Training Camp 2012 (1 Viewer)

[karmarooster]

It's Christmas Eve! NFL training camp kicks off this week, and it's time for FBGs out there to start keeping an eye on situations across the league. If you are at a camp, reading the local beat writers, or following along via twitter, NFL Network, etc., report back here! I'll add more teams and situations over the next few days, and feel free to post what you're looking for, and more importantly, what you're seeing. My take on "What to watch for"....

NFC South

Atlanta Falcons:

[*]Are the Falcons really going to shift to an aerial offense, as they wanted to last year?

[*]What's the target distribution like between Roddy and Julio?

[*]Is Jacquizz Rodgers primed to take on a more substantial role? Is he being used as a third down back, or spelling Turner more often?

[*]Is Jason Snelling used enough to cut into Turner/Rodgers?

Carolina Panthers:

[*]Can Cam improve on last season? How does he look after a full NFL offseason? Do the Panthers still plan on using him aggressively inside the 5 yard line so that he figures to get 10+ rushing TDs?

[*]What does the arrival of Mike Tolbert mean to this offense? Will it cut into JStew's 3rd down work? Stewart really worked better in this offense as an escape option, but Tolbert might kill that value

[*]Any sign of a bounce back season from DWill?

[*]What does the WR2 situation across from Steve Smith look like between LaFell and Gettis?

[*]Can Olsen improve on last season's numbers? Is Shockey even still on this team?

New Orleans Saints:

[*]What are the chances that this team goes nuclear after the most chaotic offseason in recent history? OR has the bottom fallen out of just the defense, such that the offense will be pushed to match/exceed last season's numbers?

[*]How will the offense function without Peyton?

[*]Any chance Mark Ingram stops being the suck?

[*]Can Jimmy Graham repeat last season? Some reports from last year were that he was just beginning to scratch the surface in his ability as an NFL receiver

[*]Have Marques Colston's legs fallen off yet?

[*]Is Sproles good for another top 10 season in PPR?

[*]Assuming the offense can play at a high level given all the crap, who is the value play here?

Tampa Bay Bucs:

[*]Is this a bounce back year for Josh Freeman with the offensive weapons he now has? Last year he was a late QB1 coming off an excellent TD:INT season, plus his willingness to rush. Yet even with the addition of Vince Jackson, Doug Martin, and Dallas Clark, he remains a very low ranked QB (current ADP in the 11th round, QB17), and this draft position doesn't seem to reflect the additions

[*]Speaking of Doug Martin, is he going to overtake Blount sooner or later?

[*]How will Mike Williams play in this offense across from Vince?

[*]What's the new coaching system look like?

NFC North

Minnesota Vikings:

[*]#1 question on this team - how is AP recovering? Will he miss time or be limited?

[*]Assuming AP is limited or misses some time, can we expect usage from Percy Harvin similar to last year when AP was out and Harvin went on a tear?

[*]Is there anyone on this team to keep defenses from focusing on Harvin?

[*]How is Christian Ponder's development coming along?

Detroit Lions:

[*]Can Calvin repeat as #1WR? Last year the Lions threw more than anyone in the NFL due to the RB situation, but this year with the return of Best, LeShore, and KSmith, will that number go down?

[*]How does Titus Young look across from Calvin?

[*]Is Brandon Pettigrew the next breakout, athletic WR? Who's the #2 passing option in this offense, Pettigrew or Young?

[*]How is the log jam at RB going to sort itself out?

Green Bay Packers:

[*]Lame offense, not much to look for here.

[*]No but seriously, is it just going to be more of the same, i.e. incredible offensive numbers spread out among Jennings, Nelson, Finley, Cobb, Driver, Jones, with a few rushes sprinkled in by Rodgers and an average to below average RB?

Chicago Bears:

[*]Is Brandon Marshall going to have 95+ receptions this year?

[*]Will the line hold up enough for Cutler to get the ball to Marshall? If so, is Cutler a nice value play as a potential mid-level QB1?

[*]How will Michael Bush affect Forte? Will it be a time share, or is Bush the clear backup?

[*]Is anyone else even draftable on this team?

 

[karmarooster]

NFC East:

Dallas Cowboys:

[*]How explosive is DeMarco Murray coming back from injury?

[*]Is Dez finally getting his crap together? Is he taking over as WR1 or is Austin still the guy and thus a better value?

[*]How much does Witten have left in the tank? Could he be in for a bounce-back year given that they didn't replace Laurent Robinson?

[*]Is Romo primed to join the 5k yard club

NY Giants:

[*]What does the loss of Mario Manningham mean for this passing attack?

[*]Is Martellus Bennet a steal as a late round TE?

[*]How does rookie RB Wilson look - like a backup, or like a timeshare with Bradshaw?

[*]Any signs that Bradshaw has fully recovered from yet another foot issue, or are his foot problems chronic?

[*]Can Eli repeat his absurd passing numbers from last year?

Washington Redskins:

[*]All eyes should be on RGIII - can he put up Cam Newton numbers? Or overvalued when drafted as a later QB1?

[*]Is Santana Moss really done, or is the arrival of Pierre Garcon a premature sign of his demise?

[*]Can TE Fred Davis continue to produce like a top 5 TE in PPG?

[*]Shanahan and his RBs? Anyone willing to take the plunge or is this best avoided, as usual?

 

[karmarooster]

Carolina Panthers:

[*]Can Cam improve on last season? How does he look after a full NFL offseason? Do the Panthers still plan on using him aggressively inside the 5 yard line so that he figures to get 10+ rushing TDs?

[*]What does the arrival of Mike Tolbert mean to this offense? Will it cut into JStew's 3rd down work? Stewart really worked better in this offense as an escape option, but Tolbert might kill that value

[*]Any sign of a bounce back season from DWill?

[*]What does the WR2 situation across from Steve Smith look like between LaFell and Gettis?

[*]Can Olsen improve on last season's numbers? Is Shockey even still on this team?

Trying not to read into this too much, but I love this about Cam: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/writers/peter_king/07/22/mmqb/3.htmlShowing up for training camp with the rookies is a great sign that he is an absolute professional, and to me signals that he spent the offseason working hard in the film room and weight room. I think this bodes very well for an improvement from him this year - It's really amazing what he accomplished last season, as a rookie, given that there was no offseason to speak of.