Bears receiver Joe Anderson might have sealed up a roster spot Thursday after hauling in a 5-yard touchdown catch from Jordan Palmer breaking breaking a tackle on a 37-yard pickup in the second quarter. With Earl Bennett reportedly on the trade block, Anderson is making the most of his opportunity.

17. Despite the early camp hype, Thursday marked another ugly night for Ravens third-year cornerback Chykie Brown, who's struggled all preseason.

18. Arizona Cardinals running back Ryan Williams only rushed for 25 yards on nine carries, although he was praised by coach Bruce Arians after the game.

The "Around The League Podcast" is now available on iTunes! Click here to listen and subscribe.

 

[Faust]

Preseason roundup: Tim Tebow's two TDs won't be good enough

 

[Faust]

2013 preseason reaction Week 4

 

[Bob Magaw]

Sincere apologies to the SP, as work and a few other events in my life have kept me exceptionally busy the past few days!

no need to apologize, faust... the SP is indebted to you for already going above and beyond the call of duty with your generous expenditure of time and effort... no doubt countless people have benefited... keep up the great work when able, we are on the home stretch!

 

[BigSteelThrill]

no need to apologize, faust...

Amen.

Faust you are doing Gods work in here. ✞

 

[Faust]

Down to 53: Tracking the NFL's notable roster cuts

 

[Faust]

Tandon Doss on block? Ravens shopping wide receivers

By Chris Wesseling

Around the League Writer

The consensus around the NFL is that wide receiver is a weakness for the Baltimore Ravens as they embark on a defense of their Super Bowl title.

The organization doesn't see it the same way. In fact, coach John Harbaugh revealed Friday that the Ravens consider themselves so rich in young receiver talent that they're hoping to unload one in a trade.

"We'd love for someone who has a need, or who has a strength in an area where we need something, you'd like to think that we could do some business," Harbaugh said, via the Ravens' official website. "We are heavy in certain areas, and wide receiver is one of them. It's kind of interesting, you look at that position and people considered it a weakness of ours. There is a lot of depth there."

Torrey Smith, Jacoby Jones and slot receiver Brandon Stokley are locks for the final roster. Harbaugh said Friday that "it looks good" for rookies Marlon Brown and Aaron Mellette to make the team. Deonte Thompson is a candidate for injured reserve after straining his foot in the preseason opener.

That leaves LaQuan Williams and Tandon Doss as trade bait. The Ravens probably can forget about finding a suitor for Williams after The Baltimore Sun reported Friday that he suffered a hamstring injury in the preseason finale.

The Ravens' best hope is to swap Doss for another fringe talent at a different position.

The "Around The League Podcast" is now available on iTunes! Click here to listen and subscribe.

 

[Faust]

Audibles Audio: NFL Films’ Greg Cosell talks about the preseasonBy Doug Farrar

We have a special treat for the debut of our new “Audibles Audio” series of podcasts — an hour with Greg Cosell, longtime game tape maven at NFL Films, and the executive producer of ESPN’s NFL Matchup show. In 1984, Greg and the late Steve Sabol, former president of NFL Films, invented the “matchup” Idea and brought advanced football analysis to a new level. Greg is one of the foremost authorities on schematic concepts and trends in the league, based on the tape study he’s been doing since 1979, and his may connections in the NFL. We’re also happy to announce that we’ll have a weekly matchup podcast with Greg in the 2013 regular season. And yes, we’ll have RSS and iTunes feeds very soon.

For our first podcast with Greg at SI.com, we talked about the preseason, and some of the more pertinent schematic ideas in football. Here are a few words of wisdom from Mr. Cosell:

On how he analyzes preseason performances: “What you don’t know, and this is what makes it difficult, is what teams are looking to accomplish. Some teams do very little when it comes to schematics on either side of the ball; they’re simply looking to evaluate players. You may or may not know that, depending on relationships you have with personnel. Other teams, with new coaches, may be doing schematics, and you get a feel for how a team may play. One quick example is the Eagles in their third preseason game against Jacksonville — when Michael Vick played into the third quarter, everyone assumed you’d see the ‘Chip Kelly Offense,’ and that would be the so-called dress rehearsal. I’ve studied Oregon’s offense for years, and to me, that was not the offense we’re going to see.”

On the Chip Kelly offense he expects to see: “What he’s doing, and we’ll see if it’s successful … I think there’s been a change in concept. In the NFL, for years and years, the basic premise in the run game was that you needed a physical, downhill element. We know that the Houston Texans are a zone-based run team, but there’s a physical element to it. They often do it with two tight ends, and lined up that way more than any team in the NFL last year (73 percent of the time, per Football Outsiders’ game-charting). You can go back to the days of Vince Lombardi, but it was execution-based. I think where coaches like Chip Kelly come into this is that while there are physical elements, he will try to win with deception and misdirection — make it look different. He doesn’t just want to out-execute you; he wants to deceive you. And that’s why, when I watch the tape, it looks perimeter-based to me. IN know they have inside zone, but everything seems to start more laterally.”

On how NFL defenses might try to stop the option attack this season: “One thing I’ve talked with coaches about — when you have quarterbacks who can run, and going back to Michael Vick when he was really the only one doing this in 2003-2004. Coaches would tell me that they would encourage Vick to run, and in fact make him run to a specific area, and they’d have the defense set up in that area. A lot of this stuff — people have done it defensively, but last year, from a preparation standpoint, a lot of coaches didn’t have enough time [to scheme to defend it]. That’s why I’m really anxious to see what they do. Don’t forget — college coaches deal with this every week, and not every team that runs read-option scores 40 points every week. Many NFL coaches went to college campuses to get a better feel for it, and get a better feel for it … and in college, it gets defensed, by the way.”

You can either right-click on the link to save it to your computer, or click on the player below to listen on the page.

 

[Catbird]

no need to apologize, faust...

Amen.

Faust you are doing Gods work in here. ✞

Yeah. I wasn't complaining. I hope that was clear. I've just come to rely on your info and was missing it. I appreciate all you have the time to get on here. I will have a better year because of your hard work. Thanks!!

 

[Faust]

Waivers roundup: Alex Green claimed by New York Jets

 

[Faust]

Rotoworld:

49ers WR Jon Baldwin is not expected to be active on game days to begin the season.
Baldwin is no higher than fourth on the receiver depth chart, and lacks the special teams value of Kyle Williams. Baldwin could eventually push Marlon Moore out of the starting lineup at X receiver, but is still in the process of learning Jim Harbaugh's offense. He's not roster-worthy in 12-team leagues.

Source: CSN Bay Area

CSN Bay Area's Matt Maiocco suggests second-year RB LaMichael James may be a game-day scratch even when he returns from his MCL sprain.
James was scratched when Frank Gore and Kendall Hunter were both healthy in 2012. Per Maiocco, James "struggled with his blocking" and "seemed to go backward" in the preseason, managing 55 yards on 24 carries (2.29 YPC). The 61st overall pick in last year's draft, James is shaping up as a disappointment.

Source: CSN Bay Area

Seahawks signed WR Chris Harper to their practice squad.
In a surprise, Harper passed through waivers despite being the 123rd overall pick in April's draft. In Seahawks camp, the Kansas State alum couldn't beat out Jermaine Kearse or Stephen Williams for a 53-man roster spot.

E.J. Manuel (knee scope) returned to Bills practice Sunday.
Coach Doug Marrone has left the door open for Manuel to play in the season opener if he can get in a full week of practice beforehand. He's on his way. Barring in-practice setbacks, Manuel should be given every opportunity to start against the Patriots instead of UDFA Jeff Tuel. The Bills only kept two quarterbacks on their 53-man roster, suggesting more optimism about Manuel's status. His return would be good news for C.J. Spiller.

Source: Adam Caplan on Twitter

Raiders waived QB Tyler Wilson.
He'll likely be claimed off waivers shortly. Wilson, the 112th overall pick in April's draft, struggled with the mental side of the game in Raiders camp and fell behind undrafted free agent Matt McGloin. GM Reggie McKenzie is keeping McGloin, Matt Flynn, and Terrelle Pryor on the roster at quarterback.

Related: Raiders

Source: Profootballtalk on NBC Sports

 

[Faust]

Ryan Broyles to open season on Detroit Lions' bench?By Chris Wesseling

Around the League Writer

Returning from his second ACL surgery in less than three years, Detroit Lions wide receiver Ryan Broyles predicted in June that he would be back to full speed for the start of the season.

While Broyles insists he's "mentally, 100 percent," he conceded that his knee "thinks different from day to day."

"Your body shows up some days and some days it doesn't," Broyles recently told the Lions' official website. "This has been one of the most challenging things of my life, coming off two ACLs. I'm out here trying to compete at a high level."

Originally expected to open the season as the primary slot receiver, Broyles spent the preseason playing with the second- and third-team offenses.

The Detroit Free Press believes Nate Burleson will open the season in the slot, with offseason and training-camp sensation Patrick Edwards entering opposite Calvin Johnson in three-wide sets.

We wouldn't rush to add Edwards in fantasy football leagues just yet. He's struggled at times with drops and getting off of jams at the line of scrimmage, while being outplayed by former Broncos receiver Matt Willis in preseason action.

Until Edwards proves that he's more than just a practice all-star, the Lions have a depth chart full of question marks behind Johnson and Burleson.

The "Around The League Podcast" is now available on iTunes! Click here to listen and subscribe.

 

[Faust]

Five things to know: What goes into finalizing NFL rosters at 53

 

[Faust]

Training Camp Winners

 

[Faust]

Daily Dose: Gronk Back

 

[Faust]

Chris Harper leaves Seahawks for division rival 49ersBy Chris Wesseling

Around the League Writer

The long-standing NFC East rivalries certainly have tradition on their side, and no matchup has been more brutal over the past decade than Pittsburgh Steelers versus Baltimore Ravens.

For sheer talent and unbridled intensity, there currently isn't a more riveting showdown than the one unfolding between the NFC West superpowers.

A source tells NFL.com's Ian Rapoport that the San Francisco 49ers are expected to sign fourth-round draft pick Chris Harper off the Seattle Seahawks' practice squad. Per Rapoport, the Seahawks "fought like crazy" to keep Harper, but the Niners ultimately won the bidding war.

After the Niners lost athletic H-back prospect MarQueis Gray on waivers to the Cleveland Browns, they apparently settled on Harper as the fallback successor to Delanie Walker. At 6-foot-1 and 235 pounds, Harper could see time at tight end as well as wide receiver.

Harper impressed the Seahawks with his physicality and athleticism at rookie camp, but quickly fell behind receivers Jermaine Kearse and Stephen Williams in training camp. Harper will be a developmental project in San Francisco, with the hope that he evolves into a matchup problem down the line.

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