Training
Volume 3, Issue 1 – 8/02/07
Joe Bryant and
Owners, Footballguys.com
Arizona
Cardinals
QB: For Matt Leinart, training camp
is unchartered territory. Leinart spent just two nights in camp last year
following a contract dispute even though he wound up being the team’s starter
for most of the year. The playing experience gives Leinart some added
confidence coming into his second season. "It's weird," he said.
"I feel totally different. I feel like I'm more in command. I'm more of a
leader. I can speak up. It's a total different vibe." Leinart is joined in
camp by veteran backup Kurt Warner with Shayne Boyd and Toby Korrodi competing
for the 3rd spot.
RB: The
Cardinals begin camp with four tailbacks: Edge James, Marcel Shipp, J.J.
Arrington, and Steve Baylark. Edge reported to camp on-time sporting a new look
– no more gold teeth. "It was time
to take them out," he said. "I had them for a long time, but I took
off my mask. Now the real 'Business Edge' will surface." The Cardinals
hope so. New head coach Ken Whisenhunt and assistant HC Russ Grimm hope to run
the ball more this year, promising Edge 300+ carries this year. Never a fan of
the preseason, Edge appears to be ready for the challenge. "If
(Whisenhunt) wants me to go out there and get five, six carries, I'm not going
to say no. If they want me to do it just to save face, so there's no
complaining, I'll do it,” said James. Shipp enters camp with a solid grasp on
the backup job. Baylark is an undrafted rookie out of UMass (as Shipp was when
he joined the team). He is competing for a spot hoping to contribute on special teams. Baylark ran for
5,199 yards and 42 touchdowns as a collegian, only the third player in DI-AA
with four 1,000-yard seasons.
WR: Anquan Boldin, Larry Fitzgerald
and Bryant Johnson all return healthy and motivated. Johnson is a free agent
following the season. In offseason workouts, Boldin has lined up at all three
receiver positions as well as the backfield. It appears that Whisenhunt will
use him in creative ways, much like he did Hines Ward and Antwaan Randle-El in
Pittsburgh. Boldin made his 2nd Pro Bowl last year and he became the
fastest player in NFL history to reach 300 receptions (in 47 games). The
Cardinals signed Sean Morey and Ahmad Merritt to free agent contract to provide
competition for LeRon McCory, who missed all of 2006 with a thumb injury. Morey
followed Whisenhunt from Pittsburgh. He and Merritt hope to contribute on
special teams. Like Boldin, Michael Spurlock is a former college QB. He spent
most of 2006 on the practice squad along with Todd Watkins and Greg Lee (who
also played in NFL Europa this spring). The Cardinals added Steve Breaston in
the 5th round of the draft, who led Michigan last year with 58
receptions for 670 yards and two touchdowns. Breaston’s strength, however, is
on returns; he finished as the Big Ten’s all-time leader in punt returns (127)
and punt return yards (1,599). Matt
Trannon went undrafted, but he could be fun to watch in the preseason given his
6’6” frame and athleticism (he also played basketball for Tom Izzo). Trannon
has been impressive in offseason workouts; he finished with148 receptions for
1,755 yards and nine touchdowns at Michigan State.
TE: Leonard
Pope has the size and receiving skills to be emerge as a deep sleeper in his 2nd
season. He’s 6’7” but struggles as a blocker in the running game. He’s penciled
in as the team’s starter, but Troy Bienemann
and rookie 7th round pick Ben Patrick could push him to playing
time. Bienemann might be a better blocker than Pope, but he’s coming off an
injury. Patrick slid in the draft after being projected as a first day pick.
Tim Euhus was picked up recently after being with Cincinnati, Pittsburgh and
Buffalo in previous stints. Pope and Patrick have the most promise to make a
fantasy impact, but if Pope can learn to block he could emerge as a legitimate
red zone thread with defenses more focused on the team’s other star players.
Defense: The Cardinals are switching to
the 3-4 this year. Bertrand Berry and Chike Okeafor are making the transition
to OLB and the team added behemoth DT Alan Branch with the first pick of the 2nd
round. Branch projects as the team’s starting nose tackle, though he could be
moved around to take advantage of his talents. He and another former Wolverine
Gabe Watson will anchor the middle of the defense. Branch is adjusting quickly
to the NFL and his first training camp. "Someone just told me we ain't got TVs in there," said
Branch. "It's going to be crazy to me, because I'm addicted to
television." Toting a large cooler to his dorm room, Branch was asked
what’s inside. "Healthy snacks,” said the rookie, who dropped some weight
since last season. Branch is eager to get started, "It's been a lot of
time since I hit somebody, so I kind of been having an itch about it," he
said. The Cardinals have plenty of talent at LB as Karlos Dansby moves inside
where he’ll be paired with Gerald Hayes along with backups Monty Beisel and
rookie Buster Davis, a productive, but undersized player with a nose for the
ball. Calvin Pace and Darryl Blackstock added depth and experience on the
outside. SS Adrian Wilson is the team’s biggest playmaker and the unquestioned
leader of the defense. Opposite him, free agent signee Terrence Holt will
compete with Aaron Francisco for a starting job.
Special Teams: Neil Rackers hopes to regain his magic from
long range this year. After making nearly everything in 2005, he struggled on
field goals from 50+ yards last year. He may be spelled during preseason by
dual-purpose camp leg Ricky Schmitt, a rookie punter/kicker from Division II
Shepherd. Rookie WR Steve Breaston out of Michigan is the favorite to be the
return specialist. His strength is punt returns, and his only real competition
at that position is second year WR Michael Spurlock, who played QB in college.
Breaston will face a larger number of competitors at kickoff returner during
camp. Foremost is the incumbent, RB J.J. Arrington. Spurlock and free agent acquisition CB Roderick Hood are also
options.
Cardinals
Depth Chart
QB: Matt
Leinart, Kurt
Warner, Shayne Boyd, Toby Korrodi
RB: Edgerrin
James, Marcel
Shipp, J.J.
Arrington (KR), Diamond
Ferri, Steve Baylark
FB: Terrelle
Smith, A.J. Schable (inj), Tim Castille,
Brandon Snow, Roshon Vercher
WR: Larry
Fitzgerald, Anquan
Boldin, Bryant
Johnson, LeRon
McCoy, Sean
Morey, Steve
Breaston (KR/PR), Todd Watkins, Greg Lee,
Michael Spurlock (KR/PR), Ahmad Merritt, Matt
Trannon
TE: Leonard
Pope, Ben
Patrick, Troy
Bienemann, Tim
Euhus, John Bronson, Alex Shor
K: Neil
Rackers
DT: Alan
Branch (NT), Gabe
Watson (NT), Chris
Cooper, Ross
Kolodziej, Jonathan Lewis, Ray Blagman
DE: Darnell
Dockett (DT), Antonio
Smith, Joe
Tafoya, Rodney
Bailey
ILB: Gerald
Hayes, Karlos
Dansby (W/S), Buster
Davis, Monty
Beisel, Pago Togafau, Nathan Hodel
OLB: Bertrand
Berry (DE)(inj), Chike
Okeafor (S/DE), Calvin
Pace (S/DE), Darryl
Blackstock (W), Brandon
Johnson, David Holloway
CB: Antrel
Rolle, Eric
Green, Roderick
Hood, Ralph
Brown, Matt
Ware, Darrell
Hunter, Travarous Bain, Michael Adams
S: Adrian
Wilson (SS), Aaron
Francisco (FS), Terrence
Holt (FS), Hanik
Milligan, Brandon Keeler (FS)
Atlanta
Falcons
QB: With
Michael Vick sidelined due to his ongoing legal woes (in case you haven't
heard, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell ordered Vick to stay away from camp when
it opened on Thursday), the team has turned to Joey Harrington as the starting
QB. Vick's trial is scheduled for November 26th and he is not expected to play
football during 2007. The change leaves fantasy owners wondering what to expect
from the Falcons' new starter Harrington. Our Jason Wood and Mark Wimer offer
contrasting viewpoints about this topic on the Footballguys.com
Blog here - as the debate rages on, one thing is clear: the Falcons'
are moving on without Michael Vick at QB. The depth chart as of Sunday stands:
Harrington, 2nd-year player D.J. Shockley, Chris Redman and ex-arena leaguer
Lang Campbell. Just prior to training camp, head coach Bobby Petrino said of
Harrington, "I think the thing that impressed me the most at OTAs is his
take-charge attitude, the way he jumped in the classroom and studied. He's a
very quick learner. A very intelligent young man." On Sunday 7/29, Petrino
gave an early assessment of Harrington's performance so far in training camp,
"First, I like his knowledge of the game and he understands what the
defense is trying to do. He does a good job in his post and pre-snap reads,
being able to see how the safeties and linebackers move after the ball. I think
he is really going to be able to execute our offense and distribute the ball
where it needs to be. That’s going to help us in our run game when you
understand the defenses and the fronts like that. He has a real good sense of
timing as well. Unfortunately, guys don’t get very open so you have to hit them
when they are open. I think that’s a good starting point and he has a really
good since of timing.” Offensive coordinator Hue Jackson commented on Shockley
Friday, stating "D.J. has been around, played in some preseason games a
year ago, played at the University of Georgia, so he knows those particular
elements, too. It's just him getting the chance to play to show what he can
do." Redman played for one season under head coach Petrino in college at
Louisville.
RB: Just before camp opened, we learned that Warrick Dunn
had surgery for a herniated disk in his back and is expected to miss 3-6 weeks
due to his ongoing rehabilitation. It was the second surgery during the
offseason for Dunn, who also had arthroscopic surgery on his injured shoulder
earlier in the year. With Dunn out, Jerious Norwood has stepped into the
starting role. Norwood showed flashes of brilliance as a rookie and he’s not
wasting any time in his second season either. "Jerious is a guy that you look at, you watch
him on video and you say: 'Wow, this guy has a chance to really make some big
plays for us,'" HC Bobby Petrino said. "He can accelerate and cut
very quickly and he has home run speed. He's a very good receiver out of the
backfield so we're looking forward to seeing how we utilize him catching the
ball out of the backfield. He just needs to continually work on his blitz
pickup and protecting the quarterback." A huge camp battle is brewing for the #2 RB spot on the squad. As of
Sunday 7/29, Jamal Robertson is working at the #2 spot, with rookie Jason
Snelling (7th round draft pick) in hot pursuit. Coach Petrino stated,
"Jamal understands what we're doing, so he's probably ahead of everybody
else. I like what I see of Snelling. It's going to be a question of how he does
once we get into preseason games. He has good vision and makes nice cuts. He
has some power when he runs the ball, and we're hoping he will be able to run
through some tackles." Meanwhile, Norwood is working to perfect his pass
blocking skills. Coach Petrino said, "He still needs to improve on his
pass protection. He's working hard at that, and he's certainly gotten better at
that." The team may add a veteran RB to the mix at some point during
training camp, but no move has been made just yet.
WR: New
starting WR Joe Horn is making a difference for the Falcons according to coach
Petrino, "Joe has added a lot with his energy and his excitement, the way
he takes the field every day. His competitiveness is unbelievable. Every drill
he does, he wants to be the best, beat whoever he's going against. That rubs
off. We're very unproven, but they left OTAs with a great deal of confidence
and feel they're a lot better." Fred Gibson was released on Saturday after
only 3 days with the club - he was apparently not playing up to coach Petrino's
standard. Gibson missed a special teams meeting due to misunderstanding the
team’s schedule. Rookie Laurent Robinson is still on the squad and is striving
to get into the rotation.
TE: Alge
Crumpler has been partially participating in practices while he continues to
rehab his surgically repaired knee. He took part in some of the drills on
Friday and Saturday. Coach Petrino commented on Crumpler's level of
participation on Saturday, 7/28: “It’s great to see Alge out there. He is a
really good player and there is no question about it. He knows his trade very
well and he’s got a tremendous amount of energy when he’s out there. We are
really trying to manage his knee so he’s only practicing once a day. He doesn’t
do the two-a-days. I’m really excited to see how he fits and how he makes this
offense better. I’ve really liked what I’ve seen so far.” Petrino also went on
to say, “The tight ends are doing well so far. (Dwayne) Blakley has done a nice
job and he had really good OTA practices. He did better yesterday and today. I
still like (Martrez) Milner and he’s doing a really nice job. He can both run
block and catch the ball. I feel good about the position, especially when Alge
(Crumpler) is out there with us because he makes us better.” Martrez Milner has
risen to #3 on the depth chart as of Sunday.
Defense:
Rookie Jamaal Anderson started working with the first team at LDE on Sunday.
"We need to get him in, no question about it," new head coach Bobby
Petrino said. "He's come back from the break in very good condition. He's
not been timid at all. He's been really good going against the run, and he
already had the ability to rush the pass. Right now, it's just getting used to
lining up with the Ones." On Sunday, Anderson stated, "I'm getting a
better IQ for football. This is only my fourth year playing defensive end. So
just learning formations, looking at a lineman's alignment, recognizing down
and distance, a lot of things that come with repetition — those are things that
are starting to come to me now, and I'm only going to get better." Chaucey
Davis is now working with the second team. Second-round pick CB Chris Houston
has been getting some reps with the first team, although Lewis Sanders is #1 on
the depth chart - for now. Starting weakside LB Demorrio Williams, returning
from offseason chest surgery, is working to get back into game shape. Rookie
Stephen Nicholas has been getting first team reps but he'll probably end up
moving down the depth chart once Williams is fully up to speed. At MLB,
offseason FA acquisition Orlando Huff has moved to #2 on the depth chart behind
Keith Brookings, bumping 3rd year MLB Jordan Beck to 3rd team. Backup DE Josh
Mallard has seen some time at DT - coach Petrino praised Mallard's hard work,
stating, "I really like his effort. He gives you everything he has on
every play." In other notes, DT Rod Coleman (thigh injury) and DT Grady
Jackson (conditioning) did not practice on Sunday.
Special
Teams: The Falcons once again enter preseason without a set starter at kicker.
The competitors this year are Billy Cundiff and Aaron Elling. Cundiff handled
kickoffs for New Orleans the latter part of last year. Elling was out of
football last year, after handling kickoffs for Baltimore in 2005. At this
juncture, punter Michael Koenen does not appear to be a contender. He emerged
as the clear winner last August, but failed miserably in the first two games of
the regular season. On kickoff and punt returns it essentially comes down to
two players. Can the aging and slowing CB Allen Rossum once again retain the
job? Or, will second year WR Adam Jennings step into the return specialist
role? If Atlanta’s year continues to be as troubled as it has started, whoever
wins the returner job could be very busy this year.
Falcons
Depth Chart
QB: Joey
Harrington, D.J.
Shockley, Chris
Redman, Lang
Campbell, Michael
Vick
RB: Warrick
Dunn (inj), Jerious
Norwood, Jamal
Robertson, Jason
Snelling, Justin
Vincent, Taurean Henderson, Sha-Ron
Edwards
FB: Ovie
Mughelli, Corey
McIntyre
WR: Michael
Jenkins, Joe
Horn, Roddy
White, Laurent
Robinson, Adam
Jennings, Jamin Elliot, Vincent Marshall,
Eric Weems, Eric Newman, Noriaki Kinoshita (KR),
Ben Nelson, Brian
Finneran (IR)
TE: Alge
Crumpler, Dwayne
Blakely, Martrez
Milner, Daniel Fells
K: Billy
Cundiff, Aaron
Elling
DT: Grady
Jackson (NT), Rod
Coleman (inj), Darrell
Shropshire (NT), Jonathan
Babineaux, T.J.
Jackson (NT), Trey Lewis (NT), Michael Bozeman,
David Patterson, Kelly Talavou
DE: John
Abraham, Jamaal
Anderson, Paul
Carrington, Chauncey
Davis, Josh
Mallard, Nic Clemons
MLB: Keith
Brooking (W), Jordan
Beck, Tony Taylor
OLB: Michael
Boley (S), Demorrio
Williams (W) (inj), Stephen
Nicholas (W), Orlando
Huff (W), Marcus
Wilkins (S), John Leake (S), Travis Williams
CB: DeAngelo
Hall, Chris
Houston, Lewis
Sanders, Allen
Rossum (KR), David
Irons, Brent Grimes, Antoine Harris
S: Lawyer
Milloy (SS), Chris
Crocker (FS), Jimmy
Williams (FS), Omare
Lowe (SS), Daren
Stone (FS), Nick Turnbull (FS), Jeramie Johnson
(SS)
Baltimore
Ravens
QB: Steve McNair enters his 2nd
season as the Ravens QB with former starter Kyle Boller as the backup. Boller
will be a free agent following the season and the team doesn’t know if McNair will
be around for another year either. That’s why it will be a battle worth
watching in training camp between 5th round picks Troy Smith and Drew Olson, a
practice squad player last year from UCLA. On the eve of camp the Ravens
released Cullen Finerty, who won three Division II championships at Grand
Valley State. The QBs will be coached by Rick Neuheisel, who made the following
comment regarding the competition for that third spot, “Fortunately, I don’t
have to make those decisions yet. It’s going to be a hard decision. When
you’re dealing with a roster, the more hard decisions you have to make, the
better team you have.” Olson had a busy spring while leading NFL Europa’s
Amsterdam Admirals to a 4-6 record, completing 170 of 310 passes for 1,967 yards
with 13 TDs and 13 INTs. Smith, of course, was a 1st team
All-American and Heisman Trophy winner at Ohio State before imploding in the
National Championship game against Florida. He’s undersized, but the team has
already been impressed with his confidence and leadership abilities during
offseason workouts as he displayed a strong arm and good mobility while Olson
got plenty of work overseas.
RB: Willis
McGahee enters camp with great expectations. A regular at headquarters since he
signed during the offseason, McGahee hopes to be the workhorse the Ravens
envision. Backup Musa Smith finished last season on IR with a neck injury, but
he was healthy in the OTAs earlier this year and he hopes to remain healthy,
for once, and serve as the primary backup. Veteran Mike Anderson is back and
provides some insurance along with P.J. Daniels, a 4th round pick a
year ago, who got plenty of work during OTAs showing some speed and an ability
to contribute on special teams. Cory Ross and Greg Pruitt Jr. have uphill
battles to win a roster spot in camp. Ross made the roster last year and helped
on special teams after B.J. Sams went on IR late in the season. Fourth round
pick FB Le’Ron McClain signed prior to camp meaning the Ravens were able to ink
all eight of their picks on time. "It's good to have each of our draft
choices finished prior to the start of Brian's team meeting on Sunday,"
said general manager Ozzie Newsome.
WR: Derrick Mason and Mark Clayton
return as the team’s starters, but 2nd year Demetrius Williams’
blend of size, speed and body control makes him a potential breakout player
this year. He could possibly overtake Mason in the starting lineup, considering
their play late in the 2006 season, but Mason could be tough to unseat given
his experience and competiveness. The team added the explosive Yamon Figurs in
the draft. Figurs clocked a 4.3 40 at the combine (best among all players) and
he promises to give the Ravens special teams a boost, although the Ravens
coaching staff will take a look at him during the preseason to see if he can
contribute offensively, as well. Devard Darling and Clarence Moore return for
another training camp battle, but it’s unlikely both players will stick with
Figurs now in the mix.
TE: Entering
his 7th season, Todd Heap feels like a rookie thanks to an offseason
free of rehabilitation or surgeries. “This is the first
time in a couple years that I have felt this good,” Heap said. “I am
a lot further ahead than where we were the last few years, and that just makes
me a little more excited for the season.” Heap played all 16 games last
year but didn’t make the Pro Bowl. With a full offseason to think about the
offense instead of rehab, HC Brian Billick thinks that might change. “I think
he is one of the best tight ends in the league,” Billick explained. “He
is excited about spending an entire offseason of basically just getting ready
for the season and not rehabbing. He is in a very good place right now.”
Daniel Wilcox and 2nd year Quinn Sypniewski give the Ravens solid
depth while Marcus Freeman and Kendrick Ballantyne hope to make the roster or
stick on the practice squad. Rob
Abiamiri was released prior to training camp after spending two seasons on the
practice squad.
Defense: The Ravens lost Pro Bowl LB
Adalius Thomas during the offseason, but little else. The defense returns
largely intact with two rookies last year looking to improve and have a greater
impact in 2007; first round pick DT Haloti Ngata and 5th round pick
SS Dawan Landry. Plus, a healthy Dan Cody could make an impact for the first
time in his career. DT Kelly
Gregg reported to camp sporting ten pounds of muscle gained during the
offseason. "I'm stronger than I've been in about four or five years,"
Gregg said. "I really wasn't sore this offseason, so I got into the weight
room. I'm 30 years old, and I'm pushing weight like I'm 25. I feel good about
that, and I'm looking forward to the season."
Special Teams: He may be one
of the oldest players in the NFL, but we know that Matt Stover will be the
Ravens’ placekicker once again this year. The only question is whether he will
also handle kickoffs this year. He resumed doing so last year, after several
years in which Baltimore had kept a separate kickoff specialist on the roster.
Vying for that role in camp will be Rhys Lloyd. He spent this spring in NFL
Europa and was in the Ravens’ camp in 2005. DB B.J. Sams was one of the
top return specialists in the league in recent years; however he missed the
final four games last year with a fractured ankle. He also had off field
troubles with a second DUI charge, although he was acquitted during the
offseason. Even if he's fully recovered from his foot surgery, he faces a
potentially strong challenge for his job from third round draft pick WR Yamon
Figurs out of Kansas State. Figurs posted the fastest time at the NFL Scouting
Combine, and was considered by some to be the best returner in this year's
draft.
Ravens
Depth Chart
QB: Steve
McNair, Kyle
Boller, Troy
Smith, Drew
Olsen
RB: Willis
McGahee, Musa
Smith, Mike
Anderson, P.J.
Daniels, Cory
Ross, Greg Pruitt Jr.
FB: Justin
Green, Le'Ron
McClain
WR: Mark
Clayton (PR), Derrick
Mason, Demetrius
Williams, Clarence
Moore, Devard
Darling, Yamon
Figurs (KR/PR), Romby Bryant, Damien
Linson, Matt Willis, Leo Bookman
TE: Todd
Heap, Daniel
Wilcox, Quinn
Sypniewski, Marcus Freeman, Kendrick
Ballantyne
K: Matt
Stover, Rhys Lloyd, Brendan Carney
DT: Kelly
Gregg, Haloti
Ngata, Justin
Bannan, Dwan
Edwards, Keyonta Marshall, Anthony Bryant,
Atiyyah Ellison
DE: Terrell
Suggs, Trevor
Pryce, Travis Leitko
MLB: Ray
Lewis, Mike
Smith, Prescott
Burgess
OLB: Bart
Scott (W), Jarrett Johnson (S/DE), Gary
Stills (S/DE), Dan
Cody (S) (inj), Antwan
Barnes, Dennis
Haley, Edgar Jones, Joe Martin, Jamar
Enzor
CB: Chris
McAlister, Samari
Rolle, Corey
Ivy, Ronnie
Prude, David
Pittman, Evan
Oglesby, Derrick
Martin, B.J.
Sams (KR/PR), Willie Gaston, Terrell Maze
S: Ed
Reed (FS), Dawan
Landry (SS), Jamaine Winborn, Gerome Sapp,
Donnie Johnson, Bobby Blackshire
QB: Unlike
last year, the Bills enter camp this year with a clear starter at QB in J.P.
Losman. He showed considerable improvement in all areas last season and should
benefit from playing a second consecutive season in the same system with the
same coaching staff. After ranking 2nd last in the NFL in pass attempts last
year, the Bills plan to open things up and feel that the upgrades up front will
allow Losman to be even more successful. “We could open it up a little more,”
Bills offensive coordinator Steve Fairchild said. “When you look at last year,
we were trying to identify a starter and get experience at quarterback with a
not solid situation up front. That made it difficult. Now we’re a little more
well-equipped in those areas.” Losman missed the first day of training camp
after tweaking his back while lifting weights earlier in the week, but he
participated fully on Day 2 and showed plenty of zip and accuracy on his
passes. According to Buffalo News writer Mark Gaughan, “Losman has put a buzz
into the crowd with his throws.” He has been particularly effective on deep
passes and has done a good job with play fakes and looking off defenders. At
this point, there is quite a bit of optimism surrounding Losman and the Bills
passing game.
Craig Nall began camp as the #2 QB but he could be
pushed by rookie Trent Edwards. Nall has a clear edge in experience and should
be more comfortable in the offense having spent last year with the Bills, but
the Bills clearly have high hopes for Edwards after spending a 3rd round pick
on him. When Losman missed the first day of camp, Nall got the first reps in
every drill but Edwards wound up with an almost an identical number of snaps.
After several days of practices, neither player has been particularly
impressive. Nall has looked rusty and although he was accurate on short and
intermediate passes over the middle, he continues to struggle with his footwork
and deeper throws to the outside. Edwards looked alright at times but was the
least accurate of the QBs and generally looked uncomfortable in the pocket.
There appears to be a huge dropoff from Losman to either of these players right
now.
RB:
With Willis McGahee now playing in Baltimore, the
Bills will begin the year with a new starter at RB. Although McGahee was a
workhorse for them, it appears that head coach Dick Jauron would prefer to use
a committee approach at the position. "Regardless of who the number one
(back) is we do still intend to run the ball by committee," said Jauron.
"We think it's better for our team over the long haul. A guy that gets
overburdened carrying the ball constantly at that position will take so many
more shots. We'd like to run it by committee and the guy that's the lead (back)
will have to earn the right to be the lead." It is almost a certainty that
rookie Marshawn Lynch will wind up with that feature back job at some point,
but his performance in training camp and the preseason will likely determine
how quickly that will happen. The coaches plan to ease him into the offense
gradually so as not to overwhelm him, but he quickly showed some of the
explosiveness that the Bills running game has lacked in recent years.
"Sometimes in our running scheme he hits the corner when it's not really
blocked perfectly and he's not supposed to do that, but he outruns everybody
where you just have to start letting him do his thing," said Losman.
"That's what he's good at. You can't over coach a guy like that. You just
have to trust and realize that's how talented he is and just let him take
over." Lynch also demonstrated his receiving ability on day 3 of practice
when he finished with 5 receptions, including a big gainer over the middle when
Losman hit him in stride.
Given the Bills intentions to bring Lynch along slowly, Anthony Thomas
has been taking many of the first team reps at RB early in camp. He is a
reliable and proven player who the team feels very comfortable with but Lynch
appears to be a better fit for the type of multi-dimensional offense the Bills
hope to run this year. Both players figure to split carries during training
camp and preseason. Rookie Dwayne Wright has been third in the RB rotation and
although he is known as more of a power runner, he has impressed with his
quickness early on. If he has a strong training camp, he could force his way
into the committee and earn some regular season snaps as well. Josh Scobey
figures to make the team as a 4th RB due to his contributions on special teams,
so Shaud Williams and Fred Jackson will likely battle over a potential 5th RB
roster spot. The team has no true fullback on the roster this year and plans to
use tight ends as H-backs instead.
WR:
The Bills return
basically the same group of WRs from a year ago, which should further help the
offensive continuity. Lee Evans has clearly emerged as the focal point of the
passing game and could join the league’s elite with another strong season. He
has been very effective in camp early on and looks like he can beat any of the
Bills cornerbacks pretty much whenever he wants. Peerless Price lined up
opposite Evans with the first unit and figures to remain the starter again this
season but he’ll likely be pushed by Josh Reed and Roscoe Parrish throughout
training camp. Josh Reed has impressed as the slot WR and could steal some snaps
from Price in 2-WR formations due to his superior blocking. Parrish has been
lining up opposite Sam Aiken with the second unit and has made several big
plays in camp so far. The Bills may try to get him more snaps with the top unit
to take advantage of his big-play ability. The top-4 WRs appear to be locks to
make the roster and Aiken has a big edge over the rest due to his contributions
on special teams. If the Bills decide to keep a 6th WR this year, it
will likely be Jonathan Smith who was recently claimed off waivers and has a
strong track record as a special teams performer. There may not be enough
leftover reps for any of the inexperienced free agents to make much of an
impact.
TE: The Bills hope to get a lot more
production out of the TE position this season compared to years past and will
employ a more versatile H-back in the offense instead of a true fullback.
Robert Royal is the unquestioned starter at TE when healthy after a solid first
season with the team. He hasn’t looked to be at full strength early in camp and
that has opened up an opportunity for 3rd year pro Kevin Everett to
get more reps with the first team. There has been a lot of positive buzz around
Everett all offseason and he did nothing to discourage it while catching nearly
everything thrown his way. He has made great strides in his route-running and
understanding of the game and could provide a new dimension. Ryan Neufeld
appeared to be taking 1st team snaps at the H-back position but he
was followed closely by Brad Cieslak. This is one of the few offensive position
battles to watch in Bills camp this year.
Defense:
While there is plenty
of optimism surrounding the Bills offense this year, the defense has several
question marks that will need to be resolved during training camp. There are as
many as four CBs expected to compete for the starting spot vacated by Nate
Clements. Jason Webster was signed in May and is the most experienced so he
begins camp as the favorite. Kiwaukee Thomas also has starting experience but
looks to be a better fit as the nickel back. Jabari Greer has potential but
needs to be more consistent. Ashton Youboty is the wildcard to watch in this
competition given the high hopes the team has for him after drafting him in the
3rd round a year ago. Another key situation to watch is at MLB where
the team tries to replace veteran London Fletcher-Baker. Paul Posluszny is the heir apparent after the
Bills traded up in round 2 to get him, but unheralded 2nd year
player John DiGiorgio has been the most improved player in minicamps and looks
like he won’t give up the spot without a fight. 2nd year player
Keith Ellison is set to become a full-time starter at WLB this year and has
been perhaps the Bills best defender in camp so far with some big interceptions
and pass breakups. Finally, one of the most important players to watch this
preseason is DT John McCargo, who the Bills traded up to get in the 1st
round last year. He missed most of his rookie year to an injury but the team
hopes he can make an impact and help improve the league’s 28th
ranked run defense from a year ago. The Bills traded DT Darwin Walker to the
Bears for an undisclosed draft pick after he refused to report due to a
contract dispute.
Special Teams: Rian Lindell
has quietly emerged as a very good kicker. He’ll be busy in camp, as the Bills
do not currently have a second kicker on the roster. CB Terrence McGee
is the incumbent kickoff returner and is one of the best in the league. There
was offseason speculation that his return role would be reduced or eliminated
so that he could focus on defense, however early signs in camp are that he will
continue as the primary KR. RB
Josh Scobey, WR Jonathan Smith, RB Shaud Williams and RB Fred Jackson have also been handling kickoffs in practice. The
usually reliable Scobey muffed two kicks the other day. Although Shaud
Williams, Jonathan Smith, and DB Jim Leonhard will practice on punt returns,
that job definitely belongs to WR Roscoe Parrish.
Bills
Depth Chart
QB: J.P. Losman (PUP), Craig Nall, Trent Edwards, Kevin Eakin
RB: Marshawn Lynch, Anthony Thomas, Dwayne Wright, Shaud Williams (3RB), Josh Scobey, Fred Jackson
WR: Lee Evans, Peerless Price, Josh Reed, Roscoe Parrish (PR), Sam Aiken, Donovan Morgan, Scott
Mayle, Jemalle Cornelius, Jonathan Smith, Justin Jenkins
TE: Robert Royal, Kevin Everett, Matt Murphy, Ryan Neufeld (FB), Brad Cieslak (FB), Derek Schouman (FB)
K: Rian Lindell, D.J. Fitzpatrick
DT: Larry Tripplett, Kyle Williams, John McCargo, Tim Anderson, Jason Jefferson, Corey Mace
DE: Aaron Schobel, Chris Kelsay, Ryan Denney, Anthony Hargrove, C.J. Ah You, Eric Powell, Ryan Neill
MLB: Paul Posluszny, John DiGiorgio (S/M), Thaddeus Washington
OLB: Angelo Crowell (S/M)(inj), Keith Ellison (W), Mario Haggan (W/M), Coy Wire (S/FS), Josh Stamer (S/W), Roy Manning (W), Kevin Harrison (W)
CB: Terrence McGee (KR), Jason Webster, Kiwaukee Thomas, Jabari Greer, Ashton Youboty, Riley Swanson, Reggie
Lewis, Eric Bassey
S: Donte Whitner (SS), Ko Simpson (FS), George Wilson (SS), John Wendling (SS), Jim Leonhard (FS), Trevor Hooper (FS), John Sorto (FS)
Carolina
Panthers
QB: The biggest Panther QB news this offseason was the
acquisition of veteran David Carr from the Houston Texans. Carr was a tackling dummy
for much of his tenure in Houston, facing intense pass rush pressure behind a
leaky offensive line – it remains to be seen if he can overcome the bad habits
he developed while ducking away (or, often, getting sacked) by multiple
blitzers during his years in Houston. Jake Delhomme suffered ligament damage in
his right thumb (throwing hand) last December, but returned to action in the
season finale. Delhomme participated fully in the team’s early May mini-camp,
commenting on the presence of new team-mate David Carr, “I’m probably my
hardest critic. It’s not any different for me whatsoever.” It appears that
Delhomme is on thin ice as of the start of training camp – the competition
between he and Carr will play out as camp rolls along. Some good news for both
Delhomme and Carr (whoever wins the starting job) – the Panthers are going to
vary their snap count during games under new OC Jeff Davidson. "Our snap
count isn’t on one every play anymore, so guys aren’t just going to just tee
off on the same snap count over and over again," said veteran G Mike
Wahle, adding, "You can minimize that as much as you want but that’s a big
deal for offensive linemen. Keeping those guys (defensive players) guessing and
the fact that we’re not coming off with the same drive block every time
helps."
RB: DeAngelo Williams and DeShaun Foster are fighting
tooth and nail to headline the Panthers’ rushing attack. After one day of
training camp, there hasn’t been a lot of discussion about the backs’
respective talents or their position on the depth chart. Foster signed a
re-worked contract during the offseason that included $3.5 million in bonuses –
based on the level of money expended on Foster; it appears the team wants to
utilize both players during 2007. We’ll see who emerges as the superior ball
carrier as camp goes along. Eric Shelton is the dark horse candidate in this
race, but he hasn’t shown us much so far in his career (8 rushes for 23 yards
last year). Williams, who posted 121/501/1 rushing and 33/313/1 receiving is a favorite of some fantasy owners this
year, but he’s far from a sure bet to win the starting job outright. This
dynamic needs to play itself out a little further before fantasy owners rush to
add either Williams or Foster to their roster.
WR: Steve Smith is excited about the upcoming season,
"This year is going to be outstanding; I look forward to it. I set the
goal high. I mean, I feel so good I want to reach 2,000 (receiving) yards this
year.” “I wasn't 100 percent (all) of
the season," Smith stated regarding last year's hamstring injury, "I
didn't start feeling good until right before I went to the Pro Bowl and after
the Pro Bowl. That's when I felt 100 percent." Fantasy owners dream about
having a receiver who gains 2000 yards in a season...it's good to hear Smith is
aiming high. 2nd-year WR Taye Biddle looked good on a sideline pass vs. CB Ken
Lucas, who was left grasping air and watching Biddle burst down the sidelines.
The big question mark for the Panthers regards the #2 WR position. Keary
Colbert disappointed last year, so the team drafted Dwayne Jarrett to challenge
for the starting job. Also in the mix is 3rd year man Drew Carter
(he is technically a 4th-year guy, but sat out his rookie season
during 2004 with a knee injury), who could be a legitimate “sleeper” candidate
for 2007. Reports out of Charlotte indicate that Carter is faster than teammate
Steve Smith, which is saying something. Fantasy owners will want to play close
attention to the duel for #2 in Charlotte.
TE: Jeff King started with the first team during
Saturday’s initial practice. He's in a three-way battle with Michael Gaines and
Dante Rosario for playing time in the Panther's attack - but don't get too
excited. Panther TEs tend to be used as lead-blockers more than pass catchers.
You don't get many fantasy points for pancake blocks in most leagues. King
caught all of 1 pass for a TD last year, but appears poised to challenge for
the starting job if Day One of camp is any indication.
Defense: The Panthers opened training camp Saturday with
stalwarts RDE Mike Rucker (rehabbing an ACL/MCL knee injury) and MLB Dan Morgan
(head/repeat concussions) – but neither player was allowed contact. "That
was one of my goals coming off the injury to be back out there on day one,"
Rucker said, "That means that I really had to hump it this offseason and I
did that. I have been blessed to be in this position. In saying that, but it’s
not over. We still have a long ways to go in the rehab. This is just one hurdle
of many. But I’m ready to move to the next step." Stanley McClover subbed for Rucker, while Adam Seward
stepped in for Morgan. Morgan is not afraid he’ll become a victim of
post-concussion syndrome (despite his five career concussions). “It really
doesn’t scare me,” Morgan said, “When I hear them talking it really doesn’t
remind me of how I feel. If I was sitting there and forgetting things I was
talking about, then it might concern me. But there hasn’t been a point where
I’m forgetting where things are or I’m driving somewhere and I don’t know where
I’m at. That stuff hasn’t happened to me. When I hear these guys (NFL veterans)
talking about (their symptoms) it doesn’t sound like what I’ve gone through. So
I’m not going to base how I feel on how they feel.” Seward is currently second on
the depth
charts at Footballguys.com, but he may well be #1 before too long given
Morgan’s injury woes. Rookie LB Jon Beason is holding out of training camp as
of press time, causing some concerns that he’ll be behind the learning curve
and unable to step into the starting lineup. We’ll see how long his holdout
continues. SS Mike Minter, who is retiring after this season, spoke about his
aspirations for 2007, ”At the end of the day if I have a chance to write the
story, we'll win the Super Bowl, I'll go to the Pro Bowl and then I'll go up on
the (parade) float and we'll be all happy. That's the way I'll write the
story."
Special
Teams: There is no big news regarding thirty-seven year old kicker John Kasay.
He is however sporting a new youthful buzz haircut in camp. The camp leg will
be provided by undrafted rookie Andrew Wellock out of Eastern Michigan. He
actually is youthful. The kickoff returner role appears to be a three man race
in camp: RB DeAngelo Williams vs. CB Richard Marshall vs. fourth round
draft pick WR Ryne Robinson. The rookie Robinson had far more experience and
success on punt returns in college at Miami of Ohio. The Panthers are hoping
that success will carry over to the NFL, so that they don’t have to use WR
Steve Smith or CB Chris Gamble in the punt returner role and let them focus on
their primary jobs.
Panthers
Depth Chart
QB: Jake
Delhomme (inj), David
Carr, Brett
Basanez, Dalton Bell
RB: DeAngelo
Williams, DeShaun
Foster, Eric
Shelton, Nick
Goings, Alex Haynes
FB: Brad
Hoover, Billy Latsko, Steven Jackson
WR: Steve
Smith, Drew
Carter, Dwayne
Jarrett, Keary
Colbert, Taye
Biddle, Kevin
Youngblood, Ryne
Robinson, Josh Davis, Justin McCullum, Chris Horn,
Jahkeen Gilmore
TE: Jeff
King, Michael
Gaines, Dante
Rosario, Chad Upshaw
K: John
Kasay, Andrew Wellock
DT: Ma'ake
Kemoeatu, Kris
Jenkins, Damione
Lewis