Training
Volume 2, Issue 1 – 8/02/06
Training Camps are in full
swing and we want you to feel like you have attended every practice and seen
every preseason game.
To keep all our Footballguys subscribers on top of everything, we've created our
incredibly detailed
This is the fourth of five training camp updates from us. We'll break
down every team's skill positions and position battles. It's the stuff you'd
see if you were there at every camp. This
Happy reading and let's have a great 2006 season,
Joe Bryant and
Owners,
Footballguys.com
QB: The Cardinals are banking on
two-time NFL MVP Kurt Warner to regain his old form and carry them into the
playoffs this season. Warner was playing terrific football heading down the
stretch last year but an MCL sprain forced him to miss the last two games of
the season. Before that, he was on fire. He started 10 games in all. Given
Warner’s penchant for injury, the Cardinals wasted little time bolstering their
roster by making Matt Leinart the 10th overall pick of the draft. Leinart is
expected to compete with John Navarre for the backup job, but there’s little
doubt that Leinart is the quarterback of the future in
RB: The
Cardinals hope that signing free agent RB Edgerrin James will provide a big
impact to their woeful running game. Last year they were at the bottom of the
league in terms of converting short yardage situations. Much of this could be
attributed to the Cardinals offensive line play, but the RB talent was also
subpar. Those who doubt Edgerrin James can sustain the production he enjoyed as
a Colt are quick to point out these deficiencies, but let’s keep in mind the
Colts were near the bottom of the league in short yardage conversions as well.
That said, the addition of James boosts the Cardinals running game and gives
them hope for a more balanced offensive attack. It also put ample pressure on
J.J. Arrington, not to mention Marcel Shipp. Arrington and Shipp are competing
for table scraps since James made it clear he wants to stay on the field most
of the time. Meanwhile, FB James Hodgins is on the bubble after missing the
last two seasons due to injuries while carrying about a $1 million cap number
for 2006. John Bronson has been moved to FB after playing TE as a rookie. He
missed nearly all of his rookie season after suffering a severe knee injury in
the season opener against the Giants last year. Both players will be hard
pressed to knock Obafemi Ayanbadejo from his starting job. Ayanbadejo caught 34
balls a year ago.
WR: The addition of Edgerrin James
means the Cardinals should be able to run the ball with more success this
season. Does that mean the Cardinals terrific WR tandem might produce less? Of
course, but it also means defenses will be less likely to focus on them with
someone like Edge in the backfield. Larry Fitzgerald is excited entering his
third season. "I feel the energy here in the city and I'm so excited to be
a part of this up-and-coming franchise," WR Larry Fitzgerald beamed. When asked what Edge adds to the mix, Fitzgerald
quipped, “he's really building team camaraderie… [which]
is really important." Beyond Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin, the Cardinals
are looking to improve their depth at WR during camp. Second year WR LeRon
McCoy hopes to push former first round pick Bryant Johnson for the 3rd WR job.
The Cardinals also drafted Todd Watkins in the seventh round. They believe
undrafted former QB Michael Spurlock is a potential playmaker. Fellow WR Anquan
Boldin said, "He is catching on real good and if you see him run routes
you can’t really tell he was a quarterback all his life.” He’ll also get a shot
as a punt returner and perhaps at returning kicks. “He is the playmaker we have
been looking for,” Green said. Another player to keep an eye on is undrafted
rookie Greg Lee, a former standout who was a college teammate of Fitzgerald at
TE: There
will be a dogfight for the starting job in training camp. The Cardinals third
round pick Leonard Pope holds tremendous potential, but he’ll have to earn the
job while competing against a pair of undrafted players in Eric Edwards and
second year man Adam Bergen. After an OTA in June, TEs coach Carl Hargrove had
this assessment of Pope, “We're really excited about him. He's a student of the
game and is picking things up well. He should be in the mix (for a starting
job) by the time the season gets going. He can stretch the field. He has good
speed and a good body. We'll see once we put the pads on about the
blocking." Expect Pope to challenge for the starting job and there’s a
good chance he’ll be the starter on opening day if his blocking is up to snuff.
Defense: As camp was ready to break last week, Dennis Green said three of his
injured defensive players were cleared to practice - CB Antrel Rolle and LBs
Gerald Hayes and Karlos Dansby. All three players are expected to fulfill key
roles on the Cardinals young and improving defense. Green said James Darling
will begin as the starting middle linebacker, although Hayes will have an
opportunity to win the job back. Hayes won it last year before injuring his
knee. Green said Dansby had pins removed from his thumb after undergoing recent
surgery to repair a torn ligament, but he shunned rumors that he was concerned
about Dansby’s mental game. “When (Dansby) is on his
game,” Green said, “he is as good an outside backer/ playmaker as there is in
the game.” The addition of DT Kendrick Clancy via free agency and draft pick DT
Gabe Watson should further bolster the run defense, while the return of
Bertrand Berry opposite Chike Okeafor gives the Cardinals a solid pass rush. If
second year corner Antrel Rolle remains healthy and plays up to his potential,
the Cardinals defense could be a major surprise.
Special Teams: Kicker Neil Rackers will spend the pre-season getting acclimated to the
retractable grass field in the brand new Cardinals Stadium. It will be hard for
him to top his stellar 2005; however he says he’s hoping to improve upon his
already lofty touchback percentage on kickoffs. Kicker Nick Novak has been with
the team since early last December when Rackers missed a game due to injury.
He’ll serve as a camp leg to keep Rackers from getting over worked, and will
hope to keep his name near the top of other teams’ on-call list. Heading into
camp, there are three primary candidates for the KR/PR role. The favorite is
free agent acquisition WR Troy Walters, who handled returns for the Colts in
recent years. Next in line is WR Bryant Johnson whom the coaches still feel has
the ability to step up on returns. The dark horse candidate is undrafted rookie
WR Micheal Spurlock. He played QB at
Cardinals
Depth Chart
QB Kurt Warner, Matt
Leinart, John Navarre
RB Edgerrin James, J.J. Arrington, Marcel Shipp, Damien Anderson,
Diamond Ferry
FB Obafemi
Ayanbadejo, James Hodgins, John Bronson
WR Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin, Bryant Johnson, LeRon McCoy, Troy Walters, Todd
Watkins, Carlyle Holiday, Michael Spurlock (QB), Greg Lee
TE Leonard
Pope, Adam Bergen, Eric Edwards, Alex Shor
K Neil Rackers, Nick Novak
DE Chike Okeafor, Bertrand Berry (inj), Anton
Palepoi, Antonio Smith, A.J. Schable
DT Darnell Dockett, Kendrick Clancy, Tim Bulman, Langston Moore, Gabe Watson, Kenny King,
Jon Lewis
MLB James Darling (W), Gerald Hayes, Lance Mitchell
OLB Karlos
Dansby (S), Orlando Huff (W), Darryl Blackstock
(W), Calvin
Pace (S), Mark Brown, Isaac Keys,
Brandon Johnson, Lawrence Pinson
CB David Macklin, Antrel Rolle, Eric Green (inj), Robert
Tate, Dyshod Carter, Lamont Reid, Darrell Hunter, Jay McCareins,
Damarius Bilbo, Justin Wyatt
S Adrian Wilson (SS), Robert Griffith
(FS), Ernest Shazor, Aaron Francisco, Jack Brewer, Chris Harrell
QB: This is Michael Vick’s third
year in Greg Knapp’s version of the West Coast offense. Typically, quarterbacks
make significant progress from year one to year three. That’s the hope for Vick
this year as he will have the most talented WR corps around him since he became
a Falcon. Vick flashed some of his big play potential as a thrower in Sunday
morning’s practice. From the shotgun, Vick went through his progressions,
sprinted out to his left and Michael Jenkins came free across the middle on a
deep in-route. Vick rifled the ball across his body on a rope to connect with
Jenkins in stride for a long completion. QB Coach Bill Musgrave has been
successful grooming QBs in the past, but he’s never had a player like Vick. If
all goes as planned, the Falcons could have a much more dangerous passing game,
but they’re still likely to be a run-first team. Matt Schaub has a firm grip on
the backup spot, leaving Bryan Randall and D.J. Shockley to compete for the
third spot.
RB: During mini-camps, Warrick Dunn showed he still has his burst despite
turning 32 in January. Dunn’s a perfect fit for the team’s zone-blocking
schemes because he hits the hole, cuts and changes direction
quickly. T.J. Duckett is still looking to make an impact, but barring an injury
to Dunn, he’ll continue to see most of his work near the goal line and as a
change of pace. The coaching staff is impressed by rookie Jerious Norwood, who
has looked good picking up blitzes and catching the ball. He enters camp with a
shot at earning a significant role. If he blows up in the pre-season then
expect to see more speculation about Duckett being moved. The Steelers are
rumored to be interested. Hoping to earn a roster spot, Butchie Wallace signed
a two-year, $650,000 contract. "He's kind of a combo back and I guess that
worked really well in NFL Europe," his agent Harold Lewis said. "He
dominated." Wallace earned World Bowl MVP honors after rushing for 143
yards and a touchdown.
WR: According to GM Rich McKay, the
most improved player on the team last year heading into camp was Michael
Jenkins. This year the same might be said of 2nd year WR Roddy White. Unlike
his rookie year, he’s healthy heading into training camp and he worked
extensively with Vick during the offseason focusing on their timing and
chemistry. "I'm prepping myself to have a breakout year, and I'm doing
everything I can to be ready to do that," White said. Michael Jenkins also
promises to be better after working with nutritionists and strength coaches to
improve his speed and strength. Jenkins said, "Last year, things were
still up in the air starting out. I'm much more comfortable this year. I got
some game experience; it's my third year, and I know what to expect." In
Saturday’s practice, White dropped several balls but rebounded well on Sunday
playing with noticeably more energy and intensity. He’s starting to look like
the player the Falcons selected with the 27th selection a year ago. The Falcons
re-signed Jerome Pathon for depth. Unfortunately, Brian Finneran suffered a
season-ending injury to his right knee during Sunday’s evening practice. All of
a sudden, Pathon might be the first candidate to fill Finneran's role in the
slot if the injury is as serious as the team fears. The Falcons are also
evaluating other veteran additions; including Az
Hakim who volunteered his services to Jim Mora on Monday.
TE: Coming
into training
Defense: Right DE John Abraham looked as good as
advertised in mini-camp and OTAs. With Abraham and
Patrick Kerney on the outside, the Falcons defense has an elite pass rushing
tandem. They compliment DT Rod Coleman, one of the league’s best inside pass
rushers. Abraham’s durability has come into question, but
Special
Teams: The great K experiment
developed a plot twist at the beginning of camp. The Falcons had indicated they
were willing to let assistant special teams coach Steve Hoffman continue
developing relatively unknown kickers Zac Derr (Akron class of 2002) and Tony
Yelk (Iowa State class of 2005) at least several weeks into preseason. Derr
suffered a groin tear however, and was subsequently waived. If the experiment
fails, they’ll sign a veteran free agent or some other team’s cast-off towards
the end of preseason. Return specialist Allen Rossum was slowed last year by
injury. He’ll need to hold off some youthful competition in order to not only
keep his KR/PR role, but probably to also remain employed with CB-laden
Falcons. Sixth round draft pick WR Adam Jennings from
Falcons
Depth Chart
QB Michael Vick, Matt
Schaub, D.J. Shockley
RB Warrick Dunn (3RB), T.J. Duckett (SD), Jerious Norwood, Deandra Cobb
(KR), Butchie Wallace
FB Justin Griffith, John Pannozzo
WR Michael Jenkins, Roddy White, Jerome Pathon, Cole
Magner, Adam Jennings, Troy Bergeron, Jamin Elliot, Brian Finneran (inj)
TE Alge Crumpler, Dwayne Blakely, Eric Beverly, Daniel Fells. Boone
Stutz
K Tony Yelk, Carlos Martinez,
Michael Koenen
DE Patrick Kerney, John Abraham, Chauncey
Davis, Constantin Ritzmann, Paul Carrington
DT Rod Coleman, Chad Lavalais (NT), Darrell Shropshire (NT), Jonathan Babineaux, Antwan Lake (NT), T.J.
Jackson
MLB Edgerton Hartwell, Jordan Beck
OLB Keith
Brooking (W), Michael Boley (S), Demorrio
Williams (W), Ike Reese (S/W), Artie
Ulmer, Travis Williams
CB Jason Webster, DeAngelo Hall,
Jimmy Williams, Allen Rossum (KR), Leigh
Torrence, Kevin Mathis
S Lawyer
Milloy (SS), Chris Crocker (FS), Antuan
Edwards (SS), Omare Lowe (FS), Chris Reis, Nick Turnbull
QB: On the first day of camp, Steve McNair did
nothing exceptional at practice. He completed a few passes, missed on a few
others, but most valuable was getting some reps in OC Jim Fassel’s offense.
"I'm not trying to be Superman. I'm just going to play my style of game.
You win with balance, having a good defense and a good offense," McNair
said. "I'm not saying we're going to be an explosive offense, but we will
methodically run this thing and execute." McNair progressed nicely from
day two on. He had a few bad throws, but continually bounced back. McNair
overthrew TE Daniel Wilcox in the flat on one play, but Wilcox made a leaping
catch. McNair pounded his helmet in frustration. He wanted to hit Wilcox in
stride. “Given the nature of the position and what you're asking a veteran
quarterback to do, that's a fair assessment [that camp this year is about QB
Steve McNair], in fact, quite frankly, one of the primary reasons we're coming
in early is because of Steve McNair,” HC Brian Billick posited. After this
early start, Billick has said "the players understand that and appreciate
it. We've got to make up a little bit of ground. Those two days - those four
extra practices - will help us be able to begin on Monday as we normally would,
ahead of the curve." Practice began well for the receivers, who beat the
defensive backs and linebackers for several big plays in one-on-one drills.
McNair's chemistry with Derrick Mason was apparent when McNair perfectly placed
a ball in Mason’s hands despite good coverage from another former teammate,
Samari Rolle, for what would have been a big yardage play.
RB: Jamal Lewis was one of two
players played on the PUP list as the Ravens opened camp on Thursday. Lewis
said he tweaked his left hip flexor during an offseason workout a couple of
weeks ago. It’s not believed to be serious. "I felt pretty good
today," Lewis said. "I didn't want to do anything in the last two
weeks to strain it or pull it. I just kind of did some cardio and stayed easy
until I got here with Bill T. and let him put me through a workout and just see
where it's at." Veteran FB Alan Ricard was cut on Tuesday making it a
three-way battle between Ovie Mughelli, Justin Green and rookie free agent B.J.
Dean for playing time. Mike Anderson also has experience at FB and TE Daniel
Wilcox can play the H-back position. Lewis has always been an I-back going back
to his college days, so he’s used to making cuts off his fullback's blocks.
Cutting Ricard indicates the Ravens will use more formations involving an
H-back, so it will be interesting to see Lewis make adjustments. Other backs
include 4th round pick P.J. Daniels, who just signed a three-year deal. Rookie
free agent Cory Ross (5’6”, 201 pounds) has grabbed the coaches’ attention due
to his special teams play and his quickness. Ross is small, but he’s incredibly
elusive. "(He's a) good, very
impressive young man," said Billick of Ross. "He protects you, just
the overall knowledge of the game, the little things that he does I'm very
impressed with him”. The Ravens primary
return man and fellow RB B.J. Sams doubled as a reserve DB during Saturday’s
morning practice. Sams even grabbed an interception and returned it for a
touchdown prompting Billick to say, "For B.J. to be able to help us in
that disaster situation, it just gives you that depth because you know he's
going to be that returner. It's just a huge asset."
WR: For the first time in three
years, the Ravens begin training camp with no major injury concerns. Three
previously injured receivers Clarence Moore (hernia), Devard Darling (heel) and
TE Rob Abiamiri (heel) could be limited. Derrick Mason and Mark Clayton are
starting, but there is a healthy competition for the No. 3 role. That’s where
fourth-round pick, Demetrius Williams enters the picture. Williams is expected
to compete against Clarence Moore and Devard Darling for the 3rd spot. Williams
caught the attention of head coach Brian Billick during Saturday morning’s
practice after making a series of acrobatic receptions, including one where he snatched
the ball away from CB Evan Oglesby and getting the crowd fired up in the process.
He was noticeably explosive in and out of his routes. Billick said, "He's
still learning. He's on a curve that no one else is just because of the time he
missed, so he's got to be swimming right now, but you could see the physical
ability that he has." Darling has all of the tools to be successful, but
he's running out of time to turn that potential into production. "He's had
some learning curve. It's been long enough now," coordinator Jim Fassel
said. "He's got to show that he's more than potential and that he can
perform." He and Moore are both entering into their third seasons. Also in
the mix are Brian Bratton and Romby Bryant, along with rookie free agents WR Tres Moses and WR Rufus Skillern.
TE: The Ravens offensive plans this
year include more from their tight ends and H-backs. That means TE/H-back
Daniel Wilcox and FB Justin Green may take on larger roles. Green has impressed the team. He and Wilcox
both got work with the first string during Saturday’s sessions. The Ravens also
like fifth round pick Quinn Sypniewski. Expect a big
year from Todd Heap providing he stays healthy.
Defense: LB Ray Lewis claims to be
perfectly healthy and even acknowledged that the down time last year proved
beneficial to his body. "It gave the other parts of my body a lot of time
to rest. I had hand injuries. ... Sometimes I think we forget the injuries we
go through. I never came into this business to play 11 years and say I wasn't
going to get hurt. I only play it one way--with reckless abandon. Whatever
comes up, comes up. I can always come back and have
fun and do what I do best." The Ravens welcome veteran DE Trevor Pryce (6’5”,
286 pounds) via free agency. Pryce is a four-time Pro Bowler who provides a
strong pass rusher opposite Terrell Suggs and a worthy run defender. He’ll be a
positive for the younger players. Corners Chris McAllister and Samari Rolle
give the Ravens one of the best corner tandems in the league, but the nickel
back job is up for grabs. Free agent CB Cory Ivy seems to have an inside track
early in camp. Safety Ed Reed signed a six-year extension. He was entering the
final year of his contract. Reed began camp with a great practice and seemed to
be having a great time. He was excellent in coverage. Only one receiver caught
a pass against him and he was out of bounds. Receivers coach Mike Johnson
yelled, "Nice catch!" Reed shouted back, "Yeah, nice catch out
of bounds. You know if that was in-bounds, I'd be running down that
sideline!" Reed was jawing with rookie WR Demetrius Williams throughout
the session. The Ravens also acquired DB Gerome Sapp from the Colts. Sapp was
originally drafted by the Ravens in 2003.
Special Teams: As always, Matt Stover will handle the
placekicking for the Ravens this year. The question to be answered in camp is
who will handle kickoffs. Kicker Aaron
Elling handled them in nine games when activated last year, while Stover
handled the others. Elling will be competing for a kickoff roster spot in camp
this year against rookie punter Sam Koch, drafted in the sixth round. Koch is
the favorite to beat out veteran free agent Leo
Araguz for
punting duties. Elling will probably need to be significantly better than Koch
on kickoffs to merit the additional roster spot for a specialist. Two
years ago RB B.J. Sams came out of nowhere (apologies to
Ravens
Depth Chart
QB Steve McNair, Kyle
Boller, Brian St. Pierre, Drew Olson
RB Jamal Lewis, Mike Anderson, Musa Smith (RFA), P.J. Daniels, B.J.
Sams (KR/PR), Cory Ross
FB Justin Green, Ovie Mughelli
WR Derrick Mason, Mark Clayton, Clarence Moore, Devard Darling, Demetrius Williams, Ronald
Bellamy, Romby Bryant, Rufus Skillern, Brian Bratton, Tre Moses
TE Todd Heap, Daniel Wilcox, Quinn Sypniewksi
K Matt Stover, Aaron Elling (RFA)
DE Terrell Suggs, Trevor Pryce, Jarrett Johnson, Roderick Green, Gary Stills
DT Kelly Gregg, Haloti Ngata, Dwan Edwards, Aubrayo Franklin, Justin
Bannan, Cedric Hilliard, Remi Ayodele
MLB Ray Lewis, Mike Smith
OLB Adalius Thomas (S), Bart Scott (W), Dan Cody (S/DE) (inj), Dennis Haley, Ryan LaCasse, Tim Johnson
CB Chris McAlister, Samari Rolle, Corey Ivy, David Pittman, Evan Oglesby, Derrick
Martin, Ronnie Prude
S Ed Reed (SS), Gerome Sapp (FS), B.J. Ward (FS), Dawan Landry (FS)
QB: Head coach Dick Jauron is
relying on one his three QBs emerging as the starter during camp. In the
opening practice, Kelly Holcomb took the first snaps. J.P. Losman took the
first snaps in the second practice followed by Craig Nall taking his turn on
Saturday morning. Jauron committed to equally dividing practice time amongst
all three and he hasn’t veered far from that formula yet. In Saturday’s practice, Kelly Holcomb was a
rep short during 11-on-11 work. On day one through a 21-play session it was
mostly three reps and rotate out. They did that twice
through and then on the last three plays they'd each get one play apiece. On
Saturday they changed it up in the first seven-on-seven session. "That's
sort of the plan," said Jauron about his rotation. "We'll let them
compete and it will take a while. I don't really have any indication as to how
long, but hopefully someone is going to rise up and clearly be the guy."
In the 11-on-11 work it was difficult to judge the quarterbacks because they
focused on running the ball.
Kelly Holcomb was sharp with his reads, but his receivers were covered
well most of the time. The defense was making more plays on Holcomb's passes
than of the other two QBs. One of Holcomb’s passes over the middle was tipped
by London Fletcher, while another was tipped and intercepted. Holcomb rebounded
with a nice throw over the middle to Jonathan Smith. J.P. Losman made some nice
throws, too. He threw one down the seam over a couple of defenders to TE Brad
Cieslak. He also hit Martin Nance a couple of times over the middle. He was
almost intercepted along the sideline when the ball was bobbled by the
receiver, but Matt Bowen dropped the ball. He was then intercepted in the flats
when Jabari Greer jumped the route and took it for a “touchdown.” Craig Nall
made some good reads and threw the ball well, but he also had a couple of late
reads and the ball didn’t get there. Overall, Nall was more good than bad, but
he seemed to favor working the middle of the field and the flats. Saturday
afternoon, Nall suffered a hamstring injury during 11-on-11s when he rolled to
his right and found no one open. He went back to the left and then before the
play was blown dead, he pulled up clutching his left hamstring. He was held out
for the rest of that session and left the field under his own power. "He
obviously did something to his hamstring," said Jauron. "He felt
something and we won't know until we check it out further. We probably won't
know very much more tomorrow, but we'll certainly find out something on Monday
because that's when we practice again, that will be our first padded practice.
We're hoping that's it's nothing significant but we really won't know for a
couple of days."
RB: The main competition at RB during camp will be for the back-up job
behind Willis McGahee. Lionel Gates, Fred Jackson, Anthony Thomas and Shaud
Williams are all in the hunt. Offensive coordinator Steve Fairchild has been
riding his backs about breaking runs outside. He wants them to just take what's
in front of them. "Mainly he wants us to just get positive yards at all
times," said Gates. "He doesn't really like the negative,
side-to-side thing. He wants us to get positive yards always." Gates is
228 pounds and he has worked on his speed and quickness to enhance his chances
of earning more time on the field. He also benefited from the extra reps due to
the absence of McGahee in spring workouts. Gates thinks Fairchild's offense is
easier to grasp. "I feel so much more comfortable," he said. "I
don't have to think a lot like I did last year. I was doing a lot of thinking,
trying to learn the system and play at the same time. Now it's just all about
playing. I'm very familiar with the system." The player standing in his
way is veteran Anthony Thomas, who played for Jauron in
WR: The Bills dealt Eric Moulds in the
offseason, but welcomed his former teammate, Peerless Price, back as a free
agent. And Price is happy to be back. He completed his first two practices on
Friday. "It went good. It went real good," he said. "I'm pleased
with it. It's just a start for us as a team and for myself."
In returning to
TE: On day two of camp, Robert Royal
was the most frequently targeted tight end; as he was able to generate good
separation from defenders. Kevin Everett
and Brad Cieslak also made some catches.
Defense: The Bills hope to have Takeo Spikes back in the fold this season. He
participated in the individual drills and got some 7-on-7 snaps, but did not
participate in 11-on-11s. "I'm not getting too high and I'm not getting
too low," said Spikes. "I'm taking each day for what it's
worth." Angelo Crowell started at strong-side linebacker ahead of James
Posey on Saturday. "That's what we have penciled in right now," said Jauron.
"What I like to tell them - and it's certainly not original - that it is
penciled in and you can change it. The players change it. They'll make the
decisions for us as we move along." Posey needs a strong camp to regain
the starting spot. Crowell started 13 games on the weak side last season while
Takeo Spikes was out. Now, Spikes is
back, the team liked what they saw of Crowell on the strong side during the
spring. The job is still up for grabs though. SS Coy Wire likes the team’s new
high-energy level and aggressive defense so far, "All I'll say is I feel
very comfortable in this defense. I feel it." The Bills signed CB Ashton
Youboty to a four-year contract then inked first-round draft choice DT John
McCargo soon after. On Sunday, they signed fourth-round pick, S Ko Simpson, and
fifth-round pick, DT Kyle Williams, to four-year contracts. Williams is built
like a fire hydrant at 6’1”, 295 lbs. and. plays with great leverage, strength
and toughness, which serves him well against bigger offensive linemen. The
Bills hope he gives them good depth as a rookie. The biggest addition up front
is former Colts DT Larry Tripplett. Colt GM Bill Polian said, "Larry
Tripplett ... could've played with the old Bills," referring to the Super
Bowl teams he assembled in
Special Teams: Rian Lindell logged a solid 2005 to solidify
his position as the Bills’ kicker. He’ll be spelled in camp by kicker Nicholas
Setta, who has had brief stints in the Saints, Buccaneers, Bears, and Browns
camps the previous two years, along with a trip to NFL Europe last year. There
wasn’t a lot of practice on the return game when camp started, although WR Roscoe Parrish, CB Nate Clements, WR Jonathan Smith, S
Jim Leonhard, and RB Shaud Williams practiced catching the ball. CB Terrance McGee is the top kickoff returner
for the Bills, and remains one of the top KRs in the
league. WR Roscoe Parrish should pick up where he left off last year atop the
Bills’ punt returner depth chart; however that’s not cast in stone given the
depth of talent behind him. The coaching staff wants to take a good look at
Smith and Williams in particular during the preseason.
Bills
Depth Chart
QB Kelly Holcomb, J.P. Losman,
Craig Nall
RB Willis McGahee, Shaud Williams, Anthony Thomas, Lionel Gates, Fred
Jackson
FB Damien Shelton, Alan Ricard, Joe Burns
WR Lee Evans, Josh Reed, Peerless Price, Andre' Davis, Roscoe Parrish
(PR), Sam Aiken, Jonathan Smith, George Wilson, Martin Nance, Chris
Denney
TE Robert Royal, Brad Cieslak, Kevin Everett, Ryan Neufeld
K Rian Lindell
DT Larry Tripplett, Tim Anderson (NT), Lauvale Sape (inj), John McCargo, Jason Jefferson,
Kyle Williams
DE Aaron Schobel, Chris Kelsay, Ryan Denney, Mark Word, Ryan Neill, Jason Hall,
Joshua Cooper
MLB London Fletcher, Liam Ezekiel,
Courtney Watson (inj), Mario Haggan (W) (RFA)
OLB Takeo
Spikes (W) (inj), Angelo Crowell (W), Jeff
Posey (S), Josh Stamer (S/W), Keith Ellison, John Digiorgio
CB Nate Clements (PR), Terrence McGee
(KR), Eric King, Jabari Greer, Ashton Youboty,
Kiwaukee Thomas, Eric Bassey
S Troy Vincent (FS), Donte Whitner (SS), Matt Bowen (SS), Coy Wire (SS),
Ko Simpson (FS), Rashad Baker (FS), Jim Leonhard (SS), James Bethea
QB: Jake Delhomme set the tone for
training camp back in June when he said nothing short of a Super Bowl
championship will make him happy this season. "That’s why you play this
game," Delhomme said. "You don’t play this game to go 8-8 or to go
10-6 and play one round in the playoffs. You don’t do that. You play to get
yourself in the game and win it." Delhomme is backed up by Chris Weinke,
who faces competition from 2nd-year QB Stefan Lefors and rookie
Brett Basanez. Lefors has a reputation for playing better in games than he practices,
so this preseason will provide him an opportunity to push Weinke for the backup
job.
RB: The Panthers signed first-round pick RB DeAngelo
Williams to a five-year, $7.5 million contract on Sunday. On the team’s first
day of practice, Williams had to carry the shoulder pads of veteran RBs DeShaun
Foster and Brad Hoover to the locker room after the morning workout. Williams
will challenge DeShaun Foster for the starting job, but on the opening day of
practice he was working mostly with the third- and fourth-teams. "Amazing,
the speed and tempo," said Williams. "I was a bit nervous, because I
didn't know what to expect." John Fox likes what he’s seen of Williams so
far. “He looked good for a first practice. He ran with a low pad level. I saw
in the mini-camps and OTA's that he had excellent
vision and quickness.” Fox said during the summer that Williams appears to have
“excellent vision, excellent quickness and a good feel for finding some small
cracks. Now, we've got to get in football shape, and that's the hitting, pad
levels and things we have to do to get ready for real football.”
WR: All-Pro receiver Steve Smith was carted off the
field on Saturday with a hamstring injury. He went down late in the team's
second practice and was quickly put on a cart and taken inside for examination.
He’s reportedly day to day, but obviously this is a concern and not the best
way to start camp. Keyshawn Johnson will start opposite Smith with Drew Carter
looking to win the 3rd WR job over third-year receiver Keary Colbert. Carter
added size and strength (particularly in his upper body) during the offseason,
improving his chances of winning the job.
Fox talked about Colbert playing injured last season, "Our medical
people will not clear people unless they're healthy. Colbert had an offseason
surgery on his ankle, and we think that will help him. He played with a lot
more pain last year than I think anybody knew. He feels a lot better
know." Carter (6’3”, 200 lbs.) is bigger and faster than Colbert, but
Carter must run better routes and avoid drops to win the competition. Meanwhile, Colbert isn’t giving an inch.
According to coaches and teammates, he looks more like he did as a rookie in
2004 than he did last season when he was slowed by an ankle injury. "He's
a different player already," quarterback Jake Delhomme said. "You can
just see the way he runs his routes. He has explosion. He has separation."
TE: The Panthers reportedly would
like to get Kris Mangum more involved in the team's offense if they can get
improved, consistent play from their offensive line. The Panthers tight ends
have not been a factor (fantasy-wise) in recent years. Mangum is the starter,
but he’ll face competition from Michael Gaines and Mike Seidman. Rookie Jeff
King is also looking for a roster spot. Kris
Mangum and Michael Gaines were given Saturday afternoon off at practice to
rest.
Defense: Keith Adams is practicing at weak-side
linebacker with the first-unit ahead of linebacker Na'il Diggs. Fox was asked
about signing
Special Teams: John Kasay has been the Panthers’ kicker
since they entered the league in 1995. He is the only player on the team that
has the coveted private bathroom at the training camp accommodations. Kasay has
been held out of initial practices with a sore leg. Consequently the team added
a camp leg in MacKenzie Hoambrecker. The return picture is far less clear. RB
Jamal Robertson is the incumbent kickoff returner; however he may not survive
the final roster cuts given the team’s depth at running back. The early
frontrunner for the KR role is rookie RB DeAngelo Williams. It may be
unusual for a first rounder to be returning kickoffs, however he suggested the
idea to the coaches and they were very intrigued. Second round draft pick CB Richard Marshall and WR Keary Colbert have also been working
on kickoff returns. WR Steve Smith is the teams’ best punt returner; however
the Panthers are becoming increasingly reluctant to use him on special teams,
given his importance on offense. His recent hamstring injury will heighten that
reluctance. Heading into camp, CB Chris
Gamble appears to be the likely successor. WRs Daniel Smith, Jovon Bouknight and Efrem Hill have been handling punt
returns in practice.
Panthers
Depth Chart
QB Jake Delhomme, Chris
Weinke, Stefan Lefors, Brett Basanez
RB DeShaun Foster, DeAngelo Williams, Eric Shelton (SD), Jamal
Robertson
FB Brad Hoover, Nick Goings, Casey Cramer
WR Steve Smith (PR) (inj), Keyshawn
Johnson, Keary Colbert, Drew Carter,
Karl Hankton, Jovon Bouknight, Daniel Smith, Justin McCullum, Lynzell Jackson,
Taye Biddle, D.J. Smith
TE Kris
Mangum, Michael Gaines, Mike Seidman, Jeff
King
K John Kasay
DE Julius Peppers, Mike Rucker, Al Wallace, Jovan Haye, Stanley McClover, Devan Long
DT Kris Jenkins (inj), Ma'ake Kemoeatu, Damione Lewis, Jordan Carstens, Atiyyah Ellison,
Tony Brown
MLB Dan Morgan, Vinny Ciurciu (W/M) (RFA)
OLB Thomas Davis (S), Na'il Diggs (W), Keith Adams (W), Adam Seward (W), Chris
Draft (S/M), James Anderson (W), Sean Tufts
CB Chris Gamble, Ken Lucas, Reggie Howard, Richard
Marshall, Jermaine Hardy, Marcus Cassel, Jarrett Bush, DeShane Dennis
S Mike Minter (SS), Shaun Williams (FS), Colin Branch (FS), Kevin
McAdam, Nate Salley (FS)
QB: It didn’t take Rex Grossman long before he started
completing passes to #1 WR Muhsin Muhammad last Friday. Grossman completed
passes to Muhammad in all areas of the field. He also did a nice job selling
play-fakes and seemed quick on his feet when he was in a couple of tight spots.
On one play, he used a quick foot shift after looking left toward Mark Bradley,
who was covered, then going back over to Muhammad on the right. Brian Griese
provides a better insurance policy over Kyle Orton, but he’s still learning the
plays and his teammates. He seemed a little slower with his release than
Grossman. But he orchestrated a perfect fake, then rolled right and flipped the
ball to rookie FB J.D. Runnels for a big gain. Grossman threw an interception
to Mike Brown after overthrowing Muhammad on a deep pass. Brian Griese had the
morning off. "They told me I'm only going to practice once a day,"
Griese said, laughing. "I don't mind that. Not a lot of guys want
two-a-days. This is nine [years] for me so I look around and there's not too
many guys older than me. But that's OK. That means I'm doing something right.
As long as you're healthy." That gave Orton plenty of reps, but he had
mixed results. Orton guided the offense in for a score on a pass to WR Reggie
Harrell, but he under threw a wide-open Harrell another time and missed on
another long throw that Harrell had to break up to prevent an interception. For
his part, Rex Grossman directed throws to Bernard Berrian and hooked up on a
good deep throw against coverage by Charles Tillman.
RB: Thomas
Jones reported to camp on time, but hurt his hamstring while running during the
team’s physical. Jones was put on the
PUP list to start camp and will be re-evaluated daily and he can come off the
list at any time. Cedric Benson continued running with the first team as he did
during OTAs earlier in the summer. Benson got plenty
of extra work, too. He remained in as a pass protector and as the lone back on
some third-down situations. On one occasion, Benson was flanked out wide. The
Bears would like to create some mismatches against linebackers using that
formation. Benson clearly has a better grasp on the offense than he did after
holding out as a rookie. He’s excelled as both a runner and receiver early in
training camp, running with quickness and power, showing no ill effects from
the knee injury that sidelined him for six games late last season. Rookie FB
J.D. Runnels displayed good receiving skills. Trade rumors regarding Jones
persist, but the Bears are in no hurry to make a move. "As far as the
trade situation, I really don't have a comment on that. Those are things that
aren't important. I'm here at training camp trying to get ready," Jones
said. Head coach Lovie Smith said Jones was aware of the impending rotation
with Benson running first team.
"There weren't any surprises when he came here," Smith said.
WR: Moose was the show in Saturday’s
afternoon practice with his numerous hauls from Grossman. Second year It was
good to see WR Mark Bradley on the field, after tearing his ACL only nine
months ago. Rashied Davis is getting some work with the No. 1 offense in the
slot when they go to three-receiver sets.
Defense: Lance Briggs started camp with
the 2nd string, but he needed just one practice to earn his spot back with the
No. 1 nickel defense alongside Brian Urlacher. Immediately, Briggs showed why
when he flew to the ball on a swing pass to Cedric Benson. "We wanted to
see exactly what type of shape Lance was in," coach Lovie Smith explained.
"Lance is a Pro Bowl player. … We're going to keep him a while." It
won’t take Briggs long before he reclaims his starting job from Leon Joe in the
base package, too. Defensive coordinator Ron Rivera said playing Joe with the
starting unit was not a punishment for Briggs, but a reward for Joe. Briggs
isn't wasting any energy on his “demotion.” "It's nothing new to me,"
Briggs said. "I've been behind guys since I was 7 years old. You just
compete and I definitely play better knowing I'm competing with somebody. Most
of the guys I was behind aren't in the league now. I'm not saying that about
Special Teams: The Bears’ camp will feature what might be
the tightest kicking competition in the NFL this year. Second year kicker Robbie
Gould was solid from short range last year, but struggled on kickoffs and 40+
yard field goals. Rookie Josh Huston invited himself to join the team. Kickoffs
were one of his strengths at
Bears
Depth Chart
QB Rex Grossman, Brian Griese, Kyle
Orton
RB Cedric Benson, Thomas Jones (inj), Adrian Peterson, P.J. Pope
FB Bryan Johnson, Jason McKie, J.D. Runnels
WR Muhsin Muhammad, Bernard Berrian, Mark Bradley (inj), Justin Gage,
Airese Curry, Alex Bannister, Devin Hester (KR/PR/CB), Rashied Davis (PR),
Craig Bragg, Bryan McClendon
TE Desmond Clark, Gabe Reid, John
Gilmore, Tim Day, Cooper Wallace
K Robbie Gould, Josh Huston
DE Adewale Ogunleye, Alex Brown, Israel Idonije, Michael Haynes (DT), Jamaal Green,
Mark Anderson, Khari Long
DT Tommie Harris, Ian Scott, Terry Johnson (inj),
Alfonso Boone, Dusty Dvoracek
MLB Brian Urlacher, Jeremy Cain
OLB Lance Briggs (W), Hunter Hillenmeyer
(S/M), Joe Odom (S), Brendon Ayanbadejo
(S), Brandon Marshall , Leon Joe, Jamar Williams
CB Charles Tillman, Nathan Vasher, Ricky Manning, Dante Wesley, Alfonso Marshall,
Abraham Elimimian, Carlos Hendricks
S Mike Brown (SS), Chris Harris (FS), Danieal Manning (FS), Todd Johnson (SS/FS), Brandon McGowan (SS) (inj),
Cameron Worrell, Dwayne Slay, Dion Byrum, Donnie McCleskey
Cincinnati Bengals
QB: Carson
Palmer ran the offense on Saturday, the team's first training camp practice. His
presence on the field fueled optimism that his left knee will be ready and
he’ll be available to start the season opener. Is he close to 100 percent?
"There's no way to tell right now," Palmer said. "I'll have a
better feel for it next week at this time." During the next two weeks,
Palmer will push his left knee harder than at anytime in the last few months.
He still hasn’t taken a hit for the first time either. Palmer will play with
three different knee braces during camp to see which one works best. He doesn’t
know yet if his knee will swell up when he starts increasing the intensity of
his workouts during practice. One thing’s for sure, he’s been active. Palmer is
fresh off a three-week passing camp they held in California with WRs T.J.
Houshmandzadeh, Tab Perry, Antonio Chatman and TE Ronnie Ghent. Houshmandzadeh
said Palmer looked so good that he would even bet his check that he would be
ready for the Sept. 10 opener. “I think I’m being realistic,” Palmer said under
the stands after the debut was over. “It’s unrealistic to say I’m going to
start against the Chiefs. It’s realistic to say I might start against the
Chiefs. That’s my goal. We’ll just see how it works out.” Head coach Marvin
Lewis said, "We're going to put him in to prepare the season as the
starter… He's right on target." A primary goal in training camp is to
identify a clear backup. Anthony Wright or Doug Johnson would be the starter if
Palmer isn’t ready. Wright is currently No. 2 and Johnson No. 3. It looks like
Wright’s job to lose, but offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski wants to get a
longer look.
RB: Rudi Johnson and Chris Perry are ideal complements with their
respective power and quickness and FB Jeremi Johnson is an outstanding blocker
giving the Bengals a top notch backfield. Johnson looks strong following an
offseason knee scope to repair damaged cartilage. He's doing fine, running with
quickness and bursting through the line. Johnson chose not to reveal the injury
last season because so he wouldn’t draw attention to himself. With Palmer
coming off a major knee injury, Johnson may need to carry the load. Thirty-plus
carries is fine with him. "I know I have to raise my game and I think
everybody else knows they have to. I’ve got to make sure these legs are ready
to go if my quarterback’s not here.” It’s been an offseason of extra sessions
on Friday and overtimes on Wednesday as Johnson bids to be quicker. Chris Perry
is still rehabilitating from ankle surgery in April. He is on the PUP list and
wasn’t expected to be ready for the beginning of training camp.
WR: On the first day of practice,
Chad Johnson showed up sporting a McDonald's breakfast of pancakes, sausage and
a large orange juice assuring everyone, "I'm ready.” He showed up with a
Mohawk. He’s giving the defensive backs a chance to make him dye it blond, or
other colors. "I'm going to make it fun for the defensive backs,"
Johnson said. "For whoever stops me, I'm going to be changing
colors." QB Carson Palmer worked with several of the team’s others
receivers for a few weeks in
Defense: The Bengals hope the return of safety Madieu Williams (shoulder) and the
signings of safety Dexter Jackson and DT Sam Adams will help them improve after
finishing 28th in yards allowed last year. LB Odell Thurman will sit out 4
games after being suspended and HC Marvin Lewis didn't know when Thurman would
report for camp, “I’m not concerned with that." Asked if the Bengals want
Thurman in camp, Lewis said, "Yes, we do. But he's dealing with some
things with his family, and they'd asked that he be allowed to do this. There's
no pressing need of time for him to be here, so we're allowing him to do
this." There’s growing concern that Thurman may not play at all this year.
Lewis and defensive coordinator Chuck Bresnahan both expect rookie supplemental
pick LB Ahmad Brooks to make an impact with Thurman out. Brooks is competing
with fellow rookie A.J. Nicholson and veteran Caleb Miller to backup Brian
Simmons, who will slide in and start at middle linebacker. CB Keiwan Ratliff is
hoping to push Tory James and Deltha O'Neal for a starting job. Sam Adams began
camp on the PUP, but don’t be concerned says
Special Teams: Shayne Graham enters camp as the only kicker
on the Bengals’ roster. Once the regular season starts, he needs just four more
successful field goals to reach 100 for his career. That qualifies him for the
all-time NFL accuracy standings, where he’ll rank second behind only Mike
Vanderjagt. WR Tab Perry will once again be the primary kickoff returner, while
RB Kenny Watson could see some backup work now that he’s back from an injury.
Punt returns may get a little more attention in camp. Free agent acquisition WR
Antonio Chatman from
Bengals
Depth Chart
QB Carson Palmer (inj),
Anthony Wright, Doug Johnson, Erik Meyer
RB Rudi Johnson, Chris Perry (3RB) (inj), Kenny Watson, Quincy
Wilson, DeDe Dorsey, Terrence Whitehead
FB Jeremi Johnson, Naufahu Tahi,
Chris Manderino
WR Chad Johnson, T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Antonio Chatman (KR), Chris Henry (inj), Kelley Washington, Tab Perry (KR), Reggie McNeal
(QB), Ethan Kilmer, Benny Brazell
TE Reggie Kelly, Tony Stewart, Darnell Sanders, Ronnie Ghent, David
Jones
K Shayne Graham
DE Justin
Smith, Robert Geathers, Bryan Robinson (inj),
Jonathan Fenene, Frostee Rucker, Eric Henderson
DT John
Thornton, Sam Adams, Matthias Askew, Shaun Smith, Domata Peko, Marcus
Lewis
MLB Odell Thurman (susp), Brian Simmons
(M/W), A.J. Nicholson
OLB David Pollack (S/DE) (inj), Landon
Johnson (W/M), Caleb Miller (W), Marcus
Wilkins, Hannibal Navies, Ahmad Brooks, Wyatt Gayer, Kenny Kern
CB Tory James, Deltha O'Neal (WR/PR),
Johnathan Joseph, Keiwan Ratliff (SS/PR), Rashad
Bauman, Greg Brooks, Patrick Body
S Madieu Williams (FS/CB) (inj), Dexter
Jackson (SS/FS), Kevin Kaesviharn (FS/SS),
Anthony Mitchell, Ifeanyi Ohalete (SS), John Busing, Jeremy Modkins,
Jereme Perry, Blake Ferris
QB: It’s only two days of training
camp, but QB Charlie Frye is off to a great start. On Friday, Frye hit on a
long touchdown pass to Dennis Northcutt during 11-on-11 drills. On Saturday morning,
and for the second day in a row, Frye hit Northcutt for a 55-yard completion on
a deep post for a TD. Frye threw the ball 45 yards in the air on the money. “We’ve been working on the long ball and it
felt good to hit on that,” Frye said. “We’ve thrown more long balls thus far in
practice than we did at this time last year by far.” Browns GM Phil Savage is
proud of his young QB, saying that he “worked extremely hard to get to this point…‘Let's
protect him physically, preserve him mentally and promote him
organizationally.'” Frye has worked on making the huddle his own, after all
“you don't want to go in the huddle and have guys questioning you.” HC Romeo
Crennel also talked highly of Frye’s “composure.” Owner Al Lerner commended Frye
for his work in the offseason, saying he studied, stayed fit, and become bigger
and stronger since his rookie year, calling him an "inspiring
athlete."
RB: The biggest news related to the Browns running game
was the season-ending injury to center LeCharles
Bentley, who went down and stayed down during practice last Thursday. Bentley
tore his patella tendon and already underwent surgery. The main battle to watch
is rookie Jerome Harrison against Lee Suggs for the third down job. Suggs needs
to stay healthy or he won’t make the roster.
WR: WR Braylon Edwards underwent
surgery for his ACL tear in January. This week he received medical clearance
from the staff and showed up ready to practice. Nobody expected Edwards to be
back on the field this quickly, prompting Al Lerner to say, "God forbid,
if anything happens to our race and creed… they should use his DNA to rebuild
the population." Lerner continued to talk about the excitement of seeing
first-round picks TE Kellen Winslow and Edwards on the field together
"perhaps sooner than later… Edwards has done very well. He has rehabbed
very well. He's disciplined." While Edwards works his way back to full
strength, Crennel expects Joe Jurevicius to be a playmaker. Joshua Cribbs and
Frisman Jackson should also see extra reps. As for the timetable for Edwards’ return?
It has obviously changed. Edwards couldn’t promise he’ll be available on Sept.
10 against
TE: Romeo Crennel has given Kellen Winslow a lighter
practice load. “He’s been going at it pretty hard the last couple of days,”
said Crennel. “We wanted to give him a break from some of the drills today.
We’ll do that from time to time.” Winslow then sat out on Saturday morning.
"I gave him a little time off… I thought today would be a good day to rest
him,” said Crennel. In Saturday morning’s practice, Darnell Dinkins, signed via
free agency from
Defense: Chaun Thompson has taken all
the 1st team reps at inside linebacker, as has Matt Stewart at outside
linebacker. Romeo Crennel said Sean Jones is slightly ahead of Brodney Pool at
strong safety and that corners Daylon McCutcheon and Leigh Bodden are neck and
neck for the left corner job. Those two will rotate in camp to see who wins.
Bodden is said to have a slight edge in the early part of camp. On the 4th day
of camp, corner Gary Baxter was red hot in the morning practice. Baxter was
breaking up passes all over the field, including one deep ball over the middle
from Frye to Joshua Cribbs. Rookie linebacker Leon Williams picked off a tipped
pass in the morning. On one play, rookie linebacker D’Qwell Jackson used his
forearm to knock Terrelle Smith to the ground after the fullback grabbed a
short pass. “I made the catch,” Smith said defiantly after getting up. Also
drawing attention were safety Brodney Pool and TE Steve Heiden, who literally
stiff-armed each other to the ground after Heiden made a catch. CB DeMario Minter
(knee) was released from the hospital following knee surgery.
Special Teams: Kicker Phil Dawson’s recovery from off-season
surgery for a sports hernia appears to be going well. He has been practicing in
camp, and will be getting acclimated to a new holder, punter Dave Zastudil whom
the Browns acquired via free agency from the Ravens. Unless
Browns
Depth Chart
QB Charlie Frye, Ken
Dorsey, Derek Anderson, Darrell Hackney
RB Reuben Droughns, William Green, Lee Suggs, Jerome Harrison, Chris
Barclay
FB Terrelle Smith, Corey McIntyre,
Lawrence Vickers
WR Braylon Edwards (inj), Joe Jurevicius,
Dennis Northcutt (PR), Frisman Jackson, Travis
Wilson, Joshua Cribbs (WR/RB), Brandon Rideau, Carlton Brewster, Brent
Little, Glenn Holt
TE Kellen
Winslow Jr, Steve Heiden, Darnell Dinkins, Paul Irons
K Phil Dawson, Jeff Chandler
DE Orpheus Roye, Alvin McKinley, Nick Eason, Simon Fraser
NT Ted
Washington, Ethan Kelley, Babatunde Oshinowo, Ja'Waren Blair
ILB Andra Davis (L), DQwell Jackson (R), Chaun Thompson (R), Leon Williams (L),
Mason Unck
OLB Willie McGinest (S/DE), Kamerion Wimbley (S/DE), Matt Stewart (S), David
McMillan (W), Nick Speegle (S), Charlton Keith
CB Daylon
McCutcheon, Gary Baxter, Leigh Bodden,
Antonio Perkins, Pete Hunter, DeMario Minter, DeMarcus Rideaux, Chris
Thompson
S Brian Russell (FS), Brodney Pool (FS), Sean Jones (SS), Antwaan Harris,
Justin Hamilton (SS)
QB: Drew Bledsoe had the
understatement of the day when asked about his new teammate Terrell Owens on
the first day of camp, "I've never played with anybody that draws as much
attention as he does,” said the veteran QB. Head coach Bill Parcells was asked
if he gave Bledsoe advice on how to deal with T.O., “I told Bledsoe to get a
haircut, he'd look a lot younger." Bledsoe’s fantasy prospects look as
bright as ever heading into this season. Armed with T.O, Terry Glenn and Jason
Witten, he has what amounts to the best WR corps of his career. On Saturday, Bledsoe
overthrew J.R. Tolver in the afternoon 7-on-7 drills and Keith Davis, who is
recovering from a bullet that remains lodged in his leg following a July 16
shooting, was Johnny-on-the-spot to intercept the pass. Also during Saturday’s
practice, backup QB Drew Henson struggled on two straight possessions. Henson
threw one pass at the ankles of his receiver and another was tipped at the line
of scrimmage. Tony Romo also struggled in the same practice; leaving
significant doubt about the Cowboys backup situation.
RB: Julius
Jones isn’t making any outlandish predictions for himself this season. He’s
just hoping to stay healthy and produce the way he did in the 2nd half of 2004.
The Cowboys expect to run more double TE sets this year and evolve into more of
a power team. FB Lousaka Polite will be moved around
at different positions to see if he can contribute as an H-back as well. The
primary backup is Marion Barber III. He’s likely see an expanded role and he is
the team’s third down back. With Terrell Owens on the field, teams won’t be
able to focus strictly on the run. Keep in mind that Owens is an excellent
blocker, as well. Parcells was asked if adding Owens would help the team’s
ground game. "Well it better or we're not going to win. If they are
doubling those guys or playing shell coverages and we can't run, we won't win,"
chirped the affable coach. One player who struggled in the opening days was
Keylon Kincade. In Saturday afternoon’s session, he was beside himself after
losing the ball during a run up the middle. The lost fumble meant the entire
second-team offense had to run to the fence across the empty practice field and
back.
WR: With Terrell Owens in the fold, everyone is waiting for the first official meltdown. Yet Parcells insists he’s not thinking about it nor is he concerned. Parcells said, "We're going to treat him with respect and see what happens. Coach him. Correct him. Try to put him in positions to make plays. OK? Make him part of the team. Make him part of the offense. That's what we're going to try to do. If it works, it works. If it doesn't work, it doesn't work." Owens didn’t set any specific goals for himself in terms of receptions, yards or touchdowns, unless “lots” counts as something measurable. That didn’t stop T.O. from marketing himself to fantasy owners saying, "Hey, if you want touchdowns, if you want somebody to be up there at the top of the leader board, then I guess I'm your man”. Given that he’s scored 20 TDs in his last 21 regular season games with the Eagles, it’s best to listen to him. In Saturday’s practice, Owens beat Anthony Henry for what would have been a 60-yard TD from Bledsoe. Holding to game form, Owens spiked the ball in the end zone. Rookie fourth-round pick Skyler Green is off to a great start showing great hands in the first two practice sessions. He made several catches despite having to go high into the air and landing awkwardly. He also looked good fielding punts prompting receivers coach Todd Haley to blurt out, "You've already gotten so much better, Skyler." Terry Glenn is also looking good. It’s readily apparent that Bledsoe has confidence in him. Meanwhile, Patrick Crayton is healthy again and moving well, but Terrence Cooper dropp