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Training Camp UpdateVolume 9, Issue 1 – 8/6/14

We say it all the time because it's true: Things change fast in the NFL. And they never change faster than they do in August. And nobody covers those changes and team situations more comprehensively than Footballguys.com. Our Training Camp Updates come out once a week in August and our staff covers everything you need to know about every NFL team. This is the deep stuff that gives you an edge. We're not going to rave that Peyton Manning and Jamaal Charles are great. You know that.

Read our weekly updates to get the inside scoop on how the Browns running backs are practicing and which player is the best bet for your draft. Or the Jaguars WR corps. Or which Seattle receivers are shining in practice. It's the kind of information that will put you over the edge and on the way to dominating your draft.

Happy reading and let's have a great 2014 season,

Joe Bryant and David DoddsOwners, Footballguys.com

Follow us on twitter: @Joe_Bryant, @fbg_dodds, @theaudible, @sigmundbloom, @cecillammey, @JayBWood, @Jene Bramel, @fbgchase, @MattWaldman, @bobhenry, @Andrew_Garda, @JeffHaseley, @Maurile, @HermanKickology, @cianaf, @kylewachtel, @mpwimer, @draftdaddy

Arizona Cardinals

QB: Carson Palmer should be the Week 1 starter, while Drew Stanton will expect to be the primary backup. There is a wild card among this bunch though, as fourth round draft pick Logan Thomas is incredibly talented. Thomas has all the physical tools to be a starting quarterback, but he struggled with his consistency in college. Bruce Arians has a good track record with quarterbacks so Thomas will be interesting to watch, if not for this year then the 2015 season.

RB: Getting the ball in Andre Ellington's hands as much as possible seems like a good idea, but it seemed like a good idea last year too when the Cardinals favored Rashard Mendenhall. Mendenhall is now retired, leaving the door open for Ellington to be more heavily featured in the offense. If the Cardinals prefer not to rely on him too much, then Stepfan Taylor should be the favorite to be the between-the-tackles runner. Taylor may not be as explosive as free agent addition Jonathan Dwyer, but he has much better vision and consistency. Dwyer too often looks to initiate contact and that's a major concern behind an offensive line that projects to only be average.

WR: John Brown has been the talk of the offseason in Arizona. Brown could follow in the footsteps of T.Y. Hilton and be an immediate impact player in Arians’ scheme, but the third round pick will have to compete with veteran Ted Ginn for his snaps. Ginn has had a disappointing career, but he enjoyed his most impressive season with the Carolina Panthers and Cam Newton last year. The third receiver spot is the main focus with this offense as Larry Fitzgerald and Michael Floyd are penciled in as the starters atop the depth chart.

TE: Rob Housler is clearly the best receiving option on this depth chart, but he is also not the kind of tight end that Bruce Arians prefers. Arians got one of those tight ends in the second round of this year's draft when he took Troy Niklas. Niklas has potential as a receiver, but he primarily blocked at Notre Dame and he will likely get very few opportunities in Arians’ offense. The Cardinals’ tight end depth chart is a wasteland for potential fantasy football production unless Housler is used as a receiver.

Defense: Losing both Daryl Washington and Karlos Dansby in one offseason is massively important for the Cardinals defense. Both were key players because of their athleticism and versatility. The middle of the field focus now shifts to Deone Bucannon, the team's first draft pick this year, and Kevin Minter, a second-year player who barely played as a rookie. One of the main areas of focus in training camp will be watching Tyrann Mathieu and how effective he is as he returns from the torn ACL he suffered last season. Mathieu's importance to this defense is set to be huge because of the loss of athleticism at linebacker. Furthermore, Antonio Cromartie is a veteran cornerback who appeared to have lost a step for the New York Jets last year. Watching how effective Cromartie can be in camp and preseason will be important for judging this unit. The Cardinals have some youth and spots where players could emerge as contributors, but they are mostly reliant on proven veterans at this stage.

K/P: It was a three-way kicking competition in minicamps and OTAs between veteran Jay Feely, Danny Hrapmann and rookie Chandler Catanzaro. It’s now down to two, as Hrapmann was released last week. Catanzaro has adjusted to kicking in the desert. “The ball flies off my foot out here. It was a little hot for me at first, but I’ve gotten used to it.” Feely plans to keep on kicking “until nobody wants me, and until I’m not one of the best guys and don’t perform, that’s when I’ll be done. But I still think I’ve got a lot left in me.”

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OL: As of July 29, starting center Kyle Sendlein was diagnosed with a calf injury and the team announced he’d be out for three weeks. This could be an issue to watch, as Sendlein is an underrated player and the Cardinals lack interior depth. The team really needs him for Week 1. Head coach Bruce Arians publicly challenged left guard Jonathan Cooper in a post-practice press conference. Cooper admits he must improve, and was briefly demoted to second team for several series during practice. His starting job appears to be safe for now, but the team is sending a message to the young player to get his act together. In better news, Jared Veldheer has been awesome for the team in preseason practices, and should be a long term solution at left tackle. Paul Fanaika appears to be leading in the right guard competition against Earl Watford. In addition, veteran Max Starks was signed to a short term deal. Starks could provide an option if Bobby Massie washes out at right tackle.

Cardinals Depth ChartQB: Carson Palmer, Drew Stanton, Logan Thomas, Ryan LindleyRB: Andre Ellington, Stepfan Taylor, Jonathan Dwyer, Robert Hughes, Zach Bauman, Tim CornettWR: Larry Fitzgerald, Michael Floyd, Ted Ginn (KR/PR), John Brown,Jaron Brown, Walt Powell, Brittan Golden, Dan Buckner, Teddy WilliamsTE: John Carlson, Jake Ballard, Rob Housler, Troy Niklas (inj),Darren Fells, Andre HardyLT: Jared Veldheer, Bradley SowellLG: Jonathan Cooper, Christian JohnsonC: Lyle Sendlein, Ted Larsen, Phillip Blake, John EstesRG: Paul Fanaika, Earl WatfordRT: Bobby Massie, Max Starks, Nate PotterK: Jay Feely, Danny HrapmannDT: Dan Williams, Alameda Ta′amu, Anthony McCloud, Everette ThompsonDE: Calais Campbell, Darnell Dockett (DT), Frostee Rucker (DT),Ronald Talley, Kareem Martin, Ed StinsonILB: Kevin Minter, Larry Foote, Lorenzo Alexander, Kenny Demens,Ernie Sims, JoJo Dickson, Daryl Washington (susp)OLB: Matt Shaughnessy (W), John Abraham (W), Marcus Benard,Sam Acho, Adrian Tracy, Alex Okafor, Trevardo William, Keenan ClaytonCB: Patrick Peterson (PR), Antonio Cromartie, Jerraud Powers,Justin Bethel, Bryan McCann, LeQuan LewisS: Tyrann Mathieu (FS), Deone Bucannon (SS), Tony Jefferson (SS), Rashad Johnson (FS), Orhian Johnson, Anthony Walters (SS), Curtis Taylor

Atlanta Falcons

QB: "Matt has been a leader of our team really since day one," head coach Mike Smith said on Tuesday, July 29. "He identifies things he feels will make us a better football team, and he believes and I believe he needs to have a voice in what

we're doing offensively... He's done a very good job throughout the entire offseason working with the team." Ryan indicated that during spring OTAs (with Julio Jones and Roddy White out due to injury rehabs and Tony Gonzalez retired) he stressed fundamentals. "I think back to basics in teaching was huge this offseason. It was a lot of new guys in there and young guys in there and so it was back to basics. I think that's been good for us. Work on our craft and make sure those guys understand what we are at our core."

RB: As of July 31, coach Smith had no update on Steven Jackson's status - Jackson continues to miss practices since injuring his left hamstring on July 28. There is no "immediate timetable" for Jackson to return, according to the Falcons, though the team expects him back in time for Week 1. While Jackson has been out, rookie Devonta Freeman has been toting the rock – reports out of camp indicate that Freeman has shown “flashes” of ability as an all-around back and that running backs coach Gerald Brown stated Freeman “is going to be a really good receiver for us”.

WR: Julio Jones commented on his rehabilitation from foot surgery on Thursday, July 31: "What we're doing now is taking every step, every little procedure to get there so that I'm healthy and don't have any doubts about my ability to go out there and make plays." Jones added: "I got off to a great start last year, but now I just have to focus on this year and stay healthy." Jones reportedly burned Desmond Trufant for a 40-yard pass from Ryan at the end of Thursday's practice, showing that his speed is not impaired by his most recent foot surgery.

TE: Ryan is reportedly working extra with Levine Toilolo early in training camp, helping Toilolo adjust to his starting role in the offense this season. Ryan did note on July 29 that Toilolo has gained strength entering his second pro season, but also that: "I don't think it's one guy replacing what Tony did. Certainly he had a unique skill set really in the history of the NFL. I think we'll have a combination of guys fill in for the skill set he had and certainly schematically you've got to change some of the things that you do..."

Defense: Defensive tackle Peria Jerry retired abruptly on July 31, leaving the Falcons amidst speculation that he wouldn't make the final 53-man roster. The Falcons added undrafted rookie prospect Theo Agnew (Georgia State) to the defensive tackle corps on Friday, August 1 to replace Jerry on the training camp roster. “He [Agnew] looks like he’s in good shape,” coach Smith said on Saturday, August 2. “He’s kept working at it and waiting for an opportunity.” Also on July 31, Smith indicated that newly signed LB Pat Angerer has entered the NFL's concussion protocol and will be held out the next few days. Rookie free safety Dezmen Southward is probably going to miss about a week of practice due to an unspecified knee injury. Smith said the injury is "nothing serious" and that "we anticipate he'll be ready to go" for preseason games. Southward had been pushing free agent signee Dwight Lowery for the starting free safety position in the practices prior to his knee injury. On Saturday, August 2 coach Smith

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confirmed that Lowery is now in the concussion protocol: "Dwight, as I said last night, he had an injury to his head, and he is in the concussion protocol. We don't think it's very serious. But that's where he is right now." This concussion was Lowery's fourth since joining the pro ranks, so he may be out a significant period of time. Safety Zeke Motta is also sidelined due to a neck injury – the Falcon's safety position is thin after one week of practices. On Monday, July 28 the Falcons practiced in pads for the first time, and they also had a full-contact/tackle-to-the-ground practice. Coach Smith explained why the Falcons were doing more tackling in camp this year: “But in terms of being physical, we’ve got to be a more physical football team. That has been what we’ve been talking about since the very beginning of this offseason and the end of last season is being a more resilient football team. And you just don’t turn it on when you go out on the field when you play a game. You’ve got to work on it on the practice field and make sure everybody understands what we are trying to get done.” Also on Monday, Prince Shembo was praised by fellow inside linebacker Paul Worrilow: "Prince is fitting in real good. We do a lot of work together. Just watching him play, he's a natural at inside." Finding another capable inside linebacker is a priority for the Falcons' defense as they lost Sean Weatherspoon to a torn Achilles tendon this summer. ESPN reported on Thursday, July 31 that Joplo Bartu is starting across from Worrilow at inside linebacker – he and Shembo are competing for the spot. This year Mike Nolan’s defense is planning to mix 3-4 and their traditional 4-3 alignments in hopes of keeping opponents guessing. One 3-4 alignment has Tyson Jackson, Paul Soliai and Jonathan Babineaux as the down linemen, with Kroy Biermann and Jonathan Massaquoi as hybrid outside linebackers-ends. One 4-3 alignment for passing situations reportedly uses traditional ends Biermann, Mallicah Goodman and Osi Umenyiora as down linemen alongside Babineaux.

K/P: The Falcons entered camp with all three returning starters at the specialists positions - kicker Matt Bryant, long snapper Josh Harris and holder/punter/kickoff-specialist Matt Bosher. The only one backed up by a camp leg is Bryant, who will be spelled by rookie Sergio Castillo. Rookie punter Matt Yoklic had been signed after the draft, but was released in June.

OL: The Falcons gave the HBO cameras a show when they ran the infamous Oklahoma drill. The predictable fighting ensued. Starting center Joe Hawley mixed it up with rookie Jacques Smith and backup tackle Gabe Carimi was involved in a practice-halting scuffle against defender Stansly Maponga. The team’s first round draft pick, Jake Matthews, has been impressive at right tackle and appears to be on the fast track to success. Head coach Mike Smith reportedly instructed starting left tackle Sam Baker to bulk up in the offseason, and he stood out in pass protection drills. Peter Konz also did well in the same drills, but Terren Jones and Mike Johnson struggled. In general the Falcons are emphasizing physicality in their practices and this is good news for their offensive line play.

Falcons Depth ChartQB: Matt Ryan, T.J. Yates, Sean Renfree, Jeff MathewsRB: Steven Jackson, Devonta Freeman, Jacquizz Rodgers (KR),Antone Smith, Josh VaughnFB: Bradie Ewing, Patrick DiMarcoWR: Julio Jones (inj), Roddy White, Harry Douglas (PR), Drew Davis (inj), Darius Johnson, Devin Hester (KR/PR), Kevin Cone, Geraldo Boldewijn, Bernard Reedy, Courtney Roby, Jeremy EbertTE: Levine Toilolo, Andrew Szczerba, Mickey Shuler, Jacob PedersonLT: Sam Baker, Lamar Holmes, Ryan SchraederLG: Justin Blalock, Harland GunnC: Joe Hawley, Peter KonzRG: Jon AsamoahRT: Jake Matthews, Gabe Carimi, Terren JonesK: Matt BryantNT: Paul Soliai, Travian Robertson, Donte RumphDE: Tyson Jackson, Jonathan Babineaux, Ra′Shede Hageman (inj),Osi Umenyiora, Jonathan Massaquoi, Stansly Maponga, Malliciah Goodman (inj), Corey Peters (inj), Cliff Matthews, Adam ReplogleILB: Paul Worrilow, Tim Dobbins, Marquis Spruill, Yawin Smallwood, Pat Angerer, Sean Weatherspoon (IR)OLB: Joplo Bartu (W/S), Prince Shembo, Kroy Biermann, Tyler Starr,Brenden Daley, Jacques SmithCB: Desmond Trufant, Robert Alford, Josh Wilson, Robert McClain,Javier Arenas (PR/KR), Ricardo Allen, Jordan MabinS: William Moore (SS), Dezmen Southward (FS) (inj), Kemal Ishmael (SS), Zeke Mota (SS), Tyrell Johnson (FS), Sean Baker (FS), Dwight Lowery (FS) (inj)

Baltimore Ravens

QB: Joe Flacco struggled early in camp with some turnovers. As camp has progressed, Flacco has concentrated on safer, high percentage throws underneath. The offense will focus on getting the ball out quicker to minimize sacks and new offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak has place a huge emphasis on limiting turnovers and improving the run game. Kubiak noted that the Ravens could be a very good screen team due to the athleticism of the guards. Tyrod Taylor has impressed Kubiak with his arm strength, athleticism and competitive nature. Taylor is in the final year of his rookie contract and expected to be an attractive free agent target next spring for teams looking to invest in a strong backup quarterback. Worries about the ability to afford Taylor after this season were a key factor in the decision to draft Keith Wenning. Wenning has received only limited third team reps but has been trying to take as many mental reps as possible. Those mental exercises help with what Kubiak said was the biggest challenge for Wenning, who he called very talented. "It's a huge system change for Keith, verbiage-wise," Kubiak said.

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"That's the toughest part. But the talent's there, so we're trying to catch him up."

RB: Ravens running backs have been in the news for all of the wrong reasons recently as Ray Rice earned a two-game suspension for domestic abuse and Lorenzo Taliaferro was arrested for destruction of property. On the field, Rice has slimmed down from nearly 225 pounds all the way to 207. Rice is entrenched as the Ravens starter and looks improved over last season. Bernard Pierce is the primary backup and expected to take over the starting job for the two games Rice will miss. “I’ve never looked at myself as a No 2 back or a backup,” Pierce said. “If my number is called, I’m gonna perform. I’m gonna show up.” Running back Justin Forsett has showed off his impressive burst. He flashed his speed early in camp as he took a short slant the distance, beating four defenders. Forsett is competing with the rookie Taliaferro for the third running back role.

WR: Offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak has stated that this is the best wide receiver battle he has ever seen in his 20 years in the NFL. “In all my years in the league, I don’t know that I’ve ever seen as competitive of a situation as we have at receiver right now,” Kubiak said Friday. The top four of Torrey Smith, Steve Smith, Jacoby Jones and Marlon Brown are locked in while the battle for the final two spots is incredibly fierce. Torrey Smith will be a big part of the offense and has taken on more of a leadership role as he hopes to earn a contract extension soon. Smith has not let the contract discussion become a distraction and has made some impressive plays including this ridiculous one-handed grab. Steve Smith has reportedly looked quick in and out of breaks at camp and has been as feisty as ever, getting into multiple fights with CBs already. Flacco has built a trust that Smith will catch anything thrown close to him. Jones is a bit of a forgotten man, but he had a big day Saturday after a relatively uneventful first 8 days of camp. Brown struggled with drops durings OTAs and minicamp but is off to great start in training camp. “He’s made great strides,” head coach John Harbaugh said. “Marlon made some circus catches.” Kamar Aiken has put himself in a strong position to claim one of the final two WR spots. The 6-foot-2, 215-pound Central Florida product has major skills. He’s made tough catches in traffic, gotten open along the sidelines, hauled in clutch touchdowns and done well on special teams. Veteran wide receiver LaQuan Williams has made some of the flashiest catches in practice. Deonte Thompson is the fastest player on the team and has made some big plays down the field. When healthy, rookie wide receiver Michael Campanaro has impressed and looks like the pesky slot receiver the Ravens had hoped they were getting when they traded back into the draft to select him last May. Undrafted rookies Jeremy Butler and Jace Davis have impressed as well. Butler created a buzz during OTAs and minicamp but has been slowed by a groin injury in training camp. Davis has been consistently strong catching the ball and making tough plays.

TE: Dennis Pitta is now one year removed from the dislocated hip he suffered during training camp in 2013. Pitta returned

late last season, but was not the same player as he had lost some explosiveness. He is now fully recovered and has regained his previous form. "I’m out here not thinking about it," Pitta said. "It’s not giving me an issue at all; I feel 100 percent. I’m encouraged with where I’m at.” Pitta has impressed Kubiak not only with his receiving skills, but also with his ability as an inline blocker. Tight end Owen Daniels is trying to fend off rookie third rounder Crockett Gilmore for the backup job, but he has no burst getting off the line and he's been having trouble getting separation. Gilmore should challenge for playing time as he is a solid blocker and is establishing a reputation as a reliable receiver during camp.

Defense: Terrell Suggs has been dominant throughout camp and come up with a number of sacks. The Ravens’ entire front seven has been strong in camp. The pass rush has given the offense fits with Elvis Dumervil and the emerging Courtney Upshaw joining Suggs in regularly getting to the quarterback. Rookie linebacker CJ Mosley has been the most consistent playmaker on defense. The Ravens defensive line depth took a hit as rookie fourth rounder Brent Urban tore his ACL and is out for the season. Urban had been expected to be the primary backup to Chris Canty. One of the key camp battles on the Ravens defense is for the third cornerback spot behind Lardarius Webb and Jimmy Smith. It appears that Asa Jackson has the leg up as he has been outperforming Chykie Brown, who has struggled at times and dropped some easy interceptions.

K/P: In drills one day last week, the Ravens kicked field goals of 51, 54 & 60 yards. The surprising part is that kicker Justin Tucker had the day off. The kicks were made by the punters – veteran Sam Koch and rookie Richie Leone. The latter could push the former for the punter/holder job, especially since he would save the Ravens some money. Conversely, the team is rumored to be working towards spending some more money, as negotiations are under way for a long term deal for Tucker.

OL: With four of the five starting positions settled, left tackle Eugene Monroe likes the cohesion of the Ravens’ offensive line. The other veterans, Kelechi Osemele, Jeremy Zuttah and Marshal Yanda have been solid in practice. The unsettled position is where Michael Oher (now with the Titans) used to start, and has become a close battle between last year’s fifth round pick Ricky Wagner and 2011 third round pick Jah Reid. Wagner has been up and down, looking strong in the run game but has been beaten around the edge by Elvis Dumervil in pass rush drills. Wagner is leading but has not put the contest away. Despite being in the last year of his rookie deal, Jah Reid actually has a legitimate shot at this job. Backup guard Will Rackley is still dealing with a concussion and has only made it through one practice in camp this preseason.

Ravens Depth ChartQB: Joe Flacco, Tyrod Taylor, Keith Wenning, Nick StephensRB: Ray Rice (susp), Bernard Pierce, Justin Forsett, Lorenzo Taliaferro, Cierre Wood, Fitzgerald

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ToussaintFB: Kyle JuszczykWR: Torrey Smith, Steve Smith, Marlon Brown, Jacoby Jones (KR/PR), Deonte Thompson, Michael Campanaro, LaQuan Williams, Jeremy Butler, Kamar Aiken, Gerrard SheppardTE: Dennis Pitta, Owen Daniels, Crockett Gillmore, Nathan OverbayLT: Eugene Monroe, Jah ReidLG: Kelechi Osemele, Will RackleyC: Jeremy Zuttah, Gino Gradkowski, A.Q. Shipley, Ryan JensenRG: Marshal Yanda, John UrschelRT: Ricky Wagner, David MimsK: Justin TuckerDT: Brandon Williams (NT), Terrence Cody (inj), Timmy Jernigan (NT), Cody Larsen, Derrick HopkinsDE: Haloti Ngata (NT/DE), Chris Canty, DeAngelo Tyson, Pernell McPhee, , Kapron Lewis-Moore, Brent UrbanILB: Daryl Smith (M), C.J. Mosley (W), Arthur Brown (W), Josh Bynes (W), D.J. Bryant, Austin SpitlerOLB: Terrell Suggs, Elvis Dumervil (S), Courtney Upshaw, Albert McClellan, John SimonCB: Lardarius Webb (PR) (inj), Jimmy Smith, Chykie Brown, Asa Jackson, Dominique Franks, Aaron Ross (IR)S: Matt Elam (SS), Darian Stewart (FS), Terrence Brooks, Will Hill (susp), Brynden Trawick (FS), Anthony Levine (SS), Jeromy Miles (SS), Omar Brown (RFA)

Buffalo Bills

QB: The Bills opened camp earlier than any other team this year to get ready for their first preseason game on Sunday night in Canton. EJ Manuel is a huge key to the offense coming off a less than inspiring rookie season. Reports indicate he’s gotten off to a slow start in camp, and he didn’t help himself much with a lackluster two for seven passing showing against the Giants on Sunday night either. There is plenty of talent on this offense so he doesn’t need to do it all himself, but has to show that he can make quick decisions and deliver the ball accurately. Jeff Tuel worked with the second unit in the preseason opener and made some plays with his arm and legs, including a two-yard touchdown pass on fourth down to give the Bills an early lead. Unfortunately, he also threw an interception in the end zone just before halftime. Thad Lewis relieved him in the second half, but struggled to do much through the air. Lewis is expected to wind up as the team’s backup but he’ll have to earn the spot in the preseason.

RB: C.J. Spiller got the start for the Bills in the preseason game against the Giants but only got one touch. He is entering the last year of his contract, and will try to rebound from a disappointing season that saw him hampered by a high ankle sprain. Fred Jackson didn’t see much more action in the game, but seemed to be the primary back once the Bills recovered a

fumble in the red zone. The two figure to split carries again this year, although neither will likely see a ton of time in the preseason. Anthony Dixon has opened camp as the team’s third back, but he will likely be pushed by the more explosive Bryce Brown. Brown had the more impressive debut on Sunday that included a 19-yard run, but the two will likely battle throughout the preseason.

WR: The star of training camp so far has been Sammy Watkins, who the Bills paid a steep price to trade up for on draft day. He was shut out in the preseason opener against the Giants (despite three targets), but there have been some clear signs the team is going to rely on him heavily this year. Stevie Johnson was shipped out to the 49ers this offseason, but a potential replacement in Mike Williams was acquired from the Buccaneers in a separate trade. In a surprise move, Robert Woods did not see any snaps with the first team offense on Sunday night, but he looked great once Tuel took over and wound up leading the team with four catches for 49 yards and a touchdown. Those figure to be the team’s top three receivers during the season, with players like T.J. Graham and Marquise Goodwin fighting for spots behind them. Goodwin missed the Giants game with a hamstring injury, but Chris Hogan saw some snaps in the slot early on and Marcus Easley came up with the play of the game on special teams so there figure to be some interesting battles to watch.

TE: The Bills have been decimated by injuries at the position early on in camp. Veteran Scott Chandler and newcomer Tony Moeaki are both sitting out with hamstring injuries and wound up missing the Giants game. That left them with blocking specialist Lee Smith and second-year player Chris Gragg, who was very active in the second half and finished with four catches in the game.

Defense: The Bills were dealt a crushing blow in the offseason when star linebacker Kiko Alonso was lost to an ACL tear during workouts in Oregon. Early on, it looks like the plan will be to replace him with Nigel Bradham, who has looked more impressive this year than he has in the past, but he will also have to sit out the first game due to a suspension. Brandon Spikes was signed from the Patriots and also appears to be headed for a three-down role as he lined up in the team’s nickel packages on Sunday night against the Giants. Up front, the Bills are switching to a 4-3 base so the preseason will be used to get everybody comfortable with the new scheme. Marcell Dareus has had some off field issues dating back to the end of last season, and then showed up to camp out of shape as well, so it will be important to see if he can get back on the right track. In the secondary, the Bills lost their star free safety Jairus Byrd to the Saints, and will try to replace him with Aaron Williams. A lot is expected of Stephon Gilmore at corner this year, but the Bills were missing him and their other starting corner Leodis McKelvin on Sunday night as both sat out with hip injuries.

K/P: At the outset of camp, the team indicated that Dan Carpenter was their placekicker this year. Dustin Hopkins’s only hope of making the final roster is as a kickoff specialist.

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Each did their job in the Hall of Fame Game – Carpenter making field goals of 30 & 51 yards and Hopkins putting his first three kickoffs through the endzone. In the punting/holding competition, early results in practice and the game have Brian Moorman keeping his job over challenger Jake Dombrowski.

OL: There is quite a bit of unsettled business in Bills camp regarding the offensive line. Current left tackle Cordy Glenn has been unable to practice due to a mysterious undisclosed illness. Although we don’t know the exact nature of the issue, the rumor mill has Glenn likely available to play Week 1. In Glenn’s place, rookie seventh round pick Seantrel Henderson has been taking first-team reps. Henderson is a natural left tackle and has held his own; he could actually be the left tackle of the future. Free agent addition Chris Williams is the current left guard and seems to have a firm hold on that job for this year. The rumor mill also has Glenn’s mysterious illness as the same that took out Chris Hairston for all of 2013, so this is certainly an issue to watch. Hairston, now healthy, has been competing with Kraig Urbik at right guard. However, rookie fifth round pick Cyril Richardson has also recently been added to the competition for the right guard spot, and Hairston’s stock could be on the decline. The defensive line has been getting the better of Urbik (and the entire line) in practices and the staff is generally not happy with the current level of play across the board. It has not all been bad news for Urbik, who caught a touchdown in a practice on July 27. At right tackle, second round draft pick Cyrus Kouandijo has been unable to unseat mediocre starter Erik Pears. Kouandijo is only 20 years old and his game reportedly needs seasoning.

Bills Depth ChartQB: EJ Manuel, Thaddeus Lewis, Jeff Tuel, Dennis DixonRB: C.J. Spiller, Fred Jackson, Bryce Brown, Anthony Dixon, Ronnie WingoFB: Frank Summers, Evan RodriguezWR: Sammy Watkins, Mike Williams, Robert Woods, Marquise Goodwin (KR), T.J. Graham, Marcus Easley, Chris Hogan, Kevin Elliott, Tori Gurley, Chris Summers, Caleb Holley, Naaman RooseveltTE: Scott Chandler, Tony Moeaki, Lee Smith, Chris Gragg, Dominique JonesLT: Cordy GlennLG: Chris Williams, J.J. UngaC: Eric Wood, Doug LegurskyRG: Kraig Urbik, Cyril RichardsonRT: Erik Pears, Cyrus Kouandijo, Chris HairstonK: Dan Carpenter, Dustin HopkinsDT: Marcell Dareus (NT), Kyle Williams, Corbin Bryant, Stefan Charles (NT), Damien Jacobs, Landon CohenDE: Mario Williams, Jerry Hughes, Manny Lawson (S/DE), Alan Branch, Jarius Wynn, Ikponmwosa Igbinosun, Bryan Johnson,Jacquies SmithMLB: Brandon Spikes, Preston Brown (S), Jimmy GainesOLB: Keith Rivers (S), Nigel Bradham (W) (susp), Ty Powell (S),Stevenson Sylvester (W), Nathan

Williams (S), Randell Johnson,Kiko Alonso (inj), Darrin Kitchens (IR)CB: Stephon Gilmore, Leodis McKelvin, Nickell Robey, Corey Graham, Ron Brooks, Mario Butler, Ross Cockrell, Kamaal McIlwainS: Aaron Williams (FS), Da′Norris Searcy (SS), Duke Williams (SS), Jonathan Meeks (SS), Jajuan Harley (FS), Kenny Ladler

Carolina Panthers

QB: Cam Newton had offseason (late March) surgery to tighten up ligaments in his left ankle. On June 4, Panthers head coach Ron Rivera said he believed Newton was on or ahead of schedule in his four-month recovery. "We feel pretty comfortable," Rivera said. "We feel he's headed in the right direction." On July 24, Newton was cleared for training camp, though on July 26, as training camp got underway, Newton said his ankle was not 100 percent at that point, but it is getting better each day. On Saturday, August 2 Newton displayed his leadership abilities by lending encouragement to rookie defensive end Kony Ealy during practice. “We saw Kony Ealy working through it,” Rivera said. “You saw Cam trying to push him through it. You’re seeing guys trying to push the young guys. They know how important these young guys are, and they’re going to get opportunities to play for us... The nice part was Cam went up to him afterwards and put his arm around him and said that’s it. This is what you’ve got to learn to do. You’ve got to learn to push.”

RB: Mike Tolbert is going to have a role as the short-yardage/goal-line back again this season, according to comments from coach Rivera on July 28: "We don't want him to lose that nose for the goal line that he has. A lot of times he's our fourth-down, go-to guy. He's our crunch-time guy". Meanwhile, Jonathan Stewart injured his hamstring very early in training camp, and as of July 27 is expected to miss two to four weeks, leaving DeAngelo Williams all alone as the top back in the Carolina stable for training camp/the foreseeable future. As we saw with Steven Jackson last year in Atlanta, a soft-tissue injury can linger for quite some time, and Stewart has never been known as a quick healer. In other injury news, rookie running back Tyler Gaffney tore up his left lateral meniscus cartilage, and was headed for season-ending corrective surgery. The Panthers tried to slide him through waivers, but the New England Patriots short-circuited the move and claimed Gaffney, depriving the Panthers of his future services. The corrective surgery will be rescheduled. After Gaffney's injury, the Panthers signed Fozzy Whittaker on July 27 - he played in Cleveland before being cut this May. Whittaker had 21 receptions for 155 yards and two touchdowns receiving last year to go along with 29 carries for 80 yards on the ground and also plays on special teams.

WR: Kelvin Benjamin returned to practice on Saturday, August 2, after roughly a week out of the action due to a bone

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bruise in his knee. At that session, Benjamin and Newton showed good chemistry and observers stated that Benjamin is obviously Newton's "top wide receiver target". Benjamin said that receivers' coach Ricky Proehl tells him: “Go up and get the ball at its highest point.” Tom Sorenson of the Charlotte Observer notes: “I’ve yet to find anybody that has seen Benjamin drop a pass in Spartanburg [training camp].” Benjamin and Newton put in extra time working together after the NFL Draft and thus far in camp that work seems to be paying off. While Benjamin was out of action, third-year wideout Brenton Bersin ran with the first-team offense (he was across from Jerricho Cotchery outside with Jason Avant in the slot). Bersin appears to have leapfrogged up the depth chart into the number four slot, over Marvin McNutt, Tiquan Underwood and Tavarres King. Undrafted free agent Marcus Lucas (6’4’’, 220 pounds) caught coach Rivera's attention early in camp "“He runs good routes, has got good hands, shows good concentration,” Rivera said on July 29. “He’s a young guy who’s enthusiastic at practice. I like his attitude and work ethic."

TE: Backup tight end Brandon Williams was carted off the field early in training camp (July 28) due to dehydration/cramps. Williams had a solid spring/summer in OTAs but will need to stay on the field if he's going to surpass Ed Dickson on the depth chart behind starter Greg Olsen.

Defense: Rookie CB Bene Benwikere has turned heads in training camp thus far, especially during two outstanding practices on Thursday, July 31 and Friday, August 1. Benwikere created an interception return that led to a touchdown on Thursday, and Friday he rang up two interceptions and three pass breakups, according to local reports. "The truth of the matter is Bene' is kind of who we thought he is," Rivera said. "He has great vision, he plays with eyes on the ball. When you do that you can have opportunities to make plays. He has a natural feel for that." Meanwhile, free agent signee safety Thomas DeCoud has been sidelined for most of camp due to a minor knee injury - coach Rivera still believes DeCoud will be solid for the Panthers: "He's still young. He's still a dynamic football player. He's still around the ball," Rivera said. "Last year he dropped a number of interceptions that would have put him up there right in the middle of the pack. He just didn't have the year, but neither did the whole team." During Saturday's practice, the defense mounted a goal-line stand to punctuate a tough workout - “I thought initially the offense got the best of it and then at the very end you saw what happened with Luke [Kuechly] and the defense. They rose to the occasion,” coach Rivera said. “It’s good to see us at that point doing things that make us better as a football team.” Defensive end Greg Hardy missed practice Saturday with a shoulder contusion. He was still involved in practice and wore his jersey despite not participating on the field. There is no timetable set for Hardy's return to action as of Sunday, August 3.

K/P: Back in camp in this year are all three starting specialists - kicker Graham Gano (who was re-signed to a four-year deal back in February), holder/punter Brad Nortman, and long

snapper J.J. Jansen. Providing camp leg duties is Jordan Gay. Although listed as a punter, he also will spell Gano during practice, having prior experience handling kicking at Centre College.

OL: With the retirement of Jordan Gross, there is a vacancy at left tackle, as well as a leadership void. Gross meant a lot to this team, not just as a player, but as a team leader. In his eighth season, starting center Ryan Kalil has taken it upon himself to become more vocal on the field and replace the leadership of Gross. Rookie guard Trai Turner has been impressive filling in for the injured Garry Williams (still recovering from ACL surgery). The staff is really impressed with Turner’s progress and professionalism. It is entirely possible that Williams will not get this guard spot back, even when healthy. However, Williams has experience at right tackle, which could come in handy this season. At left tackle, Byron Bell reportedly has an edge over Nate Chandler in the battle to replace Jordan Gross, but it’s still too early to call. The “loser” of this battle will likely still have a starting job at right tackle. The two players have been flip-flopping during practice. Guard Edmund Kugbila was placed on injured reserve. The second-year player was in the mix for a guard spot but cannot seem to stay healthy. Beyond the starters, the guard cupboard is running dry, as long time veteran Travelle Wharton retired this offseason, as did Jeff Byers. They cannot afford more injuries at the interior spots.

Panthers Depth ChartQB: Cam Newton (inj), Derek Anderson, Joe Webb, Matt BlanchardRB: DeAngelo Williams, Jonathan Stewart (inj), Kenjon Barner, Darrin ReavesFB: Mike Tolbert (SD), Michael ZordichWR: Jerricho Cotchery, Kelvin Benjamin, Jason Avant, Tiquan Underwood, Tavarres King, Kealoha Pilares, Marcus Lucas, Marvin McNutt, Toney Clemons, Corey Brown, Brenton BersinTE: Greg Olsen, Ed Dickson, Brandon Williams, Richie Brockel (FB),D.C. Jefferson, Mike McNeillLT: Nate ChandlerLG: Amini Silatolu, Brian FolkertsC: Ryan Kalil, Fernando VelascoRG: Garry Williams, Trai TurnerRT: Byron Bell, Travis Bond, Edmund Kugbila (IR)K: Graham GanoDT: Star Lotulelei (NT), Dwan Edwards, Kawann Short (NT), Colin Cole, Drake Nevis, Linden Gaydosh, Casey Walker (NT)DE: Charles Johnson, Greg Hardy, Mario Addison, Kony Ealy, Frank Alexander, Alex Hall, Wes Horton, Craig RohMLB: Luke Kuechly, D.J. Smith, Ben JacobsOLB: Thomas Davis (S), Chase Blackburn (W), A.J. Klein (W),Jason Williams, Anthony MoralesCB: Antoine Cason, DeAndre Presley, Bene Benwikere, Charles Godfrey, Melvin White, Josh Thomas, Josh Norman, James Dockery,Carrington Byndom

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S: Roman Harper (SS), Thomas DeCoud (FS), Robert Lester (SS),Colin Jones (FS), Tre Boston (SS), Tom Nelson

Chicago Bears

QB: The Bears held a practice at Soldier Field on Saturday night, and Jay Cutler was the star as expected. He spread the ball around to many different receivers and picked the defense apart in various drills. If this team is going to compete for a championship, they will need to rely heavily on their offense and Cutler is the key in Marc Trestman’s pass-oriented attack. Josh McCown was a more than capable backup last year, but he signed in Tampa during the offseason so a lot of attention has been paid to the backup competition. Both Jimmy Clausen and Jordan Palmer have split time with the second string offense, but Clausen has looked more effective despite still getting familiar with the playbook. Rookie David Fales may have trouble getting a lot of reps and could wind up on the practice squad as a developmental option.

RB: Matt Forte is the clear starter and the only established running back on the roster as camp began. He probably won’t see a ton of playing time in the preseason as the team tries to keep him healthy for games that matter. The key story to watch here once again will be a fight over the second back job. It was originally expected to be a competition between Michael Ford and rookie Ka’Deem Carey, but Shaun Draughn has quickly emerged as a viable threat as well. He received plenty of reps with the first and second units in recent practices, and has looked very good. A couple of undrafted rookies will also be fighting for roster spots in camp. Senorise Perry has seen more reps than Jordan Lynch, who is trying to make a conversion from college quarterback.

WR: Brandon Marshall is an elite receiver, and Alshon Jeffery is looking to join those ranks coming off his breakout 2013 season. Both players have stood out in practice by making plays all over the field and appear to be in midseason form. The focal point for this position group will be determining how the rest of the depth chart shakes out. Second-year pro Marquess Wilson entered camp as the clear favorite to earn the third receiver job, and he has looked explosive in his reps so far to solidify his status. Unfortunately, bad news struck on Monday as Wilson suffered a broken clavicle in Monday's practice. He’ll miss six to eight weeks as a result. Chris Williams was signed from the Canadian Football League and offers exceptional speed despite his small size (5’8”, 175lbs). "He's unique in that he has excellent quickness," receivers coach Mike Groh said. "He has very good long speed." Josh Morgan is the most experienced option among the backup options and figures to be a fallback option if Wilson doesn’t win the job. Eric Weems is also in the mix for a bigger role on offense, but he has mostly been a special teams player in his career.

TE: As with the other positions tight end has a clear starter in Martellus Bennett, so training camp will be used to determine the backup spots. Unlike the other positions though, the backup options here do not look very promising. Bennett’s focus has been on improving his yards after catch numbers this year so he has been spending extra time with Cutler to make sure they are on the same page. Dante Rosario is the most experienced backup option right now, but he doesn’t offer much upside.

Defense: The Bears rebuilt their defensive line in the offseason so it will be interesting to see how improved they are up front. Jared Allen and Lamarr Houston were big free agent signings and should provide significant upgrades at defensive end, but the defensive tackle position is a bit of a question mark. Rookies Will Sutton and Ego Ferguson are expected to play significant roles due to a lack of experienced depth. At linebacker, Lance Briggs remains the leader and stabilizing force on the weakside, while Shea McClellin is making a transition from defensive end to strongside linebacker and looked comfortable dropping into coverage in early practices. Second-year pro Jon Bostic is competing with DJ Williams for the starting middle linebacker job and has looked much more confident now that he has a full season of experience. The corner position is in good hands with veterans Charles Tillman and Tim Jennings, but first round pick Kyle Fuller has gotten work with the first team while Jennings rests a quad injury and has not looked out of place. After sitting out the 2013 season, Adrian Wilson has seen time at strong safety with the first team defense and looked impressive, but both safety spots are expected to be up for grabs. Chris Conte is still recovering from offseason shoulder surgery, which could help create an opening for rookie Brock Vereen.

K/P: Training camp will determine with whom kicker Robbie Gould will be working come September. He’ll have a new holder this year – whoever wins the punting competition. Although Tress Way has been much improved this year, so far rookie Pat O’Donnell has appeared to be all the team expected when they drafted him and impressed the fans at early practices. With the retirement of Patrick Mannelly, Gould will also be working with a new long snapper. Chad Rempel and Brandon Hartson entered camp as the combatants; however, both have struggled in the early going.

OL: Last year’s first rounder Kyle Long had been out of action with a viral infection. He has since returned to practice, albeit on a pitch count, and should be full-go by Week 1. Swing tackle Eben Britton, who was one of the players filling in for Long with the first team, was recently carted off with what appeared to be a hamstring injury. Brian de la Puente has also been seeing reps in Long’s absence, but will likely be Roberto Garza’s backup at center. Right tackle Jordan Mills has reportedly been struggling during camp. The team signed former Bengals backup Dennis Roland to compete at the position during camp. Roland is a decent backup and could be in line to compete with Mills. Another dark horse, Michael Ola, could also have a chance to unseat the second-year player Mills. Ola, who has versatility and has been playing well, has

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mostly been playing at second-team guard during practice. Ola is a former CFL player by way of the Dolphins and should be well known to Bears head coach Marc Trestman.

Bears Depth ChartQB: Jay Cutler, Jordan Palmer, Jimmy Clausen, David Fales, Jerrod JohnsonRB: Matt Forte, Shaun Draughn, Michael Ford, Ka′Deem Carey,Jordan Lynch, Senorise PerryFB: Tony FiammettaWR: Brandon Marshall, Alshon Jeffery, Marquess Wilson, Josh Morgan, Eric Weems (KR), Michael Spurlock (KR), Armanti Edwards, Terrence Toliver (inj), Josh Bellamy, Chris Williams, Dale MossTE: Martellus Bennett, Dante Rosario, Zach Miller, Matthew Mulligan, Jeron MastrudLT: Jermon Bushrod, Eben BrittonLG: Matt Slauson, James BrownC: Roberto Garza, Brian De La PuenteRG: Kyle Long, Charles Leno, Dylan GandyRT: Jordan Mills, Dennis Roland, Rogers GainesK: Robbie GouldDT: Stephen Paea (NT), Jay Ratliff, Ego Ferguson, Will Sutton, Tracy Robertson, Brandon Dunn, Lee PeguesDE: Lamarr Houston, Jared Allen, Willie Young, David Bass,Cornelius Washington, Austen Lane, Trevor ScottMLB: D.J. Williams, Christian Jones, Jerry FranklinOLB: Lance Briggs (W), Jon Bostic (S/M), Shea McClellin (S),Khaseem Greene (S), Lawrence Wilson (S), Jordan Senn (W),Devekeyan Lattimore (W), Tana Patrick (S)CB: Charles Tillman, Tim Jennings, Kyle Fuller, Sherrick McManis, ,Kelvin Hayden, Demontre Hurst, Isaiah Frey, C.J. Wilson, Derricus PurdyS: Ryan Mundy (SS), Brock Vereen (FS), M.D. Jennings (SS),Danny McCray (FS), Adrian Wilson (SS), Christopher Conte (FS), Craig Steltz (SS

Cincinnati Bengals

QB: Andy Dalton is in a contract season and his status has been a hotly debated topic among the team and fans throughout the offseason. Neither Dalton nor the team seem to be in a hurry to put a deal together, as both sides recognize that the franchise tag is an option for 2015. The other key debate has been how new offensive coordinator Hue Jackson’s system will affect Dalton and the Cincinnati passing game. It’s clear that Jackson and his coaching staff want to establish a run-first identity. However, there are many indications that the offense won’t be just a “three yards and a cloud of dust” group. Camp reports hint at a no-huddle, up-tempo look and creative uses of Gio Bernard, Tyler Eifert and Mohamed Sanu. And each practice report makes note of a completed deep ball to any number of receivers. Jackson called Dalton “sensational“ last week, praising his accuracy and decision-making. Expect Dalton’s pass attempts to drop significantly – possibly to the 450-500 range – but don’t write off the passing

game as an afterthought yet. Jason Campbell has the backup job firmly in hand. Draft pick A.J. McCarron remains sidelined with a shoulder injury. The Bengals have decided to limit his throwing reps until he’s at full strength.

RB: The Bengals are fully expected to run the ball more often this season under Jackson. Bernard should see more touches, with running back coach Kyle Caskey telling reporters that Bernard could get 260-300 touches this year as the team looks to “expand his portfolio of plays.” While there were frequent offseason rumors that BenJarvus Green-Ellis could be cut and has been behind second round pick Jeremy Hill for much of the offseason, Green-Ellis was listed with the second team ahead of Hill on the first official depth chart. Green-Ellis also received a vote of confidence from his coaches, who say he’s “still getting the same amount of reps.” The battle to be the Bengals’ primary change of pace back will be watched closely in the coming days. Green-Ellis’ primary competition for a roster spot is Rex Burkhead and Cedric Peerman. Both are key special teams players. Despite the early positive signs, Green-Ellis will have to be very good to stick on the final 53.

WR: A.J. Green is quietly performing well in camp. He is the team’s steady, strong, primary receiver and has been in tune with Dalton throughout the early practices in camp. Marvin Jones has yet to practice after injuring his ankle at a passing camp after OTAs ended. The official line is that Jones is taking a few extra practices to heal so the injury does not linger and he has told reporters that he is close to returning. Jones is listed with the first team on the official depth chart, another reassuring indicator. With Jones out, Mohamed Sanu has generated lots of camp buzz. He’s reportedly having a “monster camp.” The Bengals have been using him split wide, in the slot and out of the backfield. He’s run the ball on sweeps, thrown the ball downfield on reverses and run a variety of routes. Behind the top three receivers are a long list of camp bodies and special teams hopefuls. Veteran Brandon Tate is reportedly no lock to make the roster.

TE: Jermaine Gresham is on the PUP list. He had offseason hernia surgery, but there are reports that a back condition is keeping him from moving well. The Bengals have planned to use lots of 12 personnel – two tight end sets with Gresham and Tyler Eifert – to fit the new run-first team identity. If Gresham’s injury continues to linger, the team may be forced to look at other formations. Eifert was limited in OTAs with a shoulder injury but is fully healthy now and seeing lots of action in team drills. Eifert had six of Dalton’s 17 targets in a recent scrimmage and Jackson told reporters that their passing progressions are “taking us to him” and “sometimes he’s the first choice, sometimes the second.” The team said many of the same things during Eifert’s impressive rookie camp last season, however, so it remains to be seen whether Eifert will make the leap many expect of him this year.

Defense: The Bengals lost Mike Zimmer to Minnesota but there won’t be a big difference in philosophy with new defensive coordinator Paul Guenther. With Michael Johnson gone in free agency, the Bengals will need a consistent season

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from Carlos Dunlap. A rotation of the underrated Wallace Gilberry and ascending talent Margus Hunt will replace Johnson. Both have been showing well in camp thus far. Vontaze Burfict has emerged as the leader of the defense early. Rey Maualuga will again start at middle linebacker. The other outside linebacker spot will be filled by Emmanuel Lamur, a big and athletic player who will be asked to hold the edge and cover. Lamur and Burfict will be the team’s subpackage players. Geno Atkins (ACL) and Leon Hall (Achilles) are both off the PUP list. Both veterans are having their practice reps managed carefully – Atkins has yet to take a snap in team drills – but their early returns to camp are a great sign for their 2014 seasons.

K/P: Kicker Mike Nugent’s old holder is back. Punter T.J. Conley was released at the start of camp and Kevin Huber’s recovery continues. Huber took the next step last Friday. “That was the first time since Pittsburgh that I was actually behind the punt team. At first it was a little uncomfortable, with a lot of moving parts. I felt a little rusty, but after a couple of reps I settled into it and it was fine. It's not the same as a game. I think I'll be all right, but you have no way of knowing until I actually get in the situation."

OL: Starting right tackle Andre Smith suffered a concussion during practice and is currently going through the league’s protocol for the injury. Starting left tackle Andrew Whitworth has missed time with a calf injury and is currently on the team’s PUP list. The injury occurred just prior to camp’s opening and the team is taking the recovery cautiously. The belief is that Whitworth could return any day if needed, the team just wants to make sure he is fully healthy. Marshall Newhouse has been seeing reps with the first team in Whitworth’s place, while Will Svitek is manning Smith’s right tackle position. As neither player was with the team last year, this could be a good opportunity to get reps and learn the system. Left guard Clint Boling is nearing his return. Boling is attempting a quick recovery from an ACL tear suffered late in the season. New addition Mike Pollak could see time in Boling’s place until he is full-go, or at center if fourth round pick Russell Bodine is not quite ready for prime time.

Bengals Depth ChartQB: Andy Dalton, Jason Campbell, A.J. McCarronRB: Giovani Bernard (3RB), Jeremy Hill (SD), BenJarvus Green-Ellis (SD), Cedric Peerman, Rex Burkhead, James Wilder Jr., Jeff ScottFB: Ryan Hewitt, Nikita WhitlockWR: A.J. Green, Marvin Jones, Mohamed Sanu, Brandon Tate (KR),James Wright, Dane Sanzenbacher, Ryan Whalen, Cobi Hamilton,Colin Lockett, Conner Vernon, Jeremy JohnsonTE: Jermaine Gresham, Tyler Eifert, Orson Charles (HB), Alex Smith,Kevin BrockLT: Andrew Whitworth, Marshall NewhouseLG: Clint Boling, Mike PollakC: Trevor Robinson, Russell BodineRG: Kevin Zeitler, TJ JohnsonRT: Andre Smith, Tanner Hawkinson, Will Svitek

K: Mike NugentDT: Geno Atkins, Domata Peko (NT), Devon Still, Brandon Thompson, Chriso Bilukidi (NT), Ogemdi Nwagbuo, Zach Minter,Lakendrick RossDE: Carlos Dunlap, Robert Geathers, Wallace Gilberry, Margus Hunt,Will Clarke, David King, Sam Montgomery, Larry BlackMLB: Rey Maualuga, Vincent Rey, J.K. Schaffer, James DavidsonOLB: Vontaze Burfict (W), Jayson DiManche (S), Brandon Joiner(S), Sean Porter (W), Emmanuel Lamur (W), Dontay Moch (W),Bruce Taylor (S), Marquis Flowers (S)CB: Leon Hall (inj), Terence Newman, Pacman Jones (PR),Darqueze Dennard, Dre Kirkpatrick, R.J. Stanford, Lavelle Westbrooks, Chris Lewis-Harris (susp), Onterio McCalebb, Victor HamptonS: Reggie Nelson (FS), George Iloka (SS), Danieal Manning, Shawn Williams (FS), Taylor Mays (SS), Isaiah Lewis

Cleveland Browns

QB: We could spend pages on the psychology of the Cleveland quarterback competition. Brian Hoyer, a veteran with only three starts in his career coming off an ACL tear, has been taking nearly every repetition with the first team. Johnny Manziel, a high profile draft pick whose on-field play and playbook knowledge have been as hotly debated as his off-field activities, hasn’t yet risen above the second team. Head coach Mike Pettine has been complimentary of Hoyer, but has said he expects to get Manziel some first team reps this week. There have also been hints that the team may be considering using Manziel as a package quarterback, bringing him in for a series or group of plays as a change-of-pace player. Clarity on the competition is coming soon: Pettine has said he’ll decide on his quarterback before the third preseason game.

RB: The Browns are deeper at running back than they’ve been in some time. Ben Tate is currently expected to be the team’s lead back, but rookie Terrance West has drawn praise from his coaches early. West is impressing in pass-catching drills and may be challenging Tate for first team repetitions soon. The Browns also landed talented Isaiah Crowell as an undrafted free agent. Crowell went undrafted due to multiple off-field issues in college, but arguably had as much raw talent as any back in this year’s class. He has battled nagging injuries during OTAs but has an excellent chance of making the final 53. Veteran Dion Lewis will also figure in the mix here.

WR: Josh Gordon met with the league office over last weekend to appeal his pending year-long suspension, but a decision won’t be handed down by Commissioner Roger Goodell for another 1 to 3 weeks. While Gordon was away for his hearing, Mike Pettine hinted that the team would use a committee of wide receivers if necessary. Miles Austin and

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Andrew Hawkins are likely to see the most playing time. Austin has battled hamstring strains frequently in recent seasons, but has been healthy and consistently impressive early. Hawkins will get a chance to show he’s more than a slot receiver. Nate Burleson and Travis Benjamin are also in the mix. The team has also liked what it’s seen from Charles Johnson, who missed all of his rookie year with a torn ACL.

TE: The depth chart behind Cameron isn’t impressive. Gary Barnidge is the primary backup. He didn’t show much as an in-line tight end for the Browns last year and cannot provide the between-the-numbers and red zone threat Cameron can.

Defense: New head coach Mike Pettine brings his aggressive, multi-front scheme to Cleveland this year. The defense is off to a quick start, with multiple reports calling it dominant over the first few camp practices. Veteran free agent signings Karlos Dansby and Donte Whitner stabilize a back seven who saw D’Qwell Jackson and T.J. Ward sign elsewhere. Jabaal Sheard looks rejuvenated in this scheme and second-year edge player Barkevious Mingo is showing improvement in coverage. The cornerback group is expected to get a boost from aggressive first round pick Justin Gilbert. If all the pieces come together as hoped, the Cleveland defense could improve considerably from their underappreciated and solid 2013 effort.

K/P: Camp leg Jake Rogers was signed in early June but released in late July, leaving just the three starting specialists – long snapper Christian Yount, punter/holder Spencer Lanning and kicker Billy Cundiff. Overall, Lanning is happy. “I bounced around a couple different places. They were all there to teach me a lesson and mold me to create the punter and person you see today. I’m very thankful for the misfortune, as well as the fortune.” Cundiff probably wasn’t happy last Friday after missing his final three kicks in practice.

OL: John Greco was recently removed from the PUP list, and has been rotating with Garrett Gilkey at right guard as he works his way back into shape. Greco should be the starter for Week 1, but Gilkey (who started seven games last season) believes he is in a legitimate competition for the spot. The way the team presents it, Greco, Gilkey and rookie Joel Bitonio are battling for two guard spots. Bitonio has been impressive, as he got the best of Jabaal Sheard in pass rush drills. Jason Pinkston has been mysteriously absent from Browns camp, and the team issued a statement that the player was not medically cleared to participate in football activities. Pinkston has had serious problems with lung clots before, and it was rumored that his career was in jeopardy when that injury occurred. Right tackle Michael Bowie was picked up on waivers from the Seahawks but is expected to miss six months with a shoulder injury.

Browns Depth ChartQB: Brian Hoyer, Johnny Manziel, Tyler Thigpen, Connor ShawRB: Ben Tate, Dion Lewis, Terrance West, Isaiah

Crowell, Edwin Baker, Jamaine CookFB: Chris Ogbonnaya, Chris PressleyWR: Josh Gordon (susp), Andrew Hawkins, Miles Austin, Charles Johnson, Nate Burleson, Willie Snead, Travis Benjamin, Marlon Moore, Tim SmithTE: Jordan Cameron, Gary Barnidge, MarQueis Gray, Keavon Milton, Jim Dray, Andre Smith, Kyle Auffray, Martell WebbLT: Joe Thomas, Reid Fragel, Chris FaulkLG: John Greco, Paul McQuistanC: Alex Mack, Garrett GilkeyRG: Jason Pinkston, Joel BitonioRT: Mitchell Schwartz, Martin WallaceK: Billy Cundiff, Brandon BogotayNT: Phil Taylor (DE), Ishmaa′ily KitchenDE: Ahtyba Rubin (NT), Desmond Bryant, Billy Winn, Armonty Bryant, John Hughes, Cam HendersonILB: Karlos Dansby, Christian Kirksey, Craig Robertson, Tank Carder, Keith PoughOLB: Paul Kruger (S), Jabaal Sheard, Barkevious Mingo, Eric Martin,Darius Eubanks, Jamaal WestermanCB: Joe Haden, Justin Gilbert, Buster Skrine, Leon McFadden, Pierre Desir, Isaiah Trufant, Jordan Poyer, T.J. Heath, Aaron BerryS: Donte Whitner (SS), Tashaun Gipson (FS) (inj), Johnson Bademosi (FS/KR), Jim Leonhard (FS), Josh Aubrey (SS)

Dallas Cowboys

QB: There are no questions as to who the starting quarterback is here. Tony Romo is firmly entrenched as the top option but with back surgery in December, his health has sprung up as an issue early in camp. The Dallas Morning News’ Jon Machota has reported that the Cowboys are saying there hasn’t been a setback with Romo. Coming into camp head coach Jason Garrett said that Romo would be a full participant, but he missed practice last Friday. ESPN’s Todd Archer has reported the Cowboys are trying to limit his exposure to contact after giving up 35 sacks in 2013. This is one of the reasons that the Cowboys selected versatile offensive lineman Zach Martin in the first round of the 2014 NFL draft out of Notre Dame. The Cowboys acquired Brandon Weeden in the off-season and he has taken most of the first-team reps when Romo has rested, but realistically Weeden is in line for the backup job, with Caleb Hanie and Dustin Vaughn battling to make the roster as the third quarterback.

RB: DeMarco Murray is clearly an elite fantasy option and the number one in Dallas, but he runs very upright, exposing his frame to contact and it has shown up in the slew up injuries that Murray has had throughout his young career. Murray is entering his fourth NFL season and he has missed games in each of his first three years, so it is wise to pay attention to the players behind him on the depth chart. Brandon George of

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the Dallas Morning News has reported that Lance Dunbar has continued to look impressive and ex-Cowboys scout Bryan Broaddus answered a question on Twitter as to who has been more impressive, Cole Beasley or Dunbar; the answer was Dunbar. However, Dunbar has his own injury history and might not be up to a full workload if Murray misses time. The reality is that Dunbar’s skill set is unique and he is a home run hitter, a change of pace back with remarkable speed, and a player who should put up numbers even if Murray stays healthy. New offensive coordinator Scott Linehan has shown that he can give two running backs a good dose of work, translating into fantasy points. Joseph Randle and Ryan Williams are locked into a battle for the last running back spot on the roster. ESPN Cowboys reporter Jean-Jacques Taylor has reported that the Cowboys aren’t keeping four running backs. Randle is more equipped to handle a bigger workload and is a better special team player.

WR: Dez Bryant might be the best wide receiver not named Calvin Johnson in the NFL, and realistically he might be the most valuable receiver for fantasy purposes. He is going to get fed an inordinate amount with a bad defense and a team that will be down in games. The reports are very positive about Bryant to this point, which is no surprise as he is unstoppable on the football field. Second-year wide receiver Terrance Williams is in line for a significant role with the Cowboys in 2014. The Dallas Morning News’ Jon Machota reported that Garrett has talked about Williams’ improvement this offseason. Garrett said “he’s taking it in, trying to process what the coaching is and then go out on the practice field and implement it. When you have that kind of approach and you have that ability that he has, you have a chance to get better. And he improved dramatically over the course of the season last year, and that continued through the off-season.” Cowboys’ cornerback Orlando Scandrick has called slot receiver Cole Beasley a pesky little fly and Beasley appears to be entrenched as the third wide receiver. Brandon George of the Dallas Morning News has reported that 2012 undrafted free agent LaRon Byrd has looked very good in camp, that “he has a knack for finding open space and has been sure-handed”.

TE: Jason Witten continues to get it done even as he gets along in his career, and his rapport with Romo helps his productivity even as his athleticism looks to be waning. Expect more of the same from Witten. Second-year tight end Gavin Escobar is a very underrated athlete and in a position to make far more plays in 2014 than he did in 2013. Rainer Sabin of the Dallas Morning News is reporting that the Cowboys don’t view Escobar as a traditional tight end and that he will consistently be lined up in the slot like a wide receiver lines up. This is phenomenal news for Escobar as it puts him in a position of strength, giving him the ability to run a wider array of routes. Sabin reports that Garrett is talking about the versatility of going to 12 personnel (one back, two receivers and two tight ends). “That’s the beauty of 12 personnel,” head coach Jason Garrett said. “You can play 12 personnel like 12 — two traditional tight ends. You can play it like 11, where that guy is out in the slot in some kind of two-by two or three-by-one set... That’s what makes it so difficult for defenses if

you have the right people doing it. It’s a huge advantage.” It appears that James Hannah and rookie Jordan Najvar are battling for the third spot.

Defense: The biggest piece of news impacting this defense was the loss of linebacker Sean Lee in OTAs in the spring. This is a brutal loss for a team already desperate for play-making from the defensive side of the ball. Another loss was the broken foot that rookie defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence suffered in the first week of camp. Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News is reporting that young cornerback Morris Claiborne is playing with more confidence. ESPN’s Todd Archer talked to Anthony Spencer who says he is feeling stronger and could be on pace to be ready for the regular season. Archer also is reporting that Rolando McClain has made good impressions on Garrett, with Garrett saying “It’s easy to see why he was a top 10 pick in the draft coming out of school.” McClain also took first-string reps in last Saturday’s walk-through.

K/P: The Cowboys are facing varying degrees of competition in camp. At kicker, Dan Bailey has none. The job is all his. Long snapper L.P. Ladouceur might get nudged a little by rookie Casey Kreiter, one of the top snapping prospects in this year’s class. At punter/holder there is legitimate competition. Incumbent Chris Jones faces rookie Cody Mandell, who made a strong showing earlier in minicamps.

OL: The big news from Cowboys camp this week was that Tyron Smith signed a long-term extension with the team. This extension was somewhat controversial as many believe Smith almost certainly could have earned more money with tougher negotiations. However, Smith feels indebted to team owner Jerry Jones for how the team helped him through some sticky family issues. Guard Ronald Leary has returned to practice after recovering from a hamstring strain. Leary will be in the mix with Mackenzy Bernadeau for the starting left guard position. Rookie Zack Martin has been impressive at right guard, and the staff loves his versatility. Martin has been carrying himself well and will be an immediate starter. Martin has been reaping the benefits from playing between center Travis Frederick and right tackle Doug Free. Free especially has really turned it on lately and his earlier career struggles are way behind him.

Cowboys Depth ChartQB: Tony Romo, Brandon Weeden, Caleb Hanie, Dustin VaughanRB: DeMarco Murray, Lance Dunbar, Joseph Randle, Ryan Williams,Ben MalenaFB: Tyler Clutts, JC CopelandWR: Dez Bryant, Terrence Williams, Dwayne Harris (KR/PR), Cole Beasley, Devin Street, Jamar Newsome, LaRon Byrd, Chris Boyd,Tim Benford, Dezmon BriscoeTE: Jason Witten, Gavin Escobar, James Hanna, Jordan NajvarLT: Tyron Smith, Darrion Weems

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LG: Ronald Leary, Mackenzy BernadeauC: Travis FrederickRG: Zack MartinRT: Doug Free, Jermey ParnellK: Dan BaileyDT: Henry Melton, Nick Hayden, Ken Bishop (NT), Ben Bass, Amobi Okoye, Terrell McClain, Chris Whaley (IR)DE: George Selvie, Demarcus Lawrence (inj), Jeremy Mincey,Anthony Spencer, Tyrone Crawford, Ben Gardner, Ken Boatright,Adewale OjomoMLB: Justin Durant (S), Anthony Hitchens, Rolando McClain, Will Smith, Orie Lemon (RFA), Sean Lee (IR)OLB: Bruce Carter (W), Kyle Wilber (S), DeVonte Holloman (S/M),Martez Wilson, Caesar Rayford, Jonathan Stewart, Cameron LawrenceCB: Brandon Carr, Orlando Scandrick, Morris Claiborne, B.W. Webb,Sterling Moore, Terrance MitchellS: Barry Church (FS), J.J. Wilcox (SS), Jeff Heath (SS), Matt Johnson (FS), Jakar Hamilton (FS), Ahmad Dixon

Denver Broncos

QB: In his first two seasons in Denver, Peyton Manning has finished second and first in MVP voting and shattered league records. Part of the reason Manning seems to be aging in reverse is because his arm strength, which still has not regained pre-surgery levels, continues to improve every year. Manning has been as consistent and automatic as ever through training camps and the team’s first scrimmage. Brock Osweiler maintains his iron grip on the number two position, and led an impressive drive against Denver’s defensive starters in their summer scrimmage, even showing some scrambling ability to keep the drive alive. Afterwards, John Fox said “Brock Osweiler did a good job going against our first-team defense today. I saw him take some steps.” There should be plenty of opportunity to see even more steps from Osweiler in Denver’s first preseason game.

RB: Montee Ball has carried forward his late-season success and looked quicker and less hesitant during training camps. He knows the offensive system better, and has drawn praise for improvement in the passing game. Offensive coordinator Adam Gase has also praised Ball in pass protection, saying “You can see it has slowed down for him, protection-wise especially” C.J. Anderson disappointed coaches with his conditioning during May and June minicamps, but shed 20 pounds for training camp. He was rewarded with some snaps with the first string and was arguably the most impressive player on Denver’s second-string offense in their summer scrimmage, with a 17-yard run and a five-yard gain on 3rd-and-3. He also showed improvement in pass protection, picking up Nate Irving on a blitz to save a sack. Andrew Mason of www.denverbroncos.com says of him: “Anderson's frame translates well to blocking; he's stout and gets his legs set. He has a skill set that works well in Denver's offense.”

Ronnie Hillman has also been splitting second-team reps with Anderson and earning a bit of work with the first team. He seems likely to make Denver’s final roster and could earn a role as a change of pace back for the Broncos.

WR: Demaryius Thomas missed four days during training camps to grieve the passing of his grandmother, but upon his return he did not miss a beat. Thomas is an athletic marvel with a clear and undeniable chemistry with Manning. Despite being one of the oldest players on the roster, Wes Welker continues to showcase his trademark speed and short-area quickness. An extra year with Manning has by all accounts only improved their timing together. Emmanuel Sanders has drawn positive reviews for his work ethic and has been lining up all over the field during training camps, using his superior speed and quickness to make plays both inside and outside. Reports have been consistently positive, and Sanders should easily secure one of Denver’s lucrative top three wide receiver positions in 2014. Cody Latimer has been a consistent standout in camps, making plays both deep and short with both Manning and Osweiler. His blocking is also a clear strength. It might be difficult to crack the rotation at receiver this year given Denver’s depth there and its aversion to four-receiver sets, but Latimer is a player to watch for the future.

TE: Julius Thomas was held out of Denver’s final scrimmage with a thigh bruise in a precautionary move. In camps, Thomas has shown the continued improvement of a player who has only been playing football for four years. Speaking of last year, Thomas said: “Just seeing my progress throughout the year, I can’t wait to show how much I’ve grown, continue to learn more and keep getting better.”

Defense: Denver’s defense, a weakness in 2013, has more closely resembled the 2012 unit that was such a strength. Offseason additions Aqib Talib and T.J. Ward have both made a big impression in the secondary, especially in run defense. Demarcus Ware has missed time with minor injuries, but Von Miller has shed weight from last year and regained much of the explosion that made him so dominant. If healthy, Ware and Miller should dramatically upgrade Denver’s pass rush. Defensive tackle Sylvester Williams has been a nightmare in pass-rush drills, and Terrance Knighton has carried over last season’s stellar play. Derrick Wolfe, Rahim Moore, and Chris Harris - all starters injured late last season - have been recovering well and are on pace to be ready to play by the season opener. Defensive line, long a liability for the Broncos, has the potential to be a strength. Denver’s biggest remaining weakness is at middle linebacker, where Nate Irving tentatively holds down the spot. Broncos coaches have not ruled out the possibility of bringing safety T.J. Ward down and having him play as a middle linebacker in nickel packages.

K/P: Kicker Matt Prater missed some time during the spring for medical reasons, but is healthy again. “I feel great now. I'm happy to be out here and kicking and getting to know all the new faces. Team looks good. I'm not getting younger. I'm actually one of the oldest guys on the team now, which is

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crazy." He’s joined by camp leg Mitch Ewald, a rookie out of Indiana, who was signed just prior to the start of training camp. Both are working with long snapper Aaron Brewer and punter/holder Britton Colquitt.

OL: Coming back from a serious injury (Lisfranc), Ryan Clady told reporters that he is still sore, and not quite 100 per cent recovered. Left guard Orlando Franklin seems to be settling in after his offseason move from right tackle, and is really getting good push in the run game. The team wants the interior of the line to be tougher, and are willing to sacrifice continuity and perhaps playing a worse player than Franklin in Chris Clark at right tackle. Clark is not a bad player by any means, but he has been getting beaten this camp. Winston Justice is providing nominal competition with Clark but it has been all Clark in terms of first team reps in practice. Vinston Painter has had a quiet camp but still has the regard of the coaching staff as a developmental tackle. Michael Schofield, the third round pick out of Michigan, is a natural right tackle but he is reportedly very raw and nowhere near ready for starting responsibilities. Right guard Louis Vasquez has been his usual dominant self in camp and Manny Ramirez has been holding off free agent addition Will Montgomery for the center position. That is not a way to win a job in this camp. Sixth round center Matt Paradis is struggling with the third team and looks like a practice squad candidate at this point.

Broncos Depth ChartQB: Peyton Manning, Brock Osweiler, Zac Dysert, Bryn RennerRB: Montee Ball, C.J. Anderson, Ronnie Hillman, Juwan Thompson,Brennan Clay, Kapri Bibbs, Jerodis WilliamsWR: Demaryius Thomas, Wes Welker (PR), Emmanuel Sanders, Cody Latimer, Andre Caldwell, Jordan Norwood, Gregory Wilson,Bennie Fowler, Nathan Palmer, Gerell RobinsonTE: Julius Thomas, Jacob Tamme, Virgil Green, Cameron MorrahLT: Ryan Clady, Winston JusticeLG: Orlando Franklin, Ramon HarewoodC: Manny Ramirez, Will Montgomery, Matt ParadisRG: Louis Vasquez, Ryan MillerRT: Chris Clark, Michael SchofieldK: Matt Prater, Mitch EwaldDT: Terrance Knighton (NT), Sylvester Williams, Kevin Vickerson,Mitch Unrein (NT), Marvin Austin, Sione Fua (NT)DE: DeMarcus Ware, Derek Wolfe, Malik Jackson, Quanterus Smith,Hall Davis, Kenny Anunike, Brian SanfordMLB: Nate Irving, Jamar Chaney, Lamin Barrow, L.J. FortOLB: Von Miller (S), Danny Trevathan (W), Steven Johnson (W),Brandon Marshall (S), Jerrell Harris, Lerentee McCray, Corey Nelson, Jameson Konz, Shaq BarrettCB: Aqib Talib, Bradley Roby, Chris Harris (inj), Kayvon Webster,Tony Carter (inj), Jerome MurphyS: T.J. Ward (FS), Duke Ihenacho (SS), Rahim Moore

(FS), Quinton Carter (FS), Omar Bolden (FS), David Bruton (SS)

Detroit Lions

QB: The Lions opened training camp this week and starting quarterback Matthew Stafford and the rest of the Lions offense are still adjusting to the new offensive scheme being installed by offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi. “I’m still learning,” said Stafford. “I’ll learn every day I play this game. But especially this new offense, just doing everything I can to immerse myself in it.” Stafford has been criticized for a lack of accuracy and poor mechanics but Lombardi doesn’t sound too concerned. “Matthew has been doing a lot of footwork drills and progression drills," Lombardi said. "Like most quarterbacks, when his feet are right, the passes are usually right." Stafford was sharp in the Lions scrimmage, leading a 64-yard touchdown drive that was highlighted by a long completion to rookie tight end Eric Ebron. Dan Orlovsky, who was originally drafted by the Lions and who played under Jim Caldwell in Indianapolis, is penciled in as the backup quarterback to Stafford. It is not yet known if the Lions will carry a third quarterback.

RB: Reggie Bush and Joique Bell return to lead a Lions running attack that will have a decidedly different look this year. There will be a fullback incorporated and the workload will be divided among a group of tailbacks, much like the New Orleans Saints operate their offense. It remains to be seen how the workload will be divided but with Bush and Bell both capable receivers as well as running the ball, it allows offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi more flexibility in his playcalling. “I don’t necessarily think it’s just running back by committee, but make sure guys are healthy when we need to be playing our best football,” Bush said. Bell, who was not drafted, spent time with four different teams without playing a down. He finally getting a chance to play with the Lions and has taken full advantage of the opportunity, becoming a key cog in the Lions offense. Theo Riddick has been very impressive in camp and at times he has been described as “uncoverable” on passing plays. Riddick should see an increase in snaps, but his role in the offense has yet to be determined.

WR: Calvin Johnson, who has primarily lined up outside in the formation during his career, is spending time as a slot receiver and Johnson admits there has been an adjustment. "I'm trying to learn everything," Johnson said. "There’s a bit of a learning curve. You sit there in the huddle and you have to think about it a second longer than you want to.” Johnson did not play in the scrimmage. Free agent acquisition Golden Tate, who was limited in spring practice because of a shoulder injury, has been impressive in camp, catching everything in sight and running crisp routes. The third wide receiver spot is up for grabs and although Kevin Ogletree began camp running with the starters, he should have competition for the job from

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Ryan Broyles and kick returner Jeremy Ross. Broyles is returning from a season-ending injury for the third consecutive year. Rookie T.J. Jones remained on the PUP list with a shoulder injury. He has no timetable to return.

TE: Rookie tight end Eric Ebron had a rough start to camp and has been plagued by dropped passes. He attributes part of the problem to a steep learning curve and also to adjusting to the speed in which Matthew Stafford’s passes arrive to him. Caldwell noted that Ebron would be lining up in several different places on the field, all with different responsibilities. “He lines up in a true tight end position, so he’s got to know all the blocking schemes and routes from there”, said Caldwell. “He has to know the slot receiver, the regular tight end and also the position in the backfield as if he’s a fullback. So, it’s not easy for him, he’s got to learn and adjust.” Brandon Pettigrew has been the primary blocking tight end in camp and after a slow start in which he had several dropped passes, Pettigrew has been more sure-handed as camp has progressed. Joseph Fauria should remain a key weapon in the red zone but the arrival of Ebron will limit his playing time.

Defense: At the beginning of camp, the Lions announced that they would not be negotiating a new contract with Ndamukong Suh until after the season, citing the distractions it would cause. Suh did not comment about his contract situation. To the surprise of nobody, Suh reported to camp in exceptional shape. Nick Fairley has had a strong camp and looks to be in tremendous shape. Ezekiel Ansah, who is still on the PUP list, was spotted working with a trainer and wearing shoulder pads. Caldwell declined to say when Ansah would begin practicing but he appears to be getting close to returning. Cornerback Darius Slay, who has been very impressive in camp, collided with Golden Tate and suffered a neck injury during Monday’s practice. The injury does not appear to be serious and Slay expects to return to practice on Tuesday. Rookie linebacker Kyle Van Noy, who missed time last week with a thumb injury, dressed for the scrimmage but did not play. Van Noy is expected to start alongside veterans Stephen Tulloch and DeAndre Levy and brings a much-needed pass rushing element to the linebacker corps.

K/P: Results have been mixed in the kicking competition between rookie Nate Freese and Giorgio Tavecchio. There have been days in OTAs and camp where one or the other struggled. Some days both have struggled. But there have also been days when both kicked well, as would be expected for an NFL kicker. A recent plot twist came from punter/holder Sam Martin when he suggested that he may get a look on longer field goal attempts. He’ll be spelled on some of the punting chores during camp by recently signed Drew Butler.

OL: Veteran center Dominic Raiola recently issued a challenge to the rest of the offensive line to build on last year’s success (allowing only 23 sacks). Raiola and left guard Rob Sims are the elder statesmen of the group, and the coaching staff has intentionally limited their reps in practice to keep them fresh for the season (and provide reps to backups).

The Lions don’t have a replacement ready to go behind Raiola, as third round pick Travis Swanson has been having difficulty with the quarterback exchange. Besides these two vets, the rest of the starting line is relatively young. Left tackle Riley Reiff has been extremely solid and right guard Larry Warford is more confident after his sensational rookie season. The key uncertainty on the line is at right tackle, where veteran Corey Hilliard is battling with last year’s undrafted rookie starter LaAdrian Waddle. Both players are rotating in on the first team and it is not clear who has the lead.

Lions Depth ChartQB: Matthew Stafford, Dan Orlovsky, Kellen Moore, James FranklinRB: Reggie Bush, Joique Bell (SD), Theo Riddick, Mikel Leshoure, Steven MillerFB: Jed Collins, Montell OwensWR: Calvin Johnson, Golden Tate (PR), Kevin Ogletree, Ryan Broyles, Kris Durham, Jeremy Ross (KR/PR), TJ Jones, Corey Fuller,Patrick Edwards, Cody WilsonTE: Brandon Pettigrew, Eric Ebron, Joseph FauriaLT: Riley Reiff, Corey HilliardLG: Rob Sims, Rodney AustinC: Dominic Raiola, Travis SwansonRG: Larry Warford, Garrett ReynoldsRT: LaAdrian Waddle, J.B. ShugartsK: Nate Freese, Giorgio TaveccioDT: Ndamukong Suh, Nick Fairley, C.J. Mosley, Caruan Reid, Andre Fluellen, Jimmy Saddler-McQueen, Corvey IrvinDE: Ezekiel Ansah, Jason Jones, Devin Taylor, Darryl Tapp, Larry Webster, Xavier Proctor, George Johnson, Kalonji KashamaMLB: Stephen Tulloch, Julian Stanford, Travis Lewis (S), Brandon HepburnOLB: DeAndre Levy (W), Kyle Van Noy (S), Ashlee Palmer (S),Tahir Whitehead (S), Cory GreenwoodCB: Darius Slay, Rashean Mathis, Bill Bentley, Jonte Green, Cassius Vaughn, Nevin Lawson, Chris Greenwood, Aaron HesterS: Glover Quin (SS), , James Ihedigbo (FS), Don Carey (SS), DeJon Gomes (SS), Isa Abdul-Quddus (SS)

Green Bay Packers

QB: Aaron Rodgers commented on his standards for the squad of young receivers on the Packers this year: "It's really all about one thing. It's about mental preparation. The physical mistakes are going to happen. There's going to drops at times. There's going to be (times when) we're not on the same page every single time. If you cannot line up right, if you can't get the checks, if you can't do what you're supposed to do every time, then there's no way you can possibly be on the field when I'm out there. Those guys understand that. I'm very demanding in that way." Backup Scott Tolzien reportedly had

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his best practice of camp so far on July 31, completing eight of nine passes during 11-on-11 drills. On August 1, Matt Flynn looked good with several solid plays including a 20-yard touchdown pass to Davante Adams.

RB: Reports out of Green Bay indicate that Eddie Lacy has been outstanding in camp so far. He has had big-gain plays consistently. "You know, I don't think he even cares if it's a zone or a gap scheme," QB Matt Flynn observed. "He's going to find the hole. He's one of those guys that hates being on the ground." Meanwhile, James Starks has been almost "invisible" in practices, according to local sources. Lacy is getting work on all three downs leaving Starks with little in the way of reps through the first week of training camp.

WR: Jared Abbrederis tore his right ACL on Thursday, July 31, opening up the fifth receiver position behind Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb, Jarrett Boykin and Adams. There are several players vying for that fifth spot: Myles White, Kevin Dorsey, Chris Harper, Alex Gillett, Gerrard Sheppard and rookie Jeff Janis (who has missed camp so far due to illness/the shingles). On August 1, offensive coordinator Tom Clements encapsulated the players battling for the fifth spot thusly: "It's a very, very solid, competitive group. One of the better groups overall that we've had." It appears that the Packers will keep either five or six receivers on the 53-man roster, so either one or two of the six players at the end of the pecking order will survive camp to see regular season. Gillett made an outstanding catch on Thursday, July 31, reeling in a long bomb on the sidelines, snatching it away from cornerback Demetri Goodson. "Great, great, great catch by him," Goodson said. "I thought I was going to pick that." Boykin dropped a hard pass from Rodgers on Thursday, and observed "I try to be perfect so I beat myself up." Davante Adams made a nice catch during the Family Night practice on Saturday night (in front of a record crowd of 67,336) , and stated after the session: "I'm starting to get a lot of help from my receiver coach (Edgar Bennett) and the vets making sure I understand everything a lot better... The less I have to think about stuff, the faster I'll be able to move on the field."

TE: Offensive coordinator Clements talked tight ends on Friday, August 1. "You hate to lose a player like Jermichael, a guy with his ability. But I feel comfortable we'll have solid players. We'll put them into positions where they can be successful." Tight ends coach Jerry Fontenot commented on several of the contenders for the starting job. He called Richard Rodgers an "efficient" runner as well as a solid blocker. Jake Stoneburner is "...definitely turning a corner as far as understanding schemes and what the quarterback likes to do”. Colt Lyerla is "explosive," said Fontenot. "Needs reps. Needs to work on his catching. He's a good blocker. He's got the talent." Reports from Pete Dougherty on Packersnews.com (Aug. 1) indicate that Lyerla has to improve his catching on some opportunities. Coach Fontenot noted: "Whenever he gets the opportunity he has to make the most of it. Unfortunately the first day it didn't go so well, but he's been able to come back somewhat from that." Stoneburner explained about how the tight ends share reps in camp:

"Brandon (Bostick) and Andrew (Quarless) get to go in first but we've all gotten solid reps with the first unit. It changes with the day. One day Richard and Brandon will go in. He [coach Fontenot] is just trying to get a feel how everyone is doing." The overall picture at tight end as of August 1 is of a wide-open battle for roster spots/depth chart position; coach Fontenot noted on Friday that no order has been established so far. Quarless has by far the most snaps in the NFL according to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, at 1,456 vs. Ryan Taylor's 335 and Bostick's 142. Bostick had the ball stripped out of his arms by cornerback Jarrett Bush for a notable fumble during practice on August 1. Quarless spoke after Family Night practice on Saturday, August 2, saying "I feel great, man, I'm thankful. My body felt really good." On Saturday night Lyerla injured a leg trying to hurdle a defender, was carted off the field and spotted on crutches after the game. There is no official word on the severity of the injury as of Sunday – MRI results are pending as of Sunday afternoon. The early word on the injury is that the Packers trainers think it is just a strain.

Defense: So far during camp, rookie safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix has been playing on second team (behind Micah Hyde), but safeties coach Darren Perry said on Friday, August 1 that Clinton-Dix needs "To get to the point where he eliminates the thinking part of it. He's just reacting," Perry said. "That comes in time. It's still early. We're less than a week into camp.... but again, in terms of handling the big stage, he's been there before. It's going to be a matter of him getting comfortable enough and playing fast enough where he can go out there and be an impact player for us, which we're expecting and hoping." Perry continued "When they [Hyde and Clinton-Dix] get into the preseason games, that's going to tell us a lot... So these four preseason games will be imperative." Linebacker Nick Perry came off the physically unable to perform list and practiced for the first time Thursday July 31. Defensive end Mike Neal came off PUP and joined practices on Wednesday July 30.

K/P: Last summer at this time, kicker Mason Crosby was struggling in camp and facing competition from Giorgio Tavecchio. This year he is the only kicker in camp and is kicking very well. Through Family Night on Saturday, he was 20 of 22 on field goals in camp, including six of six during the event with a long of 50 yards. He also kicked well in minicamps and OTAs back in spring. As always, Brett Goode is back at long snapper as is punter/holder Tim Masthay.

OL: Left tackle David Bakhtiari had an impressive rookie campaign, and looks to take the next step in year two. Bakhtiari is playing well enough that his starting job is not in doubt, but he is yet to be included among the best at the position in the league. Right tackle Bryan Bulaga has been impressive in his return from last season’s knee injury. Packers beat writers believe he is better than he was before the injury. Head coach Mike McCarthy is emphasizing cohesion and continuity this preseason, with the hope of forging a bond around new center J.C. Tretter. Tretter appears to have the clear edge over fifth round rookie Corey Linsley out of Ohio

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State, who missed several days during training camp with minor injuries. Whoever is the starting center will be helped by playing between guards T.J. Lang and Josh Sitton. 2011 first round pick Derek Sherrod is finally healthy, while Don Barclay has struggled at times in drills. Both players should make the roster, but neither are a threat for playing time unless injury strikes.

Packers Depth ChartQB: Aaron Rodgers, Matt Flynn, Scott TolzienRB: , Eddie Lacy, James Starks, DuJuan Harris, Michael Hill, Rajion Neal, LaDarius Perkins, Orwin SmithFB: John Kuhn, Ina LiainaWR: Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb, Jarrett Boykin, Davante Adams, Myles White, Jeff Janis, Chris Harper, Kevin Dorsey, Alex Gillett, Jared Abbrederis (IR)TE: Richard Rodgers, Andrew Quarless, Brandon Bostick, Ryan Taylor, Jake Stoneburner, Colt Lyerla (inj), Raymond WebberLT: David Bakhtiari, Aaron AdamsLG: Josh Sitton, Lane TaylorC: J.C. Tretter, Corey LinsleyRG: TJ Lang, Andrew TillerRT: Bryan Bulaga, Don Barclay, Derek SherrodK: Mason Crosby, Tim MasthayNT: B.J. Raji, Letroy Guion, Josh BoydDE: Datone Jones, Mike Daniels, Julius Peppers, Mike Neal, Jerel Worthy, Khyri Thornton, Mike PennelILB: A.J. Hawk (L), Brad Jones (M), Jamari Lattimore (M/R), Sam Barrington (L), Victor AiyewaOLB: Clay Matthews, Nick Perry (L), Chase Thomas (L), Andy Mulumba (R), Jayrone Elliott, Nate Palmer (R), Carl BradfordCB: Tramon Williams, Sam Shields, Casey Hayward, Davon House,Jarrett Bush (FS), Antonio Dennard, Demetri Goodson, Jumal Rolle, Ryan WhiteS: Morgan Burnett (SS), Ha Ha Clinton-Dix (FS), Micah Hyde (FS), Chris Banjo (SS), Sean Richardson (FS), Tanner Miller, Charles Clay

Houston Texans

QB: Ryan Fitzpatrick opens camp as the unquestioned starter and probably the team’s biggest question at the same time. Fitzpatrick is a known commodity – a capable, veteran starter with a tendency for turnovers, questionable accuracy on his deep balls and a penchant for throwing short and intermediate passes. Not surprisingly, that’s been the case in the first week of camp. Fitzpatrick deep balls have been mixed, some interceptions and plenty of good throws underneath. The battle for the backup is more interesting between Case Keenum and fourth round pick Tom Savage. Keenum opened camp ahead of Savage. Keenum has received significantly more reps, but he also struggled with consistency, missing several targets throughout the first couple of days. He hasn’t been all bad, though, and he continues to run ahead of Savage. The team is

working with him to stay in the pocket longer, breaking his instinct to run at the first sign of trouble. Of course, Savage was hand-picked by new head coach Bill O’Brien, so this competition is far from over.

RB: Arian Foster’s sore hamstring is flaring up again. After missing two days of practice, Foster returned to practice Wednesday only to be on the sidelines again Thursday. "He’s doing okay," O’Brien said. "It’s kind of a day-to-day thing. It’s nothing serious. I would assume – (but) guess you can’t assume anything – he’d be back pretty soon." O’Brien seems to be taking a similar approach to injuries as his former boss, Bill Belichick, by not offering any specifics when it comes to information on injuries. Foster’s second round ADP offers upside if healthy, but plenty of risk, too. Andre Brown was brought in to be Foster’s primary backup. O’Brien envisions Brown’s biggest contributions coming on first and second down with Foster being utilized as the primary passing back. With Foster and Brown both having durability concerns, rookie Alfred Blue deserves preseason attention. With Foster’s absence, Blue is benefiting from the extra reps in practice. A hard worker, Blue has looked good early, but the true test for him and others will be how well he holds up pass protection: “Practice makes perfect, so I think it’s a big opportunity and I just got to make the most of it,” Blue said. Dennis Johnson remains in the mix competing with Blue, Tim Cornett and Jonathan Grimes. Johnson struggled on the second day with a pair of dropped passes, one of which was intercepted by safety Eddie Pleasant. Grimes came off the non-football injury list on Friday and saw immediate action, with a nice grab on a short pass from Fitzpatrick. Cornett is an undrafted free agent and UNLV’s all-time leading rusher. Rookie Jay Prosch projects to be the team’s only fullback on the roster.

WR: Concerns of Andre Johnson holding out were squashed when he reported to camp on time and participated in the team’s first practices. He looked a little rusty during his first couple days catching passes from Ryan Fitzpatrick. Johnson then pulled his right hamstring in Monday’s practice while diving for a catch. "I think he’s doing better," coach O'Brien said downplaying his status. "I think that is something he and I talk about every day. I don’t think there is a need to rush him back. I think he needs to come back when he feels ready to be back." Johnson remained sidelined the rest of the week. Second-year receiver DeAndre Hopkins looked good and is “much improved“ since OTAs, according to O’Brien. "He's a very hard worker... He's a guy that really, in our opinion, gets better and better every day." The front runner for the third receiver job so far is surprisingly Mike Thomas. He’s leading the group of Keshawn Martin and Devier Posey. The team also signed Joe Adams while waiving Alan Bonner. Undrafted rookies Travis Labhart and Lacoltan Bester have flashed during practice along with EZ Nwachukwu, but all three face an uphill battle for a roster spot.

TE: The pairing of Garrett Graham and Ryan Griffin is one that merits plenty of attention in fantasy circles. Head coach Bill O’Brien figures to use both players extensively with a base offense utilizing Graham as a move tight end and Griffin

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as a more traditional in-line tight end. Graham, who was given a three-year, $11.25 million contract, missed the first day of practice due to a stomach virus, but he was back in the rotation quickly and regained the eight pounds he lost while sick. Both players, along with rookie C.J. Fiedorowicz, have plenty to learn in O’Brien’s offense as the coaches plan to use many different looks and formations. “We are all over the field," Griffin said. "We can be lined up six yards outside of the numbers or we can be in line as a fullback. I love lining up all around the field.” Expect O’Brien’s game plan to vary from week to week depending on their opponents. O’Brien likes where his young group is at catching the ball, but he’s also focusing on their consistency as blockers. That’s an area where Griffin and Fiedorowicz might be ahead of Graham, but the pecking order so far remains Graham, Griffin and Fiedorowicz.

Defense: All eyes in Houston have been on first overall pick Jadeveon Clowney after offseason sports hernia surgery. The team is keeping Clowney on a “pitch count” to ease him into practice, but his availability for the first practice was encouraging. Clowney is using his reps with Pro Bowl left tackle Duane Brown to his advantage as he looks to improve his craft. "We are battling and I'm trying to make him as best as I can," Brown said. "And he's making me work too to get me better. So it's a great competition over there." With rookie Louis Nix (arthroscopic knee surgery) unlikely to be ready for a few weeks, Jerrell Powe is poised to open the season as the starting nose tackle. Cornerback Johnathan Joseph is recovered from offseason toe surgery and was active when camp opened. Outside linebacker Trevardo Williams was waived last week and the team signed outside linebackers Quentin Groves and Lawrence Sidbury. Linebacker Justin Tuggle has been one of the more energetic players in camp, impressing the coaches as he competes for a possible starting spot next to Brian Cushing with Brooks Reed’s role floating between inside and outside linebacker.

K/P: Head coach Bill O’Brien discussed the kicker competition in camp between Randy Bullock and rookie Chris Boswell: “I think Randy and Boz have kicked well. I’d say that Randy, the competition has helped Randy. I think he kicked pretty well the other day. Boz, I thought he hit it pretty good today. There’s not live rush yet, so you know, they’re basically kicking on air. It’s a two-step rush, but there has been improvement there.” Bullock had looked stronger back in minicamps, although Boswell had missed time due to an appendectomy.

OL: The right guard situation has become problematic for Houston. Brandon Brooks is on the non-football injury list, and the coaching staff has not disclosed his injury. Reporters have seen him icing his lower back. Alex Kupper has been getting the bulk of the reps with the first team in Brooks’ place. Undrafted rookies Bronson Irwin and Conor Boffeli are also in the mix. Second-year guard Ben Jones has the lead over second round draft pick Xavier Su’a-Filo in the left guard competition. Su’a-Filo has had an up and down camp and is alternating at both guard positions with the second

team. The right tackle competition between Derek Newton and new addition Tyson Clabo appears to be favoring Newton. Coaches are impressed with Newton’s athleticism and he is considered the replacement for Duane Brown, should he go down with injury. Reserve tackle Will Yeatman is currently in the league’s concussion protocol.

Texans Depth ChartQB: Ryan Fitzpatrick, Case Keenum, Tom SavageRB: Arian Foster (inj), Andre Brown, Alfred Blue, Dennis Johnson,Tim Cornett, Jonathan GrimesFB: Jay Prosch, Toben OpurumWR: Andre Johnson, DeAndre Hopkins, Keshawn Martin (KR/PR),Devier Posey, Mike Thomas, Uzoma Nwachukwu, Kofi Hughes, Alec Lemon, Lacoltan Bester, Travis Labhart, Anthony McClung,Joe Adams, Alan Bonner (IR)TE: Garrett Graham, Ryan Griffin, C.J. Fiedorowicz, Zach Potter,Anthony DenhamLT: Duane Brown, Will YeatmanLG: Xavier Su’a-Filo, Ben JonesC: Chris Myers, Cody White (IR)RG: Brandon BrooksRT: Derek Newton, Tyson Clabo, Brice SchwabK: Randy Bullock, Chris BoswellNT: Jerrell Powe, Louis Nix, Ricardo Mathews, David Hunter, Austin BrownDE: J.J. Watt, Jared Crick, Tim Jamison, Jeoffrey Pagan, Keith Browner, Julius WarmsleyILB: Brian Cushing, Brooks Reed, Jeff Tarpinian (S), Akeem Dent, Justin Tuggle, Mike Mohamed, Paul Hazel, Chris YoungOLB: Jadaveon Clowney, Whitney Mercilus, Ricky Sapp, Quentin Groves, Lawrence SidburyCB: Johnathan Joseph, Kareem Jackson, Brandon Harris, Elbert Mack, Andre Hal, Josh Victorian, A.J. Bouye, Marcus WilliamsS: D.J. Swearinger (SS), Chris Clemons (FS), Kendrick Lewis (FS), Shiloh Keo (FS), Eddie Pleasant (SS), Jawanza Starling (SS), Lonnie Ballentine (FS)

Indianapolis Colts

QB: The Colts’ starting quarterback is already regarded as one of the best around. It’s no surprise that a good training camp already feels like business as usual for Andrew Luck. By all accounts, Luck looks as good as ever. Kevin Bowen reports that Luck and the passing offense was in great rhythm early in camp. Indianapolis is looking to spread things out and get the ball to multiple targets. Rhythm and timing is important for an offense that wants to be up-tempo and have more juice than last year. Andrew Luck is expected to make another leap this season, and post big numbers. Everything from Colts camp sounds like he is ready. Reports on Matt Hasselback have been a bit mixed. He had a few struggles but also unleashed a beautiful deep throw.

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RB: The biggest news out of Indianapolis to this point is the injury to Vick Ballard. The running back sustained another major injury that will put him on the shelf for the entire season. Ballard was not in line for a starting job, though he was bound to see some reps. His loss only adds to the pressure on Trent Richardson to live up to expectations. Richardson was nursing a hamstring injury for the first few days of camp, but the reports since have been glowing. Richardson is apparently much more comfortable in the system, and that is making a big difference. Mike Wells’ assessment that Richardson “has gone from thinking too much after taking the handoff to running off his natural instincts and with explosion” is about exactly what you want to hear. The Colts have to hope that translates to Sundays as well. With Ballard out of the mix, Richardson and Ahmad Bradshaw will be the team’s primary running backs for this season. Bradshaw looks healthy, and as long as that continues, he’ll provide a strong compliment to Richardson.

WR: Indianapolis has plenty of wide receivers to monitor in camp. The main man is still Reggie Wayne, who is coming back nicely from a torn ACL. After sitting out a few practices, Wayne returned with a bang. Kevin Bowen reports “Wayne looked like his old self on Sunday as he continued to be someone Andrew Luck turned to at critical times”. The veteran wideout is cutting well and still has the mental acumen to carry a passing attack. Wayne has been finding open spaces in coverage to score touchdowns, and has been a master in the red zone. Wayne’s receiver comrades have had their moments as well. Hakeem Nicks is running with the first team, and has made several big catches. Nicks and Luck seem to be developing a nice chemistry, which is important for a new arrival. The former Giants’ star appears to be in line for a starting gig with the Colts this season. There are a few younger receivers fighting for what’s left after Wayne, Nicks and T.Y. Hilton. The rookie, Donte Moncrief, got some first-team work while Wayne was held out during the first few practices. Moncrief has struggled with drops early on in his first NFL training camp. The Colts clearly want him to have a role, as they did roll him out with the first team. However, too many mistakes and drops will make the coaches reconsider doing so in the future. Da’Rick Rodgers is talented, but is a long shot for major playing time. He does appear to be making improvements as a route runner, and is working hard on special teams. Both of those attributes will help him stick on this crowded roster.

TE: Coby Fleener took most of the starting reps at tight end last season for the Colts. Now it appears the returning Dwayne Allen has replaced him. Allen looks sharp and is one hundred percent recovered from the injury that cost him most of 2013. Indianapolis likes what he offers as a blocker, and his reliability. Allen looks like he’ll be the primary option at tight end as long as he stays on the field this year. The under the radar star of camp appears to be Erik Swoope. Most observers have been surprised by how he looks, and insist that he’s a guy to watch. At 6’5’’ and 220 pounds, Swoope has the build of a big time move tight end. He also has the basketball background everyone is looking for in prospects at the

position. With Fleener and Allen around, there’s no need to assume Swoope turns these glances into much playing time. But if he continues to impress, and stand out, he’ll at least make this team and be someone to monitor in future seasons.

Defense: The Colts have some major questions on the defensive side of the ball. The secondary could be a big area that worries the team. Greg Toler, and particularly Darius Butler, are working hard to ease those concerns. Both Toler and Butler have impressed with their physical play during the first week of camp. Colts.com noted that Butler has looked good even when he’s playing on the outside and not just in his familiar slot position. Another name to watch is that of nose tackle, Montori Hughes. Josh Chapman is supposed to take the starting job, but he hasn’t been healthy for some of camp. Hughes was given valuable reps during Chapman’s absence. Chuck Pagano said of Hughes: “He’s progressing, and ahead of where he was at any point since he’s been here obviously”. A big nose tackle would be a real asset to a team that has struggled to slow opposing running games. Hughes could be an asset in this regard.

K/P: Punter, holder, and kickoff specialist Pat McAfee recently summarized camp: “I just try to get better every day in camp. I’ve got new drills they have for me to try. I’m always exploring new things and learning.... Adam (Vinatieri) is the consummate pro and I am always learning from him. Cody (Parkey) has got a great leg and we always bring somebody in so they can get some film…. I get to kick once a week and that’s enough for me…. Matt Overton (long snapper) is as good as there is. I just catch it.”

OL: In unlucky news, left guard Donald Thomas was placed on season-ending injured reserve, when he re-tore the same quad muscle as last year. Second round rookie Jack Mewhort is in a competition with Lance Louis in a bid to replace Thomas. Louis is a capable veteran but Mewhort is being given first shot at the job. At Ohio State, Mewhort was sometimes overmatched at tackle and guard could be a much better fit for his skill set. Should Mewhort start, the Colts would be starting two interior linemen who have never made a start in the NFL (center Khalid Holmes is currently running with the first team as well). Interestingly, Mewhort is also working reps at center. Likely right guard Hugh Thornton will be transitioning from left guard, but this shouldn’t be a huge problem. The tackles of Anthony Castonzo and Gosder Cherilus are reliable bookends and Joe Reitz sees time at right tackle when the team gives Cherilus a rest. Reitz is a solid player and looking like the first lineman off the bench at several positions.

Colts Depth ChartQB: Andrew Luck, Matt Hasselbeck, Chandler HarnishRB: Trent Richardson, Ahmad Bradshaw, Dan Herron, Zurlon Tipton, Davin Meggett, Phillip Tanner, Vick Ballard (IR)FB: Stanley Havili, Cam WhiteWR: Reggie Wayne, T.Y. Hilton (KR/PR), Hakeem

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Nicks, Da′Rick Rogers, Donte Moncrief, Grif Whalen, Deion Branch, Josh Lenz,Aaron Burks, Nu′Keese RichardsonTE: Dwayne Allen, Coby Fleener, Jack Doyle, Weslye Saunders,Joe Don Duncan, Erik SwoopeLT: Anthony Castonzo, Jack BrecknerLG: Jack Mewhort, Eric Pike, Donald Thomas (IR)C: Khaled Holmes, Joe ReitzRG: Hugh Thornton, Lance LouisRT: Gosder Cherilus, Xavier Nixon, John UlrickK: Adam VinatieriDT: Ricky Jean-Francois, Josh Chapman (NT), Jeris Pendleton,Montori Hughes, Brandon McKinney, Fili Moala (IR)DE: Cory Redding, Arthur Jones, Cam JohnsonILB: Jerrell Freeman (W), Mario Harvey (W), Kelvin Sheppard (M), D′Qwell Jackson, Josh McNary, Andrew Jackson, Max Bullough,Scott Lutrus (RFA), Henoc MuambaOLB: Robert Mathis (susp), Erik Walden (S) (susp), Bjoern Werner,Justin Hickman, Jonathan Newsome, Andy Studebaker, Daniel Adongo, Phillip Hunt, Jonathon Sharpe, Shawn Loiseau, Aaron Morgan (IR)CB: Vontae Davis, Greg Toler, Darius Butler, Sheldon Price, Josh Gordy, Marcus Burley, Loucheiz PurifoyS: LaRon Landry (FS), Corey Lynch, Sergio Brown (FS), Delano Howell, David Sims, Colt Anderson, Mike Adams

Jacksonville Jaguars

QB: With the Jaguars planning to redshirt third overall pick Blake Bortles, veteran Chad Henne is settled in with what appears to be a lengthy leash as the team’s starter entering his second year of Jedd Fisch’s offense. The coaches are showing confidence in Henne, too, giving him more freedom to call audibles. "If we have to throw it every down because they're giving so many guys at the line of scrimmage, we'll throw it," said Henne. The coaches are working with Bortles to correct his lower-body mechanics to help him throw the ball with more power. Bortles impressed Fisch during the first week of camp by the progress made from OTAs into training camp. Fisch said Bortles is ahead of where he thought he would be. Fisch added: "What he showed me is that it wasn't just what he recalled, but he actually dug deeper into the plays... That's something he was able to take from the four weeks prior." On Saturday night, the team scrimmaged at EverBank Field and both quarterbacks performed well. Henne completed 14 of 22 passes for 75 yards while Bortles completed 9 of 13 for 79 yards with a touchdown. Henne worked with the starters and Bortles with the second team, although both touchdowns were scored by the second-team offense. The only disappointment of the scrimmage was the five dropped passes by Marqise Lee, Allen Hurns, Kerry Taylor, Lamaar Thomas and Jordan Todman. "We’ve got to capture those opportunities," coach Gus Bradley said. "Things like that can happen when you come in the stadium. That’s where we’ve

got to calm the world down and just got to make the plays that they’re accustomed to making."

RB: The first week of camp did nothing to dampen expectations for Toby Gerhart. Pegged as a three-down workhorse, Gerhart surprised his defensive teammates with his speed and reliable hands. Coaches are even happy with his pass protection. "Toby has the ability to do it all," Fisch said. "He can catch it well. He can pass protect well, and he’s going to be in the game a lot — third down, base downs, short-yardage, passing downs." Gerhart was given Saturday night off with some tightness in his leg, but he returned to practice on Monday. Barring injury, Gerhart projects to see 20 or more touches a game, making him arguably one of the safest RB2 options on the board. Behind Gerhart, Jordan Todman seems to have a solid hold on the backup job after a strong first week of camp. Fisch described both Todman and Denard Robinson as change-of-pace backs, confirming their intentions to give Gerhart as much volume as he can handle, while praising Todman’s burst, speed and acceleration. In Wednesday morning’s practice with full pads Todman broke off a couple of long runs and he has had similar success in practices throughout the week. "You’re seeing him break some," said head coach Gus Bradley. "The other day he had one where he broke and you saw him accelerate. Today he had another one, and I think that’s what we’re counting on him for - to give that change-up, that burst that we know he has." Trying to close the gap behind him is Robinson and seventh-round pick Storm Johnson. Robinson has improved his ball skills considerably since a year ago when he was playing through nerve damage in his hand. Johnson opened camp as the number four back. He isn’t likely to earn many carries as a rookie, but he does have experience playing in Fisch’s system as a Miami Hurricane and he is a worthy stash for dynasty owners. "Storm is going to run at the same speed as Toby and maybe a hair faster, but he’s strong and really compact," Fisch said. "He has incredible vision and lower body strength."

WR: Cecil Shorts suffered a Grade 2 hamstring pull during practice in the first days of camp. He’ll miss at least two weeks, but after groin surgery in December and missing all of the offseason, expect his ADP to drop appropriately entering his contract year. With Shorts on the mend, rookies Marqise Lee and Allen Robinson began the week running with the starters. Ace Sanders has a four-game suspension to start the season and Justin Blackmon won’t play this year after his latest misstep while he is already suspended. Unfortunately, the injury bug struck again. This time with Robinson and he’ll miss two weeks with a hamstring strain of his own. Meanwhile, Lee has lined up all over the field with Fisch finding ways to feed him the ball. "Marqise has that speed factor," Coach Bradley said. "He has a chance to break one and is extremely quick. He’s freakish in his skill set in some of the things he does." It wouldn’t be a surprise at all to see Lee lead the team as a rookie in targets since he’ll be on the field in two receiver sets and in the slot when they go three wide. With Robinson out, Mike Brown is getting more action as the two compete for a spot among the team’s top three receivers. For Robinson, it was the same hamstring that slowed him

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during the spring. Tandon Doss suffered a high ankle sprain in the first week of practice and he’s listed as week to week. He is the team’s fifth receiver and also listed as the top punt returner. In Saturday’s scrimmage, Mike Brown led all receivers with five catches for 55 yards. Allen Hurns caught three passes and has caught the eye of the coaching staff with a solid offseason.

TE: Marcedes Lewis is quietly having a nice camp. He’s healthy, had his best offseason yet and so far that has carried through into camp, catching everything thrown his way. Lewis has been a strong red zone target in the past and at his current ADP he’s someone to consider in deeper leagues if the team makes an effort to keep him involved in the offense after finishing 2013 on a positive note with four touchdowns in his last five games. Backup Clay Harbor is sidelined for a month with a calf injury. His absence means more reps for undrafted rookies D.J. Tialavea, who caught a touchdown from Bortles in Saturday night’s scrimmage, along with Reggie Jordan, Marcel Jensen and Brandon Barden. "Those guys will get some opportunities," Bradley said. "I think the H-spot is really what we're looking at. That’s where Clay played, so that would be the spot that we need to discuss."

Defense: Cornerback Alan Ball opened camp on the PUP list with an ankle injury but he’s expected to return this week. Free agent addition defensive end Red Bryant has looked good in practices. The offensive line is having a difficult time keeping him out of the backfield. Bryant should improve the team’s run defense with his ability to set the edge against and get consistent penetration. Linebackers Geno Hayes is penciled in for first and second down duties with rookie Telvin Smith working in the nickel according to Bradley. Meanwhile, Johnathan Cyprien earned praise from teammate Paul Posluszny after showing improved coverage heading into his second season.

K/P: In mid-June, the Jaguars added two campers - kicker Kasey Redfern and long snapper Charley Hughlett. Last week, Scobee hit a 64-yarder in practice. “In times like that when I'm feeling good, I keep on telling Jimmy 'Keep backing it up’. I want to see how far back I can go. It was a good way to end it. I feel great physically,” Scobee said. “The real challenge is not fatiguing your leg the first few days of camp. I was a little fatigued the last couple of days. The third day, I felt great.”

OL: Left tackle Luke Joeckel has come back strong in his “redshirt rookie year” and is forming a solid duo with free agent addition Zane Beadles on the left side of the line. The team still has high hopes that Joeckel can stay healthy and live up to the expectations of being a number two overall draft pick. If he does, this line could be much improved this season. At center, Mike Brewster seems to be on track to start, despite not having regular season experience. Brewster seems confident and looks to surprise people with his play. On the right side, rookie Brandon Linder has had a great camp and was very close to officially winning the right guard spot until he suffered a minor foot injury. Jacques McClendon has been getting reps in the meantime. Linder is not expected to be out

long and could still start Week 1. At right tackle, Austin Pasztor has made the most of his chance and has become a fairly dependable starter. Pasztor has the starting job locked up, and is nominally backed up by Cameron Bradfield.

Jaguars Depth ChartQB: Chad Henne, Blake Bortles, Ricky Stanzi, Stephen MorrisRB: Toby Gerhart, Jordan Todman (KR), Denard Robinson (KR/WR),Storm JohnsonFB: Will Ta′ufo′ouWR: Cecil Shorts (inj), Marqise Lee, Allen Robinson, Ace Sanders (PR) (susp), Mike Brown, Tandon Doss (inj), Chad Bumphis, Stephen Burton, Kerry Taylor, Lamaar Thomas, Kevin Smith, Kenny Shaw, Justin Blackmon (susp)TE: Marcedes Lewis, Clay Harbor, Danny Noble, Brandon Barden, Marcel JensenLT: Luke Joeckel, Demarcus LoveLG: Zane Beadles, Drew NowakC: Mike Brewster, Patrick Lewis, Luke BowankoRG: Brandon Linder, Jacques McClendonRT: Austin Pasztor, Cameron BradfieldK: Josh ScobeeDT: Senderrick Marks, Roy Miller, Ziggy Hood, Deandre Coleman,Abry Jones, Ricky Havili-Heimuli, David CarterDE: Tyson Alualu, Red Bryant, Andre Branch, Chris Clemons, Ryan Davis, Chris Smith, Gerald RiversMLB: Paul Posluszny, LaRoy Reynolds (M/S), Nathan Stupar, Allen BradfordOLB: Geno Hayes (W), Dekoda Watson (S), Telvin Smith (W), J.T. Thomas (W), Chris Smith (S), Marcus Whitfield, Josh HullCB: Dwayne Gratz, Alan Ball, Will Blackmon, Mike Harris, Demetrius McCray, Aaron Colvin, Jamell Fleming, Jeremy Harris, Deion BelueS: John Cyprien (SS), Josh Evans (FS), Christopher Prosinski (SS), Winston Guy (SS), Joe Young, Sherrod Martin

Kansas City Chiefs

QB: While there’s no question that Alex Smith is the team’s QB1 there’s plenty of debate about the other three quarterbacks. The only suspense with the starter is whether he’s getting a new deal, and he’s done talking about it. "You guys know how I feel about this and it's the truth, yeah, you get to the point - and I'm there - where you finally cross the line and it's just football from here on out. I'm done talking about it, behind the scenes as well." To the Chiefs’ credit, they’ve been consistent with the snap distribution and that matches the latest depth chart released. Behind Smith is the veteran Chase Daniel, followed by Tyler Bray and finally Aaron Murray. Tyler Bray continues to make huge throws that no one else in Kansas City is capable of, but his mental lapses have thus far kept him firmly behind Daniel. To this point

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Murray looks a long ways away from being even a backup quarterback.

RB: With Jamaal Charles’ new deal in place, there’s been nothing but a steady stream of praise for the Chiefs running backs. Derrick Johnson is one player you can count impressed: "I've seen a lot of improvement. Cyrus Gray has been a guy that's running with that second and third team. [He] gave me a move yesterday that I got to get him back for. It's one of those things where the level of competition from the twos and threes are going way up. I mean, Knile Davis, I can't say enough about him [and] you know Jamaal is doing his thing, so we got a lot of depth here at the Chiefs right now, especially at the running back position.” All of that and Johnson didn’t even mention De’Anthony Thomas, whose already moved up to third on the depth chart. Thomas has been heavily involved in the running and passing game and is getting a long look on special teams.

WR: Dwayne Bowe has been dominant in camp and is saying all the right things about having a bounce back year. It’s no surprise that Donnie Avery is still listed at number two on the depth chart but he’s been plagued by the same drops on long passes that he was last year. Junior Hemingway is holding on to his spot with A.J. Jenkins on the second team for now, but as good as Albert Wilson has looked Hemingway needs to get back on the field. “He just looks so smooth with his routes, and he’s able to really create some space and make some friendly throwing (lanes) for us," quarterback Aaron Murray said. Hemingway, Jenkins, and Mark Harrison all struggle with hamstring issues throughout the week but the team is still very high on Jenkins.

TE: There’s been no one in camp generating more hype than Travis Kelce. Though he’s still technically behind Anthony Fasano on the depth chart, Kelce has consistently been one of the Chiefs’ best playmakers. Kelce has repeatedly beaten the safeties down the seam for big plays. The retirement of Sean McGrath has opened up a spot for Demetrius Harris behind Fasano and Kelce. “I’ve got confidence I’m going to make it,” said Harris, whose main competition now is four-year veteran Richard Gordon. “I don’t want to just assume I’m going to make it. I know I’ve still got to work hard to make it.”

Defense: The Chiefs secondary is even more of a mess than it was before camp. The loss of Sanders Commings due to a broken ankle and several hamstring injuries has exposed an already thin unit. Sean Smith performed poorly with the first team and has lost reps to Ron Parker at corner. Eric Berry suffered an ankle injury, but it isn’t expected to linger into the season. The Chiefs added safety Steve Gregory and he immediately started getting reps in practice. "He's played in various systems so he's familiar probably with everything we're doing," defensive coordinator Bob Sutton said. Things have been better up front, unless your name is Nico Johnson. Joe Mays looks to have the inside track in the linebacker job next to Derrick Johnson, and Nico Johnson is on the third team on the first depth chart. The defensive line looks solid and bigger than last year. Free agent acquisition Vance Walker

is currently listed as the backup nose tackle, but he figures to play all over the line.

K/P: Incumbent kicker Ryan Succop is being pressed by undrafted rookie Cairo Santos. Both kicked well in camp. Special teams coordinator Dave Toub is awaiting the games to get a clearer assessment on Santos. “Does he make his next kick?” asked Toub. “We’ll see that and how he responds and how he acts, what his body language is like. Those are things we’ve got to evaluate. He’s doing well. He’s competing. It’s a real battle. The preseason games are going to tell us a lot.”

OL: Last year’s first overall pick Eric Fisher is fully healthy and looking sharp in preseason practices. It’s safe to say he looks more comfortable at the same left tackle position he played in college. Obviously, Fisher’s development is huge for this line. Sixth round pick Zach Fulton has impressed the coaches and was listed as the starting right guard in the team’s first depth chart, over Rishaw Johnson. Fulton started all four years at Tennessee and showed up to the offseason with a positive attitude toward winning the position. New free agent addition Jeff Linkenbach is working at several spots and is currently listed as the second team left guard behind Jeff Allen. Allen has shown versatility in camp, kicking out to tackle when needed. Starting right tackle Donald Stephenson suffered an ankle injury but returned to practice quickly. There is an interesting battle behind Stephenson, as Ryan Harris, J’Marcus Webb and Laurent Duvernay-Tardif are all in the mix for backup jobs. Assuming the vets stay healthy look for Duvernay-Tardif to be shuffled away on the practice squad while he adjusts to life in the league.

Chiefs Depth ChartQB: Alex Smith, Chase Daniel, Tyler Bray, Aaron MurrayRB: Jamaal Charles, Knile Davis (KR), De′Anthony Thomas (KR), Cyrus Gray, Joe McKnightFB: Anthony ShermanWR: Dwayne Bowe, Donnie Avery, A.J. Jenkins, Junior Hemingway, Weston Dressler, Kyle Williams, Albert Wilson, Frankie Hammond, Mark Harrison, Jerrell Jackson, Fred Williams, Deon AnthonyTE: Anthony Fasano, Travis Kelce, Demetrius Harris, Richard GordonLT: Eric Fisher, R.J. DillLG: Jeff Allen, Rokevious Watkins, Ricky HenryC: Rodney Hudson, Eric KushRG: Jeff Linkenbach, Rishaw Johnson, Zach FultonRT: Donald Stephenson, Ryan Harris, Laurent Duvernay-Tardif,Colin KellyK: Ryan SuccopNT: Dontari Poe, Jaye HowardDE: Mike DeVito, Allen Bailey, Vance Walker, Mike Catapano,Dominique Hamilton, Chas AlecxihILB: Derrick Johnson, Joe Mays, Nico Johnson, James-Michael Johnson, Jordan CampbellOLB: Justin Houston, Tamba Hali, Dee Ford, Dezman Moses, Frank Zombo, Ridge Wilson, Alonzo Highsmith, Josh Martin, Josh MaugaCB: Marcus Cooper, Ron Parker, Phillip Gaines, Sean

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Smith, Chris Owens, Vernon Kearney, Kevin Rutland, DeMarcus Van Dyke, Justin Rogers, Kip Edwards, Brandon Jones, Quinton Byrd, Sanders Commings (inj)S: Eric Berry (SS), Husain Abdullah, Malcolm Bronson, Jerron McMillian, Steve Gregory

Miami Dolphins

QB: While Ryan Tannehill hasn’t shone so far, he has been tasked with learning a new system. He admitted himself that “this offense is pure timing... you see on the first day, you might miss a guy, but over time we’re going to build the trust.” Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald detailed some of what he saw from Bill Lazor’s offense: bubble screens, quick passes, a read option play, spread formations, and multiple sets. The most notable difference in the box scores for Tannehill should be his rushing totals as Lazor will better utilize his athleticism, principally with the read option. Omar Kelly of the Sun Sentinel has noticed that Tannehill is getting the ball out of his hands quicker and connecting on more deep passes. In Saturday’s scrimmage, he completed 15 of 27 passes for 139 yards, two touchdowns, one two-point conversion, and had no turnovers. Matt Moore is safely entrenched as the backup, although it is more by default with little competition behind him. His accuracy has been inconsistent and he sat out of Saturday’s scrimmage with a shoulder injury that is thought to be minor. After cutting Brock Jensen, the team signed Seth Lobato, an undrafted free agent from Northern Colorado, to compete with Pat Devlin for the third-string quarterback job. Devlin remains the front-runner. They combined to complete just 13 of 31 passes for 79 yards, two interceptions, and one touchdown in the scrimmage.

RB: A competition for the starting job was expected between Knowshon Moreno and Lamar Miller. Moreno has yet to practice after a knee scope in June and his entire preseason is now in doubt. That has cleared the path for Miller, who added six to eight pounds of muscle from last season and now weighs 224 pounds, to lead the rushing attack. Joe Philbin has exclaimed that, “(Miller) looks good, he looks stronger than he’s ever been. I don’t think he’s sacrificed any speed whatsoever.” The team, Miller included, hopes he can fill the role LeSean McCoy occupies in Philadelphia; Miller even reached out to McCoy for advice. Miller has also shown well as a receiver, although Moreno still offers better pass protection. In the scrimmage, Miller totaled 36 yards on six carries and added a touchdown reception on a wheel route. Without Moreno, the depth is worrisome. Daniel Thomas has been given some first team snaps and would currently be penciled in as the backup. However, he has dropped his share of passes and even tripped over grass according to Jackson of the Miami Herald. While Mike Gillislee was next in line, undrafted rookie running back Damien Williams is threatening to overtake him and perhaps Thomas as well.

WR: Mike Wallace and Brian Hartline are locked in atop the depth chart, while Brandon Gibson and rookie Jarvis Landry project as the third and fourth receivers respectively. Wallace has expanded his route tree and is moving around the formation - a large contrast from last season. He’s excited to be “a complete receiver instead of a one-dimensional guy.” Hartline has looked like his normal self and Gibson has surprised in his recovery from a patellar tendon tear. The top three all sat out the scrimmage, while Landry continued his strong camp with two receptions, 40 yards, and a touchdown. Fighting for roster spots are Rishard Matthews, Armon Binns, Damian Williams and Marcus Thigpen. Philbin has stated that Matthews is "without a doubt" having a good camp and the receiver leads the group.

TE: The creativity of Lazor’s offense extends to the tight end position. There has even been a formation with Dion Sims and Michael Egnew both lined up as receivers. Charles Clay remains locked in as the starter, although he left the scrimmage early with a limp, and has been consistent throughout camp. Of the backup tight ends, Sims has had the most reps and Philbin sees “a lot of potential there.” The coach also stated “Egnew and Arthur Lynch have been solid” and “Gator Hoskins has shown he’s very bright.” Their performances have even led Philbin to consider rostering up to five tight ends.

Defense: The strength of the defense remains the defensive line, which is led by defensive end Cameron Wake, defensive tackle Randy Starks and defensive tackle Jared Odrick. Dion Jordan has played well, recording sacks and interceptions, but is facing a suspension. A.J. Francis and undrafted rookie Anthony Johnson are battling for placement behind the team’s top three defensive tackles. Both have played well and are expected to make the team, adding depth to a strong core. There has been some rearrangement in the linebacking corps, which adds some uncertainty. While Philip Wheeler remains at strongside, Koa Misi is making the transition to middle linebacker, where his total tackles should rise, and Dannell Ellerbe is being kicked out to the weakside. Ellerbe has also been regularly leaving the field in nickel situations. In the secondary, Brent Grimes is locked in as the top corner and Cortland Finnegan has separated himself in the competition to line up opposite Grimes. Jimmy Wilson also has a lead on the nickel back role. Jamar Taylor and Will Davis are battling for snaps; Philbin classified both of the young corners as “improved.” Louis Delmas has been a welcomed addition at safety, pairing with Reshad Jones, to round out what should be an upgraded unit.

K/P: Caleb Sturgis, the lone kicker in camp, is focusing on the basics: “Every day you go out there you want to hit every field goal. You try. When you get in a rhythm where you’re hitting every field goal you make, you stay at a consistent level. I think the other thing is just being real conscious with how many kicks you take every day, how many to warm up, but every one counts because another big thing for us is health and if you’re healthy all the way through it makes everything a lot easier.”

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OL: With Pro Bowl center Mike Pouncey out at least a month of the regular season, the Dolphins signed Samson Satele to fill in at the position. Satele was the team’s second round pick in 2007 and was the best available veteran free agent center remaining. This was a smart signing that should bring stability after a litany of failed center candidates, including Shelley Smith, Sam Brenner (injured), Nate Garner, David Arkin and rookie Tyler Larsen. With Satele on the roster, the line is taking shape. Branden Albert is the left tackle and Daryn Colledge is the left guard; both should be pretty good options. Colledge appears to have won the job over Dallas Thomas and rookie Billy Turner. Shelley Smith can go back to right guard, where he is expected to start next to rookie Ju’Wuan James. James has been impressing the coaches.

Dolphins Depth ChartQB: Ryan Tannehill, Matt Moore, Pat DevlinRB: Lamar Miller, Knowshon Moreno (inj), Daniel Thomas, Mike Gillislee, Damien Williams, Cameron MarshallWR: Mike Wallace, Brian Hartline, , Brandon Gibson, Jarvis Landry,Rishard Matthews, Matt Hazel, Damian Williams, Marcus Thigpen (KR/PR), Ryan Spadola, Armon Binns, Kevin Cone, Stephen WilliamsTE: , Charles Clay, Dion Sims, Michael Egnew, Arthur Lynch, Gator Hoskins, Kyle Miller, Emmanuel OgbuehiLT: Branden Albert, Will Yeatman, Billy TurnerLG: Darren Colledge, Nate Garner, Sam BrennerC: Shelley Smith, Mike Pouncey (INJ), David ArkinRG: Dallas Thomas, Danny WatkinsRT: Ja¡ÇWuan James, Jason FoxK: Caleb SturgisDT: Randy Starks, Earl Mitchell, Jared Odrick, A.J. Francis, Isaako AaituiDE: Cameron Wake (W), Olivier Vernon, Dion Jordan (susp), Derrick Shelby, Terrence FedeMLB: Koa Misi, Jason Trusnik (S)OLB: Philip Wheeler (S), Dannell Ellerbe (W), Jonathan Freeny (S),Jordan Tripp, Jelani Jenkins (W)CB: Brent Grimes, Cortland Finnegan, Jamar Taylor, Will Davis, Jalil Brown, Walt AikensS: Reshad Jones (SS), Jimmy Wilson (FS), Louis Delmas (FS), Don Jones (FS) (susp), Jordan Kovacs (SS), Michael Thomas (SS)

Minnesota Vikings

QB: While the week opened with head coach Mike Zimmer naming Matt Cassel the team’s number one quarterback going into camp, it didn’t take long for rookie Teddy Bridgewater to close the gap. According to reports, Bridgewater and Cassel have been splitting first team reps in Vikings’ camp. Some close to the team have gone from thinking Cassel was a slam dunk to be the Week 1 starter, to “not being surprised if Bridgewater wins the job“. It will likely take a strong showing by Bridgewater in the preseason

to unseat Cassel - a veteran stopgap who projects as a solid fit in offensive coordinator Norv Turner’s system. However, those hoping the Vikings unleash Bridgewater - clearly the player with the higher upside - have to be encouraged by Turner’s recently talking up the rookie’s “outstanding deep ball“, something the Louisville product was not known for in college. 2011 first rounder Christian Ponder has been left to fight for scraps with the third team offense.

RB: Coming off groin surgery in January, perennial stud Adrian Peterson is 100 per cent healthy, but the Vikings may plan to hold him out of preseason games anyway. This is a welcome development for fantasy owners, as it increases the likelihood Peterson opens the season healthy. Turner has been consistent throughout the offseason in stating his desire to get Peterson involved in the passing game. The possibility of a 45- to 50-catch season places Peterson squarely in the number one overall pick conversation. Hot shot rookie Jerick McKinnon may be the only thing standing in Peterson’s way of reaching that reception total. The third round pick out of Georgia Southern is one of the most explosive athletes in this year’s rookie class (4.41 forty at 209 pounds), and has been “grabbing attention with his athleticism every day“ in camp. McKinnon, who recently earned an endorsement from Peterson himself, is a natural receiver out of the backfield, and could carve out a role on third downs. 234-pound plodder Matt Asiata remains second on the depth chart. If anything were to happen to Peterson, Asiata would likely remain involved between the tackles and on the goal line (at least until McKinnon proves himself in pass protection).

WR: Early drafters and dynasty owners can breathe a sigh of relief after second-year breakout candidate Cordarrelle Patterson returned to practice last Wednesday. Patterson missed the start of camp with a foot injury. How Turner incorporates Patterson’s game-breaking ability into his famed vertical scheme will be a storyline to follow closely as preseason games get underway. Reports state Jarius Wright and Jerome Simpson are competing for slot duties, but chances are the winner of this camp battle will still be part of a rotation. Starting flanker Greg Jennings is no stranger to the slot, and during training camp practices, the Vikings have used two split ends on the field more frequently. In this formation, Simpson and Patterson have lined up on the outside with Jennings and/or Wright on the inside. Recent quotes from Jennings also suggest the Vikings plan on using their receivers based on situation to play to their individual strengths: "One thing I've learned about Norv is he's going to try and expose what everyone does well. So with that being said, he's going to individually put us in position where he can get us the balls with our best routes, as he calls them.”

TE: The news out of Vikings camp on fourth-year tight end Kyle Rudolph has been overwhelmingly positive. Between stories about Rudolph studying Jay Novacek and Jordan Cameron cutups, reports of his losing 15 pounds in preparation for a bigger role in the passing game, and the huge $36.5 million extension he signed last week, the big Notre Dame product’s arrow is pointing decidedly up in his

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first year under Turner. The foot injury that cut Rudolph’s 2013 season short is completely in the rear view (he’s been running without incident since February), leaving nothing standing in the way of what should be a breakout year. Rookie A.C. Leonard is the most interesting name behind Rudolph on the depth chart. The 6’ 2’’, 252 pound undrafted free agent clocked a faster forty time than any tight end at this year’s combine (4.5 seconds), but slipped out of the draft entirely due to character concerns. Leonard profiles as an explosive playmaker, making him a name to monitor in preseason games. He recently missed a few days of practice with an apparent head injury, but returned to walkthroughs Saturday. Fourth stringer Chase Ford, who was likely on the roster bubble to begin with, suffered a stress fracture in his foot and will miss the rest of camp.

Defense: The Vikings seem extremely pleased with the development of number nine overall pick Anthony Barr. Barr has shown off his versatility in training camp, where he’s been lining up as the strongside linebacker in the Vikings’ 4-3 scheme. According to head coach Mike Zimmer, there is a strong likelihood Barr will start the season opener against the St. Louis Rams. Middle linebacker is a bit more of a mystery for the Vikings. All we know at this point is that it probably won’t be Chad Greenway, who’s been moved to the weak side. The situation has the look of a committee, with Jasper Brinkley leading a field that includes youngsters Michael Mauti and Audie Cole. Minnesota's secondary (one of the worst in the league last season) got some welcome news as free agent acquisition cornerback Captain Munnerlyn was removed from the active/PUP list after recovering from a tweaked hamstring.

K/P: Kicker Blair Walsh and punter/holder Jeff Locke spent the offseason and spring getting acclimated to the weather (wind especially) conditions at TCF Bank Stadium. Walsh is working on little details in camp, "Just a lot of form stuff. You can't kick every day because you'll get tired real quick and it would be tough to maintain that. But we're out here working on form stuff trying to perfect our technique… little stuff. I want to get better at right hash kicks. I've been working a lot on that the past couple days. Putting the ball directionally on kickoffs better."

OL: The Vikings offensive line is a relatively quiet group. There’s not a whole lot of uncertainty right now in the starting line-up, which is a good thing. Left tackle Matt Kalil is reportedly 100 per cent healthy after last season’s campaign and has been battling well against the Vikings pass rushers in drills. Kalil looks to start next to Charlie Johnson at left guard. Johnson’s career improved with a move inside from tackle to guard and is currently a decent starter. Center John Sullivan is an All-Pro and probably their best lineman at this time. Sullivan does a great job reading the defensive fronts and making blocking calls. Brandon Fusco is a tough guy at right guard and right tackle Phil Loadholt is widely known as a Pro Bowl snub from last season. Vlad Ducasse is a strong player who will likely be one of the first players off the bench. Rookie fifth rounder David Yankey showed well in pulling

technique and could be an option in the event of injury. Backup tackle Antonio Richardson is still adjusting to life in the league and is in a battle with Mike Remmers, Joe Berger, and Jeff Baca on the roster bubble.

Vikings Depth ChartQB: Teddy Bridgewater, Matt Cassel, Christian PonderRB: Adrian Peterson, Jerick McKinnon, Matt Asiata, Joe BanyardFB: Zach Line, Jerome FeltonWR: , Greg Jennings, Cordarrelle Patterson (KR), Jarius Wright,Jerome Simpson, Adam Thielen, Rodney Smith, Josh Cooper, Kamar Jorden, Kain Colter, Erik Lora, Lestar Jean (IR)TE: Kyle Rudolph, Rhett Ellison, A.C. Leonard, Chase Ford, Allen Reisner, Michael HigginsLT: Matt Kalil, Mike RemmersLG: Charlie Johnson, Jeff Baca, David YankeyC: John Sullivan, Zac KerinRG: Brandon Fusco, Vladimir Ducasse, Joe BergerRT: Phil Loadholt, Kevin MurphyK: Blair WalshDT: Linval Joseph (NT), Sharrif Floyd, Fred Evans (NT), Chase Baker (NT), Shamar Stephen, Kheeston Randall, Tom JohnsonDE: Brian Robison, Everson Griffen, Corey Wootton, Scott Crichton, Justin TrattouMLB: Jasper Brinkley, Audie Cole, Michael MautiOLB: Chad Greenway (W), Anthony Barr (S/DE), Gerald Hodges (W), Larry Dean (S), Brandon WattsCB: Josh Robinson, Captain Munnerlyn, Xavier Rhodes, Shaun Prater, Marcus Sherels (PR), Antone Exum, Kendall James, Derek Cox, Jabari Price, Kip EdwardsS: Harrison Smith (FS), Jamarca Sanford (SS), Mistral Raymond (SS), Andrew Sendejo (SS), Robert Blanton (FS), Kurt Coleman, Chris Crocker, Brandan Bishop

New England Patriots

QB: The selection of Jimmy Garopollo in the second round of the draft should do nothing more than remind us of Tom Brady's age and signal that Ryan Mallett will be leaving after this season. Garopollo will be competing with Mallett for the backup quarterback job, but by retaining the more experienced player it seems unlikely that the rookie will be first in line to potentially fill in for an absent Brady.

RB: In spite of his fumble problems last year and Mike Reiss' speculation that his roster spot isn't safe, Stevan Ridley should still expect to be the Week 1 starting running back for the Patriots. Reiss identifies undrafted back Stephen Houston and first-year player Jonas Gray as potential surprises to steal Ridley's spot, but he also concedes that it is a long shot. Brandon Bolden and James Develin will likely be competing against each other for a roster spot, as Bolden brings special

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teams value and Develin is a fullback. Fourth round pick James White and the hopefully healthy Shane Vereen appear to be roster locks.

WR: Oddly enough, Matthew Slater may be the only certainty to make the Patriots roster as a receiver right now. Slater is almost exclusively a special teams player. Danny Amendola didn't impress during his first season with the team, but he wasn't healthy and he is still guaranteed $2 million. The franchise wasn't in any rush to re-sign Julian Edelman in free agency this year, but he also has significant guaranteed money so he should make the roster too. Brandon LaFell was signed this offseason after an impressive year in Carolina, but like any new addition in New England he has to learn a difficult playbook very quickly. Second-year players Aaron Dobson, Josh Boyce and Kenbrell Thompkins all have reasons to be confident of making the roster, but Dobson should be the only one who really feels safe. Thompkins outperformed both of his contemporaries as a rookie, but he was undrafted while both of those players were taken before the fifth round. Seventh round pick Jeremy Gallon has some talent, but there appears to be too much competition ahead of him to allow him to make the roster.

TE: Rob Gronkowski is ready to go after tearing his ACL last season. Gronkowski has had multiple major injury issues over the last few seasons, so there is still some caution with him, but he is a vitally important player for the Patriots offense. Veteran Michael Hoomanawanui has established himself as a reliable player in New England, so he should be the primary backup, while veteran DJ Williams has the talent to earn a roster spot as a third tight end.

Defense: Darrelle Revis' addition will obviously stand out from any list of offseason moves. Revis will allow Bill Belichick to be very creative as he should use him correctly, unlike what the Tampa Bay Buccaneers did last year. With Revis, the Patriots can stack the box or cheat with Devin McCourty as the deep safety to the other side of the field on a regular basis. Who plays across from Revis is still uncertain. Brandon Browner signed from the Seattle Seahawks, but he is serving a suspension for the first four games of the regular season. Kyle Arrington and Logan Ryan remain on the roster, as does Alfonzo Dennard who enters camp with a shoulder injury. Injuries are a big issue for the Patriots defense. Veteran defensive tackles Vince Wilfork and Tommy Kelly are both returning from major injuries towards the end of their careers, while rookie Dominique Easley is starting his career coming off a second torn ACL. Linebacker Jerod Mayo tore a pectoral muscle last year, but appears to be fully healthy entering camp this year.

K/P: Camp has seen Stephen Gostkowski kicking (including six of six the other day) and Ryan Allen punting (including downing one at the two-yard line). Who’ll be snapping in September is open to competition between veteran Danny Aiken and rookie Tyler Ott, who noted: "It's kind of the first time I've been able to really focus on only long snapping with a long-snapping coach. So I'm learning a lot. I'm picking up a

lot of blocking schemes, snapping technique. It's all pretty new to me just being a self-taught snapper for my four years at Harvard."

OL: The Patriots’ offensive line has not had any changes to their familiar depth chart during this preseason, but there are some battles being waged behind the scenes. The most likely change would be at center where fourth round pick Bryan Stork from Florida State is working behind last year’s starter Ryan Wendell, with whom the team is reportedly not satisfied. Guard Josh Kline could be in the process of forcing his way into the lineup, possibly at the expense of current starting right guard Dan Connolly. Kline is considered a perfect fit for the Patriots’ system and he did well in game experience last season when injuries created the opportunity for him to play. Left guard Logan Mankins remains a stalwart of the line, but it will be interesting to see how long the Patriots will continue to pay his exorbitant salary. Sixth round pick Jon Alapio sits behind Mankins on the depth chart. The starting tackles are set with Nate Solder and Sebastian Vollmer, with the versatile Marcus Cannon listed as the backup at both positions. Cannon is another option at right guard and could pave the way for a move by Connolly back to center. Overall the Patriots’ line looks stable but there could be some change coming, especially at the center and right guard positions.

Patriots Depth ChartQB: Tom Brady, Ryan Mallett, Jimmy GaroppoloRB: Stevan Ridley, Shane Vereen (3RB), James White, Brandon Bolden, Jonas Gray, Stephen Houston, Roy Finch, Tyler Gaffney (IR)FB: James DevelinWR: Julian Edelman (PR), Aaron Dobson, Danny Amendola, Kenbrell Thompkins, Brandon LaFell, Josh Boyce, Jeremy Gallon, Matt Slater, Reggie Dunn, Brian Tyms, Greg Orton (IR)TE: Rob Gronkowski, Michael Hoomanawanui (FB), D.J. Williams,Nate Byham, Justin Jones, Asa WatsonLT: Nate Solder, Cameron FlemingLG: Logan Mankins, Jon HalapioC: Ryan Wendell, Bryan Stork, Braxton CaveRG: Dan Connolly, Josh KlineRT: Sebastian Vollmer, Marcus CannonK: Stephen GostkowskiDT: Vince Wilfork, Tommy Kelly, Dominique Easley, Chris Jones (NT), Armond Armstead, Joe Vellano, Sealver Siliga, Marcus Forston, Eathyn ManumaleunaDE: Chandler Jones, Rob Ninkovich, Jake Bequette, Michael Buchanan, Will Smith, Zach MooreMLB: Jerod Mayo, Chris WhiteOLB: Jamie Collins (W), Dont′a Hightower (S), James Anderson,Steve Beauharnais (S), Ja′Gared DavisCB: , Darrelle Revis, Brandon Browner (susp), Alfonzo Dennard, Logan Ryan, Kyle Arrington, Justin GreenS: Devin McCourty (KR/FS), Duron Harmon (SS), Tavon Wilson (FS), Patrick Chung (SS), Jemea Thomas, Nate Ebner, Kanorris Davis

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New Orleans Saints

QB: Drew Brees sat out Saturday's scrimmage because he has a strained left oblique, head coach Sean Payton explained at his post-scrimmage news conference. Payton said that Brees is "day to day" and that the team would monitor the injury. Luke McCown, Ryan Griffin and Logan Kilgore rotated the snaps at scrimmage in Brees’ absence. Griffin reportedly made the most of his opportunity in the scrimmage, completing eight passes in a row at one point, and adeptly avoiding sacks. "Both (Griffin) and Luke are doing well," coach Payton said. "We rotated both of those guys with the first group and the second group. Luke took the first role with the ones and three groups later, Ryan took a group with the ones. They're both competing hard. (The competition) is just something that will be ongoing and we will pay attention to." Payton continued: "We're going to get a chance to see a lot of preseason games, and I think that it [who is primary backup to Brees] will become more apparent to all of us."

RB: Khiry Robinson has reportedly been playing well during training camp. Junior Galette commented: "We have a lot of young players here that are hungry and have a lot to prove. Obviously these young guys are extremely talented. They have to keep improving. But the sky's the limit." Robinson had a long run off a screen pass that went for at least 30 yards in Saturday's scrimmage, while Travaris Cadet made several nice plays. In all, there were six offensive touchdowns scored by Austin Johnson, Mark Ingram, Derrick Strozier, Brandin Cooks and Jimmy Graham.

WR: Cooks has been dominant in practice sessions during the first week of training camp, and he stole the show at Saturday night's scrimmage with several long receptions and a nice catch-and-run touchdown. "I'm glad he's my teammate. I never want to see him catch the ball, but when he does it's pretty special,” linebacker Curtis Lofton said after the scrimmage. "That speed - you can’t say enough about that speed. I always say it's like he’s shot out of a rocket as soon as he gets the ball in his hands." Local reports indicate that Cooks is quick of mind as well - he's reportedly absorbed the playbook with alacrity since arriving to camp without the benefit of OTAs or minicamp due to his college's schedule, and he also runs good routes. Nick Toon received praise from coach Payton on Friday, August 1: "I think you see someone now when you watch him in practice, he clearly has improved. He's having a fantastic camp early on." Brandon Coleman also garnered some praise from Payton: "I think he is stronger in his lower body. He is a little bit further removed from the injury he had his last year at Rutgers. I see him carrying his weight a little bit better in this fall training camp then he was able to in the spring." Marques Colston quipped that looking at Coleman (6-6, 220) is like "looking in the mirror." Kenny Stills (quadriceps injury) did not practice Sunday, July 27 after suffering tightness in his quad on Friday, July 25. He missed the intra-squad scrimmage on August 2, and has missed all the

practice sessions since last Friday, July 25, though Stills did participate in the Friday afternoon walk-through before the scrimmage on Saturday.

TE: Graham got flagged in Saturday night's scrimmage for violating the "Jimmy Graham Rule" - the NFL has expressly forbidden dunking the football over the goal posts for the 2014 season. The league insists it is an extension of the prohibition against using the football as a "prop" during touchdown celebrations. Despite playing without Brees, Graham still put up a touchdown in the scrimmage (and then was flagged for his dunk).

Defense: Cameron Jordan explained how Galette has worked his way into a starring role for the Saints' defense: "(He) breaks down film. He's looking at himself, he's looking at DeMarcus Ware, he's looking at all the speed-rushers in the game and he's stealing moves from everybody. Junior has really become the complete student - of the speed rush, anyways, and that's what he wants to do." Galette said on Saturday night: "(If) I am just upset at myself, I might get home at five o'clock (in the evening) and ... until 11 o'clock I don't have the TV on. I am just watching film. I might watch a play 30 times, over and over, just to slow it down. If I made a mistake, (I want) to never make it again. I am just an extremist with that." Safety Kenny Vaccaro had some highlight plays during Saturday's scrimmage. He reportedly displayed great athleticism, running down and then throwing down Jimmy Graham from behind to save a touchdown, and later hit Khiry Robinson in run support with a powerful tackle that broke a helmet. The defense did not have Champ Bailey (undisclosed) or Jairus Byrd (back surgery/rehab) during the scrimmage; both sat out with their respective injuries. Lofton summed up the defense's effort during the scrimmage on Saturday night thusly: "Right now as a defense, we're far, far from where we need to be. So we've got to keep grinding out there... I don't want to be average. And we were pretty average today." Lofton said the major problem was allowing big plays (like the one Cooks put up). After a week of practices, Jeff Duncan of Nola.com described the defense as follows: "So far, the Saints have alternated almost equally between 4-3-4, 3-4-4 and 4-2-5 defensive alignments. Rob Ryan switches personnel groups so often it's impossible to determine what, if any, the Saints' base unit would be at this point. The best way to describe the Saints' defense at this point is 'multiple.'" On Friday, the first-team defense "won" the 9-on-7 run drills with three consecutive stuffs by Galette, Lofton and Akeim Hicks. John Jenkins has missed time in camp with a pectoral injury, leaving the Saints with only four healthy interior run-stuffers after one week of practices - Brodrick Bunkley, Tyrunn Walker, Brandon Deaderick and Tyrone Ezell.

K/P: Both Shayne Graham and Derek Dimke are kicking well. Two weekends ago both went seven of seven on field goals. In this past weekend’s scrimmage Dimke was three of three while Graham was two of three. Dimke said of the competition: "I feel like I'm kicking well and I'm showing the coaches what I can do. These guys - you know Shayne (Graham) T-Mo (punter Thomas Morestead) and Dres ( long

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snapper Justin Drescher) - just like every other position group we are a close knit team and even though Shayne and I are competing against each other we are still good friends.”

OL: In recent weeks, Jonathan Goodwin has been in a “straight up” competition with Tim Lelito for the starting center position. The contest is far from over but Goodwin has impressed coaches with his command of the offense and lack of mental errors. While Lelito is trying valiantly, it would be surprising if he won the job over the veteran Goodwin. At left tackle, Terron Armstead is settling in and there is a great hope that his phenomenal physical skills can be used to their full potential. At left guard, Ben Grubbs has been dinged up with a minor injury, but the coaching staff seems confident that he can return to the field soon. Backup player Marcel Jones has been mixing it up in practices, but recent signing Senio Kelemete has been struggling in pass rush drills and could be on the roster bubble.

Saints Depth ChartQB: Drew Brees, Luke McCown, Ryan GriffinRB: Mark Ingram, Pierre Thomas, Khiry Robinson, Travaris Cadet (KR/PR), Tim FlandersFB: Erik Loreg, Austin JohnsonWR: Marques Colston, Kenny Stills, Brandin Cooks, Nick Toon, Joe Morgan, Robert Meachem, Brandon Coleman, Andy Tanner, Charles Hawkins, Chris Givens (IR)TE: Jimmy Graham, Ben Watson, Josh Hill, Richard QuinnLT: Terron Armstead, Ty Nsekhe, Tavon RooksLG: Ben Grubbs, Mike Golic Jr.C: Jonathan Goodwin, Tim Lelito, Matt ArmstrongRG: Jahri Evans, Senio KelemeteRT: Zach Strief, Marcel Jones, Bryce HarrisK: Shayne Graham, Derek DimkeNT: Brodrick Bunkley, John JenkinsDE: Cameron Jordan (DT), Akiem Hicks, Glenn Foster (inj), Tyrunn Walker, Cheta Ozougwu, Brandon Deaderick, George UkoILB: Curtis Lofton, David Hawthorne, Ramon Humber, Kevin Reddick, Khairi Fortt, Kyle KnoxOLB: Junior Galette, Parys Haralson, Victor Butler, Keyunta Dawson, Ronald Powell, Rufus JohnsonCB: Keenan Lewis, Champ Bailey, Corey White, Patrick Robinson, Stan Jean-Baptiste, Rod Sweeting, Trevin Wade, Terrence Frederick, Derrius Brooks, AJ DavisS: Jairus Byrd (FS), Kenny Vaccaro (SS), Rafael Bush (FS),Marcus Ball (SS), Vinnie Sunseri (SS)

New York Giants

QB: One of the keys to the Giants’ success this year will be how well they adapt to new offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo’s scheme. Kevin Gilbride’s vertical-based scheme that heavily featured option routes is gone. McAdoo has the Giants working on a faster tempo, helping Eli get rid of the

ball quicker and by extension reducing the sacks, turnovers and improving efficiency. The Giants are hoping to run 70 or more plays per game after averaging under 62 last year. "I'm still waiting for them to call up a huddle in practice," DE Mathias Kiwanuka said. "The intention of this offense is to cause chaos." Beyond playing faster, McAdoo is focused on improving Manning’s completion percentage. With a stated goal of 70 per cent, Manning completed just 58 per cent last year and he’s only slightly higher for his career (58.5 per cent). Only seven times in NFL history has a quarterback achieved that barrier. Getting rid of the ball quicker and simplifying things is key and Manning is a willing student. Expect improvement. In Sunday night’s Hall of Fame game, the Giants completed 16 of 22 for 208 yards and a touchdown. Manning was six of seven for 43 yards, but he was also sacked and lost the football before leaving. Second-year passer Ryan Nassib remains a work in progress as he competes with veteran Curtis Painter for backup duties. Nassib has not impressed during the first week. Jordan Raanan, of the Newark Star-Ledger, called Nassib a “train wreck“ after one practice. "One eight-yard throw to the far side probably missed his receiver by eight yards," Raanan said. "Nassib needs to get it together."

RB: Sunday night’s game sparked plenty of buzz throughout social media circles as Rashad Jennings and Andre Williams split carries with the first team offense. Jennings gained only 23 yards on seven carries but looked as fluid as ever, catching three passes out of the backfield for 20 yards. Meanwhile, Williams looked good running the football against the Bills second team defense, gaining 48 yards on seven carries including a nice 21-yard jaunt and then a three-yard touchdown run to cap off the drive. It is increasingly clear the coaches intend to use Williams as their goal-line back, but it surprised many by how much action he saw in lieu of Jennings outside of the red zone. With David Wilson going on injured reserve Monday, his once promising career appears to be over. Peyton Hillis is now the team’s number three back with Michael Cox behind him. "I think we have some talented guys at that spot," head coach Tom Coughlin said. "Rashad has done well. I think the young kid (Williams) has come along the more we have given him to do. Michael Cox has had his spots." With Williams on the rise, don’t discount Jennings as his ADP could fall in the coming weeks. Jennings remains a solid three-down back who should still combine for 200+ touches while Williams could now see 100+ touches with Wilson out of the picture along with six to eight touchdowns. Williams is now on the radar in the later rounds with much higher upside than his contemporaries at his current ADP, but he’s no threat at all for third down duties as he continues to struggle badly in the passing game at camp.

WR: The Giants’ new offense should be a boon for Victor Cruz and Rueben Randle. Cruz returns as Eli Manning’s top target and the one most likely to lead the Giants in targets, catches and probably yards, too. Randle struggled mightily last year in Kevin Gilbride’s offense, but he is once again on the radar as a breakout candidate and the odds on favorite as Eli’s number one red zone target. Some have compared Cruz’s

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role in McAdoo’s system to Randall Cobb’s role with the Packers. Throughout the first week of camp, McAdoo’s fingerprints are visible with an up-tempo cadence, spread formations and quick hitting West Coast concepts. Similarly, Randle has seen a bunch of targets in red zone drills during practices as well as downfield. "I’ve got to play big," Randle said. "They’re going to allow me to do that. My job is to make that big play, whether it be in the end zone or down the field." The stage is set, now it’s up to Randle to stay healthy and produce. Randle missed some practice last week with a sore hamstring, but he returned on Thursday to make a nice touchdown grab in the back of the end zone. Meanwhile, rookie first round pick Odell Beckham has been sidelined with a hamstring injury, but he should be ready to return for their second preseason game. Beckham is competing with Jerrel Jernigan for the team’s number three job and the slow start has allowed Jernigan to gain an early edge. Needless to say, Beckham’s absence has not won him any brownie points with Tom Coughlin.

TE: There’s an easy way to describe the Giants’ tight end situation; it’s a hot mess. Adrian Robinson shed 10 to 12 pounds for camp, but he apparently has done nothing to impress as he continues to flounder behind the likes of Daniel Fells and Larry Donnell. After the first week of camp, Donnell seems to have emerged as the potential starter. He started on Sunday night against the Bills and caught one pass for 13 yards. Daniel Fells might be the next in line, followed by Kellen Davis, Robinson and rookie Xavier Grimble. The best play for fantasy owners? Pass on this group altogether. The Giants plan to utilize this group all over the formations, but until one of them proves to be productive or consistent, it’s best to move along.

Defense: The biggest reason for optimism is the night and day difference between Jason Pierre-Paul's camp performance this year and last. Pierre-Paul is healthy again and poised for a bounce back year if he can stay that way. For the Giants defense to get back on track, his performance is crucial. Middle linebacker Jon Beason (foot) is about five weeks away from returning, but he’s making progress and has been working off to the side doing sprints. He wants to play in preseason games, but he’ll likely be held out hoping he can be ready for the opener. Strongside linebacker Jameel McClain was carted off the field with a foot injury, but he dodged serious injury as X-rays were negative. The Giants’ linebacker depth will be tested until McClain and Beason are healthy again. With the door wide open, fifth-round rookie Devon Kennard has been running as the starting strong-side linebacker. Meanwhile, sixth round pick cornerback Bennett Jackson will miss extended time with a significant ankle sprain.

K/P: The primary kicking news out of minicamps and training camp so far is that Brandon McManus is not just a camp leg, but is legitimately competing against Josh Brown for the job. He has shown a strong leg. He made the Giants only field goal attempt in the Hall of Fame Game, connecting from 47 yards. Brown became the answer to a trivia question in the game,

making the league’s first 33-yard extra point. Both are working with holder/punter Steve Weatherford and long snapper Zac DeOssie.

OL: With the retirement of Chris Snee, there has been a competition at right guard between Brandon Mosely and John Jerry. Early signs have Mosely leading the competition, with Jerry’s first team reps somewhat limited. With his resume, Jerry would appear to have a better shot on paper than he does in practice. At center, J.D. Walton appears to have the early lead over second round draft pick Weston Richburg. Richburg has been bouncing between guard and center in practice, and could also become a serious factor into the right guard conversation if Mosely washes out. Right tackle Justin Pugh reported in excellent shape and has a stranglehold on his current position. On the other side, backup tackle Charles Brown continues to start in the place of Will Beatty, who is working his way back from various maladies. The team expects Beatty to be ready to start at left tackle for Week 1, but this is a prime opportunity for Brown. In the Hall of Fame game, new left guard Geoff Schwartz was beaten handily by Buffalo’s Kyle Williams, leading to an Eli Manning fumble.

Giants Depth ChartQB: Eli Manning, Ryan Nassib, Curtis PainterRB: Rashad Jennings, Andre Williams (SD), Peyton Hillis, Michael Cox (KR), David Wilson (IR)FB: John Conner, Henry Hynoski, Kendall GaskinsWR: Victor Cruz, Rueben Randle (PR), Odell Beckham (inj), Jerrel Jernigan, Mario Manningham, Trindon Holliday (KR/PR), Preston Parker, Julian Talley, Kris Adams, Marcus Harris, Travis Harvey, Corey WashingtonTE: Larry Donnell, Daniel Fells,  Adrien Robinson, Kellen Davis, Xavier GrimbleLT: Will Beatty, Charles BrownLG: Geoff Schwartz, James Brewer, Troy KropogC: JD Walton, Dallas ReynoldsRG: Weston Richburg, John Jerry, Brandon Mosely, John SullenRT: Justin Pugh, Steven BakerK: Josh Brown, Brandon McManusDT: Cullen Jenkins, Markus Kuhn, Johnathan Hankins, Jay Bromley,Everett DawkinsDE: Damontre Moore, Jason Pierre-Paul (inj), Mathias Kiwanuka,Robert Ayers, Israel Idonije, James Gayle, Kerry WynnMLB: Jon Beason (inj), Mark Herzlich, , Terrell ManningOLB: Spencer Paysinger (W), Jameel McClain (S/M), Jacquian Williams (W), Devon Kennard, Spencer Adkins (W), Kendrick Adams (S)CB: Corey Webster, Prince Amukamara, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Walter Thurmond (susp), Jayron Hosley (susp), Zackary Bowman, Charles James, Bennett Jackson (inj), Trumaine McBride,Junior Mertile, Chandler Fenner, Ross WeaverS: Stevie Brown (SS), Antrel Rolle (FS/SS), Cooper Taylor (SS),Chaz Powell (FS), Quintin Demps (SS), Nat Berhe

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New York Jets

QB: We were promised a quarterback battle but from the first snap this has been Geno Smith’s party. According to The Star-Ledger’s Darryl Slater, Smith has taken 79 per cent of the first-team snaps and reports that for the most part, Smith has been solid. Not the same confused rookie he was last season, Smith has been much more reliable in terms of ball protection, leadership and his overall knowledge of the offense. Michael Vick is firmly entrenched as a backup unless Smith melts down or gets hurt. He’s fine with it, and has diligently worked within his role. In the Green & White scrimmage this past Saturday, he flashed his speed and scrambling ability again, totaling 35 yards on the ground, while Smith got sacked on a bootleg on the one-yard line. Of course, ability has never been Vick’s real problem - injuries have been. So far, we’ve not seen a sign of those. Battling over the third spot are rookie Tajh Boyd and former 2013 undrafted quarterback Matt Simms. Boyd has admitted he is struggling picking up an offense much more complex than what he’d used at Clemson, and he’s also been working on his mechanics. Simms looks more comfortable in his second year in it, making it hard to guess which one ends up on the roster. Boyd can go to the practice squad, so it seems more likely for that to happen and Simms to stay on the active squad.

RB: There were even a few plays during Saturday night’s Green & White scrimmage where both Chris Johnson and Chris Ivory lined up in the backfield at the same time. It’s a formation which brings up some interesting possibilities, and could send the ball inside or out effectively. Neither back put up big numbers but ESPN’s Rich Cimini points out the game was really just to knock the rust. It was also Johnson’s first live full-contact since his surgery in January and he played through with no ill-effects. The team has sent him out as a wide receiver and put him in motion as well during camp, so it’s clear they have faith in his health and abilities and want to use him in multiple ways. Right now it appears Ivory is the team’s goal line and short-yardage back, with a lot of his work in the red zone. He’s already been battling a hamstring injury, which is unfortunately par for the course when it comes to Ivory and his career. Bilal Powell is also fighting a hamstring injury and sat out the scrimmage. He is trying to hold off Daryl Richardson, who had his own injury issues during OTAs. Richardson and Powell are similarly built backs and one will be the change of pace back. Alex Green managed to cough the ball up in Saturday’s scrimmage and he still looks like his game has lost something from his 2011 ACL injury. John Griffin and Michael Smith are both coming off season-ending injuries and are really looked at as camp bodies.

WR: The wide receivers are still a work in progress at this point in camp, including Eric Decker who is dealing with a balky hamstring. He didn’t do much in Saturday’s Green & White scrimmage, in part because he was hurt and in part because he didn’t get much thrown his way. The Jets will take

it easy with him as they can’t afford to have him hurt come Week 1. Stephen Hill has been looking “outstanding” according to offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg, but we’ve heard that before so it’s hard to swallow. When the regular-season bullets stat flying, he comes up small, although coach Rex Ryan said much of his struggles in 2013 were due to knee issues. Hill made a tremendous catch on a 41-yard pass from Geno Smith. Jeremy Kerley was the last man standing in the offense last season and the team is hoping he can settle back into the slot again this year. He’s looked fine so far in camp, and should see plenty of success in his more limited role. With Decker as the number one and Kerley in the slot, David Nelson appears to have the lead in the battle for the number two spot. Nelson has shown reliable hands and is a big target so he could see some red zone work. Rookie Shaq Evans has been limited with a shoulder injury and sat out Saturday’s scrimmage but he has struggled with drops in camp. Fellow rookie Jalen Saunders has made a few plays, mostly early in camp. While not a big guy, Saunders has been a very solid blocker so far, this is a bit of a surprise. Sixth round pick Quincy Enunwa has also struggled in the offense, and has battled a hip injury as well. Of the remaining six receivers (Greg Salas, Clyde Gates, Jacoby Ford, Mike Campbell, Saalim Hakim and Vidal Hazelton) none have performed consistently.

TE: Second round pick Jace Amaro has disappointed in camp so far. While he is often the first guy on the field and last guy off, he has struggled in learning the offense, so much so that even mild-mannered Geno Smith was peeved at one point last week. The problem just comes down to how complex an NFL offense is compared to the super-simple Texas Tech plays. Jeff Cumberland is more of an in-line tight end who blocks and won’t threaten Amaro’s targets but Zach Sudfeld has taken some first-team snaps and has impressed in camp. He could be the guy who steps in if Amaro can’t get it together.

Defense: The front seven appears to be not just as good as last year, but deeper in terms of talent who can come off the bench. Mo Wilkerson, Damon Harrison and Sheldon Richardson have been great in camp so far, as has late addition Jason Babin. The biggest question marks continue to be in the secondary. Dee Milliner has improved his play so far in camp, while the rotation of Dimitri Patterson and Darrin Walls opposite him has been streaky. Rookie Calvin Pryor has been sidelined by a concussion and the Jets are likely to be cautious with him, but it leaves observers with very little to go on in terms of judging the safeties.

K/P: The Jets entered camp with five specialists: the three starters (kicker Nick Folk, punter/holder Ryan Quigley and long snapper Tanner Purdum) plus two camp legs that were added in June (kicker Andrew Furney and punter Jacob Schum). During the Green & White Scrimmage this past weekend, Folk made a 33-yard field goal but missed from 53 yards, while Furney hit a 47-yarder. Quigley now dons the number 4 jersey, having sold number 1 to Michael Vick for charity.

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OL: After ending last season with a torn bicep in Week 17, right guard Willie Colon was not ready to man his usual right guard position at the start of training camp. In his place, second-year player Oday Aboushi looked good running with the first team, and has been competing with Brian Winters at left guard after Colon rejoined the team. It is not clear if Aboushi can unseat Winters before Week 1, but his development almost certainly makes him the swing tackle, or next man off the bench. Recent addition Breno Giacomini has been quietly competent replacing the departed Austin Howard at right tackle. Fourth round selection Dakota Dozier has had an up and down camp. He isn’t a serious challenger for playing time this season.

Jets Depth ChartQB: Geno Smith, Michael Vick, Tajh Boyd, Matt SimmsRB: Chris Johnson, Chris Ivory, Bilal Powell (3RB), Daryl Richardson, Alex Green, John Griffin, Michael SmithFB: Tommy BohanonWR: Eric Decker, Stephen Hill, Jeremy Kerley (PR), David Nelson,Jacoby Ford (KR), Clyde Gates, Jalen Saunders, Shaq Evans, Quincy Enunwa, Greg Salas, Vidal Hazelton, Saalim Hakim, Michael CampbellTE: Jeff Cumberland, Jace Amaro, Zach Sudfeld, Konrad Reuland,Chris Pantele, Colin AndersonLT: D Brickashaw Ferguson, Ben IjalanaLG: Brian WintersC: Nick Mangold , Caleb SchlauderaffRG: Willie Colon, Dakota Dozier, William CampbellRT: Breno Giacomini, Oday AboushiK: Nick FolkDT: Sheldon Richardson, Damon Harrison (NT), Kenrick Ellis (NT),T.J. BarnesDE: Muhammad Wilkerson, Jason Babin, Leger Douzable, IK Enemkpali, Tevita FinauILB: David Harris (M), Demario Davis (W), Nick Bellore (M), Jeremiah George, Troy Davis (W)OLB: Quinton Coples, Calvin Pace, Garrett McIntyre, Antwan Barnes, Trevor Reilly, Tim Fugger, Jermaine Cunningham (IR)CB: Dee Milliner, Darrin Walls, Dimitri Patterson, Kyle Wilson, Dexter McDougle, Ras-I Dowling, Brandon Dixon, Johnny Patrick, Nick Taylor, Jeremy ReevesS: Antonio Allen (FS), Calvin Pryor (SS), Dawan Landry (SS),Jaiquawn Jarrett (FS), Josh Bush (SS), Rontez Miles, Brandon Hardin

Oakland Raiders

QB: The Raiders added as many pieces as any team in the NFL this past offseason but perhaps none of them were more important than Matt Schaub. Schaub has been extremely sharp early in camp and looks like his old self. “He’s been very impressive, completing a lot of passes compared to what we were last year,” (Rod) Streater said. “It’s looking way better. His two-minute drive ended with a touchdown so I

think we’re way ahead of where we were last year.” Rookie Derek Carr has taken a majority of the second-team snaps, but at this point he’s no threat to Schaub. The team has spent the early part of camp trying to fix his footwork. As he was last year, Matt McGloin sits towards the bottom of the depth chart. Despite having started six games last year, he looks like a long shot to win the backup job from Carr.

RB: With both Darren McFadden and Maurice Jones-Drew healthy there looks to be quite a battle for the top running back position in Oakland. McFadden has taken the lion’s share of the first team reps so far but the Raiders have been impressed with Jones-Drew’s power early in camp. "Maurice Jones-Drew plays like a big back," (Greg) Olson said. "You can’t arm tackle the guy. He has such a low center of gravity that he’s extremely difficult to tackle because of his height and his power. He has ridiculous power in those legs." McFadden, for his part, says he’s 100 per cent healthy and just as explosive as ever. "I'm going to run a 4.3 'til I'm 50," McFadden said. "As far as the exact (40-yard dash) time, I'm still a 4.3 guy. I don't feel that I've lost a step at all." Behind those two is Latavius Murray, who is healthy after a lost year and showing off some of his potential early in camp. Marcel Reece has lost weight with hopes of being more involved in the passing game and at the bottom of the depth chart CFL superstar Kory Sheets has impressed in limited action.

WR: James Jones and Rod Streater have taken a majority of the reps with the starters. Streater suffered a concussion midweek but bounced back quickly. “I just had to go through the whole process with the concussion thing,” Streater said. “It wasn’t too serious. It was a minor one, a little headache.” There were reports early in camp that Denarius Moore may be on the outside looking in but he had a solid week of camp including some impressive work as a punt returner. Juron Criner and Greg Little both missed time due to injuries but returned to practice by the end of the week. Criner and Little are behind Jones, Streater, Moore, and Holmes and may be fighting each other for a roster spot. The team has been adamant that there just hasn’t been much separation at wide receiver from the top of the depth chart on down.

TE: David Ausberry has been given a lot of reps with the first team, despite Mychal Rivera’s strong rookie season. The team isn’t thrilled with either as blockers, but they definitely see Rivera’s potential. “He looks more athletic, he’s stronger, more confident,” Olson said. “I said to him the other day that there is a little bit more swagger to him.” Ausberry has the edge in the competition now because he’s a slightly better blocker, but Rivera is so much better in the passing game that it may not matter. The team is still hopeful that Nick Kasa can turn into the power blocking option at tight end, something they’re sorely lacking right now.

Defense: The Raiders brought in a lot of veterans on defense to try to supplement the pass rush, and early in camp it looks like it’s working. Defensive coordinator Jason Tarver has a lot of plans for getting to the quarterback. "We will continue to be multiple, to look like one thing and bring a guy from

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here or there," Tarver said. "What we have this year is more guys that can win 1-on-1 matchups, so our job is to create the 1-on-1's.” The team has lost D.J. Hayden to a foot injury and rookie Keith McGill is slowly getting into camp shape after suffering an ankle injury. This has led to a lot of first team reps at corner for Chimdi Chewka, and he hasn’t disappointed. "He's a guy that since I've gotten here, he's continued to get better and better every day," coach Dennis Allen said. "He's very, very valuable to us on special teams. ... He's got a good understanding of the offense and how they're going to attack him. ... His technique has gotten better." The biggest buzz so far has come for first round pick Khalil Mack. Mack has impressed everyone, including the general manager. "He's reminded me of Clay Matthews from Day 1," Oakland general manager Reggie McKenzie said. "He's one of those guys that knows how to set the edge, and he has length and power and some tools to rush the passer. He's got that first step, he can bend, he's relentless."

K/P: Kicker Sebastian Janikowski, punter/holder Marquette King and long snapper Jon Condo spent extra time during the offseason and continue to work in camp on placekicking execution, and area which faltered last year. Head coach Dennis Allen said of their progress: “For (Janikowski) to go out and have success, he's gotta be comfortable and feel good that the operation is going to be the same on every single play. That operation with Jon and Marquette and Seabass has improved tremendously, and I do think that Seabass has a lot more confidence in Marquette as a holder.”

OL: This preseason, there have been some interesting developments on the Raiders’ line. Despite a lack of game experience, Menelik Watson has been penciled in as the starting right tackle, while big money free agent signing Austin Howard has been moved to right guard. The staff really wants Watson to succeed but he has had his hands full with the defenders in practice. Howard suffered a slight back spasm during camp but is considered fine, and can be counted upon to start, and even slide back to right tackle, should the need arise. At left guard, Khalif Barnes and third round draft pick Gabe Jackson are involved in a competition, with Jackson being given every opportunity by the team to win the job. Kevin Boothe is another versatile player who could find his way into playing time at an interior position if injury should strike. Yet another new addition, left tackle Donald Penn, has been capable in pass protection and Stefen Wisniewski has been his usual steady self at center.

Raiders Depth ChartQB: Matt Schaub, Derek Carr, Matt McGloin, Trent EdwardsRB: Darren McFadden, Maurice Jones-Drew, Latavius Murray,Jeremy Stewart (KR), Kory Sheets, George Atkinson IIIFB: Marcel Reece, Jamize Olawale, Karl WilliamsWR: Denarius Moore, James Jones, Rod Streater, Andre Holmes,Juron Criner, Brice Butler, Greg Jenkins, Mike DavisTE: Mychal Rivera, David Ausberry (inj), Nick Kasa

(inj), Jake Murphy, Brian LeonhardtLT: Donald Penn, Menalik WatsonLG: Tony Bergstrom, Lucas NixC: Stefen WisniewskiRG: Kevin Boothe, Gabe Jackson, Lamar MadyRT: Austin Howard, Khalif BarnesK: Sebastian JanikowskiDT: Antonio Smith, Pat Sims, Stacy McGee (NT), Justin Ellis, Ricky Lumpkin, Torell TroupDE: LaMarr Woodley, Justin Tuck, Jack Crawford, C.J. Wilson,Shelby Harris, Ryan RobinsonMLB: Nick Roach, , Kaluka MaiavaOLB: Kahlil Mack (S), Miles Burris (W), Sio Moore (W), Kaelin Burnett (S), Frank Beltre, Marshall McFadden, Justin ColeCB: Carlos Rogers, D.J. Hayden (inj), Tarell Brown, Chimdi Chekwa, Johnny Adams, Taiwan Jones (KR), Keith McGill, Travis Carrie, Chance Casey, Neiko ThorpeS: Charles Woodson (FS), Tyvon Branch (SS), Brandian Ross (SS/CB), Usama Young (FS), Jonathan Dowling, Shelton Johnson

Philadelphia Eagles

QB: After Nick Foles’ charmed 2013 season, there is almost nowhere to go but down. Nobody expects him to replicate a 27:2 touchdown-to-interception rate, but Foles remains firmly in the QB1 mix as long as he’s running the show for Chip Kelly’s up-tempo, creative offense. So far, Foles hasn’t been great, but he has been good. He and the other Eagles quarterbacks have been working on things like back-shoulder throws during the first week of practice. Mark Sanchez opened camp firmly as the number two ahead of Matt Barkley. Sanchez seems rejuvenated, if not humbled, after joining the Eagles following his failed stint as the Jets one-time savior. Sanchez has performed well so far while developing a special rapport with rookie Jordan Matthews. At one point, every one of Sanchez’s throws seemed to target Matthews, who promptly caught everything in his direction. In one session last Wednesday, Sanchez and Matthews connected for back-to-back touchdowns during red zone drills – the first on a fade and the second one came over the middle. As for Foles, offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur offered a balanced review of his work in the first week, “I think Nick's done a good job of kind of understanding the receivers and what they're good at, and trying to blend that with the route concepts we're giving them and the types of routes that they're running. You can see them moving it around. There are some times when if you just watch practice, not really knowing what we're doing, you might say well, that was not a good throw or that was a bad route. Really you're just kind of working through things. I think he's done a good job of that."

RB: LeSean McCoy reported to camp about five to seven pounds lighter saying he feels more explosive and that he

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wanted to be a little lighter in preparation for year two in Chip Kelly’s offense. McCoy led the league in carries and touches a year ago, but that doesn’t mean the Eagles are preparing to take some of that weight off his shoulders either. The Eagles backs have been busy catching passes through the first week of camp. With Darren Sproles added to the mix and Chris Polk ready for a bigger role, it wouldn’t be a surprise if they combine for 100+ receptions. With that said, expect Sproles to play a versatile role, and not just primarily as a third-down, pass-catching weapon as he was in New Orleans. Shurmur said: "He can be a first down, second down, third down, fourth down, special teams. He's a weapon whenever he's on the field. I think you can see we're handing him the ball, we're throwing him the ball. We'll try to use him every which way we can. The nice thing about Darren, and this is the value added to him, he's had a great career. He's a highly-productive guy. But he does absolutely everything right. He grinds on what he's doing, and he finishes every play."

WR: The biggest buzz out of Eagles camp has undoubtedly been second-round pick Jordan Matthews, even if he is still running with the second-team offense. Jeremy Maclin has looked fantastic according to the Philadelphia Inquirer & Daily News as he will play the “Z” role vacated by DeSean Jackson. Riley Cooper has been out of practice and sporting a boot on his right leg. "He's got a foot injury," head coach Chip Kelly said. "It's just a preventive thing. He should be back in a couple of days." Jeff Maehl took his spot with the first team during his absence. Brad Smith worked as the first team slot receiver, ahead of Matthews for now at least, while third round pick Josh Huff is getting work at both slot and on the outside. “He’s settled in and is doing extremely well," said (Pat) Shurmur. "He’s very good against bump and run. He’s a strong, physical body. Almost looks like a running back because he’s a powerful type guy." Once their preseason games begin, keep an eye on Matthews in the red zone. He could emerge as a playmaker there right away for the Eagles. "He’s young and he’s got courage," Shurmur observed. "So he can run around and catch the ball with people around him. Lastly, when he catches the ball, he sets his hair on fire and runs. If we didn’t have fences around here, he’d run into the street. He’s one of the best finishers we have." Some have compared him physically to former Eagle Terrell Owens with his height, size and speed. Another young player in the mix is the 6-foot-7 Ifeanyi Momah. “He looks smoother out there,” Shurmur told reporters. “He's made some plays down the field and used his size. He's actually had a really, really good camp.”

TE: Zach Ertz has made the biggest improvement among tight ends according to Shurmur. The talented second year players is expected to play more snaps this year after improving as a blocker and gaining more comfort in the offense throughout the offseason. "I'm so confident this year in my abilities," Ertz told the Philadelphia Inquirer. "Last year, I was a wide-eyed rookie. I wasn't even here for OTAs. It's a completely different situation. I have confidence in myself and I think the coaches do, as well." Ertz is a great player to target

on draft day with an ADP in the high TE2 range, but legitimate TE1 potential.

Defense: One of the key battles to watch in camp is between Nate Allen and Earl Wolff for the starting strong safety job. After a week, Wolff seems to have the edge as he ran alongside Malcolm Jenkins in practice with the first team last Wednesday, but players are moving around between the first- and second- teams in practices, so this competition is far from over. Entering year two of Bill Davis’s system, the Eagles are developing more of a comfort level as they know the system better, know what Davis is looking for and what calls he makes in different situations. "Right now, it's just all focusing on the small things -- footwork, hand placement -- because we have the general concept, the overall idea of the scheme and where we need to be. Now it's all about perfecting it," said linebacker Connor Barwin, who is also in his second year with the club. "We're so much further ahead of where we were last year at this point. Last year, we were still teaching people halfway through the season what their job was and where to be on certain defenses. Now it's much more about teaching -- besides the young guys -- but the older guys are getting taught different techniques and how to get the job done more efficiently and play better."

K/P: Kicker Alex Henery and rookie Carey Spear have typically been matching each other in practice on field goals, five of five one day, four of five the next. On kickoffs, Henery has shown a re marked improvement this year. He noted: “I think a lot of it is body position and finishing through the ball. My kickoffs the last few years have been more of a field goal style. Some of the guys who have a lot of touchbacks, there's more finish through the ball getting that momentum going up and through. That's the big thing I've been working on.”

OL: With right tackle Lane Johnson suspended for the first four games of the season, Allen Barbre has been running with the first team in his place. However, this might not be a temporary gig for Barbre, who could push out right guard Todd Herremans, even after Lane Johnson is back. Herremans is solid but not spectacular in his role and is the most likely starter out of the five to be replaced. At the center position, Jason Kelce is fully healthy and providing capable leadership to the unit. Left guard Evan Mathis continues to be one of the better guards in the league, and was even seen working on his snapping. Local beat writers are predicting several more Pro Bowls for left tackle Jason Peters, who already has gone to six of the postseason exhibitions. Journeyman Andrew Gardner has been having an outstanding camp and has been mentioned by Eagles coaches as a capable backup at both tackle spots. Gardner is on track to make the roster and could be a versatile depth player for the team.

Eagles Depth ChartQB: Nick Foles, Mark Sanchez, Matt Barkley, GJ KinneRB: LeSean McCoy, Darren Sproles (3RB/KR/PR), Chris Polk,Matthew Tucker, Henry Josey, David Fluellen

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WR: Jeremy Maclin, Riley Cooper, Jordan Matthews, Josh Huff, Brad Smith (KR), Arrelious Benn, Ifeanyi Momah, Jeff Maehl, Damaris Johnson (KR/PR), B.J. Cunningham, Quron Pratt, Kadron Boone, Trey Burton, Will MurphyTE: Zach Ertz, Brent Celek, James Casey, Emil Igwenagu (FB),Blake AnnenLT: Jason Peters, Matt TobinLG: Evan MathisC: Jason Kelce, Julian Vandervelde, David MolkRG: Todd Herremans, Karim BartonRT: Allen Barbre, Lane Johnson (SUSP), Dennis Kelly, Michael BamiroK: Alex Henery, Carey SpearNT: Bennie Logan, Damion Square, Beau AllenDE: Fletcher Cox, Cedric Thornton (RFA), Vinny Curry, Brandon Bair, Taylor Hart, Joe Kruger, Alejandro VillanuevaILB: Mychal Kendricks, DeMeco Ryans, Jason Phillips (RFA), Jake Knott (susp), Emmanuel Acho, Casey Matthews, Najee GoodeOLB: Trent Cole, Connor Barwin, Brandon Graham, Marcus Smith,Bryan Braman, Travis Long, Josh KadduCB: Bradley Fletcher, Cary Williams, Brandon Boykin (KR), Nolan Carroll, Jaylen Watkins, Roc Carmichael, Curtis MarshS: Malcolm Jenkins (FS), Earl Wolff (SS), Nate Allen (SS), Chris Maragos (FS), Keelan Johnson (FS), Ed Reynolds (SS), Daytawion Lowe (FS)

Pittsburgh Steelers

QB: Ben Roethlisberger is entering his 11th season in the NFL, which means he has been begging to run the no-huddle offense for the better part of a decade. Finally, in 2013, Pittsburgh was fantastic after a mid-season switch to the no-huddle scheme. Now 2014 looks to be the season that the team will finally enter the season looking to utilize it. This spells great news for Roethlisberger and his pass-catchers. Twenty of Roethlisberger’s 28 touchdowns were in Week 8 or later, and the team was 6-3 in those games. Backup Bruce Gradkowski is a veteran presence. If called upon, he can be a competent player. Third stringer Landry Jones was a fourth-round pick last year, and he struggled in camp. Despite a year of experience, he’s struggling again.

RB: After a very nice rookie season during which he returned from an injury to finish strong, Le’Veon Bell continued progressing in the offseason, according to head coach Mike Tomlin. Bell missed a few early practices with a hamstring injury, but he returned to full pads and full work on Thursday. Bell’s touches may not be as high as a typical workhorse back due to the acquisition of LeGarrette Blount. Despite being a clear backup, Blount’s importance was shown by the rest he was given from practice on Thursday. With Bell and Blount

being the only proven players in the backfield, it’s important to keep them healthy and fresh. Rookie Dri Archer may be unproven, but his speed in undeniable. He’s already looking to become the team’s primary kickoff and punt return man. Archer is being used in multiple places in the offensive formation – not just as running back.

WR: While Pittsburgh enters the year with a bit of question on the wide receiver depth chart, it’s not as unclear as last year’s camp. That’s due to the emergence of Antonio Brown. Brown was fantastic in 2013, earning him high praise from veteran teammate Ike Taylor. When Taylor spoke about second-year player and projected first-time starter Markus Wheaton, he said, “he’s got to have that Antonio Brown mentality,” referring to Brown’s confidence that he can be the best. Wheaton has been impressive in camp so far, just like he was in 2013 before having the year derailed by a broken finger. Veteran free agent signing Lance Moore showed his acumen in OTAs back in June and has been learning the offense from Gradkowski – his former college roommate. Moore should provide a veteran presence and solid target on third down and red zone situations, much like Jerricho Cotchery did last season for Pittsburgh. Rookie Martavis Bryant was a splashy draft pick as Roethlisberger has been clamoring for a tall receiver for years. Bryant missed some OTA work, but his quarterback is still hopeful that he can make a big impact. Justin Brown, Darrius Heyward-Bey, and Derek Moye help complete what team is calling one of its best receiving corps since Roethlisberger began his career. Brown stood out during minicamp and OTAs, running in three-wide sets with the first-team offense. He’s unlikely to unseat Wheaton or Moore, but his spot on the roster might be more likely than Heyward-Bey’s or Moye’s.

TE: Heath Miller should be back to his old self after a 2013 where he played while recovering from an ACL tear suffered at the end of 2012. Miller is a legitimate candidate to lead the team in receiving touchdowns after the void left by Cotchery, last year’s red zone overachiever. Matt Spaeth is a blocking specialist who won’t catch many passes. David Paulsen got some playing time last season due to injuries, but he is being pushed by Michael Palmer. Rookie seventh-round pick Rob Branchflower’s roster spot may be in jeopardy due to an ankle injury.

Defense: The entire Pittsburgh defense will be uncharacteristically young this season, and it starts on the line with second-round draft pick Stephon Tuitt. The key to the defense might be nose tackle Steve McLendon. He’s quick and strong for his size. Cameron Heyward will anchor the end opposite Tuitt, and Cam Thomas – a free agent acquisition – will provide depth. The linebackers are the most intriguing position group on the team with top pick Ryan Shazier joining the ranks. Shazier’s speed has been the talk of camp, as he’s been winning with speed moves. Last year’s first-round pick – Jarvis Jones – has also been raising eyebrows. Jones has done it with speed and strength. New linebackers coach Joey Porter has been a key for the younger members of the unit. Porter was known for his strong attitude and pass-rushing

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acumen during his time with Pittsburgh. Ike Taylor and Troy Polamalu are the elder statesmen on the defense. In 2013, Polamalu started every game for just the fifth time in his 11 years. Taylor began the year poorly but rebounded when the team switched the corners to playing sides of the field instead of him shadowing elite receivers. Free agent signing Mike Mitchell has been injured but is learning the defense quickly and should start for a safety group showing nice depth. Cortez Allen is the team’s best cornerback. He’s not among the NFL’s elite, but the team is hoping he can lead their modestly-paid group to get the job done.

K/P: Kicker Shaun Suisham signed a four-year contract extension last week: "As I've gotten older, I learned to take things one week at a time, one game at a time. Certainly playing in Pittsburgh, there are some challenges, but I love them. I enjoy playing here." The main question in camp and preseason is who will be his new holder this year. That job will go to the winner of the punting competition between free agent acquisitions Adam Podlesh and Brad Wing.

OL: At right tackle, Marcus Gilbert reported to camp 10 pounds lighter than last year and is looking very good in drills. Gilbert is entering a contract year and should be motivated to perform well this season. On the other hand, backup tackle Mike Adams has struggled in camp and currently presents no threat to either Gilbert or left tackle Kelvin Beachum for a starting position. The team is extremely happy to have center Maurkice Pouncey back from injury and mixing it up in practice. At right guard, David Decastro told reporters that he is a Pro Bowl caliber player, and seeks to live up to those expectations. At left guard, Ramon Foster has returned to camp after taking leave to deal with the passing of his mother. Fifth round pick Wesley Johnson has been working at several different spots and could be a key backup if injury strikes the starting interior players. The injury to backup center David Snow (foot fracture) has created an opportunity for undrafted rookie Chris Elkins out of Youngstown State. Elkins is a tough competitor with shorter than ideal arms, and the vets have humorously nicknamed him “chicken nugget.”

Steelers Depth ChartQB: Ben Roethlisberger, Bruce Gradkowski, Landry JonesRB: Le′Veon Bell, LeGarrette Blount, Dri Archer (KR/PR), Tauren Poole, Miguel Maysonet, Jawan JamisonFB: Will JohnsonWR: Antonio Brown (PR), Markus Wheaton (KR), Lance Moore,Justin Brown, Derek Moye, Martavis Bryant, Darrius Heyward-Bey, Kashif Moore, Lanear Sampson, Jasper Collins, Danny Coale, James ShawTE: Heath Miller, Matt Spaeth, Michael Palmer, David Paulson, , Rob BlanchflowerLT: Kelvin Beachum, Guy WhimperLG: Ramon Foster, Wesley JohnsonC: Maurkice Pouncey, Cody WallaceRG: David Decastro, Nik EmbernateRT: Marcus Gilbert, Mike AdamsK: Shaun Suisham

NT: Steve McLendon, Hebron Fangupo, Daniel McCullers, Al LapuahoDE: Cameron Heyward, Cam Thomas (NT), Stephon Tuitt, Brian Arnfelt, Nick WilliamsILB: Lawrence Timmons (R), Ryan Shazier (L), Vince Williams (L),Terence Garvin (R), Jordan Zumwalt (R), Sean Spence (L), Daniel MollsOLB: Jason Worilds (R), Jarvis Jones (R), Chris Carter (L), Arthur Moats (R), Vic So′otoCB: Ike Taylor, Cortez Allen, William Gay, Brice McCain, Antwon Blake, Isaiah Green, Shaquille Richardson, Ross Ventrone, Lew TolerS: Troy Polamalu (SS), Michael Mitchell (FS), Shamarko Thomas (SS), Will Allen (FS), Robert Golden (FS), Jordan Dangerfield

St. Louis Rams

QB: After passing on multiple quarterback options in the first and second rounds of the draft, the Rams reaffirmed that Sam Bradford is their starting quarterback. This is likely the last chance for Bradford, who appears to be healthy after tearing his ACL during last season. Free agent addition Shaun Hill is the favorite to be the primary backup, while Austin Davis and sixth round draft pick Garrett Gilbert compete to try and be the third quarterback on the roster. The Rams may only carry two quarterbacks because of depth at other positions, though.

RB: The selection of Tre Mason in the third round of the draft threw the proverbial cat amongst the pigeons for Zac Stacy owners. Stacy should still be expected to feature heavily in the offense, but chances are that he will now share carries with Mason. With Greg Robinson and Rodger Saffold at the guard spots, the Rams will likely run the ball a lot in 2014 and try to bully opponents. There is no obvious third down option between Stacy and Mason, so Benny Cunningham and Isaiah Pead will still feel like they have an opportunity to contribute. Pead should be the favorite for that specific role.

WR: This appears to be Kenny Britt's final chance to prove that he is a starting caliber receiver. His confidence appeared to be gone in Tennessee last season, so a reunion with his former head coach should help. Chris Givens had a second-year slump that was mostly caused by the offense around him, while Tavon Austin played a big role in his own slump as a rookie. Both players should expect to be much better this year. Stedman Bailey impressed in limited time as a rookie last year, but Austin Pettis is an understated but effective player that he will need to beat out. Brian Quick appears to be a favorite of the coaching staff, but they can't continue to wait on potential that he doesn't show. The only real question here is if the Rams decide to keep Britt or not for the regular season.

TE: Fortunately for Jared Cook, the Rams don't have another viable tight end to replace him with. Lance Kendricks remains

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on the roster, but he is a very limited receiver and just a decent blocker. Cory Harkey should also make the roster as a hybrid tight end-fullback, but the remaining options will all need to be very impressive over the coming month to be in consideration.

Defense: The Rams project to have the best defensive line in football. Adding Aaron Donald to Robert Quinn and Michael Brockers will make it very difficult for opposing teams to match up to them without committing extra bodies to blocking assignments. That should significantly help an average group of linebackers and a young secondary. There isn't much competition to watch for the Rams on the defensive side of the ball. It will be interesting to see how Lamarcus Joyner is used, while Donald will need to beat out Kendall Langford if he wants to be a starter.

K/P: The Rams kicker and punter are each striving to get even better. Greg Zuerlein noted: “Year two was better than year one but by no means was it up to my standards of where I can perform. I got to keep working here. I have a long way to go.” Johnny Hekker said, “In order to have a special season, I’m going to have to have an even better work ethic, an even better game plan and mental approach to the game. I believe I can have another great year. I think I can be a better punter, definitely.”

OL: Second overall pick Greg Robinson has been thrown into the deep end in camp, learning both tackle and guard on the left side. Robinson has been subbing for Jake Long as he works his way back into form. It is a lot for Robinson to pick up, but the coaches are confident that he can handle the extra responsibility. Long has been practicing lately, as he shakes off the rust from offseason knee surgery. Center Scott Wells missed a few practices with illness, but is now healthy and back in the lineup. On the right side, Joe Barksdale has locked up the starting tackle gig. Barksdale is known as one of the league’s more underrated starters, and he should be motivated as he is entering a contract year. New free agent addition Davin Joseph is reportedly looking good in practice, but his path to starting is blocked by Robinson and right guard Rodger Saffold, a rugged player whose career has been helped by the move inside to guard.

Rams Depth ChartQB: Sam Bradford, Shaun Hill, Austin Davis, Garrett GilbertRB: Zac Stacy, Benny Cunningham (KR), Tre Mason, Isaiah Pead (KR), Chase ReynoldsWR: Kenny Britt, Stedman Bailey (susp), Tavon Austin (KR/PR),Chris Givens, Brian Quick, Austin Pettis, T.J. Moe, Justin Veltung, Emory BlakeTE: Jared Cook, Lance Kendricks, Corey Harkey, Justice Cunningham, Alex Bayer, Mason BrodineLT: Jake Long, Mike PersonLG: Greg Robinson, Brandon WashingtonC: Scott Wells, Tim Barnes, Demetrius RhaneyRG: Rodger Saffold, Barrett Jones

RT: Joe Barksdale, Graham Pocic, Mitchell Van DykK: Greg ZuerleinDT: Kendall Langford, Michael Brockers, Aaron Donald, Matt ConrathDE: Robert Quinn, Chris Long, William Hayes, Eugene Sims, Michael SamMLB: James LaurinaitisOLB: Alec Ogletree (W), Jo-Lonn Dunbar (S), Ray-Ray Armstrong,Phillip Steward, Daren Bates, Sammy Brown, Etienne Sabino, Kourtnei BrownCB: Janoris Jenkins, Trumaine Johnson, Brandon McGee, Quinton Pointer (FS), Greg Reid, E.J. Gaines, Darren WoodardS: T.J. McDonald (SS), Rodney McLeod (FS), Lamarcus Joyner (FS/CB), Mo Alexander (SS), Christian Bryant, Matthew Daniels (FS), Cody Davis (FS)

San Diego Chargers

QB: Philip Rivers had a bounce-back season in 2013 thanks in part to an offense that emphasized a quick passing game with shorter drops. Frank Reich has replaced Ken Whisenhunt as the offensive coordinator, and plans to continue using a no-huddle offense that gives Rivers a lot of freedom to make adjustments at the line of scrimmage before the snap. The number two job belongs to former Ram Kellen Clemens, who has gotten some first-team reps in relief of Rivers. Clemons has been more accurate and decisive than the third quarterback, Brad Sorensen. Sorensen was impressive enough during last year's preseason to convince the Chargers to carry three quarterbacks during the season, and he's hoping to do the same this season. When he doesn't step up into his throws, however, he has a tendency to let the ball sail high.

RB: Ryan Mathews is expected to be the workhorse in what may be one of the deepest, most versatile backfields in the league. Mathews has some things to work on, but he arrived at training camp in excellent physical condition. Danny Woodhead was productive in his first year as a Charger last season and was rewarded with a two-year contract extension before the start of training camp. He will be used in passing situations, and perhaps in the two-minute offense. Donald Brown is a newcomer, formerly with the Colts, and will serve as insurance in 2014 against an injury to Ryan Mathews. When Ryan Mathews becomes a free agent in 2015, however, Brown could move into the featured role. If the Chargers keep four running backs on the final 53-man roster, rookie Marion Grice is the favorite to land the final spot.

WR: Keenan Allen added six pounds to his frame and has improved his speed this offseason. He has been Philip Rivers' favorite target early in training camp, picking up where he left off last season. The Chargers anticipate that opposing teams will scheme to stop Allen more this season, but they hope that he can keep defenses honest by becoming more of a deep threat than he was last year. Malcom Floyd is returning

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from a scary neck injury suffered last season, but he feels good and is having a great training camp so far. In addition to Allen and Floyd, Eddie Royal is the only other lock to make the final roster. Vincent Brown injured his calf on the second day of training camp, and it may keep him out about three weeks. His strong performance during the team's offseason mini-camps may help him earn a roster spot, but that's not guaranteed. Dontrelle Inman, who's spent the past few seasons in the CFL, has played well in Brown's absence. Rookie Tevin Reese was the early star of training camp, getting open for several long touchdowns on the first day, and he has continued to show deep speed throughout the first week.

TE: Antonio Gates remains the starter, and his chemistry with Philip Rivers has been obvious at camp practices. Ladarius Green is playing faster than he did during last year's training camp. While he is second on the depth chart, he has intriguing upside potential. He has been learning some route-running techniques from Gates, and has been especially effective in the red zone during camp. He dropped a few balls on the first day, but has shown impressive hands since then. David Johnson has been working as both a tight end and fullback. Big and slow, Johnson is mainly a blocker, but also has decent hands. If the Chargers keep only three tight ends, Johnson probably has the edge over John Phillips.

Defense: Corey Liuget and Kendall Reyes are expected to start at end, with Sean Lissemore at the nose, but the Chargers will rotate players along the defensive line. Kwame Geathers will get reps inside, as may rookie Ryan Carrethers, and Damik Scafe, Lawrence Guy, and Tenny Palepoi are in the mix at end. At OLB, Melvin Ingram and Jarrett Johnson are projected as the starters, but Dwight Freeney and rookie Jeremiah Attaochu will get situational reps in passing situations. Early in camp, Freeney has shown that he still has a quick first step, and says that he feels healthy but rusty. Attaochu, meanwhile, is doing his best to learn from Freeney and Johnson, and has been impressive in camp. Inside, Donald Butler has been slowed with injuries over the past few seasons, but aims to play 16 games this season. Manti Teo is the other starter, and Kavell Connor, Reggie Walker, and Andrew Gachkar are competing to serve as backups. In the secondary, Shareece Wright and Brandon Flowers have been working with the first team at cornerback. Eric Weddle has praised Flowers' intelligence. Jason Verrett is the best bet to be the nickel corner, but is currently sporting a red jersey due to his shoulder injury. Richard Marshall is finally healthy and is more comfortable in the Chargers' scheme; and Steve Williams, also healthy, looks like one of the team's better man-to-man corners. At safety, Eric Weddle appears to be in mid-season form. Marcus Gilchrist, last year's starter, will try to hold off a challenge from Jahleel Addae.

K/P: As camp was underway, holder/punter Mike Scifres discussed the working relationship that has developed with kicker Nick Novak: “We have a really good relationship (because) we’re together so much. He (long snapper) Mike Windt and I, we spend every minute of practice together. We’ve become great friends, and I just admire how

he goes about his work and I try to do my part in helping him succeed in what he’s doing.  I think we have a really good thing going.” The trio is joined by camp leg, rookie punter Chase Tenpenny.

OL: Right guard Jeromey Clary remains on the physically unable to perform list after offseason shoulder surgery. In related news, Clary was asked to take a hefty pay cut by the team and it is not entirely clear that he is going to start, even when healthy. Clary is pushing hard in rehab to make it back for Week 1, but should he not be ready, there is a lively battle to replace him between veteran Johnnie Troutman and rookie third round pick Chris Watt out of Notre Dame. Watt has gained the edge over Troutman in practices and is listed as the team’s starting right guard in the first official depth chart. Watt has played next to right tackle D.J. Fluker before, on the West squad of the Army All American game. Offensive line coach Joe D’Alessandris has been swapping the players from side to side, putting King Dunlap and Chad Rinehart on the right side and swapping D.J. Fluker and Chris Watt to the left side. This is an innovative way to build versatility and it is not uncommon for players to have to make these changes on the fly due to injury.

Chargers Depth ChartQB: Philip Rivers, Kellen Clemens, Brad SorensenRB: Ryan Mathews, Danny Woodhead (3RB), , Donald Brown,Marion Grice, Kerwynn WilliamsFB: David Johnson, Zach BorenWR: Keenan Allen, Malcom Floyd, Eddie Royal (PR), Vincent Brown (inj), Tevin Reese, Seyi Ajirotutu, Tobias Palmer, Dontrelle InmanTE: Antonio Gates, Ladarius Green, John Phillips, Jake Byrne, Ryan OttenLT: King Dunlap, Kenny WigginsLG: Chad Rinehart, Willie SmithC: Nick HardwickRG: Johnnie Troutman, Chris Watt, Jeromey ClaryRT: D.J. Fluker, Michael HarrisK: Nick NovakNT: Sean Lissemore, Ryan CarrethersDE: Corey Liuget, Kendall Reyes, Kwame Geathers, Lawrence Guy,Cordarro Law, Tenny PalepoiILB: Manti Te′o, Donald Butler, Bront Bird, Andrew Gachkar, Reggie Walker, Kavell ConnerOLB: Jarret Johnson, Dwight Freeney, Melvin Ingram, Jeremiah Attaochu, Tourek Williams, Thomas KeiserCB: Shareece Wright, Brandon Flowers, Steve Williams, Richard Marshall, Jason Verrett, Marcus Cromartie, Crezdon Butler, Brandon Ghee, Chris DavisS: Eric Weddle (FS), Marcus Gilchrist (SS), Darrell Stuckey (FS), Jahleel Addae (FS), Adrian Phillips

San Francisco 49ers

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QB: Colin Kaepernick has improved his play across the first week of camp - he went seven-for-11 passing during 11-on-11 drills on Friday, August 1. He was also sharp Thursday, July 31. Kaepernick led a red-zone drill that quickly led to a touchdown. He was reportedly in synch with Anquan Boldin on a number of plays and back-shoulder passes Thursday.

RB: Frank Gore is ready to headline the 49ers' rushing attack again, despite his 31 years of age. "For him to have younger guys say they want his spot, for guys outside of this organization to count him out, say that he's over the hill... that's real motivating to him," Boldin said before practice Wednesday, July 30. "He doesn't look any different to me," Boldin continued. "He looks explosive. He's still one of those rare backs that can find the smallest hole and get through it. Out of all the guys that I've played with, he's that guy." Head coach Jim Harbaugh said: "Frank keeps himself in tremendous shape. When you're with him hourly, daily over the course of three years... you see the way he takes care of himself, the way he understands the game. This is a man who comes in at 6, 6:30 in the morning doing cardio and studying film." Carlos Hyde got a big attaboy from coach Harbaugh on July 31: "Carlos gets football, understands football. It’s natural for him to understand the game, similar to Frank Gore. And we're seeing those things, and both are very good signs and bode well for us." Linebacker Chris Borland added: "He's [Hyde] got very quick feet, and he's very smooth. There's no hesitation in breaks. He looks like he's 205 (pounds - Hyde is actually 235)." Hyde described his running thusly (August 1): "I'm a hard-nosed runner, a guy that just runs with a lot of passion, relentless. (I) refuse to go down." Marcus Lattimore's prospects for 2014 seem dim, however. "Marcus is going to be part of this team in some form or fashion," Harbaugh said on Friday, August 1. LaMichael James is out about a month after dislocating his right elbow (the third time he's done so in his career, according to Sacramento Bee reports on July 30) - the team is targeting a Week 1 regular season return for James. Right now, the depth chart at running back is Gore, Hyde, and then Jewel Hampton, who played on practice squad during 2013. Alfonso Smith, signed on July 28, joined the 49ers after four years as a backup in Arizona - he is considered a "camp body" with little prospect of sticking on the 53-man roster.

WR: The receiving corps is banged up after the first week of practices - both Michael Crabtree (undisclosed injury, believed to be a hamstring strain) and Brandon Lloyd (undisclosed injury, believed to be leg-related) will be out "Maybe a week, maybe two weeks," head coach Jim Harbaugh said Friday of Crabtree's status, "and same with Brandon Lloyd." Both Lloyd and Crabtree were putting up strong training camp performances prior to their injuries - Lloyd is on the roster bubble so his woes may push him off the 53-man squad. Boldin was ejected from practice on August 1 for fighting with a defensive back (ejections for fighting are standard under coach Harbaugh). Steve Johnson had the best offensive play of practice on Thursday, July 31, hauling in a 30-yard reception from Blaine Gabbert on the sidelines. Johnson had been fairly quiet so far in camp, though he is looking like the quickest wide receiver so far.

TE: Garrett Celek reportedly has "a disc issue" in his back. Celek opened training camp on active/PUP and will miss at least one preseason game - he's week-to-week due to the injury. Vernon Davis was held out of practice on Thursday, July 31 because he wasn't "loosened up" enough, according to coach Harbaugh's standard.

Defense: Nose tackle Glenn Dorsey is likely out for the season with a torn bicep. Dorsey suffered the injury during practice Friday, August 1. He'll have the injury surgically repaired and then the team will make a determination about whether or not to place him on IR. Mike Purcell took over for Dorsey once Dorsey was injured, and may be first in line to step into the starting lineup. Patrick Willis looked good in practice on Thursday, with forcing Will Tukuafu to fumble a reception and also breaking up a pass during the same practice session. Outside linebacker Corey Lemonier is aiming to improve on his 2013 rookie campaign, and has reportedly added 10 pounds of muscle over the offseason. "I'm a big critic of myself," he said on Wednesday, July 30. "So I use last year as an example: Never go back to last year. Keep on progressing." Lemonier was part of a duo (along with Dan Skuta) which replaced Aldon Smith for the weeks while Smith was in alcohol/substance dependency rehab last season. Given that Smith is very likely to be suspended for a chunk of the 2014 season by the NFL due to a DUI and weapons-related offenses, Lemonier has a shot at earning playing time, and perhaps even a starting role for the 49ers. Word on Smith's suspension is expected sometime next week.

K/P: The 49ers entered camp with kicker Phil Dawson, holder/punter Andy Lee, long snapper Kevin McDermott, camp leg Colton Schmidt and recently signed camp wrist Kyle Nelson. The starters will be adjusting to the new stadium, as head coach Jim Harbaugh noted: “Talked to Phil about it and he's encouraged. He feels like it's going to be a great place to kick. It's part of the process. We've got to get used to it. We've got to get used to the new stadium, new wind, new grass, everything. We can mark our territory soon as we possibly can."

OL: There are a lot of contract issues to discuss with the 49ers’ offensive line. Pro Bowl right guard Alex Boone has been holding out since April and it appears that negotiations are at a stand-still. Boone is underpaid but the team has no compelling reason to give him a raise. Likewise, Boone has almost no money left on his deal so there’s little reason for him to come crawling back to camp. In an illustration of how ugly this situation has become, Boone has incurred over $350,000 in potential fines and $64,000 in potential recouped bonus money since the spring. The team has plenty of other options at right guard, with Joe Looney and Adam Snyder receiving the bulk of the reps in practice. Looney has been playing well and that is allowing the 49ers to let Boone’s holdout continue. Jonathan Martin and third round rookie Marcus Martin are also options at that spot. It is not entirely out of the question that Boone is traded prior to the season opener. Center Daniel Kilgore has been holding off the rookie Martin for the starting position. Kilgore received a small

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signing bonus and extension this offseason and could be another alternative at right guard. Finally, All Pro left guard Mike Iupati is entering the final year of his contract, and the team has not made much progress in working out an extension.

49ers Depth ChartQB: Colin Kaepernick, Blaine Gabbert, Josh Johnson, McLeod Bethel-ThompsonRB: Frank Gore, Carlos Hyde, LaMichael James (KR/PR) (inj),Marcus Lattimore (inj), Jewel Hampton, Alfonso Smith, Kendall Hunter (IR)FB: Bruce Miller (inj), Trey Millard, Will Tukuafu, Alex DebniakWR: Michael Crabtree, Anquan Boldin, Steve Johnson, Quinton Patton, Brandon Lloyd, Bruce Ellington, Devon Wylie, David Reed, Kassim Osgood, DeMarco Sampson, L’Damian Washington, Chuck JacobsTE: Vernon Davis, Vance McDonald, Garrett Celek, Derek CarrierLT: Joe Staley, Jonathan Martin, Carter BykowskiLG: Mike Iupati, Joe Looney, Brandon ThomasC: Daniel Kilgore, Marcus MartinRG: Alex Boone, Adam Snyder, Ryan Seymour RT: Anthony Davis, Al Netter, Luke MarquardtK: Phil DawsonNT: Ian Williams, Quinton Dial, Glenn Dorsey (inj)DE: Justin Smith, Ray McDonald, Tony Jerod-Eddie, DeMarcus Dobbs (TE), Kaleb Ramsey, Cornellius Carradine, Aaron Lynch,Lawrence Okoye, Mike PurcellILB: Patrick Willis (M), Navorro Bowman (inj), Michael Wilhoite, Chris Borland, Nick Moody, Shayne Skov, Blake CostanzoOLB: Ahmad Brooks (S), Aldon Smith, Corey Lemonier, Dan Skuta, Darius Fleming, Morgan BreslinCB: Chris Culliver, Chris Cook, Tramaine Brock, Kenneth Acker, Perrish Cox, Keith Reaser, Dax Swanson, Darryl MorrisS: Antoine Bethea (SS), Eric Reid (FS), C.J. Spillman (FS), Jimmie Ward (FS), Craig Dahl (SS), Dontae Johnson, Ray Ventrone, D.J. Campbell

Seattle Seahawks

QB: Super Bowl winning quarterback Russell Wilson is only entering his third season and there is no reason to not be optimistic about his immediate future. Training camp will focus more on Terrelle Pryor and Tarvaris Jackson. Jackson should be able to hold off Pryor for the backup job, but Pryor is always intriguing because of his athleticism.

RB: Marshawn Lynch is definitely in the latter stages of his career, but he is by no means done just yet. The threat of Christine Michael looms, and the Seahawks have spoken about getting him more involved, but once they get on the

field Lynch should be expected to be a feature back again this season. Michael's development should see him wrestle touches away from Robert Turbin. Turbin is a more reliable player, but Michael's explosive ability makes him a more appealing option. Either way, Lynch, Michael and Turbin should be the Seahawks top three backs again this season.

WR: Percy Harvin reaffirmed that he is one of the most talented players in the NFL during last year's Super Bowl, but now he needs to stay healthy. He will be a focal point of the Seahawks offense if he stays healthy and the coaching staff are already making concessions to try and ease his workload before the season begins. Doug Baldwin agreed to a contract extension after Golden Tate was let go in free agency. Baldwin should be the team's second starter, with Jermaine Kearse acting as the field-stretching third option. Because Sidney Rice was forced to retire due to concussions just recently, there is very little competition behind the top three. Both drafted rookies, Paul Richardson and Kevin Norwood, should make the roster even if they don't contribute much on offense during the regular season. Ricardo Lockette is a veteran at this stage and he offers value on special teams.

TE: The Seahawks' tight end depth chart appears to be set in stone. Zach Miller is the starter, with Luke Willson as the primary backup. Willson was expected to face competition from the returning Anthony McCoy, but he suffered a torn Achilles injury and is out for the year.

Defense: The best defense in the NFL from last season is retaining most of its pieces entering this year. The four Super Bowl starters in the secondary return, but Jeremy Lane and Tharold Simon will compete to replace Walter Thurmond who is now with the New York Giants. Safety Jeron Johnson could also feature more if he outperforms the two cornerbacks. Lots of changes have come upfront as veterans Chris Clemons, Clinton McDonald and Red Bryant have departed. Veteran Kevin Williams was signed late in the year, but he should make the roster, while more will be expected of defensive end Greg Scruggs and defensive tackle Jesse Williams if he is healthy. Bruce Irvin will likely return to a role that sees him play more as a defensive end rather than a linebacker.

K/P: The only specialists in camp are the three starters: kicker Steven Hauschka, long snapper Clint Gresham, and punter Jon Ryan (who also serves as the holder). During this past Saturday’s scrimmage, Hauschka kicked field goals of 51, 38 and 34 yards. Several weeks ago, he and a few teammates also got in some kicking work with members of visiting Tottenham Hotspur.

OL: The big news out of Seattle relates to the right tackle position. The team has had instability at this position since Breno Giacomini departed via free agency. Last year’s starter Michael Bowie had been dealing with a troublesome shoulder injury and the team decided that surgery would be the best option, ending his 2014 season. Bowie was moved to the waived/injured list, but the Cleveland Browns actually

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swooped in and claimed him before he cleared waivers. Second round tackle Justin Britt had been competing with Bowie at this spot throughout the spring, but he has also been dinged up with a sore shoulder, so the team signed veteran right tackle Eric Winston. Winston is nominally behind Britt on the current depth chart but he could quickly step into the starting lineup after he learns the system. Left tackle Russell Okung has been held out of practice as he continues his recovery from offseason foot surgery. Okung is not likely to miss any regular season action, and head coach Pete Carroll has indicated that Okung is on track to re-join the lineup in the next few days. Versatile backup Alvin Bailey has been manning the left tackle position in his absence. Left guard James Carpenter is also dealing with a minor injury and should rejoin the lineup well before the season opener.

Seahawks Depth ChartQB: Russell Wilson, Tavaris Jackson, Terrelle Pryor, B.J. DanielsRB: Marshawn Lynch, Robert Turbin, Christine MichaelFB: Derrick Coleman, Spencer Ware, Kiero SmallWR: Percy Harvin, Doug Baldwin, Jermaine Kearse (KR), Paul Richardson, Ricardo Lockette, Kevin Norwood (inj), Chris Matthews, Arceto Clark, Bryan Walters, Phil Bates, David Gilreath,Morrell PresleyTE: Zach Miller, Luke Willson, Cooper Helfet, Anthony McCoy (IR)LT: Russell Okung, Alvin BaileyLG: James Carpenter, Greg VanRotenC: Max Unger, Lemuel JeanpierreRG: J.R. Sweezy, Jared Smith, Steve SchillingRT: Eric Winston, Michael Bowie, Justin Britt, Garrett ScottK: Steven HauschkaDT: Brandon Mebane, Tony McDaniel, Jordan Hill, Kevin Williams,Jimmy Staten, D′Anthony Smith, Michael Brooks, Andre Pulu, Jesse Williams (IR)DE: Michael Bennett (DT), Cliff Avril, Greg Scruggs, Cassius Marsh,Benson Mayowa MLB: Bobby Wagner, Heath FarwellOLB: Bruce Irvin (S/DE) (inj), K.J. Wright (W/M/S), Malcolm Smith (W), Mike Morgan (W) (RFA), Korey Toomer (S), Jackson Jeffcoat (S/DE), Kevin Pierre-Louis, Mike Taylor (S)CB: Richard Sherman, Byron Maxwell, Therald Simon, Jeremy Lane, Phillip Adams, Terrell Thomas, DeShawn Shead, Akeem AugusteS: Kam Chancellor (SS), Earl Thomas (FS), Jeron Johnson (SS)(RFA), Eric Pinkins, Terrance Parks (SS), Dion Bailey, Steven Terrell

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

QB: Josh McCown is getting comfortable in Tampa Bay: "I'm pleased with where we're at," he said on July 31. "We're just scratching the surface with what we can do and we're getting to that point in camp now where it's time to push it a

little more, but we feel good about where we're at." McCown also indicated that he feels great physically and is ready to go through training camp. On Wednesday, July 30 McCown and Vincent Jackson were very simpatico with a half-dozen touchdown passes during a practice mostly devoted to red-zone situations. On one long play, McCown hit Jackson with what proved to be an 80-yard touchdown toss that brought a near-capacity crowd of season-ticket holders to its feet.

RB: On July 31, head coach Lovie Smith commented on the plan at running back this year: "We've made it known that we're going to play more than one. You need a lot. In order for us to be a good running football team, we need to have more than one good player, and we feel like we have at least about four that we feel like if we went into a game with them, we could have a good running game." Fifth-string running back Jeff Demps is working both as running back and receiver early in camp, and may also use his track-star speed as a returner if he manages to stick on the 53-man roster. Demps has mostly made impactful plays as a receiver during practices.

WR: Chris Owusu opened camp as the favorite for number three wide receiver role behind Vincent Jackson and Mike Evans, and that remains true after a week of practices. However, Tommy Streeter (6-5, 219, ran a 4.38 in the 40) has reportedly been the star of camp at wide receiver. "He's just got so many dang catches," said McCown. "And he's just doing his job. He's just a humble, hard-working guy that comes out here every day and gets after it." Rookie Robert Herron has flashed at points, mostly with his speed - he had an inconsistent first week catching in which he struggled to secure the ball at times. Veterans Louis Murphy and Lavelle Hawkins aren't standing out. On Thursday, July 31 McCown commented on building chemistry with Mike Evans: "We got a lot of good work in, and it was good to get to know each other a little better. I think it was just valuable time to get to know each other on the field in terms of his timing and my timing, but also get to know each other as people."

TE: Tim Wright continues to look good through the first week of training camp - the team is planning on lining him up in multiple positions this year. "Tim gives us a lot of flexibility," coach Smith said this past weekend. "The trend in the league now seems to be to line your tight end up out wide (like a wide receiver), and with Tim in there, we can do that. So you'll see him split out (wide) from time to time, and we can also line him up just like you would a true tight end. We can even line him up in the backfield. There's a lot we can do with him." Wright commented: "Yeah, they brought a guy in through free agency and then went out and drafted another guy, but when you look at it, we’re three different kinds of players playing the same position. Brandon [Myers] (6-3, 256) and Austin [Sefarian-Jenkins] (6-5, 262) are bigger than me and they can hunker down and make the blocks, whereas I'm a quicker guy. Being a former receiver, I've got the feet and I can run the routes. Those are my strengths." Other reports out of training camp indicate that Sefarian-Jenkins has been picking up the system/playbook quickly and that the coaching staff is very pleased with his progress now that he's joined the

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team. On Wednesday, July 30 coach Smith indicated that he intends to dress all three tight ends for games this season - "...So in an ideal world, yes, you want an 'H' tight end and occasionally trick the defense and put him in the backfield, where they have to defend two-back runs. So it [having H-backs instead of fullbacks] does give us flexibility. And it does make it harder for the defense."

Defense: General manager Jason Licht said before the start of camp that nose tackle Akeem Spence, the starter last season, was one of the team’s most improved players during OTAs. That improvement has continued into the early part of camp, and Spence is battling hard with veteran Clinton McDonald for the starting job this year. “Defensive end Da'Quan Bowers has been criticized around here a little bit, but I've been pretty pleased with what he’s done on the football field,” coach Smith said Thursday, July 31. “Every day that I've been the head coach here with him he's done some pretty good things, and he's especially done some good things as a pass rusher inside (on passing downs) and outside on first down.” Middle linebacker Mason Foster has reportedly trimmed seven pounds off his frame and three percent off his body fat entering 2014. "I feel a lot quicker and a lot lighter on my feet," he said. "I just feel better and healthier. You always hear people talk about how you have to eat and sleep right, and I always slept well, but now that I'm eating better I just feel a whole lot healthier."

K/P: Kicker Connor Barth recently discussed his recovery from a torn Achilles tendon: “I’m full-go. I can do anything. I think I’ll do some kicking off this year – in the preseason at least. It feels great. That was the biggest thing for me was seeing how I’d be doing on kickoffs because that’s a lot stronger of a technique. But it feels great. Everything is right on target and I’ve been one hundred percent since back in April and March. So I was just coming back out here and really just getting my timing down and putting the pads on – just getting used to that whole thing again.”

OL: There are two unsettled positions on the Bucs’ offensive line: left and right guard. The departure (and possibly early retirement) of Carl Nicks created a scrum at left guard and the chaos has affected other spots. The key to both guard situations appears to be fifth round rookie Kadeem Edwards out of Tennessee State, who coaches are really high on after an impressive camp. Edwards could win the left guard position, which would free up Jamon Meredith to back to right guard and compete with Oneil Cousins and Patrick Omameh. Omameh was listed as the starter through offseason activities as was Meredith. However, the situation has become murky with the emergence of Edwards. Both tackles (Anthony Collins and Demar Dotson) are locks for their spots, as is center Evan Dietrich-Smith. All that is left is to sort out is the guard positions and the depth for each spot. Kevin Pamphile has also been having a quality camp, and could be in line for the swing tackle job.

Buccaneers Depth ChartQB: Josh McCown, Mike Glennon, Mike KafkaRB: Doug Martin, Charles Sims, Mike James, Bobby Rainey, Jeff Demps (KR)FB: Lonnie Pryor, Javorskie LaneWR: Vincent Jackson, Mike Evans, Louis Murphy, Robert Herron,Chris Owusu, Eric Page (KR/PR), Skye Dawson, Russell Shepard, Lavelle Hawkins, Tommy Streeter, Solomon Patton, Aaron BurksTE: Austin Seferian-Jenkins, Brandon Myers, Tim Wright, Luke Stocker, Kyle Adams, Cameron Brate, Ian ThompsonLT: Anthony Collins, Oneil Cousins, Matt PatchanLG: Jamon Meredith, Kadeem Edwards, Jason FosterC: Evan Dietrich-SmithRG: Patrick OmamehRT: Demar Dotson, Emmett Cleary, Kevin PamphileK: Connor Barth, Patrick MurrayDT: Gerald McCoy, Akeem Spence (NT), Clinton McDonald, Everett Dawkins, Jibreel BlackDE: Michael Johnson, Adrian Clayborn, William Gholston, Da′Quan Bowers, Steven Means, Mathew Masifilo, Scott Solomon, James Ruffin, Ryne GiddinsMLB: Mason Foster, Dane Fletcher, Damaso MunozOLB: Lavonte David (W), Jonathan Casillas (S), Marvin Booker (S), Danny Lansanah, Ka′lial Glaud, Brandon MageeCB: Alterraun Verner, Johnthan Banks, Leonard Johnson, Mike Jenkins, Danny Gorrer, Deveron Carr, Rashaan Melvin, Bobby Felder, Anthony GaitorS: Mark Barron (SS), Dashon Goldson (FS), Major Wright (FS), Keith Tandy (SS), Kelcie McCray (FS), Bradley McDougald (FS)

Tennessee Titans

QB: Jake Locker is locked in as the starter as he enters the final year of his rookie deal. He has looked sharp and appears to be on the same page with all of his offensive weapons. Observers have noted that he has not shown the accuracy issues that have plagued him in the past. Per the club’s request, Locker has lost five pounds to take pressure off of his foot and has looked healthy in early camp action. Charlie Whitehurst is positioned to be the backup and has connected with Justin Hunter on a number of deep balls. Zach Mettenberger and Tyler Wilson are locked in a battle for the third spot but it is difficult to judge the competition as both have received limited reps thus far. In the few reps he has had, Tyler Wilson has really struggled and has an uphill battle to make the roster.

RB: Bishop Sankey has shown some flash, making quick cuts for big gains. Coach Whisenhunt reaffirmed that Sankey was drafted because he is a good match with the offensive system he hopes to run. He has caught the ball well and drawn cheers from the crowd for his play. Shonn Greene is being counted on to contribute and the Titans are being careful with his

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health after two surgeries on his right knee in the past year. Greene is the team’s biggest and most physical back and should be the guy the Titans count on to get a tough yard when they need it. However, he may be a bit too big and coach Whisenhunt wants him to trim down a bit saying he is “not happy with his weight.” Dexter McCluster is expected to contribute to the offense in a number of different roles. McCluster looked very good catching the ball in shorts but struggled a bit when the pads went on. Jackie Battle has the inside track to a roster spot as the starting fullback and should provide a bit of versatility at the position. With solid speed and experience as an NFL running back, he provides a credible run threat from the fullback position.

WR: Kendall Wright has made a strong early impression on Coach Whisenhunt who has big plans for the speedy receiver, stating, “We’re going to move Kendall around… he can do a lot of different things. We’re going to try to put him in situations where we can exploit that. He’s an explosive player, good hands, he’s got good vision. I really like what I’ve seen.” Whisenhunt has also praised Wright’s improvement in his discipline, releases and route running. The coach is also pleased with his daily consistency and effort in improving all of the little things needed to be a good player. Wright was challenged by the new staff to drop weight and is currently down to 184 pounds from the 197 he weighed when he entered the league and in much better shape. Justin Hunter has had some quiet days and other days where he has been the star of camp, making acrobatic catches deep down the field. Whisenhunt has noted his inconsistency and stated, “He’s got room to improve.” The coach also noted: “Justin’s a good football player. He needs to continue to grow. He’s a young player. There’s a lot of things he’s got to work on, but he’s a talented player. We’re going to continue to push him and hopefully he’ll grow into an outstanding player.” Nate Washington appears entrenched as the third receiver with coach Whisenhunt especially pleased with his leadership qualities. On the field, Whisenhunt said that Washington “brought the old guy out of the archives, and he looked okay.” Marc Mariani and Michael Preston are battling for the fourth receiver spot. Mariani has been smooth in and out of his routes and has flashed an ability to make tough catches.

TE: Starting Delanie Walker took a bit hit on Tuesday, causing him to miss some time with a sore shoulder. His absence seems to have been merely precautionary, however, and he should again play a big role in the Titans offense, especially as the offense potentially moves to a more pass heavy attack. Taylor Thompson is a young player continuing to make the transition from college defensive end to professional tight end and is an interesting player to keep an eye on as he battles Craig Stevens for the backup position.

Defense: Derrick Morgan has been impressive in making the transition to linebacker and has garnered praise from his head coach who stated that he is “doing really well” and that that the coaching staff is “hopeful that he’ll have a big year.” Jurell Casey is moving from defensive tackle to 3-4 defensive end in new defensive coordinator Ray Horton’s defense, but

the change is mostly in name only. He will still play like a 3-technique DT. Jason McCourty has had a very strong camp so far at cornerback.

K/P: Maikon Bonani went two of three on field goals in consecutive practices in his competition against undrafted rookie Travis Coons for the kicking job. But it is still early as head coach Ken Whisenhunt noted: "I'm not making any judgments until I really see them kick. Being in this league for a long time, I've seen guys who can make every one in practice and not make one in a game. And I've seen guys look awful in practice and make it in a game... So I try not to judge it that way until we see them under pressure."

OL: Left guard Andy Levitre only recently has started practicing after undergoing an emergency appendectomy. Levitre will work his way back into shape and should be ready by the season opener. First round pick Taylor Lewan had been playing guard in his place, but the team also has put him at other spots, including left tackle, when the coaches gave Michael Roos a scheduled day off. It looks like Lewan will be the sixth offensive lineman for his first year in the league. Look for Lewan to get on the field in jumbo sets and to be thrown into the fire should any injuries arise. Right guard Chance Warmack has reportedly lost a few pounds in the offseason, and seems to be in better shape. Center Brian Schwenke missed a couple practices with a sore leg, but has returned to the lineup. He is a controversial player that fans hope the team upgrades upon, but there is not much behind him on the roster.

Titans Depth ChartQB: Jake Locker, Charlie Whitehurst, Tyler Wilson, Zach MettenbergerRB: Bishop Sankey, Shonn Greene (inj), Dexter McCluster (WR), Jackie Battle, Leon Washington (KR), Antonio Andrews, Waymon JamesFB: Collin Mooney, Quinn JohnsonWR: Kendall Wright, Nate Washington, Justin Hunter, Michael Preston, Marc Mariani, Isaiah Williams, Derel Walker, Lamont BryantTE: Delanie Walker, Craig Stevens (FB), Taylor Thompson, Dorin DickersonLT: Michael Roos, Taylor LewanLG: Andy Levitre, Chris SpencerC: Brian Schwenke, Tyler HornRG: Chance Warmack, Eric OlsenRT: Michael Oher, Byron StingilyK: Brett Kern, Maikon Bonani, Travis CoonsNT: Sammie Lee Hill, DaQuan Jones, Chigbo AnunobyDE: Jurell Casey, Al Woods, Mike Martin, Ropati Pitoitua, Karl Klug, Lavar EdwardsILB: Wesley Woodyard, Zach Brown, Zaviar Gooden, Colin McCarthy, Moise Fokou, Avery Williamson, Brandon Copeland, David HindsOLB: Akeem Ayers (S), Derrick Morgan, Shaun Phillips, Kamerion Wimbley, Patrick Bailey, Jonathan WillardCB: Jason McCourty, Blidi Wreh-Wilson, Tommie

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Campbell, Coty Sensabaugh, Micah Pellerin, George Baker, Khalid WootenS: Bernard Pollard (SS), Michael Griffin (FS) (susp), George Wilson (SS/FS), Daimion Stafford (SS), Marqueston Huff, Hakeem Smith, Marc Anthony

Washington Redskins

QB: As should be expected, all eyes are on Robert Griffin III at Washington’s training camp. While he appears to be completely healthy, there is some discrepancy in how the coaching staff plans to use him as a runner. ESPN’s John Keim reports that both Griffin and Jay Gruden agree the zone-read should fade into the background. On the other hand, the Washington Times interpreted some comments to mean the package could return as a staple in certain situations. Kirk Cousins has made a few plays with the second team. His energy continues to be a positive force for the backups. Veteran castoff, Colt McCoy, might face an uphill battle to make the roster.

RB: There are some certainties and a few questions on the running back depth chart in Washington. Alfred Morris is the unquestioned leader of the group. It also looks like Roy Helu Jr. has the number two job all but locked up, at this point of the offseason. The questions begin at the third spot. Evan Royster is the veteran, but he appears to be falling behind quickly, as he has dealt with a hamstring injury. Chris Thompson took all the work behind Morris and Helu in Royster’s absence. Silas Redd and Lache Seastrunk picked up the scraps, and it seemed to be that order of preference. Seastrunk is the player the team drafted, but has made his fair share of mistakes. He had drop during one practice session, and spent too much time being upset about it he failed to recover the live ball. Seastrunk wasn’t a pass catching threat at Baylor, but might need to become one to fine a sustainable NFL role. Such easy mistakes will not endear Seastrunk to Washington’s coaching staff, and could put his roster spot in jeopardy.

WR: Washington worked hard to inject some life into this unit during the offseason, and so far it is going well. Pierre Garcon, DeSean Jackson and Andre Roberts are the top three receivers and have done nothing to change that. Garcon has sat out a few practices due to injury, and that has given Jackson and Griffin a chance to work on their timing. The results have been a bit mixed. At times there was magic - to the tune of a 75-yard touchdown – while other moments provided turnover-causing mistakes. DeAngelo Hall has made a few interceptions off the pair’s miscommunications. The situation behind the top three is less clear, but Santana Moss looks like he will be the fourth receiver. Young players such as Aldrick Robinson, Ryan Grant, Cody Hoffman, Nick Williams and Jerry Rice Jr. are all fighting for spots. No one from the group has managed to distinguish themselves to this point. Robinson has had the most NFL playing time out of that group. His

inclusion with such unknowns tells us that he’s no sure bet to make the team. Despite flashing some deep speed, it appears Robinson has his work cut out for him this offseason.

TE: Jordan Reed had a few nice performances as a rookie last season, but concussion concerns stalled his progress. The picture has been rosy as Washington opened training camp. Backup and special teamer Niles Paul declared: “Mark my words: He will be a Pro Bowler” in reference to Reed. This time of year is known for its optimism, but it sure doesn’t sound like there are any visible setbacks for Reed. Logan Paulsen and Niles Paul are the current backups at the position. Each brings something to the table, but will face competition from rookie Ted Bosler. Jay Gruden used some two tight end sets in Cincinnati, but he may not have the personnel for it here. He’s indicated that he’ll adjust his offense to include some sort of role for fullback, Darrell Young instead.

Defense: Washington’s defense has been a laughing stock for a few years now. The group continues to give up big plays in practices this summer, but there are some positive reports coming from Richmond, VA. The team has relied on too many aging players recently, but a few youngsters may be emerging. Linebacker Keenan Robinson looks ready to step inside next to Perry Riley and help fill the London Fletcher void. If the athleticism he’s shown in camp translates to Sundays, Washington would get a real boost. Jarvis Jenkins, Bashaud Breeland and Chase Minnifield have all had their bright moments over the last week. Each of those three figure to be rotational players at best this season. However, their continued development would be a nice asset to an aging, and underwhelming unit. Elsewhere, the safety tandem of Brandon Meriweather and Ryan Clark has received rave reviews for their work off the field and with fans. Yet, they haven’t provided evidence they’ll be a passable starting twosome. It’s also troubling no one has emerged to push them, up to this point.

K/P: The punting competition between Robert Malone and Blake Clingan has been close so far. It will probably go down to the wire. As expected, Kai Forbath has looked better on placekicks, while rookie Zack Hocker is stronger on kickoffs. Head coach Jay Gruden noted: “Coach [Ben] Kotwica is doing a good job when they’re out there charting every kick that they make, both kickoffs and field goals. They did some kicking yesterday afternoon, hopefully will do some more today, and then we’ll just continue to evaluate and go from there. That decision, if we keep one or two, will be made at the very last minute'.”

OL: Left tackle Trent Williams missed a couple of practices with a bruised shin. It is a minor injury and Williams should be fine for the season opener. Tom Compton took his place in practice and was elevated to the first team, despite third round rookie Morgan Moses taking most of the reps at second team left tackle. Compton is listed as the second team right tackle but the coaches seem to trust this player more than Moses, who has struggled in camp. Maurice Hurt reported to camp out of shape (that story was later changed to a bout of

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dehydration). Still, Hurt has had a rough performance in camp so far. Mike McGlynn appears to have the backup center job wrapped up behind Kory Lichtensteiger. Guard Josh LeRibeus reported in good shape but there is a logjam at guard with Hurt, McGlynn, Adam Gettis and third round pick Spencer Long in the mix. None of these names are real threats to start over Chris Chester or Shawn Lauvao, but the subs could be called upon if injury strikes.

Redskins Depth ChartQB: Robert Griffin III, Kirk Cousins, Colt McCoyRB: Alfred Morris, Roy Helu (3RB), Chris Thompson (3RB), Lache Seastrunk, Evan Royster, Silas ReddFB: Darrel YoungWR: Pierre Garcon, DeSean Jackson, Andre Roberts (PR/KR),Leonard Hankerson, Santana Moss, Aldrick Robinson, Ryan Grant, Nick Williams, Cody Hoffman, Rashad Lawrence, Jerry Rice Jr. (inj)TE: Jordan Reed, Logan Paulsen, Niles Paul (KR), Ted Bolser, Gabe Miller, Mike CaussinLT: Trent WilliamsLG: Shawn Lauvao, Maurice Hurt, Spencer LongC: Kory Lichtensteiger, Josh LeRibeusRG: Chris Chester, Mike McGlynn, Adam GettisRT: Tyler Polumbus, Morgan MosesK: Kai Forbath, Zach HockerNT: Barry Cofield, Chris Neild, Robert ThomasDE: Jason Hatcher (inj), Jarvis Jenkins, Chris Baker (NT), Kedric Golston, Doug Worthington (RFA), Stephen Bowen, Clifton Geathers, Frank KearseILB: Perry Riley, Keenan Robinson, Akeem Jordan, Darryl Sharpton, Will Compton, Jeremy KimbroughOLB: Brian Orakpo, Ryan Kerrigan (inj), Adam Hayward, Trent Murphy, Rob Jackson, Adrian RobinsonCB: DeAngelo Hall, David Amerson, Tracy Porter, E.J. Biggers,Bashaud Breeland, Chase Minnifield, Richard Crawford (inj), Peyton ThompsonS: Brandon Meriweather (SS), Ryan Clark (FS), Phillip Thomas (FS),Bacarri Rambo (FS), Jose Gumbs (SS) (RFA), Trent Robinson (FS), Akeem Davis, Tanard Jackson (susp)