Arizona Cardinals

QB: As expected Kurt Warner looked good in the first few days of camp. Coach Dennis Green indicated that Kurt was throwing well and looking sharp. Green’s pleased with the development of the offense overall and specifically with Warner. Of course, ask Kurt and he’ll be the first to say he can recapture the glory years of his past. Keep tabs on Josh McCown, too. Knowing Warner’s recent history and relative ineffectiveness it won’t be a big surprise if he’s forced into action at some point. McCown and 3^rd stringer John Navarre each threw a nice TD in Thursday’s practice. Navarre hit Bryant Johnson on a 40-yard pass down the right sideline against the first team defense while McCown located FB Obafemi Ayanbadejo in the end zone during a goal-line drill.

RB: So far so good for J.J. Arrington. He’s looking sharp and on top of his game in the opening week of camp. Green was noticeably happy after watching a rather physical practice last Wednesday stating, “There were some really nice plays. You saw J.J.’s speed and speed can really be a good thing with this offense when you can spread people out.” RBs coach Kirby Wilson also had glowing praise for Arrington, “He's been well-coached, No. 1, and No. 2, he comes from a very good offensive system where he was allowed to be what he is, which is a very good runner tackle-to-tackle, outstanding perimeter run skills.” The first week of camp hasn’t changed our mind. Arrington looks like he’ll be the man this year.

Troy Hambrick was placed on the Physically Unable to Perform, or PUP, list and the Cardinals signed veteran RBs J.R. Redmond and James Jackson to add more competition to the mix. Marcel Shipp was also on the PUP, but the team welcomed him back to practice on Wednesday (Aug 3rd). “We’re working step by step with him and he is looking a lot better,” said Coach Dennis Green. “He had done well with his conditioning the first two days and everything seems to be falling back in place for him. It’s good to have him back out there.” As Shipp gets stronger he’ll be part of the mix, but it’s unlikely he’ll start opening day over Arrington.

WR: Anquan Boldin inked his new four-year extension and was a happy camper up until Thursday when he broke his nose being tackled by safety Aaron Francisco. He’ll miss up to three weeks after having surgery Friday to reset his nose. In Boldin’s absence Charles Lee and Lawrence Hamilton split reps with the first team offense during the rest of the morning practice. A player to watch in camp is rookie Dan Sheldon, aka “Seabiscuit”, as he was dubbed at Northern Illinois. Sheldon is only 5’8”, 173 lbs but he led the nation in punt returns as a sophomore with a 22.7 yard average.

TE: Eric Edwards left practice last Wednesday with a pectoral injury and immediately scheduled an MRI which revealed a partial tear. “That was the best thing that could have happened,” Edwards said. “It could have been a lot worse. They thought it was a lot worse until they got the MRI.” He’ll miss between two and three weeks. Edwards is competing for the starting job along with four other inexperienced players in Bobby Blizzard, Adam Bergen, Aaron Golliday and John Bronson. Currently, it’s rookie Adam Bergen taking snaps with the first team. Keep an eye on this competition, particularly on Bergen, who was a good pass-catching TE in college.

Defense: Reminiscing to last year’s surprise training camp cut of G Pete Kendall, Dennis Green struck again. This time it was DT Wendell Bryant who was summoned by the reaper unexpectedly. On the flipside, new safety Robert Griffith has been setting the tone in practice recently laying out RB Josh Scobey drawing the crowd’s praise. Griffith has been impressive so far. DT Kenny King injured the same wrist that forced him to miss the 2004 season. Overall, the defense is looking good during the first week of camp. They didn’t allow a rushing TD during goal-line drills while forcing two fumbles. On one play, MLB Gerald Hayes met a diving J.J. Arrington at the 1-yard line stopping him cold and keeping him out of the end zone. LB James Darling also had a big hit on Arrington.

Free agent WLB Orlando Huff also got into the act with a nice blast on Arrington during 9-on-7 drills. Needless to say, Arrington is getting plenty of greetings from his new teammates. DE Calvin Pace delivered a nice blow to Ayanbadejo forcing a fumble (Ayanbadejo’s 2nd in as many days). DE Bertrand Berry was able to penetrate on a couple of plays politely tapping backup QB John Navarre on the shoulder. Needless to say, if hitting QBs were permitted, Berry would’ve run Navarre’s bell on those plays. Rookie Ernest Shazor didn’t report to camp and was placed on the reserved/did not report list. Dennis Green indicated he was dealing with some issues. It sounds like he’s a little bitter about going undrafted after initially being dubbed a 2nd round pick potentially.

Special Teams: During a mock game this week, PK Neil Rackers connected on both his field goal attempts (32 and 31 yards). After a poor showing on returns last year, the Cardinals are paying extra attention to blocking schemes on kickoff and punt returns in practices this year. As expected, WR Bryant Johnson, RB J.R. Redmond, and rookie WR Dan Sheldon practiced punt returns this week. Other candidates for the punt return job include CB Antrel Rolle, WR Reggie Newhouse, and rookie WR LeRon McCoy.

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Atlanta Falcons

QB: One of Michael Vick’s primary goals this camp is improving his accuracy. During the first couple days of camp Vick looked great throwing the football to the left side of the field, but he struggled at times throwing to the middle of the field and to the right. In his 2^nd season in the West Coast offense Vick hopes to improve his accuracy and his overall passing, but he may have to do it while working with a pair of younger, inexperienced receivers. After the American Bowl, Falcons QB Michael Vick said he feels far more comfortable entering his second season in offensive coordinator Greg Knapp's West Coast offense and Head Coach Jim Mora Jr. said the fluidity and familiarity in the way the first-team offense performed against the Colts was a good sign.

RB: T.J. Duckett continues to make progress and, as reported last week, dropped 24 lbs in the first two days of camp due to the sweltering heat. He dropped 13 lbs the first day and 11 more by the middle of Tuesday last week. "I'm drinking as much water as I can, but I don't have an answer for it," Duckett said after a two-hour evening session. "This is the hottest I've ever witnessed in my life. I've never lost this much weight on a daily basis." That didn’t temper Duckett’s feistiness as he and LB John Leake mixed it up after Leake got too rough. The leaner and meaner Duckett drove Leake into the ground taking exception to Leake’s aggressiveness.

WR: First round pick Roddy White was signed, sealed and delivered after missing the first nine practices. White hit the ground running though. He made several outstanding plays during receiving and goal-line drills. Coach Mora was pleased, “I'd be lying if I didn't say I'm impressed by some of the things he does”. White narrowly beat him to a Vick pass on an 18-yard out pattern, while Hall got the better of him on other plays. After practice, DeAngelo Hall called White “like Larry Fitzgerald without all the hype” when he was asked how the rookie is playing. White will play the “X” position according to Mora. If Vick emerges as a legitimate passer to compliment his legs, one of the guys in this group might finally emerge with some fantasy value. Despite the late start White is expected to put pressure on Dez White to start opposite 2^nd year WR Michael Jenkins. Brian Finneran is also in the picture as is deposed starter Peerless Price, who relinquished his starting job to Jenkins. Meanwhile, Dez White had a brief scare after landing awkwardly on his abdomen and experiencing chest pain. He visited the hospital then was later cleared to practice.

TE: Alge Crumpler had some minor knee issues to work through early in camp, but it was minor. He didn’t require any fluid to be drained and coach Mora said “it’s nothing to be concerned about”. He’s just adapting to the wear and tear of camp. Apparently, it didn’t slow Crumpler down much. He’s already in mid-season form. Coach Mora didn’t hold much back gushing about Crumpler recently. "He's better than advertised, in my opinion," Falcons coach Jim Mora said. "I think you can make an argument that he's the best player on our team, the best pure football player on our team. There's nothing he can't do. He's a great blocker. He's levelheaded and he's got great hands. In our opinion, he's the premier tight end in football." Needless to say Crumpler is in position to return to the Pro Bowl if he remains healthy.

Defense: One of the main battles in training camp is among the safeties. Bryan Scott is still being held out of contact drills but he’ll return soon and is expected to start at free safety with Keion Carpenter at SS. Meanwhile, Ike Reese and Demorrio Williams are competing for the SLB job. The additions of Ed Hartwell and Ike Reese have given the Falcons LBs an added swagger in camp. Perhaps the biggest impact player for the Falcons defense this year might be 2^nd year corner DeAngelo Hall. Hall finished his rookie year on a high note and is looking good in camp. He sure doesn’t lack confidence either. Hall talked about regaining his confidence, "You've got to have the swagger and, after what I went through last year, it's definitely good to have it back. If you play cornerback, you want people to notice you, because teams are coming after you anyway. So, I'm just kind of saying, 'OK, here I am.' I really don't mind sticking out, not at all." Other defensive players worth noting are DT Brandon Mitchell and DE Brady Smith. Mitchell tweaked his back while Smith will be out for at least another three weeks after undergoing neck surgery.

Special Teams: PK Todd Peterson made both his field goal attempts (28 and 36 yards) during the American Bowl on Saturday. Punter Michael Koenen handled all the kickoffs, getting anywhere from 60 to 74 yards (excluding one squib and one he put out of bounds). Rookie WR Brian Bratton handled most of the return duties on both kickoffs and punts. Rookie WR Cole Manger fair caught a punt and WR Romby Bryant returned one kick. None of the three receivers are likely to make the final roster.

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Baltimore Ravens

QB: Kyle Boller, like Michael Vick, is focusing heavily this camp on improving his accuracy. He should also benefit from his 2^nd season under the guidance of Coach Jim Fassel, now the team’s offensive coordinator. Rick Neuheisel is also working with Boller as the QBs coach. Boller has more tools to work with this year, but he also must develop chemistry with new WRs Derrick Mason and rookie Mark Clayton. With all the additions and help for Boller come higher expectations and more pressure to succeed. On the subject of pressure Boller noted, “Sure, there's a lot of pressure on me. There are a lot of high expectations for this team and myself. But I put a lot of pressure on myself. I want to be the best player I can be and I'm going to put in the hours and hard work. I think the pressures going to turn out to be good for me. It's made me work that much harder."

RB: The expected return of Jamal Lewis was postponed slightly because of a holdup with his probationary period. He was supposed to join his teammates on Friday, August 5^th, but instead will report on Monday, August 8^th (at the earliest). For now, the team has Lewis and Musa Smith on the PUP, but only for the short-term as both are expected to return within the next week. In their stead Chester Taylor is getting plenty of work and has been very impressive. The Rouge Rocket may once again be a nice sleeper if Lewis gets hurt again. The Ravens might want to get their money’s worth since they invested $3M in him for 2005.

WR: Rookie first round pick Mark Clayton signed a 5-year contract worth $8.2 million ending his holdout. Clayton is talented enough to earn a starting role possibly beating out Randy Hymes and Clarence Moore to start opposite Derrick Mason, but the week long holdout will undoubtedly set him back. Mason is already making an impact. Not only will he be a nice possession receiver for Boller but he gives the younger receivers in camp a mentor and sounding board. When Boller was asked if Mason will help take the pressure off the younger guys he responded, “They're going to pick his brain because Derrick really has a good understanding of defenses and where the holes are. That makes the game a whole lot easier when you can understand that. So the young guys are really going to learn from him and he's going to push them. It works out for both of them.”

TE: Todd Heap continues to push ahead with his rehabilitation and is expected to return to practice in the next couple of weeks. For now he’s merely working on conditioning and catching passes after practice from Kyle Boller. His ankle seems to be doing fine, but his shoulder is a little further behind; he’s trying to rebuild strength in it before returning to practice.

Defense: Rookie OLB Dan Cody suffered a second or third degree knee sprain casting a big shadow on his availability for the 2005 season. Reportedly some team officials are already preparing for Cody to miss the season. Such speculation may be prompting the Ravens to re-consider bringing OLB Peter Boulware back into the fold. The ball is largely in Boulware’s court as other teams are said to be interested. GM Ozzie Newsome recently contacted Boulware’s agent, so don’t rule out Boulware’s return just yet. On the bright side, look for bigger things out of S Will Demps this year. He’s playing the Doug Plank position in the Ravens version of the ‘46’ defense. Demps promises to be more aggressive in this role and make more plays since he’ll effectively be an extra LB at times.

Special Teams: Accurate PK Matt Stover kicked a 38 yard FG in the Ravens scrimmage against the Redskins on Saturday. Punt and kickoff return specialist B.J. Sams was held out of the scrimmage due to a minor hamstring injury. Backup punt returner Deion Sanders was perhaps the most memorable player on the day but not for one of his patented electrifying returns. Playing in the Ravens newly implemented 4-6 defense, he had two sacks on the day.

Ravens Depth Chart
QB Kyle Boller, Anthony Wright, Derek Anderson
 RB Jamal Lewis, Chester Taylor (3RB), Musa Smith, B.J. Sams (KR/PR), Tellis Redmon, Keith Burnell, Alex Haynes
 FB Alan Ricard, Ovie Mughelli, Justin Green
 WR Derrick Mason, Mark Clayton, Randy Hymes, Clarence Moore, Devard Darling, Patrick Johnson, Derek Abney, Fred Stamps, Curtis Williams
 TE Todd Heap, Terry Jones, Daniel Wilcox, Darnell Dinkins, Trent Smith
 K Matt Stover
 DE Anthony Weaver, Terrell Suggs, Jarrett Johnson, Roderick Green
 DT Kelly Gregg, Dwan Edwards, Ma'ake Kemoeatu, Aubrayo Franklin, Matt Zielinski, Cedric Hilliard, Tron LaFavor
 MLB Ray Lewis, Bart Scot, Jim Nelson, Mike Smith, Matt Sinclair
 OLB Adalius Thomas (S), Tommy Polley (W), Dan Cody (S/DE) (inj)
 CB Chris McAlister, Samari Rolle, Deion Sanders, Dale Carter, Calvin Carlyle, Zach Norton, Jamaine Winborne, Mark Estelle
 S Ed Reed (SS), Will Demps (FS), Chad Williams (SS), Jarvis Johnson (FS), Chris Kelley

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Buffalo Bills

QB: When the Packers played the Bills on Friday night Mike Sherman was thinking about what he almost had in J.P. Losman. Sherman made it no secret that if he were available when the Packers selected, they would’ve taken him. Instead he was selected three picks earlier. "We had very high interest (in him)," Sherman said. "We thought he was a very talented young man, and he is. He'll be one of those surprises, like a (Ben) Roethlisberger-type surprise this year to a lot of people." In the first 11-on-11 practice session on Thursday, Losman and the offense as a whole started slowly, but calmed down later. Earlier in the week Losman showed his running ability scrambling for what would have been a long TD run in 11-on-11 drills. "He told me it was 82 yards," Coach Mike Mularkey quipped. Mularkey wants Losman to be wise about running though considering he broke his leg last year making a similar move. Against the Packers, backup Shane Matthews connected with George Wilson for a 23-yard TD pass. Losman impressed his teammates on Friday night with making good, quick reads and showing a quick release. "He handled things well," running back Willis McGahee said. "I'm no expert on quarterbacks, but he sure looked good to me. He didn't seem nervous. That's a great sign. He's got his confidence and he knows we have his back."

RB: During practice last Wednesday the defense got the better of Willis McGahee when the first teams assembled for a four play goal-line drill. DE Chris Kelsey was the star bagging McGahee for a 6-yard loss on the first play. J.P. Losman threw the ball away on the next down. On third down Kelsey stuffed McGahee again. But McGahee didn’t stop. On 4^th down he broke through the middle and appeared to score. The referee on hand signaled TD but the defense claimed his knee was down. A war is being waged for the backup spot behind McGahee between Shaud Williams, Joe Burns, Lionel Gates and ReShard Lee. After one week it’s too close to call. Lee scored on a 1 yard run against the Packers.

WR: Lee Evans has picked up right where he left off last year. He broke off a huge run on a reverse in a scrimmage against the Packers that was called back on a penalty. In the morning session on Thursday (8/4) he caught two TDs in 7-on-7 drills with CB Terrence McGee smothering him. Top pick Roscoe Parrish shined during one-on-one drills going deep on the first two plays in Friday’s practice. He also stood out against the Packers making several nice catches. Parrish is getting off the line cleanly with his cat-like quickness, turning a Packers rookie corner inside-out on one play.

TE: The Bills are crossing their fingers that Tim Euhus and Mark Campbell will stay healthy. "I think some of the players were offering to sacrifice a chicken in our room," said tight ends coach Mike Miller after practice. Euhus and Campbell were both lost within a span of five plays last year after they both tore their ACL. Fortunately, they’re both on the field now and fully practicing after a lot of rehabilitation in the offseason. Neither are wearing braces either. For Euhus, it’s his second knee operation. He injured the same knee back in 2001 at Oregon State. Campbell had also injured his right knee previously. The Bills expect to use their tights ends more frequently this year after having them do mostly blocking last season. With a quality group of receivers, Euhus and Campbell should enjoy plenty of single coverage. Now they just have to take advantage of it. When asked if their roles might change Campbell said, "What I foresee happening is we're going to do a lot more with J.P. (Losman) athletically, getting him to run around a bit. You want to build confidence with a young guy and get him some short throws early. I think that comes into my strength. Anything within the 15-yard mark I feel pretty good about, and I'm just building that camaraderie with him right now."

Defense: One of the Bills strengths defensively is a strong secondary led by 5^th year corner Nate Clements along with veteran safeties Troy Vincent and Lawyer Milloy and corner Terrence McGee. For Clements this is a contract year. That means another big season will almost certainly be followed by a lucrative free agent contract. Clements knows what lies ahead of him but when asked about it he tried to play it off. “It's hard not to think about it, especially with people bringing it to my attention," said Clements. "But I'm not going to sell myself by talking about it. I'm going to let my play speak for me.” The Bills would prefer he not hit the open market, so they may opt to use their franchise tag on him or sign him to an extension at some point during this season.

Special Teams: Rian Lindell has been doing well in camp so far, even attempting and connecting on some FGs over 40 yards - something which didn’t occur very frequently in games last year. CB Nate Clements, WR Roscoe Parrish , WR Jonathon Smith, WR Drew Haddad, WR Josh Reed, CB Terrence McGee, and S Jim Leonhard all practiced punt returns this week. The rookie Parrish is expected to overtake incumbent Clements for the top spot. Despite probably being more involved on defense this year, CB Terrence McGee still wants to and should be the primary kickoff returner again.

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Carolina Panthers

QB: Jake Delhomme is still developing as a quarterback but he’s really settled in now as the Panthers starter going on three years. Head coach John Fox said, “I think he's getting more and more used to being THE quarterback. Last year, I thought he got off to a little bit of a rocky start but really finished strong. Like most young players at their position, I just see him getting better and better. I've seen that so far in this camp.” Rookie Stefan Lefors is a lot of fun to watch. He’s sort of a Delhomme clone. He and WR Drew Carter provided most of the sparks Saturday. In parts of two 12-play periods, LeFors was 7-of-7 for 124 yards and two touchdowns. Carter, coming off last year's season-ending knee injury, caught five passes for 101 yards and both scores.

RB: Eric Shelton is already practicing with the first team in short yardage situations. DeShaun Foster was named the starter, but he’s missed 30 games in three years due to various injuries. Foster’s betting on himself forgoing a contract extension for the right to be a free agent after the season. That’s risky for a guy with his track record in the infirmary, but Fox has faith in him. "If he's had any bad things happen to him, it's been injuries," Fox said Wednesday. "When healthy, we feel good about DeShaun Foster. He is very capable of running it 35 times (a game)." Foster was given the morning practice off on Thursday after feeling general soreness after five straight two-a-days. Foster has loads of talent, but buyers beware. Shelton lurks in the shadows like the ghost of Stephen Davis, only younger and healthier. Nick Goings is getting more reps at fullback leaving the backup job to Shelton and maybe at some point Stephen Davis, who is day to day.

The team still won’t discuss when Stephen Davis will test out his knee in a live practice. He continues to run on his own and looks good doing that. Davis did say he's had no swelling in his right knee in recent weeks. He's increased his cutting and lateral movement and said Saturday he still thinks playing in the third or fourth preseason game is a realistic possibility.

WR: Keary Colbert sat out of practice on Wednesday and Thursday due to a tweak in his hamstring allowing the newest Panther Rod Gardner to get extra reps. Gardner took a pay cut restructuring his contract taking his salary from $2.1 million to $1 million. Steve Smith is back to full speed. One reporter says he is moving better than he’s ever seen. “He can still jump, still cut, he's still quick and he's still fast," S Mike Minter says. But Smith says he did lose a step, “I probably lost a step, but you can't tell.” Receivers coach Richard Williamson said Smith is six pounds lighter and "can stop and start better than anybody I've ever been around."

TE: And from the left field.. Freddie Jones announced his retirement citing, “It was in the best interest of my family that I conclude my career at this time. I appreciate the Panthers signing me. It's a top-notch organization and I'm glad I got a chance to experience it before I retired.” That puts Kris Mangum right back into the lineup with Mike Seidman also in the picture.

Defense: Julius Peppers is planning on 2005 being his breakout season. He might be right. The Panthers plan on using him in a variety of ways. “We line him up at tight end, wideout, defensive end, linebacker. I mean, he's a phenomenal athlete, and he makes phenomenal plays," Fox said. "I think he's grown as a football player, not just in his techniques but mentally. So much of this game is mental, and he's gaining experience in that every day.” A healthy Kris Jenkins will do wonders for both Peppers and Mike Rucker. Free safety Mike Minter sprained his knee and was carted off the field on Thursday. Luckily, there was no major structural or ligament damage, just a sprain. The injury could pave the way for rookie S/LB Thomas Davis to get more first team work. Davis has been working as the backup strong safety behind Colin Branch. CB Ken Lucas pulled his hamstring on the 2^nd play of the Panthers’ scrimmage on Saturday. Coach Fox said he doubts Lucas will be available for their preseason opener against Washington.

LB Brandon Short also suffered a knee injury in the first week of camp, though Short’s is not considered serious.

Special Teams: PK John Kasay has been hitting FGs from over 50 yards this week in practice (including a long of 59). Head coach John Fox noted that, “John has worked very hard this offseason. He has lost some weight. He has taken great care of himself. He's a pretty strong-character, mental guy. He's gotten himself ready to play." Both primary kickoff returner RB Rod Smart and primary punt returner WR Steve Smith have looked very good in practices showing no lingering signs of their injuries from last year.

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Chicago Bears

QB: Rex Grossman recently praised the simplified approach of new offensive coordinator Ron Turner’s offense. Unlike Terry Shea’s approach a year ago, Turner is implementing specific plays in steps or packages. Once they master one package, they go to a new one as opposed to using a bigger playbook and practicing more plays, fewer times. Grossman said, “Coach Turner understands this offense better than Terry Shea understood last year's offense. He has had experience calling this offense. He created this offense. It's a branch of the West Coast offense. But he designed it and has its own personality to it. I felt like [last year] we were trying to run Kansas City's offense, not Terry Shea's offense.” The mere possibility of Grossman playing all 16 games would help the Bears rebound from a horrific offensive performance a year ago. Sleepers abound on the Bears beginning with Grossman who is among the last QBs getting draft in most leagues – if he gets drafted. If there were any questions about Grossman’s knee, they’ve been answered so far. He’s not wearing a brace and his drops have looked good not showing any lingering effects from his season-ending injury. Grossman’s also making good decisions, displaying command of the huddle and proving to have a strong and accurate arm. On Monday night Grossman looked pretty good overall connecting with Muhsin Muhammad for a long completion (and near TD).

RB: Cedric Benson’s holdout continues virtually guaranteeing he’ll miss no less than the first two preseason games. Meanwhile, no progress is being reported even though there is ongoing communication between Benson’s agent and the team. One of the sticking points is Benson wants a deal comparable to Philip Rivers’ deal last year. Both were the 4^th overall pick. That ship isn’t sailing in Chicago or with GM Jerry Angelo. "It's America,'' he said, "You can ask for anything you want. It's not comparable to last year's fourth, and everybody knows that. It was different, given the fact they made a trade.'' The Bears have also refused to work off last year’s 3^rd pick Larry Fitzgerald. Both sides are growing more frustrated.

While Benson and the Bears remain at an impasse Thomas Jones just keeps going to work. And rightfully so knowing the team drafted Benson to ultimately replace him just one year after signing as a free agent. Jones continues to impress the coaches and teammates and at this point it would take a minor miracle for Benson to begin the season atop the depth chart. Jones is taking essentially all of the first team reps in practice. Even beyond that Jones is miles ahead of Benson with his pass-blocking skills. Jones is also a first-rate receiver out of the backfield and has made several nice catches in drills this week. Jones played well Monday night and capped a TD drive with a 1 yd run after Muhammad made a big play along the sidelines.On a side note fullback Keith Belton has gained the early edge in the competition for the starting job. He’s currently running with the Bears first team offense.

WR: Muhsin Muhammad is making a strong first impression in Bears camp. He’s providing just the kind of veteran leadership the Bears needed. He’s working hard, setting the example and displaying excellent hands. The daily battles between Moose and CB Charles Tillman are a highlight of camp. Competing for the No.2 job Bernard Berrian looks great. He went up high for a catch in double coverage on one play, and then a couple plays later reeled in a pass over his shoulder for a 30-yard TD from Grossman. Justin Gage is looking good, too, but he lacks Berrian’s explosive quickness. Gage dropped a pass, but came back with a nice grab on a slant route later in the same practice.  Mark Bradley continues to drop passes, but he’s also showing a willingness to go over the middle. Despite the drops he has displayed good hands, too. Kareem Kelly was waived and the team signed Derrick Lee.

TE: Desmond Clark (right ankle) is expected to be cleared from the non-football injury list sometime this week, but his status for the St. Louis game is unknown. Ron Turner will be happy to get him back considering he’s yet to work with him much. "I don't know a lot about him, although I've seen him on film," Turner said. "I'm excited to get him back." Kind of lurking in the background is Ron Johnson. The former Raven is converting to TE from receiver and he’s making some plays in camp. The team is lining him up mostly outside where he’s just like a slot receiver, but they believe he can create matchup problems if they continue developing him. At Thursday night’s practice John Gilmore was the starter but Dustin Lyman took several reps with the first team when they went to double TE sets.

Defense: Starting corner Jerry Azumah visited a specialist in Denver this past week regarding a degenerative hip condition and surgery was recommended. Such a procedure would keep him sidelined for three to four weeks and provide more opportunity for second year CB Nathan Vasher. CB Charles Tillman is having an excellent camp. He’s openly talking about becoming a Pro Bowler but he’s backing it up making play after play in practice and drills. His instincts and ability to break on the ball are outstanding. 2^nd year DT Darrell Campbell’s high motor has made an impression on coaches, but he’s competing for a roster spot at a deep position.

Bears Depth Chart
QB Rex Grossman, Chad Hutchinson, Kyle Orton, Ryan Dinwiddie, Kurt Kittner
 RB Thomas Jones (3RB), Cedric Benson, Adrian Peterson, Fred Russell, Zack Abron
 FB Bryan Johnson (inj), Thump Belton, Marc Edwards, Jason McKie (inj)
 WR Muhsin Muhammad, Justin Gage, Bernard Berrian (KR/PR), Bobby Wade, Mark Bradley, Eddie Berlin, Airese Currie, Carl Ford, Derrick Lee
 TE Desmond Clark (inj), John Gilmore, Dustin Lyman, John Owens, Ron Johnson, Darnell Sanders, Gabe Reid
 K Doug Brien, Nick Novak
 DE Adewale Ogunleye, Alex Brown, Michael Haynes, Israel Idonije, Alain  Kashama, Shurron Pierson, Greg White, Jonathan Jackson
 DT Tommie Harris, Ian Scott, Alfonso Boone, Terry Johnson, Darrell Campbell
 MLB Brian Urlacher, Quinn Dorsey
 OLB Lance Briggs (W), Hunter Hillenmeyer (S/M), Joe Odom (S), Marcus Reese (S), Jeremy Cain (W), Derrick Ballard (W), Levar Woods, Rod Wilson, Leon Joe
 CB Charles Tillman, Jerry Azumah (KR) (inj), Nathan Vasher, Todd McMillon, Alfonso Marshall, Talib Wise, Rashied Davis, Leroy Smith
 S Mike Brown (SS), Mike Green (FS), Todd Johnson (SS), Bobby Gray (SS), Jason Shivers (FS), Cameron Worrell (FS), Chris Harris, Jerrell Pippens, Brandon McGowan

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Cincinnati Bengals

QB: Carson Palmer continues to look the part in training camp this year. He appears ready to take the team to the next level – i.e., the playoffs. "I don't care whether it's the skill guys, or the linemen, or whatever, people just prefer to be around him," Coach Marvin Lewis said of his quarterback. "It doesn't matter who it is. Guys are drawn to him and, for a quarterback, that's great, because he has to be a leader. With Carson, there's just something about him, you know?" The Bengals are well set at QB with Jon Kitna as a backup. Craig Krenzel and Casey Bramlet are dueling for the No. 3 job.

RB: No significant changes in the first week of camp except perhaps that Chris Perry is practicing along with Rudi Johnson, Kenny Watson and Quincy Wilson. Watson continues to do what he does – catching passes out of the backfield while contributing on special teams. Wilson faces tough competition to win a roster spot. Perry hopes to unseat Watson but is already looking good catching passes out of the backfield and giving the Bengals a completely different style of runner than Johnson.

WR: Jamal Broussard keeps working hard and trying to make a name for himself, but he faces a tough battle for a roster spot at a super deep position for the Bengals. Peter Warrick continues to miss practice but was seen running deep fly patterns.  “He's doing really good, but it's being able to do things three days in a row and more," Lewis said when asked about Warrick. Just when you’re ready to write off Kelley Washington, he shows another glimpse of his talent. “They draft two receivers, but if it doesn't work out here, I'll play somewhere else," Washington said. "And I'm talented. No one can tell me I'm not a good football player.” If the first week of camp is an indication, he could be in for a bigger year instead of getting cut. He’s the classic third year receiver, but there are a lot of hurdles for him to clear first.

TE: Reggie Kelly was slowed by a balky left knee and didn’t practice on Wednesday.

Defense: LB David Pollack returned to Georgia without a contract and remains a holdout heading into the 2^nd week of training camp. Fellow rookie MLB Odell Thurman appeared fatigued in his 2^nd practice with the team after a 5 day holdout, but now he’ll need to regain the starting job from LB Landon Johnson. Johnson took the first team reps while Thurman was holding out. During Wednesday’s practice DE Duane Clemons had an interception and DE Justin Smith had a pair of sacks in the two minute drill. LB Caleb Miller had arthroscopic ankle surgery and will miss about 3 weeks.

Special Teams: Despite playing with a sore groin, PK Shayne Graham hit FGs from 27, 32, 35, 39, and 42 yards in Friday’s intrasquad scrimmage. His only miss was from 46 yards. The Bengals might want to consider bringing in a camp leg to rest Graham as he is currently the only kicker in camp. Top punt returner CB Keiwan Ratliff is playing 15 pounds lighter this year and displaying his speed in practice. There are growing rumors that the return of WR/PR Peter Warrick is getting very close.

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Cleveland Browns

QB: The holdout situation with Braylon Edwards brings back memories for QB Trent Dilfer, who held out 12 days in his rookie season. Dilfer offered the following advice for Edwards when asked about the holdout, “I completely stunted my development as a football player," Dilfer said. "I was never able to catch up. I worked as hard as I possibly could, but there's no substitution for reps, there's no substitution for camaraderie and there's no substitution for a trust level with your teammates.” Rookie Charlie Frye is a lifelong Browns fan from nearby Willard. He lit up Saturday night’s practice featuring mostly 11-on-11s. Frye eluded the blitz on one play and threw a 31 yd pass to rookie Brandon Rideau. Frye also completed another 20-yarder to Rideau and ran for 20 yards in a 2 minute drill. He fumbled at the goal line and rookie Antonio Perkins picked him off at the start of the 2 minute drills. Even with the two mistakes he played much better than the others - Doug Johnson and Josh Harris – and he’s gaining ground on Doug Johnson for the backup job. Frye dislocated his left pinkie on the fumble, but kept playing.

RB: The Browns are experimenting with the notion of using Lee Suggs and Reuben Droughns together on the field at the same time. They’ve used both backs in the backfield as well as splitting them out wide, too. Romeo Crennel mentioned using both backs “does put a little pressure on the defense. They have to defend you differently with two halfbacks in the game." Unfortunately, Droughns sat out three straight practices with a pulled hamstring. Almost forgotten in the shuffle, William Green continues to turn his life around both on and off the field. “I think he's applied himself to this game and to life in general,” Crennel said. “He's doing pretty good. He's still out there in the rotation, so that's a plus.” Green looks to be in the best shape of his career after losing a few pounds, improving his quickness and strengthening his upper body. During 7-on-7 drills Friday he made several nice runs against the 1^st team defense. One noticeable difference is he seems to be recognizing his read quicker and in turn hitting the hole quicker. “The bottom line is that I want to play, and I want to play for the Cleveland Browns," he said. "So I've got to get out there and work hard on and off the field - whatever it takes." He has an uphill battle against Suggs and Droughns, but we shouldn’t discount Green knowing how quickly injuries can change a team’s depth chart.

WR: The Browns are still without Braylon Edwards as the first week of training camp comes to a close. At this point Edwards needs to get into camp if he has any hope of making an impact as a rookie. "It's a problem for Braylon to miss because he is going to be behind everyone else," Browns head coach Romeo Crennel said earlier this week. "The beginning of training camp is valuable time for any player. We do individual drills for the players. Once the season starts and you start game planning, you cut back on the individual stuff. He's missing a lot of individual time.” While Dilfer hasn’t been able to work with Edwards in camp, he’s clicking with Antonio Bryant. The former Biletnikoff Award winner is taking advantage of Edwards’ absence. Bryant dropped a pass in the endzone but bounced back catching every pass thrown his way the rest of the day. Brandon Rideau has been one of surprises in camp. He was an unknown and now has the coaching staff’s attention.

Defense: One of the keys to the Browns new defensive alignments under coach Romeo Crennel is getting great nose tackle play. That’s where veteran Jason Fisk comes into play. Fisk has experience in the 3-4 from San Diego where he also played at nose tackle. Kenard Lang is lighter in camp this year as he makes the switch to OLB from DE. CB Daylon McCutcheon missed a couple practices this last week due to migraine headaches. Safety Brodney Pool blocked a FG and made another nice play on a Charlie Frye pass, and then on Saturday he made some nice plays. Crennel said he’s working his way into the safety rotation, "He's flashed a lot of ability, but we still might try to bring him along slowly.” The Browns claimed NT Ethan Kelley from the Patriots while waiving DL Ellery Moore to make room.

Special Teams: PK Phil Dawson is enjoying the hot weather in camp, "It feels good. This is like Texas weather." He’s also enjoying the large chunk of change from his contract extension. During a half-speed open-to-the-public practice, WRs Richard Alston and C.J. Jones returned several kicks untouched. Alston is the favorite to again handle kickoff returns. RB Reuben Droughns is a potential backup, although he hasn’t had a chance to compete having missed practice all week due to a pulled hamstring.

Browns Depth Chart
QB Trent Dilfer, Doug Johnson, Charlie Frye, Josh Harris
 RB Lee Suggs, Reuben Droughns, William Green, Sultan McCullough
 FB Terrelle Smith, Ben Miller, Corey McIntyre
 WR Andre' Davis, Antonio Bryant, Braylon Edwards, Dennis Northcutt (PR), Frisman Jackson, Richard Alston (KR), C.J. Jones, Brandon Rideau, Lance Moore, Josh Cribbs (WR/RB)
 TE Aaron Shea (TE/HB), Steve Heiden, Keith Heinrich (IR), Kellen Winslow (IR)
 K Phil Dawson, Nick Setta
 DE Orpheus Roye, Alvin McKinley, Amon Gordon, Andrew Hoffman, Corey Jackson (W), Simon Fraser
 NT Jason Fisk, Nick Eason, Ethan Kelley, Larry Burt, J'Vonne Parker
 ILB Andra Davis, Ben Taylor, Brant Boyer (W), Mason Unck, Jamal Brooks (S), Orlando Ruff, Renauld Williams
 OLB Kenard Lang (S), Chaun Thompson (W), Matt Stewart (S), David McMillan (W), Sherrod Coates (W), Nick Speegle (S), Justin Kurpeikis (S)
 CB Daylon McCutcheon, Gary Baxter, Mike Lehan, Leigh Bodden, Antonio Perkins, Dyshod Carter
 S Sean Jones (SS), Brian Russell (FS), Brodney Pool (FS), Chris Crocker (FS), Michael Jameson (SS), Antwaan Harris, Michael Grant (SS)

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Dallas Cowboys

QB: Drew Henson continues to struggle through a slump that’s lasted the first full week of camp. He’s overthrown receivers, made a careless throw off his back foot, missed an open receiver down the sidelines, but then bounced back drilling a bullet to TE Jason Witten between two defenders in the end zone. Henson is competing with Tony Romo for the backup job behind Drew Bledsoe. If the first week is a harbinger of things to come Romo seems to be distancing himself from Henson. Romo has been sharper with his throws, but this situation will almost certainly change several times through camp and Parcells wasn’t about to make any defining statement regarding their competition noting, “We're not even to the first furlong pole.”

RB: Julius Jones knows there are big expectations for him entering his 2nd season with the Cowboys. After rushing for 813 yds in the team’s final seven games, Jones has plans on becoming one of the NFL’s top young backs. "I'd like to get 1,700 yards and 20 touchdowns," Jones said while trying to remain humble. He’s clearly the starter and if he remains healthy could be in for a monster year. The Cowboys have great depth, too. Anthony Thomas is proven and while not flashy, is durable and reliable. Rookie Marion Barber may also figure into the picture. He’s looked good for the most part in camp, but recently had a tough day of practice drawing the ire of head coach Bill Parcells when he bobbled a pass in the flat only to fumble on a running play in the red zone a few plays later. The Tuna barked at the rookie, “That's two. Are you one of those? Are you one of those Barber?"

WR: Quincy Morgan made a spectacular catch during team drills on Friday. He’s made several nice catches during the week. This one came against CB Anthony Henry. Rookie receivers Jamaica Rector and Reggie Harrell each dropped passes in position drills, prompting Parcells to give both players an earful. Former Rams QB Kirk Farmer worked out at receiver for the Cowboys last week, but wasn’t signed.

TE: Jason Witten made the Pro Bowl last year in his 2^nd season, but the Cowboys don’t want him to rest on his laurels. Parcells certainly isn’t letting up on him. ``I was teasing him before camp, I said, `Well, are you ready to be a star now or you just want to be a real good player?’,’’ Parcells said. “I try to give him a needle a little bit.” The good news is Parcells usually saves this kind of rhetoric for players he really likes or the ones he thinks can excel. Bledsoe and Witten are connecting well in training camp, too. Witten got wide open in the back of the end zone on back to back players during goal line drills. On another he snatched the ball away from the grasp of two defenders. ``He's too quick; he's too fast for linebackers. He's too big, too physical for safeties,'' said fellow TE Dan Campbell, who remains sidelined following an emergency appendectomy last week. ``A lot of the safeties in the league, he's just as fast as they are. Then you put the size on top of it, you can't cover it.''

Witten isn’t getting a big head though, especially with Parcells around to set the tone and constantly ask him if he’s going to be another one year wonder. ``He says that stuff, that's every day,'' Witten said. ``You appreciate that just because he's pushing you and he wants you to have success. At the same time, he doesn't want you to get the big head. So that's him, he's going to be like that every day.'' 

Defense: Rookie defensive end Marcus Spears will miss 2 to 4 weeks after spraining his right knee and ankle Friday in team drills. Spears also hurt his groin. It all happened when a lineman was knocked down and rolled up on Spears’ leg. He was running with the 2^nd team when he got hurt. Kenyon Coleman is practicing with the 1^st team and appears to be well suited to the team’s new 3-4 scheme. The injury allows Jay Ratliff, a 7^th round pick, to take Spears’ spot. Another rookie, DL Chris Canty wasn’t healthy during the offseason but has been cleared to start full contact work August 8^th. Canty has experience in the 3-4 from Virginia under Al Groh, Parcells former longtime assistant. Third-year LB Bradie James is working with the first team at inside LB with Dat Nguyen. "He just seems to be more professional," Parcells said. "He seems to get it now."

Special Teams: Bill Parcells said he expects PK Billy Cundiff to hit in the mid-80s for FG percentage and that his 76.9% from last year wasn’t acceptable for Texas Stadium. So far in practices, he is not meeting that goal. Cundiff’s competition, Brett Visintainer, injured his back and was released this week. The Cowboys subsequently signed Jose Cortez, who is a camp leg and kickoff specialist but not really a threat to take over placekicking permanently. CB Jacques Reeves, RB Anthony Thomas, RB Marion Barber, RB Tyson Thompson, WR Zuriel Smith, and WR Terrance Copper all practiced on kick returns this week. CB/PR Lance Frazier has missed practice with a high ankle sprain.

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Denver Broncos

QB: Plummer is looking good in camp during the first week. He’s hitting Rod Smith on shorter routes and also connecting with Ashley Lelie on deep passes even though a few of the long balls sailed on him a bit. In typical Mike Shanahan fashion just days after lauding Danny Kanell’s commitment to the offseason problem he demoted him to 4^th string. On the new depth chart Bradlee Van Pelt, the local product out of Colorado State, is running 2^nd string with Matt Mauck No. 3. Mauck has been inconsistent and looked bad in Thursday’s practice. This is sure to change with four pre-season games ahead, so keep Van Pelt’s name written in pencil. “I think it was just giving Bradlee a shot”, said Kanell. “Things change and things evolve, as long as I keep persevering and keep working that much harder things will fall into place." Van Pelt is still holding the ball too long and struggles looking away from defenders, but he seems comfortable rolling out of the pocket where he can use his mobility to his advantage while avoiding the rush.

RB: Mike Anderson is the starter for the moment, but common sense tells us Tatum Bell will emerge as the starter before camp breaks. As easy as it may be to discount Anderson as an old veteran coming off another knee surgery, he’s a proven player who Shanahan trusts. And who knows what Shanahan might pull? Just look at last year as a prime example. Ron Dayne is in good overall shape and he’s been running with the 3^rd team mostly running inside with good power, but his footwork still needs improvement. Shanahan said Dayne’s been working hard during the offseason and is having a good start to camp. Rookie Maurice Clarett is having his moments – including a nice stiff arm on fellow rookie CB Darrent Williams during a goal-line drill. Clarett has a lot to prove, but he’s banking on himself by forgoing a signing bonus in favor of an incentive-laden contract. Clarett was held out of Thursday morning’s practice with a tight groin. Bell, meanwhile, is running well. His inside running is sharp and with his speed is effective on sweeps. His hands are looking better as he snagged a few screens for first downs in Thursday’s practice. Anderson seems to be coming back to the pack and didn’t show the same fire he had earlier in the week. Quentin Griffin is struggling. He’s only practicing once each day to keep the swelling in his surgically repaired knee to a minimum.

WR: Rod Smith didn’t practice on Thursday morning, but that’s nothing to be alarmed since he generally only practices once a day in recent years. After dogging it early in camp, Lelie has picked up the pace showing improved focus. His hands have been consistent thus far and he’s been going all out for balls – even those that are nearly uncatchable. Charlie Adams and Todd Devoe are fighting for a roster spot and making the most of their opportunities.

TE: Recently in practice Stephen Alexander has been running with the first team. We’re not reading much into that though. Jeb Putzier is the team’s starting TE, but look for the Broncos to mix it up and utilize double TE sets frequently making both players honorary “starters” to some extent. Alexander is a better blocker, but Putzier shows more promise as a vertical threat. Putzier’s also practicing with pain as he’s dealing with a minor knee injury.

Defense: DE Courtney Brown suffered a setback when he dislocated his elbow Thursday. Brown’s expected to miss three to six weeks. He was injured during morning practice while attempting to strip the ball from a player only to have his arm get twisted in the process. Shanahan hopes he’ll be ready for the season opener. X-rays showed no breaks and an MRI showed no structural damage. "He's done everything in the offseason to get himself ready, and his previous injuries are feeling great, so to have something like this happen to him I'm sure is disheartening," Shanahan said.

Special Teams: PK Jason Elam went 10 for 10 in his first kicking session of the week. He followed that up going 10 for 10 again in his second session. Rookie P/K Paul Ernster has looked very good on punts, getting off kicks in the 60 to 65 yard range consistently. Unfortunately for him, the Broncos had signed Todd Sauerbrun, who is hitting them another 5 or 10 yards further. CB Darrent Williams was drafted to upgrade the return game and has impressed the staff and team mates so far, even drawing public praise from Mike Shanahan.

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Detroit Lions

QB: The pressure couldn’t be any greater on Joey Harrington than it is going into the 2005 season. He’s run out of excuses in his 4th season and has Jeff Garcia looming over his shoulder. Yet Joey remains as upbeat and dreamy as ever. "It doesn't take too much to see we've got more talent than we've had since I've been here," Harrington said. "That makes it more exciting. It's still a matter of getting guys on the same page, keeping healthy. When we start winning ballgames, that's when it's fun." That, my friends, is the key. Winning ball games... Joey could either be a super sleeper or just as likely flame out by mid-September. Harrington and Garcia are both looking good in camp. So far Harrington has done nothing to lose the job and Garcia nothing to distinguish himself.

At Saturday’s practice, the first open practice of the season for fans, 26,000 were in attendance. Joey Harrington listened to a smattering of boos from a vocal crown after every completion. "Oh yeah, I heard them," replied Harrington after being asked if heard the booing. "I don't like it, but it's part of the game. I don't listen to them. I don't care about them. They are booing for their own reasons, some of which happen to do with us losing. I want to change the losing, obviously." On a funnier note, the local radio station was looking for new nicknames for Joey. Apparently his college nickname was ‘princess’. The two best calls were ‘lame duck’ and ‘Joey Checkdown’.

RB: Kevin Jones has been outstanding in camp. He’s ready to take his game to another level and he makes no bones about it. “I want to do bigger and greater things,” Jones says. Head coach Steve Mariucci said running back Kevin Jones and wide receiver Roy Williams are both "light-years" ahead of where they were last year. "They're more confident," he said. "They get it. They understand what we're asking. I expect terrific years from guys like Roy and Kevin Jones.” As a mid to late first round pick in many leagues Jones might be undervalued. His upside is tremendous and he’s capable of becoming one of the best players in the league. ESPN’s John Clayton recently called Jones “bigger, better and just as fast as last year” and said he thinks he could be a 1,800 to 1,900 yard back.

Fullback Will Matthews, a rookie free agent from Texas, is making some big hits in the first week of camp. "He had a collision on a linebacker that was heard around the building," Mariucci said. "He got some hoots and hollers from the team. That's how fullbacks earn their stripes. ... He is showing us that he has a chance to make the team." Backup Jamel White was held out of Saturday’s practice by a hamstring injury. On a related note to the running game.. Right tackle Kelly Butler has caught Mariucci’s eye. ``Kelly Butler is playing pretty darn well. Now, we haven't played the Jets and we haven't played live and all of that sort of thing, but so far, so good. I've been impressed with Kelly Butler, I think he's got a chance to be a pretty good tackle in this league.''

WR: Charles Rogers enters his third season with more confidence than ever. He’s not worried about playing with caution either. He’s been feisty and aggressive, eager to show everyone his two broken clavicle injuries were a fluke, and not a trend. “I'm feeling healthy, feeling excited,” Rogers said. “I'm ready to go out there and play a full season.” Rogers slimmed down about 8 lbs from last year and said he can feel a difference and prefers playing at a lighter weight to regain his speed advantage. With Rogers essentially missing his first two years it’s easy to say that Roy Williams could very well be the furthest along among the two potential stars. Williams is lining up at flanker and he’s primed for a big season, too.

Now that Mike Williams is signed and in camp he’s got some catching up to do. The first day he was in pads receiver coach Fred Graves pulled him aside to run him through a 90 minute cram session.  The rookie has a lot of work ahead of him. In the mean time, veteran free agent Kevin Johnson is looking good and is on track to begin the season as the team’s No. 3 WR. That may change once Williams comes up to speed, but Johnson is easily the most experienced receiver among the group.  Williams, working at the No. 4 WR spot, caught a long touchdown pass in practice, but it was called back for offensive pass interference by the visiting NFL officials crew. The contact didn't appear worthy of a flag. Not that Mariucci was going to argue. ``Let's say something controversial right now about the officiating so I get fined,'' Mariucci said with a laugh. ``Fined in training camp for dogging the officials, wouldn't that be awesome?” Finally, Eddie Drummond (the team’s Pro Bowl return man and receiver) ended his holdout signing the one year $1.4 million contract that’s been on the table all along. He arrived at camp on Thursday.

TE: Marcus Pollard should flourish in the Lions offense and vastly improve the Lions chances in the red zone and converting third downs. He’s already a positive veteran influence on the team in the locker room. There's an excellent battle brewing for the No. 3 spot between 2^nd year tight end Leonard Stephens and rookie Jason Randall, from Michigan State. Stephens is the better receiver but the 280-pound Randall is a better blocker. ``That's where he makes his mark,'' said Mariucci.

Defense:  LB Boss Bailey has been restricted to one practice per day as a precautionary measure. Bailey’s not reporting any problems with his knees and is looking great so far in camp. The Lions visited with Ty Law a 2^nd time, but no contract was offered. They remain interested, but aren’t likely to make an offer in his expected range (like the Jets). Even without Law the Lions secondary looks better with Kenoy Kennedy and R.W. McQuarters definite upgrades. In Friday afternoon’s practice Mariucci rested defensive tackles Shaun Rogers and Dan Wilkinson. James Hall (groin) is sidelined and considered day to day.

Special Teams: During a special teams drill this week PK Jason Hanson was perfect on FGs, including long range attempts from 52, 56, and 61 yards. The fans in attendance gave him a standing ovation after the last one. After a one week holdout per his agent’s advice, PR/KR specialist WR Eddie Drummond surrendered and joined practices late in the week. During Drummonds absence, CB R.W. McQuarters and CB Dre’ Bly worked on punt returns, while WR Scottie Vines, RB Shawn Bryson and RB Paul Smith worked on kickoff returns.

Lions Depth Chart
QB Joey Harrington, Jeff Garcia, Dan Orlovsky
 RB Kevin Jones, Artose Pinner, Shawn Bryson (3RB), Jamel White, Howard Jackson
 FB Cory Schlesinger, Paul Smith, Will Matthews
 WR Charles Rogers, Roy Williams, Mike Williams, Kevin Johnson, Eddie Drummond (PR/KR), Scott Vines, David Kircus, Steve Savoy, Paris Hamilton, Kahlil Hill
 TE Marcus Pollard, Casey Fitzsimmons, Leonard Stephens, Jason Randall
 K Jason Hanson
 DE James Hall, Cory Redding (DT), Kalimba Edwards, Jared DeVries, Bill Swancutt
 DT Shaun Rogers, Dan Wilkinson, Shaun Cody (DE), Marcus Bell, Brandon Kennedy
 MLB Earl Holmes, Wali Rainer (W/M), Scott Genord
 OLB Ted Lehman (W/S), Boss Bailey (S/W), James Davis (W), Alex Lewis (W), Donte' Curry (S), Jonathan Goddard (W), Andrew Battle (W)
 CB Dre' Bly, Fernando Bryant, R.W. McQuarters (FS), Andre Goodman, Chris Cash, Keith Smith, Stanley Wilson, Jeff Sanchez, Mike Echols
 S Kenoy Kennedy (SS), Terrence Holt (FS), Bracy Walker (SS), Vernon Fox (SS), Kentrell Curry (FS)

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Green Bay Packers

QB: First round pick Aaron Rodgers looked as good as can be expected in the Packers/Bills joint practices and scrimmages on Thursday and again on Friday night under the lights at Lambeau. "He did good," Packers head coach Mike Sherman said. "I thought he responded quite well." On the first night Rodgers found WR Vince Butler, rookie WR Craig Bragg, tight end Tory Humphrey and RB Tony Fisher all for TDs. Yet much of this particular practice session came against defensive players who may not even be in the league this season. He still has a long way to go as it was apparent in organized team activities that his inexperience is difficult to overcome sometimes. He had difficulty with his reads and going through his progressions from the hot receiver to the safety valve. For now he’s focusing on his timing and footwork and getting the ball out on time. "The mistakes I've made in minicamp --I've learned from them and haven't made the same mistakes twice," Rodgers said.

RB: Ahman Green’s back stiffened during practice last Tuesday causing him to sit out a morning practice session. He also played sparingly against the Bills Friday rushing three times for 11 yards. The Bills defense was keying on him in goal line situations (which allowed Favre to connect on a pair of TDs). In game action both Najeh Davenport and Tony Fisher looked good, but Davenport had to leave with an ankle injury. Third year back Walt Williams has been out most of camp with an ankle injury and RB/KR Chaz Williams broke his ankle in drills Thursday. The Packers waived Chris Robertson replacing him with Derrick Johnese, a rookie free agent.

WR: It’s not taking Javon Walker long to make his impact felt in training camp. Despite not participating in the offseason program he’s having a strong camp and in Wednesday’s practice beat safety Earl Little on a crossing route for a 50 yard TD pass from Favre. Walker is focused and downplayed his big day noting that training camp is a marathon not a sprint. 6^th round pick Craig Bragg injured his knee Friday morning practicing against the Bills. He tried to stay on the field but left shortly thereafter. “I was able to go out there but I was sitting around a lot and it stiffened up on me," Bragg said. "Hopefully it's not anything serious.”

TE: Bubba Franks remains a holdout without a contract as he’s not signed the one year tender that comes with the team’s transition tag. Backup David Martin is nursing a groin injury leaving the team with 2^nd year TE Ben Steele getting all the first team reps. He’s struggled during the offseason with his hands. Against the Bills he lunged for a pass near the sidelines in a red zone drill but came up short. He rebounded quickly though snagging a pair of TDs from Brett Favre later in the same goal line drill.

Defense: The Packers run defense looked ok for this early in camp after struggling badly a year ago. They held the Bills to 116 yards on 30 carries in Friday’s scrimmage; McGahee had just 32 yards on 12 carries. "They were flying to the ball, doing a great job tackling wise," McGahee said. Nick Barnett was quick to add they are “nowhere where they need to be” and they still have a lot of work ahead of them – mainly improving their timing and communication.

Despite being a rookie 5^th round pick, corner Mike Hawkins is getting some attention in camp. He got some personal mentoring from the best in the business in the offseason. Hawkins worked out with Deion Sanders focusing on technique and agility together. Hawkins is an interesting story having attended Oklahoma in ’02 before taking the Arena Football League route in ’04 and ’05. Injuries to CBs Joey Thomas and Al Harris are giving Hawkins more reps and his opportunity to shine. He jumped a route by Bills FB Daimon Shelton and nearly had an interception, but he dropped the ball.

Another player emerging from nowhere is undrafted rookie MLB Roy Manning, who is running with the 2^nd team defense behind Nick Barnett. “He’s doing a nice job,” said Sherman. “He has a lot to learn.” Of course, it helps that Hannibal Navies (knee), Kurt Campbell (knee), Na’il Diggs (ankle) and Brady Poppinga (hamstring) have been limited by injuries – all of them sat out practice on Friday morning. DT Colin Cole is also making an impression displaying solid pass rushing skills from the inside. “He’s in the mix,” Sherman noted. “He’s very stout, very strong.”

Special Teams: PK Ryan Longwell still appears to obsessing about his holder situation, “I’m still really unsure and panicked about that.”  P B.J. Sanders, BQ Aaron Rodgers, QB Craig Nall, WR Javon Walker, and WR Terrence Murphy have all given it a try in practice. WR Antonio Chatman (the incumbent), rookie WR Terrence Murphy, rookie WR Craig Bragg, RB Najeh Davenport, WR Robert Ferguson all practiced kickoff returns this week. Chatman wants to keep that job but knows that the writing is on the wall.

Packers Depth Chart
QB Brett Favre, Aaron Rodgers, Craig Nall, J.T. O'Sullivan
 RB Ahman Green, Najeh Davenport, Tony Fisher, Walter Williams, Joey Harris, Chaz Williams (IR)
 FB William Henderson, Nick Luchey, Vonta Leach
 WR Javon Walker, Donald Driver, Robert Ferguson, Antonio Chatman (KR/PR), Terrence Murphy (KR), Craig Bragg, Andrae Thurman, Michael Marker, Sam Breeden
 TE Bubba Franks (UFA-T), David Martin, Ben Steele, Garrett Cross
 K Ryan Longwell
 DE Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila, Aaron Kampman, R-Kal Truluck, Corey Williams, Kenny Peterson, Seante Williams
 DT Grady Jackson (NT), Cletidus Hunt, James Lee (NT), Cullen Jenkins, Donnell Washington, Colin Cole (NT), Mike Montgomery, Doug Sims (NT), Quintene Newhouse
 MLB Nick Barnett, Roy Manning, John Garrett
 OLB Na'il Diggs (S), Raynoch Thompson (W), Hannibal Navies (S), Paris Lenon (W), Brady Poppinga, Ike Emodi (W), Shawn Morgan (W), Nick McNeil (S)
 CB Al Harris, Ahmad Carroll, Joey Thomas, Michael Hawkins, Jason Horton, Chris Johnson (inj), Kurt Campbell, Art Smith, Chris Day, Charles Byrd
 S Mark Roman (SS), Arturo Freeman (FS), Nick Collins (FS), Todd Franz (FS), Michael Underwood (FS), Julius Curry (FS), Wendell Williams (FS), Chonn Lacey (SS)

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Houston Texans

QB: Third string QB Dave Ragone is a popular guy on the team right now. “We call him the MVP (laughs),” Pro bowler Andre Johnson said.  “Dave had a great year over in NFL Europe.  Now he’s out there playing well and as he goes along, he’ll continue to get better.” Ragone completed 63% of his passes playing for the Berlin Thunder. He set an NFL Europe record with 174 consecutive passes with nary a pick. He was named the league’s offensive MVP.

RB: The long reported contract extension for Domanick Davis is finally completed. Davis was scheduled to earn the $380,000 league minimum but instead inked a 5-year, $22 million contract with $8 million guaranteed. The primary competition in camp is for the right to backup Davis. The Texans drafted 25 year old rookie Vernand Morency to compete with veterans Tony Hollings and Jonathan Wells. Head Coach Dom Capers gushed about Hollings early in camp stating it’s the “best he’s ever looked”. Take that for what it’s worth. Morency will give them both a run for their money. "Everyone knows about Domanick," offensive coordinator Chris Palmer said. "I'm eager to see Morency go against other teams, and I want to see how much Hollings has grown. They've looked good so far, but until you start playing against other people, you never know for sure." The Texans are giving lip service to resting Davis more this year. We’ll believe it when we see it.

WR: The Texans hope to get Andre Johnson in better matchups by sending him in motion a lot more this year. Johnson is off to a great start in camp. "That's what you get when you get a rare guy like Andre," coach Dom Capers said. "A couple of plays he made on the practice field today were in critical third-down situations. That's the difference in whether you continue your drive or are off the field. Without Andre, we'd have been off the field today.” Johnson’s only drawbacks remain the conservative nature of the Texans offense, QB David Carr’s tendency to check down to RB Domanick Davis too quickly, and the Texans need to develop a solid starter opposite him. That honor will likely go to Jabar Gaffney, who continues to sport a red jersey limiting his contact until his shoulder is 100%. Corey Bradford remains in the mix and Derick Armstrong continues to get no pub. “Jabar and Corey are two different kinds of guys,” Capers said. “Jabar is more of a route-runner with sure hands, while Corey is more of a vertical threat. Derick may have the best hands on the team.” Gaffney still managed to show his speed is intact streaking past a defender and nearly catching a TD in the back of the endzone in practice.

Rookie receiver Jerome Mathis has world class speed and he used it in practice beating Dunta Robinson on a deep route by a few steps only to have Robinson put on a display with his closing speed, using a well-timed jump to bat the ball away. Mathis will be a home run threat on special teams immediately but he might prove useful as a receiver, too. Everybody in camp is singing praises about his speed. Robinson’s ego was bruised as he’s used to being the fastest guy on the field. "He's probably the fastest receiver I've ever had to cover. So I think he's going to help us a lot this season,” said Robinson. “You hear about a lot of guys who run fast in the combine, but you really don't see it on the football field. But with him, he ran fast in the combine and he shows it on the football field.”

Capers obviously noticed, too, “His speed, wow, it's breathtaking. He just runs by people, but he knows there's a lot more to it. When he got here, he started competing hard. He's done a good job of catching the ball, but he has to stay on course and learn his assignments and proper techniques for the position. He's already improved his route running." 2nd year Kendrick Starling also made a spectacular over the shoulder diving catch in 7-on-7 drills.

Defense: How well the Texans two new starting inside linebackers play could very well define which way the Texans defense goes this year – up or down? Morlon Greenwood and Kailee Wong are settling into their new roles and learning everything they can about each other both on and off the field. “We’re definitely really tight,” Wong said.  “The two inside linebackers really need to be on the same page, it is probably the most critical position aside from maybe the two safeties.” Antwan Peek has the potential, and now the opportunity, to become a double digit sack guy starting at OLB opposite Jason Babin.

Special Teams: A slow news week on the kicking front… as a result of having to attend two team practices, PK Kris Brown missed out on going to a Wiggles concert with his family. Rookie WR Jerome Mathis, a candidate for the PR/KR specialist position, appears to be making a quick transition to the big leagues. Head coach Dom Capers noted, “When he came in here, you could tell he was very raw, but you could also see he has amazing speed to go with a lot of ability. He looks a lot smoother and more confident right now.” He’ll be competing with WR Reggie Swinton for both KR & PR and with CB Phillip Buchanon on punt returns.

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Indianapolis Colts

QB: Peyton Manning is doing just what you’d expect from a returning 2-time NFL MVP. He’s making big plays in camp and leading by example on the field. In preparation for their game in Tokyo, Manning hit 3^rd year WR Aaron Moorehead for a long completion in what was described as the best play of the day in practice, but not just for the offense either. Moorehead adjusted to catch the ball (slightly behind him), then ran towards the end zone only to have corner Eric Hill knock the ball away poking it from behind. It was recovered by the defense. 

RB: Edgerrin James reported to camp on time but quickly proclaimed that he wasn’t planning on traveling to Tokyo for the American Bowl. James backed off that stance made the trip while netting limited action in the game itself. Dominic Rhodes is looking good so far. He caught a 15 yard screen pass from Jim Sorgi in 7-on-7 drills. His new contract and his experience (5 years) are indicators that he’ll have a larger role in the Colts offense this year spelling James perhaps more frequently and potentially even on third downs (to James’ chagrin).

WR: Brandon Stokley will miss three to four weeks after dislocating his right shoulder during practice in Japan after colliding with DB Waine Bacon. It’s the second time he’s injured the shoulder during his career and there’s a slight chance he could miss the season opener on Sept. 11 against Baltimore. "It's going to be tight," Dungy said. "It sounds like if everything goes well, they'll let him come back at that time. How quickly he's ready to play, we'll see." Stokley had a huge year in 2004 playing from the slot. He finished with 68 receptions for 1,077 yds and 10 TDs – all career highs. If Stokley is unavailable the door opens for Troy Walters to step into the No. 3 role. Walters missed 11 games last year with a broken arm while Stokley thrived, but flashed big play potential in 2003 when Stokley was hurt and he finished with 36 receptions for 456 yds and 3 TDs – starting 3 games.

Both Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne are looking great – as expected. Harrison made a spectacular catch near the goal line then got open deep for another 35-yard gain later in the same practice. Wayne has been getting open consistently, catching several passes near the sidelines.

TE: TE Dallas Clark didn’t play against the Falcons Saturday night as the team held him out due to a lingering hamstring problem. Clark has been solid in camp though catching a 15 yard pass earlier in the week in 7-on-7 drills. 2^nd year TE Ben Hartsock had two consecutive strong practices as well. He caught two passes in Tuesday’s practice including a 20-yarder from Manning.

Defense: Several players miseed Saturday’s game including DE Dwight Freeney, currently on the PUP with a bad shoulder, CB Von Hutchins, DT Josh Williams, DT Montae Reagor, DE Nathaniel Adibi, S Mike Doss and CB Donald Strickland. DE Raheem Brock sustained a hip flexor injury in last Monday’s practice and underwent an MRI the following day. Safety Bob Sanders is chomping at the bit in training camp. Healthy this season after struggling with injuries as a rookie, Sanders is confident in his abilities. “I don’t think a lot of people have really seen what I can do when I’m healthy and when I know the defense, when everything’s just kicking for me,” he said. “I don’t think anyone has really seen the true Bob Sanders. This year, with me being healthy and being able to come to camp and start the first day, that will help. Hopefully, I can show people what I can do.” Meanwhile MLB Gary Brackett is battling with veteran Rob Morris for the starting job. Only this time around Morris is competing from the 2^nd string as Brackett atop the depth chart for now.

Special Teams: The Colts did not attempt any FGs in Saturday’s American Bowl. PK Mike Vanderjagt chipped in two extra points, and Dave Rayner added one. Both players kicked off twice. Vanderjagt was a consistent 59 yards on both, while Rayner showed his potential with 69 yards on his final one after hitting it 57 yards on the first kickoff. WR Brad Pyatt handled all the punt returns with a meager 1.3 yard average. Pyatt also had a kickoff return for 25 yards, RB Anthony Davis took one 20 yards, and RB James Mungro ran one for 6 yards.

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Jacksonville Jaguars

QB: Byron Leftwich looked outstanding in the offseason workouts and minicamp this spring, but he had a slow start to camp. He admittedly had a poor outing last Monday, but quickly picked up the pace the next day. Leftwich could make a leap in the fantasy rankings this year if everything comes together and it all starts with Fred Taylor and the running game, but also include how much Reggie Williams improves.

RB: Offensive coordinator Carl Smith is implementing two key aspects to the Jags offense that were absent a year ago. The deep pass is one and play-action passes are the other. Leftwich is excited at the opportunities both create especially if a healthy Fred Taylor is in the backfield. "Anytime you've got Fred back there, people are going to fall for play action," Leftwich said. "You can't ignore Fred, so [play action] has a chance to be a great weapon for us." Unfortunately, Fred doesn’t even have a timetable for when he’ll be 100%. Head coach Jack Del Rio remains steadfast in saying Taylor will be ready for the regular season. Taylor’s getting a little action in non-padded drills. “I thought I made pretty good strides,” Taylor said of his offseason rehab efforts. “Of course, I need to get better to reach where I should be. I'm upbeat. I'm doing everything I can to be the best I can be and help this team.” It’s easy to discount Taylor because of his famous “fragile” label, but the team insists he’s never been more focused or motivated for a season. Until he takes a hit everyone will be looking for a sleeper in LaBrandon Toefield or rookie Alvin Pearman.

WR: 2^nd year WR Reggie Williams lost around 8 lbs and looks like a new man on the football field. Through Thursday, William caught at least one long TD pass in every practice becoming the star of training camp. The former Huskie’s trademark has been the deep post route in which he’s almost routinely splitting two defenders for touchdowns. It looks like the light went on for Williams, who suffered through an unproductive rookie season despite starting most of the games. “I think Reggie Williams' hard work is benefiting Reggie Williams. For the most part, he has really devoted himself to being a special player for us and having a great year. So, certainly offensively we want to take advantage of what guys are capable of and put them in positions to make plays. I think you've seen early in camp here that he is poised to have an excellent year for us,” said Del Rio. The Jags desperately need a 2nd WR to emerge opposite the aging Jimmy Smith and Williams is getting every opportunity to be that guy.

1^st round pick Matt Jones missed the opening of training camp and most of minicamp and summer workouts because of a sprained left hamstring. The good news is he’s signed after a short holdout. The bad news is he’s got a lot of catching up to do, especially as a rookie. Jones is playing at the “Z” receiver behind Williams on the depth chart. "I'm definitely excited," Jones said. "I'm glad that everything got worked out and that I haven't missed too much. I'm ready to get out there and start making plays and helping the team win." Jones played QB at Arkansas and rushed for 24 TDs in 46 games. His blazing speed combined with a tremendous physique making him a special prospect, but one that could take time to develop. His contract has escalators beginning at $100,000 at 40 receptions giving him plenty of incentive to hit the ground running as a rookie.

Also impressing coaches in camp is 5’7” rookie WR Chad Owens who was drafted primarily because of his explosiveness as a return man, but he’s also flashing his ability as a receiver grabbing the attention of his teammates and coaches.  Smith called Owens “the best route runner on the roster”. WR Troy Edwards predicted Owens could be a top 5 returner. That’s high praise for the diminutive rookie that’s competing for a roster spot. It looks like he’s well on his way to winning one.

TE: Kyle Brady ruptured a tendon in his right middle finger during last year’s preseason and he’s lost some strength in his right hand (grip) as a result. Brady’s able to deal with the problem though and it’s not expected to keep him off the field. Brady’s career is fading quickly though, look for team’s young TEs George Wrighster and Brian Jones to see even more action this year.

Defense: The Jags are pinning their hopes defensively on free agent DE Reggie Hayward. After a lackluster pass rush last year improving this area became a top priority. So far, the 6’5” 280-pounder has been impressive. Early in he’s bonded with veteran DE Marcellus Wiley, another newcomer, hoping to learn anything he can from him. Consider Wiley among the believers now, too. "Oh, man, we call him top heavy turbo because he's very strong with his upper body and always keeps his motor running,'' Wiley said. "That's the turbo element. He's just very athletic and very quick. I think he's going to be a terror." Hayward added, “We have a lot of personality on this defense. You also get it from the linebackers and defensive backs. They're very boisterous. They have voices, and they use them. We should be a high-energy, high-contact defense. People are going to hear us and feel us." The other spotlight on defense is centered on the RCB battle between veteran free agent Kenny Wright, rookie 3rd round pick Scott Starks and veterans Terry Cousin and Kiwaukee Thomas. Starks made a great first impression on defensive coordinator Mike Smith. “Very fast start; very impressive through the first six days,” defensive coordinator Mike Smith said of Starks. “He continues to show great speed and quickness and he has a very good understanding of the defense. He's a film rat. You can walk into the film room between practices and you'll see him in there.” Starks lacks size but could be an IDP sleeper following the old rookie corner theory if he wins the job.

Special Teams: The battle for the starting kicker job between Josh Scobee (2004 starter) and Seth Marler (2003 starter) should get underway this week and once the full slate of preseason games begins next weekend. After the Jags drafted WR Chad Owens, it was assumed he would need to win the KR/PR specialist spot to make the team. He’s looked good in that regard early on, but despite his diminutive stature, is also making a surprising bid for playing time at wide receiver. Head coach jack Del Rio has used the terms “supremely conditioned”, “competitive”, and “very, very good football player” when discussing Owens.

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Kansas City Chiefs

QB: Trent Green added 10 pounds of muscle during the offseason working harder than ever but when his shoulder began aching from the overwork the coaches intervened. Vermeil likened Green’s offseason to a pitcher going over his pitch count. Green relented and rested the shoulder for camp.

RB: The Chiefs are taking it easy with Priest Holmes. One practice in, one practice out. They want to take every precaution necessary to see that he doesn’t get hurt again like last year. “My body feels good,” Holmes said in what has become his annual training-camp health update. “I can definitely say that if I was practicing twice a day it probably would not feel as good as it does now.” As luck would have it Holmes sat out of Sunday’s practice after being kicked while being tackled in Saturday night's practice, but is slated to return to workouts by Monday morning. The added rest for Holmes gives Larry Johnson more reps, but don’t get any ideas that LJ will split carries with Priest when the games count. “Priest Holmes is our starting running back, and Larry Johnson is his backup,” Vermeil said. “There might be a few things we program in the backfield for both of them at the same time, but right now I don’t anticipate a this-guy-carries-the-ball-six-times-and-that-guy-carries-it-five-times sort of arrangement. I think the game and flow will determine all of that.” In Wednesday’s practice Larry Johnson beat Scott Fujita to the corner for a TD in a goal-line drill. They also converted a halfback pass from Dee Brown to Marc Boerigter for a TD.

WR: Freddie Mitchell signed with the hope of competing with Samie Parker for a starting position, but injured his knee in the first few days of camp. After seeking a second opinion Mitchell opted against arthroscopic surgery and was told he may be able to return in 7 to 10 days. The Chiefs had him scheduled for surgery and were originally expecting him to miss 2 to 4 weeks. Coach Dick Vermeil was originally annoyed that Mitchell sought a second opinion, but was later pleased to hear he’d be back much sooner. Richard Smith was also dinged with a shoulder injury. His injury isn’t believed to be serious either.

Don’t look now but Marc Boerigter is having a strong camp. He’s practicing only once each day, but his surgically repaired knee is holding up well. “It’s kind of up to me,’’ he said. “There’s no reason for going one a day because my knee is healthy. They’re looking at saving the wear and tear. I feel pretty good doing it this way. I’d hate to do a ton of two-a-days and then have a setback or something and have to take a couple of days off... Eventually, I’ll go to two practices a day.’’

TE: All-Pro tight end Tony Gonzalez showed up at practice Sunday night after X-rays revealed no broken bones on his injured left foot. Gonzalez had surgery on the same foot in the offseason. Vermeil expressed some concerned, noting he’s had problems with the same foot, so for now Gonzo is being limited to one practice a day. He was injured during a 1-on-1 drill Saturday night and came out halfway through Sunday night's practice and caught passes on the sidelines. Tight end Kris Wilson remained sidelined with a groin injury, but returned to practice Sunday evening. Backup TE and blocking specialist Jason Dunn suffered through back spasms last Tuesday forcing him to the sidelines. “It's something he's had before," Vermeil said. "I'm sure he'll be out a few days."

Defense: First round pick LB Derrick Johnson is already running with the first team after two days of practice. Keyaron Fox is now backing up Kendrell Bell on the right side. CB Eric Warfield is not getting as many snaps as he would if he weren’t suspended for the first four games. Dexter McCleon is taking his job – at least temporarily – at right corner. LBs Shawn Barber, Mike Maslowski and Quinton Caver are all hurt.

Special Teams: Vermeil discussed PK Lawrence Tyne’s training camp so far this year, “He’s been good, not great. He’s missed one every time we’ve had a field goal session which is disappointing. But I still have confidence in him. I think he’s a good kicker. Obviously, that’s why we don’t have any other kickers here.” In addition to his punting skills, Dustin Colquitt and is also proving to be an adequate holder for Tynes. Return specialist Dante Hall is learning to field Colquitt’s punts, "I figured out what it does. It starts left, goes right, comes back left, hangs and does some other freaky stuff. "I haven't had a guy give me that much trouble at any level - college, high school, the pros. He's well worth the third-round pick." WR Chris Horn and RB Larry Johnson are competing for the up-man position on returns. WRs Eddie Kennison and Samie Parker are competing to back up Hall.

Chiefs Depth Chart
QB Trent Green, Todd Collins, Damon Huard, James Killian
 RB Priest Holmes, Larry Johnson, Dee Brown, Ronnie Cruz, Jonathan Smith, Sam Gado
 FB Tony Richardson, Robert Holcombe, Joe Hall
 WR Eddie Kennison, Samie Parker, Dante Hall (KR/PR), Freddie Mitchell (inj), Richard Smith, Marc Boerigter, Craphonso Thorpe, Chris Horn, Darrell Hill
 TE Tony Gonzalez, Kris Wilson (HB), Jason Dunn
 K Lawrence Tynes
 DE Eric Hicks, Jared Allen, Carlos Hall, Gary Stills, Khari Long, Jimmy Wilkerson, Clint Mitchell
 DT Ryan Sims (NT), Lional Dalton, Junior Siavii, John Browning (DE), Jabari Issa, Montique Sharpe, Arrion Dixon
 MLB Kawika Mitchell, Boomer Grigsby, Mike Maslowski (inj), Rich Scanlon
 OLB Kendrell Bell (S), Derrick Johnson (W), Keyaron Fox (S), Shawn Barber (W), Scott Fujita (S), Quinton Caver, Kevin DeRonde, Kris Griffin
 CB Patrick Surtain, Dexter McCleon, Eric Warfield (susp), Ashley Ambrose, Dewayne Washington, Alphonso Hodge, Benny Sapp, Julian Battle (inj)
 S Sammy Knight (SS), Greg Wesley (FS), Jerome Woods (FS), Shaunard Harts (SS), Willie Pile (SS), William Bartee (FS), Ed Canonico (FS), Scott Connot (SS)

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Miami Dolphins

QB: In Wednesday’s evening practice all of the quarterbacks got into the action. Even backups Brock Berlin and Sage Rosenfels had their moments, but it was Gus Frerotte with two consecutive deep passes to TE Randy McMichael who looked the best. Frerotte also hooked up with WR Chris Chambers in the corner of the end zone. A.J. Feeley managed to complete a 35 yard pass to WR Derrius Thompson while showing nice touch on several other passes. After a week of camp it still looks like Gus Frerotte is leading Feeley for the starting job, but there’s plenty of time for that to change before the season opener.

RB: Ricky Williams continues to look good after showing up to camp slimmer and quicker than ever. While he didn’t exactly work out during his time away from football, Williams hasn’t seemed to miss a beat. He’s getting a lot of reps and thus far is playing as well as anyone could’ve expected. Rookie RB Kay-Jay Harris showed tremendous burst in a long run in the evening session. In the meantime, Lamar Gordon is tentatively at the top of the depth chart, but we all know that won’t last. Williams will miss the first four games and Ronnie Brown remains a holdout. If Brown’s holdout becomes prolonged Gordon might stand an outside chance of starting in week 1. Currently, the Dolphins and Brown are about $3 million apart.

WR: Offensive coordinator Scott Linehan’s offense is expected to mean better things for Miami’s receivers. It stresses the deep ball more often than the previous regime. “It is not a type of offense where your stats are [going to be] nine catches for 63 yards and your average is 7 yards,” receiver Marty Booker said. “The main thing is pushing the ball down the field and opening up.” The receivers and offense, in general, impress the defense. ''They do a lot of different wrinkles and, I tell you what, they've been playing well against us these last couple of days,'' linebacker Zach Thomas said. ``A lot of guys over there, they're playing well. I don't know if it's a little of everything with the coaches, the players they have and the scheme, but it really fits what their strengths are.” Chris Chambers isn’t complaining. ''It seems like I've got a deep route every time I go out there,'' receiver Chris Chambers said. ``It's a 50-yard sprint and these quarterbacks, they're letting it go. You're getting opportunities to make plays in practice, and you know they're going to throw the ball if there's one-on-one coverage on the sides.

David Boston is having his moments in camp, but he still doesn’t seem to have the same burst as he did before the injuries. Boston faces a roster squeeze and has to beat out Brian Gilmore, Derrius Thompson and Kendall Newson. Wesley Welker is almost a given because of his versatility and return abilities.

Defense: Injuries and inexperience have allowed safety Yeremiah Bell to break into the lineup with the first string, even if it may only be temporary. The Dolphins dealt DE Ronald Flemons to the Seahawks for CB Kris Richard. Rookie LB Channing Crowder had filled in for Junior Seau at the WLB spot, while also working behind Zach Thomas at MLB.  Derrick Pope is also getting a lot of snaps at WLB in Seau’s absence. He continues to impress the coaches in camp just as he did in minicamp previously. NT Keith Traylor is only practicing once a day. Nick Saban is trying to give his ailing quad a rest. Rookie corner Travis Daniels could end up starting. The Dolphins have high expectations for him, but he was burned by Chris Chambers and Josh Davis in back to back plays on Wednesday.

Special Teams: Early in the week, PK Olindo Mare ended a practice connecting on seven straight FGs, including three from beyond 50 yards. His team mates particularly liked the final successful 58-yarder, which meant they didn’t have to run sprints. Later in the week he headed to Canton for Dan Marino’s induction. PR/KR return specialist Wes Welker has been making some impressive plays in practice on offense. If he continues, he’ll merit some playing time at wide receiver.

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Minnesota Vikings

QB: Aside from losing star WR Randy Moss, if there are any worries about Culpepper’s production slipping it is due to the loss of offensive coordinator Scott Linehan. Steve Loney took over his duties, in addition to being the OL coach, but so far there’s been little concern from the line or from Culpepper. Loney has been sleeping in his car on a couple of occasions and is spending more time than ever on the field working with players. “I don't know how he does it, but I feel like he's still focusing all his time on us,” center Cory Withrow said. “I don't know if he ever sleeps. He must be half-vampire." Culpepper isn’t worried. “He touches on exactly what he needs to with me, and any time I have ideas I can always go up to his room and talk to him,” Culpepper said. “He's very good, very open with me. That's why I think this will work because he's also very knowledgeable of the offense because he's been in it for three years.”

RB: Michael Bennett is said to be working as hard as ever in camp this year, and for good reason. His contract expires after 2005 and he wants to make the most of what might be his last year in Minnesota potentially. “I'd like to finish my career as a Minnesota Viking," Bennett said. "So it's time for me to hit some more home runs, like I did in 2002. That's what I miss most." Bennett had 25 runs of 12 yards or more in 2002, but had just 15 total the past two years. To prepare for this year Bennett returned to Milwaukee and did extensive track work with Demi Omole, the current Big Ten 100-meter champ. Bennett reportedly ran a 10.21, 10.15 and 10.19 this summer meaning he’s faster now than he was in high school or at Wisconsin. Bennett didn’t stop there, he also incorporated hill training to increase his leg strength. The Vikings hope this new level of dedication from Bennett will transform some of that track speed into explosiveness on the football field. "I wouldn't call this a make-or-break year for me," Bennett said. "But it's a year I need to stay healthy. With an up-and-coming star in Mewelde Moore and now [rookie] Ciatrick Fason, time is not going to wait for me. With my injuries and everything, I can be here today and gone tomorrow if I don't start hitting some of those home runs again."… That’s the basic story to watch here. If Bennett falters or gets hurt yet another time the torch will pass to Moore and possibly even Fason. Not lost in the mix is old reliable Moe Williams, who still figures to make his mark at the goal line and occasionally on third downs.

WR: The Vikings are counting on Nate Burleson to emerge from the shadows of Randy Moss now that he’s the No. 1 WR on the team. So far, so good on that front as Burleson is taking on a more vocal role on the field in addition to making plays. In last Tuesday’s practice, Burleson made a great catch streaking down the sidelines while going behind CB Ken Irvin’s back to snare the ball. It was good for an 80-yard TD. Burleson moves into the valued flanker position this year where he’s expected to be Culpepper’s favorite receiver. "Everybody knew the type of guy Nate was," Culpepper said. "He's definitely getting noticed more by other people. He's a great player. Those who don't know him will, because he's going to get a lot of touchdowns. He's going to be in the elite group of receivers pretty soon." There’s plenty of room for a sleeper to emerge from this group, too. Most dynasty leaguers have their sights on rookie speed merchant Troy Williamson. Injuries to other receivers gave Williamson more reps in practice. Williamson dropped a touchdown but quickly made up for the gaffe catching a 32-yard TD from Brad Johnson. He also dropped two passes on Friday but caught one pass for a 15-yard gain.

Veteran Travis Taylor remains a guy to keep a close eye on. "Travis has always been good," Culpepper said. "I've watched him play in high school and college, and he's always been good. In Baltimore, I think he played with eight different quarterbacks. That would be tough on anybody." Taylor is currently being used as the team’s slot WR. He’s working hard showing good quickness and not shying away from contact when going after the football. All of those qualities are endearing him to Culpepper and receivers coach Wes Chandler. When Chandler was asked what Taylor adds the Vikings offense? "What did Brandon Stokley bring to Peyton Manning? That's why the [touchdown passes] record was set. Manning had an inside guy you couldn't cover. The ability to escape very quick. You had two outside guys, and you tried to double over the top. Stokley killed you over the middle.” Taylor was the leading receiver in Friday’s practice with 7 catches for 93 yards including a 2-yard TD from Culpepper in traffic in the right corner of the end zone.

TE: The return of Jimmy Kleinsasser could have two effects on the Vikings offense. It could mean a reduction in targets for Jermaine Wiggins and signal improvement in the Vikings running attack. Kleinsasser is an excellent lead blocker and he’s more of H-back than Wiggins who serves more of a traditional TE role.

Defense: Among the team’s many new faces on defense perhaps none is stranger to see in purple and gold than former Packers safety Darren Sharper.  "Strange, very strange," Sharper said. "But your career sometimes will go different directions and you have to adjust. But when we play that first game and I have on the purple and gold, it is going to be a different sight for my eyes to see." Sharper is a noted ball hawk with more interceptions (31) than any player in the league since 2000. He also has 7 TDs in his career, 3 last season. At the moment LB Dontarrious Thomas is well-ahead in the competition to start at WLB. He’s further ahead than Raonall Smith because he’s not making mental mistakes and he’s more consistent. “I don’t know that that’s as tight a competition as we thought it would be when we started (camp),” said Tice. Ben Nelson moved from receiver to safety on Friday as the team tries to find a way to keep Nelson on the team. "He had no more practice squad eligibility, and he's one of our guys, so we really were just trying to find a spot for him as opposed to bringing someone else in," defensive coordinator Ted Cottrell said. Then Cottrell added, “The one thing we know is some of our DBs have got really bad hands. And this guy's got good hands. I hope he does; he's a wide receiver, right?" Top pick DE Erasmus James remains “out of sight, out of mind” to Tice after missing the first week of camp as a holdout. Tice noted, “I think we’ve passed the point of having him anointed at any position… anything he earns now, he’s got to work his way up the ladder,” Such is life when a rookie holds out.

Special Teams: After the first three days of practice, PKs Aaron Elling and Paul Edinger were both 22 of 25 on field goals. Elling maintained his “it’s-his-job-to-lose status” however based on his better kickoffs. Edinger’s kickoffs have been short, and he put one out of bounds. Backup QB Brad Johnson has been anointed the holder on kicks. Head coach Mike Tice indicated WR Keenan Howry is at the top of the punt returner depth chart. RB Mewelde Moore has taken the early lead over rookie WR Troy Williamson for kickoff returns. WR Kelly Campbell and Howry are bringing up the rear.

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New England Patriots

QB: For Tom Brady training camp is business as usual. Brady says he’s in the best shape of his career. “I think I'm in the best shape I've ever been in," he said. ''I'm the strongest I've been. My legs are the strongest they've been and my arm is the strongest it's been. 'I feel like I'm more mature -- another year in the offense, another year with the guys. I think every year you gain more respect from the players you play with and ultimately [more] trust from the coaches." Brady’s focus during camp is pretty simple. Prepare for each practice and work on his mechanics. Brady knows preparation is the key to making good decisions in clutch situations. That all comes down to practice and so does consistency. So for now, Brady’s taking it one practice at a time and not looking ahead towards the playoffs or the regular season. He sat out Wednesday’s practice as the team gave him a break for his 28^th birthday. Doug Flutie is getting more reps with the 2^nd team than Rohan Davey at the moment. Rookie Matt Cassell got in some extra work when the Patriots ran split squad drills in Thursday’s morning practice. He was the lone QB to participate.

RB: Corey Dillon picked up right where he left off a year ago. He’s off to a great start in camp and running with purpose.  Dillon’s workload will be monitored through the preseason, but Coach Bill Belichick is quick to point out that he won’t hold him back completely and he’s trying to find the right balance, “What's the right amount, what's the right thing? You just have to do it based on your experience, based on what you feel like the needs of the team are and based on the individual player. It's not scientific. It's very subjective.'' As far as Dillon’s conditioning Belichick couldn’t be happier. “He worked extremely hard,” Belichick said. “His strength level, his conditioning level, overall his testing level (is better) . . . and the results can be seen.”

WR: Deion Branch and David Givens are firmly entrenched as starters, but both have missed games in the past couple of years and the Patriots have frequently used multiple receiver sets. Branch is having an extremely strong start to camp. The top receiver's footwork is as good as always and his hands are impeccable. Branch's instincts have impressed Belichick. “`He kind of knows the right thing to do without being told,” his coach said. ``He just knows how to get open and he has a good understanding of passing game concepts. He knows where the other receivers are. He understands where he needs to be. And when there are traffic problems”.

It might seem like heresy, but we’re about to mention David Terrell and the word sleeper in the same sentence. Coach Bill Belichick had some glowing reviews of Terrell’s impressions thus far with his new team saying, “He's tough and he doesn't ever want to come out for a play. He has very good stamina and goes full speed from beginning of practice until the end.” Terrell is making the most of his opportunity to play with former Michigan teammate QB Tom Brady. "I think we saw that (chemistry) early when David first came to New England and workouts started," said Belichick. "There was a confidence level and reference point (between them). They had done certain things together in games and in competition and they had success with them, so there was an understanding between those two players that goes back that they can both relate to." Terrell could see more time on the field than Troy Brown, his primary competition for the No. 3 WR job.

2^nd year WR P.K. Sam is a young player to watch in exhibition games. He’s improved in the offseason and could push for a roster spot and possibly for the 5^th WR spot along with Bethel Johnson and Tim Dwight. Dwight didn’t make a favorable first impression dropping several balls. If he’s going to make the team he’ll need to show something as a receiver because the team has plenty of other players capable of playing special teams. One player who is turning heads in camp is Brandon “Bam” Childress. He’s making the most of his opportunities. He’s consistently getting open and made several nice catches.

TE: Daniel Graham missed a couple days of workouts but returned to action later in the week. Meanwhile 2^nd year TE Ben Watson is looking good and getting plenty of work as the Patriots plan to move him around the field a lot to gain matchup advantages. On Monday Watson had a “breakout” day where he made two incredible catches on deep seam passes from Tom Brady in the two minute drill. Look for more of this during the preseason.

Defense: DL Richard Seymour ended his brief holdout and reported to camp. He received a 40% ($1M) bump for his 2005 salary and appeared happy in his first day at camp. The same thing may take place with SS Rodney Harrison. NT Ethan Kelley was waived and the Pats signed Mario Monds to fill his roster spot. Kelley was projected to be the backup to starting NT Vince Wilfork, but his release also open up an opportunity for Dan Klecko, who is back to working at nose tackle after playing linebacker and even fullback last year.

Special Teams: There have been no new developments in the team’s negotiations with PK Adam Vinatieri on a long term deal. For now he’s still the Franchise guy. The kickoff and punt return picture remains cloudy. WR Bethel Johnson with his ankle and RB Chad Morton with his knee still haven’t practiced. WR Tim Dwight missed the first few days, dropped some balls when he did return, but looked much better later in the week. RB Kevin Faulk has been practicing returns, and WR Troy Brown joined the festivities one day.

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New Orleans Saints

QB: Aaron Brooks had a less than stellar practice last Tuesday under throwing a pass that was intercepted by Jason Craft. He did hook up with Devery Henderson on a 15-yard TD in the back of the endzone in 7-on-7 drills though. Todd Bouman fumbled two snaps. Adrian McPherson and Kliff Kingsbury are competing for the 3rd string job and so far it’s been rather uneventful. McPherson said, “I think I'm doing OK, but I'm definitely not where I want to be.” That’s an understatement after his first few days. He threw interception after interception in 7-on-7 drills.

RB McAllister is licking his chops coming into camp leaner, quicker and looking forward to playing behind an improved offensive line. He’s backed by a coaching staff that wants to re-establish the running game. Antowain Smith and Aaron Stecker are competing for the backup RB job. Smith is well liked by Head Coach Jim Haslett. “I love Antowain,” Haslett said. “He's a guy that's won (two) Super Bowls that you can go to when you need something, and he's a heck of a running back. He doesn't have great speed, but I'll tell you what he does. He's a big man, first of all, and he's going to run downhill, he's going to get positive yardage.” Smith knows what’s expected of him.

“They told me what my role would be and said they wanted a veteran on the team that could provide leadership," Smith said Wednesday. “They wanted someone with playoff and Super Bowl experience who could tell the guys what to do to get to the next level.” If anything the Saints have improved their depth by adding a solid but unspectacular veteran like Smith. Stecker is hoping offensive coordinator Mike Sheppard uses him more. "(Sheppard) is probably the first coach in seven years who tells me he thinks I can be an every-down back," Stecker said. "I know they like what they saw last year so hopefully I can go out there and be a little more involved." That remains to be seen with Smith also in the picture.

WR: Joe Horn is struggling a little early in camp. He uncharacteristically dropped several balls in the first few days of practice and Saints CBs Mike McKenzie and Fakhir Brown handled him well in man coverage. The Saints are hopeful second year WR Devery Henderson will emerge this year and claim the No. 3 WR job. Talman Gardner has been the more impressive receiver in the first week of camp. The focus has been on Henderson and Az-Zahir Hakim yet Gardner’s the one to recently catch Jim Haslett’s eye. "He has been outstanding in this camp," Haslett said while adding, "He might be our best receiver out there right now as far as catching the ball. He hasn't dropped one ball yet in eight practices. He's running great routes, and he's tough as nails. There are going to be some tough decisions there, because right now he is probably our best receiver." Knowing Donte Stallworth’s penchant for hammy problems keeping tabs on Gardner, Henderson and Hakim is probably a good idea. The one who emerges as the No. 3 could very well be a strong waiver wire claim at some point this season. Stallworth is also lining up inside as a slot WR for the first time as a pro. Sheppard plans to use him there in some packages to utilize his explosiveness against presumably better matchups.  Hakim suffered a mild hamstring injury in Saturday's scrimmage while was making a 26-yard catch on the second series of the scrimmage.

TE: Boo Williams showed up to camp 20 lbs lighter at 255 lbs. He looks more serious and focused on and off the field knowing he might face an uphill battle for a roster spot this year. “This is a real important training camp for me because I'm coming in the odd man out,” Williams said, “and it's going to be real interesting how I take it and how I play football. A lot of people know I can play football.” Williams is competing with Shad Meier, Ernie Conwell and up-and-comer Zach Hilton. Meier will miss about two weeks after team trainers discovered a torn meniscus in his knee. Haslett said he’ll be out two weeks after surgery is performed. Hilton is a guy to watch in camp. If he comes on strong he could put the squeeze on Williams. He’s reportedly catching everything thrown at him and you have to like his size (6’8”).

Defense: The Saints improved their secondary significantly when they signed former Bucs CB/S Dwight Smith, who is taking on a vocal role early in camp. MLB Courtney Watson strained his quadriceps and was sidelined for the rest of the workout last Tuesday. SLB James Allen sat out one day after twisting his right knee on the final play of practice. An MRI was done that showed no damage. "I think he's going to be OK," Saints coach Jim Haslett said. "There was not swelling or anything, but we sent him to get an MRI for precautionary measures." DL Johnathan Sullivan is trying to lose weight. He’s been a bust. If the defense gets anything out of Sullivan it will be bonus.

Special Teams: PK Nate Fikse hit 46 and 47 yard field goals the other day, but don’t draft him for your fantasy team. He’s just giving starter John Carney a rest and won’t survive the roster cuts. PK/KR specialist Michael Lewis is yet another return guy that is impressing at wide receiver in camp. He’s showing better hands and extension on offense than he has in the past. Backup returner WR Az-Zahir Hakim tweaked his hamstring but should only miss a few days of practice.

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New York Giants

QB: Eli Manning continues to improve and get sharper with each day of practice. Following Thurday’s practice head coach Tom Coughlin was asked if it was Manning’s sharpest day yet. He responded “It surely was a good afternoon for him.” Manning’s been connecting regularly with both Amani Toomer and Jeremy Shockey throughout the week for big plays.

RB: Rookie Brandon Jacobs already got his first shot at converting a 3^rd and 1. The 265 lb. Jacobs ran over safety Curry Burns and CB Corey Webster for the first down creating a buzz among camp goers. "It was good to see him go up there with some power," said Coughlin. "If there's a safety or a corner in the hole, he should have the advantage." 

WR: WR Plaxico Burress suffered a hyperextended knee in the opening days of camp. He continued practicing but then had to leave a few days later with a strained hip flexor. That’s two injuries in less than one week of practice. It’s not serious and Burress was seen riding an exercise bike while taking it “day to day”. Unfortunately, Tom Coughlin described it as more than day to day while Burress brushed it off saying it’s “nothing real serious to get worried about.” Here’s a funny quote from Newsday.com reporter Arthur Staple, “The Giants didn’t sign Plaxico Burress to be the receiver who couldn’t reach his potential because of fragile health. They had that guy already – name was Ike Hilliard.”

Meanwhile, veteran Amani Toomer is looking good in camp after moving to the “Z” WR position. The change means Toomer lines up off the line giving him more of a chance to separate from DBs and open things up for Burress (who is in the “X” position). So far so great for Toomer, who shows no signs of slowing down or lingering effects from last year’s injury marred season. The 30 year old receiver made several great catches in the first week of camp. He’s running great routes. On Thursday and Friday he caught some deep balls and made one diving catch along the sidelines from Eli Manning while hauling in a 40-yard pass on a post route Thursday. "He's worked real well," Coughlin said. "He's caught the ball in traffic ... He has his endurance back again. He's made some real tough catches." Keep an eye on Toomer as he could easily rebound and be a huge bargain considering his low ADP. He’s a great sleeper and draft day bargain at this point. Speedster Tim Carter is trying to remain healthy and win the No. 3 WR job. Carter and the other reserves are making the most of the extra playing time created by Plax’s injuries. Mark Jones made a juggling catch on a deep ball on Thursday while Davie Tyree and Willie Ponder are trying to make their mark, too. Jamaar Taylor continues to be slowed by a hip flexor and is also missing some practice time.

TE: Jeremy Shockey made a strong first impression prompting some to believe he’ll recapture the swagger and production he had as a rookie. Despite skipping the Giants offseason program and drawing criticism from both Coughlin and Manning, both were impressed with him early in camp. "He's running well, you can tell he's healthy and he feels confident in his body right now," Eli said. "He's making his cuts, making moves, so he knows what he's doing. Hopefully he'll keep it up." Coughlin then added, “He made some nice catches and some nice runs after the catch... I hope that continues.” Shockey drew a loud cheer from the crowd on Friday when he caught a deep pass down the middle from Manning on the first play of team work. He also made a terrific one-handed grab from Manning over the middle in Thursday’s practice. Backup Vishante Shiancoe had a swollen knee but an MRI found no damage. He’s sidelined for the moment and there’s been no established timetable for his expected return.

Defense: Free agent addition MLB Antonio Pierce is leading the LB corps and making a great first impression with his intensity. Teammate and fellow LB Carlos Emmons checked in with this quote, “You like a guy to be able to step in, especially a new guy, and take charge of his huddle without overdoing it. He’s done that.” Rookie DE Eric Moore, a 6^th round pick, twisted his left knee and ankle during practice on Wednesday. The defensive line needs as many warm bodies as they can get right now as injuries have left the unit fairly thin during the first week of camp. The Giants are hoping to get more out of former 1^st round pick DT William Joseph, who got some work with the first team in Thursday’s practice.

Special Teams: The Giants are already pleased with PK Jay Feely’s kickoffs, which are an improvement over Steve Christie’s from last year. WR Mark Jones is still atop the punt return depth chart, but he by no means has a lock on the job. WR Willie Ponder is probably the strongest competition, although WR Ataveus Cash and CB Curtis DeLoatch have also gotten carries in practice. Rookie CB Cory Webster and WR Michael Jennings may also get a look during preseason.

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New York Jets

QB: Chad Pennington was held out of practice on Friday, the 2^nd time in three days. The team is simply being cautious not to overwork his shoulder. He had a good overall practice on Thursday. "Five days in a row is a lot of throws, in my estimation," Edwards said. "I just wanted to give him a rest." He reported no soreness and remains on target according to Edwards. On Thursday Pennington was 9 for 17, including 6 for 11 in 11-on-11 drills. He threw one deep ball for Laveranues Coles that could’ve been a TD had CB Ray Mickens not knocked it down. “I'm getting there,” Pennington said. “..Sometimes I have what I want and sometimes I don't. It's just a matter of timing, and I'm not going to get frustrated. I could've gotten frustrated a long time ago when I could barely move my arm, so I think it's a matter of time.” Pennington’s sticking with mostly shorter throws for now while focusing on his velocity and accuracy. Earlier in the week Jay Fiedler threw two interceptions in Tuesday’s afternoon practice.

RB: The team likes 6^th round pick Cedric Houston quite a bit. "I like Cedric," coach Herman Edwards said. "He's got good feet. He's a really good zone runner and has good vision to cut back. He runs sort of like those backs in Denver. You're going with the flow and then all of a sudden, you kind of cut back. He can run through arm tackles. I want to see him in our preseason games." Considering that he played his last two seasons with a thyroid condition that constantly made him feel tired and winded, Houston’s looking forward to his rookie season and hopes with the proper treatment it will be a thing of the past. “In college, I did pretty good at about 75 percent," Houston said. "I'm definitely eager to see myself at 100 percent." Edwards offered more praise for Houston saying, “"He's strong. He's very physical in the hole. And he has a little nastiness about him, which is good for the position he plays." The Jets gave him No. 34, previously worn by LaMont Jordan. Houston hopes to fill his shoes but first he needs to beat Derrick Blaylock for the No. 2 job behind Martin. On a side note, Curtis Martin was given the day off on Thursday to rest.

WR: The Jets top four spots are pretty well set with Coles, Justin McCareins, Wayne Chrebet and Jerricho Cotchery. The second year Cotchery is playing well in the first week of camp. He was sizzling last Tuesday catching 5 straight passes in the afternoon session. To put it succinctly, Cotchery is for real. If he’s still lingering in your dynasty league, get him now. The 5^th spot is where the battle is being fought between Jonathan Carter, free agent Chas Gessner and rookie Harry Williams Jr. Carter ran a nice fade route catching a TD from QB Brooks Bollinger against Justin Miller in Wednesday’s practice. Rookie WR Harry Williams Jr., a seventh-round pick from Tuskegee, had a breakout day on Saturday. He showed excellent hands and blazing speed. HC Herman Edwards calls him Willie Mays Hayes after the speedy character in the movie "Major League".

TE: Doug Jolley is excited about the opportunities he has with the Jets this year playing in Mike Heimerdinger’s system. "If you look at Heimerdinger's record, he's had a lot of tight ends catch balls everywhere he's gone," Jolley said. "I've been in this offense my first two years in Oakland and I enjoyed it. (Quarterback) Rich Gannon got me the ball and I'm looking at the same relationship here with Chad." Heimerdinger made sure to point out that he doesn’t think Jolley will be good for Pennington only, but also Curtis Martin. "Jolley might benefit Curt more because if he can stretch the field then you might see some different coverages, and that's going to open up some things for Curt," Heimerdinger said.

Defense: The Jets finally signed Ty Law. Jets assistant general manager Mike Tannenbaum and Law's agent, Carl Poston, met Thursday night and agreed on the framework of the deal then hammered out the details into the weekend. The deal is contingent on Law's passing a physical, which he will have in New York early next week. Ironically, DE John Abraham is now upset the team is willing to give Law and his injured foot a contract, but not willing to secure him with a long-term deal. There are now some rumblings that Abraham will not report to the team until the Tuesday before the season opener. RB Curtis Martin reportedly restructured his contract to help the team. Martin and Law are close friends from their days with the Patriots.

Rookie corner Justin Miller’s been a play-making machine so far giving the Jets some confidence that he might win the starting job – if they end up not signing Law. Miller made the play of the day in practice last Tuesday on a diving interception on a go route to Justin McCareins. He’s consistently breaking up passes and had two interceptions in as many days to open camp. "We're going to have a lot on his plate," Edwards said. "We have to see what he can handle and what he can't. ... Justin is practicing twice a day. The more he is in there, the more we can find out about him.” Meanwhile LB Victor Hobson was held out of Thursday’s practice with what Edwards called “a little bit of a tight hamstring”.

DE Shaun Ellis is giving new right tackle Adrian Jones all he can handle in the first week of camp. You might call if baptism by fire. Ellis is one of the league’s top all-around DEs and known for having a short fuse in camp. "The greatest asset AJ has going for him right now is he's practicing against a Pro Bowl player in Shaun Ellis," Jets offensive line coach Doug Marrone said. "You can get a pretty good evaluation. Shaun has excellent practice habits. He's going hard all the time.

Special Teams: PK Mike Nugent continues to show off his accuracy and leg strength in practice. It’s apparently rubbing off. Camp leg PK Xavier Beitia went 3 for 3 from 50 yards the other day. If Australian Ben Graham wins the punting job, he will also likely be the holder on kicks. His punts have been drawing rave reviews for their distance, hang-time, and end over end reverse spin that make them difficult to field. Now that the Jets are bringing in CB Ty Law, rookie CB Justin Miller should have more time to focus on kickoff and punt returns.

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Oakland Raiders

QB: Kerry Collins had a wrap on his knee following Wednesday morning’s session and had a slight limp. Collins wasn’t concerned though and was moving around just fine in the afternoon practice. In the background is Marquis Tuiasosopo. The former Washington Husky QB is working hard and biding his time, just waiting for a chance to shine. Tui received some work with the first team giving Collins a rest. “We kind of planned this as we started camp," Turner said. “I want to see Tui get a chance to work with the first group, but I really want our first defense to practice against Tui sometimes because it's a whole different deal. It presents a whole different feature for our defensive football team.” Turner expects to give Tui a lot of playing time during the preseason, more than last year, when both Gannon and Collins needed a lot of reps. "I was extremely impressed with him in the preseason (last year)," Turner said. "I really think he's growing, making better decisions. He's a year further along and I'm excited to see him play in the preseason." On a related note, Rich Gannon officially retired from the NFL on Saturday.

RB: So far in camp LaMont Jordan and Zack Crockett have alternated in goal line drills. It would be no surprise if Crockett reprised his role as the Raiders goal-line back. Jordan’s no slouch at the goal line, but Crockett has been among the best in the NFL scoring 21 TDs in the last three years. "LaMont is a good short-yardage back," coach Norv Turner said. "But obviously Zack might be the best there is." Turner later added, "A year ago we really went through a period where we didn't have a lead blocker other than Zack. That was a decision we made," Turner said. "I would see Zack being the short-yardage back, knowing that LaMont has been awfully good at it."

WR: Jerry Porter’s hamstring pull could possibly be worse than expected. "He's got a pulled hamstring," said head coach Norv Turner after practice. "It's going to be a little while... I can't tell you right now, but it could be a couple weeks... He was sore this morning, and he won't do anything until next week for sure.” Porter will miss the team’s season opener against their bay rivals (49ers). In the meantime the Raiders signed former Cowboys WR Randal Williams to give them another body while Jerry Porter recovers. Porter’s absence means that Ron Curry moves to the No. 2, and when he’s not able to go, it’s Doug Gabriel getting some runs at No. 2. Keep this in mind if the Raiders lose either Moss or Porter during the season. Curry could be a great mid-season pickup again this year if he goes undrafted.  Meanwhile, 2^nd year receiver Carlos Francis was declared 100% after rehabbing a knee injury that forced him to miss his rookie season. Shortly afterward, Francis tweaked his hamstring and had to be helped from the field. The MRI looked good though and Francis should be ok. On Saturday, Doug Gabriel dislocated his right index finger. Gabriel will be out for a short time. The injury happened while Gabriel was attempting to catch a pass against CB Stanford Routt. The injured finger was put back in its proper alignment by a team trainer.

TE: Norv Turner wasted no time in naming Courtney Anderson the starter at tight end. Meanwhile, former Raiders Ricky “stone hands” Dudley returned to the team signing a contract on the eve of camp. He’ll compete for a backup spot and there’s no guarantee he’ll make the club.

Defense: The defense is showing signs of improving against the run. In one goal-line drill that featured the hardest hitting in camp so far, RB Justin Fargas was stuffed short of the goal line on back to back plays. Turner said: "We're going to be a good goal-line defense.” That’s probably a bit optimistic given their performance last year, but a good sign nevertheless.

Special Teams: Two rookie cornerbacks currently lead the race for the top punt returner position.  CB Fabian Washington is in front followed by CB Chris Carr. Washington is the better bet, since Carr is a long shot to make the team. WR Doug Gabriel and CB Charles Woodson also practiced punt returns this week. Gabriel remains the top choice for kickoff returns.

Raiders Depth Chart
QB Kerry Collins, Marques Tuiasosopo, Andrew Walter, David Rivers, Brent Engmann
 RB Lamont Jordan, Justin Fargas, DeJuan Green
 FB Zack Crockett (SD), Chris Hetherington
 WR Randy Moss, Jerry Porter (inj), Ron Curry (PR), Doug Gabriel, Alvis Whitted, Carlos Francis, Johnnie Morant, John Stone, Randal Williams
 TE Courtney Anderson, Teyo Johnson, Josh Norman, Ricky Dudley
 K Sebastian Janikowski
 DE Derrick Burgess, Bobby Hamilton, Akbar Gbaja-Biamila, Grant Irons, Mark Word, Ryan Riddle
 DT Ted Washington (NT), Warren Sapp, Ed Jasper, Tommy Kelly, Anttaj Hawthorne, Terdell Sands (NT), Kenny Smith, Lorn Mayers
 MLB Danny Clark, Tim Johnson, Kirk Morrison, Jay Foreman, Maugaula Tuitele
 OLB Sam Williams (S), Tyler Brayton, Marquis Smith (W), DeLawrence Grant, Edward Thomas (S)
 CB Charles Woodson, Nnamdi Asomugha, Stanford Routt, Fabian Washington, Renaldo Hill, Denard Walker, Calvin Branch, Brock Williams
 S Stuart Schweigert (FS), Derrick Gibson (SS), Marques Anderson (SS/FS), Jarrod Cooper (FS), Keyon Nash (FS), Kevin Curtis (FS)

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Philadelphia Eagles

QB: For Donovan McNabb training camp is business as usual. He always seems to maintain a positive outlook and this year is no exception. In similar fashion McNabb addressed the Owens situation by keeping it positive and letting everyone know that Owens isn’t the focus, but the team and the offense are. "I think the best way for me to handle it is just to do what I've been doing, just making sure that Coach (Andy) Reid and I are on the same page, and the offense is on the same page as well," McNabb said.

RB: Brian Westbrook surprised head coach Andy Reid by not reporting to training camp on time. Not to be distracted by Westbrook’s absence Reid moved right along quickly naming Correll Buckhalter the starting RB in practice during Westbrook’s absence. Westbrook’s holdout isn’t expected to last beyond August 8^th and he faces a $6k fine each day he’s not in camp. Buckhalter caught a swing pass in practice Wednesday made one defense miss then initiated contact with the second tackler. This play was encouraging knowing that Buckhalter was carted off the field just minutes before suffering from the heat. However, on Friday morning Buckhalter limped off the field with an injury to his surgically repaired right knee. It turned out to be just a bruise but it’s still cause for concern given his history. Buckhalter is coming off his 2nd knee injury in 4 years. Despite the setbacks, he says he won’t shy away from contact. “This is football. I'm going to get knocked around - I know that. The main thing is to put on the pads and get hit. Right now, everything is smooth sailing, but the big test will come when I get hit.”

On Sunday night, Westbrook reported to camp. The Eagles are hoping Westbrook will be amenable to a contract similar to Domanick Davis, but closer to their previous offers. Eagles sources say the team has offered a $9 million signing bonus and more than $12 million over the first 3 years of a 5-year deal. "Domanick, LaMont Jordan, Rudi Johnson, all the running backs who got deals recently. They're all going to be benchmarks for Brian's deal," Westbrook's agent Fletcher Smith said Sunday night. Westbrook wants to get a deal done "as soon as possible" - in fact, he wanted a long-term contract before camp. For now, he’s playing under the team's 1-year, $1.43 million restricted free-agent tender. On the other hand, Westbrook has been fined $42,000 by the Eagles, $6,000 for each day of workouts he has missed because he was under contract.

The Eagles were hoping for a 3-headed monster consisting of Westbrook, Buckhalter and either veteran Reno Mahe or rookie Ryan Moats. Mahe is a versatile, all-around back who lacks size while Moats is looking like a better all-around back already. Moats could pay immediate dividends, unseat Mahe and push Buckhalter for playing time is he picks up the system quickly. Moats has been a 5’ 8”, 210-lb bundle of energy during the last week of camp. He’s running with power and finesse breaking tackles, running around defenders and instinctively changing directions. He’s fueled by powerful legs, particularly his thighs, and especially for this size, he’s tough. He catches the ball like he’s a veteran in the West Coast offense. Interestingly enough, his first experience in the offense wasn’t until his first pro minicamp earlier this year. He's been called "one of the smallest, strongest, quickest guys I have ever seen," by quarterback Donovan McNabb, a "piece of gristle," by offensive coordinator Brad Childress and a "pretty exciting player," by head coach Andy Reid. Moats faces a steep learning curve. Andy Reid said, “Added Reid: "He's doing a nice job picking it up. There is a lot we are throwing at him, but he is working at it and getting better. When we get ready for the game, we will narrow it down, simplify it for all the young guys and they can concentrate on going out there and playing and not being so worried about formations and so on.”

WR: Terrell Owens showed up to camp wearing full army fatigues just trying to blend in with the rest of the team apparently. He drew jeers in the first practice but the cheers began after he caught a few balls in drills. During Thursday’s morning session Owens suffered an inflammation of his left groin causing him to sit out of the afternoon session.  Rookie Reggie Brown is looking like a player in camp. He’s one of the camp’s bigger draws. When McNabb was asked about Brown, he praised his hands, route running ability and most importantly what he can do after the catch. "He has big play ability, and he's the type of guy who if you put the ball in his hands, he can make a couple guys miss," McNabb said. "If you give him the ball in a six yard route, he can take it the distance." Keep in mind that Brown, a rookie, went to Arizona with McNabb to work out in the offseason. Brown has a lot of work ahead of him as rookies have traditionally struggled in Andy Reid’s offense, but Brown is off to a good start so far. Another player to watch is Greg Lewis, a former walk-on at Illinois who worked his way up the depth charts and will start opposite Owens. Todd Pinkston, the intended starter opposite T.O., was lost for the season after rupturing his Achilles tendon on Friday morning.

TE: Do you know who Andy Thorn and Stephen Spach are? Chances are not most people, even fantasy sharks, won’t have a clue. They are a pair of rookie TEs competing with veteran James Whalen to be the backup to starter L.J. Smith. Spach is also playing a little fullback to further his cause and also because the Eagles are lacking any healthy FBs. Chad Lewis could also return but he won’t be healthy for a couple more weeks and remains unsigned.

Defense: Apparently other Eagles are following the lead of Terrell Owens. Hugh Douglas recently commented, “I'm renegotiating for a package of Milk Duds and a box of crackers. If I don't get it, I'm leaving. I've got to feed my family.” On a more serious note DE Jerome McDougle was shot in the abdomen while in his car, spent five days in the hospital, and was released on Tuesday, August 2^nd. His prognosis is good; he’ll fully recover, but not for around six weeks leaving the spot opposite Jevon Kearse wide open for N.D. Kalu, Hugh Douglas and Jamaal Green to see more playing time. Meanwhile, Corey Simon is holding out and linebacker Matt McCoy suffered a knee injury in practice last Tuesday. Andy Reid doesn’t believe it is serious. Rookie Trent Cole played OLB in college, but he’s gained 20 lbs and hopes to become an effective pass rushing DE. "As long as I'm on the field, I don't care," Cole said. "I'm just an athlete. When you're called to do something, you just have to do it. I'll play wherever they put me." With McDougle out the Eagles are even considering DT Darwin Walker at DE. "It's something we could look at," Reid said after practice. "We'll see how it goes."

Special Teams: Backup camp PK Jimmy Kibble has also been getting some time in practice on punts while Dirk Johnson recovers from a sports hernia. More surprising is that starting PK David Akers is also taking turns at punting. CB Dexter Wynn sits atop the punt returner list, although he’ll get some competition from CB Lito Sheppard and WR Robert Redd. RB Brian Westbrook will also factor into the mix now that he has ended his holdout. CB Roderick Hood is the top kickoff returner and has the support of his special teams coach John Harbaugh.

Eagles Depth Chart
QB Donovan McNabb, Mike McMahon, Koy Detmer, Andy Hall
 RB Brian Westbrook (3RB), Correll Buckhalter, Ryan Moats, Reno Mahe (3RB/PR), Bruce Perry, Eric McCoo
 FB Josh Parry, John Ritchie, Thomas Tapeh
 WR Terrell Owens, Greg Lewis, Reggie Brown, Billy McMullen, Justin Jenkins, Robert Redd, Isaac West, Carlos Perez, Chauncey Stovall, Grant Adams, Jared Jones, Jason Peebler, Chris Samp, Todd Pinkston (IR)
 TE L.J. Smith, James Whalen, Steven Spach, Andy Thorn, Mike Bartrum (LS)
 K David Akers
 DE Jevon Kearse, Jerome McDougle (inj), Ndukwe Kalu, Hugh Douglas, Jamaal Green, Trent Cole
 DT Corey Simon, Darwin Walker, Sam Rayburn, Mike Patterson, Hollis Thomas, Paul Grasmanis, Norman Heuer, Keyonta Marshall
 MLB Jeremiah Trotter, Mike Labinjo, David Bergeron
 OLB Dhani Jones (S), Mark Simoneau (W/M), Keith Adams (W), Matt McCoy, Jason Short (S)
 CB Lito Sheppard, Sheldon Brown, Matt Ware, Roderick Hood (KR), Dexter Wynn
 S Brian Dawkins (FS), Michael Lewis (SS), J.R. Reed (FS) (KR) (inj), Quintin Mikell (SS), Sean Considine (FS)

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Pittsburgh Steelers

QB: Ben Roethlisberger was inadvertently kicked by RB Jerome Bettis in practice last week, but he’s no worse for the wear. The bigger concern might be how he’s reacting in camp without his top two WRs from a year ago. Cowher answered those concerns stating, “Ben will be fine. I was impressed, he came in a little bit heavy, but he looks faster. He’s worked out this offseason and he was impressive. Ben’s going to go through his progressions and he’s going to throw to whoever is open. I think the bottom line is the comfort level that he has with this offense. A year ago, when he was calling the plays, I don’t even know if he looked up in the huddle. At least [now], when he’s calling the plays he can see who’s in the huddle. He didn’t even know who was in the huddle a year ago because he was reading his wrist band the whole time. I think the comfortable level that he’s at, to me, is the most important thing and I think it’s very evident.”

RB: Jerome Bettis may be 33 years old but he isn’t holding anything back in his 10^th and quite possibly final training camp with the Steelers. He almost retired during the offseason. He’s running hard in camp, but appears to be content with his role behind starter Duce Staley. Bettis said, "I've been 'The Man' for a long time. I'm comfortable in my role right now. I want to support Duce and I'll be ready to rock when they call me." Duce, meanwhile, has been held back by inflammation in his knee. He was held out of practice on Thursday following double drills on consecutive days, but it was merely a precaution. "We had two guys not work today," said Cowher. "Duce Staley (knee inflammation) probably will not work until Saturday, but again, it’s precautionary. We’ll monitor that. With him, Jerome Bettis and Verron Haynes, we’re going to monitor this through camp.”

At publishing time it was just announced that Staley will undergo arthroscopic surgery on his right knee to determine what, if any, damage there might be. The MRI tests were inconclusive.

WR: While Hines Ward’s holdout continues free agent Cedrick Wilson is taking Ward’s place in the lineup. Wilson was supposed to compete with Antwaan Randle-El for the starting job vacated by Plaxico Burress. The Steelers ended negotiations for a contract extension when Ward didn’t report to camp. Ward's agent Eugene Parker said he’s ready to talk if the Steelers change their minds. "We haven't closed any doors," Parker said. "They may have, but we haven't.” Meanwhile Ward is being fined $6k each day he misses. Cowher addressed the situation early in camp to reporters. “First of all, Hines Ward, I love him as a player, a great kid," said Cowher. “He’s very much respected on this football team, not only by the players but by the entire organization. It’s unfortunate that it has come to this. We’re hopeful that he’ll get here sometime in the near future, but we are going to move on with or without him. Hopefully this thing will rectify itself, but we’re going to proceed with the players who are here. I’m not going to answer questions about it on a day-to-day basis.”

While Ward is out Lee Mays will get extra work on the outside when the offense goes to a 3 receiver set. Either Randle-El or Wilson will slide inside to the slot. "I think El can have a big year easily," wide receivers coach Bruce Arians said. "And I think Cedrick could have that type of year, too. Plus, you never know who can bust out, because whoever's playing, we're going to be throwing him the ball.” Wilson caught everything thrown at him in Wednesday’s practice including a juggling 40-yard grab between two defenders. Sean Morey and Zamir Cobb are also fighting for a roster spot but will need to beat out 4th round pick Fred Gibson and Mays. Also in the hunt for that last spot is Walter Young, a former Panther draft pick. Young’s making the most of his opportunities, according to Cowher, who called him “a big target” that is “having an excellent camp to this point”.

TE: Heath Miller, the 6’5” 256-pound first round pick out of Virginia, signed a five year contract. He’s currently working behind starter Jerame Tuman, but the Steelers expect he’ll pay immediate dividends in the passing game, particularly in the red zone. Miller is the ACC’s all-time leader amongst TEs for receptions, TD catches and yards gained.

Defense:  LB James Harrison has been a standout in the first week of camp making several plays in team drills and practices. Unfortunately, Harrison got hurt when the team went indoors to practice because of wet weather on Friday. Cowher was hopeful and expected him to be back Saturday. DE Travis Kirschke missed a 2^nd consecutive day of practice with lower back pain, but expects to return on Monday.

Backup corners Ike Taylor and Ricardo Colclough have rotated with starters Willie Williams and Deshea Townsend all week during team drills. The coaches want to see them run with the first team and get them some extra snaps. The Steelers want their young corners to have every opportunity to take the job from the veterans and create more competition. Rookie Bryant McFadden is also getting opportunities to earn a starting job. This is significant because the Steelers coaches are not using the same strategy at other positions signaling they expect better production from their corners in 2005.

Special Teams: While Hines Ward has been holding out, QB Ben Roethlisberger and WR Cedrick Wilson appear to be developing some chemistry. Wilson is competing with WR Antwaan Randle El for the WR2 spot. If one of them secures a larger role on offense, then the other could see more time on returns on special teams. During practice this week, Randel El was utilized as the primary punt returner. Plenty of others also got some opportunities: Wilson, WR Zamir Cobb, WR Sean Morey, WR Sam Simmons, rookie WR Fred Gibson, WR Nate Washington, rookie RB Noah Herron, and CB Vontez Duff.

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St. Louis Rams

QB: The biggest difference for Marc Bulger this year might simply be his newfound comfort level. “I feel as good as I have in a system since I was in college," he said. "There were still some issues coming into last year that I really wasn't sure about. You'll never completely understand Coach (Mike) Martz's offense, but I feel like at I'm the point where I need to be, where if he wants to move on, I can move with no problem." The Rams WR corps is as good as it’s been since their Super Bowl season and first round pick Alex Barron promises to bolster the offensive line giving Bulger plenty of optimism for a strong 2005 season. Yet he still can’t help but sympathize for the team’s younger QBs as they struggle to grasp the intricacies of Mike Martz’s offense. Second year QB Jeff Smoker, despite some inconsistencies, is showing steady improvement and could challenge Jamie Martin for the No. 2 spot. Martz also has taken a liking to rookie Ryan Fitzpatrick who seems like a lock for the practice squad if he doesn’t make the roster.

RB: Steven Jackson continues to make strides in his second season. It remains to be seen exactly what role Marshall Faulk will play as the backup, or change of pace back to Jackson, but Martz was surprised when Faulk approached him during the offseason to tell him he thought Jackson should be the starter in 2005. “I see a teamwork deal between the two of them,” Martz said. “They’ll be in at the same time, work as a team. Marshall’s role will be more of a receiver. We’ll have them in the same backfield. We can split either of them out — both can catch the ball. Marshall’s role will be as he defines it, basically. If he wants to play 80 percent, basically that is what he’ll do.”

WR: The Rams WR corps is once again four deep and loaded with superb talent fueling some to speculate the Rams are regaining the offensive swagger of a few years back. "I am real excited about the receivers, Kevin (Curtis), (Shaun) McDonald, everybody,” said head coach Mike Martz. “It brings back a lot of memories from some of the guys we had in the past. They are just playing now." Curtis could emerge as a poor man’s Brandon Stokley this year in the No. 3 role while McDonald is also perfectly capable of making a lot of big plays from the No.4 slot. Torry Holt experienced some tightness in his back forcing him to miss four practices in a row. Holt emphasized the injury isn’t significant explaining, "It's just some tightness, some stiffness. It's kind of hindering me from running and using my explosion and my quickness coming out of my breaks and my route running. So I'm just going to take it easy and make sure the back calms down. Then, once I feel ready to go, I'll go.” Holt is considered day to day.

Meanwhile a pair of unknown receivers are drawing the coaching staff’s attention catching plenty of passes. Brandon Middleton and Jeremy Carter are doing their best to get noticed. Carter brings 4.3 speed to the table and could develop into a decent deep threat while Middleton was a prolific receiver at Houston where he caught 55 passes for 1,250 yards in 2003, which was then a Conference USA record (since broken by Roddy White).

Defense: Rookie safety Jerome Carter quickly impressed the coaching staff in the first week of camp. Carter comes to the Rams with a reputation as a hard worker and fierce hitter at Florida State. Rams secondary coach Kurt Schottenheimer said, “The young man has tremendous toughness”. The fourth round pick is already running with the first team at strong safety, while Adam Archuleta moved to free safety in the offseason. The shift to FS means Archuleta will be tasked with calling defensive signals and making sure his teammates are in the right place on the field. "We've challenged him with that," Martz said. "It's not enough to know what you do; now you've got to have a grasp on everything going around you. That's the next level for Adam. I think it's fun for him, the mental part of it. He's up to the challenge. He's never studied in the past the way he needed to. Now he's all over that stuff." On an injury related note Travis Fisher has been slowed by a bad groin and DT Brian Howard is dealing with a hamstring injury. In other news the Rams reportedly are trying to get into the Ty Law lottery. They made an inquiry this past week into his availability though the Jets have the inside track on Law.

Special Teams: PK Jeff Wilkins has been spending time in practice working with punter Reggie Hodges. The rookie is the only punter in camp and has struggled early. CB DeJuan Groce, CB Terry Fair, WR Shaun McDonald, and rookie WR Dante Ridgeway have been practicing punt returns this week. There’s no official word who tops the list, but Groce seems to be the unofficial consensus. RB Aveion Cason is the early unofficial favorite over RB Arlen Harris on kickoff returns.

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San Diego Chargers

QB: The truth comes out now. QB Drew Brees admitted he separated his left shoulder in the 4^th game last year but played with the injury the rest of the season. He had arthroscopic surgery in the offseason to repair the problem, but it didn’t seem to stop him from throwing 27 TDs against only 7 interceptions earning a trip to the Pro Bowl. In Friday’s practice the Chargers picked up the tempo a bit (at the urging of head coach Marty Schottenheimer) as Brees connected with rookie dynamo Darren Sproles on a slant down the middle of the field on the 2^nd snap of the drill. He and 2^nd year QB Philip Rivers played well while the defense had their share of big plays against both QBs. Rivers connected deep down the middle of the field with rookie Vincent Jackson on one play in particular.

RB: LaDainian Tomlinson isn’t resting on his laurels. He’s worked as hard as ever in the offseason and recently offered his upcoming goals for 2005 – 2,200 rushing yards – or breaking the NFL rushing record for a season. His primary goal is to break 2,000 yards and not just make the playoffs but win it all. The Chargers coaching staff is trying to find creative ways to get rookie RB Darren Sproles more involved in the offense. Tomlinson and Sproles together on the field present huge matchup problems for defenses. Sproles is showing his playmaking ability every day in camp. He’s got excellent hands catching numerous passes in traffic during drills and he’s already a fan favorite. He’s almost certainly going to return punts for the Chargers but is having problems at the moment fielding the ball cleanly.

WR: Reche Caldwell practiced for the first time since the opening of camp on Thursday. He says the hamstring is 100% healed now. Caldwell ran well and made a handful of nice receptions including one in the end zone to finish off a two minute drill. Rookie 2^nd round pick Vincent Jackson signed a five year deal with a $1.375 million signing bonus. He’s got a long way to go before he’s ready to make an impact, but the early signs are promising. "He really looks good," Brees says. "He's such a big target. He has great hands and real good body control. Usually a guy his size is stiff. He does stuff little guys can't do and he's further along than a lot of rookies are at this time. I haven't seen him make the mistakes most rookies do – or even veterans coming into a new offense." Jackson is competing with Kassim Osgood for the No. 4 WR. Now that Caldwell is practicing he’ll try to make a run at Eric Parker, but he’s got an uphill battle. Parker is looking great in camp catching deep passes, showing great run after the catch ability and continuously getting good separation. He won’t yield the starting job easily (or without injury).

TE: Antonio Gates continues to hold out while seeking a long-term contract. To date he’s missed 14 practices. The Chargers and Gates’ agent continue to work diligently toward an agreement, but nothing is done yet. For his part, Gates would prefer to be in camp. "I feel like I play an imperative role in this offense and I want to make sure my team knows that I'm going to be there for them," he explained at the time. He attended minicamps and voluntary workouts even though he was not under contract. Expect this situation to be resolved quickly.

Defense: First round pick OLB Shawne Merriman signed a contract and finally reported to camp. He’s immediately seeing a lot of snaps since OLB Ben Leber underwent arthroscopic surgery to remove a bone spur in his ankle sidelining him for about two weeks. Merriman’s speed is apparent, but he also looks bewildered at times. “You can see the power and speed he's got, and that's even with a bit of uncertainty,” Schottenheimer said. “That will improve as he becomes more comfortable with what we're doing.” Meanwhile ILB Randall Godfrey says this is his final season. He didn’t have any hesitation stating, “Oh yeah. This is the first day of my last season. I'm done.”

Fourth year corner Quentin Jammer continues to get better. He’s looking more comfortable than ever before. "This is the first time I know where all my help is coming from, where all the safeties are dropping, where the linebackers are dropping," Jammer said. "Now I can use that to my advantage. It's huge for me." He’s eager to prove he can be among the top corners in the game despite having just 1 interception last year. In camp he’s been solid in coverage, showing good closing speed and generally blanketing receivers. "He is playing as well as I've seen since he's been here," Schottenheimer said. Schottenheimer expects his secondary as a group to make more plays this year.

In Thursday’s practice during a two minute drill Jammer and safety Terrence Kiel intercepted back to back passes from Philip Rivers. CB Jonathan Cox also got into the act intercepting a Rivers pass on the final play of the practice. DL Igor Olshansky, bothered by a hamstring, missed three days of practice last week returning on Thursday while Jamal Williams (ankle) was sidelined in the afternoon practice.

Special Teams: During the first day of practice, following a missed FG by PK Nate Kaeding, a spectator yelled to him, “Hey Kaeding, that one was just like the one in the playoffs." He does not appear to be distracted by last year’s miss and has been focused on what he always during practice. As expected rookie RB Darren Sproles has been working as the top return man on both kickoffs and punts. SS Robb Butler and WR Willie Quinnie both practiced kickoff returns this week. Another potential backup, RB Michael Turner received some public praise this week from coach Marty Schottenheimer for his special teams work.

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San Francisco 49ers

QB: Alex Smith is off to a decent start in his first NFL training camp. His passes rarely touch the ground and he’s done a great job of protecting the football. He’s showing a rapid release, intelligence and arm strength so far in camp. In Saturday night’s scrimmage he threw an interception but then came back on the next play with a 25 yard TD to TE Eric Johnson. He finished the scrimmage 5 of 7 for 57 yds (in two offensive series). He also had a nice 8 yd scramble showing speed getting around the corner. Tim Rattay led a drive that was stopped at the goal line. Maurice Hicks was stuffed on third down up the middle. The team is splitting reps at QB giving all of their young players an opportunity. Head coach Mike Nolan estimated the breakdown to be “basically about 50-30-20”. Smith will almost certainly emerge from the group but for the time being Tim Rattay is finally healthy and both Ken Dorsey and Cody Pickett will get a lot of opportunities in preseason games to show their wares as well.

RB: Frank Gore and fullback Steve Bush both injured their shoulders on Friday morning in practice and were held out of the afternoon session. Nolan said he expects each player to miss about a week recovering. Gore’s injury may be a little more serious as he apparently chipped a bone in the shoulder. Prior to that Gore had been looking great all week in camp. He continues to put his major knee injuries behind him and in Wednesday’s practice Gore broke free for a 30-yard TD run prompting a celebration by the entire offensive unit. Nolan commented on Gore following Thursday’s practice, “He’s picked it up well. He has his brain farts from time to time, but he’s done a good job. He’s got a lot of talent and skills. I think he will help us; as a matter of fact I’m pretty sure he’ll help us as long as he stays healthy. Knock on wood. I’m sure he’ll be a part of what we’re doing this year. And Kevan (Barlow) needs that as well. You can’t have your go-to back out there every down, it just doesn’t work.”

When asked about Barlow, Nolan recounted scouting him a couple years ago with the Ravens and added, “We played the Niners two years ago at Baltimore. I had my feelings about who he was and the way he played. Then I saw him on film this year, because we didn’t play them last year. Then I had two different opinions at that time. When I saw him when they played us I noticed his work ethic in the game. You can tell when a guy quits on a read, because if you stay with your read you’ll get a lot more runs that are effective. I saw things like that, so it was more from a work ethic standpoint that I saw that he needed to improve his game. That was the best chance for him to get back on track to the back that he needs to be. You can talk about all the angles and this and that, but in reality bust your butt and you perform better.” The bottom line here, as Nolan indicated, is the need for Barlow to return to the guy he was two years ago. With Gore riding up his heels Barlow has less room for error. Nolan believes Gore is going to be a “very exciting and explosive player.” That’s more or lees a ringing endorsement and a tell-tale sign that Barlow’s leash isn’t very long.

The player who stood out the most in Saturday’s scrimmage was Maurice Hicks, who had the run of the day breaking through the line and taking off for a 35 yard gain.

WR: The 49ers had high expectations for last year’s top pick Rashaun Woods despite the fact he didn’t make any impact as a rookie. After the first week of camp the team appears to be growing frustrated with him being sidelined by a groin strain. Even before the injury Woods had only been running with the 3^rd string and reports of his play have not been reassuring of late. It’s doubtful the team would cut Woods after just one season, despite that rumor being floated, but Mike Nolan does appear to be exerting pressure on Woods to “get himself right”. Nolan repeatedly has said he believes both WRs drafted this year – Rasheed Marshall and Marcus Maxwell -will make the roster. Marshall has also struggled in the first week of camp frequently dropping passes and drawing the ire of fans in attendance.

In Friday’s practice the rail-thin P.J. Fleck was rushed to Stanford Hospital after taking a hit from Jamie Winborn. He didn’t get up and laid on the ground for 15 minutes. He was released with a back strain and expected back in practice Monday morning. “It looked worse than it was, and thank God it wasn't as bad as everybody thought at first,” Fleck said. “I pretty much froze up. About 35 seconds later, I could breathe and I could move. It was scary - and a little bit embarrassing.” Ironically, Fleck had passed Woods on the depth chart and has been working as the 49ers 4^th WR behind veteran Johnnie Morton and projected starters Arnaz Battle and Brandon Lloyd. The play of the day in Friday’s practice came from Johnnie Morton, who made a diving catch along the sidelines, while Jason McAddley made a nice leaping catch on a deep pass from rookie Alex Smith.  In Saturday’s scrimmage WR Marcus Maxwell grabbed Nolan’s attention with a big play. He bailed out Dorsey on a 3rd and 15 coming back and making a diving catch along the sidelines for 16 yds.

TE: Eric Johnson is back to doing what he does best. In Wednesday’s practice he received a large cheer from the fans in attendance after making a one-handed catch in the back of the end zone.

Defense: The coaches and players both seem to be relatively happy with the team’s new 3-4 scheme after the first week of practice. OLB Julian Peterson is looking sharp appearing to be in top form as he returns to action after missing all last year with a ruptured Achilles. "If he's not explosive, then there are a lot of people in the league who want to be 'not explosive," said Jamie Winborn. Peterson is excited about the new scheme raving about the defense’s potential and his role in particular. “We can create havoc, break down a lot of protections, have a lot of mismatches. You'll never know what I'm going to do. You'll never know if I'm rushing from the outside, inside, dropping in coverage. It's going to be great for us. We won't be taking no nonsense from anybody." Safety Tony Parrish said they are already much further along than where they were last year. He sung the praises of Coach Mike Singletary saying “his presence along makes an impact.” Corner Shawntae Spencer has been sidelined for much of the week because of a hamstring injury. He may return as early as Monday. Safety Arnold Palmer, taking time from the golf course apparently, injured his shoulder and is expected to miss some time while recovering. Corner Ahmed Plummer is doing well in his rehabilitation prompting Nolan to be optimistic. Nolan believes Plummer will be 100% physically and mentally by the season opener.

Special Teams: The 49ers would prefer not to use WR Arnaz Battle on punt returns, so that he can focus on offense. After a week of camp however, it appears he may be their only viable option on returns. None of the other candidates have shown much promise. One of those is rookie Rasheed Marshall who is trying to make the transition from QB to WR/PR. So far he has looked very tentative while trying to field punts.

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Seattle Seahawks

QB: Matt Hasselbeck has been more accurate in camp than in the past. This could be a sign that he’s established more trust in his WR corps to be where they're supposed to be on the field. Backup QB Seneca Wallace continues to improve as a passer, though he’s still nothing more than mere adequate in that area. It’s his many other skills that the team really likes. Wallace has been inconsistent in his throws so far. Rookie David Greene is hoping to stick as the 3^rd string QB.

RB: Injuries are taking their toll on the Seahawks running backs. Shaun Alexander, Maurice Morris and rookie Jesse Lumsden are all dealing with minor injuries leaving the Seahawks with just two warm bodies for practice on Thursday. Lumsden’s injury may be the worst as he twisted his leg injuring his hip. He was on crutches and sat out Thursday afternoon’s practice. Alexander and Morris were held out for precautionary reasons. Morris tweaked his hamstring while Alexander had soreness in his hammy. That left Kerry Carter and rookie Marquis Weeks to take all the snaps in Thursday afternoon’s practice. Lumsden, an undrafted rookie out of McMasters University in Canada, is one of the more interesting stories in camp. He was looking good, showing good hands and a little swerve in his stride. He’s good at the point of attack and runs with a “good lean.” Before getting hurt, on Wednesday, Lumsden scored a TD in goal-line drills and also had a nice breakaway in another team session. Lumsden is taking it all in stride though. “I’m learning a lot of things and making a few mistakes and trying to correct them,” Lumsden said. “That’s part of being a rookie. You just can’t mess up too many times because they’ll give you a plane ticket home.”

WR: Bobby Engram is embracing the starting role in training camp replacing the departed problem child Koren Robinson. Engram is used to being the team’s slot WR and more of a 3rd down possession target. One of the bigger adjustments Engram faces in camp is running different (longer) routes. “It's just the amount of running again, getting my legs back," Engram said. "As opposed to everything being short and quick, you're getting into that mode of sprinting 20 (yards) and getting in and out of my breaks. It's not a big difference; it's just different.” In Thursday’s practice, promising youngster Jerheme Urban caught a nice 20-yard TD from Hasselbeck as CB Marcus Trufant fell on the play. Taco Wallace was rocked in practice Wednesday leaving him woozy, but he returned to practice the next day. Alex Bannister, recovering from a broken clavicle, is about a week to 10 days away from practicing. As camp broke the Seahawks added yet another WR to the mix signing veteran Bobby Shaw to a contract.

TE: Jerramy showed up to camp in great shape and is catching everything thrown his way. He is making diving catches and turning underneath routes into big gains when he’s able to catch the ball in stride. Mili returns as the backup and is rounding into shape slowly. 3^rd stringer Ryan Hannam is practicing just once a day. Stevens has impressed the coaches with a new sense of dedication and focus this year. Keep an eye on him to emerge as a possible sleeper who could crack the top 10 or 15.

Defense: Defensive ends Grant Wistrom and Bryce Fisher hope to bolster the Seahawks pass rush after being reunited after previously playing together in St. Louis. "We have two high-effort guys," Wistrom said. "Anytime you have two guys out there working hard, good things are going to happen for you. I don't think either one of us is going to be a 15-sack-a-year player, but both of us can be every-down players who can play the run and the pass equally well."  Wistrom blew by the Seahawks young offensive line in a scrimmage Saturday and said he feels great, the healthiest he's been in 2 or 3 years.

Also making an impact in camp is new DT Chartic Darby. Darby hopes to help the Seahawks improve their run defense along with the slimmer and more focused DT Marcus Tubbs, last year’s 1st round pick. “One of the key guys who can help our football team right away is Chartric Darby,” coordinator Ray Rhodes said. “Chartric has been here playing with a lot of energy and effort. The thing that is very noticeable about him is that he has one speed. I like players who play with one speed … all out.” Except for a handful of plays, Tubbs has been nothing short of dominant, collapsing the pocket on passing plays and stuffing the run.

Rookie MLB Lofa Tatupu missed Thursday’s afternoon session with a minor hamstring injury, but he’s showing a knack for shedding blockers and meeting the ball carrier at or behind the line of scrimmage on running plays. He’s seeing a considerable amount of reps with the first team defense and could be on the verge of beating Niko Koutouvides for the starting job. Safety Ken Hamlin (shoulder) and DT Cedric Woodard (knee) are a little over a week away from returning to practice. DT Rashad Moore was held out with a sore shoulder. In a minor deal the Seahawks traded CB Kris Richard to Miami in exchange for DE Ronald Flemons on Thursday.

Special Teams: PK Josh Brown went 10 of 12 on FGs in Thursday’s practice. He’ll be getting more work in camp because the Seahawks released PK Kevin Miller this week (assuming they don’t sign someone else). WR Jerome Pathon, CB Michael Harden, RB Kerry Carter, rookie RB Jesse Lumsden, and RB Marquis Weeks are all competing with RB Maurice Morris for his kickoff return role. WR Bobby Shaw and WR Taco Wallace both returned punts this week, although Taco had several muffs. Seneca Wallace is no longer returning punts now that he has apparently secured the backup QB spot.

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Tampa Bay Buccaneers

QB: Nothing major to report out of camp regarding the quarterbacks thus far. Brian Griese is the starter with Chris Simms and Luke McCown competing for backup roles, though Simms is clearly the front runner for the backup job. The biggest thing to watch will be how quickly Griese establishes rapport with new targets WR Ike Hilliard and rookies RB Carnell Williams and TE Alex Smith.

RB: Carnell Williams continues to make Gruden a happy man. He’s working hard and taking a lot of reps in practice. Yet that didn’t keep Michael Pittman from proclaiming Pittman a welcome addition to the team. "I'm not a selfish player," Pittman said. "I have a bunch of pride, but I will tell you right now I would rather have a championship before any rushing title ever. I can't win this game myself. I have to win it with my teammates, and with the addition of Cadillac, I know he is going to make this team better." Pittman continued, “It didn't hurt my pride at all. ... Maybe Cadillac is in front of me on the depth chart, but I am still going to play a lot," Pittman said. "There will probably be games where I play more ... and there will probably be games he plays more than me.” Barring injury the Bucs running game improves vastly with Cadillac on board. He should get the majority of carries with Pittman spelling him and also working as a 3^rd down back and even out of the slot occasionally. On Wednesday the offense went 3-for-3 in goal line situations as Mike Alstott, Cadillac Williams and Earnest Graham all crossed the line.  Derek Watson, competing for a roster spot, drew Gruden’s wrath for fumbling on the first play near the goal line in a full contact drill.

WR: No. 1 WR Michael Clayton continues to get healthier. Gruden said, “he’s not far away..” after being asked how long until he’s 100%.  He and Joey Galloway are well entrenched as starters while Ike Hilliard is gunning for the No. 3 job. The team is taking it easy with Galloway hoping they can get a full season out of him this year. He’s healthy, but the team is holding Galloway out of morning practices just to be safe. Ike Hilliard might be the most polished receiver the Bucs have on the roster, but he’ll face some competition from third year WR Edell Shepherd. The Bucs have high hopes for him. They also invested three draft picks on WRs Larry Brackins, Paris Warren and J.R. Russell. Brackins is what Gruden calls a “wild horse”.  He hopes to tame Brackins, a raw super-sized former super prep talent who went the JUCO route. He was just activated from the PUP list, but the team will bring him along slowly. Keep an eye on Tampa native J.R. Russell, who was extremely productive at Louisville. He goes 6’ 3” 205 lbs. Russell scored three times in the Senior Bowl hooking up with college teammate Stefan Lefors. Gruden also offered praise for Kevin Youngblood for his progress in the offseason. The competition will be fierce among the Bucs WRs for the last few roster spots.

TE: Rookie Alex Smith is looking good in camp. Gruden was quoted after Wednesday’s (8/3) practice, “Alex Smith made several plays, physical plays in the running game that I was pleased with and a couple nice receptions.” As a rookie he undoubtedly faces a steep learning curve, but there’s plenty of reason to believe he might emerge as a solid fantasy TE by midseason. Anthony Becht is a steady veteran, but he’s far less talented as a receiver. Dave Moore is a glorified long snapper these days and poses no threat to the starting job. Expect to see plenty of Becht and Smith this season as Gruden has said in the past “we love our tight ends down here in Tampa”.

Defense:  Despite the loss of FS Dwight Smith to free agency the Bucs aren’t too concerned about their secondary this year. CBs Ronde Barber and Brian Kelly are healthy and looking good early in camp. “When I was with the Giants, we knew when we faced Tampa that those two guys were physical and if the ball was anywhere near them, look out, because the play was going the other way," said new Bucs wide receiver Ike Hilliard. "They're legit. They're as consistent as any defensive back can be." Fellow corner Juran Bolden returned to practice on Wednesday after missing time with an abdominal strain. DL Ellis Wyms also returned. LB Jeff Gooch has a mild hamstring injury prompting him to sit out Wednesday, but Gruden said “If we needed him to play, he would.” Meanwhile the coaches are happy with rookie MLB Barrett Ruud. "The future is very big for him” said linebackers coach Joe Barry. “Currently he is the backup middle linebacker behind Shelton Quarles. He'll be on the field on special teams, but as far as defense, Shelton Quarles is our starting middle linebacker and Barrett Ruud is our backup."

Special Teams: The battle for the kicker job started off poorly. Both Matt Bryant and Todd France struggled from the outset of camp. It prompted the Bucs to publicly comment that they may once again be searching for free agents. France improved significantly in the latter part of the week, while Bryant still struggled. Bryant blamed the hot breezy weather as the problem. Rookie RB Carnell "Cadillac" Williams practiced both kickoff and punt returns this week. The Bucs indicated they have no problem using their top pick on special teams.

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Tennessee Titans

QB: Steve McNair is excited again about playing football. In Norm Chow’s offense McNair will be unshackled. He’ll be allowed to do more under Chow than he could previously under Mike Heimerdinger. "We can do just about anything we want in this offense as far as being a quarterback and making changes. The only thing he asks is why we did that, and give him a good reason. I think that is something we haven't had in the past," McNair said.

RB: Oft-injured Chris Brown was slowed by several injuries last year and continued to be thwarted by more setbacks during the offseason. The Titans stopped fooling around and acquired a proven insurance policy in RB Travis Henry. Both players are going to get the ball, but who gets the ball and how much remains to be seen. Norm Chow is known to throw the ball to his backs, so whoever emerges as a potential 3^rd down back stands to gain some solid stats if the Titans pass as often as we expect in ‘05. When asked about his role recently Henry responded, “The only thing I can say is he's got a role to play. I've got a role to play. We've both got to accept whatever role is given us and go from there." On Tuesday August 2nd Henry took all the work with the first-team offense while Brown watched because he felt ill with a virus (though he later returned).  Imagine that. Brown’s owners need to be wary of Henry potentially settling into a 3^rd down and goal-line role limiting Brown’s fantasy potential. 5^th round pick Damien Nash remains on the mend from a knee injury suffered in a previous minicamp.

WR: Tyrone Calico is in good condition as far as his surgically repaired knee goes; now it’s a matter of getting the rest of his body tuned up. Coach Jeff Fisher is happy with his progress at the moment noting “he’s done a great job”. All eyes remain on the competition between rookies Brandon Jones, Roydell Williams and Courtney Roby for the team’s No. 3 and No. 4 jobs. So far there’s been little news coming out of camp on the three way race though Roby had a injury set him back during the week, but he’s fine now.

TE: Erron Kinney is the man for now until Ben Troupe is back to 100%. With Troupe recovering rookie Bo Scaife is getting more reps as he tries to earn a roster spot himself. Scaife has overcome several injuries during his 6 year career at Texas, but he’s also leaning on both Kinney and Troupe as much as possible. “They’ve both been great,” he said.  “You hear a lot of stories about veterans and how they don’t adapt to certain rookies well.  That’s not the case with us with Erron and Ben.  They’ve been open arms with me and are trying to help me learn.  They want me to be here.  The only thing that I can do in return to them is just work hard and help them as much as I can.  I’m very appreciative to have two guys like that.”

Defense: The Titans continue to work on negotiations with top pick Adam “Pacman” Jones, who is expected to start and also handle the punt return duties for the team. MLB Rocky Calmus was slowed early in camp by with a back injury, but like Rocky Boiman, is eager to play this year, stay healthy and possibly cash in as a free agent at the end of the year. Both players are in contract years.  Safety Lamont Thompson is ready to take charge of the Titans secondary. He’s drawn praise for his aggressiveness and overall athletic ability. “L.T. may be one of the all-around best athletes on the team. Last year he was kind of thrown in there and this year he is the guy and he is ready to make an impact on this team,’’ linebacker Keith Bulluck said. “The team has put its faith in him and is counting on him to hold it down.’’ Meanwhile, Bulluck continued to look as sharp as ever intercepting a Billy Volek pass for the 2nd day in a row early in camp. “I'm just trying to get his confidence up. He was a little bit down," Volek said. "One was tipped and it went right to him. The one today I wanted to help him out."

Special Teams: PK Rob Bironas is the early leader in the kicker competition. He has been making field goals while Ola Kimrin has been missing them. Bironas has also been getting more distance on his kickoffs - an area that was supposed to be Kimrin’s strong suit. Rookie CB Adam "Pacman" Jones would be the definite favorite for KR/PR specialist; however his off the field problems combined with the fact he is still unsigned are not encouraging. Contract negotiations are not progressing well. CB Michael Waddell and rookie WR Brandon Jones both had trouble fielding punts during practice this week.

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Washington Redskins

QB: First round pick Jason Campbell signed his contract and reported to camp last week. He’ll compete with Mark Brunell for the backup job, but even though Brunell appeared washed up last year and turns 35 next month, don’t look for Gibbs to send him out to pasture just yet. Of course, Patrick Ramsey, 26, is the team’s starter and for now there is no controversy brewing. Coaches and teammates both said Ramsey’s looked good in the offseason training program and if he’s able to get off to a decent start any talk of a potential controversy should be muted.

On this weekend’s scrimmage Baltimore the Redskins quarterbacks were 14-for-26 for 117 yards, one touchdown and one interception. They were sacked five times and had only one completion longer than 12 yards. By comparison, Baltimore quarterbacks were 11-for-15 for 160 yards.

RB: Clinton Portis sat out an evening practice last week with a sore knee, but the team wasn’t worried, and he quickly returned the next day. He’ll benefit from the return of RT Jon Jansen, who missed last year with a knee injury, as well as more plays designed to get him into the open field allowing him to better utilize his speed and cut-back ability.

WR: Santana Moss wants to clear up a slight misconception about him being purely a deep threat because of his speed. "Everybody looks at me as a guy who goes deep because of my speed," said Moss, "It's true I'm blessed with speed and I'm very thankful for having it. But what I have done in my career to get me this far is my route-running. That's what I take pride on: my separation from defenders and running precise routes." So far in camp Moss is staying quiet, working hard and making plays. This is just what the doctor ordered considering the malcontents the Redskins have dealt with in recent years. Players and coaches alike are happy with Moss and he’s expected to be the primary target for Patrick Ramsey in the Redskins passing attack. “He definitely has all the DBs shook up," said wide receiver Darnerien McCants. "He has a little flavor at the top of all his routes that lets him get open." Receivers coach Stan Hixon said that certain plays in last year’s offense are tailor made for Moss. On a side note, Taylor Jacobs was day to day this past week with the flu and free agent addition Kevin Dyson, hoping to make the roster, was day to day with a sprained ankle.

TE: If Chris Cooley keeps up the good work he’s putting in at training camp, the coaches say he may not leave the field. “When we’re looking at a tight end, number one, they’ve got to have the strength,” tight ends coach Rennie Simmons said. “Toughness and strength. [Cooley] shows a lot of strength, even though he’s labeled as an ‘H’ back, and he’s doing a really good job in the passing game, but he’s as good a blocker. He’s doing a real good job blocking. I think if he continues to improve on that, he’s one of those guys that could stay in there on all packages.” By contrast TE Robert Royal fits into the offense in a slightly different role. “Robert basically can play ‘Y’ end,” Simmons said. “Billy’s mostly just an ‘H’ back. His strength lies in the passing game, but he’s really got to work on the running game. Robert does well in both areas. He’s just got to get a little stronger. He fights the weight thing. He’s pretty lean right now.” The Redskins also added Manual White, out of UCLA, in the draft. White will play H-back as well and will backup Cooley along with veteran Mike Sellers. White played fullback in college though so his transition could take some time and work.

Defense: The Redskins defense has been short at corner during the first week of camp. Rookie Carlos Rogers reported to camp after signing, but hasn’t been able to practice as he recovers from a sprained ankle and stress-fracture in his foot suffered during offseason workouts at Auburn. He’s currently on the PUP list. CBs Walt Harris and Artrell Hawkins were also nursing minor injuries and have been day to day. So far the team hasn’t brought any new bodies into camp, but that might change if the situation continues much longer. DT Cornelius Griffin has missed some practice time with a shoulder strain, but the injury is not said to be severe. In the mean time, Lavar Arrington remains on the PUP list as does DT Brandon Noble. Meanwhile, Lemar Marshall is leading the race to replace departed MLB Antonio Pierce in the lineup holding an edge over veteran free agent Warrick Holdman, Clifton Smith and promising rookie Robert McCune.

Special Teams: PK John Hall is back on the field and kicking. He did get an unusually large number of questions from a reporter following practice one day; however it was because the reporter had mistaken him for Patrick Ramsey. The hype for WR Antonio Brown continued this week, coming from none other than head coach Joe Gibbs, “A guy like that, at that size, if he can run back a kick in this league, he can play anything else. To run back a kick probably takes as much courage as anything in sports. It's good to have depth at punt returner and I'd say Antonio is going to take a lot of it, but I also like him very much as a receiver.”

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