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 dropped a handful
of passes. They are battling for the third receiver spot.
TE: It’s a
good thing the Cowboys stocked up on tight ends in the offseason. Brett Pierce
re-injured the same knee that he tore a ligament in last November and is
expected to miss the season. "It's unfortunate because he
worked very hard to get back from the original injury," said Parcells said
Sunday. Pierce was expected to battle for the fourth TE spot with Sean Ryan and
Tony Curtis. Of course, the Cowboys gave star TE Jason Witten a 6-year
extension worth $28 million. They drafted Anthony Fasano in the second round
and signed Ryan Hannam away from the Seahawks to bolster their depth. "The
good news is that he loves the tight end position,"
Defense: Top draft pick OLB Bobby
Carpenter was on the field for practice after signing a five-year, $12 million
contract, but Parcells is making him start from the bottom. Carpenter spent his
first day of practice working with the third team behind starter Al Singleton
and Rocky Boiman. He also received the rookie treatment and had to fetch
Parcells a cup of water during a break. Fierce battles are expected between
Bobby Carpenter and Al Singleton, as well as at free safety where Keith Davis,
Marcus Coleman, Pat Watkins, Willie Pile, and Justin Beriault will compete. The
team’s defensive leader, Roy Williams, couldn't wait to get the pads on. The
hard-hitting safety delivered a few bone-rattling hits during Saturday’s
drills, including a couple of nice hits on RB Julius Jones. Another standout
from the first day was corner Terence Newman. LB Kevin Burnett, a
disappointment as a rookie, sent a message during goal-line drills that he’s
much improved and pushing for a bigger role. Burnett delivered the hit of the
day when he dove over the top and whacked Lousaka Polite. "He really
didn't get that much work last year," Parcells said of Burnett. He’s
working at OLB behind DeMarcus Ware, but he will also slide inside when the
team goes to the nickel. "I'm hopeful that he can stay out there more
consistently this year and be a contributor." Promising DE Marcus Spears
sprained his knee. Parcells said the prognosis was a damaged meniscus and Spears
would have surgery to repair the damage. He’s expected to miss two weeks of
practice, but he should still be able to play in some preseason games.
"Problem is he misses all that work and he needs it badly," Parcells
said. Kenyon Coleman and Jay Ratliff will get more reps while Spears is out.
Parcells indicated he may also move third-round pick Jason Hatcher from the
right side if needed. Hatcher was told to run a 50-yard sprint when he tackled
RB Marion Barber in the backfield in Saturday’s morning practice. He had great
penetration on the play, but Parcells has made is clear that he doesn’t want
unnecessary injuries in camp. Once again DE Greg Ellis stated his displeasure
with the team’s 3-4 scheme and said he wants out of
Special Teams: Camp will be an opportunity for kicker Mike Vanderjagt to demonstrate that he can still kickoff adequately. The Colts said he couldn’t. Vanderjagt says he can. Bill Parcells says “show me.” The team worked out free agent PK/P Tyler Fredrickson, suggesting they’re already looking into a contingency plan. Kicker Shaun Suisham is still on the roster and will provide a camp leg. Fourth round draft pick WR Skyler Green should be the punt returner, and will probably also overtake RB Tyson Thompson as the kickoff returner. Parcells has had many things to say about Green. On the negative side he mentioned poor stamina and being overweight. On the positive side he said, “He has pretty good skill catching punts and kickoffs, I can see that. Whoever was coaching him at LSU in that regard, I would look to as someone who knew what they were doing because he had a lot of good information.” Green has shown great hands in initial practices. Parcells informed CB Terence Newman that he’ll be spelling Green on punt returns and that he’d better be ready. WR Patrick Crayton, WR Jamaica Rector and CB Byron Parker have also been practicing on punt returns in practice.
Cowboys Depth Chart
QB
Drew Bledsoe, Tony Romo, Drew Henson, Jeff Mroz
RB Julius Jones (3RB), Marion Barber III, Tyson Thompson (KR), Demetrius
Summers
FB Lousaka
Polite (HB/TE)
WR Terrell Owens, Terry Glenn, Patrick Crayton (PR), Terrance Copper, Skyler Green,
Jamaica Rector
TE Jason Witten, Anthony Fasano, Ryan Hannam, Sean Ryan
K Mike
Vanderjagt
DE Greg Ellis (LB), Kenyon Coleman, Marcus Spears, Chris Canty, Jason Hatcher, Junior
Glymph, Jay Ratliff
NT Jason
Ferguson, Montavious Stanley, Samuel
Taulealea
ILB Bradie James (M), Akinola
Ayodele (S), Scott Shanle (J) (RFA),
Ryan Fowler, Kai Parham, John Aldi
OLB Demarcus Ware (W), Kevin Burnett (S), Bobby Carpenter, Rocky Boiman, Al
Singleton, J.J. Horne
CB Terance Newman, Anthony Henry, Aaron Glenn, Jacques Reeves, Quincy Butler
S Roy
Williams (SS), Keith Davis (FS) (inj), Marcus
Coleman (FS/CB), Pat Watkins (FS), Willie Pile (FS), Justin Beriault
(SS)
QB: Jake Plummer’s tenure as the
Broncos starting QB may not last much beyond this season since the Broncos
selected QB Jay Cutler with their first round pick. Early in camp, Head coach
Mike Shanahan was asked what he’s seen so far from Cutler prompting a
tongue-in-cheek response. "He's a Hall-of-Fame player," said Shanahan
as he smiled, "He's pretty good. Obviously, he has the tools. It's a big
growing curve." Bradlee Van Pelt was seen struggling at times during the
first few days of camp.
RB: The focus of every Broncos training camp is always the RB position. This
year is no different. Our own Cecil Lammey is at
Broncos camp with the inside scoop. In Saturday’s practice, Ron Dayne displayed
good cutback running. On one play he cut one back to a wide-open field on the
left side. Dayne did a nice job to keep his feet moving after making contact
and consistently showed a good lean. He even ran out of his shorts once. Mike
Shanahan says he likes what he's seeing so far. "The proof is in the
pudding, obviously, but he ran that style offense when he was at
WR: Early in camp, newcomer Javon
Walker will practice once a day. He’s expected to play in the pre-season and
should be full-go for the season opener. "He's going to be full
speed," Shanahan said. "He's going to be ready." After Friday’s
practice,
TE: With all the hype going to draft
pick Tony Scheffler, it might be easy to overlook holdover Nate Jackson. The
former practice squader has been around for 3 years but has only eight catches
to his credit. Shanny seems to like
Defense: As one of the Broncos veteran
leaders defensively, safety John Lynch was out to set the tone early in camp,
but he pulled back after having a golden opportunity to drop the lunchbox on
Javon Walker after made a catch over the middle in Saturday morning's practice.
Lynch could've waxed
Special Teams: Could kicker Jason Elam, who punted in
college at
Other: The Denver Broncos officially signed OL Adam Meadows to a three-year
contract over the weekend. The Packers and Saints also made formal offers to
Meadows, while the Dolphins and Redskins also showed interest.
Broncos
Depth Chart
QB Jake Plummer, Jay Cutler, Bradlee Van Pelt
RB Tatum Bell, Ron Dayne, Cedric Cobbs, Mike
Bell, Marty Johnson
FB Kyle Johnson, Cecil Sapp, Rashon Powers-Neal
WR Rod Smith, Javon Walker (inj), Ashley Lelie, Darius Watts,
Charlie Adams, David Terrell, Brandon Marshall, Todd Devoe, Domenik
Hixon, Brian Clark
TE Stephen Alexander, Tony Scheffler, Nate Jackson, Chad Mustard, Landon
Trusty (IR)
K Jason Elam
DE Courtney Brown, Ebenezer Ekuban, John Engelberger, Kenard Lang, Elvis Dumervil, Randy
Garner
DT Gerard
Warren, Michael Myers, Demetrin Veal,
D.J. Renteria, Amon Gordon, Antwon Burton, Bryan Save
MLB Al Wilson, Nate Webster, Keith Burns
OLB Ian Gold (W), D.J. Williams
(S), Raymond Wells, Louis Green (W),
Patrick Chukwurah, Cameron Vaughn, Kevin Harrison, T.J. Hollowell
CB Champ Bailey, Darrent Williams (PR), Dominique Foxworth, Karl Paymah, Roc Alexander (KR),
Willie Middlebrooks
S John Lynch (FS), Nick Ferguson (SS), Sam Brandon (FS), Curome Cox, Hamza Abdullah, Tyler
Everett
QB: New Lions Head coach Rod
Marinelli wasted no time in naming Jon Kitna the starter at the onset of camp. "I
think there were three things that really went through my mind," Marinelli
said. "I thought the time was right. He really had an exceptional
offseason. The competition was there. I think this team really needs veteran
leadership. He really brings something special to the table in a leadership
role, too. I want to move away from distractions. The team doesn't need
distractions.” Kitna responded, "I really feel like that for the last 10
years of my career, it's all been preparation for this time right now. I'm
excited to get back out there and put my own identity and personality on a team
again." Offensive coordinator Mike Martz also sang praises for Kitna,
giving him an A+ in intelligence, toughness and accuracy. He even compared
Kitna to Kurt Warner, "He is like Kurt in his ability to learn things
quickly and go out and do it without a lot of reps." Martz said, "Jon
has a God-given gift of awareness behind that center that is very unusual. I've
watched him throughout his whole career and wondered how great it would be to
have him on my football team." How did Josh McCown take the news? He
seemed to go right along with the flow. "Coming here, it was an option to
compete, but I kinda felt like I knew that Jon would
get the first shot at it.’Cause he's a veteran, and
he's been around a little bit longer. He made the most of his opportunity. He
and I said from the get-go when we came here that I have his back and he's got
my back 100-percent. We believe a lot of the same things, there's more of a
friendship there than just coming in and competing. There's never going to be
any back-biting. And that's good, that's what you have to have. Especially at
this position."
RB: The Lions are
expecting big things from tailback Kevin Jones this season. The early
indications are that Jones is indeed much more comfortable catching passes out
of the backfield and his blocking is also improved. Jones doesn’t want to leave
the field on third downs this year. On Friday, Jones had the day’s best catch
in practice on a one-handed grab while going full speed over the middle during
individual drills. The greatest competition will be for the four remaining
spots. Rookie third round pick Brian Calhoun worked with the No. 2 offense last
Friday, but on Saturday, Arlen Harris (whom Martz is familiar with from
WR:
It’s only the first week of camp, but already there’s a lot of talk about the
improvement made by Charles Rogers during the offseason.
TE: The coaches are mixing it up at
receiver, tight end and RB so far in camp. On Saturday, Casey Fitzsimmons took
all the snaps with the No. 1 offense and Marcus Pollard was with the second unit,
but everyone knows that Marinelli is shaking things up to get a good look at
all his players. Pollard was asked about the changes in camp brought about by
Marinelli and said, "It's challenging, very demanding. It's high energy.
It's high tempo. With all the changes, hopefully it helps us become a better
team. That's the goal."
Defense: On Friday’s first practice the Lions were without
all three of their projected starters at linebacker. LB Donte Curry, DB James
Davis and rookie LB Anthony Cannon worked with the first unit. Ernie Sims
finally signed a five-year contract on Sunday, but he missed all of the
on-field work during the first three days of camp. Sims looks like an ideal fit
to Marinelli's system which requires linebackers to
cover running backs. The detractor for Lions fan is that Sims has a history of
concussions at
Special Teams: The one
constant in
Lions
Depth Chart
QB Jon Kitna, Josh McCown, Dan Orlovsky, Joel Klatt
RB Kevin Jones, Brian Calhoun
(3RB/KR), Arlen Harris, Artose Pinner
FB Shawn Bryson (3RB), Cory Schlesinger,
Matt Bernstein
WR Roy Williams, Corey Bradford, Charles Rogers, Mike Furrey, Mike Williams, Scottie Vines,
Eddie Drummond (KR/PR), DeVale Ellis, Brett Fischer, Shaun Bodiford
TE Marcus Pollard, Dan Campbell, Casey Fitzsimmons, Sean McHugh, Cole
Downer
K Jason Hanson, Matt Prater
DE James Hall, Kalimba Edwards, Cory Redding, Jared DeVries, Bill Swancutt, Claude
Harriott, Val Barnaby
DT Shaun
Rogers, Shaun Cody, Marcus Bell, Tyoka
Jackson, Damian Gregory, Cleveland Pinckney
MLB Boss Bailey (S/M), Levar
Woods, Matt Grootegoed
OLB Ernie
Sims (W), Ted
Lehman (S) (inj), James Davis (W), Alex Lewis
(W/S), Paris Lenon, Donte' Curry (S), Anthony Cannon
CB Dre' Bly, Fernando Bryant, Keith Smith, Stanley Wilson, Jamar Fletcher, Alton McCann,
LaMarcus Hicks, Antonio Malone
S Kenoy Kennedy (SS), Terrence Holt (FS), Daniel Bullocks (FS), Jon McGraw (FS), Idrees Bashir
(FS), Vernon Fox, Harrison Smith, Marcus Demps
QB: Brett Favre seems to be throwing
the ball well, as usual. Head coach Mike McCarthy said Favre looked good
despite having a slight ankle sprain. "He looks good," McCarthy said.
"The ankle's bothering him a little bit, but he's throwing the ball with
good accuracy and good velocity. So I think he looks good. He's playing with
good balance, his legs are still very strong, he hasn't lost anything there.
(He's) very comfortable with the offense and (I'm) very pleased with him so
far." Aaron Rodgers has also played well. Early in camp, though, McCarthy
cautioned, “The drops are way up, definitely. I thought the route-running was a
lot better. I thought the timing was a lot better. The two negatives were too
many dropped balls and too many pre-snap penalties." The Packers have a
lot of new faces within their WR corps so it will take some time for Favre and
Rodgers to get in sync with their new teammates.
RB: Ahman
Green is expected to be the Packers starter this year, bur he is still about two weeks away from returning to the field. On the plus side,
Najeh Davenport passed his physical and practiced at full speed.
WR: So far in camp, Donald Driver has been nothing
short of exceptional, but he’s not the concern of the Packers coaching staff.
Beyond Driver, the team’s most reliable receivers are a rookie receiver, a
veteran tight end and an ancient fullback. Greg Jennings, Bubba Franks and
William Henderson aren't merely the most reliable options behind Driver, but
they are the only reliable options. WRs Robert Ferguson (back) and Rod Gardner
(hamstring) did not pass their physicals and both were held out of practice.
McCarthy said both players were day-to-day. Their absence left Marc Boerigter
working with the No. 1 offense opposite Driver. However, if the woes continue,
then
TE: Jagodzinski has vowed to
get the Packers TEs more involved in the offense this year, especially starter
Bubba Franks assuming he can stay healthy. Jagodzinski
said he wants to focus on what Franks does best. "You have to play to his
strengths. His strengths are short-to-medium passes and the red zone and goal
line. That's where he excels," Jagodzinski said.
"That's why he went to the Pro Bowl - off of those things. He didn't catch
60-yard touchdowns." That would be the job of backup David Martin, who was
a receiver in college. “You can see it in the offense. We are more
involved," said Franks. "We're pretty much (being used) at every
position - we're at the tight end position, we're in the backfield, we're split
out at the wide receiver position. We play all the positions, really. So they
have no choice but to get us the ball. "But we'll see." Packers GM
Ted Thompson chimed in on the team’s tight ends, "They're all athletic.
They all can block. They can get up the field and do a lot of things to put pressure
on the defense. We're looking forward to the contributions that they'll
make." The Packers also cut Garrett
Cross the week before training camp.
Defense: Top draft pick LB A.J. Hawk
signed a six-year deal worth $36 million that includes a guaranteed roster
bonus of $1.91 million this season, an option bonus worth $11,856,520 next
season and guaranteed portions of his base salary. He’s expected to start
immediately and provide a big impact. DT Ryan Pickett was involved in a two-car accident leaving Lambeau
Field Saturday afternoon. He wasn’t at practice on Sunday because of a slight
concussion. SS Marviel Underwood lined up with the No. 1 defense at strong
safety Friday, because SS Marquand Manuel was not ready to practice. Despite
all the talk of a holdout, corner Al Harris showed up for training camp on
time. "I never wanted to be a distraction. I made the decision to show up,
and I'm here." Harris skipped all voluntary offseason workouts, the second
mini-camp and all OTAs because he’s been unhappy with
his contract. That prompted Charles Woodson to say, "There's no question
he's underpaid. Al's one of the best in this league." The Packers released
safety Mark Roman to give them a chance to evaluate their younger players at
the position. Roman was unhappy and wanted to be released anyway.
Special
Teams: Billy Cundiff and Dave Rayner will be competing throughout camp for the
Packers’ kicking job. Special teams coordinator Mike Stock indicated he plans
to alternate them either kick-by-kick or quarter-by-quarter in preseason games.
Cundiff is a slight favorite given his prior experience with
Packers
Depth Chart
QB Brett Favre, Aaron
Rodgers, Ingle Martin
RB Ahman Green (inj), Najeh Davenport, Samkon
Gado, Noah Herron (FB), Arliss Beach, Shermar Bracey
FB William Henderson, Vonta Leach,
A.J. Cooper (TE), Ben Brown
WR Donald Driver, Robert Ferguson, Rod Gardner, Marc Boerigter, Greg Jennings, Cory Rogers, Will Blackmon (KR/PR)
(inj), Chad Lucas, Leo Bookman, Vince Butler, Calvin Russell, Chris Francies
TE Bubba Franks, David Martin, Donald Lee, Zac Alcorn, Tory Humphrey
K Billy Cundiff, Dave Rayner
DE Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila, Aaron Kampman, Mike Montgomery, Kenny
Peterson, Corey Williams, Dave Tollefson, Jason Hunter, Montez Murphy
DT Ryan Pickett (NT), Cullen Jenkins, Kenderick Allen, Colin Cole (NT), Johnny Jolly,
Jerome Nichols
MLB Nick Barnett, Abdul Hodge
OLB A.J.
Hawk (W), Ben Taylor (S/W), Roy Manning (S/M),
Brady Poppinga (S), Tracy White (S), Byron Santiago, Kurt Campbell, Tim
Goodwell, Kevin Schimmelmann
CB Charles Woodson, Al Harris, Ahmad Carroll, Michael Hawkins, Patrick Dendy,
Jerron Wishom, Jason Horton
S Nick Collins (FS), Marquand Manuel
(SS), Marviel Underwood (SS), Tyrone Culver (FS), Jeremy Thornburg, Tra
Boger, Atari Bigby
QB: David Carr doesn’t want to repeat last year. "What happened to us
last year I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy," Carr said as the Texans
reported to training camp at
RB: On the first day or
WR: After Saturday’s practice, Kubiak was asked if he’s counting on young Andre Johnson to
emerge as a leader this season. “I don’t want to put too much pressure on the
kid. His practice this morning was impressive. The way he works is special. I
told him in front of the guys this morning ‘if you work like that, son, the sky
is the limit’. I’m very proud of him and I want him to keep it going.” On
Saturday, the sure handed veteran Eric Moulds beat two defenders and reached
out for a one-hand catch from David Carr during drills. Other receivers with
stunning catches included Jake Schifino, Kendrick Starling and Johnson, who was
on the receiving end of several passes from Carr. Jerome Mathis remains
sidelined due to injury.
TE: The
biggest news from the tight ends is that Bennie
Joppru made it through a practice without getting hurt. As one Texans reporter joked, “maybe there is
hope for peace in the
Defense: Since the Texans passed on
Reggie Bush, there is all sorts of pressure on the team and top pick DE Mario
Williams to make a big impact immediately. Gary Kubiak
was asked about Williams on the first day of camp. “You are asking a lot of a
kid, right away. But that is the role he is in, and everybody knows that. But I
like the way he is fitting in with the group. I like the way he’s making other
people around him better. That’s the key; just to do his job and make people
around him better.” When asked about his top pick’s strength, Kubiak added, “He has a little push to him. If you’re a
tight end and you have to stare at him all day, that’s a long day. He’s doing a
fine job and hopefully he can get better.”
Another former first round pick Jason Babin also figures to make an
impact at defensive end, but realizes he’ll likely be part of a rotation. Babin
said, "From what the coaches are saying, we're going to be rotating a lot,
which is a good thing. When you're playing defensive end, you're exerting so
much energy, if you don't rotate, you're going to be dead." In the
secondary, starting corner DeMarcus Faggins was lost for 6 to 10 weeks after a
breaking his right foot. The injury occurred during Friday’s practice and it
was confirmed Saturday following an MRI exam. It will require surgery. CB Dunta
Robinson twisted his ankle on Saturday, and sat out a portion of practice. It’s
not serious and Robinson is not expected to miss an extended period of time.
Special Teams: Kris Brown will be busy in camp, as the only
kicker on the Texans’ roster. WR/KR Jerome Mathis will not be so busy. He
entered camp on crutches, still recovering from his off-season foot surgery. He
is targeted to be back for the week 6 games at
Texans
Depth Chart
QB David Carr, Sage
Rosenfels, Matt Baker, Cody Pickett
RB Domanick Davis (inj), Antowain Smith, Vernand Morency, Wali Lundy, Chris
Taylor, Damien Rhodes
FB Jameel Cook, Quadtrine
Hill
WR Andre Johnson, Eric Moulds, Derick Armstrong (RFA), Kevin Walter, Jerome Mathis
(PR/KR) (inj), David Anderson, Nick Narcisse, Jake Schifino, Richie Ross,
Derrick Lewis
TE Mark
Bruener, Jeb Putzier, Benny Joppru, Owen Daniels, Patrick Hape, Scott
Weaver, Ben Steele (IR)
K Kris Brown
DT Anthony Weaver, Robaire Smith, Seth Payne, Travis Johnson (inj), Alfred Malone
DE Mario
Williams, Jason Babin, Antwan Peek, Jeff
Charleston, Phillip Alexander
MLB Sam Cowart, DaShon Polk, Dave Moretti
OLB Kailee Wong (inj), Morlon Greenwood,
DeMeco Ryans, Shantee
Orr, Barrett Green, Charlie Anderson (inj), Kenneth Petway, Saleem
Rasheed, Wali Rainer (IR)
CB Dunta
Robinson, Phillip Buchanon, DeMarcus Faggins
(inj), Dexter McCleon, Lewis Sanders (FS), Chris McKenzie (inj), Kevin
Garrett, Tramon Williams, John Walker
S Glenn Earl (SS), C.C. Brown (SS/FS), Jason
Simmons (FS) (inj), Ramon Walker (SS), Michael
Stone
Starts Sunday, July 30th
QB: The Colts camp didn’t get underway until Sunday, July 30th. Peyton
Manning couldn’t wait. On Saturday night, Manning wanted to set the tone for
the next three weeks and even the rest of the season. “I sent a mass text message last night to a
bunch of guys,” Manning said. “I said, ‘Hey, let’s be ready for some football.
Let’s make this our year.’ Everybody responded, ‘Absolutely. Let’s go. Let’s go
do it.’” Manning will have more on his shoulders this year with Edgerrin James’
free agent departure.
RB: Rookie first round pick Joseph Addai was available when camp opened
after signing a 5-year deal with around $11 million. Dominic Rhodes begins camp
as the starter on paper, but he’ll face strong competition from Addai. In the
team’s first practice session,
WR: Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne
are back.
TE: Dallas
Clark remains the starter, but Bryan Fletcher, Ben Utecht and even Ben Utecht
will compete for larger roles this season. Fletcher began to emerge late in the
year, but Utecht promises to push him for the primary backup job behind
Defense: The Colts re-signed Robert
Mathis during the offseason, but lost starters LB David Thornton and DT Larry
Tripplett. Second year DB Marlin
Jackson expects to push for a starting cornerback spot during training camp. His
speed and savvy could force his way past CB Jason David or CB Nick Harper into
the starting lineup. The Colts also dealt DB Gerome Sapp to the Ravens for a
pick.
Special Teams: Kicker Adam Vinatieri will just be coasting
through the pre-season, waiting for the real games to begin and to then do
something clutch. Kicker Shane Andrus will help carry the camp load, and has a
remote possibility of staying on the roster as a kickoff specialist. Not that
Vinatieri is a slouch on kickoffs, but he is getting older and the Colts are
already accustomed to keeping an extra kicker the last few years. The kickoff
and punt return roles are up for grabs. RB Dominic
Rhodes will be spending more time running than returning kickoffs this year and
Troy Walters is gone. The elder candidate is former Colt WR Terrence Wilkins
who spent last year in the CFL. The youthful candidate, and most likely winner,
is seventh round draft pick CB T.J. Rushing who returned both kickoffs and
punts for Stanford last year. WRs Dan Sheldon, Ashlan
Davis, and Gerran Walker should all get an opportunity in camp to practice
returns.
Colts
Depth Chart
QB Peyton Manning, Jim
Sorgi, Shaun King, Josh Betts, David Koral
RB Dominic
Rhodes, Joseph Addai, Kory Chapman, Vashon Pearson
FB James Mungro
WR Marvin Harrison, Reggie Wayne, Brandon Stokley, Aaron Moorehead, Terrence Wilkins
(KR), Ed Hinkel, Brian Hare, Jamie Goodwin
TE Dallas Clark, Bryan Fletcher, Ben Utecht, Ben Hartsock, Joey
Hawkins, Corey Roberts
K Adam Vinatieri
DT Corey Simon, Montae Reagor, Vincent Burns, Darrell Reid, Tom Johnson
DE Dwight Freeney, Raheem Brock (DT), Robert Mathis, Josh Thomas, Jonathan Welsh, Javor
Mills, Marcus West
MLB Gary Brackett (W/M) (inj), Rob Morris
OLB Cato June (W), Gilbert Gardner (S/W), Freddie Keiaho, Keith O'Neil (RFA), Deryck Toles
(W), Tyjuan Hagler (W), Keyon Whiteside, Brandon Hoyte, Kyle Killion, Dale
Robinson, Kendyll Pope (susp)
CB Nick Harper, Jason David, Marlin Jackson, Kelvin Hayden, Tim Jennings, Von
Hutchin, T.J. Rushing
S Bob Sanders (FS), Mike Doss (SS), Matt Giordano (FS), Dexter Reid, Daryl Dixon (FS),
Antoine Bethea (FS), Tanard Davis, Antwan Marsh
QB: Byron Leftwich reported to camp
in great condition. “Let's just say I'm in almost close to perfect shape,”
Leftwich said, laughing. “It's the best shape I've ever been in, by far. It's
the best I've ever felt since I played football. I'm ready to roll,” he added.
Leftwich seemed to have a bounce to him and he displayed better elusiveness in
the pocket with improved foot speed. Leftwich has his work cut out for him
since veteran WR Jimmy Smith abruptly retired during the offseason, but he’s
already found his new go-to guy in Matt Jones. The two already are connecting
on deep routes and seem to be on the same page. David Garrard will be ready,
once again, if Leftwich is sidelined for any reason. He looked good throwing
accurately, but without the velocity that Leftwich showed on his passes. Some of
Garrard’s balls were thrown behind his targets and some deeper passes fell short.
Quinn Gray will compete with rookie Paul Pinegar for
the third spot.
RB: Some
things never seem to change. RB Fred Taylor strained his right
hamstring during a conditioning drill on last Thursday. Marking the second
straight year he began camp at less than full speed, despite showing up in
great shape after training harder than usual in the offseason.
WR: As we’ve mentioned, Matt Jones is the team’s new
#1 receiver. He’s looking great early in camp and seems to have made bigger
strides in his route running. On one play, Jones duped rookie Dee Webb on a
crossing route. On another play he beat safety Donovan Darius on a wiggle
route. Opposite Jones, Ernest Wilford is competing with Reggie Williams for a
starting job. Wilford was running with the first team and seems to be picking
up where he left off last year. Wilford isn’t a speed merchant, but he has
improved his speed since last year and he continues to find ways to get open
using his incredible size to his advantage. Williams has always been a strong
practice player, but the team wants to see if he can translate that into
production on Sundays. Williams looked faster than Wilford, no surprise there,
but he also committed more mental errors including a drop on a well thrown
pass. Cortez Hankton has looked great at
times, too. Working against the first team defense, he made several nice plays working
with both Garrard and Leftwich . Hankton turned in the catch of the day on a
corner route pulling in a pass despite double coverage and staying inbounds.
TE: Rookie
Marcedes Lewis is catching everything thrown in his direction. He needs to
continue working on his blocking, but this kid has excellent size, hands and
body control giving the Jaguars yet another plus-sized target in the red zone
for Leftwich. In one practice, Lewis caught
several passes over the middle, and on separate occasions, made slight
adjustments on the ball. Kyle Brady remains on the team despite rumors that
he’ll be released every offseason. He’ll probably continue to be used primarily
as a blocker on double TE sets. George Wrighster rounds out the group and
figures to provide Lewis with some competition for playing time in 2-TE sets as
well.
Defense: Safety Donovin Darius, coming off last season's
knee injury, is back and practicing. He made some nice plays, including one
when Matt Jones had the corner beat and ball in his hands. Darius slapped the
ball away turning it into an incompletion. The team hopes his return will set
the tone and give the secondary a physical presence it lacked last season. The
team also hopes free agent signee CB Brian Williams will bolster their
secondary.
Special Teams: Josh Scobee is the only kicker in the
Jaguars’ camp, for the first time in his career. He’s always had excellent leg
strength, but he needs to improve his consistency. The return roles will be the
ones to watch in camp this year. Second
round draft pick RB Maurice Drew comes with impressive return credentials from
UCLA, and is the early favorite to be the return specialist. Of course WR Chad
Owens was in the very same position entering camp last year, and it didn’t work
out very well. He’s back to try again this year. If Drew falters on kickoffs,
last year’s surprise KR leader, RB
Derrick Wimbush, is still available. The Jaguars’ lead PR from last year, RB
Alvin Pearman, is also back; however he is not guaranteed to even make the
final roster. Drew, Owens and WR Khalil Hill have been
practicing punt returns in camp
Jaguars
Depth Chart
QB Byron Leftwich, David
Garrard, Quinn Gray
RB Fred Taylor, Maurice Drew (KR), Alvin Pearman (3RB/PR), LaBrandon
Toefield (SD) (RFA), Rich Alexis
FB Greg Jones (SD), Derrick
Wimbush (KR)
WR Matt Jones, Reggie Williams, Ernest Wilford, Cortez Hankton, Randy Hymes, Troy Edwards,
Felton Huggins, Kyle Brown
TE Kyle Brady, Marcedes Lewis, George
Wrighster (RFA), Brian Jones, Todd Yoder
K Josh Scobee
DE Reggie Hayward, Paul Spicer, Bobby McCray, Marcellus Wiley, Brent Hawkins, James
Wyche
DT Marcus Stroud, John Henderson, Anthony Maddox, Martin Chase
MLB Mike Peterson, Nick Greisen, Tony Gilbert (RFA)
OLB Daryl Smith (W), Pat Thomas (W), Jorge Cordova (W/S), Clint Engram
CB Rashean Mathis, Brian Williams,
Terry Cousin, David Richardson, Scott
Starks, Demetrice Webb, Trestin George
S Donovan Darius (SS) (inj), Deon Grant
(FS), Gerald Sensabaugh (SS), Chris Roberson (FS/CB), Nick Sorenson (FS)
(inj)
QB:
Trent Green is back for another run at the
postseason, but it seems like everything around him has changed. After Sunday’s
practice, Green was asked about the retirement of Willie Roaf
and the status of Priest Holmes. “I
think the era is over because coach Vermeil is gone, FB T-Rich (Tony
Richardson) is gone, Priest is gone, Willie is potentially gone, yeah that’s a
whole lot of people missing off of that five year run we had success with as an
offense. We still have a lot of guys coming back and we’re still running the
same offense, but you know, different coordinator, different head coach and
potentially four or five new starters on offense, yeah that era is over.”
Meanwhile, the Chiefs drafted Brodie Croyle to potentially be Green’s replacement in the near
future. Croyle signed a 4-year contract just before
camp. Offensive coordinator Mike Solari was asked how
Croyle is progressing. “Brodie’s
coming along. (Quarterbacks coach) Terry Shea does a great job with the
quarterbacks and Brodie’s coming along developing. QB
Casey Printers is doing a good job developing and QB Damon Huard is doing a
nice job taking off where he was last year. The nice thing is that he (Huard)
is taking number two reps and the more reps you get the better football player
you are.”
RB: The
Chiefs RB position is set at the top with Larry Johnson as the entrenched
starter and Priest Holmes on the PUP list awaiting another evaluation on his
neck condition. Trent Green was asked if he’s noticed any changes with Johnson
since he was named the starter. “It really started in the offseason when Coach
Edwards came in and said you’re the guy, you’re the starter, this is your
offense and let’s roll with it. I think he really responded well to that and
he’s taken on more of a leadership role being around for the entire offseason,
being more vocal out on the field where as in the past when Priest is the guy,
I’ve been in that situation where you’re the backup or the third guy and it’s
not your place to say anything. He knew his role and he wasn’t very vocal at
that time. Now that he’s in a position of being one of the team leaders he’s a
lot more vocal and practicing at a lot different tempo and I think he’s just
much more prepared for this season mentally and physically.” As stated, Holmes
is on the PUP list while he awaits the latest evaluation with specialists in
WR: The Chiefs weren’t happy to hear of discontent coming from veteran WR
Eddie Kennison as camp began. He indicated that he might leave camp if the
Chiefs don’t reward him with a new contract. He expects a raise or he would
like the Chiefs to release him. “I will cross that bridge when I get to it,”
Kennison said. “I will go to camp and work as hard as I’ve been working. I
won’t have any bitter or sour attitudes in camp… but when I signed my last
contract with the Chiefs, I think we all know that if I hadn’t performed to
expectations, I wouldn’t be here anymore. Well, I played beyond those
expectations. Now it’s time for them to step up and compensate me for my
performance compared to the guys in my peer group. I would hope the Chiefs
would put me on waivers if they don’t want to step to the plate.” The loss of
Kennison would be a huge blow to the Chiefs considering that he had more than
1,000 receiving yards in each of the last two seasons and he’s their only
established wide receiver. Samie Parker is showing promise, but he was held
back last year by injuries and inconsistency. The other receivers are Dante
Hall, who is most valuable as a kick-returner, and a collection of unproven
younger players. Trent Green was asked if he thinks Parker can establish
himself as a go to guy this season. “I think so and I told Samie coming into
camp his big thing is just staying healthy. When you look at the success he’s
had the last couple years he’s done well at times, but it’s just staying
healthy. Most of the injuries aren’t his fault, just getting tackles a weird
way he hurt his knee and you know just getting hit. What makes him special is
that he’s not afraid to go over the middle, he’s not afraid to go into traffic
and make catches and sometimes that can hurt you from an injury standpoint and
that’s what’s really affected him. If he can stay healthy for a full 16 games,
I see no reason why he can’t be a 1,000-yard receiver.” Back to Kennison, he
doesn’t necessarily want to leave the Chiefs, but he does want his contract
addressed. “I have a responsibility to this organization and the 53 guys I
dress with, so it came up quickly that I was not going to miss camp,” Kennison
said. “I’m not a selfish, flashy kind of guy. I just want the world to know
what’s going on with my situation. “I love being a Kansas City Chief. I want to
be here for the rest of my career. The Chiefs have not said they won’t take
care of me. Carl has indicated to my agent they are willing to do something. We
just need to get to a point where both parties are happy. Obviously, we’re not
to that point yet, and I don’t think we’re even close.” Craphonso Thorpe has a
shoulder bruise and he’s day to day.
TE: There
is nothing to report yet here. Tony Gonzalez and Kris Wilson give the Chiefs an
excellent 1-2 punch with Jason Dunn providing quality depth and blocking.
Defense: Rookie safety Bernard Pollard is
expected to push Sammy Knight in training camp. Knight brings a physical
element to the Chiefs secondary, but he’s been never had much foot speed and
Pollard could unseat him with a great camp. Head coach Herman Edwards had this
to say about Pollard’s chances of earning significant playing time. “We’re competing back there and obviously he’s a
physical guy. He brings a physical presence, him and Page both. They’re both
young safeties but we’ve got two veteran safeties that are good players. I
think when you can create good competition it’s good and we’ve done that at a
lot of positions. That’s important.” On Sunday, Edwards was asked about Lenny
Walls, who had a slight hamstring injury. “He missed today, but he’s been
great; he’s been fantastic and now you’ve got three cornerbacks who have played
a lot of football. Benny Sapp is a good football player too, and we’ve got some
guys with some talent. Julian Battle, too, is making plays out here. His
downfall has been he hasn’t been consistent.” The Chiefs bolstered their
starting lineup by signing free-agent cornerback Ty Law to a five-year, $30
million deal. Elsewhere, the Chiefs are counting on a battle royal at DE
between Tamba Hali and veteran Eric Hicks. “Competition is what training camp
is about,” Edwards said. “I told people that at the meeting today. I told them
you need to be an available player if you’re going to make this squad. You’re
not going to make it on default. You need to be available, and if you are, that
means you can be graded. If you’re not, that’s not very good.”
Special Teams: It seems like yesterday when Lawrence Tynes
was the sleeper dark-horse kicker that beat out legendary Morten Andersen for
the Chiefs kicking job. Now he’s the only kicker in camp. He also no longer has
to worry about Dick Vermeil paying extra close attention to him. He went
7-for-7 on field goals during Sunday’s practice. New special teams coordinator
Mike Priefer will be working with Tynes in camp on
directional kickoffs, wind adjustments, and onside kicks. Dante Hall is definitely, absolutely, positively,
no-doubt-about-it the KR/PR for the Chiefs. He did tear a ligament in his thumb
awhile back in the off-season, but he should be good to go for camp. If he were
to miss any time during the regular season, the Chiefs lack of depth could be
exposed. The only player with substantial NFL kickoff return experience is free
agent acquisition CB Chris Johnson, who was the Rams leading KR last year.
Anyone else dates back to college for their prior experience. The only other
player to field a punt last year for the Chiefs was WR Eddie Kennison (one
return and one fair catch).
Chiefs
Depth Chart
QB Trent Green, Damon Huard, Brody Croyle, Casey
Printers
RB Larry Johnson, Michael Bennett, Dee Brown, McKenzi Smith, Quentin
Griffin, De'Arrius Howard, Derrick Ross, Priest Holmes (inj)
FB Ronnie Cruz, Travis Wilson, J.R.
Niklos
WR Eddie Kennison (inj), Samie
Parker, Dante Hall (KR/PR), Craphonso Thorpe,
Jeris McIntyre, Jeff Webb, Nate Curry, Chris Hannon, Terrance Metcalf,
Scott McCready
TE Tony Gonzalez, Kris Wilson (HB), Jason Dunn, Aaron Golliday, Bob
Docherty
K Lawrence Tynes
DE Jared Allen, Eric Hicks (inj), Tamba Hali, Carlos Hall,
Jimmy Wilkerson (DT)
DT Ryan Sims (NT), Lional Dalton, Ron Edwards, Junior Siavii, John Browning, James Reed, Alex
Guerrero, Steve Williams
MLB Kawika Mitchell, Rich Scanlon,
Boomer Grigsby
OLB Derrick Johnson (R), Kendrell Bell (L), Keyaron
Fox (S/W), Kris Griffin, Nick Reid, William Kershaw, Brandon Guillory
CB Patrick Surtain, Ty Law, Lenny Walls, Benny
Sapp, Chris Johnson, Julian Battle (inj), Alphonso Hodge, Marcus Maxey, Justin
Perkins, Jerald Brown
S Sammy
Knight (SS), Greg Wesley (FS), Bernard Pollard
(SS), Jarrad Page (SS), Gabriel Helms
QB: As Dolphins training camp broke
everyone’s eyes were on new QB Daunte Culpepper. Of course, Culpepper is coming
off major knee surgery to repair three torn ligaments in his knee. That didn’t
stop Culpepper from taking the field in the team’s first practice though. Head
coach Nick Saban said, ''We are surprised
at the progress that he has made, but we did have several medical meetings with
Dr. [James] Andrews, who did the surgery, and felt pretty good about the
result, and with his attitude, how he could overcome it... So, it's all been a
pleasant surprise for us, and we are happy about it.'' That’s not to say
Culpepper is back to being “himself” yet. He’s still not as fluid as before and
there are times when he favors it slightly, but he’s hardly a gimp. “So far,
everything is a thumbs-up," Culpepper said. "I had visions when I got
hurt to be here today to start training camp, and I still have visions to be
ready for the first game." He
added, ''I've always thrown the ball down the field. I love to throw the ball,
so the fans can definitely get ready for a great show when it comes to us
putting the ball in the air and throwing the ball down the field.'' Culpepper
received medical clearance last Wednesday, prompting Saban to say, “Daunte will
do the same thing in this camp as every other player relative to the workload
he is able to manage.” Ronnie Brown was even encouraged, “Daunte is excited. It's kind of like a kid in a candy store, him
having an opportunity to be on the field again. When you have a guy like that
leading your team, it rubs off on everybody else." Culpepper said his
right knee is only about 85 to 90 percent and he knows better than to rush
anything on the field. He’s able to scramble a bit, as he did on one play when
he took off into the secondary at a trot, but he was mindful not to sprint.
Instead, it was more like a trot. He wore a helmet and shoulder pads, but of
course, he and the other quarterbacks were off limits to contact. Joey
Harrington had to leave Saturday evening’s practice early. He also struggled
somewhat during the team's morning practice. He apparently had a cramp in his
calf, but returned to action on Sunday. Making a roster move early in camp, the
team waived QB Justin Holland.
RB: Ricky Williams is a non-story this year after he was
suspended for a year by the NFL. That gives second year stud RB Ronnie Brown
the stage to showcase his potential. Brown expects to play a lot more this year
and says he’s ready to carry the load. Apparently, so does LB Channing Crowder.
"Ronnie Brown is a beast," Crowder said. “He's 240 pounds, he runs a
4.3 40 (yard dash), he can catch the ball, he can block. He's the complete
package. There's no doubt in my mind Ronnie can handle it." Brown was
asked if he‘d catch the ball more this year. “I think so. I think with me being
on the field a little more, I have the opportunity to catch a few more passes,
but you know that’s one of the situations that will be based on the
game-to-game situation and the defenses that we’re playing.” Sammy Morris,
Travis Minor, Kay Jay Harris and Gerald Riggs Jr. are competing for the backup
spots. Harris and Riggs are fighting for a roster spot.
WR: Daunte Culpepper and star
WR Chris Chambers are getting more comfortable with each other. On Saturday,
the two connected on two of the nicest passes seen by the Dolphins in a long
time. Culpepper dropped a 35-yard pass over the shoulder of Chambers in the
corner of the endzone throwing the ball perfectly. Later, he tossed another
40-yarder down the sideline, where Chambers made a typical acrobatic move to
catch the ball. Chambers, holding to form, also dropped an easy short pass, but
still looked sharp on the first day of practice. Marty Booker also made a
couple of nice catches, including a nifty 15-yard catch where he positioned
himself perfectly to go over safety Renaldo Hill’s back for a catch. Nick Saban
was asked how long it would take his new WRs to come up to speed. “I’ve been
working with these guys all off-season. I feel very confident in the receiving
corps. You got Chris Chambers, Marty Booker, Wes Welker, Kelly Campbell, and
(Derek) Hagan, who’s a young guy. I’ve got five guys who really can play
football, not to mention, Randy McMichael and Ronnie Brown coming out of the
backfield. These are guys who can really make things happen when they get the ball
in their hands. It makes my job a lot easier.”
TE: Randy
McMichael put in some good work this off-season. He checked into camp in good
condition looking toned and ready to roll. The Dolphins have a pair of new
players backing him up this year. Justin Peelle, a former teammate of Joey
Harrington at
Defense: Jason Allen became a
holdout when camp started and Allen remains unsigned. The impasse was due to Allen seeking a
five-year deal while the team wanted an additional year. Allen is projected as
the team’s starting free safety, but the more practice time he misses the
harder it will be for him to do that. Rookie DT Rodrique Wright, a
seventh-round draft choice, signed a four-year contract but remains sidelined
recovering from shoulder surgery. Linebacker Eddie Moore was waived Friday
after he failed his physical, according to Saban.
Special Teams: Kicker Olindo Mare heads into camp under the
original terms of his contract ($1.4 million salary for this year). He had
complained to the media early in the off-season that the Dolphins were asking
him to take a pay cut. The team referred to it as a “restructuring”, rather
than a “pay cut”. Journeyman camp kicker and NFL Europe veteran Ola Kimrin will
provide relief for Mare during the pre-season. Multi-faceted WR Wes Welker
remains the man to beat for the KR/PR role(s). The most intriguing challenger
is undrafted rookie QB/WR Marcus Vick. Special teams is probably his best shot
at making the final roster. WR Kelly
Campbell, WR Frank Murphy, WR Jamall Broussard, CB Shirdonya Mitchell, and
rookie WR Devin Aromashodu could all see action on returns during camp.
Dolphins
Depth Chart
QB Daunte Culpepper (inj),
Joey Harrington, Cleo Lemon
RB Ronnie Brown, Travis Minor,
Sammy Morris, Kay Jay Harris, Gerald Riggs Jr., Ricky Williams (susp)
FB Darian Barnes, Fred Beasley
WR Chris Chambers, Marty Booker, Wesley Welker (KR/PR), Derek Hagan, Devin Aromashodu, Kendall
Newson, Kelly Campbell, Fred Gibson, Marcus Vick (QB), Eric Kimble, Frank
Murphy (KR), Jamal Broussard (KR)
TE Randy McMichael, Justin Peelle, Keith Heinrich
K Olindo Mare
DE Jason Taylor (OLB), Kevin Carter (DT),
Matt Roth, David Bowens, Ben Ishola
DT Keith Traylor (NT), Vonnie
Holiday, Jeff Zgonina, Manuel Wright (NT), Rodrique
Wright (inj), Fred Evans, Josh Shaw, Kevin Vickerson, Steve Fifita
MLB Zack
Thomas, Lester Towns
OLB Channing
Crowder (W/M), Donnie Spragan (S), Sedrick
Hodge (S), Keith Newman, Derrick Pope (W), Sam McGrew, Trent Bray,
Travis Harris
CB Travis Daniels, Will Allen, Renaldo Hill, Andre Goodman, Will Poole (inj), Shirdonya Mitchell, Eddie Jackson
S Travares
Tillman (SS), Deke Cooper, Jason Allen,
Yeremiah Bell (SS), Norman LeJeune, Michael
Lehan
QB: There were some reports in the
media that QB Brad Johnson would not be at training camp, but that all proved
to be false. His agent Phil Williams cleared
the air on Thursday before camp started. "He will absolutely be at training
RB:
WR: Nate Burleson is gone.
That gives second year WR Troy Williamson an opportunity to blossom as a
starter opposite No. 1 WR Koren Robinson. First, he’ll need to surpass veterans
Travis Taylor and Marcus Robinson. If you listen to Koren Robinson, you get the
idea that Williamson isn’t far off. "I feel like WR Troy Williamson's
going to be the other starter with me," said Robinson. "We're going
to rely on him. He's going to have to carry his weight and some of the load on
offense." On last Thursday, the team signed free agent Dez White, then
waived WR Kelvin Kight on the day before camp.
TE: Jermaine Wiggins has never
been known for his excellent physique, but this off-season Wiggins worked hard
to improve his conditioning and quickness. He believes that will help him
become a better player. "I think it's a key to any offense,” said the
veteran tight end, “I think it's going to be a key to being a better
player." He remains the starter and the new offense will continue to
utilize the tight end as they did before only Jimmy Kleinsasser will move back
into a more traditional role and focus on playing TE instead of FB or H-back.
Defense: The Vikings moved quickly on the eve of camp to sign veteran safety
Dwight Smith, who was released a few days before by the Saints. Smith signed a
$6.5 million deal covering three years. That makes Willie Offord feel like the
odd man out at safety. Darren Sharper has a stronghold on the free safety spot
meaning Offord could compete with Smith and SS Tank Williams, another free
agent signed during the off-season. Offord said, "Everybody's expectation
going into this week was that Tank and I would be competing for the job. I'm
pretty sure that's all changed now with bringing in Dwight. I can't be upset. I
can't be bitter about the situation. Obviously, I'm coming off an ACL injury.
Everything's looking good now, but as coaches, you never know what's going to
happen." Offord, of course, is trying to bounce back to form after
suffering a torn ACL last year. He's fully recovered and he showed up at
training camp three days early to get some extra work in. In one practice over
the weekend, HC Brad Childress got after CB Dustin Fox for colliding with WR
Jason Carter during one-on-one drills. Fox has been too aggressive for
Childress’ taste early in training camp, so he let him know it. The MLB
position remains up for grab between Napoleon Harris and Dontarrious Thomas.
Team could still moving WLB E.J. Henderson back into the mix as well. "All
those guys are capable," said defensive coordinator Mike Tomlin.
"It's not about capable; it's about instinctual. How quickly can they
process information? And that's what we're exploring right now, playing multiple
guys at that spot."
Special Teams: Free agent acquisition
Ryan Longwell is the only kicker on the roster. He noted during minicamp, “I've
worked hard with the holders of course, to make sure we're all on the same
page, and how I want it held, and so I can get used to how they hold it and
their rhythm. At the same time I've been working on new kickoff strategies with
the new coaching staff.” A big question heading into camp is whether WR Koren
Robinson will continue to return kickoffs now that he is a starting receiver.
The coaches have indicated they’d prefer he doesn’t, but it depends upon
whether someone else steps up for the role. RB Mewelde Moore, WR Kevin Kasper,
and DB Dovonte Edwards have been practicing kickoff
returns.
Vikings
Depth Chart
QB Brad Johnson, Mike McMahon, Tarvaris Jackson, J.T. O'Sullivan
RB Chester Taylor, Mewelde Moore (PR/KR) (inj), Ciatrick Fason, Joe Echemandu, Wendell Mathis
FB Tony Richardson, Richard Owens,
Steven Jackson, Brandon Jones, Joey Goodspeed (inj)
WR Koren Robinson, Travis Taylor, Troy Williamson, Marcus Robinson, Billy McMullen,
Aaron Hosack, Dez White, Ryan Hoag, Kevin Kasper, Josh Davis, Jason Carter
TE Jermaine Wiggins, Jim Kleinsasser (FB), Richard Angulo, Jeff Dugan
K Ryan Longwell
DE Erasmus
James, Kenechi Udeze, Darrion Scott, DeQuincy
Scott, Ray Edwards, Jayme Mitchell, Khreem Smith
DT Pat Williams (NT), Kevin Williams
(DE), Spencer Johnson (DT), C.J. Mosley, Eric
Taylor, Manase Hopoi, Ross Kolodziej
MLB Napoleon Harris (M/S), E.J. Henderson (M/W), Rod Davis, Kyle McKenzie
OLB Chad Greenway (W), Ben Leber (S), Dontarrious Thomas (W/M), Heath Farwell (S), Marcus
Lawrence
CB Antoine Winfield, Fred Smoot, Devonte Edwards (KR), Cedric Griffin, Dustin Fox (FS),
Will Hunter, Ronyell Whittaker, Charles Gordon
S Darren Sharper (FS), Tank Williams
(SS), Dwight Smith (SS/FS), Willie Offord
(SS), Greg Blue (FS/SS)
QB: As camp got rolling, head coach
Bill Belichick compared backup QB Matt Cassel's
progress from his rookie season to now with QB Tom Brady’s in 2001. Belichick
said, "
RB: Corey Dillon got off to a good start in camp
giving the crowd something to cheer about after he banged heads on several
carries, taking a pitch 20 yards for a touchdown one on play. Dillon has some
serious competition for playing time this year as the team selected Laurence
Maroney out of
WR: Tom Brady says he has no
concerns about Deion Branch's holdout. He thinks they’ll pick right up where
they left off upon his eventual return. “I don’t think it will take long, I
really don’t,” he said. “I’d like for him to be here today. But when he gets
back, he’s going to be excited to be here and I’ll be excited to have him here.
He’s a big part of our team, a big part of our success.” In last Thursday’s
practice, Belichick got after the players periodically and he even ordered them
to run a lap midway through one of the sessions. Practice was ragged at first
and among the contributors was Reche Caldwell who was chided for not running a
route properly.
TE: Ben Watson has high expectations
coming into this season. The Patriots bolstered their depth at tight end during
the off-season by investing a pair of draft picks on Dave Thomas and Garrett
Mills. Daniel Graham is nearing the end of his contract and the Patriots will
likely allow him to leave following this year, but he remains a punishing
blocker and a dangerous receiver who can make plays as a runner after the
catch. The Patriots are expected to run a lot more double TE formations this
year, thus the draft picks and added depth. Belichick believes they can create
mismatches in both the passing and running games when using two tight ends. Due to the team’s lack of both depth and
immediate talent at wide receiver, they now have several options to consider
here including the rookies Thomas and Mills, who can also line up as a FB or
H-back.
Defense: FS Eugene Wilson has been
working at cornerback early in camp.
Special Teams: The K battle is under way. Martin Gramatica
has been very consistent on field goals after one blocked kick in minicamp.
Rookie Stephen Gostkowski has displayed a
very strong leg, but has been inconsistent. But as Bill Belichick noted, “I
think after one play, one kick, one practice, it's way too early to say, `This
guy is ahead of that guy,' or, `That guy is behind somebody else.'” If the
competition is close, expect Gostkowski to get the nod, although Belichick also
indicated that carrying two kickers is not out of the realm of possibility.
Almost half the team has been practicing on the return game. CB Ellis Hobbs, RB
Kevin Faulk, RB Laurence Maroney, WR Reche Caldwell, CB Willie Andrews, WR John
Stone, WR Chad
Jackson, and WR Bam Childress have all practiced kickoff
returns. CB Willie Andrews, RB Kevin Faulk, CB Ellis Hobbs, WR John Stone, RB
Laurence Maroney, WR Matt Shelton, WR Chad Jackson, WR Bam Childress,
WR Reche
Caldwell, and WR Troy Brown have all practiced punt returns. The player
with probably the most potential and who has shown the most promise in
minicamp, OTAs, and camp is seventh round draft pick
Willie Andrews.
Patriots
Depth Chart
QB Tom Brady (inj), Matt
Cassel, Corey Bramlet
RB Corey Dillon, Laurence Maroney, Kevin Faulk (3RB), Heath Evans
(FB), Patrick Cobbs
FB Patrick Pass (3RB), Garrett Mills
(TE/HB)
WR Deion Branch, Reche Caldwell, Chad Jackson, Troy Brown, Bam
Childress, Erik Davis, Matt Shelton, Michael McGrew, Zuriel Smith, John Stone,
Rich Musinski, Keron Henry
TE Daniel
Graham, Ben Watson, David Thomas, Matt Brandt, Walter Rasby
K Martin Gramatica, Stephen Gostkowski
DE Richard Seymour (DT), Ty Warren (DT),
Jarvis Green, Marquise Hill, Ifo Pili
NT Vince Wilfork, Mario Monds, Dan
Klecko, Johnathan Sullivan, Le Kevin Smith
MLB Tedy Bruschi (inj), Mike Vrabel (S/I), Chad Brown, Monty Beisel, Larry Izzo, Don Davis,
Barry Gardner, Fred Roach
OLB Rosevelt
Colvin (W/DE), Tully Banta-Cain (S), Pierre
Woods, Jeremy Mincey
CB Asante Samuel, Ellis Hobbs (KR), Randall Gay (inj), Eric Warfield, Hank
Poteat, Chad Scott, Willie Andrews, Antwain Spann, Vernell Brown
S Eugene Wilson (FS/CB), Rodney
Harrison (inj), Artrell Hawkins (SS), Tebucky Jones (SS/FS), James Sanders (SS), Mel
Mitchell, Guss Scott
QB: Drew Brees received medical
clearance and participated fully in practice as training camp began. In the
opening day of practice, Brees threw 25-yard passes accurately over the middle
several times and showed his trademark finesse on a 30-yard fade that was
caught by sure-handed rookie Mike Hass. Earlier in drills, Brees uncorked a
long throw downfield that was caught by rookie WR Marques Colston. Brees will
limit himself to 80 throws per day during camp to be on the safe side. He’s
been throwing since April and hasn’t suffered any setbacks. Head coach Sean
Payton was impressed with the team’s progress at QB, particularly that of 2nd
year QB Adrian McPherson, who was seen working in punt return drills. Payton
has also been impressed with McPherson's progress at quarterback. "I want
to see him do a lot of things. He's a great athlete. He might be the best
athlete on the team," Payton said. So, if McPherson can't work his way up
to second-string then he doesn't want to see waste McPherson’s talent on the
bench. Peyton added, “To give a guy a full opportunity to make the team, it
would be smart of me to see him do some things other than just take snaps. Can
he catch the ball at receiver, can he return punts, can he cover? Because the
more he can do, the better his chances are for making the team."
RB: With Reggie Bush under contract, everyone in the Big Easy can take a
deep breath of relief. Now he simply needs to get accustomed to his new
surroundings, and most notably, learn Payton’s offense. Payton commented, “it's
a new offense for him [Bush]…and so there's a lot of nuances that go onto a
rookie's plate. A lot of things that really are on him, learning for him, and
no different than the rest of this rookie class. So I'm sure he'll be excited
to be in… We'll be ready to go. He'll be ready.” On a humorous note regarding
Bush, Joe Horn said that he nicknamed him, "Baby Matrix" because his running
style reminded him of Keanu Reeves' Neo character dodging bullets in a
slow-motion effect. Meanwhile, Deuce McAllister began camp in uniform. He
looked good but remained cautious in his approach. "The first three or
four days are the toughest ones, then once your body adjusts to it you're
pretty much normal," said McAllister, who was limited to one practice
Saturday, while stretching and riding the stationary bike during the afternoon
session. That will be the plan for him for the next week or so. "It's
sore, but that's a part of it. You've just got to fight through it and continue
to take it one day at a time, see how it feels this afternoon and go from
there. It's just fighting through it and trying to be smart with it."
Payton wasn’t sure if McAllister would play in the first preseason game in two
weeks, but they wore full pads for the first time Saturday morning. It marked the
first time McAllister had worn full pads since Week 5 of last season. "Is
he where he wants to be? I'm sure he's probably not. But he is
progressing," Payton said. "It's hard for me to give you a percentage
on where he is, but he is progressing, and he's got to keep getting his weight
down." McAllister came into camp
weighing around 237 and wants to get to 230. After practicing, McAllister said
the knee has had a little swelling and soreness, but said he’ll be fine and
will fight through it. “It’s sore, but that’s part of it,” he said. “You just
got to fight through it and continue to take it one day at a time, see how it
feels and go from there. We have a little swelling, it’s just a matter of
fighting through that and trying to be smart with it.” In day two, Aaron
Stecker showed good speed after catching a short pass from QB Todd Bouman in
drills. When RB Michael Bennett was signed months ago, it was to be the primary
backup. "I'm still the same
home-run threat I was five years ago," Bennett said. With his trade on
August 1st to the Kansas City Chiefs, he’ll compete for the backup
spot behind RB Larry Johnson.
WR: Joe Horn reportedly worked
harder than ever during the off-season to regain his Pro Bowl form that was
missing last season. One the first day of drills, he showed some of that flash
making an inside move around a defensive back after catching a pass from Brees.
Devery Henderson lined up as a starter opposite Horn replacing Donte’
Stallworth, who was removed from a mini-camp practice a month ago for being
late.
TE: This position has plenty of
competition. Payton pointed to the importance of this camp for veteran Ernie
Conwell, who started every game in the first half of 2005 before a knee injury
sidelined him. "Well the camp is important to Ernie, and the tight end
position is important to our offense," Payton said about Conwell.
"The camp is important to him because he hasn't been involved as much in
our offseason due to his injuries." He went to discuss all of the players
competing. "Well, there are a lot of guys there and we're just going to
have to take a look," said Payton. "Today is the first day that we're
going to watch them on tape and run game situations and see who is blocking and
who is doing what in the passing game. We went out in the offseason and got a
few guys aside from Ernie and Mark Campbell, you got Zach Hilton there, and
Nate Lawrie. Tim Euhus came in as well as Billy Miller. They're all competing
for three or four positions." Ernie Conwell has been running with the first
team offense most so far.
Defense: LB Anthony Simmons was a no-show
on the first day of camp and Payton referred to it as an unexcused absence. In
practice, LB Colby Bockwoldt made a nice play on WR Mike Hass when Colby
knocked the ball out of Hass' hands following a catch as safety Bryan Scott
recovered near the sideline. In another play, Scott hauled in an interception
while pursuing a receiver down field. Fred Thomas got some attention, too. He picked
off a pass during the first day of drills. He also came up with a diving
interception during team drills when Devery Henderson couldn’t hang on to a hot
pass from Todd Bouman. Thomas kept the ball alive, managed to tip it to himself
and cradled it with both arms before it could hit the ground. In OL-DL drills
on day three, DE Will Smith manhandled an offensive lineman. In the morning
practice of day two, S Jay Bellamy stepped in front of a pass for an
interception... Meanwhile, DT Hollis Thomas couldn’t help himself on one
running play when he flat out leveled Aaron Stecker drawing “ooohs” from the crowd. Last week, the Saints finally did
what most expected them to do all summer cutting safety Dwight Smith a week
before camp started. He signed with the Vikings a few days later.
Special Teams: Kicker John Carney is back for his 19th
season in the NFL. Also on the roster is undrafted
rookie kicker Connor Hughes out of
Saints
Depth Chart
QB Drew Brees, Jamie
Martin, Todd Bouman, Adrian McPherson, Jason Fife
RB Deuce McAllister, Reggie Bush (KR/PR), Aaron Stecker (3RB/KR), Ray
Hudson
FB Mike Karney, Fred McAfee. Jamar
Martin
WR Joe Horn, Donte Stallworth, Devery Henderson, Bethel Johnson, Chris Horn, Michael
Lewis (KR/PR), Mike Hass, Lance Moore, Chase Lyman, Jamal Jones
TE Zach Hilton,
Mark Campbell, Ernie Conwell (inj), Tim Euhus, Nate Lawrie, Billy Miller, Marcus
Colston, Wesley Dukes
K John Carney, Connor Hughes
DE Charles Grant, Will Smith, Tony Bryant, Rob Ninkovich, Tommy Davis
DT Brian
Young, Willie Whitehead, Hollis Thomas, Rodney
Leisle, McKinley Boykin, Brandon Villareal
MLB Alfred
Fincher, Colby Bockwoldt (W/M), Cie
Grant
OLB Scott
Fujita (S), Tommy Polley (W), Anthony Simmons (S/W), Jay Foreman,
Terrence Melton (W), E.J. Kuale, Bobby Iwuchukwu, James Allen (S) (inj)
CB Mike
McKenzie, Jason Craft, Fred Thomas, Joey
Thomas, Josh Lay, Grant Mason, Anwar Phillips, Ray Williams
S Josh Bullocks (FS), Bryan Scott
(SS/FS), Roman Harper (FS), Steve
Gleason (FS), Jay Bellamy (SS)
QB: Tom
Coughlin bristled when asked about Eli Manning’s progress during the off-season
as camp started. “This is the 9,733rd time I’ve
answered this question,” retorted Coughlin. He simply pointed to Manning’s film
work, team-best attendance in the workout program, his throwing session and
great attitude. As for Manning himself, well, he wants to limits his mistakes
this season. "Sometimes you get away with (improper form), so you get
dependent on it and you start doing it more. That's when it starts to hurt
you." He’s beginning to know when to throw it away or just take a sack
instead of risking a turnover. On Saturday afternoon, Manning made some
impressive throws, but he still had some poor throws that were off the mark
along the sidelines. On Saturday morning, they opened with 11-on-11 drills. Eli
hit WR Amani Toomer with a quick pass over the middle, then on the next play he
had an outstanding hand-off to RB Brandon Jacobs. Outstanding handoff? Eli
faked a hand-off to WR Sinorice Moss on a fake reverse after Jacobs had the
ball. Eli is doing a supreme job of selling the fakes and doing it smoothly. Manning,
Tim Hasselbeck, and Jared Lorenzen all look significantly better at locating
the open receivers and all are more accurate than they were a year ago. Rob
Johnson will need time to get familiar with the system, the playbook and
receivers. He may take a while before Coughlin can tell if he’s ready for prime
time again.
RB: Second
year back Brandon Jacobs is seeing plenty of carries early on
in camp. He seems to be running strong and trying to keep his shoulders low. Meanwhile,
big surprise here, Tiki Barber continues to dart through tiny holes in the
defense for nice gains. Jacobs consulted
Eddie George in the off-season for tips. “I watched a lot of Eddie George film
to see how he was running when he got in the league,” Jacobs said between
training camp sessions. “I talked to him a little bit about how he worked on
getting his hips down and being able to stay low, those kinds of things. I talk
to him occasionally.” Jacobs is currently practicing with the 2nd string, while
Derrick Ward is running with the third string. Ward is playing well also. Little
John Flowers has impressed some with his speed, agility, and pass catching and James
Sims is doing almost as well.
WR: In Saturday’s afternoon
practice, Amani Toomer caught a deep sideline passes against CB Sam Madison and
another against CB Corey Webster. It doesn’t look like he’s lost any speed. Plaxico
Burress made a nice catch in full stride over the middle that would have been
an incompletion for most receivers since the ball was about two feet over his
head. On another play, Plaxico dropped a pass from Eli that was only knee high.
Tim Carter suffers from patella tendonitis in his left knee, but he appeared to
be running fast and cutting without problems. “You have little nagging things
sometimes with football, just in training or when you get into the season,”
said Carter. “You have stuff that you have to push through, so I’m hoping this
is just one of those things that’s easy to push through.” Carter made one catch
that was quite impressive as he ran down the sideline well covered. There was
about 8 or 10 yards of open space inside. Eli Manning threw the ball to that
spot and Carter adjusted and somehow he had the speed to go get the ball before
the defender. In Saturday morning’s practice, Willie Ponder, Harry Williams,
and Michael Jennings all made catches and looked good. QB Jared Lorenzen caught
big Anthony Mix in stride for a nice gain. WR Plaxico Burress injured his right
ankle on August 2nd, and it’s not clear yet how long he’ll be
sidelined.
TE: Jeremy
Shockey showed up to camp sporting a new tattoo. He didn’t take long to get the
crowd worked up either. He made one of his patented sliding
catches on a low Eli throw that drew a big response from the crowd. Shockey
suffered a mild concussion after getting hit by FS Will Demps on Monday, and
was still experiencing headaches on Tuesday. On Saturday morning, TE Wade
Fletcher made a couple nice catches. If he develops as a blocker, he might make
the team. Boo Williams hasn’t done anything yet. Saturday afternoon, Vishante
Shiancoe caught a pass, but messed up on a few others. In the morning, he
looked good catching a pass in the corner of the end zone during 11-on-11
drills.
Defense: There are plenty of new faces on
the defensive side of the ball in camp. Chief among them is Lavar Arrington,
but others include rookie DE Mathias Kiwanuka, CB Sam Madison and FS Will
Demps. LB Thomas Carroll is handling the switch from defensive end well,
prompting coach Coughlin to note, "He can run – that young man can run. We
can use him as an end as well, so we're going to do some of that in the
pass-rush situation." Will Demps has not been limited at all during the
first few days of camp either. Coughlin wasn’t surprised. "He felt great
in the spring and we slowed him down, to be honest with you. We're just going
to see these two days right here whether or not he can maintain this kind of
pace where he goes twice a day … He wants to go, and the medical people have
cleared him to. I'm really happy." Safety James Butler did not go into
details about a kidney ailment that forced him to the Active/Non-Football
Illness list. He did say that it was a problem he has had since birth and that
it is not career-threatening. He will be examined by a doctor next week.
Special Teams: Jay Feely comes off the second year of his
career where he led the NFL in scoring. He won’t get to relax in camp, since
he’s the only kicker on the roster. The Giants have plenty of talent in the
return game. Return specialist RB Chad Morton is back and the favorite to
return both kickoffs and punts. The player to watch in camp is second round draft pick WR Sinorice Moss. He doesn’t have extensive experience on returns, but he
definitely has the requisite skills.
Giants
Depth Chart
QB Eli Manning, Tim
Hasselbeck, Rob Johnson, Jared Lorenzen
RB Tiki Barber, Brandon Jacobs (SD), Derrick Ward, Chad Morton (PR),
James Sims, Little John Flowers, Ryan Grant (inj)
FB Jim Finn
WR Plaxico Burress, Amani Toomer, David Tyree, Tim Carter, Sinorice Moss, Willie
Ponder (KR), Anthony Mix, Harry Williams
TE Jeremy Shockey, Vishante
Shiancoe, Boo Williams, Tony Jackson, Darcy Johnson
K Jay Feely
DE Michael
Strahan, Osi Umenyiora, Justin Tuck, Mathias
Kiwanuka, Eric Moore, Willie Evans, Thomas Carroll
DT William
Joseph, Fred Robbins, Damane Duckett, Barry
Cofield, Jonas Seawright, Ahmad Childress, Junior Ioane, Marcus Green
MLB Antonio Pierce (W/M), Gerris Wilkerson,
Kevin Lewis, Chase Blackburn
OLB Lavar
Arrington (S), Carlos Emmons (W) (inj), Reggie
Torbor (S), Brandon Short (S), Nick McNeil
CB Sam Madison, Corey Webster, R.W. McQuarters (FS/PR), Frank Walker (RFA),
Curtis Deloatch, Jason Bell, Brandon Williams, Gerrick McPhearson, E.J.
Underwood, Kevin Dockery
S Gibril Wilson (SS), Will Demps (FS), Quentin Harris, Charlie Peprah (SS), James
Butler (inj)
QB: Coming off shoulder surgery for
the 2nd season in a row, Chad Pennington took a limited number of snaps on the
opening day of practice but he did throw a 64-yard touchdown pass that traveled
40 yards in the air. Pennington realize that he’s fighting for his job and
career. He used the words "precious" and "finite" to describe
his career. "It's made me appreciate the opportunities that I have as a
professional athlete… and I think when you're injured, you start to realize how
finite your career can be and how quickly it can go. I look back, this is my
seventh year, and it's gone by." Head coach Eric Mangini
has called training camp an open competition and he’s dividing the reps among Pennington,
Patrick Ramsey, Kellen Clemens and Brooks Bollinger. "I'm not going to lie
about it," Pennington said. "It is a little bit difficult. He's not
pulling any punches and he's not playing any favorites. It's made me better." Rookie Kellen
Clemens has flashed some potential and impressed Mangini,
but he knows it won’t all come easy for the rookie. “Kellen has been
outstanding in terms of the classroom, his preparation, his work ethic, his
maturity, all of that...,” said Mangini. “I think that all of that has been great, but
when you’re working without pads and you transition to pads, the speed of the
game increases dramatically. And that’s
always a transition – getting used to the speed of the game. So, he’s going to have to adjust to that.”
Meanwhile, Patrick Ramsey is making his own transition – to a new team and
offensive system. Ramsey looked sharp in the first morning session. “I feel
like I’m doing better,” he said. “I felt better about running this offense than
I possibly did then (the spring), but I studied a lot in the time from mini
camp to now. I am going to continue to do so throughout training camp.” Mangini liked Ramsey’s conditioning. “He has gotten his
weight down,” said Mangini. “He is really
working on his footwork. He’s like the rest of that group - impressive in
the classroom. So, Patrick’s made a lot of progress and I’m pleased with
what he’s done so far.” Reports surfaced on Wednesday that Pennington had won
the competition, but Mangini explicitly denied that
saying “I can just tell you as the Head Coach of this football team what I told
everybody in here yesterday is exactly the same. The rotation will continue and
there is no change on that situation.”
RB: At 33
years old, Curtis Martin remains dedicated to his craft and he’s working hard
to get back on the field. He started camp on the PUP list. "To be honest, it hurts more than the physical
pain, not being out there," said Martin, who could walk away with a
decorated career, but he still wants to play football. He made that clear.
Asked if there's any doubt in his mind about playing this season, Martin
replied: "I'm not going to comment on that at all.” He then quickly added,
"Please don't go and insinuate." He replied without hesitation when
asked if he wants to play. "Oh, yeah," he said. "I wouldn't be
doing all this work for nothing. My fire will burn until the day I'm done with
football. ... For me, it ends when it ends. Right now, that's not where my mind
is at… It hurts… I'm a leader on this team and you can't lead standing on the
sidelines." He doesn’t sound like a guy ready to hang it up. In his
absence, veteran Derrick Blaylock and second-year man Cedric Houston are running
with the starters. "Curtis is always telling me things," said
Houston, who worked with the first team on Saturday. "He tells me when
I've cut wrong and how to hit the hole. He's always teaching."
WR: Justin McCareins was placed on the PUP list on the first day of came,
but he returned to the field on Sunday. He was on the PUP for disciplinary
reasons, apparently. Mangini wouldn't specify why
McCareins was deactivated, but said he was put back on the active roster after
passing a conditioning test at 6:30 a.m. Saturday. One of the stars in the
early going of camp has been Jerricho Cotchery. He’s looking for a bigger role
in the offense this year with the retirement of Wayne Chrebet. He’ll compete
with veteran Tim Dwight.
TE: Chris Baker and Doug Jolley will revisit
their training camp competition from last year. Baker started fast last season
before suffering a season ending injury as Jolley finished the year as the
starter. Mangini commented on Baker Wednesday, saying
“I think that Chris has come in really good shape. He came in looking like he
had done a lot of work in the brief time he had off between the off-season
program and the start (of training camp). He’s a pretty effective blocker, he’s
caused some problems in the past. I’m pleased with the way he’s approaching
things.” Joel Dreessen is also competing for a role.
Defense: Dewayne Robertson, the team’s
starting nose tackle, showed up to camp weighing 310 pounds. The drop in weight
is not a concern to him and he foresees no problems playing lighter. Robertson said, "Nose tackle is a
great position. I'm having fun learning how to play it. Really, I'm just here
willing to play any position they asked me to play. It's not a big deal."
The Jets defensive line was overhauled in the offseason after John Abraham’s
departure. The two players who figure to have the best chance to make an impact
are DE Bryan Thomas and DT Sione Pouha. “He (Mangini)
made it clear where he wanted us to be at and I got the message, so I went back
to the weight room and I went back to my locker,” said Pouha. “I just wrote a few things done and said,
‘This is where I have to be at to be on the team and to help the team and this
is where I have to go.’ I have always
kept that in mind during the off-season.
When I went home, I didn’t relax.
I kind of kept an open mind and went at it.” Now, Pouha now weighs 300
pounds. “I had to eat better - stop the McDonalds and stop the Wendy’s,” said
Pouha. “I pretty much put myself on a
strict diet and began eating healthier, eating smarter, and I got my body able
to play.” Pouha’s body transformation was noted by Mangini this weekend. “Sione came back in outstanding
shape. He has really worked hard to reshape his body,” said the first-year head
coach. “He spent a lot of time with guys
like Kimo and he is working at his craft, and I have been pleased with his
progress.” Of course, Mangini is referring to Kimo
von Oelhoffen, who was signed as a free agent to further replenish their DL and
has experience in the 3-4 formation. “Kimo has had the chance to work with me a
lot. I have been following him and he’s
emphasized technique,” said Pouha. “We
have done a lot of work with the hands.
Anything like that to help the team out is what it’s all about.” Pouha
and CB David Barrett both have missed some practice sessions with leg injuries.
Special Teams: Kicker Mike Nugent will look to improve both
his field goal accuracy and his kickoffs in his second year. The Jets offense
needs to work on providing him with more scoring opportunities. Rookie kicker
D.J. Fitzpatrick out of Notre Dame is the camp leg. Free agent acquisition WR Tim Dwight enters camps as the favorite to return
punts, with WR Jerricho Cotchery the next in line. The kickoff return situation
is less clear. CB Justin Miller had an excellent rookie year, and should be the
favorite again this year. The team however has several other qualified
candidates. Dwight and Cotchery have both had success returning kickoffs, along
with RB Derrick Blaylock who wasn’t a factor last year due to injury.
Jets
Depth Chart
QB Chad Pennington (inj), Patrick
Ramsey, Kellen Clemens, Brooks Bollinger
RB Curtis Martin (inj), Cedric Houston, Derrick Blaylock, Leon Washington,
Stacy Tutt (QB/WR), Nick Hartigan
FB B.J. Askew
WR Laveranues Coles, Justin
McCareins, Jerricho Cotchery, Tim Dwight (PR),
Brad Smith, Dante Ridgeway, Maurice Avery, Deqawn Mobley, Reggie Newhouse, Phil
Silva
TE Chris Baker, Doug Jolley, Joel Dreessen, Jason Pociask
K Mike Nugent
DE Shaun Ellis, Kimo Van
Oelhoffen, Trevor Johnson, Dave Ball,
Darrell Adams
NT Dewayne Robertson, Sione Pouha, Matt McChesney, Monsanto Pope, Titus Adams, Brennan Schmidt
ILB Jonathan Vilma, Brad Kassell, Anthony Schlegel
OLB Eric Barton (W) (inj), Victor Hobson
(S), Bryan Thomas (DE), Matt Chatham (S),
Darrell McClover, Craig Bailey, Blake Costanzo, Alonzo Jackson
CB David Barrett, Andre Dyson, Justin Miller (KR), Derrick Straight, Ray Mickens, Andrew
Davison, Roosevelt Williams, Lamont Reid, D.J. Johnson, Drew Coleman, Rayshun
Reed
S Erik Coleman (SS), Kerry Rhodes (FS), Rashad Washington, Eric Smith (SS), James Taylor,
Andre Maddox, Jamie Thompson, Jovon Johnson
QB: The difference between Aaron
Brooks and Kerry Collins is simple. When
everything heads south, Brooks runs. "The thing that he brings is
mobility," wide receiver Doug Gabriel said. "If a play breaks down,
he can take off and run. That's what we've needed the past few years and that's
what he's going to give us. We haven't had it since Rich Gannon." For his
part, Brooks seems to be working hard and taking it all in stride. "All
this is new to me, which makes it more exciting," Brooks said. "I am
more than aware that all eyes are on me. That doesn't bother me at all. I get
to go out there and be myself on the field. You're allowed to be the player you
like to be. I'm going to embrace it." Teammates are taking to him. On one
play, Brooks took off running and dove for the goal line. In camp, quarterbacks
are off limits, but Brooks jumped back up on his feet and gave DT Warren Sapp a
little tap. A small gesture, but the players like that stuff. Brooks is
asserting himself in the first week of camp to be a leader. When the offense
lined up wrong on one play, Brooks called it off, and then he let them know
exactly what went wrong. Before camp started, head coach Art Shell said Brooks
was the starter but nothing was finalized. It’s only one week, but Brooks seems
to be ending that discussion with his performance. "I want to see him step
forward," Shell said. "I want him to be totally comfortable with the
system that we have so that he can get in and out of the huddles with good
tempo, know exactly where he's going with the ball so he can put us in a good
spot. I think he's doing well." On Saturday, Andrew Walter didn’t have
much success with the 2nd team. He fired one low pass to Jerry Porter, who
caught it, but quickly pointed to Walter where he should have thrown it. The biggest
play of the day came from Marques Tuiasosopo, who ran out of the pocket and
took off down the left sideline for a 20-yard gain prompting DE Derrick Burgess
to get visibly upset. "Why is the quarterback running like that? Hit the
(expletive) out of the quarterback! Tui ALWAYS wants to run.''
RB: LaMont
WR: The story amongst the
receivers was Jerry Porter. He strained his calf on opening day, but was on the
field on Saturday to practice despite being an unhappy camper. There’s no
denying the rift between Porter and Shell now. Last Tuesday, Porter clearly
laid it all out. Porter wants to be traded. "Yes. Absolutely. I've told
them that," Porter said on the team's first day of practice at training
camp in
TE: The Raiders plan on
utilizing the TE more this season and the TEs have been noticeably more
involved in team drills. "This offense seems more tight-end friendly to
me," said James Adkisson, a converted receiver.
"The tight end gets to read a lot of things. If you're doing the right
thing, you should come open. Seven times out of 10 you should be open if you're
making the right read." The Raiders head into camp with Courtney Anderson,
John Paul Foschi and Randal Williams competing for playing time, while Adkisson, O.J. Santiago,
Defense: LB Sam Williams hopes to stay
healthy this year. So does Art Shell, which is why he reluctantly answered a
question regarding his progress. "Don't ask me," Shell said.
"The minute you ask me something like that, something will happen."
In each of Williams' first three years in the NFL, he suffered season-ending
injuries. LB Danny Clark, has been supplanted by LB Kirk Morrison at starting
middle linebacker, but he doesn’t plan on being a reserve role for long.
"This is not a different role, it's just some adversity that every athlete
goes through,"
Special Teams: The Raiders will be keeping a close watch on
kicker Sebastian Janikowski. He had his worst pro year last year, and has been
inconsistent early in camp. Art Shell recently noted, “The pressure’s on him. I told him every time he
misses, the team runs, so that’s the pressure that he has. Sebastian’s in good
shape. He came into camp with his weight down, the way it needs to be. He’s got
a very strong leg, as you know. We just have to work to
get him on a consistent basis from every yard line area. So every zone that he
misses, I looked at the stats from last year and I saw where he really had some
problems so we just have to improve that area and keep the good areas up and
we'll be fine.'' Kickers Tim Duncan and David Kimball are also on the roster. The
return game is once again in the capable hands and legs of CB Chris Carr. Jockeying for backup return
roles are WR Doug Gabriel, RB Rod Smart, WR Carlos Francis, and possibly
CB Fabian Washington.
Raiders
Depth Chart
QB Aaron Brooks, Andrew
Walter, Marques Tuiasosopo, Kent Smith
RB LaMont Jordan, Justin Fargas, Rod Smart (KR), ReShard Lee, DeJuan
Green
FB Zack Crockett (SD/3RB), Joe
Hall
WR Randy Moss, Jerry Porter, Doug Gabriel, Ron Curry (PR) (inj), Alvis Whitted,
Carlos Francis (KR), Johnnie Morant, Kevin McMahan, Rick Gatewood, James Adkisson
TE Courtney Anderson, John Paul Foschi (FB), Randal Williams, Marcellus
Rivers, O.J. Santiago, John Madsen, Jacob Brown
K Sebastian Janikowski
DE Derrick Burgess, Tyler Brayton, Bobby Hamilton, Grant Irons, Lance Johnstone, Bryant
McNeal, Ryan Riddle
DT Warren Sapp (inj), Tommy Kelly, Ed Jasper, Terdell Sands (NT) (RFA), Anttaj
Hawthorne, Kenny Smith, Donnell Washington
MLB Kirk Morrison (I/W), Danny Clark (I)
OLB Sam Williams (S) (inj), Thomas Howard (S), Robert Thomas (S/W), Darnell Bing
(S/W), Isaiah Ekejiuba, Henri Crockett
CB Nnamdi Asomugha, Fabian Washington, Stanford Routt, Tyrone Poole, Duane Starks
S Stuart Schweigert (FS), Derrick Gibson
(SS), Michael Huff (S/CB), Chris Carr (PR), Calvin
Branch, Keyon Nash
QB: Donovan McNabb comes into camp
feeling great and motivated to recapture the Eagles’ winning ways. He also
seems set on using his feet more this year after running less and less in
recent years. "I'm able to get out of the pocket a little more with a
little speed," he said. "It puts a lot of pressure on defenses.
People know that I can get out of the pocket." Offensive coordinator Marty
Mornhinweg agreed. “He’s healthy right now ... He can
push and move and groove a little bit, he's got a little juice with his feet
right now.” Jeff Garcia is entrenched as the number two QB, but Timmy Chang
will try to unseat Koy Detmer for the No. 3 job in camp. Detmer, an excellent
holder as well, is being challenged by P Dirk Johnson to be the holder for PK David
Akers.
RB: Brian
Westbrook looked great in the first days of camp. Behind him, the Eagles have a
slew of backs competing for various roles or even just a roster spot. Ryan
Moats is the favorite to earn a significant role as Westbrook’s top backup, but
he sprained a ligament in his knee last Wednesday. On August 2nd, he
missed his fifth straight day of practice. That put Bruce Perry into a position
to display his talents, but he’s been sidelined as well. Before the injury,
Moats had two nice runs in a row displaying some burst up the middle and bouncing
outside along the sidelines. Meanwhile, Reno Mahe broke off a long TD run in
practice when Koy Detmer rolled out and tossed him a pass over a defender.
Rookie guard Max Jean-Gilles made a nice block to buy Detmer some time on the
play. Mahe now figures more prominently as he gets more snaps as long as Moats
and Perry are on the sidelines. Perry could be a sleeper, but not until he gets
healthy. Westbrook said "I think
Bruce is someone who has the ability to play in this league." Then there
is Correll Buckhalter. He’s the feel-good story in camp, as long as he avoids
another injury. He’s been held out of contact drills, but he’d like to be
running and in the middle of the action. "I just want to punish
somebody," he said. "I envision myself running and making plays and
having contact." Also on the injury
front, FB Thomas Tapeh missed a fourth day of practice with a hamstring injury.
WR: The Eagles will downplay their need for a true #1 receiver, but the truth
is they need more than one receiver to emerge this season. McNabb wasn’t
concerned about the lack of a “go to” guy saying, “We have a great group of
guys here who work well together. We spread the ball around." In reality,
the “go to” guy is probably RB Brian Westbrook. For now, it looks like it will
be 2nd year WR Reggie Brown. The coaches want to go slowly with Todd Pinkston
as he returns from injury, so that means Greg Lewis and Jabar Gaffney will also
get long looks. On the opening day of camp, the play of the day was provided by
Brown when he took a double reverse around left end and went untouched for a
45-yard TD. "I'm not a veteran by any means, but I'm more advanced than I
would have been if T.O. had remained here," Brown said. "I got the
chance to go out there and play every day. I think I really settled into my
position the last three games of the season. I felt like I was coming into my own
and getting a grasp of how to play and how to attack certain defenses and
players." In Saturday morning’s workout, Brown suffered a hamstring
sprain, which was later referred to as a spasm. Rookie Hank Baskett has looked
good with an array of notable catches. "He's doing a nice job," Reid
said. "He's had some nice catches. He's catching the football, which is a
big thing. He runs good routes, and he's a big target." Baskett was
undrafted, but he says, "You do what you gotta do." He was a crowd
favorite after a gem of a 15-yard TD catch on an underthrown
McNabb pass early in camp. Rookie Jason Avant was activated on Monday while
Jeremy Bloom remains on the team’s PUP list. More highlights: Last Wednesday,
Darnerian McCants caught a long pass from Jeff Garcia and ran down the left
side for a 50-yard touchdown. On Monday, Avant looked great making two
outstanding plays from the slot.
TE: L.J.
Smith returned to the field on Monday after suffering from shoulder issues that
kept him out of practice for several days. The coaches said Smith will try to
keep playing through the pain. Matt Schobel struggled with some dropped passes
early in camp, but took it all in stride when the crowd jeered him. "That's fair," Schobel
said after the morning practice. "If I catch the ball, they cheer, and if
I don't, they boo, or whatever they do. That's all part of it." Marty Mornhinweg's impression? "Number one, he's doing an
excellent job of separating. Certainly, he needs to catch the ball on a
consistent basis. If you catch the football, it gives you a chance to play for
us. If you don't catch the football, you're not playing. It's as simple as
that." Schobel said “ I've
never had that problem before … It's just been a couple of days where I've
dropped a couple, and I'm not going to make too big of a deal out of it... .
I'm going to keep working at it so it doesn't continue to happen." Schobel
ran with the first-team offense while starter L.J. Smith was out.
Defense: Based on the first workout in pads, the defense appeared ahead of the
offense. Cornerback Sheldon Brown and newcomer DE Darren Howard, a free-agent
from
Special Teams: David Akers will take it easy in camp, after
missing part of last year with a hamstring injury. The left-footed kicker has
been warming up his right leg by kicking a soccer ball in order to
counterbalance himself. Camp leg E.J.
Cochrane will help keep Akers rested. Akers will also be keeping close tabs on
the holder situation in camp, since long time holder Koy Detmer’s
days appear numbered. The kickoff and punt return situation is complicated by
injury heading into camp. The Eagles drafted WR Jeremy Bloom with the hope that
he would be their return specialist. He was out of football for two years after
being stripped of NCAA eligibility and now has missed quite a lot of practice
time with a strained hamstring. Safety J.R. Reed continues his improbable
comeback from a severe peroneal nerve leg injury.
He’s looking good so far, but whether he’ll be anywhere close to his 2004 form
by the end of camp remains to be seen. RB Bruce Perry enters camp as the top
KR, but Bloom and/or Reed could eventually overtake him. If Bloom returns,
he’ll compete against RB Reno Mahe and CB Dexter Wynn on punt returns.
Eagles
Depth Chart
QB Donovan McNabb, Jeff
Garcia, Koy Detmer, Timmy Chang
RB Brian Westbrook, Ryan Moats (inj), Bruce Perry (KR), Reno Mahe (PR),
Correll Buckhalter (inj)
FB Josh Parry, Thomas Tapeh, Jason Davis
WR Reggie Brown (inj), Todd
Pinkston (inj), Greg Lewis, Jabar Gaffney, Jason Avant, Darnerien McCants,
Jeremy Bloom (KR/PR), Hank Baskett, Carl Ford, Justin Jenkins, Bill Sampy, J.J.
Outlaw, Derrick Fenner, Jermaine Jamison
TE L.J. Smith, Matt Schobel, Steven Spach, Jonas Crafts
K David Akers
DE Jevon
Kearse, Darren Howard, Trent Cole, Jerome
McDougle, Juqua Thomas
DT Mike Patterson, Darwin Walker, Sam Rayburn, Brodrick Bunkley, Ed Jasper, Keyonta
Marshall, LaJuan Ramsey
MLB Jeremiah Trotter, Mark Simoneau (W/M), Omar Gaither (W/M)
OLB Dhani Jones (S), Shawn Barber (W), Matt McCoy (W), Chris Gocong (S), Jason
Short (S), Dedrick Roper (S), Greg Richmond, Torrence Daniels
CB Sheldon
Brown, Lito Sheppard (inj), Roderick Hood
(KR), Donald Strickland, Matt Ware, Dexter Wynn, Joselio Hanson, Mark
Clark
S Brian Dawkins (FS), Michael Lewis (SS),
Quintin Mikell (FS), Sean Considine (SS), J.R.
Reed (FS/KR), Scott Ware (SS)
QB: Ben Roethlisberger wasted no time when camp started. He was out there
running wind sprints with his offensive linemen just a few weeks after his
near-fatal motorcycle crash. "It was important for me. A lot of guys were
asking me, 'Are you really going to run? You don't have to go out and prove
anything to us.' But it was important for me to get out there and show the guys
and the coaches that I'm out here and I'm going to give it my all," he
said. Roethlisberger was sharp during the initial portions of practice. He was crisp
and on target with his throws, but then he was intercepted by Deshea Townsend
during 11-on-11 drills on a pass intended for Nate Washington. Later, Cowher
said Roethlisberger banged his thumb on a helmet during the follow-through on
the throw but the quarterback didn't miss a repetition. "I don't get hit
for a long time, so I'm good," said Roethlisberger about his ability to
take contact. "I want to let Coach know I'm ready whenever he needs
me." The Steelers cut hometown product Rod Rutherford before camp started.
RB: Verron
Haynes is running 2nd on the Steelers depth chart hoping to earn a larger role
this year after being the team’s third-down back in the past. He’s ahead of
Duce Staley and running second to starter Willie Parker. "I'm working hard
in
WR: The
Steelers have discussed rotating Hines Ward and Cedrick Wilson at flanker as
part of an effort to replace Antwaan Randle El. They hope rookie Santonio
Holmes will be able to contribute something, too. Holmes hasn’t gotten off to a
good start. He essentially called Ben Roethlisberger a liar and showed no
remorse for his two arrests in a three-week span since he was drafted. When
asked why he didn't return Roethlisberger's telephone calls, Holmes jabbed,
"I didn't get any calls from him."
He then added defiantly, "I don't think I have anything to prove to
anybody. People know what I can do on the field and they know the type of
person I am off the field." Regardless, Holmes is under contract and on
the field along with fellow rookie WR Willie Reid and veterans Cedrick Wilson,
Quincy Morgan, Nate Washington, Sean Morey and, of course, Hines Ward.
TE: Heath
Miller, who caught 6 TDs last year, expects to have a bigger role in the
offense in his 2nd season, especially in the red zone. He’ll once again be
backed up by Jerame Tuman.
Defense: The Steelers are talking to
free-agent-to-be CB Ike Taylor about a
long-term extension. Taylor never really considered holding out. "Ain't no
thoughts like that coming across my head,"
Special Teams: Jeff Reed remains the Steelers’ kicker.
Rookie kicker Mark Brubaker from
Steelers
Depth Chart
QB Ben Roethlisberger (inj), Charlie Batch, Omar Jacobs
RB Willie Parker (RFA), Duce Staley (SD), Verron Haynes (3RB/FB), Cedric
Humes
FB Dan Kreider, Doug Easlick
WR Hines Ward, Cedrick Wilson, Santonio Holmes, Nate Washington, Quincy Morgan,
Willie Reid (KR/PR), Sean Morey, Lee Mays, Walter Young, Eugene Baker, Marvin
Allen
TE Heath
Miller, Jerame Tuman, Charles Davis, Jonathan Dekker, Isaac Smolko
K Jeff Reed, Mark Brubaker
DE Aaron
Smith, Brett Keisel, Travis Kirschke, Rodney
Bailey, Shaun Nua, Orien Harris, Lee Vickers
NT Casey Hampton, Chris Hoke, Scott Paxson
ILB James Farrior, Larry Foote, Rian Wallace, Clint Kriewaldt, Mike Kudla
OLB Joey Porter (inj), Clark Haggans,
James Harrison, Andre Frazier, Arnold Harrison
CB Deshea
Townsend, Ike Taylor, Bryant McFadden, Ricardo
Colclough (PR/KR), Chidi Iwuoma, Anthony Madison
S Troy Polamalu (SS), Ryan Clark (FS), Tyrone Carter (FS), Mike Logan (SS), Anthony Smith,
Zack Baker, Mike Lorello
QB: Marc Bulger can’t worry about
the departure of former head coach Mike Martz. Instead, he’s been enthusiastic
in adopting the new system installed by head coach Scott Linehan. "Marc
has really shown me that he's embracing our system, which is the new Rams
system. He's played very well," Linehan said, pointing out that in the
first three camp practices, Bulger "had two interceptions on bad-luck
tips. Other than that, he's up there in the 75-80 percent completion range...I
think this guy's going to really have a great year. Not just statistically, but
as a guy who's going to take his game to a new level, a leader who's playing
winning football for us.” Jeff Smoker was released prior to camp reducing the
Rams’ number of QBs on the roster to four: Marc Bulger, Gus Frerotte, Ryan
Fitzpatrick and David Ragone.
RB: Camp
under Linehan is noticeably more physical than in previous years. So much so
that Linehan himself had to step in at one point after the running backs were taken to the ground several times by defenders in
a 9-on-7 run drill. Linehan reminded everyone that is how leg injuries happen
when players are in shorts. Steven Jackson had his helmet knocked off on one
play. On another, he was shoved hard out of bounds by new safety Corey Chavous,
to his surprise. "It's football,"
WR: All of the Rams receivers are
starting over this year as they learn Linehan’s offensive system. After
Saturday’s practice, Isaac Bruce worked with a "jugs" machine.
"Can't stay the same," he said. "You either get better or you
get worse." If Scott Linehan didn't
know about Bruce's relentless work ethic, he does now. "When you come out
here in practice and see it, you see why he's had such a long career,"
Linehan said. "I marvel at how good he looks. And I'm not really making
reference to his age. You wish all the rookies would come in looking like this
guy. He looks as fresh as ever to me. He's the consummate pro."
TE: Linehan acknowledged the Rams are
"young ... scary young" at tight end, with two rookies atop the depth
chart. On the opening day of training
Defense: Corner Travis Fisher, who missed eight games
last season with a groin injury, appears intent on winning back his starting
job. He was one of the most active defenders in last Thursday's team drills.
The Rams told CB Ron Bartell he’s moving to free safety last week. He has been
working with the third team while he acclimates himself to the new position. Veteran
corners Fisher and Jerametrius Butler are also learning nickel-back responsibilities.
Special Teams: Veteran
kicker Jeff Wilkins will once again be handling the kicking for the Rams. Remy
Hamilton, the best kicker in the AFL the last two years, will also be on the
roster during camp. WR Brad Pyatt hopes to showcase his skills in camp
and win the return specialist role. He showed flashes when with the Colts, but
had trouble staying healthy. Fifth round draft pick WR Marques Hagans, another
in the trend of converted QBs, will compete on punt returns. WR Shaun McDonald,
WR Dane Looker, and CB DeJuan Groce should also once again be involved. Other
than Pyatt, the Rams don’t have many experienced kickoff returners.
Consequently WR Kevin Curtis is being given a shot, "I tried it a little
bit in college, but they didn't use me much back there. So, it's something new.
It's another opportunity to touch the ball and get on the field. So, I'm all
for it."
Rams
Depth Chart
QB Marc Bulger, Gus
Frerotte, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Dave Ragone
RB Steven Jackson, Tony Fisher, John David Washington, Antoine
Bagwell, Marshall Faulk (inj)
FB Madison Hedgecock, Paul Smith
WR Torry Holt, Isaac Bruce, Kevin Curtis, Shaun McDonald (PR), Dane Looker, Brad
Pyatt, Marques Hagans, Clinton Solomon, Joshua Tinch
TE Joel Klopfenstein, Jerome
Collins, Dominique Byrd, Aaron Walker, Alex Holmes, Landon Trusty (IR)
K Jeff
Wilkins, Remy Hamilton
DE Leonard Little, Tony Hargrove, Brandon Green, Clifford Dukes, Victor Adeyanju,
Matthew Rice
DT Jimmy Kennedy (NT), La'Roi Glover, Claude Wroten, Brian Howard, Jason Fisk, Jeremy
Calahan, Tim Sandidge
MLB Will
Witherspoon (W/M), Tim McGarigle
OLB Pisa Tinoisamoa (S), Brandon
Chillar (W), Dexter Coakley (W) (inj), Raonall Smith, Jon Alston, Drew Wahlroos (S)
CB Tye Hill, Jerametrius Butler, Travis
Fisher, Fakhir Brown, DeJuan Groce, Kevin Timothee
S Corey Chavous (SS), Oshiomogho Atogwe (FS), Ronald Bartell (FS), Jerome
Carter (SS), Dwaine Carpenter (FS)
QB: After the first couple of days,
Philip Rivers is off to a good start in training camp. He hit Eric Parker on a
deep pass on one play and then looked sharp throwing crossing routes later. In
9-on-9 drills, Rivers completed nearly every pass even in wet conditions. "There's an element of uncertainty
there," head coach Marty Schottenheimer professed when discussing Rivers.
As a testament to Schottenheimer’s offense, Rivers admitted that “I don't have
to do too much…I've got to do my job and not try to create a big play or make
spectacular things happen. If those opportunities present themselves, I'll take
them." Rivers is throwing accurately and routinely hitting LaDainian
Tomlinson and Antonio Gates on shorter routes in stride. Competing for the
backup job is A.J. Feeley and rookie Charlie Whitehurst.
RB: Let it be known that LaDainian Tomlinson would not have a problem
carrying a bigger workload if need be in order to cater to the change at
quarterback. With QB Philip Rivers taking over for departed QB Drew Brees
(Saints), he said, "If my role on the field changes, I'll gladly accept
it… There may be weeks where we have to run it 40 times to win and there will
be other weeks where we air it out 50 times. I just want to win. If I have to
do a little more for us to do that, then so be it, but I also believe that
Philip can get it done when we do have to put the ball in the air." In
practices, LT was seen catching everything thrown his way. It looks like he and
Rivers are already on the same page. Don’t be surprised if LT sees an increase
in receptions this year as Rivers comes up to speed and looks to dump off more
to his prized RB.
WR: Second-year WR Vincent Jackson
is the player that’s grabbing everyone’s attention among the receivers.
TE: It’s
Antonio Gates’ world; the rest of us just live in it. Nothing new here, but
Gates does have some different players providing backup to him this year.
Brandon Manumaleuna comes over from the Rams while Aaron Shea joins the team
from the Browns.
Defense: Shawne Merriman reported to camp
in outstanding shape and sporting a mini-mohawk.
Rookie Antonio Cromartie made a nice play in morning practice leaping several
feet into the air after stopping on a dime to pick off a pass during 1 on 1s.
Once he has the ball he could be dangerous as he shows excellent acceleration
as a runner. Of course, the rookie was beaten on other plays and has a lot of
work ahead of him, but the ability and instincts are there. Chargers GM A.J.
Smith apparently doesn’t want to talk about the status of Donnie Edwards.
“Teams have shown little or no interest at this time. On Oct. 17 (the trade
deadline), it all stops, and he's a member of the Chargers. He's on our
football team. I like Donnie, and I like his contract. Donnie has a problem
with his contract and has had a problem with his contract for three consecutive
years. I'm tired of this. We're trying to accommodate him." "I'm just
tired of all his bull(bleep) and innuendo he's put out there,” Smith says. “I
don't want to talk about it anymore.” Ok, A.J., enough said. Free safety Marlon
McCree started camp working with the first team defense.
Special Teams: Nate Kaeding is definitely the placekicker for the Chargers; however he may not handle kickoffs
again this year. The team drafted kickoff specialist Kurt Smith from
Chargers
Depth Chart
QB Philip Rivers, A.J.
Feeley, Charlie Whitehurst, Brett Elliott
RB LaDainian Tomlinson, Michael Turner, Darren Sproles (KR), Tyrone Gross,
Bryson Sumlin
FB Lorenzo Neal, Andrew Pinnock,
Shawn Willis
WR Keenan McCardell, Eric Parker, Kassim Osgood, Vincent Jackson, Malcolm Floyd, Mark
Simmons, Sean Coffey, Robert Ortiz, Gerran Walker
TE Antonio Gates, Aaron Shea, Brandon Manumaleuna, Ryan Krause
K Nate Kaeding, Kurt Smith
DE Igor Olshansky, Luis Castillo (NT), Jacques Cesaire, Derrick Robinson, Chase Page,
Patrick Massey
NT Jamal Williams, Ryon Bingham, Brandon McKinney, Alvin Smith
ILB Donnie Edwards, Randall Godfrey,
Stephen Cooper, Matt Wilhelm, Carlos Polk, Tim
Dobbins
OLB Steve Foley (W), Shawne Merriman (S),
Shaun Phillips (S), Marques Harris (W),
Jonathan Pollard,
CB Quentin Jammer, Drayton Florence, Antonio Cromartie, Raymond Walls, Markus Curry,
Cletis Gordon, Steve Gregory, Anthony Mims
S Marlon McCree (FS), Terrence Kiel (SS), Bhawoh Jue (SS/FS), Clinton Hart
(FS/SS), Hanik Milligan (FS), Andre Lott (FS), Richard Yancy
QB: In Saturday’s practice Alex Smith
threw several interceptions after throwing another five or so in practice on
Friday. Head coach Mike Nolan was asked if his timing is off. "I don't
think it was off when he threw three touchdown passes. On some interceptions, I
say to Alex, 'That was a bad choice.' On others, I say, 'Alex, you've got to
stick it in there, you've got to learn.'" Nolan said his expectations are
higher for Smith in his second season. "My expectations are higher. His
should be higher. Our football teams' are higher, of him. All of that applies
that pressure to him. If you're a competitor, as all of the players are out
here, that pressure should not disrupt what you are doing. If anything, it
should make you compete at a higher level. When you pump up the competition on
the football field, you find out real quick who the competitors are. Those are
the guys you win championships with. Those are the guys I'm looking for. If
somebody backs down to the competition, you might be the starter, but if I see
that, and when I see that, that guy is really on a fast track to being the
backup." The 49ers traded QB Cody Pickett to the Houston Texans in exchange
for a conditional draft pick before camp began.
RB: Kevan Barlow reported to camp nearly 10
pounds lighter than he was last season after working out with a trainer this
summer. Barlow said he’s about 228 pounds. It's part of an effort to hit the
line of scrimmage more quickly. Barlow is expected to compete with Frank Gore
for the starting job, but ultimately there’s a good chance both players will
carry the ball frequently in offensive coordinator Norv Turner’s system. Gore
has the upper hand after averaging 4.8 yards per carry last year as a rookie.
The team also has the reliable Maurice Hicks returning to provide depth and
work as a kick returner. The most intriguing member of the backfield is rookie
QB/RB/WR Michael Robinson, a former quarterback at
WR:
The addition of WR Antonio Bryant should help greatly, but it could also help
the 49ers’ secondary in training camp, too. When asked about Bryant, Nolan
said, "Antonio is a big, physical guy, very much like the guys they have
at
TE: The 49ers signed top draft pick
Vernon Davis as camp got underway, making him the highest paid tight end in the
league (five-year, $25 million). The 49ers plan to use more two tight end sets
this year featuring Davis and veteran Eric Johnson. Just how frequently the
49ers operate out of a two-back set depends on how FB Moran Norris plays and
how much they use their "F-back," a hybrid fullback/tight end position.
Defense: The 49ers signed safety Mark Roman on Sunday, three days
after he was cut by the Green Bay Packers. Roman, a seven-year veteran,
appeared in every game over the last two seasons with
Special Teams: Joe Nedney,
the reigning team MVP, will once again be the 49ers kicker. Mexican kicking
sensation Luis Berlanga will serve as the camp leg, although his arrival
in camp was delayed until his work visa was processed. Third round draft pick
WR Brandon Williams is anticipated to be the return specialist. So far in
minicamp, OTAs, and camp he has not disappointed. HC
Mike Nolan noted, “He was aggressive in the team periods
trying to get the ball. If you watch him on the punts, he’s the same way.”
WRs Otis Amey, Rasheed Marshall and Antonio Bryant have also been practicing on
punt returns. WR Arnaz Battle is also available; however he’s been limited in
practice since his knee is still bothering him. Aside from Williams, quite a
few players are available that could see kickoff return practice in camp. Amey,
Marshall, RB Maurice Hicks, and WR Jason McAddley all contributed last year.
49ers
Depth Chart
QB Alex Smith, Trent Dilfer, Jesse Palmer, Shaun Hill
RB Frank
Gore, Kevan
Barlow, Maurice Hicks, Michael Robinson (QB/WR)
FB Chris Hetherington, Moran
Norris
WR Arnaz Battle (KR/PR), Antonio Bryant, Brandon Williams, Bryan Gilmore, Derrick Hamilton
(inj), Rasheed Marshall, Jason McAddley, Otis Amey (PR), Marcus Maxwell, C.J.
Brewer
TE Vernon
Davis, Eric Johnson, Billy Bajema,
Delanie Walker, Terry Jones, Onye Ibekwe
K Joe Nedney, Andrew Jacas, Luis
Berlanga
DE Bryant Young, Marques Douglas, Melvin
Oliver, Jerry Deloach
NT Anthony Adams, Isaac Sapoaga, Ronald Fields, Bobby Payne
ILB Derek Smith, Jeff Ulbrich, Brandon Moore, Renauld Williams, Zak Keasey
OLB Manny Lawson, Corey Smith (S), Parys Haralson (DE), T.J. Slaughter, James
Maxwell, Andre Torrey
CB Shawntae Spencer, Mike Rumph (inj), Walt Harris, Derrick
Johnson, Sammy Davis, B.J. Tucker
S Tony Parrish (SS) (inj), Mike Adams
(FS), Mark Roman (FS), Keith Lewis (FS), Chad
Williams (FS), Marcus Hudson (FS), Vickiel Vaughn (FS)
QB: Matt Hasselbeck is primed for
the 2006 season, but he can sense the added attention the Seahawks received
from their Super Bowl appearance and hopes it won’t become a burden. "Hopefully
we're not the team that decides to read our own press clippings," he said.
"The fact that we were good last year really doesn't mean anything. We're
a new team this year." Hasselback has already begun working with new WR
Nate Burleson, for example. Hasselbeck feels it is imperative to establish a
rapport with the former Vikings receiver. In Saturday morning’s practice,
Hasselbeck passed to the right side, but was picked off by Kelly Herndon. In
another drill, Seneca Wallace found D.J. Hackett for a long completion.
RB: Shaun Alexander is coming off a record-setting 28 touchdowns, but he’s
looking forward to this season and not looking back. “This season is going to
be awesome,” he said. “When you have a season like we did in 2005, you can
either take the pressure of repeating and fall, or you can show up with a chip
on your shoulder that is so unbelievable you want to prove just how good you
can be". Alexander will surely miss the blocking of All-Pro guard Steve
Hutchinson, who was wrestled away via free agency by
WR: As mentioned above, Matt
Hasselbeck and Nate Burleson worked on their timing even after the team's
offseason program had officially ended. The extra work will only enhance the
rapport that Hasselbeck and the free-agent wide receiver began developing
during the team's minicamps. Meanwhile, Darrell Jackson is a little behind schedule
as he recovers from knee surgery. According to head coach Mike Holmgren,
TE: Jerramy Stevens has his work cut out for him in
training camp. Following a poor Super Bowl outing, Stevens was under the knife
during the off-season as well and opened camp on the PUP list. It’s almost
directly the opposite of last season when Stevens was healthy and primed for a
big year, while backup Itula Mili was struggling. Stevens should be fine this
year, but Mili appeared to be in good shape at training camp. Mili seems eager
to show that he can return to form after a poor 2005 season.
Defense: Strong safety Michael Boulware took the field
for a brief workout Friday. He underwent surgery on his left knee after tearing
some cartilage in the Super Bowl, but he wanted to test the knee in coverage
drills and let his coaches see how far along he is in the rehabilitation
process. "It's definitely not 100 percent," Boulware said, "but
it's feeling pretty good. I definitely have some strength issues going on with
my leg but not so much pain." Starting free safety Ken Hamlin was cleared
by the team’s medical staff to participate in contact drills. He was sidelined
back in October after he sustained a fractured skull after an altercation
outside a
Special Teams: Josh Brown
enters his fourth year as the kicker for the Seahawks. The team’s release of veteran
punter Tom Rouen means that Brown will have a new holder this year. Rookie
punter Ryan Plackemeier is first in line to handle
that chore, with QB Matt Hasselbeck the contingency plan. Camp leg services will be provided by Ryan
Killeen, who led NFL Europe in scoring this past spring. WR Peter Warrick
enters camp as the top punt returner. WR Bobby Engram, WR Keenan Howry, and CB Jimmy Williams
should also see practice time on punt returns. RB Josh Scobey enters camp as the top kickoff returner. RBs Maurice
Morris and Marquis Weeks are the likely backups. Seventh round draft pick WR
Ben Obomanu did not handle returns at
Seahawks
Depth Chart
QB Matt Hasselbeck,
Seneca Wallace, David Greene, Gibran Hamdan (inj), Travis Lulay
RB Shaun Alexander, Maurice Morris, Josh Scobey
FB Mack Strong, Leonard Weaver, David Kirtman
WR Darrell Jackson (inj), Nate Burleson, Bobby Engram, Peter Warrick, D.J. Hackett, Ben Obomanu, Keenan Howry
TE Jerramy Stevens (inj), Itula Mili, Will
Heller, Caleen Powell, Matt Henshaw, Mike Gomez
K Josh Brown
DE Grant
Wistrom, Bryce Fisher, Darryl Tapp, Joe
Tafoya, Ronald Flemons, Kemp Rasmussen, Chris Cooper, John Syptak, Darrell
Wright
DT Marcus Tubbs, Chartric Darby, Rocky Bernard, Craig Terrill, Russell Davis, Ron
Smith
MLB Lofa
Tatupu, Niko Koutouvides
OLB Leroy
Hill (W), Julian Peterson (S), D.D. Lewis
(S/W), Kevin Bentley, Isaiah Kacyvenski (S), Cornelius Wortham, Lance
Laury, Evan Benjamin
CB Marcus Trufant, Kelly Herndon,
Jordan Babineaux, Jimmy Williams, Kelly Jennings, Kevin
Hobbs, Gerard Ross
S Michael Boulware (SS), Ken Hamlin
(FS) (inj), Oliver Celestin, Mike Green (FS)
QB: Chris Simms is finally settling
into his role as the Bucs’ starting quarterback. Head coach Jon Gruden said he’s
made incredible strides since last year. Simms said, "I think if you asked
me at this point last year compared to where I am right now, there's no
comparison. I don't think you can truly learn and be comfortable until you get
the on-field playing experience." HC Jon Gruden was asked how the team was
doing after a day and a half of practice. “We dropped some footballs, but I
thought the quarterbacks were sharp,” said Gruden. “In our seven-on-seven
period we didn’t handle the ball particularly well. But our blitz period, our
third-and-three segment was pretty good; it got a little sloppy at the end with
the center-quarterback exchange.” "We’ve got a long way to go,” said
Gruden. “This isn’t the Dream Team right now.”
On the rookie class, Gruden said, “They all [impress me]. We’re rotating
liberally right now. Maurice Stovall’s doing some good thing. Davin Joseph and [Jeremy] Trueblood
are doing some good things. [Bruce] Gradkowski’s
doing some good things. I got irritated with him a little bit today; some
formations ran together on him. But he’s doing some really good things out
here. I think [Alan] Zemaitis is getting better, he’s
getting more comfortable. But none of them are ready for
RB: All eyes are definitely on Cadillac Williams, but if you’re looking for
a position battle, watch the fullbacks. Mike Alstott is entering what is likely
his last season. His playing time has decreased in the past couple of years, and
while Alstott remains a capable runner, he’s
not the power player he used to be. That’s where Jerald Sowell or Rick Razzano
enters the fray. Sowell will likely see more playing time than Alstott, but
Razzano remains the fullback of the future. Watch him if you want to get a look
at the Bucs’ future road grader. The Bucs released rookie Andre Hall, a local
high school product and undrafted free agent out who played for
WR: Michael Clayton appears to be
“back” after struggling through last year with a myriad of injuries. He shed nine
“bad” pounds and is in much better shape in camp this year compared to last. "It's
a critical moment where an athlete needs to be training and I wasn't able to do
anything for five months." This year he could. If Saturday’s afternoon
practice is any indication, Clayton is heading in the right direction. Clayton
provided the biggest highlight of the day when he leapt up to make a one-handed
catch during the end of the afternoon practice. “It was an out and up [route] -
throw it up to me and let me make a catch,” Clayton said. “Thank you Chris.” The battle to watch here is the one that will
feature Edell Shepherd, Ike Hilliard and David Boston fighting for the third
receiver’s spot. The Bucs met with
TE: The Bucs still list Anthony Becht
as their first-string tight end, but Alex Smith is on the verge of becoming a
frequently targeted player in Gruden’s offense. The Bucs have been designing
plays and packages specifically for him this off-season. This is a camp in
which he will get a lot of attention. Gruden was asked about Smith going into
his second season. “I think he could be a great tight end, and I think he was
at times very, very good last year,” Gruden said. “He came a long way. He’s a
quick study, he’s in tremendous shape, he’s got a lot of versatility, he’s a
lot bigger and more powerful than people realize. He’s a great kid, he’s
reliable. We’re going to try to use him more than we did a year ago, and we did
get some real good production last year from him.” The Bucs also drafted Tim Massaquoi out of
Defense: Ronde Barber is constantly being
asked one question, "Ronde, do you have a new contract yet?" His
answer is generally the same: "I don't know when it's going to get
done," Barber said. There's no timetable, he says, but at least he, Bucs
general manager Bruce Allen and Barber's agent, Ethan Lock, appear to have a
sense of humor about it. "It's almost a running joke between Ethan and
Bruce when this thing is going to get done," Barber said. "But
they're getting there." Barber admits there is a lure to free agency,
something he's never participated in. "I can't say I haven't thought about
that (free agency)," Barber said. "I have. Not knowing in years prior
to this if they were even going to think about getting me back here (I thought
about it). It has its appeal. At the same time you have to re-establish
yourself when you change." Shelton
Quarles was talking about the difference between the team this year, compared
to last year, when they reported to camp: “The bond’s a little bit closer. Last
year we didn’t know what we had.” One thing that hasn’t changed is Quarles’
status as “
Special Teams: Last year Matt Bryant beat out Todd France in
a close contest for the kicker job. This year it’s all his. He’ll be spelled in
camp by Xavier Beitia, who spent the spring in NFL
Europe. RB Michael Pittman has been
designated the early frontrunner for the top kickoff returner spot this year.
WR Edell Shepherd ended last year in that role, while CB Torrie Cox started out the year. RBs Earnest Graham and Derek
Watson will practice as backups. WR
Mark Jones joined the Bucs last year and handled every one of their punts. He
could possibly do so again this year. Two rookies will look to make the final
roster via special teams work in the pre-season. Undrafted RB Andre Hall
who returned kickoffs during his junior year at
Buccaneers
Depth Chart
QB Chris Simms, Jay Fiedler, Tim Rattay, Bruce Gradkowski, Luke
McCown (inj), Jared Allen
RB Cadillac Williams, Michael Pittman (3RB), Earnest Graham, Derek Watson
FB Mike Alstott, Jerald Sowell, Rick Razzano
WR Joey Galloway, Michael Clayton,
Ike Hilliard, Edell Shepherd, David Boston, Mark
Jones (KR), Maurice Stovall, J.R. Russell, Paris Warren, Ben Nelson
TE Anthony Becht, Alex Smith, Dave
Moore, Tim Massaqoui (inj), T.J. Williams (inj)
K Matt Bryant
DE Simeon Rice, Greg Spires, Dewayne White (DT), Julian Jenkins
DT Anthony
McFarland, Chris Hovan (NT), Ellis Wyms, Jon
Bradley, Anthony Bryant, Kevin Lewis
MLB Shelton Quarles, Barrett Ruud
OLB Derrick
Brooks (W), Ryan Nece (S), Jamie Winborn (S),
Marquis Cooper (S), Wesly Mallard (W), Jermaine Taylor (W), Charles
Bennett, Anthony Trucks
CB Ronde Barber, Brian Kelly, Juran Bolden, Torrie Cox, Alan Zemaitas, Justin
Phinisee, Reuben Houston
S Jermaine Phillips (SS), Will Allen
(FS), Donte Nicholson (SS), Kalvin
Pearson (SS), Steve Cargile (SS), Eli Ward (FS), Blue Adams, Jahmile Addae
QB:
Titans’ general manager Floyd Reese conveyed his
confidence in starter Billy Volek this weekend to help squash reports that the
Titans are interested in Kerry Collins. "This is his time to shine,"
Reese said. "We know him, he knows us, he knows the system and he knows
the players. This is what he has wanted for a long time. I'll be surprised if
he doesn't come in and compete and play well." Volek said he considers
himself in a position to do that. “Obviously they have the quarterback of the
future, but I feel this year is my year to go out there and get into a rhythm
and I feel like I can play," he said. "People loved McNair because he
was a warrior, and I know everyone is excited about Vince. But I am excited
about playing and I'm going to go out and do my best and do everything I can to
help get this team to the playoffs.'' Last Friday’s practice came complete with
wet footballs. Volek and Young took the majority of reps. Young had a few
passes flutter on him, but he was also impressive in stretches, like one
particular deep throw to Courtney Roby and another completion that went to Bobby
Wade. Young said throwing the wet footballs was "like throwing a weight… It's
all about improving … I just want to go in and continue to compete and work
hard and let coaches make the decision (about when I play). I want to let them
know I am making progress." As for the Collins rumors Reese was asked if
interest in Collins could grow at some point. Reese said: "I would be
shocked. We are trying to look at these guys. We don't have any plans to bring
anybody in."
RB: The stage is set for a three-horse race during training camp. With the
theatrics of Chris Brown’s agents aside, Brown is in camp and, for now anyway,
the team’s starting back. Jeff Fisher responded to the trade demand rumors by
saying, “Chris has had a great off-season. He’s in probably the best shape
since he’s been here. He’s our starting running back. He [RB Chris Brown]
changed agents and they came in wanting to talk extension. Right now it's not
the time to talk extensions because we are working on others," he said.
"They demanded a trade and went public with it…I'm going to throw this in
the agent's lap and not Chris. Chris is probably in the best shape since he's
been here, and he is our running back." Of course, that’s exactly what
happened. Travis Henry will compete for a role as will second round pick
LenDale White. "Chris starts out No. 1, but everybody is still
competing," Henry said. "At the end of the day, we both want the
ball. That's no secret. ... Once the roles are given, you have to accept it and
go out and compete at the role you've been given and then go from there."
In the first workouts, the team kept it simple rotating Brown and Henry through
the lineup one play at a time. White was not present because he had not yet
arrived to sign his contract. "What we're going to do is build reps,"
coach Jeff Fisher said. "The philosophy is to take one at a time and build
to two and before the end of camp they will be taking five, six, seven reps at
a time preparing themselves for a drive." On Saturday night, White
arrived, signed his contract and met with the coaches. By Sunday morning, White
was in the rotation with the other backs. “This is football,” White said. “I’ve
been working all summer to come out here and play football, so Coach Fisher
just told me to get ready and I came out and he threw me in the fire.” To
White’s credit, he reported to camp weighing 227 pounds, down 25 pounds from
the draft. “I haven’t weighed this low
since I was 17 years old,” White said. “I actually weighed less than what I was
supposed to weigh in at. I feel real good about that. It’s going to take a
while to get adjusted to the heat, but for the most part I’m happy to be here
and happy to start camp… I'm here to win the job." Jeff Fisher wasn’t
worried about White falling behind in the playbook either. “He knows the
offense,” Fisher said. “...his weight's down, he feels good, and he’s in shape
so he won’t have any difficulty with the offense from a learning standpoint.
It’s a physical thing." Another player that was looking for a roster spot is
2nd year back Damien Nash, but he showed up out of shape and was promptly
released on Monday.
WR: On Saturday, Drew Bennett sat
out during the morning but returned in the afternoon while David Givens got
some rest. Fisher said he plans to alternate giving the receivers practices
off. In Sunday morning’s practice, Givens ended the first two-minute drive with
a long touchdown catch on a ball thrown by QB Billy Volek. Corner Rich Gardner
made a nice deflection on a Vince Young pass to receiver O.J. Small when Young
tried to force the ball into zone coverage. Small ended the last two-minute drive with a
long touchdown catch on a throw by Young, who had scrambled out of the pocket. The
Titans have a wealth of numbers at receiver. Tyrone Calico, Courtney Roby,
Roydell Williams, Brandon Jones, Bobby Wade and rookie Jonathan Orr are all
looking for roster spots and roles behind Givens and Bennett.
TE: The Titans are hoping Ben Troupe
stays healthy this year. He’s showed flashes of his immense talent in each of
his first two seasons, but he’s been constantly hampered by some form of
injury. Bo Scaife (quad) missed Saturday’s practice as did Erron Kinney (knee),
who will now miss two weeks of training camp after having arthroscopic surgery
on his right knee – his third time under the knife on the right knee since Dec.
7. Kinney hurt his right knee last year at
Defense: Pacman Jones was a distraction
as a rookie last year. This year, he is hoping to find a groove after setting
lofty goals for himself: seven interceptions, 10 touchdowns, 75 tackles and a
trip to the Pro Bowl. "It was a growing experience last year,'' Jones
said. "There was a lot of pain, but I dealt with it. That was the worst
season I've had in my career. But last year is behind me, I am happy with that.
For the most part I never really got into a groove last year. I never felt
right. Things are going to be different. I am already feeling a whole lot
better.'' For his part, he claims to be a better man and promises to be a
better teammate in the locker room. "I would say I'm a better teammate, a
way better teammate than I was,'' Jones said. "I feel a lot more
comfortable around them. These guys know what I can do. As far as me proving
myself to them, that part is over with. I just have to prove myself to myself.
Some of them know how good I can be. I think some of them trust in me and I
trust in everybody. But I wouldn't say I'm a different guy. I am just a guy
with a new attitude and just happy to be here on time. Last year I had a lot of
stuff on my plate, I had a lot of people against me, a lot of people just at me
every day. It started with people on my back about holding out. But I am more
comfortable now. I am more comfortable with myself and everyone else.'' Titans
GM Floyd Reese agrees on some levels, "Obviously he has matured physically
and emotionally and mentally… We have talked about the possibility of guys
changing when they understand who we are and what we do and we certainly hope
that is the case with Pacman. So far, so good.'' Keith Bulluck looks at it from
a different way. "Pac is what, 22-23 years old?'' Bulluck said. "He
is like a big kid. He likes to have fun. He likes to be around his teammates.
Pac is here to work, and he is talking Pro Bowl this year and I like that
talk.'' Titans DT Rien Long suffered a season-ending Achilles injury to his
right foot during Saturday's afternoon practice. “It does not look good.
There’s damage to the Achilles. We’re going to do an[] MRI and see how
significant it is,” said Fisher. Long was working alongside Albert Haynesworth
in the starting lineup. On Sunday morning, DE Antwan Odom batted down a Billy
Volek pass during 11-on-11 drills. DT Randy Starks vomited in the end zone
about 50 minutes into one workout. Safety Justin Sandy, who played for the
Titans in 2004 and spent last season on the practice squad, was released over
the weekend.
Special Teams: Rob Bironas did a respectable job in his
first year in the NFL last year, and he’s the only kicker on the roster heading
into camp. That doesn’t necessarily mean he’ll be the kicker again this year.
Unless it’s a motivational ploy, the Titans are openly advertising that they’re
looking to add another kicker to compete with Bironas for the starting job.
After early troubles catching the ball, CB
Adam Pacman Jones emerged as one of the better returners in the league last
year. Nonetheless, the Titans are looking to scale back his special team role
in favor of his defensive work. The team is planning to use him primarily on
kickoff returns, even though he’d prefer punts because as he notes "It's
easier to score touchdowns." WRs Bobby Wade, O.J. Small, and Courtney Roby
have also been practicing on kickoff returns. Wade enters camp as the favorite
to take over the punt return role, which on the surface is surprising since the
Bears cut him following his punt return misadventures. His only problem was
keeping the ball in his hands rather than on the ground, and he appears to have
corrected that. With the ball in his possession, he’s a threat to go the
distance.
Titans
Depth Chart
QB Billy Volek, Vince Young, Matt Mauck, Cody Hodges
RB Chris Brown, LenDale White, Travis Henry, Jarrett Payton, Damien
Nash, Quinton Ganther
FB Troy Fleming, Ahmard Hall
WR Drew Bennett, David Givens, Courtney Roby, Tyrone Calico, Brandon Jones (inj), Roydell Williams (inj), Bobby Wade, Jonathan
Orr (inj), Sloan Thomas, Tramain Hall
TE Ben Troupe, Erron Kinney (inj), Bo Scaife, Greg Guenther, Jamie Petrowski
K Rob Bironas
DE Kyle Vanden Bosch, Travis LaBoy, Antwan Odom, Bo Schobel, Copeland Bryan, Sean
Conover, Tim Thompson
DT Albert Haynesworth, Randy Starks, Rien Long, Jared Clauss, Jesse Mahelona,
Daleroy Stewart, Marcus White, Wayne Dickens, Jeff Littlejohn, Chris Herring
MLB Peter Sirmon (M/S), Stephen Tulloch, Robert Reynolds (S), Moses
Osemwegie
OLB Keith Bulluck (W), David Thornton
(S), Cody Spencer (W), Jared Newberry
(S), Marcus Randall, Terna Nande, Spencer Toone
CB Pacman Jones, Reynaldo Hill, Andre Woolfolk, Rich Gardner, Michael Waddell (inj),
Cedric Holt
S Chris Hope (SS), Lamont Thompson (FS), Vincent Fuller (FS), Donnie Nickey (SS), Calvin
Lowry (SS), Cortland Finnegan (FS)
QB: Mark Brunell enters camp this
year as the unquestioned starter, but he also knows there is a young man
playing behind him in Jason Campbell that the team believes to be the QB of the
future. New offensive coordinator Al Saunders, formerly of the Chiefs, thinks
Brunell will be fine with the adjustment to a new offense. "Mark has the
ability to adjust to the quick passing game," Saunders said. "He has
the ability to get the ball out of his hands quickly. From what I've seen, he's
a more accurate thrower than what I expected him to be. And he can handle all
of the terminology and all of the protections in this offense." Meanwhile,
RB: It didn’t take the colorful Clinton Portis long
to pronounce his pleasure with the new additions to the Redskins offense from
Antwaan Randle El to Brandon Lloyd to OC Al Saunders’ scheme. Portis looked
around and declared, "I'm looking forward to a couple 90 yarders this
year. I have to hit some home runs. We have a great guy they put behind me, in
RB Ladell Betts, and a great guy behind him, with RB Rock Cartwright. The more
opportunities they get, the more they play, the better they do. That's more
pressure taken off of me. I'm not selfish. All I want to do is win. I know what
it's like to be the most popular, and I don't care about any of that. I need a
ring or two." Running back Rock Cartwright showed up to camp early. He was
seen at
WR: The biggest competition in camp might be between Brandon Lloyd and
Antwaan Randle El, both new additions to the Redskins revamped offense. Lloyd
has gazelle-like speed and he’s quick and smooth getting off the line. With
Moss, Lloyd, Randle El and David Patten the Redskins have a speedy, but
diminutive group of WRs. "With the receivers we have here, we can do a
pretty good rendition of 'The Greatest Show on Turf,'" Lloyd said,
referring to the St. Louis Rams' high-scoring offense from 1999-2001. "I
think we can bring that back to life." Randle El's skills will remind
Redskins fans of Brian Mitchell, but to Al Saunders he’s more like Dante Hall,
the multi-purpose performer for the Kansas City Chiefs. "You go back to
the opportunity to be in an offense with Coach Saunders, who put up incredible
numbers with the Chiefs," Randle El said. "If we get an offense like
that, which we really feel that we can, and you have a defense playing the way
that
TE: Training camp will be
important for Chris Cooley, too. He’s technically changing positions this year.
He will play a more traditional tight end role, as opposed to the H-back
position he played last year. Saunders expects to use Cooley similarly to how
he used Tony Gonzalez. For starters, Cooley will be asked to run deeper routes.
According to Cooley, it’s not much of a change at all. He says the only significant change is one
letter. He is now a "Y" in offensive sets instead of an
"H." The "Y" is often used as a standard description for
tight ends in play formations. "I think a big misconception last year was
that everyone thought I wasn't a tight end, but that's basically what I
was," he said. "The 'H' is just what it was termed. I'll have a chance
to run a little more and stretch out the field on some routes. I'll have a lot
of help with the [wide receivers] on the outside and the speed they have. We'll
have more [receiver options] out on the field than we did last year… A big
focus is to get the ball in the hands of guys who can make plays--and we have a
lot of guys who can do that." Christian Fauria was also added via free
agency to help replace the departed Robert Royal and give the team a strong
blocker at the position. "We signed Christian for his experience,"
tight ends coach Rennie Simmons said. "Christian
was a very dominant blocker when he came out of
Defense: Sean Taylor is looking forward
to the new season and says he’s still got a ways to go in his own
development. "I can get better," he said.
"I think I still have a way to travel to be with the Troy Polamalu's and the Ed Reed's-I mean, I'm still only getting
two or three interceptions a year, so I'd like to see my interceptions go up.
Just to see my production go up would help the team win. "Getting to the
playoffs isn't good enough for us. We'd like to eventually win a Super Bowl one
day--and sooner would be greater than later." The Redskins added Adam Archuleta
during the off-season. He says coming to
Special Teams: Incumbent
kicker John Hall is coming off two injury plagued seasons and off-season
surgery. Kicker Tyler Jones is coming off a spring stint in NFL Europe. Special
teams coach Danny Smith says,
"Once they're on the field, it's competition and it doesn't really matter
where they've come from, who they are or what their credentials are. We'll keep
the best guy, period." Even if Hall wins, Jones might still make the final
roster as a kickoff specialist. He’ll be competing for that role in camp
against the two punter candidates, Derrick Frost and rookie David Lonie. Free agent
acquisition WR Antwaan Randle El steps into the punt return role. WRs James
Trash and Santana Moss are both capable backups. RB Ladell Betts will probably
again be the primary kickoff returner, however Randle El is the wildcard.
Depending on how they want to utilize him, he could be on occasional backup KR,
or he could be the feature KR.
Redskins
Depth Chart
QB Mark Brunell (inj),
Jason Campbell, Todd Collins
RB Clinton Portis, Ladell Betts (3RB), Rock Cartwright, Nehemiah
Broughton (FB), Jesse Lumsden, Joe Rubin
FB Mike Sellers, Manuel White
WR Santana Moss (PR), Brandon Lloyd, Antwaan Randle El (KR/PR), David Patten, Taylor
Jacobs, Jimmy Farris, Andrae Thurman, Mike Espy
TE Chris
Cooley, Christian Fauria, Robert
Johnson, Jared Hicks, Buck Ortega, Dustin Denning, Brandon Sebald
K John Hall, Tyler Jones
DE Philip Daniels, Andre Carter, Renaldo Wynn, Demetric
Evans, Manaia Brown
DT Cornelius
Griffin, Joe Salave'a, Cedric Killings, Ryan
Boschetti, Anthony Montgomery, Kedric Golston
MLB Lemar Marshall (S/W), Robert
McCune (S/M)
OLB Marcus Washington (S), Rocky McIntosh (W) (inj), Warrick Holdman (W), Chris
Clemons (W), Khary Campbell (S/M), Kevin Simon, Spencer Havner (S)
CB Shawn Springs, Carlos Rogers, Kenny Wright, Ade Jimoh, Dmitri Patterson, Christian
Morton, Chris Hawkins, Dennard Wilson
S Sean Taylor (FS), Adam Archuleta (SS), Pierson Prioleau (SS), Curry Burns (FS), Reed
Doughty (SS), Bobby Godinez