Training Camp UpdaTe

Volume 5, Issue 1 – 8/06/09 Training camps are in full swing and we want you to feel like you have attended every practice and seen every preseason game. To keep all our Footballguys subscribers on top of everything, we have created our incredibly detailed Training Camp Updates. They are an exhaustive look each week covering every bit of news you need to know to stay completely on top of all 32 teams. Quite simply, they're the key to Dominating Your Draft. This is the first of five training camp updates from us. We will break down every team's skill positions and position battles. It's the stuff you'd see if you were there at every camp watching practice yourself. The Training Camp Updates are created by our own Bob Henry with significant contributions from Jason Wood, Mark Wimer, Mike Herman, Jene Bramel, Aaron Rudnicki, Colin Dowling, Sigmund Bloom, Maurile Tremblay and Anthony Borbely. Each camp update reflects the most up-to-date information from each of the 32 training camps; the type of information that will help maintain your advantage over the rest of your league mates. Happy reading and let's have a great 2009 season, Joe Bryant and David Dodds Owners, Footballguys.com

Arizona Cardinals

QB: Kurt Warner is still having pain in his hip and not quite 100%, but has been reassured by doctors that it's just part of the rehab process. "It's definitely better now than it was before the surgery," Warner said. "But the pain is still prevalent." His practice time isn’t expected to be limited because of the pain. Warner said, ironically, the hip doesn’t bother him when he’s playing, but standing in one place for long does. The surgery was in March. Warner’s doctors have told him the typical rehab time is six to 12 months. Matt Leinart reported to camp at 227 pounds, his lowest since college, but he’ll have to compete with Brian St. Pierre for the backup job in camp. Both players worked with the second team in the first practice on Friday. Coach Ken Whisenhunt said it’s not a negative reflection on Leinart. “Matt did pretty good last year when he was competing with Kurt,” Whisenhunt said. “If he

can continue to perform at that level, I'm very confident we'll be pleased with Matt.” Kent Somers, of The Arizona Republic, thinks that Leinart will hold off St. Pierre unless he struggles badly.

RB: Chris Wells showed up in Flagstaff during the wee hours of Saturday morning, fresh after agreeing to a five-year contract, only to get hurt in his Saturday morning’s practice. Wells right ankle was rolled up on and it looks like he will miss most of next week’s practices. Wells showed up to camp in excellent shape having trimmed 22 pounds since the draft. Wells played at 238 pounds last year at Ohio State and weighed 246 on draft day, but his weigh-in at camp was a svelt 224 lbs. He feels quicker and faster and the coaching staff is pleased by his conditioning. "I'm really excited that he came in with his weight so low," Whisenhunt said. "We'd asked him to lose it and he's done a great job with John Lott (conditioning and strength coach) and his teammates." Larry Fitzgerald took great care of Wells after inviting him to his home this summer and taking him to work out with him along with numerous other NFL players. Wells has his sights set on the starting job, so he’ll need to get healthy quickly since he began camp behind Tim Hightower on the depth chart. For now, Hightower is better at picking up blitzes and catching the ball. Kent Somers speculates that Hightower is the starter when the season begins, but Wells could take over during the season if he earns it. Hightower also spent the offseason slimming down to improve his speed and quickness. “I felt like I needed to get another extra burst,” Hightower said. “In this league, it's not all about power and it's not all about breaking tackles. Sometimes you have to turn those 5 yards into 10, sometimes into 40.” Whisenhunt won’t easily forget the 10 TDs Hightower scored last year and key plays made in the winning drive against the Eagles in the NFL title game, either. Hightower welcomes the competition, “They brought somebody in ultimately to push me and make the team better. I'm going to compete and make him better.” Whisenhunt will get them both the ball and will work Jason Wright into the mix, too. “At the running-back situation, it's a little bit unique because I don't think one guy can take every snap,” Whisenhunt said. “So we're going to need everybody. And we'll figure out a rotation and how that best works.” Even though all three backs could be involved in the offense, there will be plenty of touches to go around if Whisenhunt follows through on his plan to run a more balanced offense after the Cardinals threw the 2nd most pass attempts in the league last season. Expect a slight decline in QB Warner’s numbers by virtue of fewer attempts. Fullback Dan Kreider injured his hamstring on Friday and he was listed as day-to-day. Justin Green was taking snaps in his place.

WR: Despite not getting a new contract, Anquan Boldin reported to camp, though he was a little late after stopping to help teammates who had car trouble. Expect Boldin to be his professional and productive self. Larry Fitzgerald revealed on the first day of camp that he played with a broken left thumb and torn ligaments in two fingers during the Cardinals playoff run. Wow. Fitz reported to camp saying via his Twitter page that this is the best he has felt coming into a season. Not yet 26 years old, Fitzgerald is in his prime. It’s hard to argue with anyone taking Fitzgerald as the first WR off the board at the end of Round One. Fitzgerald got the crowd fired up on

Saturday when he made a one-handed grab near the sideline. Lance Long made a great leaping catch on a deep ball and Warner was on target most of the day. It looks like second-year WR Early Doucet may have a hard time being active on gamedays if he doesn’t unseat Sean Morey, the team’s special teams ace or Jerheme Urban, another special teams contributor, for the #4 or #5 spots. Doucet practiced at all of the positions last year and the coaching staff isn’t down on him. So don’t fall asleep on him if injuries take place, but his lack of special teams contributions mean he’ll probably keep waiting.

TE: Ben Patrick will serve a four-game suspension to begin the season, so HC Ken Whisenhunt is looking for a spirited battle between incumbent Leonard Pope, veteran blocker Anthony Becht and Stephen Spach. Spach is coming off ACL/MCL surgery and he was cleared to practice once per day. That means Pope and Becht are the front-runners for playing time in camp. The Cards typically have among the least productive group of TEs from a fantasy perspective, so don’t expect much from any of these guys.

Defense: New defensive coordinator Bill Davis expects to utilize SS Adrian Wilson as a linebacker in dime packages, much as he has been employed in the past. The Cards are hoping, but not counting on NT Alan Branch to mature in his third year after being a bust in his first two. DL Bryan Robinson worked at nose tackle with the first-team defense on Friday. If Branch and Gabe Watson ever make an impact, Robinson could become the team’s top backup at all three positions. Branch checked into camp at 332 lbs, his lowest weight since being drafted 33rd overall. It’s early, but Branch was showing some positive signs in practice by setting the pace among linemen when the team did a second set of six 50-yard sprints. “I hope it is an indication,” Whisenhunt said of Branch. “One of the things we said last year was that he did show flashes but was inconsistent. At least coming in this year he started ahead of the curve and he did an outstanding job with his weight. I hope it’s a good sign.” Bob McManaman, of The Arizona Republic, reports that LB Karlos Dansby is fine without getting a long-term contract done believing his payday is coming after this season. Dansby will earn $9.7 million this year. Rookie LBs Cody Brown and Will Davis said they are not worried about switching to LB after playing DE collegiately. One guy to keep an eye on in camp is DL Keilen Dykes, who showed up in great shape. Coaches think he could be a force as a solid, two-gap lineman. DE Kenny Iwebema had a benign tumor removed from his chest this summer, so may be limited early in camp. Linebacker Ali Highsmith, coming off a torn ACL last fall, appears good to go. In Saturday’s practice, free agent addition Bryant McFadden was effectively defending Anquan Boldin; at one point breaking up three passes in a row. McFadden gives the team a physical corner opposite the playmaking Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie.

Special Teams: Neil Rackers will handle all the kicking tasks in camp, as he is the only kicker on the roster. The Cardinals are also set at punt returner with WR Steve Breaston. Pre-season will help determine the backups on punt returns. Candidates include safety Antrel Rolle, CB Dominique

Rodgers-Cromartie, WR Early Doucet, and undrafted rookie WRs Michael Ray Garvin and Ed Gant. The primary question during training camp is who will replace the departed J.J. Arrington on kickoff returns. Breaston is certainly capable of filling that role, although the team would prefer not to add too much work to his plate. The long list of players who could emerge as the kickoff returner includes newly acquired RB Jason Wright, WR Sean Morey, first round draft choice RB Chris Wells, WR Early Doucet, CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, seventh round draft pick RB LaRod Stephens-Howling, and UDFA rookie WR Michael Ray Garvin.

Cardinals Depth Chart QB: Kurt Warner, Matt Leinart, Brian St. Pierre, Tyler Palko RB: Tim Hightower (3RB), Chris Wells (inj), Jason Wright (3RB), LaRod Stephens-Howling FB: Tim Castille, Reagan Mauia, Justin Green (IR) WR: Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin, Steve Breaston (KR/PR), Jerheme Urban, Early Doucet, Lance Long, Sean Morey, Justin Brown, Edward Gant TE: Leonard Pope, Ben Patrick (susp), Anthony Becht, Dominique Byrd, Steven Spach K: Neil Rackers DT: Bryan Robinson (NT), Gabe Watson (NT), Alan Branch (NT), Rodney Leisle DE: Bertrand Berry, Darnell Dockett (DE/DT), Calais Campbell, Kenny Iwebema MLB: Gerald Hayes, Pago Togafau OLB: Karlos Dansby (W), Chike Okeafor (S/DE), Cody Brown, Clark Haggans, Will Davis, Ali Highsmith, Reggie Walker, Chase Bullock, Will Davis CB: Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Bryant McFadden, Ralph Brown, Michael Adams, Greg Toler, Jameel Dowling, Tony Davis, Michael Ray Garvin S: Adrian Wilson (SS), Antrel Rolle (FS), Aaron Francisco (SS), Rashad Johnson (FS), Matt Ware (FS) Coaches: Head Coach: Ken Whisenhunt, Off Coord: Mike Miller, QB Coach: Chris Miller, RB Coach: Curtis Modkins, WR Coach: John McNulty, TE Coach: Freddie Kitchens, OL Coach: Russ Grimm, SpecTm Coach: Kevin Spencer, Def Coord: Bill Davis, DL Coach: Ron Aiken, LB Coach: Matt Raich, DB Coach: Teryl Austin

Atlanta Falcons

QB: A year ago Matt Ryan was an unknown quantity at the NFL level and Chris Redman was the starter at the opening of camp. This year, Ryan is a proven winner and Redman is the backup. According to Ryan, “At this point, it’s all about getting ready to go Week 1 against Miami.” The big question is not whether Ryan can succeed at this level - the question now is, just how good (or great) will Ryan be in his sophomore season from a fantasy perspective? Opposing teams have to respect the very dangerous running threats that the team deploys. The Falcons added a perennial Pro-Bowl TE to the receiving mix during the offseason when Tony Gonzalez was lured away from Kansas City. Roddy White is a bonafide #1 WR, and Jerious Norwood provides a reliable pair

of hands out of the backfield in passing situations. Despite White's ongoing holdout (“I’m hopeful that it gets done soon and he’s back out there with us,” Ryan said of White's holdout on Saturday Aug. 1st), the future looks bright for the Falcons' passing attack.

RB: Sunday's morning practice was devoted to special teams, and the first full practice in pads was held Monday morning - we haven't seen a lot of what the Falcons are doing with their 2009 running game as of this initial report. However, we have some indications from head coach Mike Smith that the team plans to reduce Michael Turner's workload and to involve Jerious Norwood more. Smith said, "We definitely know that we have to reduce the load that we put on him this year...We know that he can’t sustain 370 carries over a number of years." Offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey stated in late June that Jerious Norwood will go under center when the team employs their version of the Wildcat formation this year. Jason Snelling is third on the depth chart and Thomas Brown (from University of Georgia) is listed as the fourth running back on the depth chart to open camp. Brown missed his rookie season due to a season-ending injury, so we have yet to see him perform at the pro level.

WR: As camp opened on Saturday, the Falcons were confronted with a holdout by top WR Roddy White. He failed to report by 6:30 ET on Friday and is now subject to fines of $15,888 each day he misses camp. Both sides appear to be taking a concilatory, reasonable tone as of mid-evening on Saturday: “I’m confident things are going to get done, and they are going to work in the best interest of both the club and Roddy,” Falcons GM Thomas Dimitroff said. White's agent Jonathan Feinsod stated, "Negotiations are ongoing. Once his contractual situation is resolved, Roddy is looking forward to training camp and helping the Falcons to achieve their goal of reaching the Super Bowl.” Coach Mike Smith commented, "I want to state that I’m not angry. How can you be angry on the first day of training camp, the first day of the 2009 season.... I don’t believe it will be a distraction. You can’t concern yourself with guys that aren’t here. All we can do is coach the guys that are here...” White's absence allowed Harry Douglas to get a lot of reps in the first team offense across from #2 WR Michael Jenkins, until Wednesday when Douglas went down with a torn ACL. The team planned on using Douglas in the slot this year. Oft injured Brian Finneran is the "veteran depth" player on the squad, and has been participating in practices regularly so far.

TE: Tony Gonzalez is ready to work hard and fully integrate into the Falcons' offense. “Anything in life you have to keep working on,” Gonzalez said Saturday after the first practice of training camp. “I don’t care how good you are, there is always more to learn and always things to know. I want to make sure I know that playbook back and forward and side to side... I just have to go out there and do what I’ve been doing for 10 years, and things will take care of themselves. I can’t control a lot of things. I know I can control myself and what I do. I’m going to keep preparing the way I always do. That’s always trying to get better, always constantly studying, trying to improve myself and my game. If I do that, this team will

improve...” With an attitude like this, it's no wonder that Gonzalez has re-written the NFL record books for tight ends.

Defense: The departure of LBs Keith Brookings and Michael Boley left some holes on the LB depth chart, but the team acted to address the situation on Saturday by signing veteran LB Jamie Winborn (Winborn had 74 solo tackles, 25 assists, .5 sacks and 11 passes defensed last year in Denver). Winborn was the 12th-best fantasy OLB in the land last year. The Falcons are retooling their secondary this year, with a lot of young players in the mix for the two starting jobs vacant beside starting CB Chris Houston and FS Erik Coleman. Coach Smith said after Saturday's practices that “Chris Owens made a couple plays. William Moore. William Middleton. There’s a lot of energy there. That’s an area [the secondary] where we’re having a whole lot of competition. That’s what’s training camp is all about.” On Sunday, it was reported that Owens made several more plays during workouts. He commented, "It’s tight. Those guys are good. [Brent Grimes and Chris Houston] have helped me a lot. I learned a lot on the field and in the meeting rooms. I’m going to do my best to get on the field whether it’s special teams or playing nickel. I’m just trying to contribute to the team.” Moore was also reported to make several nice plays in the Sunday sessions at the safety position. 2009's first-round pick DT Peria Jerry was signed last Thursday and is expected to start immediately as a rookie. “I’m very excited just to be in camp on time,” Jerry said as camp opened. “That’s the biggest thing so I won’t fall so far behind.” On Sunday, LB Curtis Lofton and CB Tony Tiller were held out of the second practice with minor injuries - Lofton tweaked a hamstring and Tiller injured his left ankle. “I don’t think that anything is serious,” coach Smith said. “I don’t really have a time frame on those guys.”

Special Teams: As has been the case for the latter part of his career, Jason Elam’s role will be limited to placekicking. Punter and franchise tagee Michael Koenen will handle kickoffs. Elam was held out of OTAs for an undisclosed injury, although that may have been simply to limit his workload rather than due to an actual injury. On returns, WR Harry Douglas will handle punts and RB Jerious Norwood will handle kickoffs. The only question mark among those four players is whether RB Thomas Brown will press Norwood for the kickoff returner role. WR Troy Bergeron, who is on the roster bubble, will vie for a backup a role. He handled returns during his three years in the AFL.

Falcons Depth Chart QB: Matt Ryan, Chris Redman, D.J. Shockley, John Parker Wilson RB: Michael Turner, Jerious Norwood (KR), Jason Snelling, Thomas Brown, Verron Haynes FB: Ovie Mughelli WR: Roddy White, Michael Jenkins, Harry Douglas (PR) (inj), Brian Finneran, Aaron Kelly, Troy Bergeron, Eric Weems, Chandler Williams, Dicky Lyons, Bradon Godfrey, Darren Mougey TE: Tony Gonzalez, Justin Peelle, Jason Rader, Ben Hartsock, Keith Zinger K: Jason Elam DT: Jonathan Babineaux, Peria Jerry, Jason Jefferson, Trey

Lewis, Vance Walker, Thomas Johnson, Tywain Myles DE: John Abraham, Jamaal Anderson, Chauncey Davis, Kroy Biermann, Lawrence Sidbury, Willie Evans, Maurice Lucas MLB: Curtis Lofton, Jamie Winborn OLB: Stephen Nicholas (S), Mike Peterson (W/M), Coy Wire (S), Tony Gilbert, Spencer Adkins, Robert James CB: Chris Houston, Brent Grimes, Christopher Owens, Chevis Jackson, Von Hutchins, William Middleton, Glenn Sharpe, Tony Tiller S: Erik Coleman (FS), William Moore (SS), Thomas DeCoud (SS), Jamaal Fudge (SS), Antoine Harris (FS), Eric Brock (SS) Coaches: Head Coach: Mike Smith, Off Coord: Mike Mularkey, QB Coach: Bill Musgrave, RB Coach: Gerald Brown, WR Coach: Terry Robiskie, TE Coach: Chris Scelfo, OL Coach: Paul Boudreau, SpecTm Coach: Keith Armstrong, Def Coord: Brian VanGorder, DL Coach: Ray Hamilton, LB Coach: Glenn Pires, DB Coach: Emmitt Thomas, DB Coach: Alvin Reynolds

Baltimore Ravens

QB: Joe Flacco may have had a strong offseason but got off to a rough start at training camp according to the Baltimore Sun’s Mike Preston, who suggested that Flacco was "channeling Kyle Boller." Through the first few days of practice, Flacco threw 5 or 6 picks and struggled with poor decisions. On Saturday morning, Flacco had a particularly bad interception in the red zone. He rolled to his left and threw across his body, but came up about seven yards short. Head Coach John Harbaugh wasn’t too worried, noting that the coaching staff is opening up the playbook this year. “It’s training camp,” Harbaugh said. “I think at this point we’re throwing a lot of stuff at him. We don’t build our installs around building a guy’s confidence. We just try to throw everything at guys from Day One.” Harbaugh added, “We think it all makes you better because we’re all trying to improve from one day to the next. We want to put as much pressure on Joe as we can, just like all the guys. If he throws a pick, we’re going to learn from it. If he makes a good throw, the defense is going to learn from it. We want to just challenge him every day.” It hasn’t been all bad. On Friday, Flacco threw a pretty pass in between two defenders to Todd Heap over the middle for a first down. On Saturday morning, the crowd came alive during 10-on-10s when Flacco found Demetrius Williams on a perfectly thrown deep ball in which Williams was covered well. Ray Lewis scolded Flacco after batting down a pass on another play, “I told you not to test me early.” Backup Troy Smith has been taking reps at receiver and will be part of Baltimore’s version of the Wildcat package this year.

RB: Ray Rice gave the Ravens coaching staff a favorable impression with his “attention to detail and professionalism”. Rice showed up to camp this year noticeably bigger than his rookie season with a new tattoo across his forearm that says “CHOSEN ONE”. Rice is also rocking a Mohawk with the image of a bull shaved into the side of his head. The new

image was a reflection of his play in practice. He demonstrated significant lower-body power throughout the first few days of practice. The team expects big things from Rice this season, especially catching passes out of the backfield. During the first padded practice Rice made an unbelievable play for a wide receiver, much less a running back, when he shed a linebacker on an option route and came up with a one-handed catch in stride. Rice opened training camp as the starter, though offensive coordinator Cam Cameron reiterated that they will continue to use a committee approach saying, “You could see all three of them in the game at the same time. You could see any combination of the two. We’ve got three good running backs, and I think everybody is clear that you need three guys." Cameron added that Willis McGahee looked explosive and ran over some defenders in practice once he was activated from the PUP list. McGahee had arthroscopic knee surgery during the offseason allowing Rice to get the majority of the reps during OTAs. Le’Ron McClain added weight to prepare for playing fullback this year. He reported at 270 pounds, but said he would slim down to 255 or 260, what he calls his ideal playing weight. “I’m in pretty good shape right now,” McClain said. “I’ve got about 10 more pounds to lose. I want to be in that 12-play drive kind of shape.” McClain hopes if he is in shape that Cameron will give him more carries. “Coach Cameron wants me at 260, and I’m working hard to get there... I’m trying to do more in the offense and I’ll let Cam see that. He’s the mastermind.” McClain added. “I’ve got to prove myself and show that last year wasn’t a fluke. I take a lot of pride in my blocking. It’s back to basics. I tell Willis McGahee every day, ‘Let’s get both of us back to the Pro Bowl.”

WR: On Saturday, Derrick Mason appeared at Ravens camp and announced that he was returning to the team. As he returned to practice for the first time, Mason spoke to reporters, “I wanted to finish what I started. Once I said I'm back with the team, I'm 100 percent back with the team.” On why he came out of retirement, Mason added, “I had to reevaluate my career and make an informed decision. When I made my decision it was sincere and had nothing to do with anything contractual.” Marcus Smith was asked about Derrick Mason’s impact on the offense and put it succinctly, “A thousand times better.” Before Mason’s return, Demetrius Williams was making the most of the opportunity. He made several good catches during Friday’s practice. Mark Clayton also caught a few passes, but was also called for pass interference once. On Saturday, Smith caught a long pass behind Frank Walker, but got called for interference. Justin Harper and Demetrius Willaism each dropped some passes in the morning workout. On Sunday, Mark Clayton was carted off the field with a hamstring injury and Demetrius Williams also tweaked his hamstring, but it didn’t appear to be serious. Clayton will miss 4-to-6 weeks, so Williams moves into his spot in the lineup. Williams reportedly added about 15 pounds of muscle without giving up any of his trademark speed. As always, the key for Williams is staying healthy. Justin Harper was one of the most impressive players during the first couple of days. Harper beat rookie Lardarius Webb for a 99-yard TD during Wednesday's practice. Kelley Washington was on the PUP list until Sunday. Yamon Figurs isn’t practicing while he recovers from a broken toe. The team signed Thomas White, Biren Ealy and Jayson Foster in

the last week, but waived Isaiah Williams. Drew Bennett signed with the team but then promptly retired a day later in the wake of Mason’s brief retirement.

TE: Cam Cameron expressed hope that Todd Heap might return to a Pro Bowl level as a pass catcher. Heap is completely healthy for the first time in years it seems. Flacco is now in his second season and Heap spent a lot of time in pass protection last year. They might be able to find favorable matchups with Heap if newcomer L.J. Smith returns to form, giving the team another threat. On Friday in practice, Heap was sprinting out all of his catches about 30 yards past the catch itself. Now 29, Heap wants to prove he still has it, too. "There's no doubt in my mind that I can be a top tight end," Heap said. "I have confidence in myself and my abilities." He probably had the catch of the day on Friday when he caught a dart from Flacco over the middle over his outside shoulder. He reached back and did a 360 before he being dropped by Dawan Landry. Unfortunately, L.J. Smith is already limited after straining his hamstring on Monday. Smith said. “The best-case scenario is next week, middle to late portion of the week. Luckily, it’s not a bad hamstring pull. It’s just a tweak.” Fifth-round pick Davon Drew was placed on the non-football injury list after flunking his physical, but was taken off the list Wednesday morning. Drew looked good during OTAs when Heap and Smith were sidelined. The team waived Quinn Sypniewski.

Defense: At age 34, Ray Lewis reported to camp 15 pounds lighter, looking leaner and quicker than a year ago. Ed Reed was practicing with a red jersey, but it didn’t stop him from hitting WR Marcus Smith on one play. Reed came off the PUP list, but the team is using the red jersey as a precaution. Trevor Pryce was carted off the field on Friday after his foot was stepped on, but he’ll be fine. Sunday, Antwan Barnes laid on the turf for about 90 seconds before walking off on his own with a mild concussion. Defensive tackle Lamar Divens was absent for undisclosed reasons. Terrell Suggs was happy to be back, talking trash all day. “I want some of Spiderman,” he yelled at Demetrius Williams. “Oh no, I’m going to take out some Miami,” Suggs said to Willis McGahee. Tavares Gooden almost had a shoestring interception, but otherwise was all over the field. In Friday’s practice, safety Haruki Nakamura went up with Demetrius Williams and broke up a 15-yard pass play, provoking Suggs to give him a bow for his work. Gooden also got some props from his teammates for breaking into the backfield and popping RB Jalen Parmele. Dawan Landry is fully healthy from the spinal contusion suffered last year. He blitzed on one play and met FB Le’Ron McClain in the hole, but came away no worse for wear. “I feel great,” he said. “Everything’s fine. I just went and hit Le’Ron. I think they probably knew I was going to go. I never second-guessed it... Whenever the live period was going to come, I knew I was going to hit somebody.”

Special Teams: The kicking competition to replace Matt Stover is underway. Both kickers have had days where they missed a kick or two. Steve Hauschka, last year’s kickoff specialist, was razzed by LB Terrell Suggs after one such miss from shirt range. Rookie Graham Gano had a few early misses, although some were attributed to the Ravens using an

ever changing array of players and coaches as the holder. One player that quickly proved he was not holder material was free agent acquisition CB Chris Carr. He will however serve as the return specialist. Joining Carr on kickoff return practice over the weekend was RB Ray Rice, RB Willis McGahee, and third round draft pick CB Lardarius Webb. Last years demoted return specialist, WR Yamon Figurs, is on the PUP list due to his broken toe and subsequent surgery. He noted, “I’m doing conditioning now to get back out there, but the toe is all healed. I’m just trying to get in shape. We’ll see what the doctors think, but I’d like to get out there next week.”

Ravens Depth Chart QB: Joe Flacco, Troy Smith, John Beck RB: Ray Rice (3RB), Willis McGahee, Cedric Peerman, Jalen Parmele, Cory Ross FB: Le'Ron McClain (SD), Jason Cook WR: Derrick Mason, Mark Clayton (inj), Demetrius Williams, Marcus Smith, Justin Harper, Yamon Figurs (PR), Kelley Washington, Biren Ealy, Thomas White, Ernie Wheelright, Edward Williams, Eron Riley, Jayson Foster TE: Todd Heap, L.J. Smith, Davon Drew, Edgar Jones, Isaac Smolko K: Steve Hauschka, Graham Gano NT: Haloti Ngata, Kelly Gregg, Lamar Divens, Kelly Talavou, Nader Abdallah DE: Trevor Pryce, Dwan Edwards, Justin Bannan, Brandon McKinney, Bryan Mattison, Will Johnson, William VanDeSteeg ILB: Ray Lewis, Tavares Gooden, Jason Phillips, Jameel McClain, Dannell Ellerbe, Brendon Ayanbedejo, Robert McCune OLB: Terrell Suggs (UFA-F), Jarrett Johnson (S/DE), Antwan Barnes, Paul Kruger, Prescott Burgess, Terrence Melton, Tony Fein CB: Fabian Washington, Dominique Foxworth, Samari Rolle, Chris Carr (PR/KR), Frank Walker, Lardarius Webb, Evan Oglesby, Derrick Martin, Kevin Gerard S: Ed Reed (FS), Dawan Ladry (SS), Haruki Nakamura (FS), Tom Zbikowski (FS), Daren Stone Coaches: Head Coach: John Harbaugh, Off Coord: Cam Cameron, QB Coach: Hue Jackson, RB Coach: Wilbert Montgomery, WR Coach: Jim Hostler, TE Coach: Wade Harman, OL Coach: John Matsko, SpecTm Coach: Jerry Rosburg, Def Coord: Greg Mattison, DL Coach: Clarence Brooks, LB Coach: Vic Fangio, DB Coach: Mark Carrier

Buffalo Bills

QB: Now that J.P. Losman has moved on, Trent Edwards enters camp as the unquestioned starter. With two years left on his rookie contract, this will be a key season that helps the Bills decide whether to commit to him long term. One of the biggest stories of camp has been the use of the no-huddle offense, which the Bills will make a key focus this year and which will allow Edwards to play more aggressively. The coaching staff has also given Edwards full authority to change plays at the line of scrimmage, which is a great sign of his

development. Through the first week of camp, the young QB has generally looked comfortable in the pocket and has connected on plenty of big plays with WRs Terrell Owens and Lee Evans. Backing him up will be Ryan Fitzpatrick, a smart QB who makes quick decisions and started 12 games for the Bengals last season. Fitzpatrick got off to a very slow start in camp but his play has steadily improved as he gets more comfortable in his new surroundings. Gibran Hamdan is expected to remain as the #3 QB.

RB: Marshawn Lynch returns as the starter but he’ll miss the first 3 games of the season while serving a league suspension, which was upheld by the Commissioner on Monday. Lynch has tried to bulk up this year to 230 pounds so that he can take on a heavier workload, but he has had some early problems keeping the weight on. Despite the extra weight, he looks explosive in camp and he will likely remain one of the most difficult RBs in the league to tackle. Fred Jackson has been the primary backup for the past two seasons, but he’ll get some added competition from veteran Dominic Rhodes this year. Jackson is a versatile weapon who also has seen some time in camp lined up as the QB in the Wildcat formation as well as out wide as a receiver. Rhodes is experienced and he has looked strong, both running and catching the ball. Head Coach Dick Jauron announced on Monday that Jackson would start while Lynch serves his suspension, but that Rhodes would also see a lot of playing time. While Lynch has a strong hold on the feature back role, both backups are good enough to remain part of a committee approach even after Lynch returns. Xavier Omon and Bruce Hall provide camp depth and they will likely compete for a 3rd RB spot that will available while Lynch serves his suspension. Omon likely has an edge since he was on the roster last year and offers a bit more power and size than the other RBs on the team. With the addition of the no-huddle offense, the Bills appear to no longer have a strong need for a true fullback, making Corey McIntyre a long shot to make the roster.

WR: The biggest story of the Bills offseason and one of the biggest around the NFL was the signing of Terrell Owens to a 1-year contract following his release from the Cowboys. He has looked great to this point and has been catching long passes from Edwards in pretty much every practice session. As long as he can keep the off-field distractions to a minimum, Owens should have a very positive impact on the Bills offense this year. The Owens signing also figures to take some attention away from Lee Evans. He’ll probably see a drop in the number of targets, but should also see a lot fewer double teams. Josh Reed is entrenched as the #3 WR, and he’ll provide a reliable check down option for Edwards when the outside receivers are covered. After that, the depth chart is in flux. Roscoe Parrish has been the 4th WR for some time and is the best punt returners in the league, but he’s expected to be pushed by 2nd year pro Steve Johnson. Parrish has been taking some snaps as the QB out of the Wildcat formation to get him more opportunities, while Johnson is sitting out with a rib injury after a great start to camp. Last year’s 2nd round pick James Hardy opened camp on the PUP list while recovering from knee surgery after tearing his ACL last year. Justin Jenkins has been a valuable special teams player and will need to play well this preseason to earn a roster spot. One of the

early surprises in camp has been Shaine Smith, who was signed off the street to bolster the injury-depleted WR group.

TE: After releasing starter Robert Royal this offseason, the Bills go into camp with a wide-open competition. The early favorite is Derek Schouman, an undersized but good receiver who has been doing an excellent job as a blocker thus far. He’s been splitting 1st team reps with 2nd year pro Derek Fine, who has been making plays as a receiver but struggled a little in pass protection. The eventual starter is expected to be rookie Shawn Nelson, a great athlete with soft hands. He’s missed some time with an ankle injury and is still a very raw blocker. Jonathan Stupar has looked good early in camp and may have an outside chance to earn a roster spot with a strong preseason.

Defense: The Bills entered camp using the same defensive scheme and almost the same exact starting lineup from last year. 1st round pick Aaron Maybin remained unsigned as of Monday night. Although he wasn’t expected to compete for a starting spot this year, he was supposed to help upgrade the pass rush and any additional time he misses will just push him further and further back. The Bills 2nd round pick Jairus Byrd was expected to compete for the starting FS job but he’s currently on the PUP list while recovering from sports hernia surgery. Without Byrd, the team has been lining up Donte Whitner at FS and Bryan Scott at SS, indicating that Ko Simpson could be in a fight for a roster spot. Perhaps the biggest addition for the Bills defense this year will be the return of a healthy Aaron Schobel to the defensive front. After missing most of 2008 with a Lisfranc sprain, he’s working hard to get back to top form. "In my legs I don't feel as explosive as I was two years ago at this time, but I feel like there's no question I can do that," he said. The secondary lost starter CB Jabari Greer in free agency but will replace him with last year’s 1st round pick Leodis McKelvin who finished 2008 on a high note. Players like Reggie Corner, Drayton Florence, and Ashton Youboty are competing for the nickel back job.

Special Teams: Camp leg rookie kicker Dan Urrego was released to free up a roster spot, leaving Rian Lindell as the only kicker in camp. Lindell made a 50 yard FG at the end of one practice amidst the requisite coach requested hoopla from team mates and spectators. Practice on kickoff returns has started with CB Leodis McKelvin, followed by RB Dominic Rhodes, CB Terrence McGee, and WR P.K. Sam. Practice on punt returns has started with WR Roscoe Parrish, followed by free agent acquisition RB Dominic Rhodes, RB Fred Jackson, CB Leodis McKelvin and CB Terrence McGee. Second round draft pick DB Jairus Byrd will also likely practice on returns once he recovers from sports hernia surgery.

Bills Depth Chart QB: Trent Edwards, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Gibran Hamdan (RFA), Matt Baker RB: Marshawn Lynch (susp), Fred Jackson, Dominic Rhodes, Xavier Omon, Bruce Hall FB: Corey McIntyre WR: Terrell Owens, Lee Evans, Josh Reed, Roscoe Parrish (PR), Steve Johnson, James Hardy (inj), Justin Jenkins, Felton

Huggins, C.J. Hawthorne TE: Derek Schouman, Shawn Nelson, Derek Fine, Jonathan Stupar, Travis McCall K: Rian Lindell DT: Marcus Stroud, Kyle Williams (NT), Spencer Johnson, John McCargo, David Lindquist, Ventrell Jenkins DE: Aaron Schobel, Chris Kelsay, Aaron Maybin, Ryan Denney, Copeland Bryan, Chris Ellis, Ryan Neill, Jermaine McGhee, Marcus Smith, Corey Mace MLB: Paul Posluszny, Pat Thomas (M/W), John DiGiorgio (inj) OLB: Keith Ellison (S), Kawika Mitchell (W), Nic Harris (S), Alvin Bowen (S), Marcus Buggs, Ashlee Palmer CB: Terrence McGee, Leodis McKelvin (KR), Reggie Corner, Ashton Youboty, Drayton Florence, Cary Harris, Ellis Lankster, Dustin Fox (RFA) S: Donte Whitner (FS), Bryan Scott (SS), George Wilson (SS/FS), Jairus Byrd (FS/CB), Ko Simpson (FS), John Wendling (SS) Coaches: Head Coach: Dick Jauron, Off Coord: Turk Schonert, QB Coach: Alex VanPelt, RB Coach: Eric Studesville, WR Coach: Tyke Tolbert, TE Coach: Charlie Coiner, OL Coach: Sean Kugler, SpecTm Coach: Bobby April, Def Coord: Perry Fewell, DL Coach: Bob Sanders, LB Coach: Matt Sheldon, DB Coach: George Catavolos

Carolina Panthers

QB: Jake Delhomme got a big payday this offseason (a $42.5 million contract extension) - the team clearly believes he's overcome his "Tommy-John" elbow surgery and is poised to return to top form. Last year (his first campaign since the surgery) was less-than-impressive from the fantasy football perspective. He finished 19th among QBs in fantasy points last year. He did play in all 16 games, but it remains to be seen if Delhomme can once again crack the fantasy top-12 as he did in 2004 and 2005. His backups Josh McCown and Matt Moore don't excite anyone, so it's do-or-die with Delhomme this year in Carolina. Delhomme commented on the eve of training camp: “Oh, I feel great, best I ever felt. I think [I'll continue to play] a while. Physically, I've played five years here. One year I didn't play. Last year didn't take a toll on me, I had one thigh bruise. But other than that, it didn't take a toll on me because we ran the ball so well. When you do that, it takes so much pressure off. Usually a quarterback, your arm deteriorates. Well, I got mine rebuilt. So we'll see.” While moving into the dorms at Wofford on Sunday Delhomme commented, “Well, the last time I played wasn't too darn good [6 turnovers vs. ARI in the playoff loss]. So I'm looking to get back... I'm just ready to go.” Delhomme has a mentor/quarterbacks coach this year - Rip Scherer, who came over from Cleveland.

RB: The Panthers return their dynamic duo of DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart this year, but as Stewart has been hampered by a mysterious ankle ailment during spring workouts, a new back had an opportunity to make a splash. “I'm really excited about the whole opportunity to make some guys miss and to make some plays,” said Mike Goodson on

August 1st, just prior to reporting to camp. Goodson, a fourth-round draft pick this year, has wowed team officials during spring workouts - he is slated to play a situational role as a third-down back with some time as a slot receiver and the team's kickoff returner. OG Keydrick Vincent commented: “When he makes a cut, it's 110 mph. His stop-and-go is amazing. This dude, to me, looks like a game-breaker.” Long-time Panther FB Brad Hoover returns to lead-block for whoever is carrying the ball.

WR: Behind clear-cut starters Steve Smith and Muhshin Muhammad are a lot of question marks on the depth chart. Dwayne Jarrett has been a disappointment since entering the league, and may be replaced by Jason Carter as #3 on the depth chart at any moment. Ryne Robinson and Kenneth Moore are also in the mix in an unsettled stable of young receivers. Commenting on the youthful players behind his established veterans, John Fox said, “When you start getting your organization to a point where you've got good front-line players, that's kind of what happens. Those guys have proven themselves, been to Pro Bowls and it costs you a little more to keep them. You're not going to have a high-dollar veteran backup. So we have to develop young players and we definitely will have our work cut out for us.” Steve Smith opened training camp stating his intention to become "a better team leader…I’m just kind of kicking myself coming down here. I’m not too excited about being in camp with the circumstances of last year [attacking Ken Lucas, getting a two game suspension] and all of the things that are going to be said and with a lot of things that happened...I’m really seeing the blessings and opportunity that I have and looking at the team and analyzing things (more). I really have to take my role and my position on this team and become a better leader and a more responsible leader and enjoy this time because it will pass.”

TE: Dante Rosario overtook Jeff King as the Panthers' top TE last year, but he had back surgery in May and hasn't been on the field yet. Rosario is medically cleared to take part in training camp, but is expected to concentrate on special teams duties, leaving Jeff King the likely starter. King is primarily a blocking TE in the current offensive scheme. There are indications that Gary Barnidge might develop into the pass-catching TE the Panthers need during his sophomore season. "I feel like I know the playbook a lot better," Barnidge commented in June. "As a rookie, you're learning everything. Now, I can just go play. I know most of it. I'm just learning more techniques now, so I feel really good out there." Due to the signing of rookie CB Sherrod Martin on Sunday Aug. 2nd, the team went over the 80-player limit, so they were forced to cut TE Kevin Brock.

Defense: DE Julius Peppers, who expressed his desire to depart from Carolina during the offseason, is entering camp with an upbeat attitude. “I'm under contract to play for this team. During this time, everything I can do to help this team win is going to be done on my part. That's been my attitude and approach in every season I've played. I have no reason not to put forth full effort in any game that I play,” Peppers said on Saturday. Rookie CB Sherrod Martin, a second-round pick, signed his new four-year contract Sunday. The Panthers' first

injury of training camp happened within the first half hour of the opening practice on Monday morning. DT Maake Kemoeatu tore his Achilles tendon and was lost for the season. Kemoeatu was replaced in drills by rookie FA Marlon Favorite of LSU. Also, starting MLB Jon Beason had his left hamstring taped and ended the workout watching the practice from the sidelines. Beason said he "tweaked" his hamstring at practice this morning and that it's not a serious injury. Beason said he didn't warm up sufficiently. "My fault," he said briefly.

Special Teams: The Panthers are set in the kicking department, with placekicking by John Kasay, whose contract the team extended last year, and with kickoffs by Rhys Lloyd, who justified the additional roster spot with his performance last year. The return department is another matter. Training camp will feature a wide open competition for the kickoff and punt return role(s). WRs Ryne Robinson and Jason Carter were among the return specialist candidates last year until injuries ended their seasons. They’ll try again this year. WR Kenneth Moore, drafted by Detroit last year, failed to seize their return specialist role and the Panthers eventually snatched him off the Lions’ practice squad. Two drafted rookies, CB Captain Munnerlyn and RB Mike Goodson, will get a shot. Two undrafted rookie WRs, Jason Chery and Larry Beavers, should not be discounted, especially the latter. Beavers holds the NCAA record with 13 career return TDs (10 on kickoffs, three on punts).

Panthers Depth Chart QB: Jake Delhomme, Josh McCown, Matt Moore, Hunter Cantwell RB: DeAngelo Williams, Jonathan Stewart, Mike Goodson, Jamall Lee FB: Brad Hoover, Tony Fiammetta WR: Steve Smith, Muhsin Muhammad, Dwayne Jarrett, Jason Carter (PR), Ryne Robinson (KR), Kenneth Moore (PR), Marcus Monk, Larry Beavers TE: Dante Rosario, Jeff King, Gary Barnidge, Andrew Davie K: John Kasay, Rhys Lloyd DT: Damione Lewis, Corvey Irvin, Nick Hayden, Justin Kershaw, Lonnie Harvey, Ma'ake Kemoeatu (inj) DE: Julius Peppers, Tyler Brayton, Charles Johnson, Everette Brown, Hilee Taylor MLB: Jon Beason (W/M), Dan Connor OLB: Thomas Davis (W), Na'il Diggs (S), James Anderson, Landon Johnson (S), Anthony Heygood, Mike Juergens, Mortty Ivy, Nick Sundberg CB: Chris Gamble (PR), Richard Marshall, Sherrod Martin (FS/CB), Dante Wesley, Captain Munnerlyn, C.J. Wilson, D.J. Clark S: Chris Harris (SS), Charles Godfrey (FS), Nate Salley (FS), Quinton Teal Coaches: Head Coach: John Fox, Off Coord: Jeff Davidson, QB Coach: Rip Scherer, RB Coach: Jim Skipper, WR Coach: Richard Williamson, TE Coach: Geep Chryst, OL Coach: Dave Magazu, SpecTm Coach: Danny Crossman, Def Coord: Ron Meeks, DL Coach: Brian Baker, LB Coach: Richard Smith, DB Coach: Mike Gillhamer, DB Coach: Ron Milus

Chicago Bears

QB: The biggest story of the Bears offseason was obviously the huge trade for Jay Cutler. For a franchise that has had trouble developing its own QBs, Cutler has helped rejuvenate the fan base and should be a great fit. He has gotten off to a great start in camp, completing his first 12 passes on Sunday before finishing 18 of 23. On Monday, he led the team down the field against the first team defense in the 2-minute drill. The biggest question for the Bears offense entering camp is whether the receivers are good enough for Cutler to produce like an elite fantasy QB. So far, he has shown a good rapport with TE Greg Olsen and WR Earl Bennett, his collegiate teammate at Vanderbilt. The Bears plan to add in some bootlegs and other plays to take advantage of Cutler’s mobility. The backup job appears to be up for grabs as both Caleb Hanie and Brett Basanez are alternating snaps with the 2nd string offense. Hanie is the early favorite since he has more experience in the Bears system, but Basanez is a local kid who starred at Northwestern before spending the last few seasons developing with the Carolina Panthers. Neither player has any real NFL experience so the Bears will likely give them extensive playing time during the preseason.

RB: Matt Forte carried the Bears offense for much of 2008 and he’ll be relied on heavily again this year. Because of that, the Bears are going to try and limit his workload during training camp and in the preseason. Forte was kept out of some drills early on but was actually Cutler’s leading receiver with 3 catches on Monday. Kevin Jones will be the primary backup this year and he came into camp lighter this year, which has helped him regain some of the burst he had earlier in his career with the Detroit Lions. According to Offensive Coordinator Ron Turner, Jones figures to see an increased role this year so he might be a solid handcuff for Forte owners. Garrett Wolfe appears to have clearly overtaken versatile veteran Adrian Peterson in the battle for the #3 job. Wolfe is a small but effective change of pace back who is 5 years younger than Peterson. At fullback, the Bears relied much less on the position last year than they had in the past and there’s a chance that they will only keep one on the final roster. Jason McKie is the favorite, but he’s competing with Jason Davis for the job.

WR: This will be the focal point for the Bears throughout the preseason as there are a large group of young and unproven players fighting for playing time. Gone are veterans Brandon Lloyd and Marty Booker, and in their place are Deven Hester, Earl Bennett, Brandon Rideau, Rashied Davis and rookies Juaquin Iglesias, Johnny Knox and Derek Kinder. Bennett has been one of the early stars in camp and looks like he’ll begin the year as a starter after struggling through a 0-catch rookie season in 2008. He was Cutler’s teammate at Vanderbilt, where he set the all-time SEC receptions record and the two appear to be picking up right where they left off. The other starting spot will be held down by Devin Hester, who got off to a slow start in camp with several drops before turning things around. Getting open has rarely been a problem for Hester so having a QB who can throw the deep ball as accurately as Cutler should help open things up. The Bears also got the crowd excited on Sunday by giving Hester a direct

snap out of the Wildcat formation. Another surprise in camp has been the play of Brandon Rideau, who is currently third on the depth chart ahead of Rashied Davis and the rookie WRs. At 6’3”, Rideau brings some much needed size to the WR rotation. He led the NFL with 3 TD receptions last preseason but wound up spending most of the season on the practice squad. The Bears have high hopes for draft picks Juaquin Iglesias and Johnny Knox, but Rideau could hold them off with another strong preseason.

TE: Although it was inevitable, the Bears appear to finally be turning the starting TE job over to Greg Olsen. Desmond Clark has started 67 straight games, but Olsen has been taking reps with the first unit in practice. Cutler had great chemistry with Tony Scheffler in Denver and it looks like he will have a similar connection with Olsen in Chicago. The two have been making a lot of plays on the field and appear to be hanging out together a lot off the field as well. There is a good chance that Olsen will wind up as the team’s leading receiver if he can stay healthy. Desmond Clark has recorded 40+ receptions for the past 3 seasons and still expects to remain a big part of the offense given how frequently the Bears use 2-TE sets. Michael Gaines is a blocking specialist who was picked up in free agency and will likely have an edge over 2nd year pro Kellen Davis in the battle for the #3 job.

Defense: The Bears defense experienced its first setback when starting CB Charles Tillman underwent back surgery in mid-July that will likely keep him out for most of the preseason. The team is optimistic he’ll be ready to start in the season opener and his absence opens up opportunities for some of the young players in camp. One player who has been turning some heads early on is 2nd year pro Zack Bowman, who has been filling in for Tillman and making a lot of interceptions in practice. One of the few jobs that is up for grabs is the free safety position. Craig Steltz appeared to be the early favorite, but he’s unproven and was thought to be a better fit at strong safety when the Bears drafted him out of LSU last year. Competing with him will likely be Josh Bullocks, an experienced player who lost his starting spot in New Orleans, and Corey Graham, who may wind up staying at corner due to the Tillman injury. Nickel back Danieal Manning also remains in the mix. Up front, the Bears like what they’ve seen from rookie DT Jarron Gilbert thus far while Tommie Harris has seen his participation limited at times and NT Marcus Harrison has been kept out of practice after reporting to camp out of shape. At linebacker, Pisa Tinoisamoa, who was signed from the Rams, has brought a much needed physical presence to the defense and should provide a significant upgrade at the SLB position this year.

Special Teams: Although Robbie Gould is technically the only kicker in camp, his workload was lightened when the team recently signed punter Richmond McGee, who can also handle some kicking tasks. Although WR Devin Hester became mortal on returns last year and ended up being demoted from kickoff returns, he will continue to handle punt returns this year. The coaches know he still has explosive potential and they suggested that last year’s drop off may have had more to do with blocking issues than it did with Hester being busy on offense. Hester himself has expressed a strong

desire to continue returning punts, with the goal of eclipsing Brian Mitchell’s career return TD record. DB Danieal Manning took over on kickoff returns part way through last year, and will continue in that role this year despite being a starter on defense. HC Lovie Smith noted, "I think a player can be a full-time player and do one of the returns… Both players feel comfortable doing that. Both players want to do that. And in order for us to win, we need them to do that."

Bears Depth Chart QB: Jay Cutler, Caleb Hanie, Brett Basanez RB: Matt Forte, Kevin Jones, Garrett Wolfe, Adrian Peterson FB: Jason McKie, Jason Davis, Will Ta'ufo'ou WR: Devin Hester (PR), Earl Bennett, Rashied Davis, Brandon Rideau, Johnny Knox (KR/PR), Juaquin Iglesias, Derek Kinder, Eric Peterman TE: Greg Olsen, Desmond Clark, Michael Gaines, Kellen Davis K: Robbie Gould DT: Tommie Harris, Marcus Harrison (NT), Jarron Gilbert, Anthony Adams (NT), Dusty Dvoracek, Matt Toeaina DE: Adewale Ogunleye, Alex Brown, Mark Anderson, Israel Idonije (DT), Henry Melton, Ervin Baldwin MLB: Brian Urlacher OLB: Lance Briggs (W), Pisa Tinoisamoa (S), Nick Roach (S), Hunter Hillenmeyer (S/M), Jamar Williams (W), Marcus Freeman, Mike Rivera, Kevin Malast CB: Charles Tillman, Nathan Vasher, Danieal Manning (KR), Trumaine McBride, D.J. Moore, Marcus Hamilton S: Kevin Payne (SS), Craig Steltz (FS/SS), Corey Graham (FS/CB), Josh Bullocks (SS), Al Afalava (SS), Zackary Bowman (FS/CB), Dahna Deleston Coaches: Head Coach: Lovie Smith, Off Coord: Ron Turner, QB Coach: Pep Hamilton, RB Coach: Tim Spencer, WR Coach: Darryl Drake, TE Coach: Rob Boras, OL Coach: Harry Hiestand, SpecTm Coach: Dave Toub, Def Coord: Bobby Babich, DL Coach: Rod Marinelli, DB Coach: Jon Hoke, DB Coach: Gil Byrd

Cincinnati Bengals

QB: The 2009 season couldn’t come soon enough for Carson Palmer and the Bengals offense. Palmer is finally back on the field after missing 12 games with a partially torn elbow ligament last season, and is intent on returning the offense to form after its league-worst finish in 2008. By all accounts, Palmer’s recovery is complete. Both Palmer and his receivers felt his arm strength was back when OTAs ended in June. The good news doesn’t end there. Unlike last season, when both Chad Ochocinco and T.J. Houshmandzadeh were absent during the majority of the team’s offseason practices and much of camp with injuries and contact issues, Palmer has been working with all his likely targets frequently this offseason. Plenty of questions remain, including an offensive line that went through a massive overhaul this offseason. The Bengals will start three new linemen in 2009, with a fourth in a new position. With prospective RT and first round pick Andre Smith still unsigned after the opening weekend of

camp, the line has a long way to go to gel before Week 1. After Ryan Fitzpatrick’s brutal performance last year in relief of Palmer (eight TD passes against nine INTs over 12 games), keeping Palmer upright is critical to the team’s success this year. Though Fitzpatrick moved on to Buffalo, prospective backup J.T. O’Sullivan isn’t much more inspiring as Palmer’s backup.

RB: The Bengals have made it very clear this offseason that they want to run the ball more frequently and effective in order to take the pressure off Palmer and the passing game. After an impressive performance over the final ten games of 2008 (nearly 1,000 total yards and three 100-yard rushing games), the team re-signed former Chicago disappointment Cedric Benson to carry the load. Benson seems to have finally gotten serious about his craft and was drawing praise for running hard throughout OTAs and early in camp. The team would like to get him 20 carries a week. The renewed emphasis on the running game was further evidenced in a trade for Brian Leonard to provide depth behind Benson and potentially play fullback in a more traditional two-back alignment than the Bengals have used in recent seasons. The team also drafted bruising FB talent Fui Vakapuna. He was impressive enough during OTAs to be installed as the starting FB on the first depth of training camp. Kenny Watson, Bernard Scott and DeDe Dorsey will also compete for backup snaps and third down duties.

WR: The story of the offseason was again mercurial wide receiver Chad Ochocinco. According to Ochocinco, last season’s trade demands, contract squabbles, poor fitness, inconsistent play and general fussiness is behind him. He’s shown a renewed dedication to his preparation and has predicted a return to his former Pro Bowl form. The off-the-field show isn’t entirely behind him, however, as he seems equally dedicated to stirring up trouble on his Twitter account. Maybe more important to the success of the offense is the search for a replacement for the steady and productive T.J. Houshmandzadeh, who signed with Seattle in free agency. In response, the team signed veteran Laveranues Coles, who was impressive in OTAs and rapidly found chemistry with Palmer. Coles will be the WR2, but the team has also been pleasantly surprised with former troublemaker Chris Henry, who appears to have matured since his last suspension. He regularly drew praise from Palmer, who was impressed with his play throughout OTAs. Barring another off-field setback, Henry looks likely to get plenty of playing time as a downfield threat. Andre Caldwell has shown improvement, as well, this offseason and could take snaps as the team’s QB should the Bengals install the Wildcat as a change-of-pace formation. The news wasn’t all rosy, however, as last year’s other second round pick, Jerome Simpson, continues to struggle. It’s unlikely he’ll be cut, but the competition in this group could make it difficult for him to be active on gamedays.

TE: The Bengals planned to have veteran Reggie Kelly back in his usual blocking role, but a torn Achilles tendon has cost him the 2009 season. Kelly’s blocking will be hard to replace with anyone on the current roster, so don’t rule out a free agent signing as camp cuts get underway. The team will again try to get last season’s free agent signee Ben Utecht involved

as a pass-catching option, but he is already having issues with dropped passes early in camp. Third round pick Chase Coffman missed OTAs with a foot injury, but will push Utecht for snaps if things go according to plan. Matt Sherry re-signed with the team on Wednesday as Kelly went on IR.

Defense: The defense ended the season well, albeit against some lesser competition, and will get a significant infusion of talent this year. Last season’s first round pick, Keith Rivers, will reclaim his starting OLB spot after missing most of last season with a broken jaw. He’ll be joined by former USC teammate and 2009 second round pick Rey Maualuga, who is currently slated to compete at SLB with Rashad Jeanty. The team also hopes to add talented rookie Michael Johnson and free agent signee Tank Johnson to a defensive line rotation that should be healthier this season with Antwan Odom fully recovered from last season’s foot injury and Robert Geathers hopefully recovered from microfracture surgery. Veteran safety Roy Williams was also signed, and will be asked to provide a more physical presence in the secondary. The pass rush will continue to be a concern, but look for defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer to dial up the aggressiveness and try to create more turnovers this year. An improved offense will be crucial to the success of the defense.

Special Teams: Although he would have preferred a lucrative long-term contract, Shayne Graham will remain the Bengals kicker for at least this year as the franchise tag designee. He is the only kicker in camp. The returner positions however have yet to be decided for 2009. With Glenn Holt having moved on, WR Andre Caldwell is the early frontrunner for the lead kickoff returner role. But he has plenty of competition. Veteran RBs Kenny Watson and RB DeDeDorsey are possibilities. Three rookies should also get a close look on returns: sixth round draft pick RB Bernard Scott, undrafted WR Quan Cosby, and undrafted safety Tom Nelson. All three will also work on punt returns, hoping to unseat the incumbent, WR Antonio Chatman.

Bengals Depth Chart QB: Carson Palmer, J.T. O'Sullivan, Jordan Palmer RB: Cedric Benson, Kenny Watson, Brian Leonard (3RB/FB), Bernard Scott (3RB), DeDe Dorsey, Marlon Lucky, James Johnson FB: Fui Vakapuna, Jeremi Johnson, J.D. Runnels, Chris Pressley WR: Chad Ochocinco, Laveranues Coles, Chris Henry, Jerome Simpson, Andre Caldwell, Antonio Chatman, Quan Cosby, Maurice Purify, David Richmond TE: Ben Utecht, Chase Coffman, Daniel Coats (HB), Darius Hill, Matt sherry, Reggie Kelly (IR) K: Shayne Graham DT: Domata Peko, Pat Sims, Tank Johnson, Jason Shirley, Clinton McDonald, Pernell Phillips DE: Antwan Odom, Robert Geathers, Frostee Rucker, Michael Johnson, Jonathan Fanene, Chris Harrington, Dan Skuta MLB: Dhani Jones (M/W), Abdul Hodge, Jim Maxwell OLB: Keith Rivers (W), Ray Maualuga (M/S), Rashad Jeanty (S), Daryl Blackstock (S/DE), Brandon Johnson (RFA) CB: Leon Hall, David Jones (inj), Johnathan Joseph, Geoffrey

Pope, Morgan Trent, Jamar Fletcher, Rico Murray S: Chris Crocker (FS), Roy Williams (SS), Chinedum Ndukwe (SS), Marvin White, Corey Lynch, Kyries Hebert, Tom Nelson Coaches: Head Coach: Marvin Lewis, Off Coord: Bob Bratkowski, QB Coach: Ken Zampese, RB Coach: Jim Anderson, WR Coach: Mike Sheppard, TE Coach: Jonathan Hayes, OL Coach: Paul Alexander, SpecTm Coach: Darrin Simmons, DL Coach: Jay Hayes, LB Coach: Jeff FitzGerald, DB Coach: Kevin Coyle

Cleveland Browns

QB: Another year and another training camp begins with an unsettled QB situation in Cleveland. Last season, the Browns split snaps between Brady Quinn and Derek Anderson before finally awarding the job to Anderson. Neither Anderson nor Quinn, who started three games last year, were effective, and Eric Mangini and the rest of the new coaching staff have opened the competition up again. Mangini has said that both QBs are on equal footing to start camp, with the reps balanced “in every angle you can look at.” Expect both QBs to get significant reps in the first two preseason games, but look for Mangini to make a decision soon after that. The new head coach has made it clear he does not intend to rotate the quarterbacks this season, nor does he intend to trade or release whoever loses the camp battle. The ‘loser’ will serve as the team’s QB2.

RB: The running game, stylistically, will look very much the same this season. There have been suggestions that Mangini may move to more of a power run blocking style than the zone blocking schemes used in past seasons, but it will still be veteran Jamal Lewis as the primary ballcarrier to open the season. The offensive line returns mostly intact and adds talented first round center Alex Mack. There will be some competition for snaps in camp, but this unit should be solid if healthy. Lewis looks healthy after offseason ankle surgery and should see the bulk of the early down snaps. Behind him will be veteran Jerome Harrison, who should play on passing downs and spell Lewis now and then for a series or two, and rookie James Davis. Davis has been impressive in OTAs and camp, and could surprise a lot of people if Lewis falters. At fullback, Lawrence Vickers is looking to rebound from an inconsistent 2008 marred by nagging injuries. A healthy and productive Vickers will help the Browns tailbacks immensely.

WR: Early in camp last season, Braylon Edwards suffered a fluke non-football injury when Donte Stallworth spiked him after practice and caused a heel laceration that kept Edwards out of most of the preseason. This season, Edwards is again dealing with a non-football injury. Edwards and the team will not confirm the specifics of the injury, but it’s believed to be a lower leg injury suffered during a pickup basketball game. The injury kept Edwards from participating in the team’s OTAs. Edwards has said that the injury is minor and that he’d play if there was a regular season game, but he was reportedly still limping as camp opened, failed his physical and was

placed on the non-football injury list. After a season fraught with inconsistency and dropped passes, the team would like to see a healthy and productive Edwards in short order. On the bright side, Edwards was seen running and cutting at top speed during a session with a trainer. Although he wasn’t practicing with the team, he appeared to have plenty of juice in his workouts. Edwards wasn’t the only wide receiver that suffered through a tough offseason. Donte Stallworth was involved in a tragic car accident in which he hit and killed a pedestrian while impaired. He’s been suspended indefinitely by the league and is extremely unlikely to be reinstated this season. Battling for playing time alongside Edwards will be 2nd round rookies Brian Robiskie and Mohamed Massaquoi in combination with veterans Mike Furrey, David Patten, Joshua Cribbs and Syndric Steptoe. Receiver/returner extraordinaire Josh Cribbs reported to camp, but has said that he’ll not play in a regular season game until his contract concerns have been addressed. Robiskie was arguably the most impressive of the group during OTAs and may have a leg up to start the season as the team’s WR2.

TE: With Kellen Winslow, last season’s starter, now in Tampa Bay, the Browns will look to replace his production with a committee of veterans and a promising second-year player. Free agent signee Robert Royal, formerly of the Buffalo Bills, may see the bulk of the playing time. Steve Heiden is coming off ACL surgery and may also figure into the mix. It also wouldn’t be surprising to see Martin Rucker, last season’s fourth round draft pick, garner more snaps as the season progresses, particularly in receiving situations.

Defense: The Cleveland defense was well below average last year, finishing 26th overall in yards per game and 28th in rush yards allowed. Romeo Crennel and Mel Tucker are gone, but the team will still use a 3-4 front under the tutelage of HC Mangini and new coordinator Rob Ryan. Expect the defense to be more aggressive this season if Ryan gets his way, and possibly work out of multiple fronts. The pass rush is still a major concern, with no primary rushing threat. The rush defense may not be much better, with Andra Davis and Sean Jones replaced by Eric Barton and Abram Elam, two players Mangini knows well from his days in New York. If the offense doesn’t improve, the defense may again have trouble getting off the field.

Special Teams: The Browns’ camp is more about off-the-field contract issues than it is about on-the-field performance. Speculation is that kicker Phil Dawson is looking for more money, although he is not commenting on the subject, complying with the team gag order. He has shown up for camp and mandatory minicamps, after skipping voluntary OTAs. The team also recently released kicker Parker Douglass, whom they signed in the spring. Return specialist Josh Cribbs has not hesitated to state that he wants more money. But like Dawson, he also showed up for camp. Nonetheless, the possibility of a regular season holdout still looms for either or both players, with Cribbs appearing to be the more likely one. Should they go that route, the Browns would turn to the free agent market for a kicker and probably to WR Syndric Steptoe on returns. On the practice field, CB Gerard Lawson has looked good on returns early in camp.

Browns Depth Chart QB: Brady Quinn, Derek Anderson, Brett Ratliff, Richard Bartel RB: Jamal Lewis, Jerome Harrison (3RB), James Davis, Noah Herron FB: Lawrence Vickers, Charles Ali WR: Braylon Edwards (inj), Brian Robiskie, Josh Cribbs (WR/KR/PR/QB), Mohamed Massoquoi, Mike Furrey, David Patten, Paul Hubbard, Syndric Steptoe, Jordan Norwood, Lance Leggett, Brent Casteel, Donte Stallworth (susp) TE: Steve Heiden (inj), Robert Royal, Martin Rucker, Brad Cieslak, John Madsen, Mike Massey K: Phil Dawson NT: Shaun Rogers, Shaun Smith, C.J. Mosley, Louis Leonard, Ahtyba Rubin DE: Corey Williams, Kenyon Coleman, Robaire Smith, Santonio Thomas, Melila Purcell, Adam Hoppel ILB: D'Qwell Jackson, Eric Barton, Leon Williams, David Veikune, Beau Bell, Kaluka Maiava, Phillip Hunt OLB: Kamerion Wimbley (S/DE), David Bowens, Alex Hall, Antwan Peek, Shantee Orr, Titus Brown, Bo Ruud, Blake Costanzo, Marcus Benard, Jonathan Foster CB: Eric Wright, Brandon McDonald, Rod Hood, Corey Ivy, Don Carey, Coye Francies, Daven Holly, Hank Poteat, Corey Boudreaux, Nate Ness, Antonio Smith S: Brodney Pool (FS), Mike Adams (SS), Abram Elam (SS/FS), Nick Sorensen (SS), Hamza Abdullah, Gerard Lawson, Bret Lockett Coaches: Head Coach: Eric Mangini, Off Coord: Brian Daboll, QB Coach: Carl Smith, RB Coach: Gary Brown, TE Coach: Steve Hagen, OL Coach: George Warhop, SpecTm Coach: Brad Seely, Def Coord: Rob Ryan, DL Coach: Bryan Cox, LB Coach: Matt Eberflus, DB Coach: Jerome Henderson

Dallas Cowboys

QB: Now that Tony Romo has broken up with Jessica Simpson, we can hopefully get back to focusing on what he does in the huddle. The 2009 season marks an important year in Romo’s legacy, as he’ll not only try to fight off the view that he struggles in big games, but will have to do so without Terrell Owens in the lineup. Romo is clearly looking forward to focusing exclusively on the gridiron. "I wish we practiced year-round," he said. "Practice is a lot of fun. It's enjoyable. You get to compete. We're out here twice a day. I talked to Aikman this summer and we were talking about that some of the funnest times you have is on the practice field, getting better and enjoying the competition of it each day." The difference between Brad Johnson and Jon Kitna was evident in the first week of practice. On Sunday, Kitna threw a 65-yard rope downfield to WR Kevin Ogletree and then hit Miles Austin with a 40-yard strike a few snaps later. It’s clear that if Tony Romo gets hurt again, the Cowboys won’t have to resort to a stripped down dink and dunk attack as they did last season. Rookie Stephen McGee has looked sharp in the early going, showing a lot of zip on his passes. Considered more of an athlete in college than a passer, coaches have been pleasantly surprised by his footwork and throwing motion.

RB: Get ready for Smash, Dash and Tash. Marion Barber (aka Smash), Felix Jones (aka Dash) and Tashard Choice (aka Tash) are being marketed as a trio who, combined, should vault the Cowboys running attack into the top 10 after a disappointing 20th place finish in 2008. While their combined effectiveness is exciting for Cowboys fans, the idea of a true 3-back committee is the stuff of nightmares for fantasy owners. RB coach Skip Peete isn’t ruling out have a ‘starter’ but downplays the importance of the title. "It’s based on packages and plays. I think it’s more about series," Peete said. "It could be the start of the game and we say we want to do this, and if Felix or Marion don’t fit that, they might not be in there. Now, to have a true starter, we more than likely will have a true starter, but I will probably say they will all play…Hopefully, they will all play equal, so they will all be fresh."

WR: Last year Roy Williams struggled as a Cowboys (19 catches in 10 games) but this season, with Terrell Owens gone, he has no choice but to be the Cowboys top target. So far, so good as Williams is in good shape and seems happy and focused. Sam Hurd probably isn’t in line to displace Patrick Crayton as a starter, but he’s played well enough to push Miles Austin for the #3 spot. Crayton hasn’t stood out particularly (good or bad) through the first few days of camp. The key, of course, is whether he and Tony Romo can build up chemistry. It’s too early to say for sure, but Williams is happy with the progress. “I don't think we can go out and play a game right now, but I think that in two weeks, three weeks, we'll be ready to go,” said Williams. Backup Isaiah Stanback has been hampered by a strained hamstring so far. Mike Jefferson has opened some eyes by catching everything thrown his way, but he remains a long shot to break camp with the 53-man roster.

TE: Few teams use dual tight ends with regularity in the passing game, but the strong play of Martellus Bennett hints that Dallas might be an exception. Bennett was an impressive red zone weapon in limited action last year, but has been the talk of early practices at camp. He’s strong, shedding defenders at will, and catching everything thrown his way. Expect Bennett to see a ton of targets as the Cowboys use their “Twelve Personnel” formation. Bennett and Witten give the Cowboys flexibility because they can also block for the running game and neither is solely a decoy as is the case in many 2-TE sets.

Defense: CBs Orlando Scandrick and Mike Jenkins are battling to a standstill for the starting RCB position. LB Bobby Carpenter hasn’t lived up to expectations to date, but early training camp signs point to a possible turnaround. In 11-on-11 drills this weekend, Carpenter had the unenviable task of covering TE Jason Witten and not only held his own, but kept the ball out of the All Pros hands repeatedly. While Carpenter is making plays, new starting ILB Keith Brooking isn’t ready to concede the 3rd down snaps to the youngster, either. 20-sack monster DeMarcus Ware remains the focal point of the defense, which Anthony Spencer hopes he can use to his advantage. "Teams are going to be focused on Ware no matter what I do," Spencer said. "It's just how I respond to it and the way I play. That's going to affect teams if I'm making plays

off the edge and making sacks. It's going to make teams have to respect both of us."

Special Teams: Nick Folk kicked last week for the first time since his hip surgery in May. He commented, "Everything's fine. It's getting there. It's a little sore, but that's to be expected. We've just got to push through it and take some breaks. But it's feeling better than it did all of last year." Aside from regularly putting kickoffs into the endzone, rookie David Buehler has been practicing various special teams’ tasks, such as onside kicks, holding, and punt coverage. Five players have typically been fielding punts in practice each day: WR Patrick Crayton and CB Terence Newman both of whom have returned punts in recent years, RB Felix Jones who returned kickoffs until getting injured last year, WR Willie Reid who failed to secure the return specialist role in Pittsburgh, and fifth round draft pick FS DeAngelo Smith.

Cowboys Depth Chart QB: Tony Romo, Jon Kitna, Stephen McGee, Rudy Carpenter RB: Marion Barber III, Felix Jones (KR), Tashard Choice, Alonzo Coleman, Keon Lattimore FB: Deon Anderson, Julius Crosslin, Asaph Schwapp, Jamar Hunt WR: Roy Williams, Patrick Crayton, SMiles Austin, Sam Hurd, Kevin Ogletree, Isaiah Stanback (KR), Manuel Johnson, Willie Reid, Julian Hawkins TE: Jason Witten, Martellus Bennett, John Phillips, Scott Chandler, Rodney Hannah K: Nick Folk, David Buehler NT: Jay Ratliff DE: Marcus Spears, Igor Olshansky, Jason Hatcher, Stephen Bowen, Jonas Seawright ILB: Keith Brooking, Bradie James OLB: DeMarcus Ware (W), Anthony Spencer (S), Bobby Carpenter (S/I), Jason Williams, Victor Butler, Brandon Williams, Matt Stewart, Justin Rogers CB: Terance Newman, Mike Jenkins, Orlando Scandrick (FS/CB), Alan Ball (FS/CB), DeAngelo Smith (FS/CB), Mike Mickens S: Ken Hamlin (FS), Gerald Sensabaugh (SS), Pat Watkins (SS) , Michael Hamlin (FS), Courtney Brown (FS), Stephen Hodge (SS) Coaches: Head Coach: Wade Philips, Off Coord: Jason Garrett, QB Coach: Wade Wilson, RB Coach: Skip Peete, WR Coach: Ray Sherman, TE Coach: John Garrett, OL Coach: Hudson Houck, SpecTm Coach: Joe DeCamillis, Def Coord: Mike Zimmer, DL Coach: Todd Grantham, LB Coach: Reggie Herring, DB Coach: Dave Campo

Denver Broncos

QB: The Kyle Orton Era officially got underway on Friday as the team had its first full practice. Orton enters camp as the starter, but Coach Josh McDaniels made it clear there are no guarantees. Orton has done a nice job since coming to Denver

though. He has impressed teammates with his arm as well as his detailed notes taken over the past four months. "He's always writing in his notebook. He's got books in there, at least it looks like it to me," said backup Chris Simms. "He's very meticulous with his notes. He's a smart guy, there's no doubt about that." Orton stayed in Denver most of the summer to spend extra time at Dove Valley with Simms and the coaches and teammates that hung around. "That's where you learn the most about guys and where you build the relationships that carry over to the practice field," veteran WR Brandon Stokley said. "When a lot of guys are back home, we're out running routes, out working out together. That's where you build that camaraderie with your quarterback and get on the same page so that when you start training camp, you're not starting from square one." Stokley has been impressed by Orton, too. "He surprised me the first time I saw him throw the ball. He really throws a really good ball," Stokley said. “A nice spiral. Receivers don't like the ball too hard or too soft, just a nice speed, that's a good, catchable ball." McDaniels is more cautious with his assessment, but happy with Orton’s progress. "The command of the offense and the understanding of what we are doing is great," McDaniels said of Orton and Simms. "I don't mean that they are all the way where we want them to be ultimately, but I think when they get in the huddle they know exactly what I am asking them to do." Tom Brandstater has “looked” like an NFL quarterback, meaning he has great size and he throws a nice ball, with a good release.

RB: Even though first round pick Knowshon Moreno wasn’t present through the weekend while his contract gets done, his teammates were busy making highlights of their own. LaMont Jordan looked good while working with the first team while alternating reps with Correll Buckhalter. Ryan Torain was the most impressive runner in the opening days. Torain showed some quickness and the moves that made him the talk of camp last year. On one play he jocked David Bruton during 11-in-11 drills. He came out firing on all cylinders. Torain and Peyton Hillis were recovering from late-season ending injuries, but both appear to be 100% or close. Hillis spent time in the backfield, split wide and at H-back. More importantly, Hillis showed a nice burst and he knocked the snot out of Tim Crowder on Saturday. Josh McDaniels seems to be high on Hillis, too, "[He is] versatile and creates some matchup problems for defenses." As far as his role in the offense, McDaniels said, "He will play as much as he deserves to play. He can play as a fullback in a two-back offense. Obviously, he can catch the ball very well out of the backfield. He is getting plenty of opportunity right now to run in our one-back sets, which he will continue to get that opportunity. He has done some really positive things, but like everybody, there are definitely some things that he needs to fix and improve upon. Peyton is a very valuable player, I think. (He is) versatile and creates some matchup problems for defenses if we can use him right." McDaniels talked about Torain after Friday’s practice, "Ryan made some good runs today and he is a physical guy, big guy. (He is) the kind of back that we are looking for. All of our backs are 215 (pounds) or more, so that is the style that we have and we want. He fits in well with the group that we have, and it will be exciting to see him progress. This is really the start, for Ryan, of this year because he wasn’t there all spring. (We are) looking forward to seeing

what he can do." Back to Jordan, don’t sleep on him. With Moreno out, Jordan reported to camp at 228 pounds, the lightest weight of his career and he even said, “The injuries I’ve had in the past were a complete lack of preparation for the season.” At least he’s honest saying that was probably the reason he didn’t become a star, but at least this offseason he came committed and in shape. Buckhalter has been catching many passes out of the slot and split out wide. McDaniels’ offense favors throws to the running backs, and we know Orton is friendly with checkdowns, so there would appear to be an opportunity for Buckhalter, Moreno and Hillis to catch quite a few balls this year.

WR: Brandon Marshall limped off the practice field on Sunday with a hamstring injury. He appeared to be favoring his surgically repaired hip, but McDaniels insisted it wasn’t a setback. Marshall’s surgeon, Dr. Marc Philippon, said it would take 6-12 months to fully recover from the operation, so Marshall is at least ahead of that schedule. Jabar Gaffney took his place with the first team opposite Eddie Royal. At least Marshall kept his word. He reported to camp on time, but sat out of the second of practice because the aforementioned soreness. On Friday, Marshall was on fire. McDaniels had the following to say of Marshall’s performance. "He definitely showed up, made some good plays. He is an explosive guy, and it is a good sign to see him out there running. We’ll see how his body reacts to it… It was great to have him out there, (he) definitely fit in and made some big plays and we will look forward to more of that as we go." Marshall may not be happy with his contract, or the team, but he stood out in more ways than one. He was dancing, singing and jumping during wam ups and then during practice he made play after play. He was the show.

TE: No practice notes to report here. Daniel Graham and Tony Scheffler return with Graham as the technical starter and Scheffler the downfield receiver of the two. Richard Quinn was drafted for his blocking ability. He should make the team as the third tight end.

Defense: Champ Bailey began camp on the PUP list, but returned to practice on Saturday. OLB/DE Jarvis Moss left camp and was reportedly considering retirement. DT Marcus Thomas told reporters on Sunday that Moss would be rejoining the team on Monday. “I talked to him this morning. He’s looking up now, so he’s going to be back,” said Thomas, Moss’ closest friend on the team. The two have been teammates since college at the University of Florida and both were drafted by the Broncos in 2007. Rookie corner Alphonso Smith has been impressive throughout the first few days of practice. He displayed great instincts, speed and established himself as potential impact special team player. He blocked a FG attempt and showed off his skills as a returner. S Brian Dawkins made his impact felt early with his on-field coaching of David Bruton and Darcel McBath. Both rookies have shown good instincts. The defensive line is full of questions as the Broncos transition to the 3-4 this year. Jarvis Moss and Elvis Dumervil lined up at outside linebacker, though Elvis Dumervil and Darrell Reid were getting all of the work with the first team. Tim Crowder saw action at OLB and DE with mixed results. On a play as an end, offensive linemen ate him

alive, but on another from the LB position he burst through the line for what would have been a tackle in the backfield. The team came to terms with first round pick Robert Ayers on Monday, signing him to a 5-year deal. The Broncos want to get Ayers caught up quickly as he’s expected to take his place with the starters at outside linebacker. On the defensive line, Kenny Peterson and Ryan McBean were the ends and Ronnie Fields was the nose tackle with the first team. Rookie Darcel McBath was in the starting lineup with Renaldo Hill sidelined. Jack Williams practiced in Bailey’s place at corner; Alphonso Smith is still behind him on the depth chart.

Special Teams: For the second straight year, Matt Prater is the only kicker in camp. He’s working to avoid the second half of the season slump that he experienced last year. He noted, “I got fatigued and it got hard to kick with the weather changing. I started struggling and missed some kicks toward the end of the season…. And I started over-thinking. I’d get lined up, and I’d think about too many things instead of just going out and kicking. That happens to a lot of kickers — they overanalyze, and that’s what I think I did.” New head coach Josh McDaniels indicated previously that WR Eddie Royal will continue to serve as the primary punt returner, although second round draft pick CB Alphonso Smith has shown strong potential in the initial practices of camp. Rookie WR Kenny McKinley and WR Mathew Willis have also been practicing on returns.

Broncos Depth Chart QB: Kyle Orton, Chris Simms, Tom Brandstater RB: Knowshon Moreno, Correll Buckhalter (3RB), Lamont Jordan (SD), Ryan Torain, Darius Walker FB: Peyton Hillis WR: Brandon Marshall, Eddie Royal (PR), Brandon Stokley, Jabar Gaffney, Brandon Lloyd, Kenny McKinley, Chad Jackson, Matt Willis, C.J. Jones, Nate swift, Travis Shelton, Lucas Taylor (IR) TE: Daniel Graham, Tony Scheffler, Richard Quinn, Jeb Putzier, Marquez Branson K: Matt Prater NT: Ronald Fields, Marcus Thomas, J’Vonne Parker, Nic Clemons, Carlton Powell DE: Kenny Peterson, Ryan McBean, Matthias Askew, Rulon Davis, Everette Pedescleaux ILB: D.J. Williams (W), Andra Davis, Wesley Woodyard, Mario Haggan, Spencer Larsen (FB/M), Nick Greisen (IR) OLB: Darrell Reid (DE/LB), Robert Ayers (DE/LB), Elvis Dumervil (DE/LB), Tim Crowder, Jarvis Moss, Lee Robinson CB: Champ Bailey, Andre' Goodman, Jack Williams, Alphonso Smith, Josh Bell, Dominique Johnson, Tony Carter, Rashad Moulton S: Brian Dawkins (FS), Renaldo Hill (SS/FS), Vernon Fox (FS), Darcel McBath (FS), David Bruton (FS), Josh Barrett Coaches: Head Coach: Josh McDaniels, Off Coord: Mike McCoy, RB Coach: Bobby Turner, WR Coach: Adam Gase, TE Coach: Clancy Barone, OL Coach: Rick Dennison, SpecTm Coach: Mike Priefer, Def Coord: Mike Nolan, DL Coach: Wayne Nunnely, LB Coach: Don Martindale, DB Coach: Ed Donatell

Detroit Lions

QB: The Lions opened training camp on Friday and all eyes were on the QB battle between veteran Daunte Culpepper and 1st overall pick Matthew Stafford. Stafford arrives with great fanfare after signing a huge contract that includes a $41 million signing bonus. Both QBs are embracing the competition. "(Stafford's) a guy that wants to be good and wants to work hard, and that's how I am," said Culpepper, who threw four touchdown passes and six interceptions in five games for the Lions last season. "We kind of get along like that. Ultimately, we're teammates, and we push each other." When Stafford was asked if the pressure to play is lessened because of the presence of an experienced guy like Culpepper, he said, "It wouldn't really matter who was here," Stafford said. "I'm gonna come in with the same mindset, that I want to play as early as I possibly can.” While Culpepper and Stafford are fighting for the starting job, Drew Stanton is trying to cement his status as the No. 3 quarterback. General Manager Mayhew also allowed for the possibility the Lions could add another quarterback.

RB: Kevin Smith enters camp firmly entrenched as the starter. Smith, a second year player out of Central Florida, had a solid rookie season, rushing for 976 yards and averaging 4.2 yards per carry. Smith said he and the other running backs are working hard to learn Offensive Coordinator Scott Linehan's system. "Linehan's got a mean playbook," Smith said. "So we're going to go out there and execute. We do a lot of different things than we did last year so it's going to be exciting. We've got a good line, they're meshing good, so we're going to do well. We're going to do some good things. We've just got to keep on working." Veteran Maurice Morris was signed as a free agent to be the primary backup. Morris rushed for 574 yards in 2008 with Seattle. Rookie Aaron Brown and veteran Aveion Cason will battle for the third RB spot; special teams could play a role in determining the winner.

WR: Calvin Johnson enters his third year looking to improve on a tremendous 2008 season. It's not going to be easy to top what he did last season, though. He had 78 catches for 1,331 yards and scored 12 touchdowns. Lions head coach Jim Schwartz says a more balanced offense will help the Detroit quarterbacks get the ball downfield to Johnson. "He's a dynamic player who can change the course of the game just with one big-time play," Schwartz said. "Wherever I go in town, people say, 'Coach, you've got to get the ball to Calvin deep.' Yeah, I'd love to do that, but to do that you're going to see good play-actions, and you're going to see us run the ball because that's the only way we're going free him up. I know that as a defense coordinator." Bryant Johnson, who is expected to be the other starting WR, was placed on the Active/Non-Football Injury list with injuries suffered in a golf cart accident. The Lions acquired veteran Dennis Northcutt just before camp and he is projected to be the slot receiver and also could return punts. It looks like the Lions have written off rookie Derrick Williams as far as contending for the No. 3 WR role, and will instead have him focus on boosting the special teams return units while he gets more comfortable running routes and fitting within the offense. John Standeford,

Eric Fowler, Adam Jennings, and D.J. Boldin (Anquan’s brother) are contending for roster spots.

TE: Rookie Brandon Pettigrew, who is expected to win the starting job, is day-to-day with a minor thigh injury. Blocking specialist Will Heller, Casey Fitzsimmons, and rookie Dan Gronkowski are battling for roster spots.

Defense: Veteran Jared DeVries is currently penciled in as the starter at left defensive end. Dewayne White and Cliff Avril will battle for the other DE spot. LB Julian Peterson believes Avril can be a top pass-rusher. "I'm just letting him know he has the talent to be one of the better pass rushers in the league," Peterson said. "He has a good frame -- not the biggest guy, but strong enough to hold his weight and fast enough to be like a linebacker, too.” Veteran DT Grady Jackson began training camp on the non-football injury list. The Lions are hoping Jackson and Chuck Darby can each give them 15-20 snaps per game. Rookie Sammie Lee Hill, a 6-foot-4, 330-pounder, is trying to make the leap from small school Stillman College to the NFL. DT Landon Cohen recently bench-pressed 225 pounds 50 times. Andre Fluellen and Ikaika Alama-Francis are battling for spots in the DL rotation. Ernie Sims is the only returning starting LB. Five-time Pro Bowl selection Julian Peterson and veteran Larry Foote are expected to join Sims in the starting lineup. Rookie DeAndre Levy and second-year Jordon Dizon are likely to be two of the backups at LB. Cody Spencer, rookie Zack Follett, Darnell Bing, and Curtis Gatewood are contending for roster spots at the position. Free agent Phillip Buchanon and Anthony Henry are currently projected to start at CB. Eric King and Keith Smith are expected to be the primary backups. Rookie Louis Delmas was the star of offseason activities and is penciled in as the starter at free safety. Daniel Bullocks, who started last year, Marquand Manuel, Kalvin Pearson, and Stuart Schweigert are the leading contenders to start at the other safety spot. Henry may wind up starting at safety should the Lions find a viable starter at CB to replace him

Special Teams: Kicker and elder statesman Jason Hanson recently commented, "It seems like we always have hope this time of year, but things are really different. The turnover has brought in a new coach, new front office and a lot of new players. All of that makes it easier to have hope." The Lions are one of the few teams to have a camp leg on the roster… rookie Swayze Waters from UAB. The primary camp question is whether third round draft pick WR Derrick Williams can become the Lions’ first true return specialist since Eddie Drummond. He doesn’t face a lot of competition. WR Adam Jennings failed to retain that role with the Falcons. RB Aveion Cason handled kickoff returns the last few years by default. His strongest competitors could be sixth round draft pick RB Aaron Brown, whose speed has been evident in initial practices, and Antone Davis, who made an impression in OTAs.

Lions Depth Chart QB: Daunte Culpepper, Matthew Stafford, Drew Stanton, Justin Goltz RB: Kevin Smith (3RB), Maurice Morris, Aaron Brown (3RB/KR), Aveion Cason (KR), Antone Smith, Allen Ervin

FB: Jerome Felton, Terrelle Smith WR: Calvin Johnson, Bryant Johnson, Dennis Northcutt (PR), Derrick Williams (PR), Keary Colbert, John Standeford, Adam Jennings, Chris Hannon, D.J. Boldin, Eric Fowler TE: Brandon Pettigrew, Casey Fitzsimmons (inj), Will Heller, Dan Gronkowski, Jake Nordin K: Jason Hanson DT: Grady Jackson (NT), Chuck Darby, Sammie Lee Hill, Andre Fluellen, Orien Harris, Landon Cohen, John Gill DE: Cliff Avril, Jared DeVries, Dewayne White, Ikaika Alama-Francis, Sean Conover, Jason Hunter, Ryan Kees MLB: Larry Foote, Deandre Levy (M/S), Cody Spencer OLB: Julian Peterson (S), Ernie Sims (W), Jordon Dizon (S), Zack Follett (M/W/S), Darnell Bing, Curtis Gatewood, Chris Graham CB: Philip Buchanon, Anthony Henry, Eric King, Keith Smith, William James, Ramzee Robinson, Dexter Wynn, Chris Roberson S: Louis Delmas (FS), Daniel Bullocks (SS), Kalvin Pearson (FS/SS), Marquand Manuel (SS), Stuart Schweigert, LaMarcus Hicks, Otis Wiley, Dowayne Davis Coaches: Head Coach: Jim Schwartz, Off Coord: Scott Linehan, QB Coach: Jeff Horton, RB Coach: Sam Gash, WR Coach: Shawn Jefferson, TE Coach: Tim Lappano, OL Coach: George Yarno, SpecTm Coach: Stan Kwan, Def Coord: Gunther Cunningham, DL Coach: Bob Karmelowicz, LB Coach: Matt Burke, DB Coach: Tim Walton

Green Bay Packers

QB: Aaron Rodgers enters his second training camp with much less media attention than last year’s Brett Favre debacle. In the opening days of camp Rodgers looked solid according to Head Coach Mike McCarthy. “I thought he was put in some tough spots… the protection part of it wasn't as clean. There's times we were in sync and there's times when we weren't. I think it was pretty much a normal first day of training camp.” On Saturday, Rodgers completed 13-of-17 in competitive team drills while Matt Flynn was 3-of-4 and Brian Brohm went 3-of-6. Rodgers was picked twice; Brohm once. The competition between Brohm and Flynn continues in their second season after Flynn won the backup job last year in camp. Offensive coordinator Joe Philbin said there’s no pecking order right now. "I don’t know,” Philbin said when asked if either one is leading the other. “They're battling it out. You can see a world of difference in terms of their familiarity with the system." On Flynn, Philbin said, “His arm is getting better.” Aside from being more introverted (note to self: How can a QB be shy?), Philbin offered the following update on Brohm, "He's hungry," Philbin said. "He has practiced hard and well. He has had a good offseason." Brohm then put to bed any talk of adding a veteran such as Brian Griese. On Sunday morning, Flynn made a pretty throw to JaRon Harris over the middle splitting defenders during the team practice. Later, James Jones dropped a Flynn pass and, keeping pace, Jordy Nelson dropped a pass from Brohm. McCarthy informed reporters that players would receive a $1,701 fine if their cell

phones went off. When asked about Twitter, McCarthy replied that Twitter is considered part of the cell phone.

RB: Ryan Grant doesn’t need to worry about any contract issues or lack of focus in camp this year. Having carried the ball 500 times in the past two years, Grant has established himself as just the type of big, physical back the team needs when the weather gets cold. One NFC North scout described Grant as a "straight-line, downhill, collision runner." He sometimes runs into people, his speed and balance are nominal, he doesn’t make many tacklers miss and he’s not a fluid reciever, but he’s a solid blocker and a workhorse who runs downhill. The #2 back heading into camp is Brandon Jackson, who frequently takes the field on third downs supplanting Grant. "He's not big but he does have power and balance," said Philbin on Jackson. "He also has quick feet." The Packers like their depth and believe that DeShawn Wynn might even have more talent than Grant. Wynn can make people miss and is a capable receiver with soft hands. He simply needs to stay healthy. RBs coach Edgar Bennett is impressed by DeShawn Wynn's newfound commitment and maturity saying, "His preparation, the way he made adjustments as far as from a physical standpoint, his maintenance on his body, changing his eating habits, I think he did a fantastic job of that and I think it’s paying dividends, based off of his performance." Rob Reischel, of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, thinks Wynn’s stock may be at an all-time high within the organization. "I think of him maybe as the most instinctive and possibly the most elusive," Philbin said. "He's one of those guys, if you were playing a pickup game in the backyard, you'd want him on your team. He has picked up his game a little bit in terms of accountability and understanding the scheme." Kregg Lumpkin is another back who shouldn’t be overlooked. He’s a power back, built similarly to Grant, but with better feet. Like Wynn, Lumpkin has struggled to stay on the field. Mike McCarthy warned not to count out Lumpkin from the picture. "I think everybody will be excited once the preseason games start to see him healthy and ready to go.” Recall that Lumpkin passed Wynn and was pushing Jackson last season before a hamstring injury. He enters camp fourth on the charts. Quinn Johnson was drafted in the fifth round to push Korey Hall and John Kuhn at fullback. He may be the team’s best lead blocker, while Hall is a better receiver and special-teams player. Kuhn is probably the better short-yardage runner of the three. Undrafted rookie Tyrell Sutton will attempt to make the roster.

WR: On Saturday, James Jones made the play of the day when he got behind Al Harris and Nick Collins and hauled in a long pass from Rodgers during 11-on-11s. Jordy Nelson was reportedly more impressive than Jones during OTAs, but the two have both played well during the offseason and they’ll compete for the team’s No. 3 role. Nelson is viewed as more of a possession receiver and Jones more of a playmaker, so don’t be surprised if the two split this role during the season depending on what the situation calls for. Also on Saturday, Donald Driver made a nice catch on a throw from Rodgers between three defenders over the middle. Greg Jennings dropped what appeared to be sure TD early Sunday after he made a great move on Tramon Williams and Rodgers’ pass skipped off his hands. "I should have taken all my pads off

and went one-by-one and apologized to every fan who had to watch that," Jennings said with a smile. "Greg was very disappointing. He had a horrible day today. I promise Greg will be better." The third person reference bit is something we’ll have to monitor, but don’t worry about Jennings, he’ll be fine.

TE: The gap between starter Donald Lee and second-year backup Jermichael Finley has reportedly narrowed. The coaches thought Lee was on the field too much last year and they expect Finley’s role to increase this year. Finley is a poor blocker and he is undersized, but more athletic than Lee. He’s still developing, but figures to be on the field more on passing downs this year. Last year, Lee was on the field for 778 plays (74.2%) while Finley saw just 98 plays, but this year the coaches expect Finley to be involved in around 400 plays. Finley flashed his 4.6 speed at the end of last year and showed he can make plays downfield as a matchup headache for opposing safeties and linebackers. On Saturday, reserve Evan Moore caught a nice pass on a crossing pattern from Brian Brohm off a bootleg.

Defense: DE Cullen Jenkins missed last year due to injury, but he was among the first players to standout from the pack in the early going of camp. McCarthy was asked if Jenkins appeared rusty at all after sitting out so long. “He was in our backfield a bunch on offense, so Cullen doesn't look like he has missed a beat. It's good to have him back. He looked good today.” Top pick B.J. Raji continues to miss practice time while waiting for his contract. McCarthy was asked if he is concerned by his absence, “B.J. is a young player. It's always important for all of your players to be here, particularly the young ones. Business sometimes gets in the way of football. That's part of the National Football League. That's just the way it goes sometimes.” With Raji out, the team is pushing Justin Harrell after two disappointing seasons. McCarthy on whether Harrell will hold up, “Fully test him? He's full-go. He's out there in the padded work. We're keeping an eye on all our players, especially the ones that are coming off of injures. But he's a full-go participant.” LB Nick Barnett was also missing from the first unit on the PUP list still recovering from ACL surgery. Brandon Chillar worked in his place while Johnny Jolly ran in Raji’s post at DT. Barnett is on schedule, but he’s not ready for full practice yet. On the eve of camp, Clay Matthews signed a five-year, $10 million contract. The team hopes to utilize him on the weak-side in Dom Capers new 3-4 defense, but starts camp working behind Jeremy Thompson. The top plays during practice this weekend were turned in by A.J. Hawk, who tipped and almost picked off a pass intended for Donald Driver. Aaron Kampmann had a “sack” on a play-action passing play and Nick Collins registered the hit of the day on Saturday when he dropped his pads to decleat DeShawn Wynn, who broke free for a nice run. Tramon Williams made an easy interception and would’ve had a long return when Brett Swain took his pattern inside and Rodgers threw an out, while Joe Porter intercepted a deep ball intended for Patrick Williams. Anthony Smith is filling in for Atari Bigby at safety, but on Sunday, he was burned by Donald Driver, who showed he still has some nifty moves despite creeping into his mid-30s.

Special Teams: Although it doesn’t impact most fantasy owners, the primary focus in camp will be the competition between Jeremy Kapinos and Durant Brooks for the punting job. Newly promoted special teams coordinator Shawn Slocum assessed kicker Mason Crosby, “With Mason’s talent there’s no reason in the world why he shouldn’t be one of the better kickers in the NFL. But when it’s time to make a game-winner they must make it in order to have a legacy, to maintain status in the NFL.” Crosby had a rough practice over the weekend, missing three consecutive run-on FG attempts from 40 yards. He is the only kicker in camp. CB Will Blackmon is once again the return specialist. Slocum noted regarding Blackmon, “I think he is totally committed to being an outstanding returner. His body of work in the spring was awesome.” CB Tramon Williams and WR Jordy Nelson will also see work on returns.

Packers Depth Chart QB: Aaron Rodgers, Matt Flynn, Brian Brohm RB: Ryan Grant, Brandon Jackson (3RB), Kregg Lumpkin, DeShawn Wynn, Tyrell Sutton FB: Korey Hall, John Kuhn, Quinn Johnson WR: Greg Jennings, Donald Driver, Jordy Nelson (KR), James Jones, Ruvell Martin, Brett Swain, Kole Heckendorf, JaRon Harris, Patrick Williams TE: Donald Lee, Jermichael Finley, Tory Humphrey, Evan Moore, Carson Butler, Travis Dekker, Devin Frischknecht K: Mason Crosby NT: Ryan Pickett (NT/DE), B.J. Raji (NT/DE), Brian Soi, Anthony Toribio DE: Cullen Jenkins, Johnny Jolly, Justin Harrell, Mike Montgomery, Jarius Wynn, Alfred Malone, Ronald Talley, Dean Muhtadi ILB: A.J. Hawk, Nick Barnett, Brandon Chillar, Desmond Bishop, Danny Lansanah, Spencer Havner OLB: Aaron Kampman, Clay Matthews, Jeremy Thompson, Brady Poppinga, Brad Jones, Cyril Obiozor CB: Charles Woodson, Al Harris, Tramon Williams, Jarrett Bush (CB/FS), Will Blackmon (PR), Brandon Underwood, Patrick Lee (KR), Joe Porter, Trevor Ford S: Nick Collins, Atari Bigby (inj), Anthony Smith, Aaron Rouse, Charlie Peprah Coaches: Head Coach: Mike McCarthy, Off Coord: Joe Philbin, QB Coach: Tom Clements, RB Coach: Edgar Bennett, WR Coach: Jimmy Robinson, TE Coach: Ben McAdoo, OL Coach: James Campen, SpecTm Coach: Shawn Slocum, Def Coord: Dom Capers, DL Coach: Mike Trgovac, LB Coach: Kevin Greene, LB Coach: Winston Moss, DB Coach: Joe Whitt, DB Coach: Darren Perry

Houston Texans

QB: The first few days of camp were quiet as far as the Texans QBs are concerned. Matt Schaub needs to prove to his teammates and coaching staff that he can play a full 16-game slate after missing five games in each of his first two seasons with Houston. The team added two quarterbacks to compete for the backup job during the offseason. They surprisingly

gave Dan Orlovsky more money than most pundits expected, but Orlovsky (aside from his famous self-induced safety) played reasonably well for the winless Lions last year and has a leg up on Rex Grossman as camp gets underway.

RB: Head Coach Gary Kubiak said Steve Slaton continues to develop as he enters his second camp with high expectations. Kubiak hopes Slaton’s skills can be utilized even better in the team’s offense in year two. "It was a lot of raw ability that took over last year and there's a lot of it, and a great deal of speed. Now he's another year in the system, listening to John and Alex coach the running game, and Kyle coach the passing game, so he's just become more of a pro. Understanding a little bit better should help him reach another level." Kubiak noted that Slaton still needs to work on blitz protection as just one area for improvement. Coaches hope to get a healthy Chris Brown back on the field this year to take the load off Slaton, suggesting that he will get inside carries and short-yardage work as a complement to Slaton. "He's got a good sense of inside run skills, and he's a big 234-pound guy that can give us that added dimension of a hammer effect and then you have Steve coming in," running backs coach Chick Harris said. Offensive Coordinator Kyle Shanahan agreed, but also cautioned that Brown needs to stay healthy first and foremost. Clifton Dawson suffered a knee injury on Saturday. Kubiak commented on it after practice. “He has a Grade-2 MCL, I think. Kap (Texans head athletic trainer Geoff Kaplan) can probably tell you more, but it's not as bad as it could have been." Fullback Vonta Leach, arrested last week on a simple assault charge, missed practice over the weekend to deal with a death in the family. Boomer Grigsby took his spot while rookie TE James Casey also took some reps.

WR: It wouldn’t be training camp if Jacoby Jones wasn’t turning heads and making a strong impression. Jones is at it again this year. On Saturday morning, Jones turned in one of the most impressive plays with a catch on a perfectly thrown deep bomb down the left sideline from Rex Grossman. Jones needs to keep making progress, but he caught long and short passes and showed some toughness when he took the ball away from a corner on another play. “When you're watching Jacoby, growing up is the key,” Kubiak said. “He's got to grow up as a player, but he's got to grow up in his accountability to the team and everybody else off the field and in the classroom. And he's doing it. It's a long process, though. I told him it's not about doing it in spurts; it's about doing it on a daily basis. So let's just keep our fingers crossed and hope he keeps heading in that direction.” On Sunday morning, Jones dropped a ball from Rex Grossman after he got behind the secondary along the sidelines. Baby steps, Jacoby, baby steps.

TE: Owen Daniels doesn’t have a new deal or a contract extension, but he reported to camp on time. "This is the place I want to be for the rest of my career," Daniels said. Both sides have confirmed there are no long-term contract talks underway right now, but Daniels reiterated his intent by saying that “we’d like to talk.” Smith already protected the team’s interests by drafting two tight ends, Anthony Hill and James Casey, in April’s draft. Anthony Hill started camp on the PUP with a hamstring injury. The fans (and reporters) love watching Casey, who played collegiately nearby at Rice

where he caught over 100 balls last year playing numerous positions. By all accounts, Casey is a great guy and a dynamic player. The coaches are excited about his potential, but first they want him to learn to play tight end at the NFL level, specifically focusing on improving his blocking skills before moving him around to other spots. As soon as they said that, Casey took reps at fullback with Vonta Leach absent. Kubiak talked about Casey, "In this league it's about opportunity knocking for a player. All of a sudden, (FB) Vonta (Leach) has a problem, he's not here, he's with his family, so somebody has to go in there and get some reps. James is getting some reps at fullback. We'll see. His versatility will probably be a big key to him helping this team early, so we'll see what happens." Hill was viewed as one of the top blocking tight ends in this year’s draft, so his chance to make an impact will be in two-tight end sets.

Defense: Linebacker Brian Cushing agreed to terms on a contract early Saturday morning and was in attendance for the afternoon practice session. Connor Barwin was signed and delivered in time for camp, too. He will start the season as a backup to Mario Williams and Antonio Smith, but he should see playing time on passing downs if he keeps making plays in practice like he did on Sunday. He looked good in line drills and also batted down a pass from Matt Schaub at the line. John McClain, of the Houston Chronicle, blogged to keep an eye on rookie corners Glover Quin and Brice McCain. Quin is working as a nickel corner and making many plays on the ball, while McCain is the fastest player on the team. McCain mentioned that his makeup speed is impressive. The team signed veteran Jeff Zgonina to give them another body for practice, which invoked a humorous interaction between OT Eric Winston and former Texans DE N.D. Kalu, who was attending practice with media credentials. As the linemen went over to the side to run pass rush drills, Winston yelled at Kalu to join them, offering, "If Jeff can do it, you can!" The team is without DTs Travis Johnson and Amobi Okoye, both recovering form surgery. Dunta Robinson hasn’t reported to camp. He’s holding out after being given the team’s franchise tag, but not working out a long-term contract before the deadline.

Special Teams: Kicker Kris Brown indirectly handled the punting in the first practice of camp, by operating the JUGS machine. Brown is the only kicker in camp. WR Andre Davis will again be the primary kickoff returner. WR Jacoby Jones remains the punt returner, although HC Gary Kubiak continues to watch him closely, “When you're watching Jacoby, growing up is the key. He's got to grow up as a player, but he's got to grow up in his accountability to the team and everybody else off the field and in the classroom. And he's doing it. It's a long process, though. I told him it's not about doing it in spurts; it's about doing it on a daily basis. So let's just keep our fingers crossed and hope he keeps heading in that direction.” Aside from Jacoby, other players that have been practicing on punt returns include Andre Davis, WR David Anderson, WR Glenn Martinez and rookie CB Glover Quin.

Texans Depth Chart QB: Matt Schaub, Dan Orlovsky, Rex Grossman

RB: Steve Slaton (3RB), Chris Brown (SD), Arian Foster, Ryan Moats, Jeremiah Johnson FB: Vonta Leach WR: Andre Johnson, Kevin Walter, David Anderson, Andre Davis, Jacoby Jones (PR), Darnell Jenkins, Glenn Martinez, Mark Simmons, Mike Jones, Aubrey Bell TE: Owen Daniels, Joel Dreessen, James Casey (HB/FB), Anthony Hill (inj), Clark Harris (LS) K: Kris Brown DT: Amobi Okoye, Travis Johnson (NT), DelJuan Robinson (NT), Frank Okam, Shaun Cody, Jeff Zgonina, Josh Leonard, Jake Visser DE: Mario Williams, Antonio Smith, Connor Barwin, Stanley McClover, Tim Bulman, Jesse Nading, Tim Jamison MLB: DeMeco Ryans, Buster Davis OLB: Brian Cushing (S), Xavier Adibi (W), Zac Diles (S) , Cato June (W), Kevin Bentley (S), Chaun Thompson (W), Toddrick Verdell CB: Dunta Robinson (UFA-F), Jacques Reeves (inj), Fred Bennett, Brice McCain, Glover Quin, Antwaun Molden, David Pittman, A.J. Davis, Matterral Richardson, Mark Parson S: Nick Ferguson (SS), Eugene Wilson (FS/CB), Dominique Barber (FS), Brandon Harrison (SS), John Busing, Troy Nolan Coaches: Head Coach: Gary Kubiak, Off Coord: Kyle Shanahan, RB Coach: Chick Harris, WR Coach: Larry Kirksey, TE Coach: Brian Pariani, OL Coach: John Benton, OL Coach: Alex Gibbs, SpecTm Coach: Joe Marciano, Def Coord: Frank Bush, DL Coach: Bill Kollar, LB Coach: Johnny Holland, DB Coach: David Gibbs

Indianapolis Colts

QB: The Colts opened training camp on Sunday, and for Peyton Manning it was sort of a return to normalcy after battling an infected bursa sac and frequent swelling last year. Manning is hitting the ground running and even looked forward to two-a-days noting that he felt guilty last year when he didn’t partake in them. “I’ve always believed that training camp is when you form the foundation of your team and truly iron out the little details that you’re going to need to be on the same page as you go into the season. I definitely think it had an effect on the way I started the season last year, so I’m looking forward to going through the entire camp hopefully healthy this year, and hopefully we can get off to a faster start.” Aside from the departure of Tony Dungy, normalcy is back after long-time assistants Tom Moore and Howard Mudd rejoined the team after a pension-related flap prompted them to retire in May. "Howard and Tom are both returning, doing the same job they've been doing over the years," new Head Coach Jim Caldwell said as camp opened. Manning is known for running a quick tempo in practice and plans to put in extra time with young receivers Pierre Garcon, Roy Hall and Austin Collie. Reggie Wayne offered his two cents on what it was like without Manning last year. “It was lovely. I really enjoyed it. I didn't have to worry about no extra nothin'. No extra passing, no extra film, but one thing about it is we're not the same without him out there, so I'll take having him out there instead of not having him out there." Consider this: Manning

led the Colts to a 9-0 record down the stretch last season. He completed 72.1% of his passes averaging 7.8 yds/attempt with 17 TDs and 3 interceptions. His passer rating in the first half last year was just 79.0, but 109.7 in those final 9 games.

RB: It went down to the wire, but first round pick Donald Brown agreed to terms on Sunday on a five-year deal. Brown is expected to compete with incumbent Joseph Addai, who is coming off a down year in which he struggled with injuries and saw his production slide. Brown led the nation in rushing last year and fits the team’s style with good speed, great hands and a similar build to Addai. Competing for the third spot in camp will be second-year RBs Mike Hart, Chad Simpson and Lance Ball. Hart flashed plenty of ability in camp last year but went down with a torn ACL in October just as he was emerging as a contributor. He participated in some of the OTA sessions, but clearly wasn’t 100% considering ACL injuries typically require a full year to recover. Hall will be pushed by Simpson, whose quickness was on display during OTAs and minicamps. The key for Simpson is improving his blocking and blitz pickups. Ball was on the practice squad last year, but got the call in the season finale and rushed for 83 yards on 13 carries. Realistically, he’s a long shot to make the roster.

WR: All eyes will be on Anthony Gonzalez in camp this year. Just about everyone expects Gonzalez to be the Colts breakout player. Gonzalez should have started last year opposite Reggie Wayne, but out of respect for Marvin Harrison, he stayed inside and manned the slot. This year, Gonzalez takes his rightful spot in the lineup while a host of younger receivers compete for the No. 3 role – Pierre Garcon, rookie Austin Collie and Roy Hall. Entering camp, Garcon seems to have the edge after spending his rookie season returning kicks and making the transition from Division III Mount Union. During OTAs, Garcon was impressive, often getting open deep and making difficult catches in traffic. Nothing has been decided yet though, so Collie and Hall can still make a run at the job. Collie was ultra productive at BYU where he finished with 215 receptions for 3,255 yards and 30 touchdowns. Hall has a ton of physical talent and potential, but partly due to injuries, hasn’t lived up to his billing yet. It’s hard not to take notice of his 6-4, 225-pound frame, but he has some work to do to make the team, much less compete for the No. 3 spot. Sam Giguere fractured a fibula early in OTAs and began camp on the PUP list, but should be ready soon, and he could also work his way into the mix. John Matthews could stick on the practice squad after impressing coaches during OTas. He was another super productive collegiate player who caught 195 passes for 3,615 and 30 touchdowns at San Diego.

TE: Nothing noteworthy to report here. Dallas Clark developed nicely the past two years as Marvin Harrison slowed down and Anthony Gonzalez worked himself into the offense. Clark caught 135 passes for 1,464 yards and 17 TDs over the past two years. Barring injury, he should easily be a Top 5 fantasy TE again. The team has a bevy of players to sort out behind Clark beginning with Gijon Robinson, who plays more of an H-back role. The team hopes he can continue developing into a complimentary run-blocking TE. Tom Santi enters his second season out of Virginia, after missing much of

his rookie camp with a bursa sac problem. Jacob Tamme is another second year player who has some receiving skills, but playing behind Clark hasn’t yielded much of an opportunity for him thus far. Jamie Petrowski and Colin Cloherty are also in camp, but face long odds of making the roster.

Defense: The Colts came to terms with rookie DT Fili Moala on a four-year contract just before camp opened. Moala is expected to add some much-needed girth to the team’s interior run defense. For the second year in a row, Bob Sanders was absent from practice at the start of camp and on the PUP list as he recovers from knee surgery. HC Jim Caldwell said his recovery is going well. “He’s making good progress. He’s really looking good. He’s been diligent about his rehab. We feel he’ll be ready in a short amount of time.” DE Curtis Johnson spent the offseason focused on getting bigger and stronger, while also working to get better mentally and improve his off-the-field skills, too. Besides Sanders, other defenders began camp on the PUP list including: CB Marlin Jackson (knee) and DT Antonio Johnson (knee). The team also waived S Brannon Condren, QB Chris Crane, CB Brandon Foster, CB Brandon X. Harrison, DL Pat Kuntz, OG Cornelius Lewis and LB Tyrell Sales before camp began.

Special Teams: Adam Vinatieri continues his recovery from hip surgery and the just recently disclosed off-season arthroscopic knee surgery. He commented on Sunday, “We're just going slow back into it now, but we should be ready to go for sure by the time the season starts…. I would say I've gotten a lot less practice this offseason than I have in the past. But thankfully for me, I've done it a bunch of years, so it shouldn't take too long to get it all back. It's one of the timing things, with the new holder and that chemistry. We haven't gotten a lot of work in yet, but we'll do some major catch up and major work during training camp.” In the interim, kicker Shane Andrus remains on the roster. WR Pierre Garcon and CB T.J. Rushing will be competing for the return roles. RB Chad Simpson and fourth round draft pick WR Austin Collie will probably also factor into the mix for kickoff returns.

Colts Depth Chart QB: Peyton Manning, Jim Sorgi, Curtis Painter RB: Joseph Addai, Donald Brown, Mike Hart, Chad Simpson (KR), Lance Ball WR: Reggie Wayne, Anthony Gonzalez, Pierre Garcon (PR), Austin Collie, Roy Hall, John Matthews, Sam Giguere, Taj Smith, Brett McDermott TE: Dallas Clark, Gijon Robinson, Jacob Tamme, Tom Santi, Jamie Petrowski, Colin Cloherty K: Adam Vinatieri, Pat McAfee, Shane Andrus DT: Ed Johnson, Fili Moala, Eric Foster, Terrance Taylor, Antonio Johnson, Daniel Muir, Adrian Grady DE: Dwight Freeney, Robert Mathis, Raheem Brock (DT), Keyunta Dawson (DT), Curtis Johnson, Marcus Howard MLB: Gary Brackett (W/M), Adam Seward OLB: Clint Session (W), Philip Wheeler (S) , Freddie Keiaho (S/W/M), Tyjuan Hagler (W), Jordan Senn (W), Michael Okwo, Brandon Barnes, Ramon Humber, Mike Tauiliili CB: Marlin Jackson, Kelvin Hayden, Tim Jennings, Dante Hughes, Jerraud Powers, Nick Graham, T.J. Rushing, Michael Coe, Travis Key, Brandon Anderson, Jacob Lacey

S: Bob Sanders (FS), Antoine Bethea (SS), Melvin Bullitt (SS), Matt Giordano (FS), Jamie Silva Coaches: Head Coach: Jim Caldwell, Off Coord: Tom Moore, QB Coach: Frank Reich, RB Coach: Gene Huey, WR Coach: Clyde Christensen, TE Coach: Ricky Thomas, OL Coach: Howard Mudd, SpecTm Coach: Ray Rychleski, Def Coord: Larry Coyer, DL Coach: John Teerlinck, LB Coach: Mike Murphy, DB Coach: Alan Williams

Jacksonville Jaguars

QB: David Garrard reported to camp lighter than last year after spending the offseason focused on improving his conditioning and ability to “play at a higher pace for longer”. Garrard played last year at 250 pounds, but is now around 238 pounds. The lower weight should help Garrard bounce back after a tough 2008 season. If anything, Garrard’s ability to extend plays with his legs should continue to be a problem for opposing defenses and continue to boost his fantasy value. He also hopes to benefit from the addition of veteran tackle Tra Thomas and rookies Eugene Monroe and Eben Britton, who were taken with the team’s first two picks. The Jags also get Vince Manuwai and Mo Williams back from injuries this year.

Clearly, the Jags intend to improve their offensive showing, but they didn’t stop on the line. They also gave Garrard a trio of receivers via the draft. Head Coach Jack Del Rio thinks Garrard’s play will improve this year. “I like David. I’m glad we have him. I think he’s a fine young man and a fine football player. We want to get him back to what we saw in ’07, but we must remember that what we saw in ’07, that 6-1 (touchdown to interception) ratio, is rare. I think he’s going to benefit from our offensive line. We want him to be the maestro. I see David having a big year for us.” On Friday, the team waived Todd Boeckmann leaving Todd Bouman as the backup and Paul Smith as the 3rd QB going into camp.

RB: The team decided to let Fred Taylor leave during the offseason, believing that Maurice Jones-Drew can move into the lead role. While MJD will see a bigger role in 2009, he will get some help from the team’s other backs, too. The Jaguars didn’t make any free agency moves to bolster the position, opting for the draft to unearth a potential gem. They might have done just that when they selected Rashad Jennings in the seventh round. As for reasons why Jennings slid on draft day? Character wasn’t one of them. Reportedly, Jennings has never even had a sip of alcohol in his life. Jennings is a bigger back who comes with NFL measurables and a potential to earn a significant role as the team’s change-of-pace back behind MJD on the depth charts. Jennings was one of the stars in OTAs and he’s a player to watch during camp to see if he can continue his push to displace Chauncey Washington and FB Greg Jones for playing time. Jones may very well be the incumbent to Taylor after getting short-yardage work in the past. None of these backs have Taylor’s ability to make people miss, but all are more physical between the tackles. "It's a little different not having [Taylor] around, but we're still the same

guys," Jones-Drew said. "Greg [Jones] is here, Montell [Owens], AP [Alvin Pearman] and we got a couple of new guys. We're just going to try to keep it going and have fun." Stay tuned as this competition unfolds, but the team hopes Jennings is as impressive in pads as he was in shorts. The team may be working on a package to get Jones-Drew and Jennings on the field together.

WR: The Jaguars made wholesale changes at the receiver position. Mike Walker and Troy Williamson return as the Jags got rid of perennial headaches in Reggie Williams, Matt Jones and to a lesser extent Dennis Northcutt (who was traded to the Lions for safety Gerald Alexander). Torry Holt is the hopeful #1, but he seemed to struggle with his mobility during the spring, a byproduct of his aging knees that also limited him the past couple of seasons. Opposite Holt, Mike Walker hopes to stay healthy for the first time as a pro and live up to his potential. Walker registered a 100-yard game last year against the Steelers in his brief opportunity before injuries again took him off the field. The draft brought the Jags three young and potentially explosive players in Mike Thomas, Jarett Dillard and Tiquan Underwood. By dealing Northcutt, the team cleared the way for them to establish themselves immediately. “I’m confident they’ll work at it. We’ve added some quickness we haven’t had. In time, they’ll separate themselves and allow us to determine the best way to utilize their abilities. Two of them (Thomas and Underwood) can fly, and the other one (Dillard) has good hands. We’re going to be smart with Torry Holt, and Mike Walker had a real good camp,” HC Jack Del Rio said. Walker opens camp as the starting flanker, but expect him to be pushed by the youngsters. Thomas, meanwhile, has been penciled into the slot replacing Northcutt. Thomas is small, but his speed, thick build and ability to make plays after the catch have prompted comparisons to the Panther’s Steve Smith. Dillard might have the best hands on the team and a ridiculous vertical to overcome his lack of height. If injuries limit Holt or Walker, Dillard and Thomas could emerge sooner than expected. Underwood was taken in the seventh round and Jags beat writer Vic Ketchman called him a “home run pick” after watching him during the OTAs. He is super thin, but super fast, too. He and Kenny Britt became the first WR tandem in Big East history to post 1,000-plus receiving yards in the same season.

TE: The Jags have an abundance of rookies to watch in camp this year for those of you in dynasty leagues. TE Zach Miller is another intriguing player in that mold. The former college QB is making a transition to tight end where the team feels his athleticism gives them added flexibility to line him up at a variety of spots. He’s raw and will need plenty of coaching and work before he’s ready, but some of the team’s insiders believe he will get on the field this year and cut into Marcedes Lewis’ production. Lewis has never been featured much in the red zone and his hands are inconsistent, so the team will look at Miller during the preseason to see what he can offer. Until then, he’ll need to compete with holdovers Greg Estandia and Richard Angulo for roster spots.

Defense: Change is evident all around Jaguars camp. Like the offensive line and receiving corps, the defense has undergone

some retooling as Jack Del Rio hopes he can lay the foundation for the Jaguars to return to the top group of NFL defenses where it was just a few years ago. There are issues to be resolved on the defensive side, but Del Rio said, “We’re open-minded in terms of battles in camp and in terms of new concepts and principles. The concerns are for bringing it all together and for the amount of work that has to be done. The encouraging thing I see is the commitment, starting with the linebackers.” The linebackers were indeed the primary attraction during OTAs. Daryl Smith, Justin Durant and Clint Ingram looked great adapting to their new roles. Smith moved to the weak-side, Durant to the middle and Ingram’s ankle is finally healthy allowing him to showcase his talents on the strong-side. The team expects to sprinkle in some 3-4 looks as well with Quentin Groves and Ingram playing key roles on the edges as the rush linebackers. These plans are not final, but Del Rio likes what he is seeing from the situational rushers. At free safety, Reggie Nelson hopes to improve on a mediocre second season, but he’ll be pushed by Gerald Alexander, who might play a little bit of free and strong safety to give the team some extra options. Del Rio said that Alexander will line up at free safety at the beginning of camp, but his play will determine where he ends up. Del Rio added that Sean Considine, another free agent addition, should also have a favorable impact to the secondary.

Special Teams: Josh Scobee is the only kicker in camp. DB Brian Witherspoon on the other hand is not the only kick returner on the roster. Although he is the favorite to retain the return specialist role, he’ll have to hold off two rookies. Fourth round draft pick WR Mike Thomas and third round draft pick CB Derek Cox are both capable returners, especially on punts. RB Maurice Jones-Drew is definitely capable, although with his anticipated increased role on offense, his work on returns is likely to decrease or be eliminated. Overall, Witherspoon sees good things ahead, “Everything has been going great. We are practicing, having fun, challenging each other and it’s more competitive and it’s fun at the same time. Things are looking a whole lot better than last year.”

Jaguars Depth Chart QB: David Garrard, Todd Bouman, Paul Smith RB: Maurice Jones-Drew (SD/3RB), Rashad Jennings, Chauncey Washington, Alvin Pearman (KR) FB: Greg Jones, Montell Owens WR: Torry Holt, Mike Walker, Mike Thomas, Jarett Dillard, Troy Williamson, Tiquan Underwood, Jason English, Nate Hughes TE: Marcedes Lewis, Greg Estandia, Zach Miller, Richard Angulo, Tyler Lorenzen K: Josh Scobee DT: John Henderson, Rob Meier, Derek Landri, Terrance Knighton, Atiyyah Ellison, Jonathan Lewis, Nader Abdullah DE: Reggie Hayward, Derrick Harvey, Quentin Groves, Jeremy Mincey, James Wyche, Jeremy Navarre, Julius Williams MLB: Justin Durant, Tim Shaw OLB: Clint Ingram (S), Daryl Smith (W) , Brian Iwuh, Thomas Williams, David Holloway, Lamar Myles CB: Rashean Mathis, Brian Williams, Scott Starks, Derek Cox, Tyron Brackenridge, Brian Witherspoon (KR/PR), Peter

Ittersagen, Mesphin Forrester S: Reggie Nelson (FS), Sean Considine (SS), Gerald Alexander (FS/SS), Marlon McCree (SS), Kennard Cox, Kevin Patterson, Michael Desormeaux Coaches: Head Coach: Jack Del Rio, Off Coord: Dirk Koetter, QB Coach: Mike Shula, RB Coach: Kennedy Pola, WR Coach: Todd Monken, TE Coach: Mike Tice, OL Coach: Andy Heck, SpecTm Coach: Russ Purnell, Def Coord: Mel Tucker, DL Coach: Ted Monachino, LB Coach: Mark Duffner, DB Coach: Thom Kaumeyer

Kansas City Chiefs

QB: Matt Cassel opened camp on a high note having recently signed a six-year, $63 million contract with $28 million guaranteed. For that, Cassel said, “I’m honored and humbled by the commitment they’ve made to me. Obviously, I’m excited to be here for the long term.” In the first few days of camp, Cassell was picking new Head Coach Todd Haley’s brain on a regular basis. “Matt’s Matt,” Haley said. “He’s this way every day. He’s got great enthusiasm. He’ll be standing by me, and I’ve got to tell him to be quiet five or six times.” Cassel added, “I’m not very patient. I’ll get out there and get in his ear as much as I can with whatever input I can give him. If he needs to tell me to shut up sometimes, that’s fine. I’ll keep coming at him.” While it’s easly, Cassel seemed to develop a quick rapport with veteran WR Bobby Engram (big surprise huh?). Haley’s offense loves to utilize the quick, short passes. Engram and Cassel were hooking up on those early, with Engram turning a couple into long gains. “Right now he’s been spot-on,” Engram said. “One thing I like about him is his mentality. He’s got that short memory. If he throws an incomplete ball or an interception, he’s right back throwing it with just as much confidence on the next ball. Not every quarterback has that, but the great ones do.” Competing for spots behind Cassel are Tyler Thigpen, Brodie Croyle and newly acquired Matt Gutierrez. Croyle was in pads for the first time since October 19th when he suffered a season-ending injury. Thigpen expects to win the backup job, though Croyle is not a lock to win the third job against Gutierrez, who GM Scott Pioli claimed off waivers on Wednesday. Martin was released to make room.

RB: New head coach Todd Haley didn’t waste any time setting the tone for camp this year. On Friday, Haley put the whole team through exhausting pre-camp physicals that some of the players didn’t pass. Later, as practices began, Haley continued his point penalizing the entire team with a 200-yard run after a player fumbled. Accountability matters. Apparently, Larry Johnson got that memo during the offseason. Johnson talked up Haley and new GM Scott Pioli providing several compliments and stating his overall happiness and desire to be with the Chiefs. “I love Todd. He is somebody you can really be impressed with.” Haley wouldn’t name a starter following Friday’s practice, and referred to it as “an interesting battle”. He offered praise for both Johnson and impressive second-year back Jamaal Charles. On Johnson, Haley said, “I have not had an issue with Larry Johnson. Larry

has obviously proven in the past that he capable of being a very good running back in the league. He’s a top echelon guy and right now running back in general is one of the groups I’m excited to see how it plays out because I think we have some talent there and we’ve got some competitive guys.” In Saturday’s morning session, Johnson ran hard and drew appreciation from the crowd in attendance as he ran out his plays 40+ yards after the whistle. He appeared leaner, quicker and was clearly having a lot of fun. Charles, meanwhile, showed up to camp 10 pounds heavier, now over 200 pounds. "I haven't lost any speed," said Charles. In Saturday’s morning practice, Cassel and Charles hooked up on a nice screen pass. In goal line drills, Johnson beat LB Zack Thomas to the pylon for a TD. Kolby Smith is recovering from reconstructive knee surgery and isn’t practicing yet. Smith faces competition from rookie seventh-round pick Javarris Williams, who was the Ohio Valley Offensive Player of the Year. Williams has decent size (5'10”/223) and adequate speed (4.52) which makes him a fun player to watch during the preseason.

WR: Dwayne Bowe checked into camp at 210 pounds, about 12-to-15 pounds lighter than last year. "I just feel better," said Bowe. "I feel like I can run faster and jump higher." He also mentioned that he doesn’t like Todd Haley’s offense, rather he LOVES it. With his size and physical nature, Bowe draws inevitable comparisons to Anquan Boldin, who previously starred in Haley’s offense. Who starts opposite Bowe is the bigger question. Mark Bradley is expected to be there on opening day, but in the opening days of camp, Devard Darling was working at that spot. Meanwhile the Chiefs signed cagey veteran Amani Toomer on Tuesday and he’ll certainly want that starting spot, too. Bobby Engram is the team’s slot receiver. Early in camp, Haley was concerned by the number of drops made by the receivers. "That’s something that we can’t have," he said. "These guys have to mature, develop, and start to show signs that they’re competitive players, probably here pretty quick. We had the whole offseason where we had some of that; now it’s time to pick it up for sure." After dropping a tough ball on Friday, Bowe made a nice catch on a hook route on Saturday. Rookie Taurus Johnson made an acrobatic catch down the left sideline in Saturday’s early session. Bradley showed soft hands with a number of catches away from his body. Rookie Quinten Lawrence hopes to stick on the roster, but to do so he’ll need to make an impression on special teams as a returner.

TE: The Chiefs aren’t sure what they have at tight end after dealing Tony Gonzalez during the offseason. Brad Cottam was expected to start, but he struggled mightily during OTAs and he never was much of a receiver at Tennessee either. Cottam is competing against veterans Sean Ryan and Tony Curtis, while seventh-round pick Jake O'Connell tries to get into that mix. O’Connell began camp on the PUP list. In Saturday’s afternoon session, Cottam had one of the best plays of the practice as he took a pass and ran for a long gain after taking a hit from Bernard Pollard.

Defense: The Chiefs defense will take some time to sort out. Tyson Jackson, the team’s top pick, remained unsigned and Glenn Dorsey began camp on the PUP list after failing Todd

Haley’s rigorous physical. Defensive line coach Tim Krumrie was giving rookie Alex Magee an earful on several occasions, before praising him later for picking up the pace and responding to his coaching. The outside linebackers are unsettled, but Mike Vrabel gives the team experience while Tamba Hali, Turk McBride and Demorrio Williams adjust to their roles and compete for playing time. ILB Zach Thomas said he and Vrabel have formed an unlikely bond after being bitter AFC East rivals for years. “I’ve always hated that guy,” Thomas said with a laugh. “He was in New England, and I was in Miami every year. I always thought he was a real jerk. But I’ll tell you what: I really like playing beside him. Being veterans, our communication clicks.” As for practice highlights, LB Monty Beisel reached out and made a one-handed pick during a morning session. Safety Jarrad Page broke nicely on a ball to jump in front of Bobby Engram for an interception. Travis Daniels later broke up a pass behind the line on a slip-screen. In the afternoon session, Derrick Johnson spent most of his time riding a bike and lifting weights as other players were held out. LB Weston Dacus made a couple of nice plays with an interception, and a pass break-up shortly afterward.

Special Teams: The Chiefs released incumbent kicker Connor Barth last week. That move became a likely possibility when the team had hired Steve Hoffman as their new special teams coordinator, and became a near certainty when the team selected Ryan Succop with the last draft pick at the urging of Hoffman. The move came a little earlier than anticipated, however HC Todd Haley indicated they wanted to maximize Succop’s preseason opportunities, “Through the preseason, a field goal kicker, you may only have one field goal in a game. So in order to get this guy seasoned enough to see if he could do it, we thought it was the best direction to go right now.” He further commented that if Succop didn’t pan out, they would turn to the free agent kicker pool, including possibly Barth. While Succop will be competing with everyone not on a roster, two players on the roster will be primary competitors for the return specialist role. The incumbent, RB Dantrell Savage, will face the challenger, sixth round draft pick WR Quinten Lawrence. RB Jamaal Charles could also be involved on kickoff returns. In addition to Savage and Lawrence, quite a few others have also been practicing on punt returns: WR Bobby Engram, WR Rodney Wright, CB Maurice Leggett, CB Jackie Bates, CB Londen Fryar and WR Taurus Johnson.

Chiefs Depth Chart QB: Matt Cassel, Tyler Thigpen, Brodie Croyle, Matt Gutierrez RB: Larry Johnson, Jamaal Charles (3RB), Kolby Smith (inj), Javarris Williams, Jackie Battle, Dantrell Savage FB: Mike Cox WR: Dwayne Bowe, Mark Bradley, Bobby Engram, Devard Darling, Amani Toomer, Jeff Webb, Quinten Lawrence (KR), Terrance Copper, Taurus Johnson, Rodney Wright TE: Brad Cottam, Sean Ryan, Jake O'Connell, Jed Collins K: Ryan Succop NT: Tank Tyler, Ron Edwards, Derek Lokey DE: Glenn Dorsey, Tyson Jackson, Alfonso Boone, Alex Magee, Pierre Walters ILB: Derrick Johnson, Zach Thomas, Monty Beisel, Weston

Dacus OLB: Mike Vrabel, Tamba Hali, Turk McBride, Demorrio Williams, Andy Studebaker, Corey Mays, Vince Redd, Wallace Gilberry CB: Brandon Flowers, Brandon Carr, Travis Daniels, Maurice Leggett, Donald Washington, Ricardo Colclough S: Bernard Pollard (SS), Jarrad Page (FS), DaJuan Morgan (FS/SS), Mike Brown (SS/FS), Jon McGraw (SS) Coaches: Head Coach: Todd Haley, Off Coord: Chan Gailey, RB Coach: Maurice Carthon, WR Coach: Dedric Ward, TE Coach: Bob Bicknell, OL Coach: Bill Muir, SpecTm Coach: Steve Hoffman, Def Coord: Clancy Pendergast, DL Coach: Tim Krumrie, LB Coach: Gary Gibbs, DB Coach: Joel Collier

Miami Dolphins

QB: Head coach Tony Sparano looks forward to seeing Chad Henne in different situations this preseason, but he also was quick to point out that this is “Chad Pennington’s team” and not to expect a QB battle in training camp. Sparano said he’s especially interested in how Henne responds when playing at the end of a half, making adjustments at halftime and making it happen in the second half. "That doesn't sound like much, but there's a lot of things that go on in that eight minutes when we are in the locker room that a quarterback has to handle,” said Sparano. For his part, Pennington has worked long and hard to make sure he doesn’t regress or provide any opening for Henne to replace him. Pennington’s has a history of following up good years with forgettable ones. Omar Kelly, from the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, believes if the Dolphins aren’t contending by midseason, the coaches could give Henne a shot. Pat White figures into the mix as well, but more so as the team’s Wildcat QB. The coaches hope White can add a passing element to the Wildcat formation that wasn’t prevalent in last year’s version. White struggled as a passer in min-camps, but it bears mentioning that White has one of the more accurate deep balls of the rookie QB class. That’s a nice asset to have running the Wildcat. In the first two days of camp, White already looked better than he did in OTAs. Pennington had the pleasure of throwing the first interception of camp to CB Will Allen.

RB: Ronnie Brown is now a year removed from his ACL injury, but he also will probably lose snaps to Pat White when the team goes to the Wildcat 2.0 this year. Brown took the final snap of Sunday’s practice out of the Wildcat formation, but rest assured the team won’t showcase any of the 2.0 stuff in practice. Barry Jackson, of the Miami Herald, reports that Brown's agent, Todd France indicated the Dolphins have expressed interest in a multi-year extension for Brown. Meanwhile, Brown is healthy and primed for a big season. He will continue to share carries with Ricky Williams and the team is exploring ways of getting Patrick Cobbs more touches after the success he had last year. Lex Hilliard and Anthony Kimble are also camping with hopes of making the roster.

WR: Amazingly, Greg Camarillo opened camp practicing without a knee brace while running with the first unit. Camarillo has been the team’s most technically sound receiver all preseason according to beat writer/blogger Armando Salguero. That’s impressive when you consider Camarillo is only eight months removed from ACL surgery. Despite the glowing reports, skepticism was warranted until we saw how he responded to getting hit in practice. So far, so great for the undervalued receiver. On Sunday, he made several nice catches over the middle while seemingly playing at or near full speed. Further down the depth chart is Davone Bess, who had a tremendous offseason by all accounts. If Camarillo has any setbacks, expect Bess to hit the ground running. It’s quite probable that one of these two will lead the Dolphins in receptions this year. Opposite them is Ted Ginn, who is working hard at getting off the line better and developing into the team’s #1 receiver. The team added Patrick Turner in the draft and he has done nothing but impress. Turner, a king-sized receiver at 6’5”, may play a role in the red zone as a rookie if OTAs are any indication. On Sunday, Turner put a nice move on corner Eric Green on a quick screen that left the crowd buzzing. Turner has immense talent and has been a difficult matchup for defensive backs in practices. He just might be everything they hoped to get in Ernest Wilford, but didn’t. Brian Hartline is the fifth receiver at this point, though rookies Brennan Marion and Chris Williams will compete along with Brandon London and Anthony Armstrong for a roster spot. London is a special teams ace while Armstrong has been mentioned repeatedly for making strides during the offseason.

TE: David Martin was pronounced healthy and ready to go as camp got underway. He underwent sports hernia surgery in the offseason and rumors whirled in the spring about Martin’s job security, but all of that is moot now. Anthony Fasano led the team with 7 TD catches last year, but the coaches think he can further improve. The team, in traditional Parcells fashion, makes heavy use of the tight ends in the red zone. Competing for roster spots behind Fasano and Martin are Joey Haynos, fifth-round pick John Nalbone, converted WR Ernest Wilford and Jared Bronson (who was aptly put on the reserve/did not report list Sunday). Haynos enters camp as the team's No. 3 tight end. Wilford continues to look sluggish in practice and this might be his last camp. Nalbone is probably headed for the practice squad.

Defense: It’s early in camp, but aside from Patrick Turner, two other rookies have stood out already: CBs Sean Smith and Vontae Davis. Smith demonstrated fluid hips to go with his 6’3” frame as he picked up where he left off after a strong series of OTAs. Davis was solid and he has made strides after heeding the advice of coaches and veterans. He could even edge Eric Green to claim the nickel job and Smith may have the inside edge on the starting job opposite Will Allen. Former CFL star OLB Cameron Wake looked great in OTAs, but struggled in the first day of practice before showing flashes on Sunday breaking free twice for potential sacks. The Dolphins hope he and Jason Taylor will improve an already solid pass rush. The team hasn’t closed the door on re-signing veteran Vonnie Holliday either, but so far Kendall Langford and Phillip Merling appear up to task.

Special Teams: Unlike last year when he was the long shot rookie kicker behind an established veteran, this year Dan Carpenter is the only kicker on the roster. WR Davone Bess will probably hang onto the punt returner role. Possible challengers include two rookie WRs: fourth round draft pick Brian Hartline and undrafted Chris Williams. The biggest question on special teams is whether WR Ted Ginn Jr. will earn the kickoff returner role. Bess, Hartline, and Williams are all potential challengers, along with RB Patrick Cobbs and WR Anthony Armstrong.

Dolphins Depth Chart QB: Chad Pennington, Chad Henne, Pat White (WR/RB) RB: Ronnie Brown, Ricky Williams, Patrick Cobbs (KR), Lex Hilliard, Anthony Kimble FB: Lousaka Polite, Chris Brown WR: Greg Camarillo (inj), Ted Ginn, Davone Bess (PR), Patrick Turner, Brian Hartline (KR/PR), Brandon London, Anthony Armstrong, Chris Williams, Brennan Marion (IR) TE: Anthony Fasano, David Martin, Joey Haynos, Ernest Wilford (WR), John Nalbone K: Dan Carpenter NT: Jason Ferguson (NT), Paul Soliai, Joe Cohen, Louis Ellis DE: Philip Merling, Kendall Langford, Randy Starks, Tony McDaniel (NT/DE), Rodrique Wright, Lionel Dotson, Ryan Baker ILB: Channing Crowder, Akin Ayodele, Reggie Torbor, William Kershaw, J.D. Folsom, Orion Martin OLB: Joey Porter (W), Matt Roth (S/DE), Jason Taylor (W), Charlie Anderson (S), Cameron Wake (S), Erik Walden (S), Quentin Moses, Tearrius George CB: Will Allen, Sean Smith, Eric Green, Vontae Davis, Nathan Jones, Jason Allen (FS/CB), Joey Thomas, Will Billingsley S: Yeremiah Bell (SS), Gibril Wilson (FS), Chris Clemons (FS), Tyrone Culver (SS), Courtney Bryan (SS), Ethan Kilmer (FS) Coaches: Head Coach: Tony Sparano, Off Coord: Dan Henning, QB Coach: David Lee, RB Coach: James Saxon, WR Coach: Karl Dorrell, TE Coach: George DeLeone, OL Coach: Dave DeGuglielmo, SpecTm Coach: John Bonamego, Def Coord: Paul Pasqualoni, DL Coach: Kacy Rodgers, LB Coach: Jim Reid, LB Coach: George Edwards, DB Coach: Todd Bowles

Minnesota Vikings

QB: For now, the Brett Favre story is over, or is it? On the opening day of camp, Tarvaris Jackson was working with the first team in practice when he went down with a sprained MCL. Reports are a grade 1 sprain meaning Jackson will be day-to-day. That means Sage Rosenfels will get all of the first team reps until Jackson returns. Before getting hurt, Jackson and Rosenfels split snaps but by most accounts Jackson was the better of the two. He threw the best pass of the day about 60-yards downfield to Sidney Rice who had Marcus Walker draped all over him. John David Booty is the team’s only other quarterback, so if Jackson ends up missing more time look for the team to add a free agent. The team said it’s

possible for Jackson to be back on the field by early or mid-week.

RB: After much offseason ballyhoo around Adrian Peterson’s weight, he reported to camp at at 220 pounds on Friday. He added a few pounds, mostly to his legs and upper body. “It was overblown a little bit,” he said. “That’s one thing I learned I must say. Not to talk about my weight because it’s something you’ll hear about the whole summer. I came in at 220. I feel like that’s a pretty good weight if I can stay in the 220-range. I’m feeling good. I’m not feeling too heavy. I put on some good weight this offseason. I’m just ready to get it going.” Peterson spent his offseason focused on running better routes, positioning, preparing to block and all of the little things needed to improve his overall game. He also mentioned that rookie Percy Harvin should help open things up for the offense with his speed and playmaking ability. “The potential is great,” he said. “We have the potential with the guys we have here to really make a defense switch up the scheme. Not able to stack the box and add that extra defender. Hopefully when the season comes around we won’t be getting that full box.”

WR: The Vikings agreed to terms with Percy Harvin on a five-year contract a day after camp began. The team plans to feature him in a variety of ways this year – as a slot receiver, Wildcat quarterback and potentially in the backfield, or on end-arounds. Head Coach Brad Childress is glad to have Harvin in camp after talking about how quickly a player can fall behind when they miss practice and meetings. “We go at a very rapid pace here, and we usually don't go back and start to re-do those things,” Childress said. “You hate to see players miss, because those reps are vital, those meetings are vital,” he said. “There are building blocks that have to go along the way.” Sage Rosenfels formed an opinion of Harvin after minicamps, saying, “He is just a really good football player. He’s not so much a receiver as he is almost a tailback with the way he runs the plays. He didn’t make too many mental mistakes in picking up the plays. He seems very sharp.” Sidney Rice is finally healthy and lining up opposite Bernard Berrian. Bobby Wade will get some looks in the slot, like Harvin. Jaymar Johnson had a strong offseason and made some nice plays in the first few days of practice and Aundrae Allison also had a couple of nice plays; although Allison is expected to be traded or released in the coming days.

TE: Visanthe Shiancoe is one player that wishes Brett Favre was joining the team. Ask Texans TE Owen Daniels how his production dipped when Matt Schaub went down last year. Granted, the Vikings are a different offense, but Shiancoe caught a team-high 7 TDs last year (tied with Berrian) and caught 42 balls, enough to rank among the Top 10 fantasy TEs. This year, he’ll have a difficult time producing those numbers with Sidney Rice potentially healthy and Percy Harvin looking to get on the field. Shiancoe doesn’t have a high ADP, so he’s still worth a gamble as a viable backup with upside.

Defense: It remains to be seen if the “Williams Wall” will be suspended for the first four games or not, but it’s not worrying Pat Williams any. “I’m just letting it play out as it plays out.

Whatever happens, happens. That’s how I look at everything. I’ve blocked it out. I don’t control that. I’m just here having fun,” said Williams. DE Jared Allen pronounced himself in “phenomenal” shape and said he hasn’t felt this good after the opening day of camp in years. Even Brad Childress agreed, “He’s a little spunkier, if you can believe that.” Linebacker E.J. Henderson is back and feeling great after missing most of last year with a foot injury. He thinks he’s still a step slow, but looked forward to getting to work in full pads and tackling. He also believes the Vikings can be the top defense in the league. “I was looking in the huddle today,” he said. “I told the guys there’s a lot of familiar faces, a lot of football on that starting defense so the sky’s the limit. Of course we’re shooting to be that No. 1 defense.” Marcus McCauley and Benny Sapp worked on the second-team at corner, while Karl Paymah was on the third team. Fred Evans and Letroy Guion were the second-team tackles, who we may see in extended action pending the outcome of the Williams’ case.

Special Teams: Ryan Longwell remains the placekicker. The Vikings have a second kicker on the roster, Taylor Mehlhaff who is hoping to land a specialist role, “If I can contribute and be an asset to the team from a kickoff standpoint and if I can prove that to the kickoff team, hopefully I'll be around here in the fall." As is the case very year, the returner roles are up for grabs. Practicing at kickoff returner has been WR Darius Reynaud, WR Jaymar Johnson, RB Chester Taylor, WR Glenn Holt, WR Aundrae Allison and rookie WR Percy Harvin. Third round draft pick CB Asher Allen may also join that list. Allison, Johnson, and Harvin should also work on punt returns, along with WRs Bernard Berrian and Bobby Wade. Harvin commented on his anticipated role, "Definitely a return man, slot (receiver), a little bit in the backfield, the motions, the screens, and some of the reverses. I'm looking to be all over.”

Vikings Depth Chart QB: Sage Rosenfels, Tarvaris Jackson (inj), John David Booty RB: Adrian Peterson, Chester Taylor, Albert Young, Ian Johnson FB: Naufahu Tahi, Nehemiah Broughton WR: Bernard Berrian (PR), Sidney Rice, Percy Harvin (KR/PR), Bobby Wade, Jaymar Johnson (KR), Glenn Holt, Darius Reynaud, Bobby X. Williams TE: Visanthe Shiancoe, Jim Kleinsasser, Garrett Mills, Jeff Dugan K: Ryan Longwell, Taylor Melhaff DT: Kevin Williams, Pat Williams, Fred Evans (NT), Letroy Guion, Jimmy Kennedy DE: Jared Allen, Ray Edwards, Brian Robison, Jayme Mitchell, Otis Grigsby, Martail Burnett MLB: E.J. Henderson, David Herron Jr, Jasper Brinkley, Erin Henderson OLB: Chad Greenway (W), Ben Leber (S), Heath Farwell, Kenny Onatolu, Andy Schantz, Robert Francois CB: Antoine Winfield, Cedric Griffin, Benny Sapp, Marcus McCauley, Karl Paymah, Asher Allen S: Madieu Williams (FS), Tyrell Johnson (SS), Eric Frampton (SS), Jamarca Sanford (FS), Husain Abdullah (FS), Roderick Rogers, DeVon Hall Coaches:

Head Coach: Brad Childress, Off Coord: Darrell Bevell, QB Coach: Kevin Rogers, RB Coach: Eric Bieniemy, WR Coach: George Stewart, TE Coach: Jim Johnson, OL Coach: Pat Morris, SpecTm Coach: Brian Murphy, Def Coord: Leslie Frazier, DL Coach: Karl Dunbar, LB Coach: Fred Pagac, DB Coach: Joe Woods

New England Patriots

QB: All reports out of Patriots camp are positive as Tom Brady returns from a torn ACL. Brady said that he expects to get some playing time in the preseason after being held out last year by an injured foot. “I think it's really important for a quarterback to be out there playing,” Brady said. “If you're the leader of the offense, you have to be out there leading in the preseason and the practices. I'm excited for those games, because I think we can make improvements in those games.” Brady also mentioned that the knee brace no longer bothers him. For the TMZ crowd, Brady also offered a non-denial in reference to reports that Gisele Bundchen is pregnant. On Saturday, Brady and Randy Moss were working one on one at the opposite end of the field working from within the 10-yard line. That was one of the biggest differences for the Patriots last year when Matt Cassel replaced Brady in the lineup. Kevin O’Connell had some good and bad moments over the weekend. In 7-on-7s, he was picked off by Brandon Meriweather on a pass that probably should not have been thrown. Later, he made a nice throw to Julian Edelman in tight coverage to beat Patrick Chung and Shawn Springs for a big play. He also had some nice throws in the two-minute drills, one to receiver Terrence Nunn. On Monday, the Patriots dropped Matt Gutierrez and signed former Raider Andrew Walter.

RB: The Patriots RB competition is one of the more interesting from around the league. The Patriots don’t typically produce a fantasy stud RB, yet as a team they are consistently among the better running units year after year. Patriots beat writer Mike Reiss anticipates "matchups" being a big factor in how they use their backs this season. Sammy Morris, Fred Taylor, Kevin Faulk or Laurence Maroney could be the featured back in any given series or game. Morris has the power and size, and could get the most carries, but so could Taylor, who has the best agility and elusiveness, while Maroney has the speed. Kevin Faulk’s name is becoming synomymous with “3rd down back.” BenJarvus Green-Ellis is probably the odd many out. As players arrived on the practice field in camp, several writers noted how Maroney and Taylor seemed to be attached at the hip. Apparently, Maroney took to Taylor, who was also an injury-plagued, but supremely talented back earlier in his career. “From his perspective, he’s been through a lot,” said Maroney. “He’s been through his fair share of injuries, how he took it, how he made it out of it, how he kept everything positive and how he’s (now) labeled as one of the greatest backs to play the game.” Ironically, Maroney said he didn’t know that Taylor was dubbed “Fragile Fred.” When the action began, Taylor didn’t take long to show his wares as he broke through traffic running off-tackle, switched the ball to his

outside arm and delivered a straight arm to break into the open. Earlier in position drills, Faulk had a splendid one-handed grab after beating coverage. Faulk was his sharp self in the first few days with his quickness and trademark hands consistently on display. Maroney showed a nice burst in 11-on-11s in the red zone. He ran up the middle before making a cut to the outside for an easy score. Maroney ran instinctly and without hesitation, encouraging the coaching staff with his early play.

WR: It was the first dap of camp and to nobody’s surprise, Randy Moss was on fire. He had one deep ball from Tom Brady broken up on a nice play made by corner Leigh Bodden. Otherwise, Moss flew by Jonathan Wilhite on a deep route in 1-on-1 drills and caught a Brady bomb for a TD. Moss made several impressive catches along the sidelines as the fans in attendance were treated to an show. Shawn Springs made a joke about going against Moss on a daily basis in practice, “We’re both about a couple of years from getting our AARP cards.” The Patriots lost Jabar Gaffney but gained Joey Galloway and Greg Lewis during the offseason. Galloway mishandled a bullet thrown by Brady that wound up being a defensive touchdown on one play. Too many footballs were hitting the ground on Day Two of practice. Julian Edelman dropped back-to-back punts, then another pass, before Greg Lewis dropped a long pass and Wes Welker couldn’t haul in nicely thrown ball in 11-on-11s. Edelman put in extra work after struggling in the morning. He was the first player on the field the nexst day working one-on-one with the JUGS machine. Later, Edelman bounced back with one of the best catches of the day. Brandon Tate (knee) was placed on the non-football injury list to begin camp. He isn’t expected back for now and could end up on the PUP list. Greg Lewis beat Terrence Wheatley on a deep ball from Tom Brady, then later hooked up with Matt Gutierrez.

TE: Head coach Bill Belichick called the competition at tight end this year the best he has seen in his 10 years with the Patriots. Ben Watson didn’t practice on Monday, but he’s competing with Chris Baker, Alex Smith, David Thomas and Tyson DeVree. On Thursday, DeVree made several tough catches downfield continuing the strong play he had during spring practices and OTAs. The 6’6” DeVree could become a sleeper if he continues to perform well with the pads on.

Defense: Nose tackle Vincent Wilfork reported to camp and said that he is putting contract talks behind him for now and concentrating on football. Wilfork said the contract, “will take care of itself.” Strong safety Brandon Meriweather took the field as camp opened after sitting out all of the OTAs. DE Ty Warren (groin, knee) and OLB Shawn Crable (undisclosed) began camp on the PUP list, but both could be activated at any time. Rookie Ron Brace was working at defensive end when the Patriots were in their 3-4 alignment showing his penchant for stuffing the run and generally being an immovable force at 6’3” and 330 pounds. In 11-on-11s, James Sanders broke early on a pass to tip it into the air for Leigh Bodden to intercept. The Patriots are waiting to see who will replace LB Mike Vrabel. Pierre Woods will get first crack and, so far, nobody has emerged to challenge him. Vince Redd

was behind him, but was waived last week leaving Tully Banta-Cain as a possibility or second-year Shawn Crable.

Special Teams: Kicker Stephen Gostkowski commented this weekend, "What I did in the past couple of years, whether it was good or not, has no bearing on what I'm going to do this year so I've got to prove again that I can be a consistent field-goal kicker and kickoff guy." One training camp battle that directly affects his work is the long snapper position, where rookie Jake Ingram and veteran Nate are competing to replace the departed Lonnie Paxton. WR Wes Welker, RB Kevin Faulk, WR Joey Galloway and rookie WR Julian Edelman have been practicing on punt returns. Edelman struggled, as he worked to learn yet another new job. As is commonplace for the Patriots, just about everyone on the team aside from Tom Brady has been practicing on kickoff returns. The list includes RB Laurence Maroney, WR Matt Slater, rookie WR Terrence Nunn, WR Greg Lewis, Julian Edelman, Kevin Faulk, Wes Welker, CB Terrence Wheatley and rookie CB Darius Butler.

Patriots Depth Chart QB: Tom Brady, Kevin O'Connell, Andrew Walter, Brian Hoyer RB: Sammy Morris (SD), Kevin Faulk (3RB), Fred Taylor, Laurence Maroney, BenJarvus Green-Ellis WR: Randy Moss, Wesley Welker (PR), Joey Galloway, Greg Lewis, Julian Edelman, Sam Aiken, Brandon Tate (KR) (inj), Terrence Nunn, Robert Ortiz, Tyree Barnes, Shun White TE: Ben Watson, Chris Baker, Alex Smith, David Thomas, Tyson DeVree K: Stephen Gostkowski NT: Vince Wilfork, Ron Brace (DE/NT), Myron Pryor, LeKevin Smith, Titus Adams DE: Richard Seymour, Ty Warren (DT), Jarvis Green, Darryl Richard, Mike Wright, Stephen Williams ILB: Jerod Mayo (W), Tedy Bruschi, Gary Guyton, Paris Lenon, Tank Williams (I/SS), Eric Alexander, Tyrone McKenzie (IR) OLB: Adalius Thomas, Pierre Woods, Tully Banta-Cain, Shawn Crable, Vinny Ciurciu CB: Shawn Springs, Leigh Bodden, Darius Butler, Jonathan Wilhite, Terrence Wheatley, Mike Richardson, Jamar Love S: James Sanders (SS), Brandon Meriweather (FS), Patrick Chung (SS/FS), Brandon McGowan (SS), Matt Slater (KR), Ray Ventrone (SS), Herana-Daze Jones Coaches: Head Coach: Bill Belichick, QB Coach: Bill OBrien, RB Coach: Ivan Fears, WR Coach: Chad Oshea, TE Coach: Shane Waldron, OL Coach: Dante Scarnecchia, SpecTm Coach: Scott OBrien, Def Coord: Dean Pees, DL Coach: Pepper Johnson, LB Coach: Matt Patricia, DB Coach: Josh Boyer

New Orleans Saints

QB: Defenses often have the upper hand in the early days of training camp, and while that has been the case with the Saints, nobody got the best of quarterback Drew Brees. After three practices, the defense was still searching for its

first interception of Brees. “You know, I'm pretty sure someone might throw a ball out to a fan or something if we can get Drew,” safety Roman Harper said. “You know, Drew's pretty smart about that. He doesn't throw many, especially against us. He kind of knows what we're doing a lot of times, and he's such a good quarterback and he's so accurate, he doesn't throw many to us. So we're just trying to take advantage of him if he ever does hang one up to us.” While Brees has looked great, the offense wasn’t without its own miscues. During team drills, Brees had his second pass attempt tipped at the line. He missed Marques Colston over the middle due to pressure and Tracy Porter stripped Colston after a short completion on another play. “I feel like there were times when we got the upper hand and some times when they had the upper hand,” said Brees. “But the competitiveness and energy is good for all of us.” If Brees ever gets hurt, the Saints could be like the Cowboys last year. They don’t know what Mark Brunell has left in the tank and Joey Harrington has underwhelmed everywhere he’s played. So far, those two are sharing time with the second team and it appears to be an open competition at this point.

RB: Reggie Bush was a full participant when the team opened camp late last week. Coming off microfracture knee surgery, Bush said, “I wouldn't say I'm 100 percent. I would say strength-wise 100 percent, health-wise at about 99.5 percent, which is expected on the first real day back.” Bush rested on Saturday and didn’t appear to have any problems with the knee. Head coach Sean Payton said they planned to give Bush rest throughout the two-a-day practices. He returned on Sunday and had a great day of practice showing no hesitation on his knee when making cuts. Payton said that Bush has not had any swelling in the knee. "It's really kind of one of the things we wanted to do with him just to keep that from coming up," Payton said about giving him rest. Two days later, it was a different story as Bush had his knee drained after experiencing some swelling. The Saints plan to hang their hats on Pierre Thomas as the lead back anyway this year. Thomas reported to camp looking bigger than OTAs while Mike Bell showed up looking smaller. Thomas added about 10 pounds and weighed in at 221 pounds. He knows he won’t keep it all on during camp. "I still want to keep that speed, but I want to have that power, too," said Thomas, who said he felt bogged down with full pads on for the first time Friday. He expects to get quicker and stronger as camp goes on. Bell reported at 219, down from 230 earlier in the spring. "I'm light. Light like my rookie year. Skinny," said Bell. "I remember watching some old tape of me from my rookie year, and I liked what I saw when I was flying around, making some good cuts, being able to move left to right. So I figured, why not just get back to when I was at my best? I'm excited. If I can stay under 220 the whole year, I feel like I'm going to be a force to be reckoned with." For now, he appears to be the leading candidate for the No. 3 job ahead of Lynell Hamilton, who also had some nice moments on Friday.

WR: Interestingly, the Saints have the second oldest roster in the league, but their receiving corps is anything but old. Devery Henderson is the veteran among the group as he enters his sixth season. That doesn’t mean the team is looking to add a veteran either. "We're pretty comfortable with the group that we have," Payton said. "We're spending time evaluating some

of the younger guys, but I think the reps that Marques (Colston) has had, Devery (Henderson), and even Lance Moore and Robert Meachem for that matter - those guys have had a lot of work. A couple of the other free agents that we signed have been around for a while, like Paris Warren (four years), but we'll see. Those guys have had a lot of reps. I don't know that purposely it worked out that way or if it was just a matter of where we were with the roster." Colston comes into his fourth season following microfracture surgery on his left knee in January. "This is his first full work," Payton said. "All of these guys are carrying their pads for a second day now, so really it's a process that takes place to get used to that. So far he's doing well." Colston showed no effects from practicing and said he’s as healthy as he’s been in a long time. "I'm definitely 100 percent injury-free," Colston said. "It's just a matter of now trying to manage it so I can come out of preseason feeling the same way. I'm always going to be leery of that and keep working hard." The Saints have a competition for the other starting job as Lance Moore is recovering from shoulder surgery and only working on a limited basis. Devery Henderson could end up starting opposite Colston if Moore isn’t ready. Adrian Arrington was limited by a hamstring and did individual work with trainer Scottie Patton. Moore took part in 7-on-7s but also worked on the side with Patton. "Lance's lower body is fine, he's doing real well," Payton said. "Adrian needs to get his hamstring right before he gets back out here." Moore said that he’s doing what they let him, "They don't want me to have any contact for another two weeks at least, so I won't be in team drills." Brees expects big things from Robert Meachem this year, but somehow it seems like we’ve heard that one before. "He's somewhat of our big play guy, but ... I feel that he's starting to move towards more of an every-down guy," Brees observed. "He's getting to the point where he's a complete receiver." On Saturday, Meachem caught a pair of long balls during one-on-ones beating cornerbacks Jason David and Reggie Jones.

TE: I suppose no news is good news when it comes to the world of Jeremy Shockey. That appears to be the case in the first few days of camp. Shockey had an opportunity on Friday during team drills when he broke free after catching a short pass over the middle, but LB Jonathan Vilma closed quickly and ripped the ball loose for a fumble that was recovered by S Roman Harper. Such has been the story for Shockey since joining the Saints. On another play, Shockey didn’t come down with a high, but catchable pass that was broken up by Scott Shanle. For whatever reason, Shockey and Brees are still searching for that elusive connection. Whatever Cajun mojo Shockey lacks, Billy Miller oozes is. If Shockey can’t stay healthy again, Miller will once again be a consistent target and a worthy fantasy consideration.

Defense: As the team opened camp, new defensive coordinator Gregg Williams made an open declaration to his unit: “There are no starters ... everybody is interviewing ... everybody is looking for their positions.” Williams went on to add, “I like versatile players. Corners have to play safety; safeties have to play corner; linebackers have to play defensive end; defensive ends have to play linebacker. You'll see defensive tackles move out and defensive ends move inside.” Rookie first-round pick Malcolm Jenkins was absent and still without a contract while Jonathan Vilma did more

than anticipated after having abdominal surgery on July 6. Coach Payton said they cut Vilma’s reps back but he still participated fully. Williams was happy with the first two days of practice by the way his defense played. When asked who won those practices, Williams quipped, "An honest answer? It's not even close who won either practice." Williams reportedly tracks who won every play in every practice. Among the competitions in camp are at the starting corners and left defensive end. Randall Gay, Tracy Porter, Jabari Greer and Malcolm Jenkins are all in the mix for the starting corners. Gay and Porter started during the spring, but who wins this battle will likely come down to the two players that prevent big plays the most consistently. At LDE, Bobby McCray is competing with Charles Grant, who could miss the first four games depending on the result of the Starcaps ruling. If so, McCray has an open lane to the starting job. The New Orleans Times-Picayune thinks that Anthony Hargrove could be a hidden jewel and the sleeper of the offseason. In Saturday’s practices, Porter, safety Roman Harper, Vilma and fellow LB Scott Shanle and DT Kendrick Clancy all broke up passes working against the first-team. Jason David got the defense an interception, albeit against the second team (not Brees).

Special Teams: After several years of question at kicker, the Saints enter camp with the apparent answer, Garret Hartley, as the only kicker on the roster. Although he was spotted fielding punts in practice, he will stick to just kicking in game situations. The main punt returner will once again be RB Reggie Bush. The main kickoff returner will not be RB Pierre Thomas, given his increased workload on offense. The team will look elsewhere, just as they did when Thomas started at RB late last year. That once again opens the door for WR Courtney Roby or WR Skyler Green to earn a roster spot as the primary kickoff returner. Roby is the initial favorite. Although Green can also contribute on punt returns, he didn’t help his case when he muffed several punts in one of the first practices.

Saints Depth Chart QB: Drew Brees, Mark Brunell, Joey Harrington RB: Pierre Thomas, Reggie Bush (3RB), Mike Bell, Lynell Hamilton, P.J. Hill, Herb Donaldson FB: Heath Evans, Olaniyi Sobomehin WR: Marques Colston, Lance Moore (PR) (inj), Devery Henderson, Robert Meachem, Adrian Arrington (inj), Skyler Green, Courtney Roby (KR), Paris Warren, D'Juan Woods, Chris Vaughn TE: Jeremy Shockey, Billy Miller, Dan Campbell, Darnell Dinkins, Buck Ortega K: Garrett Hartley DT: Sedrick Ellis, Kendrick Clancy (NT), Remi Ayodele, Rod Coleman, Demario Pressley DE: Will Smith (susp), Charles Grant (susp), Bobby McCray, Anthony Hargrove, Paul Spicer, Jeff Charleston, Jermey Parnell MLB: Jonathan Vilma, Mark Simoneau, Anthony Waters, Stanley Arnoux (IR) OLB: Scott Fujita (S), Scott Shanle (W), Troy Evans (W/S), Marvin Mitchell (W), Jo-Lonn Dunbar, Jonathan Casillas CB: Tracy Porter, Randall Gay, Jabari Greer, Malcolm

Jenkins (CB/FS), Jason David, Leigh Torrence, Danny Gorrer S: Darren Sharper (FS), Roman Harper (SS), Pierson Prioleau (SS), Usama Young (FS), Chip Vaughn (SS/FS), Chris Reis (SS) Coaches: Head Coach: Sean Payton, Off Coord: Pete Carmichael, QB Coach: Joe Lombardi, RB Coach: Bret Ingalls, WR Coach: Curtis Johnson, TE Coach: Terry Malone, OL Coach: Aaron Kromer, SpecTm Coach: Greg McMahon, Def Coord: Gregg Williams, DL Coach: Bill Johnson, LB Coach: Joe Vitt, DB Coach: Dennis Allen

New York Giants

QB: The big news through the first week of camp was off-the-field as Eli Manning was close to signing an extension for a reported $97.5 million over six years. GM Jerry Reese acknowledged the talks but was careful to say that a deal wasn’t finalized yet. On the field, Manning and the passing attack are off to a slow start. Ralph Vacchiano of the NY Daily News noted that Tom Coughlin is already losing his patience. “It’s obviously not in midseason form,” Tom Coughlin said after the morning practice today. “It’s early, but I’m not very patient. I’d like to see some progress. On offense it’s got to be more than good play, bad play. We can make a big play everybody remembers. But to me it’s ‘Come on back and let’s get the next play. What are we going to do now? Let’s feel good about making a big play, but let’s make another one, not turn around and go backwards.” Rhett Bomar is trying to supplant Andre Woodson as the 3rd QB and is doing a fine job of it through the first week of camp. Bomar has looked sharper and more decisive.

RB: No news is good news for the Giants ball carriers, as the first few days have been quiet. Brandon Jacobs broke off a long TD run on Tuesday morning, but wasn’t on the field much beyond that. Ahmad Bradshaw is clearly being worked into the passing game aggressively, and save for a few yips here and there, he’s been solid running routes and catching the ball away from his body.

WR: Steve Smith and Domenik Hixon opened camp as the starters and nothing the other receivers have done in camp so far would suggest they’re in danger of losing those jobs anytime soon. Smith has been a model of consistency, save for a two drop practice on Tuesday. That same day, Hixon had his best showing so far including a deep TD catch as well as several plays in tight against multiple defenders. Sinorice Moss was considered the odd man out by most after the Giants drafted Hakeem Nicks and Ramses Barden in April. But Moss has been the star of OTAs and early training camp, making the decision to get rid of him much harder. Rookie Hakeem Nicks has been slow to make his mark, with only a handful of receptions so far; none particularly noteworthy. Fellow rookie Ramses Barden may struggle to make the active roster this year. He’s been slow in and out of his cuts thus far.

TE: Not a lot to report on the tight end front yet. Kevin Boss is clearly the #1 and has showed glimpses, but for every good catch he’s made, there have been lapses in his blocking. Lee Vickers is having a good stat to camp, but remains a long shot to make the team.

Defense: Star DE Osi Umenyiora is back on the practice field, a welcome sight after missing last year with a torn ACL. Osi has looked good, and the coaches are keeping him fresh by limiting his practice time. LB Antonio Pierce wants to bounce back after an off 2008, and appears to have a clear path to focus on football after a grand jury decided against indicting him for his role in the Plaxico Burress gun case. The Giants expect big things from S Kenny Phillips this season and he appears ready to answer the call. Phillips made a statement with not one, but two interceptions in the Giants opening practice and hasn’t skipped a beat since. The competition at WLB between Gerris Wilkinson and Bryan Kehl has been one-sided in favor of Kehl so far. If B.K. can match this level of intensity into the regular season, the Giants won’t miss Michael Boley much while he rehabs.

Special Teams: After spending most of 2008 on the bench watching John Carney, Lawrence Tynes is the only kicker in camp. He discussed his goals for 2009, “I just want to have a solid year. What was John last year [on field goals] -- 92 percent? That's the bar for this year. I'd like to be there or higher. Hopefully, I'll get as many opportunities as he had.” Both returner roles will be determined during the preseason. During the first practice of camp, WR Domenik Hixon, WR Sinorice Moss, WR Mario Manningham and RB Ahmad Bradshaw work on punt returns. Seventh round draft pick CB Stoney Woodson, WR Steve Smith and CB Aaron Ross are also possibilities on punt returns. Bradshaw, Moss, and Hixon should also be among the candidates on kickoff returns, along with first round draft choice WR Hakeem Nicks and RB Danny Ware.

Giants Depth Chart QB: Eli Manning, David Carr, Rhett Bomar, Andre Woodson RB: Brandon Jacobs, Ahmad Bradshaw (KR/3RB), Danny Ware, Andre Brown, Allen Patrick FB: Madison Hedgecock WR: Domenik Hixon, Steve Smith, Mario Manningham, Hakeem Nicks, Sinorice Moss, Ramses Barden, David Tyree, Derek Hagan, Taye Biddle, Shaun Bodiford TE: Kevin Boss, Travis Beckum (HB), Michael Matthews, Darcy Johnson, Lee Vickers K: Lawrence Tynes DT: Fred Robbins, Barry Cofield (NT), Jay Alford, Rocky Bernard, Jeremy Clark, Legeder Douzable DE: Osi Umenyiora, Justin Tuck, Chris Canty, Mathias Kiwanuka, Dave Tollefson, Jerome McDougle, Maurice Evans, Robert Henderson, Tommie Hill MLB: Antonio Pierce, Chase Blackburn (W), Jonathan Goff OLB: Danny Clark (S), Michael Boley (W/s) (inj), Bryan Kehl (W), Clint Sintim (S), Gerris Wilkinson (W), Zak DeOssie, Kelvin Smith CB: Aaron Ross, Corey Webster, Kevin Dockery, Terrell Thomas, R.W. McQuarters (PR), DeAndre Wright, stoney Woodson, Vince Anderson

S: Kenny Phillips (SS), Michael Johnson (FS), C.C. Brown (SS), Kenny Ingram, Sha'Reff Rashad Coaches: Head Coach: Tom Coughlin, Off Coord: Kevin Gilbride, QB Coach: Chris Palmer, RB Coach: Jerald Ingram, WR Coach: Mike Sullivan, TE Coach: Mike Pope, OL Coach: Pat Flaherty, SpecTm Coach: Tom Quinn, Def Coord: Bill Sheridan, DL Coach: Mike Waufle, LB Coach: Jim Herrman, DB Coach: Peter Giunta, DB Coach: David Merritt

New York Jets

QB: The Jets quarterback “competition” will be one of the most critiqued in football this August. Mark Sanchez is the anointed one while Kellen Clemens attempts to hold onto whatever fragile grasp he may have on the starting job going into camp. The results have been mixed so far. On Saturday, Clemens had the first-team defense on their heels. During 7-on-7 drills, Clemens hooked up with Brad Smith for a long TD. Later, Sanchez had his turn. He shot a pass to David Clowney, who made a nice catch and run. Then, he tried to force a ball into Smith, but Dwight Lowery broke up the pass in coverage. In the morning, Clemens had two interceptions thrown, one that went back for a TD. Sanchez also had a pick. Overall, Clemens finished 6-of-13 and Sanchez 4-of-11 combined between 9-on-9s and 11-on-11s. Clemens had a 60-yard TD to Leon Washington and a 40-yard completion to Jerricho Cotchery. On Sunday, Sanchez got the first team reps and outshined Clemens. In the rain, Sanchez completed 6-of-9 connecting with Clowney for a 10-yard TD. Clemens completed his first three before going south. He wound up 7-of-14 with an interception giving him four picks in three days. Sanchez seemed more content to check down on safer passes to his backs and Clowney. He did make a nice throw deep to Marcus Henry on a comeback. "He'll be getting more reps with the 1s as we go on," Ryan said of Sanchez. "He's got a lot of talent. He makes some throws that are hard to make...Obviously, that's one of the reasons that we jumped up and tried to go get him (in the draft)."

RB: The highlights from the first couple of days amongst the RBs came down to Thomas Jones breaking his media boycott on Friday and Shon Greene’s NFL welcome courtesy of The Rex Box – a drill used by Rex Ryan pitting running backs against blitzing defenders. In the drill, Greene was rocked backward into the turf by DE Bryan Thomas. “That’s what I like to call Run Over Drill, and that’s why we call it Run Over Drill. Usually on offense, when you don’t have pads on and the running backs are 1-on-1 with the linebackers, we call that Run Away Drill. And when you gotta pass-block, that’s Run Over Drill — they get ‘em back. Shonn’s got to realize, oof, they’re not messing around over there. But it was good, man,” Ryan said. “I tell you what. That’s exciting to me. I love watching that drill, because you have to be an unbelievable competitor to sit in there and take on some of those big rushers. You see Thomas Jones, you see Leon, and Shonn, too, to his credit, he got nailed, but he came right back. I like the way our backs compete.” A lot of that, Rex beamed, comes from his RBs coach, Anthony Lynn. “Anthony’s a

tough guy and they want to please him. Sometimes a coach will rub off on a team.” Leon Washington arrived a day late to training camp. On Sunday, Greene had a brief scare as he crumpled to the ground after getting run over again in 1-on-1 pass blocking drills, this time by LB Kenwin Cummings. Greene grabbed his right ankle in pain, tried to walk it off, then hobbled off the field. A few minutes later, he was back on the field and running as hard as ever. "Some guys would say, 'I'm going to take this practice off,'" Ryan said. "That's not this kid. He is a tough kid. He kind of rolled an ankle as somebody was rolling him." Greene was run over by LB Larry Izzo yet another time in the same drills, but none of it dissuaded his confidence in protecting the quarterback. "I felt pretty comfortable (at Iowa)," Greene said. "It's pretty much going to be the same thing here. They're just bigger guys and stuff and they're a lot quicker. So I just have to keep working on it." Danny Woodhead missed some practice time after taking a blow to the head, but he returned to the field after sitting for a couple days.

WR: The Jets are trying to find the pecking order among the receivers. Jerricho Cotchery is the clear #1, but Chansi Stuckey, David Clowney, Brad Smith and Wallace Wright are all competing for time alongside him. Rex Ryan thinks Smith could be the team's No. 2 receiver, “I don't know if he is the No. 3 guy because he might be the No. 2 guy. There is great competition at that spot. He will be given every single chance to be that guy.” On the first day of practice, Stuckey made a good first impression with a 40-yard touchdown catch from Sanchez over CB Lito Sheppard. Ryan talked a little more about the No. 2 spot, “We have a lot of very capable guys, whether it is (David) Clowney or (Chansi) Stuckey. Everyone knows that Stuckey is a great receiver in the slot. It seems to me that he should play in the slot. Clowney has great vertical speed, so there he is. Then you (have) Brad (Smith) and maybe somebody else will emerge. I am comfortable with those guys. I really am. I think Wallace Wright did a lot of great things in the minicamp then he came out yesterday (and had) two drops. Now we have to work on being consistent because he really did show a lot of good things in the minicamp. Sometimes you take a little step back and then you move forward. I'd like for him to take another jump as well.”

TE: On the first day of practice rookie J’Nathan Bullock came up with a nice leaping catch from Erik Ainge between two defenders as the crowd cheered loudly. The team was also experimenting with Wayne Hunter, a backup lineman, as part of their “Wild Hog” package. In this formation, Hunter was motioning as a tight end with starter Dustin Keller lining up off the line of scrimmage.

Defense: Eric Smith picked up in camp where he left off during OTAs and minicamp; he’s an interception machine. Smith and fellow safety Jim Leonhard earned big praise from Coach Ryan for their instinctive play during the first few days. “He disguises coverages better than anybody in the league other than Ed Reed,” Ryan said of Leonhard, who along with Darrelle Revis got off to white-hot starts. Revis and Leonhard each have three interceptions in as many days. On Day Two, NT Kris Jenkins, who checked into camp at a svelt 360 pounds, went down with a calf injury. Ryan said he might

be out longer than anticipated. "It could be a little longer than I thought," said Ryan. "Sometimes those calves are a little slower to heal." For now, he’s day-to-day. Sione Pouha will get more snaps. Overall, the defense was ahead of the offense on the first couple of days of camp. LB Bart Scott is bringing some intensity. As if Shon Greene hadn’t been thumped on enough, Scott yelled at Greene for not getting back to the huddle quickly enough, giving him a nice shove. Ryan heaped some unsolicited praise on Rutgers product Jamaal Westerman, an undrafted rookie that caught Ryan's eye at the team's rookie minicamp. "I'll be shocked if he doesn't make a name for himself this year," Ryan said. "He is really working good." Lastly, Vernon Gholston was quiet on the first day of practice as he played behind Calvin Pace with the second unit. On Sunday, Ryan went out of his way to compliment Gholston despite his average first few days. "He's a big physical guy that has all the tools," Ryan said. "We just got to give him an opportunity. That's our job as coaches. (Was it) merited when we made Haloti Ngata the starter in Baltimore? Because what he did on college tape and what we think he can do -- how we project him -- that's why he's the starter. We did the same thing with Haloti. I think that worked out pretty well for us." Ryan admitted to challenging Gholston to run through people, which he did on one blitz when he went over center Nick Mangold. "If he can move Nick Mangold like that, he can move anybody," Ryan said. "That's what we're trying to get. We're going to find out. We'll see. It's all going to come out in the end. He's going to be our starter for the first four games for sure. We'll evaluate him after those games."

Special Teams: After driving a U-haul, golfing, and tweeting his way up the east coast, Jay Feely arrived as the only kicker in Jets camp. Mike Nugent had declined an offer to remain a Jet during the off-season and headed down the east coast to Tampa. Return specialist RB Leon Washington is looking for a new contract and skipped the first day of camp, however he arrived on day two. Both parties are still negotiating, and at this juncture it looks like something will probably get worked out and that a regular season holdout will not occur. Joining Washington in returning kickoffs in a recent practice was RB Danny Woodhead and CB Dwight Lowery. Joining him in punt return practice was the likely primary backup, safety Jim Leonhard who ended up returning punts for the Ravens towards the end of last year.

Jets Depth Chart QB: Kellen Clemens, Mark Sanchez, Erik Ainge, Chris Pizzotti RB: Thomas Jones, Leon Washington (3RB), Shonn Greene, Danny Woodhead FB: Tony Richardson, Jehuu Caulcrick WR: Jerricho Cotchery, Chansi Stuckey, Brad Smith, David Clowney, Wallace Wright, Marcus Henry, Aundrae Allison, Huey Whittaker, Britt Davis TE: Dustin Keller, Kareem Brown, J'Nathan Bullock, Kevin Brock K: Jay Feely NT: Kris Jenkins, Sione Pouha, Howard Green DE: Shaun Ellis, Marques Douglas, Jamaal Westerman, Mike Devito, Zach Potter, Matt Kroul

ILB: Bart Scott, David Harris, Jason Trusnik, Kenwin Cummings, Craig Kobel OLB: Calvin Pace (susp), Bryan Thomas, Vernon Gholston, Marques Murrell, Larry Izzo, Brandon Renkart, Brock Christopher CB: Darrelle Revis, Lito Sheppard, Dwight Lowery, Drew Coleman, Ahmad Carroll, Donald Strickland S: Jim Leonhard (SS/KR), Kerry Rhodes (FS), Eric Smith (SS), Doug Ihedigbo (FS/CB), Emanuel Cook, Keith Fitzhugh Coaches: Head Coach: Rex Ryan, Off Coord: Brian Schottenheimer, QB Coach: Matt Cavanaugh, RB Coach: Anthony Lynn, WR Coach: Henry Ellard, TE Coach: Mike Devlin, OL Coach: Bill Callahan, SpecTm Coach: Mike Westhoff, SpecTm Coach: Kevin Odea, Def Coord: Mike Pettine, DL Coach: Kerry Locklin, LB Coach: Bob Sutton, DB Coach: Dennis Thurman

Oakland Raiders

QB: JaMarcus Russell was sharp in Sunday’s practice correcting receivers, throwing with accuracy and generally playing better than he had in the previous practices. Russell conceded reporting to camp heavier than hoped. On the opening day of camp, Russell frequently took a knee during practice, not exactly leading by example. Russell was asked about competing with Jeff Garcia, “We’re all for the same team and if he is going to push me to do my best, then if he goes out there and does better than me that week, I'm going to be his biggest cheerleader, but we’re all for the same team. I wish him the best with whatever happens.” He continued, “There's going to be a lot going on this year. You have a lot of doubters counting the Raiders out. But it's the beginning of a new year." This offseason, Russell hosted a passing camp for his young receivers to build some chemistry down in Alabama. Unfortunately, only Louis Murphy, Todd Watkins, Will Franklin and Jonathan Holland attended. Tackle Mario Henderson and WR Johnnie Lee Higgins both offered support of their quarterback. On Thursday, the Raiders released Andrew Walter leaving Charlie Frye and Bruce Gradkowski to compete for the No. 3 job.

RB: After a few days of practice, the Raiders are clearly intent on getting Darren McFadden more involved in the offense. Head Coach Tom Cable confirmed via last year's game tapes that the Raiders were indeed "noticeably better" when Darren McFadden was on the field. Cable will call the plays this year and he fully intends on using McFadden more as a runner, receiver and even as a Wildcat quarterback. McFadden frequently lined up as a wideout in practice. Cable was asked if the Raiders will use a Wildcat formation. “I think there’s a whole package of that you can do,” Cable said. “Right now what I want to do is just get our base installation in and then the situations taught, which is where we’re at right now, and then from there, that’s down the road. That’s kind of extra.” McFadden said he’s more comfortable this season and that the turf toes are behind him. Justin Fargas is still very much in the picture, along with Michael Bush, for touches, but McFadden should top 200 carries, catch 40+ passes and probably throw several passes as well. McFadden reported to camp thicker,

more muscular than last season and appeared to be in excellent shape. FB Oren O'Neal practiced once a day during the two-a-days as the team limits his reps at first.

WR: Chaz Schilens emerged, as expected, as the best receiver on the team after the first four days of practice, continuing the pace he set during offseason workouts. Darrius Heyward-Bey struggled badly dropping three passes in an offense-only drill. Owner Al Davis was looking on in attendance, and he stopped to speak with Heyward-Bey and his position coach after practice. What wasn’t expected was how well Javon Walker looked working with trainers off to the side. Walker was seen running with speed, cutting, jumping over blocks and working hard. If Walker gives the team anything this year, it will be like winning the lottery. While some of the young receivers worked with Russell at his camp, Schilens was unable to attend and worked out in San Diego, oddly enough, with Jeff Garcia. "I heard they got some good work done (but) I was able to throw with Jeff (Garcia)...a couple of times down in San Diego," Schilens said. "That was good.” Johnnie Lee Higgins projects as the Raiders starter at split end ahead of Heyward-Bey, who may emerge and move Higgins inside to the slot at some point. In one practice, Heyward-Bey got past Stanford Routt during a drill that drew the praise of Willie Brown, “He’s so fast and quick, got a nice release . . . we’ve got something for you next week, though.” Routt slowed Heyward-Bey with an initial shove moments later prompting Brown to say, “Nice hands.” Routt agreed: “Gotta slow him down.” Walker claims to have undergone some sort of secret surgery this offseason, saying it is “something new” and that it will “benefit a lot of athletes.” Walker wouldn't reveal any details, not even what country it was performed. "I don't know where it was done. I'm clueless." But Walker offered up this nugget, “When they let me loose, it's on after that.” Murphy, a fourth-round draft pick from Florida, has impressed, too. "He's a guy that came out of a good program and is very passionate about playing the game," Cable said. "For him, it's just learning our offense, a new system for him and just keep doing it but he's progressing very well." The Raiders released Arman Shields.

TE: Zach Miller is expected to get more opportunities to catch the ball this year with rookie Brandon Myers onboard. Myers expects to be used strictly in a blocking capacity. Bill Williamson, of ESPN.com, reported that Miller improved in all phases of the game during the offseason, saying to "keep an eye out for him."

Defense: To nobody’s surprise, the Raiders are reportedly shopping DE Derrick Burgess around the league hoping to get third- and fourth-round picks according to Adam Shefter, via Twitter. Burgess was the only player under contract who did not report for duty. "He is not here by choice," HC Tom Cable said, who named Greg Ellis as the starting left defensive end in his place. Ellis can play in either a 3-4 or 4-3 scheme, meaning Jay Richardson, Trevor Scott and Matt Shaughnessy will now compete for snaps at right end. Trevor Scott was lining up as the starter at left end. Tommy Kelly got off to a rocky start by jumping offside numerous times. Chris Johnson and Stanford Routt are sharing snaps with the first team. Johnson got a new contract in January, but this will be a tight

competition for the starting job. Ricky Brown worked at the strongside and in the middle with the first team on the opening day of camp, but Cable cautioned that depth charts won’t be established until Monday at the earliest.

Special Teams: The Raiders have a very strong group at the key special teams’ positions with punter Shane Lechler, kicker Sebastian Janikowski, punt returner WR Johnnie Lee Higgins, and kickoff returner CB Justin Miller. DB Tyvon Branch should serve as the primary backup on returns. Traditional practice didn’t occur during the first four days, as HC Tom Cable implemented his classroom, techniques, and no-contact approach to the start of camp. Lechler threw rather than kicked the ball during punt drills, on which there was no subsequent coverage. One player that did manage to make a showing on returns in those circumstances was undrafted rookie WR Nick Miller.

Raiders Depth Chart QB: JaMarcus Russell, Jeff Garcia, Charlie Frye, Bruce Gradkowski RB: Darren McFadden, Justin Fargas, Michael Bush (FB), Gary Russell, Louis Rankin FB: Lorenzo Neal, Oren ONeal, Luke Lawton, Marcel Reece WR: Chaz Schilens, Johnnie Lee Higgins (KR), Darrius Heyward-Bey, Javon Walker (inj), Louis Murphy, Todd Watkins, Will Franklin, Jonathan Holland, Shawn Bayes, Nick Miller TE: Zach Miller, Tony Stewart, Brandon Myers, Darrell Strong K: Sebastian Janikowski DT: Tommy Kelly, Gerard Warren (NT), Terdell Sands (NT), William Joseph, Ryan Boschetti, Desmond Bryant DE: Greg Ellis, Trevor Scott, Derrick Burgess, Jay Richardson, Matt Shaughnessy, Greyson Gunheim, Derrick Gray MLB: Kirk Morrison OLB: Thomas Howard (W), Jon Alston (S), Ricky Brown (S/M), Isaiah Ekejiuba (W), Slade Norris, Sam Williams, David Nixon CB: Nnamdi Asomugha, Chris Johnson, Stanford Routt, Justin Miller (KR), Jason Horton, John Bowie S: Hiram Eugene (FS), Michael Mitchell (SS), Tyvon Branch (SS), Michael Huff (FS/SS), Jerome Boyd, Darrick Brown Coaches: Head Coach: Tom Cable, QB Coach: Paul Hackett, RB Coach: Kelly Skipper, WR Coach: Sanjay Lal, TE Coach: Adam Henry, OL Coach: Jim Michalczik, SpecTm Coach: John Fassel, Def Coord: John Marshall, DL Coach: Dwaine Board, LB Coach: Mike Haluchak, DB Coach: Lionel Washington

Philadelphia Eagles

QB: The QBs seem settled and in a groove through the first week in camp. McNabb has been calm and on fire in 7-on-7 and 11-on-11 drills. He’s completed deep passes to just about everyone that’s gotten reps with the first team. Kevin Kolb has been sharp running the 2nd teamers, including some line of

scrimmage adjustments that got the team out of difficult situations. On Saturday, Kolb hit Reggie Brown deep down the sideline for a long score, and even threaded the needle for a TD to (now waived) Marcus Thigpen over projected starter Quintin Demps.

McNabb’s long-time protectors, Tra Thomas and Jon Runyan, are no longer on the roster and their replacements have been a mixed bag so far in camp. LT Jason Peters missed two days with a sore quad, but returned to practice on Monday. Shawn Andrews, who was supposed to move outside and start at RT, has missed a majority of camp with a sore back. Turnstile Winston Justice has started in his place and been shockingly good, although Eagles fans won’t buy that until Justice plays well when the games actually matter. OC Marty Mornhinweg said, “It sounds kind of crazy, but he really is a good pass protector now. I've been impressed with Winston. There's no question he has dramatically improved his game. Sometimes it takes guys until their fourth or fifth year before it clicks for them. I think it has clicked for Winston.”

RB: All eyes have been on Brian Westbrook as he works with trainers on the side of practice. He’s been doing a multitude of agility and strength drills, but the coaches have made no indication of when we can expect Westbrook back in practice. Rookie LeSean McCoy has been a bright spot in the first week of camp. "LeSean is doing a terrific job up-to-date, and we ask an awful lot of the halfback spot in our offense. The protection part is taxing mentally and he's picked that up very well,” said Mornhinweg. “We move him outside strong, outside weak, inside strong, inside weak, we motion him out of the backfield and he's done an excellent job with that. Now, that's not to say he's not making some mistakes but, the mistakes that he's making are minimal and correctable. He's doing a fine job. I've been impressed with LeSean." Donovan McNabb is pleased with both McCoy and new fullback Leonard Weaver. "We have another dimension with Weaver. He can play the tailback position, he can play the fullback position, he can catch the ball out of the backfield, he's picking up blitzes for us, doing a great job with that. So that helps us in so many ways, to be able to have a versatile guy like that."

WR: 1st round pick Jeremy Maclin missed the start of camp because his contract wasn’t done, but the team got a 5-year, $15.5mm deal completed over the weekend. DeSean Jackson has gotten better; a scary thought for NFC East defensive backs. In Friday practice, Jackson caught a McNabb pass 40 yards downfield and ran away from the CB and safety on his way to a 70-yard score. Kevin Curtis seems fully recovered from his sports hernia that robbed him of his explosiveness last year. On Monday in 11-on-11 drills, McNabb completed a 70-yard bomb to Curtis who beat Rashad Baker deep. There’s really no clear-cut separation between the other WRs currently, which is actually good news for Reggie Brown.

TE: Rookie Cornelius Ingram has been a surprise to many, because he missed last year with an ACL injury. He’s noticeably more athletic than the other TEs in camp, including starter Brent Celek, and has made some highlight catches including what would’ve been a TD from Donovan McNabb during goal-line drills.

Defense: The Eagles suffered a blow early in camp as MLB Stewart Bradley tore his ACL and is lost for the season. The Eagles moved quickly to sign Matt Wilhelm for depth, but Joe Mays and Omar Gaither will compete for the starting role. On a positive front, CB Asante Samuel was back in practice after missing two days with a sore hamstring. Trent Cole has been more vocal in practice, as has S Quinten Mikell. Mikell looks ready to take over Brian Dawkins role in the secondary as the quarterback of the defense. On a coaching note, new DC Sean McDermott has been all over the field, and appears a bit more hands on than his predecessor, the late and great Jim Johnson.

Special Teams: David Akers is the only kicker on the roster. Punter Sav Rocca will share the workload with camp leg Ken Parrish. On fan night, Rocca bested Parrish by being the first to land a punt in the luxury boxes. Last year, the Eagles finally found the long sought after return game with safety Quintin Demps on kickoff returns and WR DeSean Jackson on punt returns. Although both are presently designated as starters in those roles again, that could change since they are also starters at their respective defensive and offensive positions. Next in line on returns would be trade acquisition CB Ellis Hobbs on kickoffs and first round draft pick WR Jeremy Maclin on punts. Special teams coordinator Ted Daisher described how the final determination will be made, "That's real easy," Daisher said. "When (head coach) Andy (Reid) says he's out there, he's out there. When Andy says he's not, he's not. That's just the way it is."

Eagles Depth Chart QB: Donovan McNabb, Kevin Kolb, A.J. Feeley RB: Brian Westbrook (inj), LeSean McCoy, Lorenzo Booker, Marcus Thigpen FB: Leonard Weaver, Kyle Eckel, Dan Klecko (DT), Marcus Mailei WR: DeSean Jackson (PR), Kevin Curtis, Jeremy Maclin (KR), Reggie Brown, Jason Avant, Hank Baskett, Brandon Gibson, Brandon Robinson TE: Brent Celek, Matt Schobel, Cornelius Ingram, Eugene Bright K: David Akers, Sam Swank DT: Brodrick Bunkley, Mike Patterson, Trevor Laws, Willie Williams DE: Trent Cole, Victor Abiamiri (inj), Juqua Parker, Chris Clemons, Darren Howard (DT), Bryan Smith, Jason Babin, Josh Gaines MLB: Joe Mays, Omar Gaither (W/M), Matt Wilhelm, Stewart Bradley (inj) OLB: Chris Gocong (S/DE), Akeem Jordan (W), Tank Daniels (S/M), Moise Fokou, Tracy White CB: Asante Samuel, Sheldon Brown, Joselio Hanson, Ellis Hobbs (KR/PR), Jack Ikegwuonu, Victor Harris, Courtney Robinson S: Quintin Mikell (SS), Quintin Demps (FS/KR), Sean Jones (FS), Rashad Baker, Reshard Langford Coaches: Head Coach: Andy Reid, Off Coord: Marty Mornhinweg, QB Coach: James Urban, RB Coach: Ted Williams, WR Coach: David Culley, TE Coach: Tom Melvin, OL Coach: Juan Castillo, SpecTm Coach: Ted Daisher, DL Coach: Rory Segrest, LB Coach: Bill Shuey, DB Coach: Sean McDermott

Pittsburgh Steelers

QB: Ben Roethlisberger made the news before training camp began, but not for a good reason. He was accused of sexual assault in a civil lawsuit filed in Nevada. Roethlisberger apologized to his teammates for the questions they had to face regarding his situation, and he told his teammates his side of the story during the team's first meeting of the preseason. "It means a great deal," Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward said. "You can step up and instead of hearing what we're hearing on the news you really want to know what happened. We as players, we understand, that can happen to anyone. He said his piece and we're moving on from it.". Roethlisberger wasn't a man of many words when answering questions about the lawsuit. Head coach Mike Tomlin dismissed the possibility of the lawsuit becoming a distraction. "I understand it's that time of year and it's something to talk about, but it's not going to be an issue for us. It's really not," Tomlin said. "If this derails our football team, then we've got a lot more problems than this story." The Steelers have been mentioned a lot as a possible destination for Michael Vick. Tomlin had a predictable response, "I'll say this, we'll be prudent and do our due diligence as far as exploring people that could potentially help us win, guys who can throw, run, catch, block, tackle on a professional level. I'm just focused on the Steelers that are here and not interested in discussing potential free agents." The Steelers apparently will not follow the current trend towards using the Wildcat formation that is sweeping the NFL. OC Bruce Arians is clear on his views, “I’m not a Wildcat guy, and Dennis (Dixon) would get broken in half.” Dixon has to worry about beating out Charlie Batch for the backup QB job, and so far, he hasn't done much to give Batch concern.

RB: Rashard Mendenhall and Willie Parker are both in great shape. It’s the best Parker has felt in two years, and Mendenhall says he is in even better shape than last year. Parker is the clear-cut starter, but welcomed the idea of Mendenhall getting significant work. "It's a long season, (and) most NFL teams are merging into a two-back system," said Parker, who is going into the final year of his deal with the Steelers, "so I think it would be great for me not to get as many carries as I got two years ago." Anyone who wrestled with the Steelers RB situation will tell you not to forget Mewelde Moore, and OC Bruce Arians agrees. “If we didn’t have Mewelde last season,” Arians said, “we wouldn’t have been in the Super Bowl.” Moore should get some work on third down, and if Parker goes down, he could be a very valuable back in PPR leagues. Rookie running back Frank “The Tank” Summers got his "welcome to the NFL, rookie" moment out of the way. CB William Gay lowered his shoulder into the 5-foot-10, 240-pound rookie during a running play near the end of an early practice, causing a fumble. Summers outweighs Gay by 50 pounds, but that didn't stop Gay from attacking him. “When you carry a nickname like ‘The Tank,’ guys are going to try you,” Tomlin said. “They want him to prove that that nickname is earned. That’s the story of the National Football League. This is a show-me game. He’s starting to understand that.” One last running back note, 6-

foot, 230-pound rookie free agent running back Isaac Redman of Bowie State is turning heads. He is his school's career rushing leader.

WR: The starting WRs are settled; Hines Ward and Santonio Holmes. But, the third wide receiver job is up in the air between Limas Sweed and Shaun McDonald. Sweed has been the subject of a lot of attention at camp. Scott Hanson, from the NFL Network, said that one team official told him to watch Sweed because he has put in a ton of work this offseason, but a former Browns and Ravens scout said that a league source told him that the team was worried about Sweed's demeanor and fit. For the most part, Sweed has been terrific in camp, making acrobatic catches that get the crowd fired up. "Night and day," Sweed said, describing the difference in his comfort level between last year and this year. Steelers beat writer Jim Wexell commented on Twitter that third-round pick Mike Wallace is the fastest WR in the history of the team after he beat Joe Burnett by five yards on a deep route. Maybe that's hyperbole, but he's the fastest WR they have right now for sure. Steelers college scout Dan Rooney Jr. has been given credit for finding undrafted free agent Tyler Grisham, a great blocker and possession receiver who is trying to beat the odds and make the team.

TE: It was a big week for Heath Miller, who got a six year, $35.3 million dollar contract with a $12.5 million dollar signing bonus. The contract is the third highest in the league at TE in total value, and fifth highest in annual value. Miller is being eased back into the mix at training camp because he is recovering from offseason sports hernia surgery, the same type of surgery he was coming back from when the Steelers drafted him in the first round of the 2005 draft. Coach Tomlin commented, “He did have surgery. I don’t know if it was directly related to what he dealt with in the past. We were quickly able to address it because he’s familiar with what it felt like. Notice that he didn’t go the last couple of Organized Team Activities. We had it looked at. We acted pretty quickly and got it out of the way. He should be ready to go but we’re going to proceed with caution with him to make sure that when fatigue sets in we don’t move backward instead of forward.” Seventh round pick TE/H-back David Johnson from Arkansas State has had a good early camp according to observers and could help the running game as a blocker.

Defense: There haven't been any major injuries yet, but the Steelers did keep Lawrence Timmons out of practice after he had cramps caused by dehydration over the weekend. Coach Mike Tomlin said the Steelers were simply being cautious with Timmons. Strong safety Troy Polamalu and cornerback Deshea Townsend participated in most of the early practices while they are trying to recover from hamstring pulls. Unlike years past, DT Casey Hampton passed the run test. Tomlin said he was pleased with Hampton's conditioning; last year, Hampton opened camp on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list after he arrived to camp grossly out of shape. First-round pick Ziggy Hood is making his mark at St. Vincents. “I just watched the film and he really did have a good practice,” said one team source. “He was throwing people around,” said another. Hood denied it. “I wouldn’t say 'Throwing people around’; I was probably getting thrown around a bit myself.”

Hood beat fellow rookie Kraig Urbik so bad in one-on-ones that Tomlin immediately went to Urbik to correct him. Hood is doing well, but he's not letting it go to his head. “Even I needed to watch the film before I felt good about the practice,” Hood said. “Overall, I felt I had a great practice, but I’m always more concerned about getting better in the next practice.”

Special Teams: Kicker Piotr Czech will pull double duty as a camp leg. In addition to spelling starter Jeff Reed on kicking tasks, he’ll also assist with some punting chores since starter Daniel Sepulveda is coming off a year lost to a torn ACL. Training camp will once again involve a competition for the return roles. The two primary candidates are both rookies: fifth round draft pick CB Joe Burnett and third round draft pick WR Mike Wallace. The dark horse candidate is RB Stefan Logan from the CFL; however a mid-foot sprain has placed him on the PUP list and made his odds that much longer. If none of them pan out, RB Mewelde Moore and WR Santonio Holmes remain as possibilities once again.

Steelers Depth Chart QB: Ben Roethlisberger, Charlie Batch, Dennis Dixon, Mike Reilly RB: Willie Parker, Mewelde Moore (3RB), Rashard Mendenhall, Justin Vincent, Stefan Logan, Isaac Redman FB: Carey Davis (RFA), Frank Summers WR: Hines Ward, Santonio Holmes, Limas Sweed, Mike Wallace, Shaun McDonald, Dallas Baker, Martin Nance, Brandon Williams, Tyler Grisham, Steven Black TE: Heath Miller, Matt Spaeth, David Johnson, Sean McHugh (FB/TE) (RFA), Dezmond Sherrod K: Jeff Reed, Piotr Czech NT: Casey Hampton, Chris Hoke, Ra'Shon Harris, Scott Paxson DE: Aaron Smith, Evander Hood, Brett Keisel, Travis Kirschke, Nick Eason, Steve McClendon ILB: James Farrior, Lawrence Timmons, Keyaron Fox OLB: James Harrison (W), LaMarr Woodley (S), Bruce Davis (S), Patrick Bailey, Arnold Harrison, Donovan Woods, Andrew Schwartz CB: Ike Taylor, William Gay, Deshea Townsend, Keenan Lewis, Anthony Madison, Keiwan Ratliff (FS/CB), Joe Burnett (KR) S: Troy Polamalu (SS), Ryan Clark (FS), Tyrone Carter (FS/CB), Roy Lewis, Ryan Mundy, Derrick Richardson Coaches: Head Coach: Mike Tomlin, Off Coord: Bruce Arians, QB Coach: Ken Anderson, RB Coach: Kirby Wilson, WR Coach: Randy Fichtner, TE Coach: James Daniel, OL Coach: Larry Zierlein, SpecTm Coach: Bob Ligashesky, Def Coord: Dick LeBeau, DL Coach: John Mitchell, LB Coach: Keith Butler, DB Coach: Ray Horton

St. Louis Rams

QB: So far, the Rams quarterback play has been nondescript. On Saturday morning, they completed 17-of-22 in one-on-one

drills. Marc Bulger was 4-for-4, Brock Berlin 6-for-9, and Keith Null 7-for-9. Kyle Boller was working elsewhere in a different drill. On Thursday afternoon, it was the competition between Berlin and Null for the third spot that was of interest. In one practice, Kyle Boller threw up an offering to safety Craig Dahl who stepped in front of Brooks Foster for the pick. Thursday morning, Bulger and Boller were on hand, but Berlin and Null took nearly all of the reps in team drills. David Roach picked off a Null pass in the end zone. Null is attempting to make the switch from a spread offense at West Texas A&M to the West Coast offense the Rams have installed under new OC Pat Shurmur.

RB: Steven Jackson showed up to camp excited and ready to put the pads on and play right away. “I just hope everyone has their chinstraps buckled,” Jackson said. By Saturday, Jackson was getting a little chippy after taking some big hits by the defense. HC Steve Spagnuolo encouraged the team to play physically, setting the tone for his style of camp. Jackson said the only thing he did differently during the offseason was weight training. He had a more aggressive approach this year than in the past. "The past three or four years I really focused on trying to just work conditioning and make sure my lungs are strong, but this year I really focused on weight lifting and making sure I am strong.'' Asked whether he feels leaner, Jackson said, "My body fat is still five percent. But, I do feel leaner." Spagnuolo didn’t have to wait to assess Jackson's readiness. Spags bumped into Jackson running on a treadmill late one night a few days before camp opened. "I thought he was great when he came through the door two days ago,'' Spagnuolo said. "He was on the treadmill at 10 o'clock one night before we even started, so I think he's ready." On Monday, Samkon Gado was taken down hard on a carry and was shaken up, but continued to practice. Saturday morning, Gado was getting a lot of reps as the team seemed to be using Jackson and Kenneth Darby lightly. Last Thursday, rookie Chris Ogbonnaya was the only back active for the day’s two practices. Ogbonnaya wasn’t complaining, “Just to get that one-on-one time with Coach Croom is good,” Ogbonnaya said. “Without all the other running backs, you can talk to him a little more. It definitely helped.”

WR: As camp opened on Friday, it was Laurent Robinson, and not Keenan Burton, that lined up across from Donnie Avery as the starting wideout. It was commonly believed that Burton had an edge on the starting job, but Robinson apparently has the first crack after Burton missed spring practices with hamstring problems. Ronald Curry also should figure into the mix. As for Burton, make no mistake, he wants to start. He made it crystal clear he wants the starting job on opening day. “That’s definitely my goal,” Burton said. “You always want to be the one that starts the game. Competition brings the best out of you. You can’t do anything but come out here and compete and try to win a job.” Three young receivers: Sean Walker, Nate Jones and Jarrett Byers are making good impressions as they compete for a roster spot. Jones made a couple of nice catches on Saturday. Walker looked good on Thursday afternoon playing in shorts and shells. On Saturday morning, Donnie Avery stood out while working against Ron Bartell, once turning Bartell completely inside out on a corner-type move. Curry looked good in

passing drills working against the inexperienced Quincy Butler, while Nate Jones once again stood out.

TE: Randy McMichael hopes to rejuvenate his career after missing almost all of last season due to injury. McMichael is slated to start with Joel Klopfenstein backing him up along with Daniel Fells and Billy Bajema competing for a spot. On Saturday, McMichael got a lot of looks during 7-on-7s and Daniel Fells was making nice plays after the catch.

Defense: So far so good for DTs Clifton Ryan and Adam Carriker, both players are off to good starts in camp. DE James Hall is showing off his versatility and Coach Spagnuolo likes what he’s seeing as Hall has been working inside and outside during practices. Saturday morning, Ron Bartell did some trash talking to Donnie Avery. "He got me on a double move in one-on-ones," Bartell said. "I told him you get a little pass rush out there, and it's different. You don't have as much time." Bartell is a fan of the new defense installed by DC Ken Flajole and HC Spagnuolo. "It fits us well. I think we have the athletes to fly around and play a lot faster." On Saturday, LBs David Vobora, Chris Draft and Will Witherspoon took most of the first-team snaps. "In this league you settle on three starters at linebacker, and then anybody that backs up has got to play them all," said Coach Steve Spagnuolo on how he handles the backup linebacking positions. Larry Grant worked with the first team on the strongside on Friday, with Draft and Witherspoon at the other spots.Grant seems to be the leader at SLB for now with Vobora pushing him. LB James Laurinaitis worked with the first team on Saturday afternoon. James Butler picked off a Marc Bulger pass in the end zone during team drills and Justin King had his best practice of the offseason on Saturday afternoon. Oshiomogho Atogwe made the play of the day with a diving interception on Friday, while rookie Darell Scott made a favorable impression in live drills.

Special Teams: Josh Brown is the only kicker in camp and Donnie Jones is the only punter. Although HC Steve Spagnuolo would consider adding a camp leg if absolutely needed, he noted, “When the NFL decided to change the rule and limit it to 80, one person actually makes a big difference.” WR Derek Stanley is back after undergoing knee surgery at the end of last year. The return specialist role is his job to lose. He noted, "The knee's great, in real good shape. It's just a matter of being able to handle the load during these two-a-days. We'll have to gauge during camp how much I'll do, where I'll back off in places. But I think I'll definitely be ready to go…. I definitely believe I can be a big key to this team in the return game." He was joined on punt returns in a recent practice by WRs Donnie Avery and Ronald Curry.

Rams Depth Chart QB: Marc Bulger, Kyle Boller, Keith Null, Brock Berlin RB: Steven Jackson, Kenneth Darby (3RB), Antonio Pittman, Sam Gado, Chris Ogbonnaya (3RB) FB: Mike Karney, Chris Massey (LS), Jerome Johnson WR: Donnie Avery, Laurent Robinson, Keenan Burton, Ronald Curry, Derek Stanley, Brooks Foster, Tim Carter, Nate Jones, Sean Walker, Jarrett Byers, Quentin Chaney TE: Randy McMichael, Joe Klopfenstein, Daniel Fells, Billy Bajema, Eric Butler

K: Josh Brown DT: Adam Carriker, Clifton Ryan (NT), Antwon Burton (NT), Dorell Scott, Hollis Thomas, Claude Wroten (susp), Mike Newkirk DE: Chris Long, Leonard Little, Victor Adeyanju, James Hall (DT), C.J. Ah You, Eric Moore, Ian Campbell MLB: James Laurinaitis (M/S), David Vobora (S/M), Dominic Douglas OLB: Will Witherspoon (W), Chris Draft (S/M), Larry Grant (S), Chris Chamberlain (W), Quinton Culberson (S), Ekenemchukwu Asiodu CB: Ronald Bartell, Jonathan Wade, Tye Hill, Justin King, Bradley Fletcher, Quincy Butler, Cordelius Parks S: Oshiomogho Atogwe (FS), James Butler (SS), Todd Johnson (SS), Eric Bassey (FS), Craig Dahl, Marcus Brown, Mark Rubin (SS) Coaches: Head Coach: Steve Spagnuolo, Off Coord: Pat Shurmur, QB Coach: Dick Curl, RB Coach: Sylvester Croom, WR Coach: Charlie Baggett, TE Coach: Leonard Frank, OL Coach: Steve Loney, SpecTm Coach: Tom McMahon, Def Coord: Ken Flajole, DL Coach: Brendan Daly, LB Coach: Paul Ferraro, DB Coach: Andre Curtis, DB Coach: Clayton Lopez

San Diego Chargers

QB: Philip Rivers is coming off a season where he led the NFL in touchdown passes and passer rating. While he had a stellar 2008 season, his offseason review of the game film indicated that most of his missed passes were intended for the running backs. He’s therefore focusing on becoming more accurate on his short and intermediate throws to his running backs. In his first 48 NFL starts, he has 33 wins (in the modern era, only Ben Roethlisberger and Dan Marino had more), a passer rating of 92.9 (only Marino’s was higher), and a TD-INT ratio of 2.16 (nobody has been better). He will wear a brace on his right knee again this season, as he did last year. Billy Volek and Charlie Whitehurst are the second and third quarterbacks on the depth chart, respectively. Volek is an above average backup with some starting experience on his résumé, but there is still a huge drop-off from Rivers to Volek. Keeping Rivers healthy will be key to any Super Bowl aspirations the team has.

RB: LaDainian Tomlinson, now 30 years old, is eager to prove he can bounce back from a subpar 2008, when toe and groin injuries limited his effectiveness. He had only 17 runs of 10+ yards last season, the fewest in his career by far. He’s always worked hard during the offseason, but spent more time in the weight room this year than in the past, and showed up at camp looking more cut than usual. Tomlinson’s backup, Darren Sproles, outplayed Tommlinson last season and many are expecting him to play a larger role in the offense this season. Coach Norv Turner, however, has emphasized that a healthy Tomlinson will get a bigger workload than he had last year and that Sproles’ greatest value is in the return game. The team will pick its spots with him on offense. The Chargers used the franchise tag to keep Sproles from bolting for a team likely to give him a bigger role in the offense. Rookie Gartrell

Johnson and 31-year-old Michael Bennett provide insurance; at least one of them would likely rotate with Sproles if Tomlinson becomes unavailable. Johnson’s bruising style started turning heads once the pads went on, and Bennett has impressed the coaches with his quickness. He entered the league the same time Tomlinson did, but has far less tread on his tires. At fullback, Jacob Hester is ten pounds heavier this season. Mike Tolbert, who started the first twelve games of the 2008 season, is on the bubble to make the final roster.

WR: Vincent Jackson, Malcom Floyd, and Legedu Naanee have all made highlight reel-worthy catches early in training camp. Jackson was arrested in January for his second DUI offense, but his appeal won’t be heard until after the 2009 season, making a suspension this year unlikely. He may be suspended in 2010, pending the outcome of his appeal. Chris Chambers was slowed by a midseason ankle injury in 2008, and finished with a career-low 33 receptions. He had a quiet season – he caught fewer than three passes in eight of the 14 regular season games he played in – but may benefit from Vincent Jackson’s emergence since opposing defenses roll their coverages toward Jackson. Craig Davis, the Chargers’ first-round pick in 2007, has been impressive early in training camp. He’s been unable to stay healthy thus far in his career, but he’s got the speed and hands to be an effective slot receiver if he can avoid the injury bug. Unfortunately, he’s already missed this Monday’s practice with a tight quadriceps muscle.

TE: Antonio Gates is sporting a more chiseled look this season. During the spring, he rehabbed the sprained ankle that limited him in 2008; and as long as he had to be in the weight room, he decided to work on his upper body strength as well. At 263 pounds, he’s added some weight while decreasing his body fat, and expects the added strength to help him get more movement in his blocks. UDFA Kory Sperry, a tall, athletic pass-catcher, is probably the undrafted rookie most likely to make the final roster.

Defense: The big news on defense is the return of outside linebacker Shawne Merriman. He played in only one game last season before undergoing surgery to repair two ligaments in his left knee. Merriman, Shaun Phillips, and rookie Larry English may all be on the field at once in certain packages in an effort to generate a strong pass rush, which was lacking last year. At safety, there is a three-way battle between Clinton Hart, Steve Gregory, and rookie Kevin Ellison for the starting position opposite Eric Weddle. Steve Gregory is off to a great start; he stole the show at Sunday’s practice, breaking up two passes and picking off another. All three will likely see action in various personnel groupings. At inside linebacker, Matt Wilhelm was released before the start of training camp. Free-agent acquisition Kevin Burnett will compete with veteran Tim Dobbins to start alongside Stephen Cooper. Whoever wins that battle, Burnett will see action on passing downs. 33 year-old nose tackle Jamal Williams is healthier than he’s been in years. His knees gave him trouble in 2007, and he played through a triceps injury in 2008; but he’s reportedly 20 pounds lighter this year and participated fully in each of the first five training camp practices. Jacques Cesaire enters training camp as the starting right defensive end. He’ll face

challenges from Ryon Bingham and rookie Vaughn Martin for playing time. CB Antonio Cromartie played last season with a fractured hip, and was distracted by off-the-field issues (including five paternity suits). His rigorous offseason workouts, he hopes, will help him return to the Pro Bowl-level he showed in 2006.

Special Teams: The Chargers fantasy special teams scenario is simple. Nate Kaeding is the kicker and RB Darren Sproles is the return specialist. Both are good. Kaeding is the only kicker on the roster. The one concern regarding Sproles is that based upon results last year; he could see an increased workload on offense, and subsequently less work on returns. HC Norv Turner suggested otherwise, “Darren is going to complement [LaDainian Tomlinson]. But Darren's starting point is in the return game and we'll pick our spots with him on offense." Sproles has already assessed the resulting impact of a rule change eliminating blocking wedges on returns, “Without a third (blocker) there floating, you’ve got to hit it quick. Right when they lock on, that’s when you’ve got to go. Before, when they locked on was when I was starting to get going.” Training camp will be opportunity to see who will backup Sproles on returns. One possibility is CB Antonio Cromartie who has been practicing on punt returns.

Chargers Depth Chart QB: Philip Rivers, Billy Volek, Charlie Whitehurst RB: LaDainian Tomlinson, Darren Sproles (KR/PR), Jacob Hester, Michael Bennett, Gartrell Johnson, Curtis Brinkley FB: Mike Tolbert, Billy Latsko, William Rentmeeser WR: Chris Chambers, Vincent Jackson, Malcom Floyd, Craig Davis, Legedu Naanee, Kassim Osgood, Demetrius Byrd, Gary Banks, Charles Martin, Greg Carr, Rodriqus Smith TE: Antonio Gates, Brandon Manumaleuna, Kris Wilson (FB), Kory Sperry, Jerimiah Wurzbacher, Charles Davis K: Nate Kaeding NT: Jamal Williams, Ryon Bingham, Ian Scott, Ogemdi Nwagbuo DE: Luis Castillo, Jacques Cesaire, Vaughn Martin, Keith Grennan, Andre Coleman ILB: Stephen Cooper, Tim Dobbins, Kevin Burnett, Brandon Siler, Darry Beckwith OLB: Shawne Merriman, Shaun Phillips (W), Larry English (W), Jyles Tucker (S), Antwan Applewhite (S), Erik Bakhtiari, James Holt CB: Quentin Jammer, Antonio Cromartie, Antoine Cason, Cletis Gordon, Brandon Hughes, Wopamo Osaisa, Ramarcus Brown S: Eric Weddle (FS), Clinton Hart (SS), Kevin Ellison (SS), Steve Gregory (FS), Paul Oliver, Claude Spillman Coaches: Head Coach: Norv Turner, Off Coord: Clarence Shelmon, QB Coach: John Ramsdell, RB Coach: Ollie Wilson, WR Coach: Charlie Joiner, TE Coach: Rob Chudzinski, OL Coach: Hal Hunter, SpecTm Coach: Steve Crosby, Def Coord: Ron Rivera, DL Coach: Don Johnson, LB Coach: John Pagano, DB Coach: Steven Wilks

San Francisco 49ers

QB: Through the first handful of days in camp, the 49ers battle at quarterback is about what we expected. Shaun Hill has looked better in some practices, while Alex Smith has flashed his strong arm and pedigree that made him the top pick at other times. On Monday, Hill looked better in the morning practice. He was able to evade the rush and adjust within the pocket. Hill's best throw was a 40-yarder to Brandon Jones. He finished 5-of-6 in the session. The same thing on Saturday morning – Hill got the better of Smith. Hill checked down less frequently and seemed to get to his reads quicker. It didn’t hurt that he had better protection working with the first team offensive line most of the time. When Hill was asked about the competition he said, “I keep hearing, ‘It’s your to lose. I’ve been taking the approach of, ‘It’s mine to take.’” Head coach Mike Singletary didn’t have much of an opinion at that juncture, "I'm not in the business of guessing. Right now, I don't want to guess I want to see these guys compete." Rookie Nate Davis and veteran Damon Huard also took a couple of turns. Davis showed his big arm completing his first pass for a 30-yard gain to TE Bear Pascoe. Then, his second pass came out late and was tipped, then picked off by Curtis Taylor. As for Smith, on Saturday hours after being booed, he came right back with two nice throws – one was a 40-yard spiral to Brandon Jones. A few minutes later, Smith launched a deep throw off a flea-flicker to Jones for a 60-yard TD. The crowd went gaga. Smith said earlier in the day, “You’re going to go a couple of quarters when you’re not playing well and you’ve got to be able to come back. That’s how it’s going to be on game day.” Singletary had this to say on the crowd booing Smith: “I think it’s outstanding because Alex needs to learn how to deal with it. The fans, that’s what they are here for, that’s what they do. They are fans. The most important thing for Alex is to know it is going to happen. He just needs to move forward and keep getting better and overcome those little idiosyncrasies in his mind.”

RB: As of Saturday morning, Frank Gore was the most polished player on the field. Gore showed good vision finding holes during run drills and broke off several long runs. Gore appears to be in tiptop shape after spending time with his old conditioning coach at the University of Miami. Gore said it involved “a whole body workout” and plenty of running in sand. One of the beat reporters noted that after the first few days of camp, the team’s run blocking seemed to dominate practice. One of the more impressive backs has been undrafted rookie Kory Sheets. So far, Sheets has played more snaps than Thomas Clayton. His quickness has stood out and some even think he looks better than third-round pick Glen Coffee. Fullback Moran Norris was absent for the first couple of days for personal reasons. Mike Singletary was aware of the situation and excused him. Upon his return, Norris made an immediate impact with a few crushing lead blocks, one that sent LB Ahmad Brooks sprawling. "I didn't have any problem with the physical part of it today," Norris said. "I still have to work on my technique."

WR: It looks as if Michael Crabtree and the 49ers are at an impasse that may take a while to settle. Crabtree may end up being the last of the rookies to sign. “When he signs, I’ll be excited about it,” said HC Mike Singletary. “But I’m not wondering when it is going to happen. The most important thing I can do is make the team understand that one guy

coming in will not make the whole picture different.” With Crabtree absent, Josh Morgan and Brandon Jones ran with the first team offense. Jones ran ahead of Isaac Bruce, while Morgan continued to perform like the team’s best receiver, although Matt Maiocco said that Bruce was actually still starting, but that Jones lines up inside in the slot while Bruce remains outside opposite Morgan. On Monday, Dominique Zeigler registered the play of the day when he went up high for a short pass from Alex Smith. He caught the ball, spun away from a tackler and broke a 30-yard gain downfield. In the same practice, Morgan completely outmuscled Dre Bly for the ball on a 12-yard comeback route. Arnaz Battle was held out of practice until Saturday. Coach Singletary was asked whether Josh Morgan could emerge as the top receiver: “Josh has a lot of potential. We have a lot of confidence in him. It is just a matter of Josh continuing to get better. Does he have the potential? Absolutely. But a guy like Isaac Bruce isn’t around a long time for nothing. He knows what he is doing. He knows the workout routine he has to have. He knows how to be effective. He knows the routes. So, I think time is one of the things that will answer that question.”

TE: Barring injury, the tight ends appear set with Vernon Davis, Delanie Walker and rookie Bear Pascoe. Of course, there are questions about Davis ever fulfilling that massive potential he displayed at the NFL Combine. Davis said that he would keep it toned down this year in camp and that he wouldn’t be talking trash or invoking fights. "It's behind me," Davis said before admitting he might not be able to resist temptation and throw a haymaker somewhere along the line. On Monday, Walker made a nice play for a 20-yard gain when he broke free over the middle following an accurate toss from Shaun Hill. Vernon Davis made a 12-yard completion in the same practice session. Smith later threw a 12-yard out to Walker, who danced along the sidelines getting both feet inbounds.

Defense: The first team defense opened camp with Isaac Sopoaga, Aubrayo Franklin and Justin Smith along the line, Manny Lawson, Patrick Willis, Takeo Spikes and Parys Haralson at linebacker and Nate Clements, Michael Lewis, Dashon Goldson and Tarell Brown in the secondary. The second team was Dre Bly, Reggie Smith, Mark Roman, and Shawntae Spencer in the secondary, Ahmad Brooks, Scott McKillop, Jeff Ulbrich and Marques Harris at linebacker and Demetric Evans, Sopoaga at the nose and Kentwan Balmer on the line. Sapoaga was probably the best player the first day as he made several plays behind the line. On Saturday afternoon, Tarell Brown suffered a left toe sprain and was listed as day to day. Parys Haralson suffered a right hip flexor and was being evaluated later. DE Ray McDonald was placed on the PUP. Walt Harris was placed on IR officially. DL Babatunde Oshinowo signed to a one-year contract on Thursday as rookie DL Ricky Jean-Francois was placed on the non-football illness list after contracting a staph infection in Miami before arriving at camp.

Special Teams: Joe Nedney remains the starting kicker. He’ll share the workload during August with camp leg Alex Romero, who played for the AFL’s New Orleans VooDoo last year. DB Allen Rossum is the incumbent return specialist and

should retain his job, although WR Micheal Spurlock will have a chance to pull off the upset. Both players took the majority of returns in practice the other day. Next in line behind them will likely be TE Delanie Walker on kickoff returns and CB Nate Clements on kickoff returns.

49ers Depth Chart QB: Shaun Hill, Alex Smith, Nate Davis, Damon Huard, Kirby Freeman RB: Frank Gore, Glen Coffee, Kory Sheets, Thomas Clayton FB: Moran Norris, Michael Robinson, Zak Keasey, Brit Miller WR: Josh Morgan, Isaac Bruce, Brandon Jones, Michael Crabtree, Jason Hill, Dominique Zeigler, Arnaz Battle, Dobson Collins TE: Vernon Davis, Delanie Walker, Bear Pascoe, Brian Jennings (LS) K: Joe Nedney NT: Aubrayo Franklin, Isaac Sopoaga, Babatunde Oshinowo DE: Ray McDonald, Justin Smith (W/DE), Kentwan Balmer, Demetric Evans, Ricky Jean-Francois, Pannel Egboh, Khalif Mitchell ILB: Patrick Willis, Takeo Spikes, Jeff Ulbrich, Scott McKillop, Ahmad Brooks, Mark Washington OLB: Manny Lawson, Parys Haralson, Roderick Green, Marques Harris, Jay Moore, Diryal Biggs CB: Nate Clements, Dre Bly, Tarell Brown, Shawntae Spencer (inj), Marcus Hudson, Allen Rossum (KR/PR), Jahi Word-Daniels, Terrail Lambert, Carlos Thomas, Walt Harris (IR) S: Michael Lewis (SS), Dashon Goldson (FS), Mark Roman (FS), Curtis Taylor (FS), Reggie Smith (FS), Lewis Baker Coaches: Head Coach: Mike Singletary, Off Coord: Jimmy Raye, QB Coach: Mike Johnson, RB Coach: Tom Rathman, WR Coach: Jerry Sullivan, TE Coach: Pete Hoener, OL Coach: Chris Foerster, SpecTm Coach: Al Everest, Def Coord: Greg Manusky, DL Coach: Jim Tomsula, LB Coach: Vance Singletary, LB Coach: Jason Tarver, DB Coach: Vance Joseph, DB Coach: Johnnie Lynn

Seattle Seahawks

QB: On Sunday, Matt Hasselbeck had a strong practice finishing full-team drills by completing 10-of-12 passes with completions to six different receivers. Nate Burleson, T.J. Houshmandzadeh, rookie Deon Butler and tight end John Carlson each caught a pair while Deion Branch and running back Justin Forsett had a reception apiece. He completed eight in a row before trying to loft a pass to TE John Owens on a broken play. At the end of the first day of practices, Hasselbeck was asked how it went, “It was OK, but not good enough.” General Manager Tim Ruskell was asked if Hasselbeck was limited at all heading into camp: “No. That’s been absolutely great. He’s in the best shape of his life, he feels great and strong and ready to go full.”

RB: The Seahawks are looking to reestablish a strong running game this year under the guidance of new offensive coordinator Greg Knapp, who quickly worked to establish an identity to the groud game: “One cut and go.” Knapp yelled it repeatedly during practice. Those words ring in all of the Seahawks offensive players’ heads. It’s a different mentality under Knapp after years of Mike Holmgren’s pass-first approach. Starter Julius Jones was asked how often he has heard Knapp’s rally call. "Oh, all day. All day," Jones said. "When I wake up in the morning, and before I go to bed.” Knapp’s offenses have finished among the league’s top 10 in rushing in all eight of his seasons as a coordinator, including 2004-2006 in Atlanta as Jim Mora’s offensive coordinator. The coaches, and Ruskell, have stated that while Jones is their lead back, T.J. Duckett and Justin Forsett will also have opportunities. "We told him, 'The ball is yours right now, so take it and run,'" Mora said of Jones. "I think he relishes in that. I think that's what any running back wants to be told." Jones agrees. "I feel comfortable, a lot more comfortable than I did last year," he said. "The atmosphere - everything just feels better." Jones showed up to camp about 10 pounds lighter at 212 pounds, his lightest weight since his rookie year. Jones said, "I had a decent year that year, so maybe this will work." On Saturday, the play of the day was Justin Forsett's "little big man" block on linebacker David Hawthorne. Despite giving up 46 pounds, Forsett rocked Hawthorne with a block in pass blitzing drills pitting backs against linebackers. Later, Forsett had a nice run as he slashed through the line to pick up big yards.

WR: The best player through the first few days was Nate Burleson (with apologies to John Carlson). Burleson has looked great in camp after coming off an ACL injury in his left knee last year in the season opener. Burleson shed the brace from his knee on Friday. First, he got behind cornerback Josh Wilson to haul in a deep pass from Hasselbeck, then later he made a nice catch along the sidelines against Ken Lucas. Not done yet, he also made a reaching catch over the middle from Hasslebeck. Asked about his first day, Burleson downplayed it saying, “I dropped one, too. So it could have been better.” Hasselbeck was much nicer. “Nate has never looked bad to me. He moves really, really well. He’s very explosive when you get the ball in his hands. Something electric is going to happen. Practice doesn’t look hard for him.” Burleson added, “It was a real good feeling,” when asked about losing the brace before practice. T.J. Houshmandzadeh made a quick impression as he excelled during red zone drills making numerous grabs in traffic. Jordan Kent, Billy McMullen and Michael Bumpus also made nice catches during team drills. Deion Branch has also been full go and he’s made some plays in camp as well, but he’s just not standing out the way Burleson has. Rookie Deon Butler was very impressive in May’s mini-camp and the team hopes to utilize his 4.3 speed to potentially replace the departed Bobby Engram in the slot. He’ll also back up at split end and return kicks. Courtney Taylor is back. After bombing last season after having a strong camp, he’s working his way into another opportunity this year. He had a diving reception of a pass from Seneca Wallace in an offense-only drill, then made another nice play going against corner Marquis Floyd.

TE: On Friday, John Carlson turned in the play of the day on a one-handed catch while falling to the turf. This is one of many such grabs that Carlson has made during the preseason prompting local writers and the coaching staff to speak of Carlson with glowing praise. Joe Newton, who spent the last two seasons on the practice squad, might finally be in position to make the team. He’s competing against rookies Cameron Morrah and John Tereshinski for the job. At 6-foot-7 and 250 pounds, Newton has the size the team is looking for at the position. After Saturday, Newton seemed to have a slight edge after playing well in practice.

Defense: Unfortunately, the Seahawks are without top pick Aaron Curry, who remains unsigned. Several players have stood out during the first few days of practice including Lofa Tatupu, Red Bryant, Ken Lucas and safety C.J. Wallace. Bryant was the best player during Saturday’s session making two big plays during 11-on-11 drills. During the morning practice, it was Lucas, who returns to the team for second go around, who starred. “Ken made a lot of plays today,” coach Jim Mora said after the nearly two-hour practice. “He’s got an intensity level about him when he practices that you really admire. He looks like he’s determined to have a great year, and I believe he will.” Lawrence Jackson was schooled by tackle Ray Willis on Friday. The two tangled a few times and Willis came out on top each time. Corner Marcus Trufant was placed on the PUP list with a sore back.

Special Teams: “He’s a good kicker. He was 7 for 7 last year in the preseason. Teams noticed. There was a lot of chatter. Nothing really manifested itself in terms of a trade, but we’re still getting calls on the guy. So he’s either going to be our kicker or we’ll make a move, but we’re not going to have two kickers this year. I’m going to go on record and say that.” GM Tim Ruskell gave this response regarding Brandon Coutu, who sat on the bench all of last year while Olindo Mare was reviving his career. The two kickers will compete against each other in camp for the second year in a row. Hoping to improve his chances, Coutu recently obtained some personal coaching from Morten Andersen. Among those practicing on returns so far has been RB Justin Forsett, WR Nate Burleson, WR Ben Obomanu and WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh.

Seahawks Depth Chart QB: Matt Hasselbeck, Seneca Wallace, Mike Teel, Jeff Rowe RB: Julius Jones, T.J. Duckett (SD), Justin Forsett (KR), Devin Moore, Tyler Roehl FB: Owen Schmitt, Justin Griffith, David Kirtman WR: T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Nate Burleson, Deion Branch, Deon Butler, Jordan Kent, Ben Obomanu, Logan Payne, Courtney Taylor TE: John Carlson, John Owens, Joe Newton, Cameron Morrah K: Olindo Mare, Brandon Coutu DT: Brandon Mebane, Cory Redding (DE), Red Bryant, Colin Cole, Craig Terrill, Marcus Tubbs DE: Patrick Kerney, Darryl Tapp, Lawrence Jackson, Baraka Atkins, Brandon Miller, Chris Cooper, Nick Reed, Michael Bennett MLB: Lofa Tatupu, David Hawthorne OLB: Aaron Curry (S/W), Leroy Hill (W), D.D. Lewis, Will

Herring, Lance Laury, Dave Philistin CB: Marcus Trufant, Ken Lucas, Josh Wilson (KR), Kelly Jennings, Kevin Hobbs, Travis Fisher S: Deon Grant (SS), Brian Russell (FS), C.J. Wallace (FS) , Jordan Babineaux (SS) , Courtney Greene (SS), Jamar Adams Coaches: Head Coach: Jim Mora, Off Coord: Greg Knapp, QB Coach: Bill Lazor, RB Coach: Kasey Dunn, WR Coach: Robert Prince, TE Coach: Mike DeBord, OL Coach: Mike Solari, SpecTm Coach: Bruce DeHaven, Def Coord: Casey Bradley, DL Coach: Dan Quinn, LB Coach: Zerick Rollins, DB Coach: Tim Lewis

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

QB: Under new Head Coach Raheem Morris the Bucs will take on a different look and identity. All indications are that Morris prefers a “downhill” rushing attack, but don’t think they won't take their shots down the field. That was evident on the first day of practice. The QBs took advantage of the opportunities and they threw deep. Under Jeff Jagodzinski the team will open things up a little compared to the short passing game preferred by former coach Jon Gruden. In the morning practice, Byron Leftwich threw a pretty ball to Antonio Bryant for a catch and Brian Clark reeled in a Luke McCown offering against Aqib Talib. Leftwich had the throw of the day on a bomb to Kelly Campbell on what would have been a 50-yard play. The long balls begged the question to Morris: Should we expect more of this? "When you’re a power team, you run the ball," coach Raheem Morris said. "People tend to load up the box. It’s common sense. . . If you get a nice little gash in there, you get Derrick Ward coming in there with a full head of steam on your safeties. Then you can exploit them with (Bryant). We saw some things happen today. You have the ability to have explosion plays when you have explosive players like Antonio Bryant, like Kellen Winslow, like Michael Clayton – he showed some explosiveness, too." All three of the quarterbacks – McCown, Leftwich and Josh Freeman have sufficiently strong arms, while last year’s QBs didn’t. Morris probably won’t name a starter until the third week, so you can’t read anything into who is playing with what unit. On Saturday, McCown worked with the first team, Leftwich with the second team and Freeman shared the remaining snaps with Josh Johnson. If anything, McCown seems to have a slight edge in the early going, but Leftwich’s arm has been impressive.

RB: The Bucs consider the battle for the starting RB job more of a friendly competition because both Derrick Ward and Earnest Graham will see a lot of playing time. How and where the two backs will be used isn’t clear at this point. Clifton Smith may get some snaps, too. Don’t count out Cadillac Williams either. Amazingly, Cadillic was cleared to practice in training camp. HC Raheem Morris said, “Cadillac is ready to go. I’m just as fired up about Cadillac as you are. I know he looks great. He looks great today, knock on wood.” His recovery from a torn patellar tendon in his left knee was even quicker than the same injury he suffered in his right knee in 2007. In Saturday morning’s practice, Williams was moving

well. He had a few sharp cuts and looks as though he just might be a factor in the Bucs backfield this year after all. Williams was anxious for camp to get underway: "I was talking to my mom and told her, ‘I'm probably the only guy looking forward to practicing in pads.’'' Undoubtedly, Williams’ comebacks in back to back seasons from knee problems have been a source of inspiration for teammates. Williams weighed in at 214 pounds, the same weight as his rookie season, and he’s happy with the coaches and offense, too: “The scheme we’re using this year is nice, with zone blocking and one cut,’’ he said. “I couldn’t ask for a better scheme. I’m done with rehab and I’m ready to play some football.”

WR: Antonio Bryant and Michael Clayton enter camp as the starters. The heated competition will come at the No. 3 spot between Brian Clark, Maurice Stovall, Sammie Stroughter and, not to be discounted, Dexter Jackson. Clark entered camp with an early lead. On Saturday, Jackson came up with the play of the day. Against double coverage, Josh Freeman hit Jackson on a 30-yard fade route for a touchdown. Clark and Stovall are both special teams performers but hope to become more integrated into the offense. Kelly Campbell and Patrick Carter have both drawn praise from the coaches, too. Sammie Stroughter is a seventh round pick who might be the most intriguing considering his performance over the summer. Stephen Holder, of the St. Petersburg Times, reported that Antonio Bryant banged his knee during Saturday's late practice, but returned for Sunday's workout. The knee was swollen on Monday and the team decided to give him some rest. Morris called Bryant day to day.

TE: Kellen Winslow, according to the PewterReport.com, is still learning the team's offense. "It's a wide zone scheme offense and go with the play-action off of that. It's not a complicated offense and I really like it, a lot of guys like it so we're excited." Winslow should be excited now that he escaped the staph infection-ridden Browns. Winslow was slowed by a mild injury suffered in Monday’s morning practice. Morris said that Winslow's ankle, like Bryant’s, was day to day.

Defense: Coach Morris made a bold declaration that DE Gaines Adams will be a bust if he doesn't reach double-digit sacks this year. "That's what he's graded on, there's no secret about it," explained Morris. In Jim Bates’ new system, Adams will line up outside of the tackles and Morris believes that will free him up to use his athleticism to get to the quarterback more consistently. “I've got no problem telling him, ‘Hey Gaines, if you don't do it this year, you're going to be considered a bust.' I told him that in a team meeting. I tell him that every once in awhile when we walk out together. He can't wait. He's embraced it. He's going to come out ready to play.” Former safety Jermaine Phillips opens camp as the team’s starting weakside linebacker, but the coaches want to see how he does when the pads go on and the real hitting begins. If Phillips doesn’t pan out, Geno Hayes will get his shot. On the strongside, Angelo Crowell is contending, but the team also has Quincy Black and Hayes as fall back options. Elbert Mack has a slight edge in the competition for the nickel corner

spot. Torrie Cox could be a factor, too, if he can stay healthy. E.J. Biggers is a darkhorse, too.

Special Teams: The kicking competition between incumbent Matt Bryant and challenger Mike Nugent is under way. Both made all five of their field goal attempts in the first day of practice. Early grapevine talk is that Nugent’s leg has looked the stronger of the two so far. On day two, Nugent made three field goals, missed one, and had one blocked. Last year WR Dexter Jackson started out as the return specialist, but gave way to RB Clifton Smith who went to earn Pro Bowl honors as a returner. Smith will keep that role, although Jackson is working hard, both on offense and on returns, to redeem himself after his disappointing rookie year. Smith and Jackson both have stayed late after practice to get in some extra work, and then stayed even later to sign autographs.

Buccaneers Depth Chart QB: Luke McCown, Byron Leftwich, Josh Freeman, Josh Johnson RB: Derrick Ward (3RB), Earnest Graham (inj), Cadillac Williams, Clifton Smith (KR), Josh Vaughan, Kareem Huggins FB: B.J. Askew, Jameel Cook WR: Antonio Bryant, Michael Clayton, Brian Clark, Maurice Stovall, Sammie Stroughter, Dexter Jackson (KR), Kelly Campbell, Cortez Hankton, Amarri Jackson, Pat Carter TE: Kellen Winslow Jr, Jerramy Stevens, John Gilmore, Ryan Purvis K: Matt Bryant, Mike Nugent DT: Chris Hovan (NT) , Ryan Sims (NT), Roy Miller, Neefy Moffett DE: Gaines Adams, Greg White, Jimmy Wilkerson (DT), Kyle Moore, Greg Peterson, Jarrett Buie MLB: Barrett Ruud, Rod Wilson, Niko Koutouvides OLB: Jermaine Phillips (W), Angelo Crowell (S) (inj), Geno Hayes (W/S), Quincy Black (S), Adam Hayward (S), Matt McCoy CB: Ronde Barber, Aqib Talib, Elbert Mack, Torrie Cox, E.J. Biggers, Sammy Davis, Marshall McDuffie, Evan McCullough S: Tanard Jackson (FS), Sabby Piscitelli (SS), Donte Nicholson (SS), C.J. Byrd Coaches: Head Coach: Raheem Morris, Off Coord: Jeff Jagodzinski, QB Coach: Greg Olson, RB Coach: Steve Logan, WR Coach: Richard Mann, TE Coach: Alfredo Roberts, OL Coach: Pete Mangurian, SpecTm Coach: Richard Bisaccia, Def Coord: Jim Bates, DL Coach: Todd Wash, DL Coach: Robert Nunn, LB Coach: Joe Barry, DB Coach: Joe Baker

Tennessee Titans

The Tennessee Titans will open the preseason against the Buffalo Bills in the annual Hall Of Fame Game. Tennessee will play 5 preseason contests and if history is any guide, expect at least one game to be dedicated to filling out roster spots as opposed to getting starters extra reps. Similarly, Head

Coach Jeff Fisher indicated that the team will have fewer “two a day” practices this year to help avoid injuries before the season. Early practices took place outdoors under ominous rain clouds with each side of the ball producing well. In the first practice, the defense looked much more aggressive than the offense, partially due to the narrow range of plays being run by the offense. As the weekend drew to a close, the players were clearly affected by the intense heat. Coach Fisher said that it was nice to have an indoor facility available to deal with the elements but wasn’t willing to concede just yet that the heat would force the team inside. The team has already begun practicing different game-type scenarios including the two-minute offense and working inside the 5 yard line on both sides of the ball. Fisher and many players admitted that while they might prefer the first week of camp being focused on fundamentals and the playbook, the early preseason game against Buffalo means they have to spend time on game scenarios as well. The Titans will be wearing Houston Oilers “throwback” jerseys in four games this season.

QB: Quarterback Kerry Collins arrived in great shape and declared that his arm feels as strong as ever. Fisher agreed, but conceded that training camp for Collins is more about maintaining his health and helping younger players as opposed to practicing at full-speed all of the time. The backup quarterback race between Vince Young and Patrick Ramsey hasn’t been much of a race so far; perhaps due to his familiarity with the team’s offense and desire to get back on the field, Young is clearly the better quarterback of the two. And while there is still a lot of practicing left to do, the Titans historically only keep two quarterbacks on the active roster. Ramsey could be a late-camp cut.

RB: Third year running back Chris Henry saw extended repetitions in early practices leading many observers to think that he is on the hot-seat to keep his job through camp. That said, the Titans desperately need depth at kick-returner so a strong special teams performance in the preseason could help Henry finally find his niche. Most predictions have the Titans keeping LenDale White, Chris Johnson, Ahmard Hall, and either Chris Henry or rookie Javon Ringer (selected in the 5th round). LenDale White showed up to camp significantly lighter this season, owing much of his weight loss to no longer drinking alcohol. White is in a contract year as well, which could be contributing to his motivation for a great season. So far the “split” between Chris Johnson and LenDale White that fantasy owners will be focusing on hasn’t materialized, although we’ll be keeping an eye on how both players are used right up until Week 1.

WR: First round selection Kenny Britt was signed to a contract over the weekend but will begin camp on the PUP list with a lingering hamstring injury. Coach Fisher reported that Britt was not ready to play yet but he did not think the injury would keep him out of the entire training camp. Free agent acquisition Nate Washington drew praise for adjusting quickly to the team’s offense and Kerry Collins’s passing. Washington and Justin Gage are expected to be the team’s starters at this point. Over the weekend, notable standouts came from the receiver position with Lavelle Hawkins and Chris Davis making a number of fine catches. Davis is likely

battling for a roster spot so getting off to a quick, positive start in training camp should serve him well.

TE: Third round pick Jared Cook is the Titans most intriguing rookie this year. His physical gifts are well-documented and the Titans are already moving him around the field in different formations to find the places where he will be most effective. With Alge Crumpler slowing down and Bo Scaife playing under a one-year qualifying offer as a restricted free agent, Cook projects as the team’s future starter.

Defense: The standout unit on either side of the ball so far in practice has been the defensive line. Despite the offseason departure of Albert Haynesworth to the Washington Redskins, the Titans line is clearly aiming for a big season. “They do a good job of rushing the passer,” Fisher said. “Hopefully we can carry on the successful pass rush pressure that we had last year.” William Hayes came to camp significantly stronger than last season. Second year Jason Jones has stepped in to Haynesworth’s position at defensive tackle. Defensive line coach Jim Washburn has already begun drilling into the players that they should set out for the quarterback on every snap. Rather than call front-line blitzes, players like Jevon Kearse and Jones feel that each snap will be treated as an opportunity to get to the passer. Rookie Sen’Derrick Marks is already rotating in at defensive tackle and will be expected to contribute immediately.

Special Teams: Kicker Rob Bironas returned to practice on Monday, after missing several days with a leg strain. Just prior to camp, special teams coordinator Alan Lowry commented on Bironas, “He is probably more relaxed now, yet is still focused and it means a lot to him. But I think his whole deal is about consistency because that is what separates kickers. Getting into that 90 percent area is important.” Bironas is the only kicker in camp. The favorite to take over the return specialist role from departed Chris Carr is free agent acquisition Mark Jones. Lowry noted, "That's the hope. That's why we signed him because he did have comparable numbers on punts and kickoff-return wise. I thought he got better as the year went on because he didn't start the year off as their kickoff returner. He took that over during the season. Punt return-wise, he was pretty consistent all year long." Jones has missed several days with a hamstring injury. WR Chris Davis and CB Tanard Davis have been practicing on punt returns. Those practicing on kickoff returns have included WR Lavelle Hawkins, RB Rafael Little and rookie CBs Ryan Mouton and Jason McCourty

Titans Depth Chart QB: Kerry Collins, Vince Young, Patrick Ramsey, Alex Mortenson RB: Chris Johnson (3RB/KR), LenDale White, Chris Henry, Javon Ringer, Quinton Ganther, Rafael Little FB: Ahmard Hall, Casey Cramer WR: Justin Gage, Nate Washington, Kenny Britt, Lavelle Hawkins, Justin McCareins, Chris Davis (PR), Mark Jones (KR/PR), Paul Williams, Dominique Edison, Dudley Guice, Phillip Morris TE: Bo Scaife, Alge Crumpler, Jared Cook, Craig Stevens, Matthew Mulligan

K: Rob Bironas DT: Tony Brown, Jovan Haye, Jason Jones, Sen'Derrick Marks, Kevin Vickerson, Mitch King, LaJuan Ramsey, Derrick Jones DE: Kyle Vanden Bosch, Jevon Kearse, Dave Ball, Jacob Ford, William Hayes, Larry Birdine MLB: Stephen Tulloch, Ryan Fowler, Gerald McRath OLB: Keith Bulluck (W), David Thornton (S), Josh Stamer, Stanford Keglar, Colin Allred, Ken Amato (LS) CB: Cortland Finnegan, Nick Harper, DeMarcus Faggins, Reynaldo Hill, Ryan Mouton, Jason McCourty, Tyrone Poole, Cary Williams, Tanard Davis, Jeremy Haynes S: Michael Griffin (FS), Chris Hope (SS), Vincent Fuller (FS), Donnie Nickey, Nick Schommer, Tuff Harris Coaches: Head Coach: Jeff Fisher, Off Coord: Mike Heimerdinger, QB Coach: Craig Johnson, RB Coach: Earnest Byner, WR Coach: Fred Graves, TE Coach: John Zernhelt, OL Coach: Mike Munchak, SpecTm Coach: Alan Lowry, Def Coord: Chuck Cecil, DL Coach: Jim Washburn, LB Coach: Dave McGinnis, DB Coach: Marcus Robertson

Washington Redskins

QB: Jason Campbell is nothing if not professional, and whether the Redskins wanted him or not, he’s now clearly their best and only hope at a successful season on offense. With so many rumors this offseason ranging from Jay Cutler to Mark Sanchez to, most recently, Michael Vick, Campbell spoke candidly to Sports Illustrated senior writer Peter King. “I am fine now, but there were a couple of times in the offseason I felt like a piece of tissue they were flushing down the toilet,” said Campbell. On the field, camp is off to a rocky start as the offensive line battles consistency and injury while the new-look defensive line has put continuous pressure on the passing attack. Campbell was ineffective in 11-on-11 drills on Sunday, notably ending the drill by throwing a ball at the feet of his intended receiver. In fairness to Campbell, his receivers haven’t done him any favors. On back-to-back days he threw perfect 50-yard passes downfield for sure-fire TDs only to have the receivers (Devin Thomas and Antwaan Randle El) drop them. Colt Brennan hopes to displace Todd Collins as the backup, but that battle is too early and close to call right now.

RB: Another year, another training camp where coaches insist Clinton Portis will play less in the coming season in order to keep him fresh. HC Jim Zorn is singing a familiar song, insisting that backup Ladell Betts will be a more regular component of the game plan. "There's going to be flexibility in that, and part of it will be how much Clinton can really go," Zorn said. "Part of it will be is how ready -- and I don't have any problem with it -- how ready is Ladell going to be. I think he's ready. He's pushing hard in this training camp already." Fullback Mike Sellers is like having a mobile 6th offensive lineman on the field, but he’s unhappy with his contract. It’s unusual in this era to hear a fullback make demands, but he wants a new contract. Good luck with that.

WR: Devin Thomas had a strong start to camp, and is giving the team its first legitimate chance at displacing Antwaan Randle El as a starter. However, the last few days have thrown some cold water on the excitement, as Thomas has sat out with what the team calls mild knee pain. The Redskins drafted Malcolm Kelly and Thomas last year with that in mind, but both struggled to make their mark. As long as Thomas gets back on the field soon, he looks like a good bet to win the starting Z slot. D.J. Hackett was signed to compete for a roster spot that opened up after the team cut the injured Roydell Williams.

TE: The good news is 2nd year Fred Davis looks like a different player. He hasn’t been eye-popping, but he’s been good enough to give the Redskins a legitimate reason to use 2-TE sets with regularity. Chris Cooley has been quiet so far, but the only thing he really needs to worry about in camp is staying healthy. Todd Yoder seems well positioned to make the active roster again.

Defense: $100mm man DT Albert Haynesworth caused a stir when he missed two days of practice after receiving an injection in his knee. But he returned to practice on Wednesday and insists that the injections are a semi-regular component of his offseason program. The Redskins desperately need rookie 1st rounder Brian Orakpo to contribute immediately, and the early camp returns are encouraging. In Wednesday’s practice, Orakpo beat veteran LT Chris Samuels twice on one-on-one drills. Fred Smoot has been burned in practice, but has taken a hands-on role as a quasi-coach for the younger players in the secondary. LaRon Landry appears ready to live up to his lofty expectations; he’s been noticeably active every time the 1st team defense gets chances to strut their stuff. He did give up a TD in 11-on-11 drills to backup TE Todd Yoder, but both he and Yoder admit that had that been in real-game action, Landry had the velocity and leverage to have decleated him.

Special Teams: The under-the-radar kicking competition is in Washington this year, with Shaun Suisham and Dave Rayner vying for the job. Special teams coordinator Danny Smith commented, "It's going to be a real deal competition, I mean it really is. And they're battling. They're both good players, they're both good people, they're both good competitors, they're both tireless workers. It's a match up." RB Rock Cartright remains the primary kickoff returner. RB Ladell Betts, WR Devin Thomas and RB Anthony Alridge have also been practicing kickoff returns. The punt return role is less defined. Possibilities to join or replace the incumbent, WR Antwaan Randle El, include WR Santana Moss, CB DeAngelo Hall, RB Anthony Alridge, and former CFL RB Dominique Dorsey. But Randle El has given up just yet, "When you have your back against the wall, you have a little pressure, you've got to have a fire under your butt and you got to get going. And that's what I'm going to do this year."

Redskins Depth Chart QB: Jason Campbell, Todd Collins, Colt Brennan, Chase Daniels RB: Clinton Portis, Ladell Betts (3RB), Rock Cartwright (KR), Marcus Mason, Anthony Alridge, Dominique Dorsey

FB: Mike Sellers WR: Santana Moss (PR), Devin Thomas, Antwaan Randle El, Malcolm Kelly, D.J. Hackett, Marko Mitchell, Marques Hagans, Jaison Williams, Trent Shelton, Keith Eloi TE: Chris Cooley, Fred Davis, Todd Yoder, Eddie Williams (HB/FB), Robbie Agnone K: Shaun Suisham, Dave Rayner DT: Albert Haynesworth, Cornelius Griffin, Anthony Montgomery, Kedric Golston, Lorenzo Alexander, Antonio Dixon, Mike Marquardt DE: Andre Carter, Phillip Daniels, Chris Wilson, Jeremy Jarmon, Rob Jackson, Renaldo Wynn, Alex Buzbee, Derek Walker, Justin Brown MLB: London Fletcher OLB: Rocky McIntosh (W), Brian Orakpo (S/DE), H.B. Blades (S/M), Alfred Fincher (W/M), Cody Glenn (W), Robert Thomas (S), Robert Henson CB: Fred Smoot, Carlos Rogers, DeAngelo Hall, Kevin Barnes, Byron Westbrook, Justin Tryon, Doug Dutch S: Laron Landry (FS), Chris Horton (SS) , Reed Doughty (SS), Kareem Moore, Michael Grant Coaches: Head Coach: Jim Zorn, Off Coord: Sherman Smith, RB Coach: Stump Mitchell, WR Coach: Stan Hixon, TE Coach: Scott Wachenheim, OL Coach: Joe Bugel, SpecTm Coach: Danny Smith, Def Coord: Greg Blache, DL Coach: John Palermo, LB Coach: Kirk Olivadotti, DB Coach: Steve Jackson, DB Coach: Jerry Gray