One of the best and most comprehensive features we do every year is our Footballguys August Updates. Every week this month, our Bob Henry, Jason Wood, and Clayton Gray and their team of Footballguys Staffers cover every player that matters from every NFL team. It's 32-plus pages of some of the most comprehensive coverage you'll find. It's probably worth the Footballguys Premium Subscription by itself.
While I encourage you to read every word on every team for every week, I also understand "Life Happens." And one of the more valuable services Footballguys can add is saving you time.
For this article, I had the idea of taking the full August Updates and asking our team writers to distill it down into 80 proof shots of the Need-to-Know material. Some teams will have more news than others because that's how it works in real life. Much of it will be from the August Updates, some of it will be my takes, but all of it will hopefully be useful to you. And make sure to jump on our Premium Subscription to continue seeing this type of stuff all year long. And if this feature is helpful to you, shoot me an email at bryant@footballguys.com and let me know.
Plus, a new addition for this year. For each team, I've included a link to our Depth Charts and also to the Full Camp Report. If you like these bullets and want more detail, check out the Full Camp Report for each team.
Let's get to it.
Arizona Cardinals | Depth Chart | Footballguys Full Camp Report
- QB Kyler Murray and TE Zach Ertz continue their ACL rehab.
- The vibe is Arizona will likely be a run-heavy offense.
- WR Michael Wilson is looking to secure a starting role.
- RB Marlon Mack tore his Achilles.
- OLB Zaven Collins and S Isaiah Simmons are becoming comfortable in their new positions.
Atlanta Falcons | Depth Chart | Footballguys Full Camp Report
- The Falcons held their starters out of the first preseason game against the Dolphins; they are expected to play against the Bengals.
- QB Desmond Ridder and coach Arthur Smith both noted Ridder's confidence is growing.
- Running back coach Michael Pitre suggested the team will use a three-player rotation and could take a hot-hand approach.
- WR KhaDarel Hodge has claimed the third wide receiver position behind Drake London and Mack Hollins.
- TE Jonnu Smith is easing into practice but said it was not an injury that cost him time.
Baltimore Ravens | Depth Chart | Footballguys Full Camp Report
- QB Lamar Jackson had a better week of practice and has praised the new scheme that gives him more control at the line and will rely more on his arm than his legs.
- RB J.K. Dobbins was activated from the PUP list and returned to practice Monday.
- WR Rashod Bateman returned to individual drills and should return to full team drills in the next few days. The pecking order between Bateman, Odell Beckham, and Zay Flowers is still to be determined.
- The Ravens' depth at defensive end and cornerback is an issue, and the team is expected to be in the market for free-agent additions at both positions.
Buffalo Bills | Depth Chart | Footballguys Full Camp Report
- QB Kyle Allen was expected to be the primary backup but has not played well and could lose his spot to Matt Barkley or an outside option.
- RB James Cook is emerging as a promising 3-down back, supported by Damien Harris and Latavius Murray in the backup roles.
- Trent Sherfield is closing in on the #3 WR role following an impressive camp, while Khalil Shakir's position seems to be slipping.
- Buffalo's offense appears ready to frequently utilize 2-TE sets this season, with Dalton Kincaid becoming a pivotal component.
- With Sean McDermott now calling defensive plays, expect a more aggressive approach with more big plays generated by the Bills defense.
Carolina Panthers | Depth Chart | Footballguys Full Camp Report
- QB Bryce Young struggled with pressure this week, and his offensive line is not doing him any favors.
- RB Miles Sanders is healthy enough to practice but did not play against the Jets.
- The Panthers are expected to feature their entire receiving corps rather than rely on a No. 1 receiver.
- With that said, WR Laviska Shenault's role has been compared to both Deebo Samuel and Cordarrelle Patterson.
- TE Hayden Hurst is in for a heavy workload and will play a lot of snaps this season.
Chicago Bears | Depth Chart | Footballguys Full Camp Report
- Take QB Justin Fields' gaudy stat line from the preseason game with a grain of salt, as most of that was after the catch yards, but be excited about his development steps.
- WR DJ Moore seems as good as advertised and will help Justin Fields tremendously.
- Running backs will be a much larger part of the passing game than they have been in years past.
- Khalil Herbert remains atop the RB depth chart, but Roschon Johnson will likely keep him from getting a workhorse role.
- The Bears' defense has some exciting and young pieces but still needs time to gel and come together.
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