Training Camp UpdateVolume 6, Issue 1 – 8/3/10

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 Insiders on top of everything, we’ve created our incredibly detailed Training Camp Updates. They're 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'll break down every team's skill positions and position battles. It’s the stuff you'd see if you were there at every camp watching practice yourself.  The Training Camp Updates are created by our own Bob Henry with 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 2010 season,

Joe Bryant and David DoddsOwners, Footballguys.com

Arizona Cardinals

QB: The vibe on Matt Leinart so far in camp has been encouraging, but cautious. Leinart had a solid start to camp, but the team eased him into action with simple throws, and nothing too difficult. Leinart hit Early Doucet in stride 15 yards downfield for a crowd pleaser on Saturday, while missing on other throws as he shook off some rust on the first day of practice. "I'm just excited to play," Leinart said. "It's been a long time, and I've learned so much. I feel fully prepared…" Head Coach Ken Whisenhunt has been supportive publically on Leinart as the team’s starter and beat writer Kent Somers reported that Leinart would have to play terribly to lose the starting job in the preseason. The team added strong-armed Derek Anderson and rookie John Skelton in the 5th round for competition. Anderson got some work along with Leinart on Saturday. Skelton is a project, but big,

strong and frequently compared to Joe Flacco. If Leinart bombs, don’t be surprised if Anderson does the same and Skelton is pressed into action.

RB: As the team transitions to a new quarterback, they are expected to lean on the run more heavily in 2010 with Chris “Beanie” Wells and Tim Hightower leading the way. Hightower continues to run with the first team as he did at OTAs, but Wells has the pedigree to separate himself if he stays healthy and improves as a blocker and receiver, both areas where Hightower excels. As for Wells, Whisenhunt said that he has, “gotten much better in pass protection” noting that Hightower sets a high bar. Whisenhunt also mentioned that Wells’ receiving ability “has always been an underrated part of his game.” LaRod Stephens-Howling hopes to expand his role on third downs while Jason Wright will be challenged to make the roster. The team waived veteran fullback Reagan Maui’a on Friday leaving Justin Green and Nehemiah Broughton to vie for what will likely be one roster spot. In Sunday’s practice, Wells, FB Charles Ali and WR Steve Breaston all had drops.

WR: Larry Fitzgerald entered camp with a focus on improving. "I don’t think I had a particularly good offseason in minicamps," Fitzgerald told KTAR radio in Phoenix. "I don’t think I was as crisp as I needed to be. There's a lot of fine tuning I was trying to work on this summer. Coach (Ken) Whisenhunt talked to me before I left and just told me how much he needed me to raise my level of play." When Whisenhunt was asked which players improved the most during the offseason, Early Doucet was the first name he mentioned. Doucet played well in the playoffs when Anquan Boldin was hurt catching 14 balls for 145 yards and 2 TDs in two games. Steve Breaston enters camp as the number two receiver, but Doucet will give him a fight. Whisenhunt mentioned Doucet as one of the players that benefited most from John Lott’s strength and conditioning program. Andre Roberts was drafted in the third round as the Citadel’s all-time leading receiver with 3,743 yards and 37 TDs in four years. He’ll likely begin the season as number four and he might contribute on returns. Roberts’ route running, hands and speed make him a player to watch for down the road, but he probably won’t play right away unless injuries move him up the depth chart.

TE: The Cardinals have been a desolate wasteland for fantasy production at tight end over the last several years. They return largely the same nondescript cast from a year ago. Stanford rookie Jim Dray is the lone addition, a seventh round pick in this April’s draft. On Sunday, Stephen Spach made a nice one-handed catch beating Kerry Rhodes for a 35-yard TD.

Defense: There were a couple of minor surprises on the opening day of camp. First, Trumaine McBride was running opposite Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie as the first-team corners, while Paris Lenon and Monty Beisel were the inside linebackers. Rookie Daryl Washington was one of the last second rounders to sign. He opened camp running with the third-string. Gerald Hayes opened camp on the PUP, as expected. Washington will have to earn his stripes, but he is expected to emerge as a factor on passing downs quickly. The

Cardinals began camp with everyone under contract, but first round pick NT Dan Williams, who signed a five-year deal and joined the team in practice on Monday. The team continues to work on a new deal for DT Darnell Dockett, who reported to camp on time. Greg Toler is competing with McBride for a starting spot opposite DRC, who returns from offseason knee surgery. "It's so-so," he said. "I can be as good as they want me to be. They say I am 100, so I'm going to be 100. Personally, I can get through it. If there was a game Sunday, I can play." DTs Alan Branch and Gabe Watson reported to camp considerably lighter. Branch checked in at 326 while Watson was 328, 11 pounds lighter than the team asked. With Williams unsigned, veteran Bryan Robinson was manning nose tackle, but the team hopes one of their two maligned DTs emerges finally this summer. If not, one or both could be gone. “It’s not going to be easy piercing that top lineup,” said Branch, who ran with the twos at DE while Watson lined up at NT.

Special Teams: All three of the Cardinals specialists are experienced NFL players, although they are relatively new with the club. Punter Ben Graham joined the team late in 2008 and long snapper Mike Leach came on board last year. Kicker Jay Feely is the newest, having been signed this offseason while former kicker Neil Rackers went to Houston via free agency. None of the three are facing competition for their jobs, so the focus in camp and preseason will simply be to get their timing down as a unit. Graham (who also serves as the holder) and Feely do have some brief history, having crossed paths for several games with the Jets in 2008.

Cardinals Depth ChartQB: Matt Leinart, Derek Anderson, John SkeltonRB: Tim Hightower, Chris Wells, LaRod Stephens-Howling (KR), Jason WrightFB: Justin Green, Nehemiah Broughton, Charles AliWR: Larry Fitzgerald, Steve Breaston (PR), Early Doucet, Andre Roberts (KR),Onrea Jones, Darren Mougey, Ed Gant (susp)TE: Steven Spach, Ben Patrick, Anthony Becht, Jim DrayK: Jay FeelyNT: Bryan Robinson, Gabe Watson, Dan WilliamsDE: Darnell Dockett (DT), Calais Campbell, Alan Branch, Kenny Iwebema, Keilen Dykes, Jeremy Clark, Jason BanksILB: Gerald Hayes (inj), Monty Beisel, Paris Lenon, Daryl Washington, Reggie WalkerOLB: Clark Haggans, Joey Porter, Cody Brown (inj), O'Brien Schofield, Will Davis (inj), Pago TogafauCB: Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Trumaine McBride, Greg Toler, Michael Adams, Jorrick Calvin, Justin Miller, A.J. JeffersonS: Adrian Wilson (SS), Kerry Rhodes (FS), Rashad Johnson (FS), Matt Ware,Hamza Abdullah (SS), Aaron Rouse

Atlanta Falcons

QB: Prior to the opening of training camp, Matt Ryan wrote an article for Sports Illustrated in which he described his offseason film-room study sessions: Ryan closely watched six quarterbacks - Peyton Manning, Tony Romo, Tom Brady, Phillip Rivers, Aaron Rodgers, and Drew Brees - to see what each guy did to make his team so effective.

RB: Good news for Atlanta as Michael Turner is returning to the team in top condition. On Monday it was reported that Turner appears to be much faster running to the edge and busting through the holes at the line of scrimmage."I'm feeling great," Turner said. "I'm just trying to get that pop back, that explosiveness that I was getting in the middle of last year. This year I want to start off with it." Turner is also working on becoming more of a pass-catching threat: "He made a nice catch on a screen pass," running backs coach Gerald Brown said on Monday. "If he can improve that part of his game, that's just going to make him a better football player." There is more good news for Turner - the Falcons are working on improving depth along the offensive line and sorting out who will make the roster in the trenches is a priority according to head coach Mike Smith. "That’s going to be very, very competitive. The front line starters are fairly set. They are set. I think that was a solid group last year. But I think we need to start looking at the backups at those positions. There are going to be some very good battles for those roster spots.” Unfortunately, Jerious Norwood, who started camp in top condition, missed Monday morning’s practice with a hip flexor injury. Coach Smith said it was not the same injury [as last season], but was in the same “general” area. With Norwood out, Jason Snelling, Antone Smith and Dimitri Nance will get more reps. “We feel really good about all of those running backs,” coach Smith said. “They all have a little different skill set. It’s a very diverse group that gives us a lot of flexibility with what we can do.”

WR: Harry Douglas was cleared to join the Falcons' training camp after visiting Dr. James Andrews in Birmingham, Alabama shortly before camp opened. He is expected to compete for the #3 WR position during 2010. He took part in the first padded practice on Monday. Coach Smith commented, "Harry has done some things today... As we go through this week, we are going to integrate him into full practice.” Roddy White isn't thrilled with the Falcons' offense after four days in camp, saying, "This is our third year going into the system, and I thought we'd come out here and dominate, but the defense is doing a good job...It's not discouraging, just real interesting. They are making us work very hard for everything, and that's good." On Monday, Brian Finneran was on the field running for the trainers. He’s working on recovering from back spasms.

TE: Tony Gonzalez commented as training camp opened: “Offensively we’re pretty confident. We can move up and down the field. We have the horses...If we stay healthy, the sky’s the limit.” He added, "We’ve got a lot of guys in their third and fourth years. That’s when it’s supposed to click. That’s the norm in the NFL. If we do that, we’ll be pretty good.” Tight end Colin Peek, an undrafted rookie free agent from Alabama, left the field during the afternoon practice on

July 31st with an apparent right knee injury. Peek is expected to miss one to two weeks due to a strained knee.

Defense: Coach Smith discussed the process of upgrading the Falcons' cornerback position during the offseason and the upcoming training camp, saying: “I’ve said it many times, that it was just not the DBs, but we felt we had to start to address that. We added Dunta Robinson. We also have Brent Grimes, Christopher Owens, Brian Williams and we added Dominique Franks in the draft. We feel like that is going to be the most competitive spot on the entire team.” The Falcons signed their first round pick (#19), LB Sean Weatherspoon, just hours before the first team meeting - this is good news for the defensive unit, as they'll have the new playmaker in camp from day one, a crucial element for ensuring smooth development of rookie players. Coach Smith commented on Weatherspoon after the signing, saying, "I think Sean can play all three [linebackers spots], but right now we have basically spent our time training Sean at our outside linebacker position... Is he a [strongside] or [weakside]? He's an outside linebacker... I think more and more you're seeing more teams developing their outside linebackers to be able to play multiple spots." MLB Curtis Lofton commented on Saturday, "As a rookie, having a guy play two positions, that's a lot to ask. But he's very smart and energetic. We just love having him." DT Peria Jerry was medically cleared by Dr. James Andrews to resume his football career during training camp. "I'm back now. I’m on the field," Jerry said after the first practice of training camp. "They would have to tell me that I can't play...All I can do is what they ask me to do. I've got some really good veteran guys beside me like [Jonathan] Babineaux, [John] Abraham, Chauncey [Davis] and Jamaal [Anderson]. They've all been there with me through the whole thing." Jerry is expected to help the DL develop more push into opposing backfields and help free the DEs for more QB pressures/sacks. John Abraham, who saw his sack total drop from 16.5 in 2008 to 5.5 during 2009, spent a large portion of the offseason at Bommarito Performance Systems in south Florida. "I don't think I've lost anything," Abraham said. "I've watched myself on tape. I looked at my moves, and they are still good. The pass rush is still there. I just want to get there sooner...I've been doing a lot of stuff for myself [during offseason]," Abraham said. "This year I'm going to try to help them [the DL] out more, so we can all work as a unit and get to the quarterback."

Special Teams: The Falcons enter camp with four specialists on the roster. All four were with the team at the end of last year, however three were late 2009 additions: long snapper Joe Zelenka and kickers Matt Bryant and Steve Hauschka. Bryant was signed for the final five games last year to replace the eventually retiring Jason Elam. Hauschka was signed for the final week when Bryant was questionable to play due to an injury. Their competition for the placekicking job will be the primary focus of camp and preseason. A secondary question in camp is punter Michael Koenen’s secondary role. He also handles kickoffs, and will definitely continue to do so if Bryant remains the placekicker. However if Hauschka wins the placekicking job, he could potentially also take over on kickoffs.

Falcons Depth ChartQB: Matt Ryan, Chris Redman, John Parker WilsonRB: Michael Turner, Jerious Norwood, Jason Snelling, Dmitri NanceFB: Ovie MughelliWR: Roddy White, Michael Jenkins, Harry Douglas, Kerry Meier, Brian Finneran,Eric Weems (PR/KR), Troy BergeronTE: Tony Gonzalez, Justin Peelle (inj), Keith Zinger, Robert AgnoneK: Matt Bryant (inj), Steven HauschkaDT: Peria Jerry (inj), Jonathan Babineaux (susp), Chauncey Davis, Corey Peters,Thomas Johnson, Trey Lewis, Vance WalkerDE: John Abraham, Kroy Biermann, Jamaal Anderson (DT), Lawrence SidburyMLB: Curtis Lofton, Bear WoodsOLB: Stephen Nicholas (S), Mike Peterson (W/M), Sean Weatherspoon (W/S), Coy Wire (S/M), Tony Gilbert, Spencer Adkins, Robert James (susp)CB: Dunta Robinson, Brian Williams (inj), Christopher Owens, Brent Grimes,Chevis Jackson, Dominique FranksS: Erik Coleman (SS), Thomas DeCoud (FS), William Moore (inj), Matt Giordano (SS), Jamaal Fudge (inj), Shann Schillinger, Antoine Harris (inj)

Baltimore Ravens

QB: As if the fantasy community needed any more hype to build up our own expectations of Joe Flacco. The Ravens talented young quarterback enters his third season with a better supporting cast than in either of his previous two years and the continuity of working within the same system – the Air Coryell system that offensive coordinator Cam Cameron and Al Saunders, their senior offensive assistant, have employed with great success in San Diego, St. Louis and Kansas City. Both predict great things for Flacco this season. "Joe is going to flourish in this system," Cameron predicted. "There are some things we have invested time in the last two years that we really haven't used a lot in games, because we really weren't efficient enough at it yet... There are some things we're working on that hopefully will show this year. And really, it's not anything new that we put in. It's just something that now we're at a level I feel comfortable in calling it." ESPN’s John Clayton reported that Flacco’s "bruised quad" last season was much worse than reported, partially explaining his fade in late in the season. According to the Baltimore Sun, Flacco is taking more command of the offense and he may be on the “verge of turning… into an elite (signal caller).” Marc Bulger was signed to give the club a proven veteran backup, while several players were displeased that it could mean the end for Troy Smith, although the trade of John Beck to Washington suggests Baltimore may want to keep Smith around. Bulger looked good on the second day of camp after looking a bit rusty on the opening day, throwing behind receivers. In two days, Bulger already created a gap between himself and Smith, sometimes looking almost as good as Flacco.

RB: The Ravens seems poised to have another big year running the football, too. Willis McGahee reported to camp in great shape, despite adding weight. He reported slightly over 240 pounds with added muscle. “I like it,” McGahee explained.  “I’m moving with it.  It’s not holding me down. I felt like when I came in lighter, that’s when I was getting the injuries. I’ll just go with the flow now and keep it up.” McGahee stood out during the first few practices showing speed, sharp cuts and plenty of toughness. On Friday, when he caught a pass before getting drilled by safety Dawan Landry, splitting his lip and drawing some blood. Normally, secure with the ball, he fumbled a couple of times on Saturday. Expect more big plays from Ray Rice this year, too. The Ravens offseason additions should help create more room for Rice to operate as a receiver as well as a runner. Anquan Boldin’s blocking prowess and Donte Stallworth’s ability to stretch the field could help Rice produce more big plays. “They brought in guys that will not only catch the ball, but they get the safety blocked, keep the corner from making that long tackle,” Rice said in an interview with 105.7 The Fan. “That’s when big plays happen. Keeping an extra guy out of the box is going to be one of the biggest things. If you looked at my long runs from last year, our receivers block downfield.” Rice added, “I’m anxious to see what teams are going to do now that we have Anquan, Donte’ and still Derrick… It’s one of those things where defenses are going to do certain things, and we can adjust.”

WR: Derrick Mason and Anquan Boldin are the team’s top vertical threats, while Stallworth looked good in minicamp showing that he still has his deep speed after missing last season. A starter last year, Mark Clayton now adds depth as the team’s number four. Marcus Smith spent all of last year on IR with a knee injury suffered in last year’s preseason. He appears to be healthy. On Wednesday, he accelerated to catch up to a Joe Flacco bomb. Mike Duffy, of the BaltimoreRavens.com, named Smith one of the top 9 standouts from the first two days of camp. Demetrius Williams, as well as Clayton, will face increased competition for a roster spot with the addition of Stallworth, Boldin and Smith healthy again. Stallworth had perhaps the catch of the day on Saturday in the morning practice after Cary Williams almost intercepted Marc Bulger’s pass. The ball glanced off his fingertips right into Stallworth’s arms.

TE: Todd Heap missed practice on Friday while dealing with swelling in his tonsils. Rookie Ed Dickson ran with the starters in his absence. Heap was back at practice on Saturday. "It knocked me out. There were three or four days I couldn't sleep. I'm not 100 percent, but I passed the conditioning test and I'm going forward." Dickson appears to be ahead of fellow rookie Dennis Pitta, although the team considers Pitta more of a “move“ tight end. Dickson will likely be used more traditionally, while Pitta may be lined up all over the field to utilize his superior route running skills. Dickson switched from number 80 to 83 after talking with second-year TE Davon Drew. "Well. I talked to Drew," Dickson said. "I said, 'Was he attached to the number or anything?' And he said, 'No, it’s just a number.' Dickson said "I’ll take him out to dinner or something like that... I’ll take him to pretty good dinner, him and probably his girl, something like that. In exchange for the

number, I’ll look out for him." There were rumblings that Dickson was struggling to learn plays. However, once he gets situated, he could develop into a big-time threat, capable of getting vertical down the seams of defenses. He caught one pass Friday morning and he was gone as soon as he turned the corner. Pitta had a nice TD grab late in the morning practice, but he also dropped a pair of passes.

Defense: Jameel McClain opened camp as the starter at ILB next to Ray Lewis, a surprise as a battle was expected between Dannell Ellerbee and Tavares Gooden. CB Domonique Foxworth tore his ACL during walk-through drills as camp opened; he’ll miss the season. It’s a blow to the Ravens, who have Fabian Washington and Lardarius Webb returning from ACL surgeries of their own in the offseason, not to mention Ed Reed, who could start the season on the PUP list (and miss the first six weeks). The injuries could lead to problems defensively, not to mention more pass attempts for the up and coming Joe Flacco. The team is looking at veteran free agents to help fill the void, like Frank Walker, Ken Lucas, Fred Smoot and Nick Harper. The team is also without second-round pick Sergio Kindle because of a fractured skull suffered when he fell down two flights of stairs last week. Head Coach John Harbaugh confirmed that Kindle has narcolepsy and he has been ruled out of training camp. Walt Harris and Travis Fisher were signed earlier during the offseason for depth and now they’ll be pressed into action along with Chris Carr and Cary Williams, who faces a two-game suspension to begin the season. Tom Zbikowski picked up where he left off last season filling in for Reed with the first team defense. Dawan Landry was off to a fast start as well, popping McGahee and busting his lip as earning his “whop” nickname from teammates. Also on a positive note, Terrell Suggs reported to camp down about 20 pounds from last year in the mid-260s. Rookie NT Terrence Cody passed his conditioning test on Wednesday after failing the conditioning test on the first day. Once he took the field, Cody’s size and athleticism were evident, and he should push for playing time right away behind Kelly Gregg. DT Haloti Ngata (pectorals) is back to 100 percent, too. On Saturday, the defensive pass rush was working as Jarret Johnson, Albert McClellan and defensive tackle Brandon McKinney each got to the quarterbacks for “sacks”. Cody had another, but the play was blown dead by a penalty.

Special Teams: The Ravens have no question at punter and holder, roles both handled by Sam Koch. At long snapper, although Matt Katula will likely retain the job, it is not a certainty as he is coming off a difficult year dealing with elbow tendinitis. In camp and preseason he’ll need to find a delicate balance between showing that he has recovered and establishing timing with his co-specialists, while not over working his elbow. Should he falter, undrafted rookie Morgan Cox could snatch the job. The primary competition to watch in camp and preseason is the kicking battle between Shayne Graham and Billy Cundiff. Graham was a late free agent addition, coming from the division rival Bengals, while Cundiff served as Baltimore’s kicker during the second half of last year.

Ravens Depth ChartQB: Joe Flacco, Troy Smith, Marc Bulger, John BeckRB: Ray Rice (3RB), Willis McGahee, Jalen Parmele (KR), Matt Lawrence (inj),Curtis SteeleFB: Le'Ron McClain, Mike McLaughlinWR: Anquan Boldin, Derrick Mason, Donte' Stallworth, Mark Clayton, Demetrius Williams, David Reed, Marcus Smith, Justin Harper TE: Todd Heap, Ed Dickson, Dennis Pitta, Tony CurtisK: Shayne Graham, Billy CundiffDT: Haloti Ngata, Kelly Gregg (NT), Terrence Cody (NT), Kelly Talavou (NT), Lamar Divens (inj)DE: Trevor Pryce, Paul Kruger, Arthur Jones, Brandon McKinneyILB: Ray Lewis, Jameel McClain, Dannell Ellerbe, Tavares Gooden, Brendon Ayanbedejo (inj), Jason Phillips (inj)OLB: Terrell Suggs (DE), Jarrett Johnson (S), Antwan Barnes, Sergio Kindle (inj),Prescott Burgess, Edgar JonesCB: Fabian Washington (inj), Lardarius Webb (inj), Chris Carr, Travis Fisher, Cary Williams (susp), Dominique Foxworth (IR)S: Ed Reed (FS) (inj), Dawan Landry (SS), Tom Zbikowski (SS/FS), Haruki Nakamura (inj)

Buffalo Bills

QB: Even though the Bills changed coaching staffs this offseason, they decided to go with status quo at the QB position. One of the most interesting storylines throughout training camp and the preseason will be a three-way competition for the starting QB job between Trent Edwards, Ryan Fitzpatrick, and Brian Brohm. Edwards had a strong offseason and entered camp last week as the early favorite. He has been taking all reps with the first-team offense and is throwing the ball with confidence and accuracy, although he’ll need to play well in the preseason games to hold onto his position. Brohm seems to have a slight edge on Fitzpatrick for the #2 job as he worked with the second unit on Friday and Saturday, although HC Chan Gailey indicated that both QBs would rotate in that position. Brohm was a college star at Louisville who is trying to salvage his career after being cut loose by the Packers last year while Fitzpatrick has already enjoyed some limited success as an NFL backup the past few years. Rookie Levi Brown is an interesting developmental prospect who may have a hard time finding enough snaps this preseason. Regardless of who emerges as the starting QB here, don’t get too excited about their fantasy prospects as this may wind up being one of the least productive passing attacks in the league this year.

RB: The Bills got an amazing season from Fred Jackson in 2009 and still have former 1st round pick Marshawn Lynch on the roster, but they apparently felt a talent upgrade was needed and spent their first round pick on RB C.J. Spiller out of Clemson. Spiller is an electric talent with the ability to make plays all over the field, but he is joining a crowded backfield that are all competing for time behind a very inexperienced

offensive line. It will be interesting to watch him in training camp to try and get a better idea of how the Bills plan to use him this year. Unfortunately, he remained unsigned as of Monday and any additional missed time would likely set him back considerably. Jackson has looked good early on and figures to pick up where he left off as the team’s feature back. Lynch was the subject of many trade rumors over the offseason but appears to have the right attitude and has been seeing some limited work with the first unit on offense. Chad Simpson provides depth at the position, although special teams likely provides him the best opportunity to make the final roster.

WR: The wide receiver group will be interesting to watch in camp for a very different reason this year. Terrell Owens and the media spotlight is gone, leaving Lee Evans and a bunch of young WRs competing for playing time. As the leader of the group, Evans will clearly be the #1 WR and a focal point of the offense. The fight for the right to start opposite him is most likely to be between 3rd year WRs Steve Johnson and James Hardy, although rookie Marcus Easley and former Patriot Chad Jackson could also be in the mix. Roscoe Parrish is most likely to wind up as the slot receiver and there are a couple of interesting undrafted free agents (Naaman Roosevelt, David Nelson) who will also be competing for a roster spot. There is some talent in this group but it is extremely raw at this point, so we’ll have to wait and see if any of these receivers are ready to make a big jump and take advantage of the opportunity in front of them. Steve Johnson entered camp as the favorite for the #2 WR job based on a strong spring, although Hardy is fully recovered from the knee injury that wiped out most of his 2009 season and seems much more comfortable than he has in the past. Both young receivers said they learned a lot from watching Terrell Owens last year and hopefully the competition this year brings out the best in at least one of them so defenses can’t focus all their attention on Evans.

TE: The Bills have not really had an impact fantasy tight end in the past decade or more, but that may actually change this year. Shawn Nelson was a 4th round pick last year who has the talent and opportunity to be one of this year’s best fantasy sleepers at the position. The departures of Terrell Owens and Josh Reed has freed up a lot of targets in the passing game and should open things up for a receiving TE like Nelson who can work the middle of the field and be a reliable option for whoever winds up at QB. Early in camp, Nelson has shown excellent hands catching nearly everything thrown his way and he will certainly be a player to watch once the preseason games begin. Derek Schouman has flashed some ability in the past and will likely see action as part of some 2-TE sets if he can stay healthy. Michael Matthews is a big blocking specialist who played under Gailey at Georgia Tech.

Defense: Things will look quite a bit different on defense this year as the Bills will be moving to more of a 3-4 front under new coordinator George Stevens and will likely be without their best player. Aaron Schobel has been contemplating retirement all offseason and the team announced on Monday that they are ready to move on without him. It sounds like his days in Buffalo are over, and if he decides to play later on, the

team will likely grant him his release to play somewhere else. OLB Aaron Maybin will be a focal point of the preseason as last year’s 1st round pick looks to make an impact as an edge rusher in the new defense. Newcomer Andra Davis will battle with Kawika Mitchell for the ILB job next to Paul Posluszny, who was sitting out while recovering from offseason groin surgery. The deepest position on the roster is likely at safety where the Bills have at least 4 players competing for starting jobs so it will be interesting to see who emerges there as well. Overall, this unit should be stronger against the run than it has been in the past thanks to some additions up front, but they will have to find a way to generate consistent pressure on opposing QBs if they hope to be a viable fantasy unit.

Special Teams: Nothing to see here (in a good way). The Bills are set at the three specialist roles with long snapper Garrison Sanborn, punter/holder Brian Moorman, and kicker Rian Lindell: As new special teams coordinator Bruce DeHaven recently commented, “Brian is one of the better punters in the league no question about it. He’s very versatile. He can drive the ball for distance if you get backed up. He can hang it up there high if you have a returner you’re trying to take out of the game. He’s very quick with the ball which helps your protection. He’s got good hands and an excellent athlete…. I think that Rian has really developed since he’s come into the league. His accuracy has improved from his first year in the league and he’s done a nice job with that. He’s also an above average kickoff guy.”

Bills Depth ChartQB: Trent Edwards, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Brian Brohm, Levi BrownRB: Fred Jackson (PR), C.J. Spiller, Marshawn Lynch, Chad Simpson (KR),Justice Hairston, Joicque BellFB: Corey McIntyreWR: Lee Evans, Steve Johnson, Chad Jackson, Roscoe Parrish, James Hardy,Marcus EasleyTE: Shawn Nelson, Derek Schouman, Jonathan Stupar, Michael Matthews, Joe Klopfenstein (IR)K: Rian LindellNT: Kyle Williams, Torell Troup, Lonnie Harvey, Rashaad DuncanDE: Marcus Stroud, Aaron Schobel, Dwan Edwards, Spencer Johnson, Alex Carrington, John McCargoILB: Paul Posluszny, Andra Davis, Kawika Mitchell, Keith Ellison, Marcus Buggs,Ryan Manalac, Antonio ColemanOLB: Chris Kelsay, Reggie Torbor, Aaron Maybin, Chris Ellis, Arthur Moats, Dan Batten (inj), Donovan WoodsCB: Terrence McGee, Leodis McKelvin, Reggie Corner, Drayton Florence, Ashton Youboty, Ellis LanksterS: Jairus Byrd (FS), George Wilson (SS), Donte Whitner (FS/SS), Bryan Scott (SS/LB), Jon Corto, Cary Harris, Lydell Sargeant

Carolina Panthers

QB: Matt Moore shrugs off questions about the pressure of being the new #1 QB for Carolina: “I just try to be myself,” said Moore. “I think that is the approach I always try to take. There are different styles to play this game. But just because the depth chart has changed doesn’t mean I need to change at all. If I can keep that in mind and just be true to myself I think everything will work out...“I am pretty comfortable. Experience, there is nothing like it. To have those five games last year and finish the way we did, to me that’s a big deal.” Jimmy Clausen commented on being third on the depth chart: “Whenever you get your reps, you have to go out there and make plays...When you go out to practice you want to do as much as you can to be the starting quarterback. But at the end of the day, I can control only what I can control and the coaches are going to make the decisions, who's going to play and who's not going to play.”

RB: Jonathan Stewart began training camp on the sidelines as the coaching staff is slowly bringing his activity level up due to his continuing recovery from offseason ankle surgery (to remove bone spurs that were aggravating his Achilles' tendon throughout 2009). He is said to be "close to healthy". Stewart sat out of the team's first two practices, and said he has not been 100 percent healthy since his last year in college. "Once I get healthy, it is going to be one of the best days of my life." Coach John Fox stated on July 30th that he expects Stewart to practice in training camp sometime before the final day on August 18th. In other injury news, key OL Jeff Otah started camp on the PUP list on Wednesday - RT Geoff Schwartz subbed for Otah. RB Tyrell Sutton, who was subbing for Stewart early in camp, suffered a calf injury of unspecified severity on Friday, July 30th, and sat out practice on Saturday. He'll be evaluated further as camp moves along. Mike Goodson was carted off the field on Sunday with an ankle injury. After practice, Coach Fox told the media Goodson had an ankle injury and didn’t break any bones. Goodson could be out for several weeks. The team was down to DeAngelo Williams and Josh Vaughn healthy enough to take reps on Monday.

WR: With Muhsin Muhammad retired and Steve Smith recovering from a broken arm (Smith may not return until regular season), a camp battle is underway for the #2 starter. Dwayne Jarrett suffered a hamstring injury (after dropping catches and being yelled at for running incorrect routes), which will hurt his chances to hold off Kenneth Moore, and the rookies Armanti Edwards, Brandon LaFell and David Gettis. On day one, Charly Martin made a pair of nice catches and Kenneth Moore, who was playing with the first team, also looked sharp. Moore has consistently made big catches and beat DBs during the first three days of camp. Coach Fox said Moore has earned the opportunity to run with the first team - it looks like Moore has the early lead in the fight for #2 wide receiver. Moore commented: “I always believe in my ability and what I do... I believe my best should be good enough. If I continue to take advantage of my opportunities and come out and compete every day hopefully that will be enough for the coaches.” LaFell reportedly made an impressive one-handed catch during Friday’s full-pad practice, making his case for the #2 job. Unfortunately, Martin suffered a finger injury and his timetable for a return is unknown after he underwent surgery

to repair a badly broken finger on Saturday. He may end up on IR due to the injury. LaFell didn't practice Sunday due to a bruised leg.

TE: No items of interest to report.

Defense: Reports out of Carolina have observed that nearly every position along the defensive line is in contention, particularly in the middle. Louis Leonard and Tank Tyler are penciled in, but Leonard enters camp on the PUP list with an injured knee. Regarding Tyler, "In only three practices; it's hard to declare," coach John Fox said when asked if Tyler was at full health [Tyler is recovering from a right knee injury from week 12, 2009]. The ongoing issue for Leonard will likely allow Ed Johnson, Corvey Irvin and Derek Landri a chance to be a starter. The Panthers opened training camp with Jon Beason working at WLB Thomas Davis’ position and moved Dan Connor over to the MLB slot. It appears the team is committed to moving Beason to that position while Davis tries to make it back from a torn right ACL (second injury to that ACL). “The only reason I would prefer to be in the middle is because it is something I have done - and I have done it at a high level – and because I do have that comfort zone,” said Beason. “If it’s going to help the team I want to do it.” Connor commented on Sunday: “I feel like a different player than I did the last couple of years. I have more experience. I’m more comfortable with the defense. I feel comfortable on the field, and I look forward to playing.” LB Jamar Williams and DE Charles Johnson both tweaked hamstrings and left the first day of practice. Backup LB Jordan Senn reportedly impressed day one, delivering two big hits. While Johnson sat out of practice on Friday due to his sore hamstring, DE Everette Brown has done a solid job subbing during practice. Rookie DE Greg Hardy is making a positive impression early in camp, according to DL coach Brian Baker: "We're seeing what we hoped we saw when we drafted him." He continued, "Big, explosive, active kid. Certainly brings a lot of energy....He's very conscientious, wants to understand exactly how we want things and why we want them that way. So I'm pleased with him." Johnson returned to practices on Monday.

Special Teams: Almost all of the specialist jobs for the Panthers will remain the same in 2010 as they were in 2009. J.J. Jansen will again be the long snapper, Jason Baker the punter and holder, and John Kasay the placekicker. Kickoffs are the one change to watch in camp and preseason. The Panthers let kickoff specialist Rhys Lloyd become a free agent (he quickly landed with the Vikings). Carolina subsequently signed Todd Carter, who took off from playing football last year to train and who gained notoriety this offseason with his expletive inducing leg strength. If he fails to show enough to convince the Panthers to once again carry a fourth specialist, then presumably Baker would handle kickoffs as opposed to Kasay.

Panthers Depth ChartQB: Matt Moore, Jimmy Clausen, Hunter Cantwell, Tony PikeRB: DeAngelo Williams (inj), Jonathan Stewart, Tyrell Sutton (KR), Mike Goodson (KR), Dantrell SavageFB: Tony Fiammetta, Rashawn Jackson

WR: Steve Smith, Brandon LaFell, Dwayne Jarrett, Kenneth Moore (PR/KR),Armanti Edwards (KR), David Gettis, Wallace Wright, Charly Martin, Trent GuyTE: Gary Barnidge, Dante Rosario, Jeff KingK: John Kasay, Todd ConnerDT: Ed Johnson, Nick Hayden, Louis Leonard (inj), Derek Landri, Tank Tyler,Corvey Irvin (inj)DE: Charles Johnson, Tyler Brayton, Everette Brown, Greg Hardy, Hilee TaylorMLB: Dan ConnorOLB: Jon Beason (W), James Anderson (S), Jamar Williams (S), Mortty Ivy (S),Eric Norwood, Jordan Senn, Quinton Culberson, Thomas Davis (inj)CB: Chris Gamble, Richard Marshall, Captain Munnerlyn (PR), Marcus Hudson,C.J. Wilson, R.J. Sanford, Jordon Pugh, Robert McClain, Brian Witherspoon (KR/PR)S: Charles Godfrey (SS), Sherrod Martin (FS), Aaron Francisco, Keith Lewis

Chicago Bears

QB: All fantasy owners will want to keep a close eye on the Bears this preseason as Mike Martz is in town and that usually means a pass-happy offense and big fantasy production from a few key players. Jay Cutler flashed his great arm at times last year with 27 touchdowns, but he also was far too inconsistent and wound up hurting the team with 26 interceptions as well. The Bears have what looks to be a very solid and deep group of WRs for him to throw to, but the offensive line remains a major question mark. Early in camp, Cutler has looked very comfortable and reports seem to indicate that he already has a pretty strong grasp of the new offense. If he can avoid the big mistakes from a year ago, he could certainly wind up as one of the most productive fantasy QBs this year. Caleb Hanie and Dan LeFevour will also compete with each other in camp for the backup QB job. Hanie was the backup a year ago but he’ll likely get a strong challenge from LeFevour, an extremely mobile QB who was wildly productive in college.

RB: Another player looking to bounce back from a disappointing season is Matt Forte. After a huge rookie season in 2008, Forte struggled to find any room to run for much of 2009 and wound up being one of the year’s biggest fantasy busts. The team signed veteran RB Chester Taylor to compete with him and it will be interesting to see how these two players are used during the preseason. If either player emerges as a feature back, they will be a valuable fantasy back but chances are that they will wind up being used in some type of committee approach all year. Both players are great catching the ball out of the backfield, but Taylor is the superior blocker and also likely a better inside runner which might make him a better fit in the Martz offense. The Bears also added rookie Harvey Unga during this year’s supplemental draft so he’ll be another interesting player to watch during the preseason to see if he has the potential to overtake Forte as the RB of the future. Kahlil Bell and Garrett Wolfe are back and could be

fighting with undrafted free agent Brandon Minor for the final roster spot.

WR: This is likely the area where most of the fantasy value will be found on the Bears this year as Martz offenses tend to lead to some big reception totals from the receivers. Devin Hester enters camp as the presumed #1 WR given his contract and prior performance, but his numbers didn’t take the huge jump last year when Cutler arrived that many expected them to. The fight for who gets to start opposite him is where things get interesting and the two favorites right now are 2nd year pro Johnny Knox and Devin Aromashodu. Knox is a speedster coming off a very strong rookie season and he has definitely been a favorite target of Cutler’s early in training camp. Aromashodu adds some much-needed size to the group and appeared to have great chemistry with Cutler during a very strong finish to the 2009 season. Whoever loses this battle will probably be the favorite to line up as the slot receiver in 3-wide formations but Earl Bennett could also be a factor there as well. Some other players to watch include Juaquin Iglesias, a 3rd round pick last year who is currently sitting out with a groin injury, and rookie Freddie Barnes who set the NCAA record for catches in a season with 155 last year.

TE: What a difference a year makes. Greg Olsen was everyone’s favorite TE sleeper in 2009, but now everyone is running for cover as tight ends in offenses run by Martz do not have a very productive history. He clearly has the talent to be an elite player at the position, but it will be useful to see what type of role the Bears have planned for him in training camp and the preseason to see if he can remain among the top-10 this year. He’ll likely be pushed by veteran Brandon Manumaleuna, a blocking specialist who played under Martz in St. Louis. Veteran Desmond Clark has been very consistent and productive for a long time and he was one of the stars in the first day of training camp while working with the second offensive unit. Kellen Davis is a young player who has shown flashes at times, but may have a difficult time earning a roster spot given the player ahead of him on the depth chart.

Defense: There is a new superstar in town after the Bears made a huge splash in free agency with the signing of DE Julius Peppers to a 6-year, $91 million contract. Although he has a reputation for being inconsistent in his effort and production, he’s an elite pass rusher and should provide a big boost to the entire defense. Long-time starters Alex Brown and Adewale Ogunleye are gone so training camp will likely be used to find out who is going to start opposite Peppers with Mark Anderson the most likely candidate. LB Brian Urlacher returns after missing nearly the entire 2009 season with a wrist injury and will look to reclaim his status as one of the best inside linebackers in the league. The secondary has undergone some changes with the trade for S Chris Harris who will help solidify things on the back end, and the move of CB Charles Tillman from the left side to the right side, which could affect his IDP value. The defense has the talent to be one of the best in the league, but they’ll need their key players to stay healthy.

Special Teams: Heading into camp, the Bears are set with starting specialists long snapper Patrick Mannelly, punter and holder Brad Maynard, and kicker Robbie Gould. As special

teams coordinator Dave Toub recently attested, “I’m very fortunate. We’re going into our seventh season here, and I’ve been fortunate enough to have Maynard and Mannelly the whole time and Robbie for the majority of it. They work very well together and they’re good leaders in our room, which is real important.” Punter Richmond McGee is on the roster to serve as a camp leg and to allow Maynard to ease back into things following offseason hip surgery.

Bears Depth ChartQB: Jay Cutler, Caleb Hanie, Dan LaFevourRB: Matt Forte, Chester Taylor, Harvey Unga, Kahlil Bell, Garrett Wolfe, Brandon MinorFB: Eddie Williams (inj)WR: Devin Hester (PR), Johnny Knox (KR), Devin Aromashodu, Earl Bennett,Juaquin Iglesias, Rashied Davis, Antonio Robinson, Freddie Barnes, Greg MathewsTE: Greg Olsen, Brandon Manumaleuna, Desmond Clark, Kellen DavisK: Robbie GouldDT: Tommie Harris, Marcus Harrison (NT), Anthony Adams (NT), Jarron Gilbert,Matt Toeaina (NT), Dusty Dvoracek (inj), Averell SpicerDE: Julius Peppers, Mark Anderson, Israel Idonije, Corey Wootton, Henry Melton (inj), Barry TurnerMLB: Brian Urlacher (inj), Tim ShawOLB: Lance Briggs (W) (inj), Nick Roach (S), Hunter Hillenmeyer (inj), Pisa TinoisamoaCB: Zackary Bowman, Charles Tillman (inj), Corey Graham (FS/CB), Tim Jennings, Brian Iwuh, D.J. MooreS: Chris Harris (SS), Danieal Manning (FS/CB/KR), Major Wright (FS), Craig Steltz (SS/FS), Al Afalava (FS), Josh Bullocks (SS), Quentin Scott

Cincinnati Bengals

QB: Early reports from camp were promising on franchise quarterback Carson Palmer, who started last season showing plenty of arm strength and accuracy before faltering badly down the stretch. Palmer insisted all offseason that his arm was healthy, deflecting ongoing questions about his decision to rehab his arm without surgery last offseason. The Bengals filled the depth chart with receiving options this offseason, adding Matt Jones, Antonio Bryant, Jermaine Gresham, Jordan Shipley and last but certainly not least – Terrell Owens, in the hopes of bringing some balance back to what was a heavily run-oriented offense last season. Fantasy owners should be watching Palmer’s mechanics closely this preseason. If he looks right, there’s a lot of value to be found in his current ADP. The backup quarterback spots are set with J.T. O’Sullivan as Palmer’s primary backup and Palmer’s brother Jordan still developing as the team’s third quarterback.

RB: Cedric Benson got good news last week when Commissioner Roger Goodell elected not to suspend him for an assault charge this offseason. Though the Bengals are looking to bring better balance to the offensive play calling, the offensive line is still set up to play power football. Benson

should again get plenty of opportunity. Bernard Scott has proclaimed himself fully healthy after an ankle problem limited his reps during OTAs. It’s been reported that he’ll be used more often to spell Benson this season, but past history suggests that we could see otherwise when the pads go on. The team also brought in Cedric Peerman, who has a chance at making the roster alongside third down back Brian Leonard and FB Fui Vakapuna.

WR: The Bengals are flush with possibilities at receiver after finishing the season extremely thin at the position. Chad Ochocinco is back and in great shape. The team brought in three veteran options to complement him. The team first signed Matt Jones, who was cut by the Jaguars late last season. Reports were mixed during OTAs, but the early returns in camp have been decidedly negative, with observers calling him slow and unimpressive. He’s in a battle to make the roster and his lack of special teams value may earn him a ticket back to the free agent pool. Shortly before the draft, the Bengals signed Antonio Bryant to a big contract in the hopes that his knee issues were behind him. That move may also be backfiring. Bryant has yet to practice in camp and has been seen limping and unable to run routes at full speed on the side. Reports of a bone-on-bone condition and the late offseason signing of Terrell Owens have many speculating that Bryant may struggle to make the roster. That’s unlikely, however, and Marvin Lewis has said that the team isn’t concerned about the severity of the knee condition and he’s being held out of practice to “give him the opportunity to get him back 100%.” The Owens – Ochocinco Odd Couple has been the talk of camp so far. With Bryant gimpy, Owens is the heavy favorite to open the season as the team’s WR2. The team sees him as filling the stretch-the-field role that Chris Henry has in years past. If all hands are healthy, insiders have said that Owens and Bryant could rotate on early downs, with Bryant slipping into the slot and Owens staying outside in three wide packages. Also competing for slot duties are third round pick Jordan Shipley and Andre Caldwell, both of whom have drawn praise from coaches over the past month. Jones, Quan Cosby and Jerome Simpson are competing for the last spot on the roster. Simpson has finally been showing signs of becoming an NFL-ready receiver, but Cosby offers better special teams value and may have the early lead for the final roster spot.

TE: First round draft pick Jermaine Gresham is expected to contribute immediately as a pass catching option, but remains unsigned. His presence in camp is key and the players ahead and behind him in the first round have been signed, so expect him to get in camp this week. While Gresham holds out, Chase Coffman has been taking advantage of the added reps. After offseason surgery to remove bone spurs, Coffman is now pain-free and bulked up to 260 pounds. He’s still raw, but showing more confidence in learning to become an all-around tight end. He should see more time in two tight end sets this year. The team was very happy to get veteran Reggie Kelly back this offseason. He’ll be a stabilizing force as a blocker and mentor to the young tight ends.

Defense: Mike Zimmer has the team moving toward more of a multiple front defense and will employ many different nickel

looks to confuse offenses and make use of his versatile defenders. Michael Johnson has been converted into a standup SLB, but should also see time at end and tackle in the nickel. The team hopes he can become the focal point of a multiple front look. Antwan Odom is back after a torn Achilles’ tendon ended a very effective start to 2009. If Johnson can handle the SLB job, Rey Maualuga may be able to bring his physical, downhill presence to MLB. The team also added depth to the secondary, with Adam Jones expected to improve the team’s nickel corner play and Gibril Wilson offering another physical, big play presence in the safety rotation. The depth and likely improvement in the pass rush could help young and rising cornerbacks Leon Hall and Johnathan Joseph to big seasons.

Special Teams: Kevin Huber heads into his second season as the Bengals punter and holder. The other two specialist roles are up for grabs during camp and the preseason. The kicking competition features two players who’ve had their share of setbacks, but are resilient enough to still be vying for a starting job in the NFL. Last year Dave Rayner lost out in the preseason to Shaun Suisham for the Washington Redskins kicking job. Mike Nugent began last year as the Buccaneers kicker, was released after struggling, and then resurfaced in Arizona to fill in for an injured Neil Rackers. A less publicized, yet just as important competition is for the long snapper job. Clark Harris was brought in part way through 2009 to replace Brad St. Louis. He’ll have to beat out rookie Mike Windt, who has previously worked with Huber when they were team mates at the University of Cincinnati.

Bengals Depth ChartQB: Carson Palmer, J.T. O'Sullivan, Jordan PalmerRB: Cedric Benson, Bernard Scott, Brian Leonard (3RB), Cedric Peerman,LaMarcus CokerFB: Fui VakapunaWR: Chad Ochocinco, Terrell Owens, Antonio Bryant (inj), Andre Caldwell, Jordan Shipley, Matt Jones, Quan Cosby (PR), Jerome Simpson, Dezmon Briscoe,Maurice PurifyTE: Jermaine Gresham, Reggie Kelly (inj), Daniel Coats, Chase Coffman, Darius HillK: Mike Nugent, Dave RaynerDT: Domata Peko, Tank Johnson, Jonathan Fanene (DE), Pat Sims, Geno Atkins,Orien Harris, Clinton McDonaldDE: Antwan Odom (inj), Robert Geathers, Jonathan Fanene (DT), Frostee Rucker,Carlos Dunlap, Rahim AllenMLB: Dhani Jones (M/W), Abdul HodgeOLB: Rey Maualuga (S) (inj), Keith Rivers (W) (inj), Rashad Jeanty (S), Michael Johnson (S), Brandon Johnson (W), Roddrick Muckelroy, Dan ScutaCB: Leon Hall, Johnathan Joseph, David Jones, Brandon Ghee, Adam Jones,Morgan TrentS: Chris Crocker (FS) (inj), Roy Williams (SS), Chinedum Ndukwe (SS), Gibril Wilson, Tom Nelson (FS), Kyries Hebert (SS), Rico Murray, Jeromy Miles

Cleveland Browns

QB: Eric Mangini called the Browns’ starting quarterback job Jake Delhomme’s to lose shortly before camp opened. After Delhomme’s performance in Carolina, that isn’t necessarily a ringing vote of confidence. Mangini has said that Seneca Wallace will take some repetitions with the first team early in camp, and Wallace was impressing observers with a strong arm during the first practices of camp. Wallace will have a firm grip on the number two quarterback job if he isn’t able to surprise and overtake Delhomme on the depth chart during the preseason. Third round draft pick and possible quarterback of the future Colt McCoy isn’t expected to be ready to contribute until 2011 at the earliest.

RB: What was shaping up to be a heated competition for carries between Jerome Harrison and Montario Hardesty fizzled before it began. Hardesty twisted a knee during rookie camp practices last week and will miss at least two weeks of camp. The team doesn’t feel the injury is serious and has said that it’s unrelated to any of his prior knee injuries. Harrison has been impressive early in camp and the two-week head start could kill any chance Hardesty had to earn the majority of carries. However, Hardesty was drawing lots of praise from Mangini and the Cleveland coaches during OTAs and a quick recovery could put him right back in the thick of things. With Hardesty missing practice, Peyton Hillis assumed most of the second team reps. Chris Jennings and James Davis, who returns from last season’s controversial shoulder injury, will give the Browns plenty of options to sort through before final roster cuts. Lawrence Vickers is back as the team’s fullback.

WR: Second year players Mohammed Massaquoi and Brian Robiskie opened camp as the starting wide receivers. Massaquoi flashed talent at times last year, but the inaccuracy of the Cleveland quarterbacks and his inconsistent route running and hands kept him from a better season. The Browns need him to make big strides if Delhomme is to have much success this year. Robiskie impressed observers during camp last year, but saw very little playing time until late in the season. He’s getting first crack at starter’s snaps after a strong OTA season, but electrifying wideout/kick returner Josh Cribbs will also get a chance to prove he’s improved enough to earn more time. Cribbs is again expected to take a handful of Wildcat snaps each week, possibly with Wallace in the game at the same time. In the slot, Chansi Stuckey will battle veteran free agent signee Bobby Engram. Rookie sixth round pick Carlton Mitchell has big potential, but is likely too raw to contribute much this season.

TE: Ben Watson was signed to give the Browns a stronger presence at tight end. He’ll be the opening weekend starter. Evan Moore should see time in the Browns’ two tight end sets and was showing good hands and the ability to separate early in camp. He’ll be competing with Alex Smith, who has bounced around the league in recent seasons. Robert Royal remains on the roster, but will have to compete for a roster spot.

Defense: The Browns added lots of bodies on defense this offseason. CB Joe Haden and Safety T.J. Ward were drafted highly and they will be expected to solidify the Cleveland secondary. Ward was already playing with the first team as camp started. Haden ran with the twos, but could crack the starting lineup if the Browns feel he’s physical enough in run support to bump either Eric Wright or Sheldon Brown. Scott Fujita was signed in free agency to bring some veteran toughness to the linebacker unit. He’s getting a look at both OLB and ILB. Shaun Rogers started camp on the active PUP list and there’s been talk of moving him out to DE, where he could give a boost to a pass rush that was among the worst in the league last season. This year, the coaches have high hopes that Matt Roth can continue his strong late season efforts and that Marcus Benard will continue to develop as a situational pass rusher.

Special Teams: Long snapper Ryan Pontbriand is back, with no questions or concerns. Kicker Phil Dawson is the only kicker on the roster (Leigh Tiffin and Shaun Suisham were around briefly during the spring). For the second year in a row, he had skipped voluntary workouts, but showed up for the required ones. While the media has speculated extensively on Dawson’s displeasure with his contract, he has not publicly indicated so. He did note, “Regardless of whether there's a new regime or not, you have to prove yourself again every year, especially at my position.” Punter/holder Dave Zastudil is recovering from a knee injury which caused him to miss the second half of last year. Punter Reggie Hodges was brought in to finish the 2009 season, and remains on the roster heading into camp.

Browns Depth ChartQB: Jake Delhomme, Seneca Wallace, Colt McCoy, Brett RatliffRB: Montario Hardesty (inj), Jerome Harrison, Peyton Hillis, James Davis (inj),Chris JenningsFB: Lawrence Vickers, Jed CollinsWR: Mohamed Massoquoi, Brian Robiskie, Josh Cribbs (KR/PR/RB/QB), Chansi Stuckey, Bobby Engram, Carlton Mitchell, Syndric Steptoe (inj), Jake AllenTE: Ben Watson, Evan Moore, Robert Royal, Alex Smith, Greg Estandia (IR)K: Phil DawsonNT: Ahtyba Rubin, Jonathan LewisDE: Kenyon Coleman (inj), Shaun Rogers, Robaire Smith (inj), Brian Schafering,C.J. Mosley (inj), Clifton Geathers, Derreck Robinson, Titus AdamsILB: D'Qwell Jackson (inj), Chris Gocong, David Bowens, Eric Barton (inj), David Veikune, Kaluka Maiava, Blake CostanzoOLB: Matt Roth, Scott Fujita, Marcus Benard, Jason Trusnik, Titus BrownCB: Eric Wright, Sheldon Brown, Joe Haden, Brandon McDonald, Mike Adams,Coye Francies, Gerard Lawson, Chris Roberson, DeAngelo SmithS: T.J. Ward (FS), Abram Elam (SS), Larry Asante (SS), Nick Sorensen (SS), Ray Ventrone

Dallas Cowboys

QB: A business-as-usual start to camp for Tony Romo, including sightings of his latest gorgeous blonde girlfriend. Romo has run a measured, effective first week with the first team and has been more vocal with the press in his role as team leader. Don’t worry about reports that his arm was sore, that is typical for him at this point in camp, and was nothing more than a casual observation about having thrown passes for 14 straight practices over a week and change. Jon Kitna remains the QB2 but hasn’t looked very good thus far. Hopefully he’ll shake off the rust because the team doesn’t want a reprise of a few seasons ago when Brad Johnson had to play in Romo’s stead. 3rd stringer Stephen McGee ran the majority of Sunday’s morning session as HC Wade Phillips gave the veterans the morning off after 14 straight practice sessions over the prior week. McGee is going to see a lot of action in the Cowboys preseason games – and if shouldn’t surprise anyone if McGee takes over for Jon Kitna as the QB2 as soon as next season.

OL: As to the matter of who replaces Flozell Adams, incumbent backup Doug Free has gotten the majority of the work with the first unit over Alex Barron. Barron has looked good, too, but right now it appears the job is Free’s to lose. On the right side Marc Colombo is back and healthy after missing part of last year (Free started in his place).

RB: Those who are ready to anoint Felix Jones as the full-time starter are counting out Marion Barber (and Tashard Choice) too quickly. Barber played on a torn quad last season and the difference between his 2009 form and his status in Week One of camp has been night and day. He’s running with authority, making decisive cuts, and is playing at 220 lbs, which was his playing weight during his Pro Bowl season. Jones showed up slightly heavier than Barber, as he believes the added size will help him handle the rigors of a larger workload. Unfortunately the same knee that kept him out of games last year flared up this week, but to Jones’ credit he practiced through the pain – even during one afternoon session where the coaches had declared him out, yet he argued his way back into drills.

WR: Dez Bryant has made quite an impression in his first week of NFL training camp, some positive, some negative. In the early going Bryant was impressive, catching everything thrown his way and hounding QB Tony Romo at every turn to try to get more reps and build a rapport with the Pro Bowl passer. Then there was a minor kerfuffle because Bryant refused to carry Roy Williams’ shoulder pads after practice; a matter that made for better internet message board fodder than real life drama. Unfortunately the week ended with terrible news – Bryant suffered a high ankle sprain and will miss the next 4 to 6 weeks. History tells us that rookie WRs, even talented ones, need time to adjust to their new offenses. Bryant can’t be counted out for the season opener, but expectations for an immediate fantasy impact should be tempered. Bryant’s injury re-opens the door for Roy Williams and makes any hope Patrick Crayton had of a trade evaporate into thin air. OC Jason Garrett had nothing but positive things to say about Crayton and his opportunity to contribute. "Patrick has always been a very good football player for us," Garrett said. "He's a

smart guy. He's a reliable guy. He's made a ton of plays for us in the past, and he has a role on this football team. Whenever someone goes down, the other players at that position get more of an opportunity. They simply get more snaps in practice.” Kevin Ogletree, who was competing for the WR3 role a year ago, has been uneven in the first week and must improve to secure his place on the 53-man. As for WR1 Miles Austin? About the only thing memorable from his first week of camp was the presence of his new gal pal, Kim Kardashian. The less said about that, the better.

TE: Departed OT Flozell Adams was criticized for his penchant to commit false start penalties, but Jason Witten tied Adams last year with six false start flags. That’s notable especially because Witten has been pulled out of team drills twice already for – you guessed it – committing false starts. There’s no reason this isn’t correctable but it is mildly concerning to see the issue crop back up in training camp already. Backup Martellus Bennett spent most of the week on the NFI list with a sore ankle but was activated for the weekend sessions. John Phillips has done well in Bennett’s absence and could push him for the TE2 role.

Defense: The defense has been aggressive at the start of camp and this unit has the makings of one of the NFC’s best. Everyone knows what DeMarcus Ware can do, but Anthony Spencer has been nothing short of dominant through the first week including back-to-back sacks in 11-on-11 drills on Thursday (July 29th). Alan Ball, the new starter at free safety, has looked sharp in the first week of practice and lends credence to the Cowboys decision to let Ken Hamlin go.

Special Teams: The Cowboys head into camp with three specialists. Receiving no media attention is long snapper L.P.Ladouceur. Receiving minimal attention is punter Mat McBriar, who has resumed serving as the holder on kicks (he had been demoted for Tony Romo for part of last year). Receiving extensive daily coverage is kicker David Buehler, who is working on expanding his kickoff specialist role to also include placekicking. He’ll get all the work in that regard in August, as Connor Hughes and more recently Delbert Alvarado have been released. He’s being tutored by former Cowboy’s kicker Chris Boniol, whom the team brought in as a consultant. In essence, Buehler is competing against himself during the preseason. If he “loses”, the team might opt to sign a veteran placekicker for the regular season.

Cowboys Depth ChartQB: Tony Romo, Jon Kitna, Stephen McGeeRB: Marion Barber III, Felix Jones (KR), Tashard Choice, Herb Donaldson, Lonyae MillerFB: Deon AndersonWR: Miles Austin, Dez Bryant (inj), Roy Williams, Kevin Ogletree, Patrick Crayton (PR), Sam Hurd, Jesse Holley, Teddy Williams, Titus Ryan, Terrell HudginsTE: Jason Witten, Martellus Bennett, John Phillips, Scott Sicko, Kevin BrockK: David BuehlerNT: Jay Ratliff, Junior Siavii, Sean Lissemore, Josh BrentDE: Marcus Spears, Igor Olshansky, Jason Hatcher, Stephen Bowen, Joshua Price-Brent, Jimmy

Saddler-McQueenILB: Keith Brooking, Bradie James, Sean Lee, Stephen Hodge (inj), Jason WilliamsOLB: DeMarcus Ware (W) (inj), Anthony Spencer (S), Steve Octavien (W), Victor Butler, Curtis Johnson, Brandon Williams (inj), Jay MooreCB: Terance Newman, Mike Jenkins (inj), Orlando Scandrick (FS/CB), Jamar Wall,Bryan McCannS: Gerald Sensabaugh (SS), Alan Ball (FS/CB), Michael Hamlin (FS), Pat Watkins (SS) , Akwasi Owusu-Ansah (FS), Cletis Gordon, Barry Church

Denver Broncos

QB: The story of the first day of camp was Tim Tebow. Shocker. The Broncos agreed to terms with their 25th pick in the draft on a five-year, $11.25 million deal with $8.7 million guaranteed. On his first day of practice, Coach Josh McDaniels commented: "I think (he's) not rusty… I mean, he's been throwing a bunch, but he's certainly getting the hang of things we're doing and we are working on. (But) you know, he's got some catching up to do in that regard. . . He can kind of keep pace with them, but you know, typical — some good, some bad. Just good to get him out there before we start on Sunday." On Sunday, Kyle Orton worked with the starters showing confidence and accuracy, while Brady Quinn ran with the second group.

RB: On Sunday, Knowshon Moreno was carted off the field and then moments later Correll Buckhalter left the field with an upper back pull. Moreno will miss three weeks after an MRI exam revealed no significant tear to his hamstring. Buckhalter experienced numbness in his left leg after suffering what was thought to be a minor hamstring pull. Moreno’s hamstring had some “fraying” and “slight” tear, but he is expected to be ready before Week 1. That means an opportunity for Kolby Smith, Bruce Hall, Lance Ball, Toney Baker, and possibly free agent Brian Westbrook. The veteran free agent was already rumored as a possibility in Denver after they dealt J.J. Arrington to the Eagles for LB Joe Mays.

WR: Eddie Royal, Jabar Gaffney and first round pick Demaryius Thomas look like the top three receivers entering camp. As expected, Royal saw most of his reps in the slot during the first few days of camp, which fits his skill set best. Fellow rookie Eric Decker, Matthew Willis, Brandon Lloyd, Kenny McKinley and Brandon Stokley are competing for spots, too. Gaffney set career highs in catches and yards last year and he can play any of the team’s wide receiver positions. The team hopes that Thomas emerges as the team’s #1 receiver, but he faces a steep learning curve after the unconventional nature of the Georgia Tech offense followed by an inability to practice much in OTAs due to a foot injury. Decker returned to the practice field Wednesday after missing OTAs with his own foot injury. The 87th pick overall looks like a nice complement to Thomas. “I’m excited to be on the field and just get some work in,” said Decker, who made an impression on QBs Kyle Orton and Brady

Quinn. “He looked good out there. He’s a big kid,” Quinn said. “He looks big out of pads, but looks even bigger in pads.” McDaniels seemed pleased, too. “I think today was a good day for Deck, because he got to get out there today and run and catch… There wasn’t the training he was doing all spring — it was football.” Willis was named by McDaniels on Sunday as a player that made an impression. “Matt Willis made a few nice catches. He kind of continued his push from the spring – had a real nice spring and then had an opportunity to make some plays down the field today and really came up with them.”

TE: Marques Branson continues to generate a buzz, especially for a player that spent last year on the practice squad emulating Antonio Gates in practices. Coach McDaniels said Branson was hard to cover. “He did a nice job for us in terms of showing our defense what we wanted him to do,” McDaniels said. “We’re excited about his progress.” His teammates rave about him, too. The Broncos have a void to fill with Tony Scheffler’s departure. Coach McDaniels thinks Branson can me that guy. “You didn’t see him last year, but we have very high expectations and high hopes for him.” He is competing with veteran starter Daniel Graham and Richard Quinn, a second round pick last year, for roster spots. “I’ve just got to come out and work as hard as I can, do everything they want me to do to the best of my ability,” said Branson, who caught 82 passes for 1,236 yards and 18 touchdowns in two seasons at Central Arkansas. “I can make that leap (to the active roster). But it’s going to take a lot of hard work and dedication.”

Defense: Elvis Dumervil signed a five-year contract extension worth a total of $61.6 million, with $43.1 million guaranteed as training camp opened. The NFL sack leader last year is under contract through 2015. The Broncos also acquired ILB Joe Mays from the Eagles for RB J.J. Arrington and a conditional pick in 2012. Mays will try to compete with veteran LB Mario Haggan, a converted OLB, who is currently slated to start at the “Ted” linebacker. Nate Jones and Alphonso Smith were expected to compete to be the team’s nickel corner, but Perrish Cox is now also in the mix. NT Jamal Williams began training camp on the PUP list, but the team thinks he’ll be ready within a week. Robert Ayers was running with the first team on the opening day of camp. He had been demoted in minicamps for disciplinary reasons.

Special Teams: Heading into 2010, the Broncos had a question at only one of their specialist positions. They already knew that Lonie Paxton was their long snapper and that Matt Prater was their kicker. Heading into training camp, they have already presumably answered the punter question. Although he lost out on the punting job last preseason, Britton Colquitt was re-signed late in the year. In this year’s minicamps he competed with A.J. Trapasso (of 2009 first preseason TD and hitting the video screen fame). Trapasso has since been released. Colquitt has since noted, "I feel more confident, but at the same time, it's not about who you're going against. It's still you're going against yourself."

Broncos Depth ChartQB: Kyle Orton, Tim Tebow, Brady Quinn

RB: Knowshon Moreno (inj), Correll Buckhalter (inj), Kolby Smith, Bruce Hall,Lance Ball, Toney BakerFB: Spencer LarsenWR: Eddie Royal (PR/KR), Jabar Gaffney, Demaryius Thomas, Brandon Stokley,Brandon Lloyd, Eric Decker, Kenny McKinley, Matthew Willis, Lucas Taylor (inj),Alric Arnett, Patrick HoneycuttTE: Daniel Graham, Richard Quinn, Marquez Branson, Nathan Overbay, Riar GreerK: Matt PraterNT: Jamal Williams, Ronald Fields, Chris BakerDE: Jarvis Green, Justin Bannan, Ryan McBean (inj), LeKevin Smith, Marcus Thomas, Jeff Stehle, Ben GarlandILB: D.J. Williams (W), Mario Haggan, Akin Ayodele, Joe Mays, Wesley Woodyard,Nick Greisen, Devin BishopOLB: Elvis Dumervil (DE/LB), Robert Ayers (DE/LB), Darrell Reid (DE/LB), Jarvis Moss, Baraka Atkins, Jammie Kirlew, Korey Bosworth, Kevin AlexanderCB: Champ Bailey, Andre' Goodman, Nathan Jones, Perrish Cox, Alphonso Smith(PR/KR), Syd'quan Thompson, Tony Carter, Cassius VaughnS: Brian Dawkins (SS), Renaldo Hill (FS) (inj), David Bruton (SS) (inj), Darcel McBath (FS) (inj), Josh Barrett, Kyle McCarthy

Detroit Lions

QB: The Lions opened training camp on Saturday and unlike last year's camp, Matthew Stafford is firmly entrenched as the Lions' starting QB. It was only the first practice, but Stafford's confidence, his command of the offense and the respect he has for and from his teammates was obvious. "Honestly, we held him back a little last year," Head Coach Jim Schwartz said. "We didn't have the pieces that we have now. But he was ready to take on a lot more than we gave him. You saw him today. He was at the line calling plays, changing plays. That's real important." The Lions made a move to shore up their backup QB spot by acquiring veteran Shaun Hill from the 49ers for a seventh-round draft pick. Over the last three seasons, Hill started 16 games, threw 23 TD passes against 11 interceptions and had a quarterback rating of 87.3. QB Drew Stanton looked sharp during drills on Saturday. Stanton will be the Lions' third-string QB this year.

RB: The Lions signed running back and first-round draft pick Jahvid Best to a five-year contract reportedly worth $9.8 million on Friday. Best made one of those big plays in practice Sunday morning that made him a highlight-reel favorite of Jim Schwartz's. In a seven-on-seven drill, Best found himself in one-on-one coverage against linebacker Vinny Ciurciu and took off. Stafford hit Best, who would have gone into the end zone untouched. "We knew that was part of his skill set," Schwartz said. "We knew that was part of what he brought to the table. He's done nothing to dispel that right now." After suffering a serious knee injury last December and undergoing surgery, it was thought that Kevin Smith would begin camp on the PUP list. Smith, however, was cleared to play and practiced Saturday. "I didn't have any doubts, but I didn't worry about it because it wasn't my decision," said Smith. Veteran RB Maurice Morris returns and will be in the mix for

playing time at RB. Second-year RB Aaron Brown likely will have to win a job on kick returns to earn a roster spot.

WR: Calvin Johnson returns for his fourth season and says he feels much more comfortable than he did last year. “This is my fourth camp. Definitely everything is a lot slower to me. Since I know the whole offense, everything’s a lot easier – I know what to do on every play. I’m not thinking about everything, I’m playing fast." Veteran Nate Burleson signed a five-year contract in the offseason and will start opposite Johnson. During practice on Saturday, Burleson used a veteran move -- a not-so-gentle push-off – to get separation from cornerback Jonathan Wade and make a touchdown catch on a bomb down the left sideline. The addition of Burleson will move last year's starting WR, Bryant Johnson, into the slot. Dennis Northcutt and Derrick Williams are battling for playing time in four WR sets. Seventh-round draft pick Tim Toone will likely have to win a job as a kick returner to make the final roster.

TE: Brandon Pettigrew was taken off the PUP list and took part in drills, from individuals to seven-on-seven, but didn't participate in the team drills. During those periods, Pettigrew did some conditioning on the sideline. "I did everything today up until the team period. For the most part, I feel good,'' Pettigrew said. The Lions acquired Tony Scheffler in an offseason trade and he is expected to be a big part of the passing game. Scheffler, who has scored 14 touchdowns in his career, has averaged 13.7 yards per catch during his career (28 starts). Will Heller began camp on the PUP list. His injury is not serious and Schwartz expects him to return soon.

Defense: First-round draft pick Ndamukong Suh missed his fourth practice Monday morning and Lions coach Jim Schwartz is starting to grow impatient. "We have six practices in shoulder pads and six full-padded practices in training camp and we already finished two shoulder-pad practices," Schwartz said. "Those are opportunities that, once they are gone, they are gone forever.” With Suh not in camp, Sammie Lee Hill has been starting at DT along with Corey Williams. Veteran Kyle Vanden Bosch brings leadership, toughness, and intensity to the defense. Defensive line coach Kris Kocurek said, "He's the toughest player I've ever been around, and his focus is unbelievable from day to day." Veteran Jared DeVries, who missed all of last season with a torn Achilles, returns and will battle Cliff Avril and Jason Hunter for the starting DE spot opposite Vanden Bosch. LB DeAndre Levy missed the morning session on Monday with a back injury. Zack Follett has the inside track on the starting outside linebacker spot opposite veteran Julian Peterson. Louis Delmas began camp on the PUP list with a groin injury. With Delmas sidelined, cornerbacks Chris Houston and Jonathan Wade, safeties C.C. Brown and Marvin White, and nickel back Eric King were on the first team during the opening practice. Houston nearly picked off a pass from Stafford to Calvin Johnson. "When you have make-up speed, you can sometimes take some gambles on some things in front," Schwartz said of Houston. "He has that kind of speed." Veteran Dre Bly and rookie Amari Spievey will compete for playing time at CB.

Special Teams: No direction is the focus of the Lions’ kicking game in camp. Directional kicking hurt Nick Harris’ punting numbers and Jason Hanson’s kickoff numbers last year. New special teams coordinator Danny Crossman will allegedly minimize the directional stuff. As head coach Jim Schwartz noted, “Jason's always been such a good kickoff guy. And then we've tweaked our kickoff a little bit; probably do a little less directional and just let him hammer the ball a little bit more." To ease the workload in camp, rookie kicker Aaron Pettrey was signed and is still on the roster. The Lions had briefly claimed kicker Justin Medlock off waivers, just long enough to thwart his return to Toronto. Don Muhlbach remains the long snapper.

Lions Depth ChartQB: Matthew Stafford, Shaun Hill, Drew StantonRB: Jahvid Best, Kevin Smith (inj), Maurice Morris, Aaron Brown, DeDe DorseyFB: Jerome Felton (SD), Jake Nordin, Matt ClappWR: Calvin Johnson, Nate Burleson (PR) (inj), Bryant Johnson, Derrick Williams (KR), Dennis Northcutt (KR), Brian Clark, Tim Toone (KR/PR), Eric Fowler,Contrevious Parks, Michael MooreTE: Brandon Pettigrew, Tony Scheffler, Will Heller, Dan Gronkowski, Richard DicksonK: Jason HansonDT: Ndamukong Suh, Corey Williams, Sammie Lee Hill, Andre Fluellen (inj),Landon Cohen, Leger Douzable, Joe Cohen, Robert CallawayDE: Kyle Vanden Bosch, Cliff Avril, Jared DeVries, Jason Hunter, Turk McBride,Willie Young, Chima Ihekwoaba, Copeland Bryan (IR)MLB: Deandre Levy (W/M), Vinny CiurciuOLB: Julian Peterson (S), Zack Follett (W), Jordon Dizon (W), Landon Johnson,Caleb Campbell (W), Ashlee Palmer, Isaiah Ekejiuba, Lee CampbellCB: Chris Houston, Jonathan Wade, Dre Bly, Amari Spievey, Dante Wesley, Eric King (inj), DeMarcus Faggins, Aaron Berry, Jonathan Hefney, Jack WilliamsS: Louis Delmas (FS), C.C. Brown (SS), Marquand Manuel (SS), Marvin White (SS), Ko Simpson (FS), Randy Phillips

Green Bay Packers

QB: The first two days of practice produced plenty of noteworthy plays for Aaron Rodgers. On Saturday, he hooked up with a pair of deep passes in team drills as Jordy Nelson and James Jones each got behind the defense. The pass to Nelson traveled around 65 yards in the air. Rodgers was also picked off by Charles Woodson for what would have been a pick-six. On Sunday, Rodgers squeezed a throw into Donald Driver on a crossing route with rookie S Morgan Burnett in tight coverage. Rodgers later beat Pat Lee on a blitz finding Nelson on a short seam route. Graham Harrell completed a similar pass to rookie TE Andrew Quarless a little while later. Rodgers was nearly picked off by Burnett for a second time, then later he found Jones on a deep ball.

RB: In the first days of practice, Ryan Grant didn’t have much to work with while Brandon Jackson was impressive in Sunday’s practice. Jackson didn’t allow a single quarterback pressure in blitz protection last season. He will get some competition in camp this year from rookie James Starks. At least one AFC personnel director thinks that Starks "could end up being a good hit" for the Packers. "You have to wait and see how fast he comes back into full stride… He was one of the true third-down backs in the (draft) class. Really good hands. He's a good, productive, hard-running back." Starks began camp on the active/PUP list with a hamstring injury that has lingered since spring.

WR: In Sunday’s practice, Greg Jennings gave everyone a brief scare when he appeared slow after taking a shot to the knee. Donald Driver (knee surgeries) returned to full contact practice on Saturday for the first time since last season. "[Both knees] felt fine," Driver said. "I didn't have any problems cutting today." Jordy Nelson and James Jones continue to battle for the team’s third receiver spot. Driver sat out OTAs giving both players extra snaps. Receivers coach, Jimmy Robinson, was asked about Donald Driver slowing down: “Common sense tells you eventually it will (catch up to him).. I’m not sure it has, I’m anxious to see with training camp. He’s not running around right now, but I think we’re going to see a new and improved Donald, he’s feeling better right now than he has in a long time with his knees.”

TE: The early reports out of camp continue to shower Jermichael Finley with praise. In Sunday’s practice, Finley was catching everything. He made a couple of moves to get open that left defenders with broken ankles during one-on-ones with safeties. Coaches are happy with Finley’s increased maturity during the offseason. “He’s really taken ownership of the offense from a knowledge standpoint,” said Ben McAdoo, the Packers’ tight ends coach. “We’re working on the fundamentals and the details now, we don’t spend much time talking about assignments. That’s exciting because when you have a chance to polish up the way you play the game, that’s when you really make strides.” Donald Lee, Spencer Havner and Andrew Quarless will vie for the last roster spot or two. Quarless will be hard to cut as a fifth-rounder with solid potential.

Defense: In Saturday’s practice, Morgan Burnett was opposite Nick Collins at safety with the first team. In the nickel package, Brandon Chillar and Nick Burnett were the inside backers. B.J. Raji and Cullen Jenkins were the defensive tackles and Brandon Underwood the third corner. Woodson picked Rodgers for a pick-six and rookie Sam Shields cut in front of WR Chastin West to pick off Matt Flynn. By all accounts, Burnett appears to be in the driver's seat at strong safety. Atari Bigby injured his ankle during the conditioning test on Friday and it will keep him sidelined for another week or so. Bigby and CB Al Harris (knee) began camp on the active/PUP list. Harris is a candidate for the regular season PUP list. LB Clay Matthews was all over the field in Saturday’s practice pursuing plays away from him with vigor. LBs coach Kevin Greene called Matthews, "the most complete outside linebacker that I have seen." Brad Jones has been annointed as Aaron Kampman’s successor, but

he dropped out of Saturday’s practice early and didn’t practice on Sunday. He had four sacks in his final three games last season.Veteran Brady Poppinga worked with the starters in Jones‘ place.

Special Teams: After missing a fair number of kicks last year, some fans and media feel that Mason Crosby should have competition for the kicking job this year; however the Packers’ coaches do not. Crosby enters camp as the only kicker on the roster. Brett Goode is the only long snapper on the roster, although nobody is questioning that. The specialist competition to watch during August is for the punting job. The contenders are Chris Bryan, former Australian Rules Football player, and Tim Masthay, who was in the Colts training camp last year. In addition to punting, they’re also working on holding on kicks, which could factor into the final decision. After OTAs, coach Mike McCarthy noted, "I would say it is still a dead heat. Frankly, I want to see both Tim and Chris punt in games…. I definitely like the talent level of both the punters and we'll definitely go into training camp and let these guys slug it out."

Packers Depth ChartQB: Aaron Rodgers, Matt Flynn, Noah Shephard, Graham HarrellRB: Ryan Grant, Brandon Jackson (3RB), James Starks (inj), Kregg LumpkinFB: Korey Hall, Quinn Johnson, John KuhnWR: Greg Jennings, Donald Driver, James Jones, Jordy Nelson, Patrick Williams,Brett Swain (inj), Charles DillonTE: Jermichael Finley, Donald Lee, Andrew Quarless, Spencer Havner (TE/LB),Tom CrabtreeK: Mason CrosbyNT: B.J. Raji, Anthony ToribioDE: Ryan Pickett (UFA-F), Cullen Jenkins, Mike Neal, C.J. Wilson, Jarius Wynn (inj), Justin Harrell (inj), Ronald Talley, Johnny Jolly (susp)ILB: Nick Barnett (inj), A.J. Hawk (M), Brandon Chillar (M), Desmond BishopOLB: Clay Matthews, Brad Jones, Brady Poppinga, Cyril Obiozor, Robert FrancoisCB: Charles Woodson, Tramon Williams, Brandon Underwood, Pat Lee, Will Blackmon (KR/PR), Sam Shields, D.J. Clark, Josh Bell, Trevor Ford, Al Harris (inj)S: Nick Collins (FS), Morgan Burnett (SS), Atari Bigby (SS) (inj), Jarrett Bush (FS/CB), Charlie Peprah, Khalil Jones, Derrick Martin (SS)

Houston Texans

QB: It didn’t take Matt Schaub and Andre Johnson long to hook up. On the first day of practice, during 11-on-11s with the first team, they connected for a long touchdown up the right side of the field as Johnson left a couple of defenders behind. In the team’s third practice, Schaub found Andre Davis deep over the middle after he got behind the defense for the play of the day. Johnson drew some cheers from the crowd when he caught a pass right in front of the bleachers. All three

QBs – Schaub, Dan Orlovsky and even John David Booty – threw the ball with good accuracy in the morning practice.

RB: As expected, second-year back Arian Foster opened camp with the first team, but he will have a fierce competition to keep the job with a healthy Steve Slaton taking aim along with rookie Ben Tate, now that his hamstring injury is behind him. Head Coach Gary Kubiak said that he would split reps “right down the middle”. Chris Henry and Jeremiah Johnson are also competing for spots. In Saturday morning’s practice, Foster got the starter’s reps and looked good. On one run where he showed good vision and burst to make a cut back, Kubiak yelled out "good job, Arian.... I like it". Foster is clearly leading the way so far, while Slaton looks quick and Johnson has shown a good feel for the zone scheme. It might be a little while before Tate gets the reps that most expected him to get, but he has some catching up to do. For his part, Foster isn’t conceding a thing. “I wasn’t up at 5:30 this offseason for nothing, so my mentality isn’t, 'This spot is mine,' ” Foster said. “My mentality is, 'This spot is going to get taken. I am going to take it.' That’s my mentality and it’s not cocky, I just put in the work, so I feel like I deserve it.” Kubiak on Foster: "He is a totally different young man. He's a professional about what does. It's exciting to see where he could go with this thing.. (on his progress). He's grown up. He's just a totally different young man. We're not having to battle Arian for how he practices or his effort or how he meets or those things. That's over. It's all about football with him. He's got a chance. He's got a chance to be a fine player, but I think we're all excited to see what he's doing right now, including his teammates." On if he still has confidence in Slaton: "No doubt, I think he's had as good an offseason as anybody we've had. He's healthy and focused. You've got to go through that. When it's time to bounce back, I'm pretty sure he will." On Sunday, Tate had his best run so far in camp, breaking a tackle and changing direction for a long run in the morning session. On another run, he lowered his pads before engaging OLB Brian Cushing and staying on his feet.

WR: Concern over Andre Johnson holding out of camp was quashed when he reported to practice with no signs of unhappiness. Owner Bob McNair showed his support, indicating that they plan to rework his contract that has five years left to make him a happy camper. “I’ve always wanted to be here,” Johnson said. “I’ve never thought about holding out. I think that me missing the first few days of OTAs got a little blown out of proportion. I came in. I’m here now. That’s all that matters.” Kevin Walter is battling Jacoby Jones for the number two job. Kubiak commented on Jones camp so far: “He's in better shape than he's ever been. He's battling Kevin head-to-head every day. It's a great competition. He's played big for us and we need his consistency. He has a chance to help this team big-time. We will give him a chance to do that." In the first days of practice, rookie WR and return specialist Trindon Holliday struggled as a receiver. The Texans don’t expect to keep a return specialist, where he has excelled, prompting Kubiak to say: “We got to have some patience here and be willing to get him those reps and see how far he comes from that standpoint. In the NFL you suit 45 (players) and you got to go do other things. We got to get him better at that spot as a receiver. He really worked as a running back at LSU more

than anything. So, it’s a whole new world for him and we knew we were in for that. He’s working hard at it.” 

TE: On Saturday, Kubiak said that Owen Daniels had a setback in his rehab from ACL surgery. On Sunday, Daniels confirmed as much before saying that he will be ready in September. "I think we’re just getting everything right to be ready for Week 1," he said. "That’s been the plan all along. ... I’ll be out here running next week; just doing the bike for now and working back into things. But I feel really good. I feel really good." Coach Gary Kubiak says he'll, "know a lot more about Owen in the next two weeks," but added that the Texans, "will be smart with him." While Joel Dreessen is currently listed as the team’s starter with Daniels sidelined; he’ll compete with James Casey for the job.

Defense: First round pick CB Kareem Jackson was signed just in time for camp. He opened with the first team after missing the morning practice, and matched up with Jacoby Jones, Kevin Walter and Andre Davis. SS Bernard Pollard has become more vocal in the offseason, and he picked up where he left off during OTAs getting physical with the blocking sled. Corner Mark Parson picked off a pair of passes during 11-on-11s. In 1-on-1s with receivers, Glover Quin made a nice play in coverage against Andre Johnson when he swatted away a pass. In the third practice, Brice McCain made a nice play during 7-on-7s, knocking a Dan Orlovsky pass away. LB Brian Cushing, who will miss four games due to suspension, ran with the first team at strong-side linebacker. Xavier Adibi and Danny Clark will help fill the void while he’s suspended. Mario Williams beat Duane Brown twice during 1-on-1 drills with inside charges. Later, Williams beat Eric Winston with an inside/outside move. Winston stuffed Williams the second time around. DT Amobi Okoye lost 15 pounds before OTAs, but he put on several pounds of muscle and looked good at the start of camp.

Special Teams: “They're both fine kickers, and it's going to be a great competition. One of them is going to kick for us and the other one is going to be kicking somewhere else. They're two quality kickers, and we're lucky to have that type of competition in our camp," said head coach Gary Kubiak of the competition between veteran kickers incumbent Kris Brown and challenger Neil Rackers. Less straight forward is the camp competition for the long snapping job, as it may depend on the overall roster and the tight end position and Owen Daniels’ status in particular. Jon Weeks is solely a long snapper. The other two candidates, Joel Dreessen and James Casey, also play as tight ends. The simplest specialist scenario for the Texans is at punter. That job belongs to Matt Turk.

Texans Depth ChartQB: Matt Schaub, Dan Orlovsky, John David BootyRB: Arian Foster, Steve Slaton (3RB), Ben Tate, Jeremiah Johnson (inj), Chris HenryFB: Vonta LeachWR: Andre Johnson, Kevin Walter, Jacoby Jones, David Anderson, Andre Davis (KR/PR), Trindon Holliday (KR/PR), Dorin Dickerson, Glenn Martinez (IR)TE: Owen Daniels (inj), Joel Dreessen, James Casey, Garrett Graham, Michael Gaines, Anthony Hill

(inj)K: Kris Brown, Neil RackersDT: Amobi Okoye, Shaun Cody (NT), DelJuan Robinson, Earl Mitchell, Frank Okam (inj)DE: Mario Williams, Antonio Smith, Connor Barwin, Tim Bulman, Tim Jamison,Jesse Nading, Pannel EgbohMLB: DeMeco RyansOLB: Brian Cushing (S) (susp), Zac Diles (W) , Xavier Adibi (S/W), Darryl Sharpton (S), Danny Clark (S), Kevin Bentley (W), Toddrick Verdell, Darnell BingCB: Glover Quin, Jacques Reeves, Kareem Jackson, Brice McCain, Fred Bennett,Sherrick McManis, Antwaun Molden (inj), Mark ParsonS: Bernard Pollard (SS), Dominique Barber (FS), Eugene Wilson (inj), Troy Nolan (inj)

Indianapolis Colts

QB: No news on the Peyton Manning contract front, although Colts owner Jim Irsay indicated that discussions are ongoing. "We're working through the timing," Irsay said. "It's not only keeping Peyton going forward, but being able to surround him with the right people. We need both." Expect Peyton to be the highest-paid player in league history when the ink does dry. The possibility remains that the Colts will allow Peyton to play out his final year, and then place the franchise tag on him while they negotiate a long-term deal. Bottom line is that Peyton is going nowhere. Peyton doesn’t seem to be worried about it. “It’s not a distraction because I’m under contract," Manning said. "It’s one thing if I’m here and didn’t have (one). I’m under contract though. I’m ready to play football and I’m excited about this season. So, as I’ve said before, I have not spoken about a future contract in 12 years. I’ve always played on the contract I’ve been under and when it’s time to talk about it, when something is to be signed or something to be announced, I’ve talked about it. That policy has served me pretty well for 12 years going on 13 so I think I’m going to keep that policy. I’m in a frame of mind physically. I feel good mentally and I’m looking forward to hopefully having a good 2010.” The Colts will let Curtis Painter, Tom Brandstater, Tim Hiller and Drew Willy compete for the backup job now that Jim Sorgi is gone.

RB: Mike Chappell of the Indy Star commented on five key issues the Colts must resolve in camp. Chief among them is improving the running game. Last year, the Colts ranked last in rushing yards per game (80.3) and yards per attempt (3.5). The team doesn’t necessarily want to run more this year, but they intend to run more effectively – looking to improve their average from 3.5 to 4.2 yards per average. Better blocking in short yardage is one of the key areas for improvement, but they also hope to get more production out of second year back Donald Brown. The NFL Network’s Mike Lombardi predicted that Brown will “take a giant leap” this year. Head Coach Jim Caldwell praised Brown’s increased knowledge of the offense during OTAs, but if he wants to supplant Joseph Addai (who is in a contract year) he’ll need to improve his blitz pickups and stay healthy. Brown is viewed as the better talent, but

Addai has proven reliable and he is one of the league’s best near the goal line.

WR: Another big question that fantasy owners are hoping will clear up in camp is who will start at receiver opposite Reggie Wayne? Despite speculation that Wayne might hold out, Wayne indicated via his website that he intended to honor his contract, and he did just that. "It's raining every day in South Florida due to hurricane season," Wayne wrote. "So maybe it is time to play some football. Not much else to talk about at this point in time. I'm about to go sit by the pool with a glass of lemonade ... and enjoy my last few days of freedom. Talk to you soon. GO COLTS!" As for who will start opposite him? Pierre Garcon finished 2009 in that role, but Anthony Gonzalez is back and, according to Peyton Manning, ready to compete. “I had dinner with Gonzo last night and he sounds really good," Manning said. “We had kind of July off and we spent a little time down in Tennessee some. Gonzalez and Collie came down there and worked out with me because he missed mini-camp. He wanted to get down there and get some reps. He and I had three really good days of throwing where I thought he looked good and I thought he looked quick, had a good burst on all his routes. So his hamstring, I think, that is fully healed. I know he’s really excited to be here in training camp and get started with truly kind of a fresh start to the 2010 season. I know the 2009 was frustrating for him. So, I’m excited for him. There is going to be good healthy competition at the wide receiver position all across the board. All those guys are going to make a big impact for our team this year.” There will be no shortage of competition between Gonzalez, Garcon and Austin Collie for the team’s first four spots. Even more encouraging for Gonzalez is that he avoided starting camp on the active/PUP list. Sam Giguere, undrafted rookie Blair White, Dudley Guice and Taj Smith are among those competing for the last roster spot.

TE: Phil Wilson, of the Indy Star, won’t be surprised if rookie TE Brody Eldridge turns out to be a better pass catcher than blocker. The team’s fifth round pick was primarily used as a blocker at Oklahoma, but so far in OTAs has proven to be capable as a receiver. Eldridge has been described as a “big, physical player” who appears to have the athletic skills to get downfield quickly and make himself a target for QB Peyton Manning.

Defense: The Colts signed LB Pat Angerer to a four year, $3.14 million contract just before camp began. An All-Big Ten selection and Iowa’s leading tackler last season, he’ll begin as Gary Brackett’s backup in the middle instead of competing with Phillip Wheeler for the strong-side job. Third round pick Kevin Thomas also signed, but he suffered a knee injury in May’s minicamp that might force him to miss all of the 2010 season. The Colts announced the signing of veteran Deshea Townsend the day before camp opened; he’ll add depth and compete for one of the top spots at corner and figures to be one of the top four along with starters Kelvin Hayden, Jerraud Powers and Jacob Lacey. Top pick Jerry Hughes was signed, sealed and delivered in time for camp as he looks forward to working alongside Pro Bowl ends Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis. The Colts plan to use him along with their other two pass rushers in a 3-DE package the

coaches have been working on. Colts President Bill Polian said, “He has both the ability to rush the passer and he can also stand up and move around… He gives us a lot of flexibility to create third-down packages that we have not had before and would like to have." Safety Bob Sanders opened camp on the active list, avoiding the PUP.

Special Teams: Word on the street during the spring was that Adam Vinatieri is fully recovered from the knee and hip surgeries that shortened his 2009 season. Camp and preseason will be chance to confirm that. The Colts recently released rookie kicker Brett Swenson, however they still have a rookie camp leg on the roster, as they had claimed Garrett Lindholm off waivers from Atlanta. Pat McAfee enters his second year as the Colts punter, holder, and kickoff specialist. He recently commented regarding the latter role, “That's what I've been working on this offseason, to get more [touchbacks] and hit the ball better.” Justin Snow enters his second decade as the Colts long snapper.

Colts Depth ChartQB: Peyton Manning, Curtis Painter, Tom Brandstater, Tim HillerRB: Joseph Addai, Donald Brown, Mike Hart, Devin Moore, Javarris JamesWR: Reggie Wayne, Pierre Garcon (PR), Austin Collie, Anthony Gonzalez (inj),Sam Gugiere, Blair White, Dudley Guice, Taj Smith, Jordan Sisco, Brandon JamesTE: Dallas Clark, Gijon Robinson (inj), Jacob Tamme, Brody Eldridge, Colin ClohertyK: Adam Vinatieri, Brett Swenson, Garrett LindholmDT: Antonio Johnson, Daniel Muir, Fili Moala, Eric Foster, Ricardo Mathews, John Gill, Marlon Favorite, Mitch KingDE: Dwight Freeney, Robert Mathis (inj), Jerry Hughes, Ervin Baldwin, Keyunta Dawson (DT), Trevor Anderson, J.D. Skolnitsky, John ChickMLB: Gary Brackett (W/M), Pat AngererOLB: Clint Session (W), Philip Wheeler (S), Ramon Humber, Kavell Conner, Cody Glenn, Vuna TuhialamakaCB: Kelvin Hayden, Jerraud Powers, Jacob Lacey, Deshea Townsend, Kevin Thomas (inj), Ray Fisher, Terrail Lambert, Thad Turner, Brandon King, Jordan Hemby, Pete IttersagenS: Bob Sanders (inj), Antoine Bethea (FS), Melvin Bullitt (SS) (inj), Jamie Silva,David Caldwell, Mike Newton, Donye' McCleskey

Jacksonville Jaguars

QB: Jaguars owner Wayne Weaver and head coach Jack Del Rio called out David Garrard during the offseason, demanding greater dedication if the Jaguars are to improve offensively. The response from Garrard is just one of the reasons why Vic Ketchman feels there is a different buzz about the team in 2010. Garrard took the high road and set the tone for all of his teammates, allowing Del Rio to demand the same of everyone.

“We’re going to get to work and continue what we started in the spring. I’ve established very clear values I believe in and it’s imperative our players embrace that,” Del Rio said. "I'm very thankful that I'm still here and have a chance to redeem all that," added the humbled Garrard. By all accounts, he had a great offseason and is no longer squarely on the hotseat entering camp. In the first few days of camp, none of the quarterbacks stood out necessarily, but they didn’t look bad either. Garrard has been his usual self while Luke McCown had been just behind him. Trevor Harris doesn’t look like a player ready to contribute.

RB: The Jaguars have two players that could provide much needed depth and insurance behind starting RB Maurice Jones-Drew this year. Rashad Jennings graded out very well as a rookie despite very limited touches. Jennings looked smooth, fast, big, and showed off his great hands in the first days of practice. Deji Karim was added in the sixth round of the draft. Karim stood out at times during OTAs, but he sat out Friday’s night practice after suffering cramps in the afternoon between practices. The heat was a factor as a few players had to take breaks, or even sit out, due to cramps. Garrard was one of those who went to the sidelines for a few minutes after cramping. ESPN Insider’s K.C. Joyner speculated about the decline of Maurice Jones-Drew, noting that he averaged only 3.9 YPA in the team’s last eight games. Jones-Drew is in no danger of losing touches, but the team has to feel better about their Plan B with Jennings and Karim competing for the backup spot

WR: Mike Sims-Walker opens camp in a limited capacity, he plans to practice once a day and the coaches will be cautious with him given his checkered history of injuries. "In the past, I've had a couple of injuries, and they came from two-a-days in training camp, so I'm just trying to prevent that, but there's nothing wrong with me. I feel great," Sims-Walker said. "Training camp takes a toll on your body... It's all running and grinding, so we're just being smart with it." Also sidelined with left foot injuries were Jarrett Dillard and TE Zach Miller. Both rode bikes and opened camp on the team’s active/PUP list. Dillard has a minor stress fracture; while Miller is recovering from plantar fasciitis. Free agent addition Kassim Osgood showed why he never cracked the lineup in San Diego. A special teams ace, Osgood dropped three passes in Friday morning’s practice, but later caught a pair of TDs in the night session. Nate Hughes had a solid day, making a leaping catch over CB Derek Cox in the early practice, but later he had a Garrard pass bounce off his foot resulting in a Tyron Brackenridge interception. Hughes made the team last year only to be waived after he dropped a fourth-quater TD against the Cardinals in Week 2. He is looking for redemption and another shot to make the roster. "I'd give anything for another shot," he said. Second-year receiver Mike Thomas is primed to start opposite Sims-Walker after grading out extremely well as a rookie. Thomas’s impressive metrics as a rookie included one of the highest catch %s in the league, an indicator of his good hands. Troy Williamson is back, but so far he’s been more a non-story as opposed to the standout player that dominated headlines a year ago before he succumbed to a season-ending injury in the preseason.

TE: On Sunday, Zach Miller was activated from the team’s PUP list. Offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter remains "excited about the role“ Miller can play this year, even though he was sidelined during OTAs. "We think Zach can be that guy, we have high hopes for him," Koetter said. The team doesn’t consider his foot injury to be an issue. He remains a project, but the speedy, athletic Miller played very well at the end of the season filling in for Marcedes Lewis by catching eight passes, including 2 TDs, in the team’s final game. He projects as a part-time, situational player alongside Lewis, but the team thinks he could give David Garrard another reliable target underneath and prove to be a more consistent performer than Lewis long-term.

Defense: It wouldn’t be a Jack Del Rio training camp without the Oklahoma Drill. The offensive line performed well in the drill as tackle Eugene Monroe beat rookie Larry Hart in two matchups, while there were spirited face-offs throughout the drill including one between Reggie Nelson and Nate Hughes. In Friday morning’s practice, Derrick Harvey made a nice play in team drills to get to David Garrard and knock the ball out of his hands. The biggest impact was made by free agent addition DE Aaron Kampmann, who is about 80% coming off knee surgery in the offseason. Based on his early work, the Jaguars are in great shape, especially once top pick Tyson Alualu acclimates himself after missing the first day of practice working out his rookie contract. The team also selected the undersized Larry Hart in the draft. Hart made himself visible by applying consistent pressure on the quarterback. "I compare myself to Dwight Freeney," Hart said. "I know I haven’t accomplished anything yet, but he’s what I compare myself to and I can be that type of player." Corner Reshean Mathis reported to camp on time after skipping OTAs hoping for a new contract. "I want to finish my career here," Mathis said. "It has never been a secret. ... I still have great years left. To stay in Jacksonville is what I want long term." LB Daryl Smith missed Saturday’s practice with a tweaked hamstring, but was expected to return quickly after resting briefly.

Special Teams: The early July release of undrafted rookie punter Robert Malone means the Jaguars enter camp with their three specialists from last year. Punter Adam Podlesh looks to build on last year’s direction, “Honestly, I don’t look at gross punting…. That speaks for what we value in this league; directional punting and [low] return yards.” Long snapper Jeremy Cain looks to make a few tackles, “I love it. I have been doing it since I was a little kid. It comes natural from being a high school, college and NFL linebacker. I just try to prove it every time.” Kicker Josh Scobee looks to find his long stroke after getting some extra offseason coaching, "I can see the way I am going. I feel good about this season."

Jaguars Depth ChartQB: David Garrard, Luke McCownRB: Maurice Jones-Drew (KR), Rashad Jennings, Deji KarimFB: Montell Owens, Greg Jones (inj), Brock BolenWR: Mike Sims-Walker, Mike Thomas (PR), Jarett Dillard, Troy Williamson,Kassim Osgood, Nate Hughes, John Matthews, Tiquan Underwood

TE: Marcedes Lewis, Zach Miller, Ernest Wilford, Zach PotterK: Josh ScobeeDT: Terrance Knighton, Tyson Alualu, D'Anthony Smith (inj), Atiyyah Ellison (inj),Walter CurryDE: Aaron Kampman, Austen Lane, Derrick Harvey (inj), Larry Hart, Julius Williams (inj), Jeremy Navarre, Bryan Smith (IR)MLB: Kirk Morrison, Ted LehmanOLB: Daryl Smith (S) , Justin Durant (W), Freddy Keiaho (W/S), Russell Allen (S),Aaron MorganCB: Rashean Mathis (inj), Derek Cox, Tyron Brackenridge, Scott Starks (inj), Scotty McGee, William Middleton, Don Carey (inj)S: Reggie Nelson (FS/CB), Gerald Alexander (SS), Sean Considine (SS) (inj),Anthony Smith (FS), Courtney Greene

Kansas City Chiefs

QB: The biggest non-story of the first day of camp was the quarterback play. It’s not that Matt Cassel was awful, rather the Chiefs practiced the Wildcat formation extensively, utilizing rookie Dexter McCluster along with Thomas Jones, Jamaal Charles and Kestahn Moore (who all took direct snaps in the session). On the second day, new offensive coordinator Charlie Weis sent the offense running after Cassel was swarmed by defenders before he could get rid of the football.

RB: Jamaal Charles (offseason shoulder surgery) was medically cleared for camp and was on the practice field Friday with the second-team offense. Thomas Jones began camp as the starting tailback, ahead of Charles. While it might be a psychological ploy by Head Coach Todd Haley to inspire Charles, Jones looked the part as he always does. Charles, the team’s MVP last season, sat out most of the OTAs while recovering from a shoulder scope and the staff may simply be easing him back into the fold. On Saturday morning, Charles got his first taste of action when his offensive teammates came to his rescue after he was lifted, then slammed to the ground on a play. It marked the camp’s first brawl as Branden Albert and even QB Matt Cassel rushed to his defense. Back to Jones, he took most of the first team snaps looking strong and as quick as ever during 11-on-11 drills. The Chiefs have a pleasant problem on their hands with Jones and Charles competing for touches in the backfield. The team expects to run the ball more this year, not to mention the spectre of the Wildcat with McCluster being an “X” factor out of the backfield in addition to operating out of the slot. Tim Castille has the early lead at fullback over Mike Cox, although the two are rotating on the field depending on the personnel package.

WR: The standout during the first two days of camp was clearly Dwayne Bowe, according to Kent Babb. During the first day of practice, Babb reported that Bowe made several difficult catches, including a diving catch on a well-covered route and another catch following an adjustment mid-air against CB Brandon Flowers in coverage. He picked up where

he left off during Saturday’s two practice sessions making several more tough catches while running excellent routes. The only time he incurred the wrath of Haley was after he ran a crisp route, to get past Brandon Carr to make the catch and pose for fans. Haley yelled at Bowe to “hustle back” to the huddle. “It’s carrying over from OTAs and minicamp,” cornerback Brandon Flowers said of Bowe. “He came in in OTAs and minicamp and dropped his weight, got in well-conditioned shape. He’s stepping up to a whole other level. He’s definitely like a No. 1 receiver out there.” That’s a welcome sign for Bowe. “I’m encouraged with where Dwayne is right now,” Haley said. “I think he’s clearly ahead of where he was last year. He’s fighting to be considered one of the good receivers in the league. I think that’s his goal and his mind-set.” Chris Chambers turned in another highlight during Friday’s practice when he behind Brandon Carr to bring in a perfectly thrown TD pass from Cassel on a deep fly route. Dexter McCluster continued to be the focus of practice on Friday and Saturday. One beat writer commented how difficult it is not to watch McCluster in practice. McCluster’s playmaking ability is evident. He also proved to be among the toughest receivers during blocking drills, despite being the smallest member of the group. He did have a couple drops, but also took snaps split wide, out of the Wildcat and in the slot. McCluster was also used on bubble screens and he was seen fielding punts. The team released David Grimes and signed Verran Tucker on Saturday morning.

TE: Tony Moeaki performed well in both the rookie and veteran mini-camps, but he missed action in between with a minor injury. If he can stay healthy during the preseason, he could be in line for plenty of playing time. He is competing with incumbent starter Leonard Pope. Moeaki has the all-around package to be a solid blocker and receiver, but he struggled with nagging injuries during his collegiate career at Iowa. Brad Cottam was waived/injured on Thursday leaving Jake O’Connell and Leroy Banks to compete, although both players are likely long shots to make the team. O’Connell dropped a catchable pass on Friday.

Defense: Eric Berry missed the first practice of his football career, but joined the team later after he signed his monstrous rookie contract. He was immediately inserted as the team’s starting strong safety opposite Jon McGraw. He has also proved to be a model teammate apologizing to his teammates for being a day late to camp and missing the first practice. Unlike Dez Bryant, Berry willingly toted his own gear as well as Dwayne Bowe’s shoulder pads and Maurice Leggett’s helmet into the locker room following practice. Corner Brandon Carr made one of the best plays breaking up a deep pass at the last second in Friday’s practice. Carr was later beaten by Chris Chambers for a pair of long TDs. Derrick Johnson and Jovan Belcher ran with the starters at inside linebacker, instead of Demorrio Williams and Corey Mays, on Sunday. Veteran safety Jarrad Page remained absent as the only player on the team not at camp. He still hasn’t signed his one-year contract offer as a restricted free agent.

Special Teams: The Chiefs do not have any competition at the specialist spots. The returning starters will spend camp getting in their reps and honing their synchronization under

the tutelage of special teams coordinator (and kicking guru) Steve Hoffman. Long snapper Thomas Gafford is back for his third year. The veteran of the trio, punter and holder Dustin Colquitt is entering his sixth year. Kicker Ryan Succop is looking to pick up on the success if his rookie season last year, "I was blessed with a great year and a great opportunity. I'm very thankful for that…. I took advantage of it. Now, I've got to build upon that."

Chiefs Depth ChartQB: Matt Cassel, Brodie Croyle, Tyler PalkoRB: Jamaal Charles (3RB), Thomas Jones, Jackie Battle (inj), Javarris Williams,Kestahn MooreFB: Tim Castille, Mike CoxWR: Dwayne Bowe, Chris Chambers, Dexter McCluster, Jerheme Urban, Lance Long, Terrance Copper, Quinten Lawrence, Verran TuckerTE: Leonard Pope, Tony Moeaki, Jake O'Connell, Leroy BanksK: Ryan SuccopNT: Ron Edwards, Derek Lokey, Shaun SmithDE: Tyson Jackson, Glenn Dorsey, Alex Magee, Wallace GilberryILB: Demorrio Williams, Corey Mays, Derrick Johnson, Jovan Belcher, Justin ColeOLB: Tamba Hali, Mike Vrabel, Andy Studebaker, David Herron, Justin Rogers,Pierre WaltersCB: Brandon Flowers, Brandon Carr, Javier Arenas, Travis Daniels, Donald Washington, Mike Richardson, Maurice LeggettS: Eric Berry (SS), Reshard Langford (FS), Jon McGraw (SS), Jarrad Page (inj),DaJuan Morgan (FS) (inj), Kendrick Lewis, Ricky Price

Miami Dolphins

QB: The start of training camp was uneventful for new starter Chad Henne, while Pat White’s absence on the first day grabbed everyone’s attention. White was excused with a personal health issue. “We were dealing with some personal health issues with him that we wanted to get checked out,” Sparano said in between Saturday’s two-a-day practice. “We did, we were all satisfied and had him back out on the field today, so everything’s good and he’s ready to go.” White got work as a backup to Henne on Saturday, while Sparano added that White is still practicing as “strictly a quarterback.” Henne completed 4-of-6 passes in the 7-on-7 drills, although each of his four completions were checkdowns to running backs. Sparano noted that Chad Pennington is healthy and will compete for the backup job along with Tyler Thigpen and White. At this point, Thigpen is considered the favorite to win the No. 2 job, at least until Pennington proves that he hasn’t lost any more juice on his ball. As for Henne, newcomer WR Brandon Marshall loves what he has seen from him so far this offseason. “He has a talented arm,'' Marshall said. “Tight spiral, which makes it easy to catch a pass from him...A perfect ball.''

RB: The good news continued for the Dolphins as Ronnie Brown was medically cleared and ready to go on Day One of camp. Sparano declared Brown (foot) and Brandon Marshall (offseason hip surgery) "100 percent healthy and ready to go" on Friday. Also returning from injury, Patrick Cobbs made a nice one-handed catch from Brown out of the Wildcat set. The team practiced out of the formation in front of fans on both of the first two days of practice, a sure sign that Ronnie Brown is indeed back in the fold. On another play, Cobbs burned Tim Dobbins on a wheel route for a 70-yard touchdown.

WR: Brian Hartline opened practice starting opposite Brandon Marshall in each of the team’s first five practices, before briefly sitting out with a leg cramp on Sunday. Patrick Turner made a pair of acrobatic catches on Sunday, but then he dropped a pass in tight coverage against Vontae Davis. Turner needs a good camp to make the team as the fifth receiver after being a game-day inactive regularly as a rookie. Brandon Marshall ignited the crowd in the first practice of camp by making a difficult catch around Sean Smith, who was well-positioned defensively on the play. After the play, Marshall ran over to Smith, patted him on the back to give him a few words of encouragement. “He just told me to keep my head up,'' Smith recalled afterward. “He said, `You'll have your days, and I'll have mine.' '' Clearly, the day belonged to Marshall. Moments later, Marshall made an inside move on Smith on a short route that lead to a wide-open catch. “You can tell when you've got a really good guy out there who can just glide,'' Chad Henne said. As for Marshall’s recovery from hip surgery? “I already forgot about it,'' Marshall joked. Greg Camarillo and Davone Bess will once again compete with Hartline for playing time, but barring injury or further trouble, Hartline appears to have a solid grasp on the job as long as the team doesn’t return to a rotation utilizing all three players.

TE: Anthony Fasano returns as the team’s starting tight end looking to improve in both facets of the game. "I need to improve – in the run game, in the pass blocking game and in the pass receiving game," Fasano said. "I think I’ll have some different opportunities this year and I have to make the most of them, no matter what my role turns out to be in the offense this year. I have to come through." Fasano goes into the 2010 season playing for a contract, so he won’t be lacking anything in the motivation department.

Defense: The standout on the defensive side of the ball early in camp was clearly ILB Karlos Dansby. "I've been really impressed with what's happening with Dansby," Sparano gushed. "... To have someone like that, with that kind of range and that kind of skills has been pretty good out there. Karlos would be the guy for me." Cameron Wake opened camp as the starter at right outside linebacker. Wake brings excellent pass-rush ability and he is among the sleeepers who could emerge to lead the team in sacks this season. Rookie Koa Misi reported to camp even bigger than he was on draft day. He worked as the left outside linebacker with the first team. Randy Starks has drawn raves from coaches and teammates after transitioning over to play nose tackle this offseason. Sparano commented, "In the first two practices he's been in the backfield several times, so that gives you an idea of his

capabilities." First round pick DL Jared Odrick is ticketed for DE in the Dolphins‘ 3-4 scheme. He signed a five-year contract and was on the field on the first day of practice. The Dolphins hope he can make an immediate impact following Phillip Merling’s season-ending injury. The Dolphins also added veteran free agents Marques Douglas and Charles Grant to fill the void. Another surprise thus far has been converted DE Ikaika Alama-Francis, who lined up with the second team at outside linebacker.

Special Teams: How content are the Dolphins with their three starting specialists? Entering camp, each is the only player at their position on the roster and thus has no competition –although that is not uncommon give NFL roster limits and especially since the demise of the NFL Europa farm teams. More telling is the fact that all three players received contract extensions since last year. Back in June, long snapper John Denney saw three years added to his contract. At the same time, punter Brandon Fields got a raise for 2010 plus had an additional two years added. Last week, kicker Dan Carpenter signed a three-year $6.2 million extension. Money talks.

Dolphins Depth ChartQB: Chad Henne, Tyler Thigpen, Chad Pennington, Pat White (WR/RB)RB: Ronnie Brown, Ricky Williams, Patrick Cobbs, Lex Hilliard, Kory Sheets,Tristan DavisFB: Lousaka Polite, Rolly LumbalaWR: Brandon Marshall, Brian Hartline, Davone Bess (PR), Greg Camarillo, Patrick Turner, Taurus Johnson, Ryan Grice-Mullen, Julius PruittTE: Anthony Fasano, Joey Haynos, Kory Sperry, John NalboneK: Dan CarpenterNT: Randy Starks, Paul Soliai (NT/DE), Montavious Stanley, Travis IveyDE: Kendall Langford, Jared Odrick, Tony McDaniel, Marques Douglas, Charles Grant, Lionel Dotson, Ryan Baker, Philip Merling (IR)ILB: Karlos Dansby (W), Channing Crowder, Tim Dobbins, Micah Johnson, A.J. Edds (IR)OLB: Koa Misi (S), Cameron Wake (W), Charlie Anderson (S), Ikaika Alama-Francis, Erik Walden (S), Quentin Moses, Chris McCoy, Austin Spitler, J.D. FolsomCB: Sean Smith, Vontae Davis, Jason Allen (FS/CB), Will Allen, Nolan CarrollS: Yeremiah Bell (SS), Chris Clemons (FS), Tyrone Culver (SS), Reshad Jones (FS), Nate Ness (FS/CB), Jonathon Amaya (FS)

Minnesota Vikings

QB: The annual Brett Favre saga has begun once again. Most are under the impression that Favre will be under center when the games count, but developments this week raise a bit of doubt as several beat writers have relayed information that Favre is skeptical about the pace of his recovery. Nevertheless,

Vikings owner Zygi Wilf was confident that Favre will play. "Right now he’s the starting quarterback of our team. So we’re in a good position," said Wilf. Added DE Jared Allen, "If I make it 20 years in, I'm not coming to training camp either. Brett we'll see you in a couple weeks, baby." After a demotion to third string, Sage Rosenfels resumed working with the second team on Friday, but he struggled badly on Saturday throwing four interceptions, followed by two more on Sunday. Rookie Chris Carr intercepted three of them. One of the top plays from Saturday’s practice came when Tarvaris Jackson found Visanthe Shiancoe down the right seam during 7-on-7s despite good defensive coverage on the play. Later, safety Husain Abdullah jumped a route to intercept Jackson on a play-action bootleg as Jackson slipped but still tried to get rid of the football. On Saturday, rookie Joe Webb was intercepted by LB Chad Greenway over the middle on crossing route that Greenway correctly read.

RB: Expect a big season out of Adrian Peterson following his fumble plagued postseason and talk of Chris Johnson being the best RB in the league. Peterson is focused on carrying the ball high and tight, and also commented that he avoided watching the NFL Network and ESPN saying that the fumbling issues don’t bother him. “I’m the only one that can do something about it. Adrian Peterson. My mind knows it’s all mental. It’s something that I just have to be more aware of when I’m out there. People are going to say what they want say, voice their opinions my whole career. If I’m thinking about all the negative things then I can’t move forward. I’m focusing on the positive things." Head coach Brad Childress confirmed that Peterson will be utilized more on third downs this season, due partially to Chester Taylor’s departure. On Saturday, Peterson gave the team a brief moment of concern as he “tightened up a little bit“ prompting the team to be cautious. He didn’t take many reps during 11-on-11 or 7-on-7 work, but was on the field and "pushing through" it, according to Childress. Rookie Toby Gerhart was unceremoniously welcomed to the league by DT Pat Williams on the first day of practice. Apparently, coaches forgot to tell Williams it wasn’t a full contact practice. Gerhart took at least three big hits from Williams during the drills. “It was a long day,” Gerhart acknowledged. “[But] as soon as you walk out here, it’s just football and it’s fun.” Offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell added, "I didn't know we were hitting that hard yet, but they might have tried to welcome him a little bit." Williams added his own spin. "I don't care who it is, man.. This ain't college no more. They're grown mans out there. [Expletive.] Paying these college boys like they already played before, so [expletive], we just show 'em. This is a different breed out there. This is grown men. It ain't boys no more. But they pay 'em like they done played in the NFL now." Awesome. Darius Reynaud is making the conversion to RB and competing with Albert Young and Ryan Moats for the #3 RB job.

WR: Sidney Rice opened camp on the PUP list due to a hip injury he suffered at some point in the playoffs last season. He has downplayed it throughout the offseason, but acknowledged that it had flared up during OTAs. The common story among coaches and reporters is that there is "little concern" with his hip and that he will be ready for the regular season and return to practice soon enough. Rice may

be brought along slowly and return to practice right around the second preseason game. With Rice sidelined, Percy Harvin and Bernard Berrian ran with the starting unit while Greg Lewis filled in as the team’s No. 3. On Saturday, Harvin gave everyone a scare after he was carted off the field in the morning practice, but it turned out to be minor. Harvin missed Sunday’s practice due to a death in the family. He appears to be a bit thicker as he reported to camp at 205 pounds.

TE: Visanthe Shiancoe will welcome Brett Favre back to camp after catching a career-high 11 TDs from him in 2009. Shiancoe doesn’t seem to get much love from the fantasy community, despite producing 18 TDs in the last two years combined. As long as Favre is back, Shiancoe is one of the safer plays for owners that want to load up on WR and RB and grab a TE later in the draft.

Defense: Perhaps the most impressive story from Vikings camp was the return of E.J. Henderson to the starting lineup after breaking his leg in Week 13 of the 2009 season. Henderson was back on the field less than eight months following the gruesome injury. "I know it was a bad injury and I know some of those injuries can be career-ending," defensive end Jared Allen said. "So to see him back running, to see him back with a helmet in his hand, to me is awesome. It's inspiring." Henderson is rotating with Jasper Brinkley on the first team while he gets back into the groove. CB Cedric Griffin (torn ACL) began camp on the PUP while Benny Sapp was carted off the field on Saturday morning with cramps only to return later. Coach Childress commented that Griffin has, “done a great job with his rehab” but conceded that the PUP list is the right thing for him for now. Lito Sheppard is working with the starters in the meantime and the team is also having him line up on the left side with plans on using him as the swing corner once Griffin returns. Antoine Winfield proclaimed himself fully recovered from the broken foot that sidelined him in the second half of last year. He looked good in non-contact drills. Chris Cook, the team’s top pick, worked with the second and third units at left corner while Sheppard and Asher Allen earned first team reps. LB Chad Greenway is off to a fast start in camp.

Special Teams: The Vikings enter training camp with four specialists on the roster. The question is whether all four, or just three, will continue into the regular season. Long snapper Cullen Loeffler and punter Chris Kluwe don’t need to sweat it. Nor does kicker Ryan Longwell, although he may begrudgingly have to surrender one of his job duties - kickoffs. Free agent addition Rhys Lloyd will have to show enough during camp and preseason to convince the Vikings to keep him employed as a kickoff specialist. He recently noted, "It's time to get back in a rhythm. I'm not coming in and trying to prove anything in camp by knocking every kick through the end zone. That's what the games are for. I'm just trying to get prepared for the games."

Vikings Depth ChartQB: Brett Favre, Tarvaris Jackson, Joe Webb (WR), Sage RosenfelsRB: Adrian Peterson, Toby Gerhart, Albert Young, Darius Reynaud (PR), Ryan Moats, Ian Johnson

FB: Naufahu Tahi, Jeff Dugan, Ryan D'ImperioWR: Sidney Rice (inj), Bernard Berrian (PR), Percy Harvin (KR) (inj), Greg Lewis,Jaymar Johnson (KR), Logan Payne, Marko Mitchell, Taye Biddle, Marquis Hamilton, Ray SmallTE: Visanthe Shiancoe, Jim Kleinsasser, Garrett Mills, Mickey SchulerK: Ryan Longwell, Rhys LloydDT: Kevin Williams, Pat Williams (NT), Jimmy Kennedy, Fred Evans (NT), Letroy GuionDE: Jared Allen, Ray Edwards, Brian Robison, Everson Griffen, Mike Montgomery,Jayme Mitchell, Cedric McKinleyMLB: E.J. Henderson, Jasper Brinkley, Nathan TriplettOLB: Chad Greenway (W), Ben Leber (S), Heath Farwell (S), Kenny Onatolu, Erin Henderson, J Leman (W)CB: Antoine Winfield, Cedric Griffin (inj), Lito Sheppard, Asher Allen, Chris Cook,Benny Sapp, Marcus Sherels, DeAndre WrightS: Madieu Williams (FS), Tyrell Johnson (SS), Jamarca Sanford (FS), Eric Frampton (SS), Husain Abdullah (FS), Terrell Skinner, Colt Anderson

New England Patriots

QB: Similar to Peyton Manning, Tom Brady reported to camp downplaying stories about his contractual situation. Patriots owner Robert Kraft acknowledged that Brady “isn't going anywhere” despite both sides reporting no progress on a long-term deal. "He's going to be here," Kraft said Thursday. "I love the guy. We're so lucky to have him. I have an emotional attachment because I remember him coming in as the fourth quarterback, being a skinny beanpole of a kid." For his part, Brady hit the practice field and quickly picked up where he left off. The play of the day on the first day of practice came when Brady hit Moss on a fake end-around for huge gain. Brady’s pass was slightly off target, but Moss adjusted to make a fingertip catch before tiptoeing out of bounds inside the 5-yard line. During red zone work, Brady had some difficulties. He found Moss, as well as rookie tight end Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez for touchdowns, both coming against Patrick Chung in coverage. As for the downside, Brady was picked off by Gary Guyton for what would’ve been a 100-yard pick-six. In the same practice, Brady lobbed a pretty pass to Moss, who beat rookie Devin McCourty to the back of the end zone for a touchdown.

RB: On the first day of practice, the defense fared better than the offense in goal line drills. Pierre Woods made a couple of nice hits, taking down Laurence Maroney on one play, while Vince Wilfork also made a nice stop. Sammy Morris got plenty of snaps and he was also stopped a few times short of the goal line during the session. Fred Taylor lost a fumble during team drills, resulting in a penalty lap for the veteran back. During 7-on-7s on Friday, Maroney had a perfectly thrown pass bounce off his chest, but he was bailed out as Aaron Herndandez adjusted quickly to snatch the ball despite it being slightly behind him. Taylor dropped a pass in the morning session and hasn’t had the best start to camp overall.

WR: Randy Moss got off to a quick start making several nice plays and participating fully in the two-a-day practices. Meanwhile, Wes Welker was activated from the PUP list and he took part in Sunday’s practice, although he didn’t participate in full contact drills. "It felt good to be out there with teammates and do some things," said Welker, while adding that he is not yet 100 percent. While Welker is practicing, don’t expect him to play in the preseason perhaps until the third game. The Patriots have some competition forming between Brandon Tate, Torry Holt, Julian Edelman and rookie Taylor Price. Bill Belichick confirmed glowing reports of Brandon Tate’s progress during the offseason stating that he is "way, way ahead of where it was last year." The team hopes he’ll continue to improve and seize the team’s No. 3 job. On Saturday, Tate made the play of the day, leaping over cornerback Leigh Bodden to catch a sideline pass that appeared well out of bounds. Tate also made a great catch early in Thursday’s practice falling to the ground while securing the football inside the pylon for a touchdown. Albert Breer, of the Boston Globe, reported that Price was "really jump(ing) off the page" early in camp. "He's consistent catching the ball away from his body, looks fluid in routes, and is always in control," wrote Breer. "Doing it in practice is a big difference from doing it in a game for a rookie receiver, but this kid's potential is obvious." Torry Holt got off to a slow start after fumbling in one afternoon practice and dropping a pass earlier in the day. Holt is likely competing with Price for what could be the final roster spot. Edelman and Tate are considered “sure bets” making Holt a possible camp body similar to Joey Galloway last year. Edelman got the best of Patrick Chung on a couple of plays over the weekend. Lastly, veteran David Patten announced his retirement on Saturday.

TE: The team‘s rookies, Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez, were able to showcase their talents early in camp. They each caught TD passes from Brady in red zone drills. Hernandez went up over Patrick Chung on a flat route for his TD, while Gronkowski used his big body near the pylon to reel in his score. Both players appear to have talent for working in tight areas, which should prove to be a boost for the Patriots who struggled at times in the red zone last year. Hernandez was seen lining up all over the field and he continues to look the part with his impressive athleticism. He understands how to setup defenders and make plays on the ball while in the air. He was also described as smooth for a big guy and most insiders expect Hernandez to have a role in the offense even as a rookie. Veteran Alge Crumpler has proven to be the consummate professional as well.

Defense: DE/OLB Derrick Burgress was placed on the reserve/did not report list with an unexpected absence as training camp opened. "Derrick wasn't here yesterday and we expect him to be here," Belichick said. "I'm not sure exactly that I know all the information that I need to know ... We'll just take that day by day." The Patriots are counting on his return considering the questions they have regarding their pass rush. Rookie LB Brandon Spikes has been getting plenty of prime time reps and has been getting the calls from the sidelines and relaying them to his teammates. The Patriots have big plans for him. 2009 third-round pick Tyrone McKenzie is back and competing for action at inside

linebacker as well. He made a big hit on Maroney on Friday morning to establish his presence. “That was just one play. You have to be consistent on what you do every day. So that’s all I’m trying to do right now,” McKenzie said. Brandon Meriweather and Patrick Chung took the early snaps at safety with the first team. Vince Wilfork got some looks at defensive end while Gerard Warren manned the nose and second-year DL Myron Pryor stood out during goal line drills when he shot into the backfield to snuff Sammy Morris five yards shy of the goal line. Elsewhere, the team finally severed ties with OLB Shawn Crable as camp got underway.

Special Teams: The only specialist competition for the Patriots ended when they released Aussie punter David King. But that doesn’t mean there won’t be a fair amount of attention on their new rookie punter, fifth round draft pick Zoltan Mesko, during training camp. He commented on his initial focus, "First year, I'm going to keep quiet to myself. I'm sure I'll be able to develop some relationships with the players and if they need anything, I'll be (there to) help. But as a punter and a first-year player, a rookie, I'm going to have to lead through my actions and how much time I spend at the building and how much work I put in. That's basically my first-year goal of being with the Patriots' organization." While the media focuses on Mesko in August, kicker Stephen Gostkowski and long snapper Jake Ingram can go about their usual business.

Patriots Depth ChartQB: Tom Brady, Brian Hoyer, Zach RobinsonRB: Laurence Maroney, Fred Taylor, Sammy Morris, Kevin Faulk (3RB), BenJarvus Green-Ellis, Pat Paschall, Chris TaylorWR: Randy Moss, Wesley Welker (inj), Brandon Tate, Julian Edelman, Taylor Price, Torry Holt, Sam Aiken, Matt Slater (KR), Darnell JenkinsTE: Alge Crumpler, Aaron Hernandez, Rob Gronkowski, Rob MyersK: Stephen GostkowskiDT: Vince Wilfork (NT), Myron Pryor, Ron Brace (DE/NT), Adrian Grady, Kade WestonDE: Ty Warren (DT), Mike Wright, Damione Lewis, Gerard Warren, Brandon Deaderick, Darryl Richard, Rob NinkovichMLB: Jerod Mayo (M), Gary Guyton (W/M), Brandon Spikes, Eric Alexander, Tyrone McKenzie (inj)OLB: Tully Banta-Cain, Derrick Burgess (DE), Jermaine Cunningham, Pierre Woods, Marques MurrellCB: Leigh Bodden, Devin McCourty, Darius Butler, Jonathan Wilhite, Terrence Wheatley, Kyle ArringtonS: Brandon Meriweather (FS), Patrick Chung (SS), Brandon McGowan (SS),James Sanders (SS), Bret Lockett (inj)

New Orleans Saints

QB: Drew Brees picked up right where he left off spurring some to wonder if he can possibly improve upon his remarkable performance from last season. Noting that Brees worked with several players who were banged up (Reggie Bush, Lance Moore, Jeremy Shockey and Marques Colston), it remains an intriguing notion for the Pro Bowl quarterback as those players enter training camp this year healthy, with the exception of Colston, who began camp on the PUP along with Robert Meachem. Patrick Ramsey was signed to replace Mark Brunell as the backup. He’ll compete with Sean Canfield and Chase Daniel to be the insurance policy for Brees. In Saturday afternoon’s practice Brees turned in the first big play for the first-team offense when he scrambled and found Devery Henderson for a long touchdown behind corner Jabari Greer. In the afternoon session, Daniel was intercepted by safety Chris Reis and Danny Gorrer intercepted a tipped pass from Sean Canfield in the morning. In passing drills, Ramsey had back-to-back passes dropped by receivers; the first one by Courtney Roby and the second one by Montez Billings.

RB: Pierre Thomas reported to camp and was practicing while holding out hope for a long-term contract. Both sides appear to be on the same page and continue to work to find middle ground for a long-term deal. One of the players to watch in camp is Lynell Hamilton. At 235 pounds, Hamilton has the size and power to slide into the role created by free agent Mike Bell’s departure. Hamilton got into the groove early by running over safety Chip Vaughn in one of the afternoon workouts. Reggie Bush reported to camp as healthy as he has been since his rookie season. In Saturday afternoon’s practice, Bush looked as fast as ever running upfield with burst, power and determination during team drills. Also in the mix, P.J. Hill is back after the Eagles plucked him off their practice squad last season. He had a productive session on Saturday morning ripping off two long runs.

WR: The star of the first few days of camp was clearly Lance Moore. Marques Colston (knee) and Robert Meachem (toe) began camp on the active/PUP list giving ample opportunity to Moore, Devery Henderson and the team‘s other receivers. Henderson didn’t look like he was 100% in Saturday morning’s practice after having offseason sports hernia surgery, but he had no problems in the afternoon. "I don't know that he's quite 100 percent yet," said Payton "But he's doing well." Meanwhile, Moore made numerous big plays, running sharp routes and showing off his great hands. In Friday morning’s practice, Moore snared a high pass and took a hit from safety Malcolm Jenkins, but held on and flipped over before hitting the ground while hanging on for the catch. Courtney Roby and Rod Harper also had their moments and caught the eye of the coaches. Moore talked about Colston and Meachem, comparing them to his own recovery from injuries a year ago. "I was in the same situation as last year, being on PUP early and not getting the full reps," Moore said. "Guys just have to step up and make plays. Younger guys have to come in and show that they're worth being here."

TE: Jeremy Shockey reported to camp seemingly in great shape, but he was already sidelined by Sunday with a sore knee. "Nothing serious," HC Sean Payton said. "He had it looked at. We'll just get him some treatment and get him back

as soon as possible." His absence will continue to open the door for rookie Jimmy Graham, who has the team buzzing from his performance during OTAs. Considered a developmental project after switching to football from basketball during his final year at the University of Miami, Graham has been one of the team’s biggest surprises. Graham has picked up things much faster than anyone anticipated prompting some to believe he may play a bigger role quicker than expected. In particular, Graham looks like someone that could contribute in the red zone. For his part, Graham is trying to lay low, especially after David Thomas told him that he’d have to buy him a meal every time his name comes up in the media. That might be a problem if he continues to make plays in practice. Graham made a dazzling, one-handed catch from Drew Brees in Friday’s afternoon session. "I guess I got lucky. Hopefully I can do that in a big game," said Graham. "I definitely think I can (make plays like that). I think that's why they brought me here." It hasn’t all been glossy for Graham though, he also dropped two balls in Saturday morning’s practice.

Defense: Joining Colston and Meachem on then active/PUP list is veteran safety Darren Sharper (knee) and LB Clint Ingram (knee). Ingram has been a disappointment so far after signing as a free agent to help fill the void created by Scott Fujita’s departure. The team will employ a committee approach as Ingram, Jo-Lonn Dunbar and Troy Evans are all expected to compete for playing time at the strong-side backer spot. Patrick Robinson, the 32nd overall pick, was signed in time for camp and he didn’t waste any time. In Friday’s morning practice, Robinson broke up a pair of passes during 7-on-7s shortly after taking the field. "It made me feel good," Robinson said. "I was trying to stay as calm as I could, and that was pretty much it, stay as calm as I could and be focused. Just being there is not enough. I think I have to make plays and start getting on the field more." Another player making an impression early in camp is undersized, undrafted rookie DE Junior Galette. He might be able to push veteran Bobby McCray, who underwhelmed last year with only 1.5 sacks. For now, McCray is running with the first team, but most expect Alex Brown to emerge as the two will likely form a time-share opposite Will Smith.

Special Teams: Two of last year’s playoff heroes are secure in their specialist roles as the Saints enter training camp. Garrett Hartley will handle the placekicking while Thomas Morstead will again handle the punting and kickoffs. Morstead could also add another task – as holder on placekicks, replacing the departed Mark Brunell. Others being tried in that role during camp are back up quarterbacks Patrick Ramsey and Chase Daniel along with wide receiver Lance Moore. It looked like there would be a competition to watch during preseason at long snapper; however rookie challenger Clint Gresham from TCU was released at the end of July. Incumbent Jason Kyle remains the only snapper on the roster.

Saints Depth ChartQB: Drew Brees, Patrick Ramsey, Chase Daniel, Sean CanfieldRB: Pierre Thomas, Reggie Bush (3RB), Lynell Hamilton, P.J. Hill

FB: Heath Evans, Zak Keasey, Marcus Mailei (inj)WR: Marques Colston, Devery Henderson, Lance Moore (PR), Robert Meachem (inj), Courtney Roby (KR), Adrian Arrington, Rod Harper (inj), Larry Beavers, Matt SimonTE: Jeremy Shockey, David Thomas, Jimmy Graham, Tory Humphrey, Tyler LorenzenK: Garrett HartleyDT: Sedrick Ellis, Remi Ayodele, Anthony Hargrove (DT), DeMario Pressley, Al WoodsDE: Will Smith, Alex Brown, Bobby McCray, Jimmy Wilkerson, Jeff Charleston,Junior GaletteMLB: Jonathan Vilma, Jonathan Cassilas, Stanley ArnouxOLB: Scott Shanle (W), Jo-Lonn Dunbar (S), Troy Evans (W/S), Clint Ingram (S),Anthony Waters, Marvin Mitchell (W)CB: Jabari Greer, Tracy Porter, Patrick Robinson, Randall Gay, Leigh Torrence,Danny Gorrer, Reggie Jones, Greg Fassitt, Rafael PriestS: Malcolm Jenkins (CB/FS), Roman Harper (SS), Darren Sharper (FS) (inj),Usama Young (FS/CB), Pierson Prioleau (SS), Chris Reis (SS), Chip Vaughn

New York Giants

QB: The Giants didn’t start camp until August 1st so there aren’t a ton of practice details to review just yet. Manning has looked fine in early practices, mainly working on timing with his receiving corps. The highlight of his first few days was a gorgeous deep vertical throw to Steve Smith; unfortunately Smith dropped the perfectly thrown ball. Manning was intercepted by Corey Webster during 11-on-11 drills Monday, on a pass intended for Mario Manningham. Jim Sorgi ran the 2nd team as expected and Rhett Bomar took quite a few snaps with the 3rd stringers.

RB: A lot of fantasy owners are prepared for Ahmad Bradshaw to overtake Brandon Jacobs this year, but the first few days of camp don’t necessarily paint that picture. Coach Coughlin needs to see more from Bradshaw, “He made some nice cuts and nice runs this morning. He caught the ball in the individual drill. I'd like to see first he have confidence in himself, what he can and can't do. I want to see him extend that and fight his way through some of the tough days and continue out here with his teammates without having to take a step back. If you thought you could utilize Ahmad to the full extent, he's a guy who has run kickoffs back and has run punts back. He obviously is an outstanding runner in his own right and used in with a combination with Brandon and some of the other guys that we've got. You see how Danny (Ware) looks just to keep some of those guys on the field. I think that with Ahmad it's just practice, practice, and stay out there and prove to everyone, himself included.”

WR: Hakeem Nicks has the opportunity to overtake Steve Smith as the Giants top pass catcher, but he’ll have to stay healthy to accomplish the task. Last year he played on a broken toe and many expect that problem to be in the rearview window. Unfortunately, Nicks is still bothered a bit by the toe,

and the Giants are only going to practice him once a day for precautionary reasons. As long as Nicks looks dominant in his once-a-day workouts, there’s no cause for concern. But if this precaution turns into something more, the upside projections so many of us are banking on may need to be tempered. The other Giants receivers have had unassuming starts to camp, as Steve Smith lined up as a starter as expected, and then Mario Manningham, Sinorice Moss and Ramses Barden saw the most snaps with the backups.

TE: Kevin Boss was given the option to skip the team’s conditioning test on Sunday because of his sore ankle, but he opted to participate. He passed and was a full practice participant on Day One. He skipped the Monday (August 2nd) session as the Giants plan on holding him to once-a-day sessions for now. Travis Beckum got off to a rocky start mishandling a few passes, but it’s very early to draw any kind of conclusions. Bear Pascoe has stood out in the early going, looking very comfortable running routes.

Defense: New DC Perry Fewell is a massively different presence than Bill Sheridan, the man he replaced. Fewell is energetic and vocal, both when praising and damning his players. HC Tom Coughlin welcomes the change. “It is inspirational and they do know what's coming. I think it's a good thing. I've always been in favor of that over anything else. I don't care, even if you're wrong, if you're yelling and screaming, it creates something for you. They respond to it, they've been, and they do a nice of job it.” The most important news is that, save for S Kenny Phillips, the team appears healthy entering camp. Freshly signed FA Keith Bulluck will be transitioning from OLB in Tennessee to the middle, but his coaches think he’ll make the transition seamlessly. CB Corey Webster made the play of the weekend, jumping in front of Manningham for a one-handed interception of an Eli Manning pass. S Antrel Rolle is already establishing himself as a vocal leader on defense; a welcome addition to a unit that seemed to lack accountability at times last year. Clint Sintim appears ready to settle into his new starting role on the strong side.

Special Teams: Back in July, the Giants released Australian Jy Bond. That ended the punting competition and left Matt Dodge, the seventh round draft pick out of East Carolina, as the replacement for retired Jeff Feagles. Dodge will also serve as the holder on placekicks for Lawrence Tynes, who in turn also handle kickoffs. The third of the Giants specialists, long snapper Zac DeOssie, commented regarding his goals for camp and this year, “Me personally, as a long snapper, just consistent short snaps and consistent play. That’s all it is, repetitions. It’s a mental game. You kind of find your grove by the end of training camp then you try and stay in that groove for the next 17 weeks, which is pretty tough. If you have a bad snap you forget about it.”

Giants Depth ChartQB: Eli Manning, Jim Sorgi, Rhett BomarRB: Brandon Jacobs, Ahmad Bradshaw (KR/3RB), Danny Ware, Andre Brown,Gartrell JohnsonFB: Madison HedgecockWR: Hakeem Nicks (inj), Steve Smith, Mario Manningham, Ramses Barden,Sinorice Moss, Derek

Hagan, Duke CalhounTE: Kevin Boss, Travis Beckum (HB), Bear Pascoe, Scott Chandler, Jake BallardK: Lawrence TynesDT: Barry Cofield (NT), Chris Canty, Jay Alford (inj), Rocky Bernard, Linval Joseph,Dwayne HendricksDE: Justin Tuck, Mathias Kiwanuka, Osi Umenyiora, Jason Pierre-Paul, Dave Tollefson, Tommie HillMLB: Jonathan Goff, Keith Bulluck (inj), Phillip DillardOLB: Michael Boley (W), Clint Sintim (S), Chase Blackburn (M/W), Bryan Kehl (W) (inj), Gerris Wilkinson (inj), Zack DeOssie, Adrian Tracy, Alex HallCB: Corey Webster (inj), Aaron Ross, Terrell Thomas, Bruce Johnson, Courtney Brown, D.J. JohnsonS: Antrel Rolle (FS), Kenny Phillips (SS) (inj), Deon Grant (SS), Michael Johnson (SS), Sha'reff Rashad, Chad Jones (IR)

New York Jets

QB: The Jets signed veteran Mark Brunell to backup Mark Sanchez leaving Kellen Clemens possibly on the outside looking in. Clemens may ultimately stick as the team’s third quarterback. Erik Ainge was placed on the reserve non-football list with an undisclosed illness and won’t count against the team’s 80-man roster. Clemens (calf) opened camp on the PUP giving Kevin O’Connell an opportunity to get some extra snaps behind Sanchez and Brunell. In other news, check out thejetsblog.com’s photo of Tom Brady and Justin Beiber. The Jets camp promises to be entertaining with the HBO cameras on site filming “Hard Knocks” and, as Head Coach Rex Ryan joked, the only place where the cameras will be off-limits is his shower. While there wasn’t a lot of news regarding Sanchez in the opening days of camp, the Jets moved to secure their team’s leadership for the near future by extending the contracts of both GM Mike Tannenbaum and Ryan through 2014.

RB: In Sunday’s morning practice, Shonn Greene set the tone with his trademark physical running. “He runs hard, he takes that extra hit sometimes,” Ryan said. “I talked to [RBs coach] Anthony Lynn about if we can put big pads on him, can he look like Leroy Selmon out there all padded up. But his running style has to be that. That’s what makes Shonn an unbelievable back.” Ryan also mentioned rookie FB John Conner for some pad-popping hits. “He was just blasting guys. He took the wind out of three linebackers. I don’t think I’ve ever seen that.” Rookie Joe McKnight was on the receiving end of a big hit from S James Ihedigbo. As for McKnight, he initially failed his conditioning run on the opening day of camp, only to return on Sunday and pass it. McKnight was then activated from the PUP, but he has some work to do if he has any designs of pushing LaDainian Tomlinson for snaps on passing downs. On Monday, Tomlinson and Greene split reps with the first team and Tomlinson promptly fumbled during 9-on-9 drills. Veterans Chauncey Washington and Danny Woodhead are also in the mix and hoping to earn a roster spot.

Veteran Tony Richardson returns for his 17th season competing with Conner and veteran Jason Davis at fullback.

WR: The signing of veteran Laveranues Coles, oddly enough, was the big news as camp opened. With Santonio Holmes facing a four-game suspension to open the season, Coles will be counted on to help fill the void at the team’s number three receiver spot. If nothing else, Coles will compete with Brad Smith and David Clowney and retire as a Jet when all is said and done. Holmes was not in attendance as camp opened. He has been excused until August 4th while he attends to a family matter. His son recently had surgery in Atlanta and has sickle-cell anemia. Jerricho Cotchery and Braylon Edwards will open the season as the team’s starters. On Monday, David Clowney got off to a tough start with a pair of drops, including a short pass from Sanchez that drew criticism from offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer. He came back later to make a nice catch with Antonio Cromartie in tight coverage.

TE: Dustin Keller expects to play a pivotal role in the offense this season, particularly in the red zone. Rex Ryan has already predicted the tight end will score more touchdowns. Veteran Ben Hartsock returns to contribute primarily as a blocker while Matthew Mulligan has shown potential in the same area.

Defense: The story that dominated the Jets training camp so far is the absence of standout corner Darrelle Revis. Revis decided to make good on his training camp holdout. "We waited until last possible minute with hope of getting something done. Darrelle won't be there." Meanwhile CB Kyle Wilson, the Jets 29th pick in the draft, was signed and ready for practice as camp began. Wilson and Dwight Lowery rotated in with the first team with Revis out. DT Kris Jenkins opened camp on the PUP list, despite losing 20 pounds while following a “cookie diet”. The team signed S Emmanuel Cook and cut LB Ezra Butler.

Special Teams: There is something to watch at each of the Jets’ specialist positions during camp. Although Nick Folk is the only kicker on the roster, he’s competing against the ghost of his 2009 season in Dallas. He’ll need to prove that last year’s hip surgery is no longer hindering his game. He commented earlier, "Yeah, I have to prove myself again. But that’s something I enjoy. I don’t have any problem doing that. Mentally, I’m just as confident as I was my rookie year." Veteran punter and holder Steve Weatherford will face live competition in T.J. Conley, who was one of numerous punters in the Jets’ camp last summer. Veteran long snapper James Dearth is gone, setting up a competition between two younger inexperienced players: Tanner Purdum and Matthew Mulligan who also plays at tight end.

Jets Depth ChartQB: Mark Sanchez, Mark Brunell, Kellen Clemens, Erik Ainge, Kevin O'ConnellRB: Shonn Greene, LaDainian Tomlinson (3RB), Joe McKnight, Danny Woodhead, Chauncey WashingtonFB: Tony Richardson, John ConnerWR: Jerricho Cotchery, Braylon Edwards, Santonio Holmes (susp), Laveranues Coles, David Clowney, Brad

Smith, Aundrae AllisonTE: Dustin Keller, Ben Hartsock, Jeff CumberlandK: Nick FolkNT: Kris Jenkins, Sione PouhaDE: Shaun Ellis, Mike Devito, Vernon Gholston, Ropati PitoituaILB: David Harris, Bart Scott, Lance Laury, Brashton SateleOLB: Calvin Pace, Bryan Thomas, Jason Taylor, Jamaal Westerman, Kenwin Cummings, Cory ReamerCB: Darrelle Revis (PR), Antonio Cromartie, Kyle Wilson, Dwight Lowery, Drew Coleman, Marquice Cole, Donovan WarrenS: Jim Leonhard (SS), Brodney Pool (FS), Eric Smith (SS/FS), James Ihedigbo (FS/CB), Emmanuel Cook

Oakland Raiders

QB: As camp got underway on Wednesday, Head Coach Tom Cable confirmed the obvious – Jason Campbell will be the team’s starting quarterbback this season. Cable offered praise for Campbell’s "leadership and professionalism" noting that the team has responded. Bruce Gradkowski will likely backup Campbell, although Charlie Frye and Kyle Boller are also in the mix for that spot. After finishing last year as the team’s starting QB, Gradkowski responded with a positive attitude towards his new role. "You could take it two ways," he said. "I feel like I would be the best backup, but I also feel like I'd be the best starter. You have that confidence, and, whatever my role is, I know I'm going to be ready to play. We did it last year, and I'm going to do it again."

RB: Cable was quoted earlier in the offseason as saying he wanted one of his two backs to emerge as a starter. However, as camp opened, he changed his tune a little saying he thinks that Michael Bush and Darren McFadden will have a great battle in camp, but that they could end up splitting carries. Given their complementary skills, Bush may end up being the primary runner with McFadden getting the bulk of the third-down work as the better receiver of the two. For his part, McFadden is eager to put his nagging injuries behind him and produce. “I want to show people I can go out there and run the ball,“ McFadden said Sunday. “I know I haven’t had the type of season I wanted to have the last couple of years, but I want to go out there and show people I can run the ball and it’s not just a lot of hype.“ Often described as going down too easily, Cable offered a slightly different opinion. “It’s not that he goes down too easily, he’s just been hurt too often.“ McFadden agreed, “That’s one of the main things that’s hurt me, being injured, you know if you’re injured you’re not even going to be able to get a chance to show what you can do. I’m going to do my best to stay healthy out there.“

WR: The offseason reports on Darrius Heyward-Bey are promising. He reported to camp bigger, stronger and ready to take a big step forward in his second season. Chaz Schilens, expected to be the team’s #1 receiver, continues to be in the same place he found himself for much of last year – the

trainer’s room. He had X-rays on his left foot and missed both practices Friday after leaving Thursday’s afternoon practice with soreness in the same foot that required two surgeries to repair a broken fifth metatarsal bone. "There's no damage, anything like that," Cable said. "It's sore. We're going to have to work with him to find out what his workload is, what he can and can't do. We're going to have to deal with it, probably from here on out." Most likely, Schilens will be limited to one practice per day until he is past the soreness. Cable reiterated his confidence that Schilens will make a full recovery and that the team continues to envision him as their No. 1 receiver. As for DHB, he had a good start to camp and has caught nearly every pass thrown his way; which has earned him praise from teammates and coaches for his improvement. Campbell connected with DHB on a few nice passes in one practice. He ran a stop route, caught the ball then had a physical run after the catch, while catching a fade in the right corner inside the 5-yard line on another. He used a subtle push off to gain separation and make a catch on another play. Louis Murphy suffered a concussion in Friday’s afternoon practice. He was still sidelined on Sunday allowing rookie Jacoby Ford to get more snaps. Ford has looked good running routes so far, showing that he might be more than just another guy that can run fast. Johnny Lee Higgins will be pushed to make the roster this year. He had the biggest play in Thursday’s practice on a post against blown coverage from Charlie Frye.

TE: The worst kept secret in camp is the plan to get Zach Miller more involved in the red zone this year with Jason Campbell bringing more stability to the Raiders passing game than what JaMarcus Russell offered a year ago. Campbell offered the following assessment on Miller: “Zach doesn’t have a whole lot of speed that he can try and outrun someone, but he’s going to use his ability and knowledge knowing how to run routes to get himself open,’’ Campbell said. “You can have a 4.4 guy on him or a 4.3 guy on him and somehow he always gets open. It’s not about how fast you can run from point A to point B but it’s about the details of your route.’’

Defense: The Raiders hope to be much better against the run this year with the addition of two key rookies – LB Rolando McClain and DL LaMarr Houston. Houston was inserted at left end with the first team defense while Richard Seymour moved inside to give the team a more physically imposing front line. Matt Shaughnessy and Tommy Kelly make up the right side of the defensive line while Kamerion Wimbley and Trevor Scott lined up as the starting outside linebackers flanking McClain. Jerry McDonald tweeted that Houston has been a fun player to watch, noting that he “plays with a lot of fire and has a knack for getting on the nerves of offensive linemen.” Cable added that he likes the team’s depth at linebacker referring to former starter Thomas Howard and newly acquired Quentin Groves. The team is also cautiously optimistic that DT John Henderson can still help stop the run.

Special Teams: The Raiders enter training camp as one of the few teams to carry a camp leg – beat writer favorite, Swayze Waters. How long into August they retain his services is the only question relating to their specialists. Kicker Sebastian Janikowski heads into 2010 coming off a strong 2009, for which he was rewarded with a new lucrative four-year deal

that made him the highest paid kicker in the league. Punter Shane Lechler had already received his comparable payday the year before. While we’re on the topic of Al Davis’ checkbook, long snapper Jon Condo received and signed a restricted free-agent one-year tender during the offseason.

Raiders Depth ChartQB: Jason Campbell, Bruce Gradkowski (inj), Kyler Boller, Charlie FryeRB: Michael Bush (SD/3RB), Darren McFadden, Rock Cartwright, Michael BennettFB: Marcel Reese, Chase Moline, Manase Tonga, Luke Lawton (susp)WR: Chaz Schilens (inj), Darrius Heyward-Bey, Louis Murphy, Johnnie Lee Higgins (KR), Jacoby Ford (KR/PR), Paul Hubbard, Nick Miller (KR), Todd Watkins, Johnathan Holland, Yamon FigursTE: Zach Miller (inj), Tony Stewart, Brandon Myers, John OwensK: Sebastian Janikowski, Swayze WatersDT: Richard Seymour, Tommy Kelly, John Henderson, Desmond Bryant, William JosephDE: Lamarr Houston (DT), Matt Shaughnessy, Jay Richardson, Greyson Gunheim,Alex DanielsMLB: Rolando McClain, Travis GoethelOLB: Trevor Scott (W/DE), Kamerion Wimbley (DE), Thomas Howard (S), Ricky Brown, Quentin Groves, Sam Williams, Slade Norris, David NixonCB: Nnamdi Asomugha, Chris Johnson, Stanford Routt, Walter McFadden,Jeremy Ware, Joey Thomas, Joe PorterS: Tyvon Branch (SS), Michael Huff (FS/SS), Hiram Eugene (FS), Mike Mitchell(SS), Stevie Brown, Jerome Boyd

Philadelphia Eagles

QB: The beginning of a new era is underway as Kevin Kolb officially starts camp as the Eagles’ starter. His play in the first few days has been inconsistent, as he threw two interceptions in Sunday practice – one to rookie Nate Allen and the other by Ellis Hobbs. Earlier in the week Kolb looked better, particularly in Saturday practice when he hit Jeremy Maclin for a huge deep bomb down the middle of the field. On the positive side, Kolb has been getting the ball out of his hands quickly and decisively. On the negative side, Kolb has been trying to thread the needle too much and that’s resulted in turnovers. Even LB Stewart Bradley picked him off once. Michael Vick looks infinitely more comfortable this year than he did in 2009, and has thrown the ball better than anyone had a right to expect. Rookie Mike Kafka is a project, and the first week illustrated that. He struggled anytime he was asked to throw beyond downfield, and it’s safe to say that if something happens to Vick, the Eagles will probably have to look for a veteran off the waiver wire because Kafka isn’t ready to contribute.

RB: LeSean McCoy is the clear starter and has gotten a ton of reps in the first few days of practice. Although he still likes to dance a bit too much at times, his progress and production in the early going cannot be ignored. When he commits to a lane; he’s bounced off tacklers and has shown a second gear a number of times. He grabbed a quick slant from Kevin Kolb for a long TD run, and opened up Sunday’s practice with a 25-yard run where he looked like he was playing at a different speed than everyone else on the field. Mike Bell, running with the 2s, succumbed to a hamstring injury on Sunday afternoon. The Eagles traded backup LB Joe Mays to the Denver Broncos for J.J. Arrington. Arrington will compete for the RB3 role in camp against Eldra Buckley and rookie Charles Scott (who is also running reps at FB). Scott embraced the opportunity to work at FB and shows some promise in that role. Former Eagles RB Duce Staley was on hand and paid particular attention to Scott in blocking instruction.

WR: The big news of the first week of practice was DeSean Jackson’s injury. He was carted off with an apparent back injury, which the team has downplayed the severity. Yet, he’s missed practice the last few days and the team hasn’t officially set a timetable for his return. Jeremy Maclin, on the other hand, has looked dominant at times in the first week and seems to have made the natural transition one would expect of a receiver in their second year running Andy Reid’s complex offense. Jason Avant continues to impress and now looks like a guy that could start, and flourish, if given the chance. He completely dominated CB Asante Samuel in Sunday’s practice, including one play where Samuel tried to jam him but Avant literally pushed him out of the way to get open and make the completion. Kelley Washington was signed this week and will primarily contribute on special teams. He will be fighting with rookie Riley Cooper and veteran Hank Baskett for last WR slot on the 53-man roster.

TE: Business as usual for starter Brent Celek, nothing Earth-shattering to report about him after the first week of camp. The most interesting TE situation is the play of rookie Clay Harbor. Harbor seems very comfortable in the system and is getting a lot of reps with the 2s and 3s, and seems to be a good bet to displace Martin Rucker as the 3rd string tight end.

Defense: The Eagles are hoping that a bit of planning and some luck will dramatically reshape the perception of their linebacking corps. It’s been a long time since the LB corps – en masse – was considered an elite unit and although it’s too easy to say as much, the pieces are in place for a resurgent year under DC Sean McDermott. On the strong-side, Akeem Jordan has been running with the first team over Moise Fokou. Stewart Bradley, who missed last season with a torn ACL, appears fully healthy and ready to command this defense. Newcomer Ernie Sims has been a tackling machine thus far in camp. Rookie Brandon Graham agreed to a 5-year deal and was in camp on time (as they did with the other 12 rookies, too). Ellis Hobbs has risen to the challenge of locking down the full-time starter job opposite Asante Samuel. He’s looked good in coverage, broken up some passes, and even got into a skirmish with rookie WR Riley Cooper, who outweighs Hobbs by about 30 pounds. The defensive line rotation is still a work in progress, as both Brandon Graham and Darryl Tapp are

seeing a lot of action. At DT, 3rd year Trevor Laws has stood out, which is the first time anyone can really say that about him. He’ll still be a backup, but might actually be a solid contributor in the rotation if he can maintain this new level of intensity.

Special Teams: Once again, the Eagles have Ken Parrish on board to serve as a camp leg, taking some of the workload off of over-30 kicker David Akers and punter Sav Rocca. As special teams coordinator Bobby April noted, "We've had him doing everything. Kickoffs, punts, field goals. He's been with us all spring and he's done an outstanding job." But unlike most camp legs, who are realistically auditioning for the future and for the rest of the league, Parrish does have a shot at unseating Rocca for the punting job. It’s a long shot, but a shot nonetheless. Pro Bowl kicker Akers’ job is of course secure, as is Pro Bowl long snappers’ Jon Dorenbos.

Eagles Depth ChartQB: Kevin Kolb, Michael Vick, Mike KafkaRB: LeSean McCoy, Mike Bell (inj), Charles Scott, J.J. Arrington, Eldra BuckleyFB: Leonard WeaverWR: DeSean Jackson (PR), Jeremy Maclin (inj), Jason Avant, Hank Baskett, Riley Cooper, Jordan Norwood, Kelley Washington, Chad Hall (KR), Jared PerryTE: Brent Celek, Cornelius Ingram, Clay Harbor, Martin RuckerK: David AkersDT: Brodrick Bunkley, Mike Patterson, Trevor Laws, Jeffrey Owens, Antonio DixonDE: Trent Cole, Juqua Parker, Brandon Graham, Darryl Tapp, Victor Abiamiri,Ricky Sapp, Daniel Te'o-NesheimMLB: Stewart Bradley (inj), Jamar Chaney, Omar Gaither (inj)OLB: Ernie Sims (W), Moise Fokou (S), Akeem Jordan (S/W), Keenan Clayton (S),Tracy WhiteCB: Asante Samuel, Joselio Hanson, Ellis Hobbs (inj), Dimitri Patterson, Trevard Lindley, Geoffrey PopeS: Quintin Mikell (SS), Nate Allen (FS), Macho Harris (FS/KR), Quintin Demps (FS/KR), Kurt Coleman (SS), Ryan Hamilton, Antoine Harris, Marlin Jackson (inj)

Pittsburgh Steelers

QB: The biggest story of the opening of Steelers training camp was the reception of the Latrobe crowd for Ben Roethlisberger after a tumultuous offseason for the two-time Super Bowl champ. Much to the delight of Roethlisberger, he was welcomed back by cheers from a crowd including many people wearing his jersey. “I was nervous and scared about it,” said Roethlisberger. Head coach Mike Tomlin has not committed to a regular routine in divvying up the practice snaps between the QBs, and the division of snaps is a somewhat controversial subject, both because of the relative exclusion of Dennis Dixon from first-team snaps, and the decision of whether to focus more on preparing Byron Leftwich, who will start Week 1, or Ben Roethlisberger, who

will start 10-12 games after he returns from his suspension. “We’ll do like we’ve done the majority of the spring,” Tomlin said of the camp quarterback rotation. “Byron Leftwich is going to get a significant number of snaps, followed by Dennis Dixon. But we will be somewhat non-rhythmic, of course. We’re going to make sure that at the end of this thing that Ben (Roethlisberger) has had a productive camp, but as we proceed at this juncture our focus is who’s going to be playing quarterback for us the week of the opener.” Roethlisberger has looked great so far, leading the first-team offense during a two-minute drill and completing 5-of-7 passes for 58 yards in a span of 90 seconds and tossing a 16-yard touchdown to Heath Miller on a third down. Leftwich struggled by comparison, completing just 2-of-7 passes and throwing four consecutive incomplete passes to end the drill, although one was a drop by rookie WR Antonio Brown.

RB: The Steelers running game got a boost with the addition of OT Flozell Adams, whose drive-blocking should aptly replace Willie Colon, even though it will be Adams‘ first time playing the right side in his NFL career. “It’s like writing with your right hand and trying to switch over and then using your left hand to write a letter,” said Adams. “It’s difficult, but it’ll come along.” It may come along sooner than later, as offensive coordinator Bruce Arians called Saturday, July 31 “the best first day I’ve ever been a part of”, even though Adams was playing right tackle with the first team offense. Arians comments last week drew attention after it had been assumed that the Steelers would run the ball a lot more in 2010 than they did in 2009. "We need to run the ball better," Arians said, "not necessarily more. It is the quality of the runs more than the quantity that I am worried about." Still, the first contact scrimmage of camp featured 100% running plays. In addition that sobering news about Rashard Mendenhall’s fantasy stock with respect to the focus of the offense, Mendenhall also drew a little criticism from Arians on the subject of his short-yardage running. “Some guys have to learn that they aren't running for a touchdown. We need a yard. Rashard did a good job on goal line, but not as good a job on short yardage. That will again be an emphasis in training camp, " Arians said. 2009 camp sensation Isaac Redman has been mentioned frequently by the coaches this offseason, and he has shown up to camp in great shape and ready to seize that short-yardage role. Redman also stood out as one of the offensive stars of backs-on-backer drills, which should only help his standing with the team. As for Mendenhall, he showed up at 217 pounds, eight pounds less than his listed weight of 225. Mendenhall said he feels, “light, explosive, quick, just really in good shape.” On a dour note, he has fumbled twice so far in only a handful of practices, reminding us of Tomlin’s ominous quote, “I never have an extremely high tolerance for lack of ball security.” Rookie Jonathan Dwyer hurt his hamstring in the opening practice of camp, but he said he was fine and was seen dressed and ready to practice on Monday.

WR: It was a quiet open to camp for the wideouts. The biggest news was the return of Hines Ward. Ward missed OTAs with a hamstring injury, but said the injury has healed and he’s ready to practice. Ward was held out of Friday’s conditioning test, but it was against his will. “I begged Mike to

let me run the run test,” Ward said. “But he wouldn’t let me do it.” Ward practiced at full speed when camp opened on Saturday. The team had a nervous moment when Mike Wallace came up limping on Saturday, but he was ok. Antwaan Randle-el got some work with the ones while Wallace was briefly out, and he worked in the slot as the #3 when Wallace was in. Wallace also commented that his route running is much better than last year, very important for his transition to a starting receiver.

TE: Only a few nuggets at the TE position from the first weekend of camp: David Johnson had one particularly rough day and struggled at other times, and as mentioned earlier, Heath Miller caught the TD at the end of the masterful hurry-up offense drive led by Roethlisberger.

Defense: 2009 first-round pick Ziggy Hood drew tons of praise for his early camp performance, soundly defeating his opponents in 1-on-1s, making Tomlin say, “What a difference a year makes, right?!” Veteran DE Aaron Smith said, "I think he's going to be something special.” The team sounded excited about the prospect of Hood’s presence keeping everyone fresh for the fourth-quarter, a problem area for the defense last year. Superstar safety Troy Polamalu ran without any sign of knee trouble lingering from the injury that submarined his 2009 campaign. "My knee feels fine, but sometimes when it's a little weaker and you're driving like a race car, then other things start getting nicked here and there," Polamalu said. "Camp's long. You always want to make it out healthy." Rookie OLB Thaddeus Gibson has been a standout in backs-on-backer drills, and is outperforming second-round pick Jason Worilds, who might have suffered a knee injury during Monday’s practice.

Special Teams: Heading into camp, the Steelers are set for the year with the two specialists that use their foot. Kicker Jeff Reed was given the franchise tag for 2010, although he and the team did not subsequently negotiate a new long term deal prior to the deadline. Dan Sepulveda will once again handle punting, as well as serving as the holder on kicks. The question mark for camp is the health of long snapper Greg Warren, who is coming off injured reserve and recovering from his second ACL injury in as many years. As a health insurance policy, Matt Stewart was signed. The former linebacker is looking to extend his football career by transitioning to long snapper.

Steelers Depth ChartQB: Ben Roethlisberger (susp), Byron Leftwich, Dennis Dixon, Charlie BatchRB: Rashard Mendenhall, Mewelde Moore, Jonathan Dwyer, Isaac Redman,Stefan Logan (KR/PR)FB: Carey Davis, Frank Summers, Sean McHugh (inj), Dwayne WrightWR: Hines Ward, Mike Wallace, Antwaan Randle-El, Emmanuel Sanders, Arnaz Battle, Antonio Brown, Tyler Grisham, Limas Sweed (IR)TE: Heath Miller, Matt Spaeth, David JohnsonK: Jeff Reed (UFA-F)NT: Casey Hampton, Chris Hoke DE: Aaron Smith (inj), Evander Hood, Brett Keisel

(inj), Nick Eason, Doug Worthington, Ra'shon HarrisILB: James Farrior, Lawrence Timmons, Keyaron Fox, Larry Foote, Stevenson SylvesterOLB: James Harrison (W), LaMarr Woodley (S), Jason Worilds, Thaddeus Gibson, Andre Frazier, Patrick BaileyCB: Ike Taylor, Bryant McFadden, William Gay (inj), Joe Burnett (KR), Keenan Lewis, Crezdon Butler, Da’Mon Cromartie-SmithS: Troy Polamalu (SS) (inj), Ryan Clark (FS), Will Allen (FS), Ryan Mundy (SS)

St. Louis Rams

QB: The wait is over and Sam Bradford’s contract is out of the way. Bradford signed a six-year deal for $78 million with a reported $50 million in guaranteed money. At Saturday’s practice, Bradford took the field with the second team offense, but he also got in some snaps with the first team as well. "It was great," Bradford said. "I felt very comfortable, more comfortable than I did during OTAs, which is a positive sign after taking four or five weeks off. So I felt like it was a good day today.” By Sunday, Bradford saw a significant amount of reps with the first-team offense. There’s no doubt that the team will give Bradford every opportunity to win the starting job over A.J. Feeley, who for his part reported to camp early to get in some extra reps with the rookies. Keith Null returns, but isn’t even in the conversation.

RB: After sitting out of the team’s minicamp and OTAs in the spring following surgery on his herniated disk, Steven Jackson was nearly a full participant on the first day of training camp practices. Last year, the team was cautious with Jackson during the preseason and Head Coach Steve Spagnuolo signaled that might continue to be the case with Jackson this year. "I don't think that will change," Spagnuolo said. "We'll have him ready for the opening game. We'll be smart about it." Jackson said he felt good, adding, "I've been working really, really hard with my trainer all offseason to make sure that when today came, I'd be ready to practice and be able to pretty much participate in everything." Given Jackson’s back concerns it’s surprising the Rams didn’t address the backup RB situation during the offseason. Rams GM Billy Devaney singled out Chris Ogbonnaya when asked about it. Ogbonnaya appears to have a slight edge over Ken Darby right now, while Keith Totson also looks to get a shot.

WR: Donnie Avery bulked up during the offseason, reporting to camp about 10 pounds heavier than last year. Avery said that he added the weight to help his durability. "I'm trying to get the weight but keep the speed as well," he said. Expect a battle this year in camp as the Rams have a plethora of young receivers competing for action. Laurent Robinson is penciled in as the other starter entering camp, but Danny Amendola will be in the mix (particularly for slot duties) along with rookie Mardy Gilyard and veteran Brandon Gibson. Gibson missed some of the OTAs with a hamstring injury, but is back in action.

TE: In Friday’s practice, Daniel Fells looked like he’s at full speed. He made a sliding catch along the sideline while having his second consecutive productive day. He didn’t appear to be limited after recovering from a knee injury last season. The Rams added a pair of rookies with upside in the draft to push Fells: Fendi Onobun and Michael Hoomanawanui, or “Uh-oh” as he was nicknamed in college. Onobun is a raw athlete that may take time to develop while “Uh-oh” looks like he could be a natural pass catcher, according to Spagnuolo. “My plate is not as full as the other tight ends," Onobun said. "The OTA's really helped and gave me time to work on my craft. But it's time to get up to speed." Not prone to hyperbole, Onobun said after three practices that he feels “more comfortable with the plays.” Spaguolo later added, "We're very hopeful with those two guys, Mike and Fend… They flashed. They do some good things. Like every rookie, they made some mistakes, but up to this point, (tight ends coach) Frank (Leonard), offensive coordinator Pat (Shurmur) and myself have a little bit of excitement about those two guys. We'll see where they go from here." While Fells is the veteran incumbent, it would not be a shocker if either one of the rookies emerged as a starter at some point this season.

Defense: Larry Grant opened camp as the starter at weakside linebacker. Bobby Carpenter was in that spot all through OTAs and minicamps, but the coaches must not have been impressed with him. "Larry will roll in there, and Bobby will," coach Spagnuolo said. "Larry also jumps over to (strong side) linebacker. In this league, those outside linebackers have to be versatile. They’ve got to be able to play both sides." Second-year DT Dorell Scott missed Saturday’s practice after hurting his hamstring during a running test. Safety Darian Stewart was also out with a shoulder injury. Justin King, Bradley Fletcher and Jerome Murphy are competing for the starting job opposite Ron Bartell at corner, and so far, King is in the lead. O.J. Otogwe was cleared medically for the start of training camp after having major surgery in January for his dislocated shoulder and torn labrum. He also had a sports hernia.

Special Teams: The Rams enter training camp with the three starting specialists on the roster. Josh Brown is back again at kicker, but that’s not really news. The team is hoping he’ll see more scoring opportunities in 2010 than he did last year. Donnie Jones is back again at punter, but that’s not really news. The team is hoping he’ll see fewer opportunities in 2010 than he did last year. Chris Massey is back again at long snapper, and that is good news. After missing most of last year with a knee injury, he returned to action during the June OTAs. He’s a vital part of the unit as evidenced by his offseason contract extension of four years and $4 million.

Rams Depth ChartQB: Sam Bradford, A.J. Feeley, Keith Null, Thaddeus LewisRB: Steven Jackson, Chris Ogbonnaya, Kenneth Darby, Keith TostonFB: Mike Karney (inj), Chris Massey (LS)WR: Donnie Avery, Laurent Robinson, Danny Amendola (PR), Mardy Gilyard,Brandon Gibson, Keenan Burton (inj), Brooks Foster (inj), Jordan Kent

TE: Daniel Fells, Fendi Onobun, Billy Bajema, Michael Hoomanawanui, Eric Butler, Darcy JohnsonK: Josh BrownDT: Clifton Ryan (NT), Fred Robbins, Chris Hovan, Darell Scott, Gary GibsonDE: Chris Long, James Hall, Victor Adeyanju, C.J. Ah You (inj), Hall Davis, George Selvie, Eugene Sims, Sean ConoverMLB: James Laurinaitis, David Vobora (S/M/W), Josh HullOLB: Na'il Diggs (S), Larry Grant (W/S), Bobby Carpenter (W), Chris Chamberlain,Dominic DouglasCB: Ronald Bartell, Bradley Fletcher, Justin King, Jerome Murphy, Kevin Dockery,Quincy Butler (inj), Marquis Johnson, Cord Parks (KR/PR)S: Oshiomongo Atogwe (FS), James Butler (SS), Kevin Payne (SS), Craig Dahl (SS), Eric Bassey, David Roach

San Diego Chargers

QB: Philip Rivers got a six-year contract extension before last season, and responded with a career-best 4,254 passing yards and 28 touchdowns to go with just 9 interceptions. His career win-loss record is an impressive 49–22, including a perfect 18–0 in December. With LaDainian Tomlinson in New York, Rivers is the unquestioned leader of the offense. Behind him, Billy Volek is a lock for the number two job; the Chargers consider him among the best backup QBs in the league. Rookie Jonathan Crompton will hold the clipboard. The best scenario for him would be to develop on the bench for a few years and then be traded to a team where he can compete to start — similar to former Chargers QB3 Charlie Whitehurst.

RB: The Chargers ranked last in yards per rush last season, averaging just 3.3 yards per carry. In an effort to turn things around this season, they traded up in the first round to select Ryan Mathews, who averaged 6.1 yards per carry in his career at Fresno State. Mathews will replace LaDainian Tomlinson as the primary running back on first and second downs. In training camp so far, Mathews has impressed onlookers with his vision, speed, power, and cutting ability. Head coach Norv Turner said that Mathews may get about 250 carries and 40 receptions this season, and Chargers beat writer Kevin Acee echoed that the Chargers will likely limit Mathews to about 250 carries. Darren Sproles will reprise his role from last season as the team’s third-down back. Sproles has averaged 4.5 yards on 199 career carries, and is a big-play threat out of the backfield. The Chargers also plan to get Mike Tolbert more carries this season. Tolbert is listed at fullback, but can also play halfback, and is expected to get between 50 and 80 carries in 2010 — substantially more than the 38 carries he’s gotten thus far in his two-year NFL career. Tolbert is 5-foot-9, 243 pounds, and averaged almost 7 yards per carry at tailback his final year at Coastal Carolina. Aside from getting more carries this season, Tolbert will again split lead blocking duties with Jacob Hester — another versatile back who can also play halfback. Hester may make more of an impact on special teams than on offense, however. Behind Mathews and

Sproles, there is an open competition for the third halfback spot. UDFA Shawnbrey McNeal is the early favorite over Marcus Mason and Curtis Brinkley; but whoever wins the job is unlikely to be active on Sundays. McNeal is a small, quick back who is drawing comparisons to Darren Sproles.

WR: Notably absent from training camp is Vincent Jackson. The Chargers’ disgruntled receiver is threatening to hold out the entire season, but could be traded before the October deadline. (The Redskins and Seahawks are reportedly interested.) The Chargers are reluctant to give Jackson the long-term contract he wants, in part because of his off-field issues (two DUIs, and caught driving with a suspended license on his way to the playoff game against the Jets), and in part because ~$50 million is a lot to spend on any wide receiver, no matter how skilled. In Jackson’s absence, Malcom Floyd is expected to be the team’s top wide receiver. In the last ten games of 2009, after moving into the starting lineup in place of Chris Chambers, Floyd caught 36 passes for 589 yards. Over the past two seasons, he has averaged 17.2 yards per catch. He is a big-play receiver with the speed to get deep, and the size and leaping ability to win jump balls. Legedu Naanee is expected to start opposite Floyd, and like Floyd, has an excellent size-speed combination and normally reliable hands. Naanee has 40 receptions so far in his three-year NFL career, and should get another 40+ receptions this season. Former first-round pick Craig “Buster” Davis has struggled through injuries for most of his three-year career, but is healthy now and is once again looking good in training camp. He is the favorite over free-agent acquisition Josh Reed to man the slot position. The fifth WR spot will likely go to an undrafted free agent, with Jeremy Williams the current favorite over Seyi Ajirotutu, Gary Banks, and Ernest Smith. Jeremy Williams is a decent sleeper in dynasty leagues, but likely won’t be active on game days this season even if me makes the final 53-man roster.

TE: Antonio Gates led the Chargers with 79 catches last season, and had a career-best 1,157 yards to go with his 8 touchdowns. He averaged 14.6 yards per catch — tops in the league among tight ends. He was rewarded last week with a contract extension that makes him the highest-paid tight end in the league. Gates played through a foot injury last year, but rested it in the offseason and has felt fine so far in training camp. The Chargers signed free agent Randy McMichael in the offseason. He will likely be the Chargers’ second tight end, with veteran Kris Wilson — primarily a blocker — manning the third TE spot. Rookie seventh-round pick Dedrick Epps is in the mix, but is more realistically a candidate for the practice squad.

Offensive Line: The Chargers’ offensive line struggled to open holes in the running game last season. Injuries were a partial excuse. They were without their starting center (Hardwick), right guard (Vasquez), and right tackle (Clary) for significant periods. They start training camp this year without starting left tackle Marcus McNeill, who is holding out for a long-term contract offer that may or may not be forthcoming. With McNeill absent, Brandyn Dombrowski and free-agent acquisition Tra Thomas will compete to start. Dombrowski is a solid run-blocker who lacks the quickness to be a stellar

pass-blocker. Thomas is 35 years old and moves like it. Neither player has the potential to play at the same level as McNeill.

Defense: The Chargers may not have any top fantasy prospects in their front seven, in part because they will rotate players so heavily that none will get enough snaps to rack up big numbers. They have nine solid (but unspectacular) defensive linemen in camp fighting for seven positions, and whichever seven make the final cut — it really is a wide open competition — all seven should see substantial action on game days. At outside linebacker, Shawne Merriman hasn’t reported to camp yet, but he is expected to show up before the start of the season. He and Shaun Phillips should start, but last year’s first-round pick, Larry English, is expected to play a lot this season. He has been one of the early stars of training camp this year, beating all the left tackles in camp pretty badly (though Marcus McNeill is absent). Inside, Stephen Cooper will start at one spot but will likely rotate with rookie third-round pick Donald Butler, who has proven to be a quick study so far. At the other ILB spot, Kevin Burnett will rotate with Brandon Siler. Burnett is better against the pass (both in coverage and on blitzes) while Siler is stronger against the run. In the secondary, Quentin Jammer will maintain his starting position on one side, while Antoine Cason will take over for Antonio Cromartie (traded to the Jets) on the other side. Cason is expected to be more consistent but less spectacular than Cromartie. At free safety, Eric Weddle has improved during each of the last two seasons, and will be expected to make more big plays this season. At strong safety, Steve Gregory started in the second half of the season last year, and enters training camp as the starter. But rookie fourth-round pick Darrell Stuckey is the favorite to become the starter by week one of the regular season. CB Donald Strickland is off to a strong start in camp, and will likely be the top nickel back. Nathan Vasher has the early edge over Brandon Hughes and Dante Hughes for the fourth CB spot.

Special Teams: Although kicker Nate Kaeding is coming off a stellar 2009 regular season, his 2010 got off to rough start with the three missed FGs in playoff game and then a groin injury. In camp and preseason he’ll want to show that there are no lingering effects from either. Nick Novak was signed to handle spring kicking chores after Kaeding’s injury and remains on the roster heading into camp. Also still on the roster is punter Cort Johnson, who was out of football last year. He noted, "I graduated in 2008, so I put my life on hold turned down some jobs to pursue my dream. I definitely have the heart and determination to do it. It was a great sacrifice to put my life on hold, to train on my own, to spend money of my own -- money that sometimes I didn't have -- just to get noticed." He’ll serve as a camp leg to ease the load on starting punter Mike Scifres. David Binn is the lone long snapper on the roster.

Chargers Depth ChartQB: Philip Rivers, Billy Volek, Jonathan CromptonRB: Ryan Mathews, Darren Sproles (KR/PR), Shawnbrey McNeal, Marcus Mason,Curtis BrinkleyFB: Mike Tolbert, Jacob HesterWR: Vincent Jackson, Malcom Floyd , Legedu

Naanee, Craig Davis, Jeremy Williams, Josh Reed, Seyi Ajirotutu, Gary BanksTE: Antonio Gates, Randy McMichael, Dedrick EppsK: Nate Kaeding, Nick NovakNT: Antonio Garay, Cam Thomas, Ogemdi Nwagbuo (inj), Ryon Bingham (inj)DE: Luis Castillo (inj), Jacques Cesaire, Vaughn Martin, Travis JohnsonILB: Stephen Cooper, Kevin Burnett (inj), Brandon Siler, Donald ButlerOLB: Shawne Merriman (inj), Shaun Phillips (S), Larry English (W), James Holt,Jyles Tucker (inj), Antwan Applewhite (inj)CB: Quentin Jammer, Antoine Cason, Nathan Vasher, Simeon Castille, Donald Strickland, Brandon Hughes (inj)S: Eric Weddle (FS) (inj), Darrell Stuckey (SS), Steve Gregory (FS/SS), Paul Oliver (FS), C.J. Spillman

San Francisco 49ers

QB: Expectations are high for Alex Smith entering training camp. "They say I'm the guy. ... Hey, great," Smith said. "'I'm the guy' doesn't mean anything. I'm going to have to go out there in Game 1 and prove that I'm the guy. And then I'm going to have to go out in Game 2 and prove it again. I'm just at the point where it doesn't mean much to me. This league's not about talk." The 49ers have done enough to surround Smith with the talent needed to succeed; now it’s up to him to come through. Teammates like what they have seen from Smith, too. He has taken control of the huddle, demonstrated leadership and assured Head Coach Mike Singletary that he is ready to make the most of his opportunity. The team hopes so, as David Carr offers little hope as a backup although Nate Davis is an intriguing project entering his second year. So far in camp, Smith and the QBs have focused mostly on the short passing game. On one longer throw, Smith under threw the route and he was picked off by Dashon Goldson. He went 20-of-24 on the drill while Carr finished 7-of-12.

RB: Frank Gore reported to camp at a svelte 215 pounds after going through his tough, annual workouts at Miami’s Tropical Park. Gore’s workout involved tying a truck tire around his waist and running forward, backward and sideways on the park’s hill. If he needed to kick it up a notch, he added weights. Gore looks primed for a big season as the team invested two first round picks in the offensive line and defenses won’t be able to focus on the run with Vernon Davis and Michael Crabtree emerging as big play threats. Fullback Brit Miller will give Moran Norris a run for the starting job this year after learning to play the position just a year ago. Miller’s special teams value will likely earn him a backup spot regardless.

WR: Michael Crabtree feels like a rookie all over again having missed training camp last year. What will he gain from being at camp in his second season? "I think the first thing will be confidence," Mike Singletary said. "I think what he did last

year showed a lot about the kind of talent he is, the kind of mindset that he has. The kid loves football. So what does he gain now? I think he gains a lot of confidence knowing that, 'I don't think I'm supposed to be here, I know I'm supposed to be in this position." Crabtree caught 48 passes for 625 yards and two TDs last year in 11 games without the benefit of camp. With that under his belt and a full offseason to learn the offense, Crabtree has a chance to take a big leap forward this year. Josh Morgan will start opposite him with Ted Ginn getting the first shot in the slot and returning kicks. Jason Hill, rookie Kyle Williams and Brandon Jones will compete for the last spot(s) along with rookie LeRoy Vann, who is more of a return specialist.

TE: Vernon Davis noticed the big contract extension recently signed by the Chargers Antonio Gates, but he’s not overly concerned about it. He still expects to have a long-term deal in place before the regular season begins. Otherwise, he will be entering the final season of his contract. Davis is already a punishing blocker and Pro Bowl player, but he’s looking to improve in at least one key area this year – drops. David caught only 61% of his chances last year, which is on the low side, so he’ll need to improve that to maintain his productivity or perhaps Alex Smith will begin targeting Michael Crabtree more on those key plays. Backup Delanie Walker didn’t drop a pass last year and hopes to increase his production. Lastly, Nate Byham finishes out the group. The team hopes he can fill a blocking role.

Defense: The team had all of its draft picks signed and ready for camp, but the same wasn’t true for holdout NT Aubrayo Franklin. Franklin was tagged as the team’s franchise player during the offseason and he may simply be holding out until the team is done with Singletary’s infamous “Nutcracker” drills. In his second straight contract year, Franklin may not want to risk the added contact or risk injury. Franklin has yet to accept his one-year, $7.003 million franchise tender. Ricky Jean-Francois had used Franklin’s absence to endear himself to the coaching staff as he continued his conversion to nose tackle. Singletary praised two players for their improvement - safety Dashon Goldson and outside linebacker Ahmad Brooks. "I think Dashon has really matured and gained more confidence as he's gotten more comfortable back there," Singletary said. Patrick Willis has embraced his role as a mentor to third-round pick Navorro Bowman. He stayed on the field after practice to work on his pass coverage skills, making sure Bowman did the same. “(Singletary) says all the time that he wants us to help those guys. Players learn better some times when they hear it from another player. If he has questions, I’ll help him.” Manny Lawson reported to camp in "tremendous physical condition" despite skipping the voluntary OTAs over his contract.

Special Teams: While they may not receive as much publicity or money as their counterparts across the Bay, the 49ers specialists are experienced, cohesive, and possibly just as talented. Kicker Joe Nedney did his part to boost publicity during the offseason by beating a robot in a kicking duel. Punter Andy Lee and long snapper Brian Jennings were more low key. Heading into camp there is one other specialist on the roster – kicker Shane Andrus whom the 49ers re-signed during

the offseason. He had been brought in for the final game of 2009 after an injury to Ricky Schmitt, who had been brought in for the next-to-last game after an injury to Nedney. He is expected to serve as a seasoned camp leg rather than as a challenger.

49ers Depth ChartQB: Alex Smith, David Carr, Nate Davis, Jarrett BrownRB: Frank Gore, Glen Coffee, Anthony DixonFB: Moran Norris, Brit Miller, Michael Robinson, Jehuu CaulcrickWR: Michael Crabtree, Josh Morgan, Jason Hill, Ted Ginn (KR/PR), Brandon Jones, Kyle Williams (PR), LeRoy Vann (KR/PR)TE: Vernon Davis, Delanie Walker (KR), Nate ByhamK: Joe Nedney (inj), Shane AndrusNT: Aubrayo Franklin (UFA-F), Ricky Jean FrancoisDE: Justin Smith (W/DE), Isaac Sopoaga (NT), Ray McDonald, Kentwan Balmer (inj), Demetric Evans (inj), Derek WalkerILB: Patrick Willis, Takeo Spikes, Scott McKillop, Navorro Bowman, Matt WilhelmOLB: Manny Lawson, Parys Haralson, Ahmad Brooks, Marques Harris, Travis LaBoyCB: Shawntae Spencer, Nate Clements (FS/CB) (inj), Tarell Brown, Karl Paymah,Will James, Phillip Adams, Patrick StoudamireS: Dashon Goldson (FS), Michael Lewis (SS), Reggie Smith (FS/PR), Taylor Mays (SS), Curtis Taylor (FS) (inj), Lewis Baker

Seattle Seahawks

QB: If there is one thing that could undermine Matt Hasselbeck’s potential bounce back season, it would be the lack of a blind-side protector. Top pick Russell Okung remains a holdout and one of the last of the first round picks to sign. If it weren’t for Okung not being on the field, the Seahawks camp started off well. On the first day of practice, Hasselbeck clearly stood out with his reads and the accuracy of his throws. Charlie Whitehurst has thrown the ball well, but Hasselbeck has a huge advantage with his understanding of the offense. On Sunday, Hasselbeck once again looked sharp. Against the starting defense at the end of practice, he finished the drive with a 25-yard touchdown to Deon Butler, who beat Kelly Jennings along the sidelines. Whitehurst had his moments, too. He threw a strike to TE John Carlson for twenty yards, but unfortunately fumbled the snap on the next play. Whitehurst is clearly getting more reps than J.P. Losman. Offensive coordinator Jeremy Bates plans to employ more bootlegs and has no reservations about Hasselbeck’s ability to run them.

RB: The Seahawks were happy to see Leon Washington participate in the team’s first practice on Saturday. He passed all of his tests during the offseason and remains on track for the season opener. The team will limit him to individual drills at first as the team monitors whether he has regained his

quickness and explosiveness. Washington said it felt good for now just to be back in pads. "I had a lot of juice in me. Just putting the pads on felt a little different because it's been since October since I put them on," he said. "But this was fun. Practice is energized. I can't wait to get that first carry and make things happen." If healthy, Washington will figure heavily in the mix for touches along with Justin Forsett and Julius Jones. Mike Sando reported that Forsett looked like the best of the group to him on the first day of practice. He and Jones are the current front runners, but expect Washington to become a factor. FB Owen Schmitt was sidelined for a few days with an elbow infection.

WR: Deion Branch opened camp opposite T.J. Houshmandzadeh as the team’s starting receivers. Eric Williams, of the Tacoma News Tribune, believes the coaches are deferring to Branch's veteran status because he did nothing in the offseason. Branch at least made a few big plays in practices. He stayed with one ball after it was deflected to match the catch and turn it up field for a long gain. Branch’s surgically repaired knees will be something to watch, but for now, he’s in the driver seat. In Saturday’s practice, both Housh and Branch took the evening off along with Hasselbeck. In Saturday morning’s practice, rookie Golden Tate made the biggest play when he soared up into the air to snare a high pass that was barely out of the Marcus Trufant’s reach. Later in the drills, Tate delivered a brutal block downfield on rookie safety Kam Chancellor. In the same session, Mike Williams made a great catch on a dart from Hasselbeck in the middle of the field. When the team went to three receivers, Tate lined up with Houshmandzadeh and Branch. Tate made several nice catches over the weekend showing his potential as a playmaker. Williams has been a pleasant surprise for the Seahawks so far. Reporting at 233 pounds, Williams passed the conditioning test and has lowered his body fat. He has made an impact in practices, too. After spotting Tate talking to reporters, Williams ran over and jokingly asked Tate to carry his shoulder pads. Everyone enjoyed that one.

TE: There were no nuggets from the Seahawks tight ends, save for John Carlson’s 20-yard catch that was among the practice highlights on Sunday. Chris Baker was signed to add depth behind Carlson while they drafted Anthony McCoy (former USC Trojan) and Jameson Konz.

Defense: On Saturday, LB Aaron Curry laid some of the biggest hits with two of them coming against Justin Forsett. It spurred the first flair-up of camp. On Sunday, the running joke was that Curry was held out of practice because he was hitting his teammates too hard. As it turns out, it may have affected him, too. Will Herring moved onto the first unit alongside Lofa Tatupu and David Hawthorne with Curry sidelined. Leroy Hill continued working with the No. 2 defense. Safety Earl Thomas missed the opening of camp, but after signing his five-year, $21.1 million contract, was immediately inserted into the starting lineup at free safety. David Hawthorne, Chris Clemons and Marcus Trufant all had highlight plays for the defense on Saturday. The defensive line looks different with Red Bryant lining up at defensive end opposite Clemons.

Lawrence Jackson worked with the second team. Lawyer Milloy opened camp as the first-team strong safety.

Special Teams: During the offseason, the Seahawks retained the services of kicker Olindo Mare for another year with their franchise tag. He’s the only kicker on the roster and the only punter is Jon Ryan, who also serves as the holder for Mare on kicks. While those two positions have been and remain stable for the Seahawks, the long snapping position is a different story. Kevin Houser snapped most of last year until suffering a collapsed lung. Jeff Robinson snapped in the final two games, but was not re-signed. Patrick McDonald was added for awhile during the offseason but then released. Former IFL and UFL player Matt Overton was signed, broke his foot and released, but then eventually re-signed. He was almost the only long snapper on the roster heading into camp, however the Seahawks just claimed rookie Clint Gresham off of waivers from the Saints.

Seahawks Depth ChartQB: Matt Hasselbeck, Charlie Whitehurst, Mike Reilly, J.P. LosmanRB: Julius Jones, Justin Forsett (3RB/KR), Leon Washington (3RB/KR), Louis Rankin (KR), Quinton Ganther, Tyler RoehlFB: Owen Schmitt, Ryan PowdrellWR: T.J. Houshmandzadeh (inj), Deion Branch, Golden Tate, Deon Butler, Mike Williams, Ben Obomanu (KR), Ruvell Martin, Mike Hass (inj), Isaiah Stanback,Kole Heckendorf, Patrick Carter, Victor JamesTE: John Carlson, Chris Baker, Anthony McCoy, Cameron Morrah, Michael AllanK: Olindo MareDT: Brandon Mebane, Colin Cole (NT), Kevin Vickerson, Craig TerrillDE: Red Bryant, Chris Clemons, Nick Reed, Lawrence Jackson, Ricky Foley,Dexter Davis, E.J. Wilson, Brandon MillerMLB: Lofa TatupuOLB: Aaron Curry (S/W), David Hawthorne (W/M), Will Herring (S), Leroy Hill (W) (susp), Matt McCoyCB: Marcus Trufant, Josh Wilson (inj), Kelly Jennings, Walter Thurmond, Kennard Cox, Roy LewisS: Earl Thomas (FS), Lawyer Milloy (SS), Jordan Babineaux (SS) , Kam Chancellor, Kevin Ellison, Quinton Teal, Jamar Adams

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

QB: Josh Freeman enters his second season as the team’s unquestioned starter having a full offseason and several starts as a rookie behind him for experience. "I feel really comfortable and I'm getting more reps. It's a little bit different when you're the number-one guy getting the majority of the reps, getting in there with the ones rather than getting maybe two a period like I was last year. I definitely feel like I'm getting more work. I have a lot better understanding of the offense. I'm really excited to see where this thing goes." To

help his cause, the Bucs re-signed LT Donald Penn to a six-year, $43 million contract to lock up his blind-side protector for the next several years. Freeman, and backup Josh Johnson, got off to a rough start in camp as the defense generally was ahead of the offense on the first day. Dropped passes didn’t help, but they were mixed in with poor throws and generally poor play. "You're going to have fumbled snaps, you're going to have nervous jitters, all that stuff," Coach Raheem Morris said. "You want to get angry, and you will. I'll go yell at them when I go talk to those guys. But you expect it. They'll come out and do a great job of correcting it.” On Saturday, the biggest cheer from the crowd came when Johnson hit Michael Clayton on a bomb. Geno Hayes answered for the defense a coupleplays later with a pick over the middle. Finally, a cautionary tale of players leaving school too early. Sadly, Jevan Snead was waived by the team on the even of camp, unable to beat out Rudy Carpenter.

RB: Carnell Williams entered camp as the clear cut starter for the Bucs, but after a couple days of practice, Williams was sidelined as "day to day" with a sprained ankle. Derrick Ward made a flashy entrance to camp that caught everyone’s attention. Ward drove up in a new black Lamborghini – still with a temporary tag – as players reported to camp. Ward said he is thrilled about the upcoming season and happy to be with his teammates. "I'm happier and more excited," Ward said. "I'm coming back with a new mentality this year and it's going to be a fun time at camp starting today," Ward said. "Everybody is excited. It's a new year. We're all 0-0. Everybody is in first place right now so I'm just ready to get back on the field and see what we can do this year." Earnest Graham’s focus this year is to become a Pro Bowl fullback. Graham noted that he’s not playing fullback just to get playing time, adding that he thinks he can be very effective in that role. Expect him to catch the ball and possibly get a few touches near the goal line, too.

WR: Training camp seems to be a tale of two rookies for Mike Williams and Arrelious Benn. As camp opened, Williams was running with the first team a majority of the time at split end. Asked why a rookie is getting so much action with the starters, Coach Morris said, "He’s earned it." Williams was the team’s most explosive receiver during spring drills and probably the best receiver on the team. Bucs GM Mark Dominik said that he’s anxious to see Benn in pads after he was overshadowed in the spring by Williams. Benn is the more physical of the two and known for his ability to break tackles and block. Yet Benn "continues to make you wonder if he will ever impress." Benn and Williams are competing with veterans Reggie Brown and Michael Clayton for starting spots. Sammie Stroughter is thought to have an inside track on the slot receiver role. On Sunday, the offense bounced back when Freeman found Stroughter deep down the middle seam between a pair of defenders for a long gain. In the morning practice both Williams and Benn dropped passes. Freeman couldn't contain a smile when he was asked about Mike Williams’ effort in practice. "A heck of a day," Freeman said. Williams dropped an easy pass, but later made up for it with several acrobatic catches. In his first pro practice with pads, he played with the poise and athleticism that he flashed during OTAs.

TE: Kellen Winslow sat out of practice three straight days before returning Monday afternoon. Heading into camp, Winslow was medically cleared to practice. The Bucs are simply playing it smart with his reps after he had his sixth knee surgery as a pro. "He's going to be able to practice and do everything," said GM Mark Dominik. "We just want to get Kellen to the season and let him go. I know what Kellen can do." The team is taking a similar approach with Jerramy Stevens. "We try to split those guys up, Jerramy and Kellen," Morris explained. "They've both got similar issues, they're both a little older, they're both vets and they both need some rest. We put Jerramy up this morning in the red zone and Kellen will get his work this afternoon. [With Winslow], you're talking about a guy with two or three percent body fat. Conditioning is never a problem. It's all about maintenance, it's all about reps and it's all about his ability to pick up the offense in the classroom."

Defense: The Bucs defense will look much different up front this season with the additions of DT Gerald McCoy with the third overall pick and DT Brian Price with the 35th pick. Both players are signed, in camp and practicing. Price is expected to start at nose tackle while McCoy will be next to him playing the three-technique. When practice began, Price wasted no time making an impact. He repeatedly burst into the backfield and disrupted the offense. "I'm still not 100 percent yet," Price said, "but I did everything without restrictions. I felt good and I made some plays out there. I picked up where I left off, playing the ball I came to play.“ Price likes the potential of playing next to Gerald McCoy. "We've got a chance to be the best tandem in the league," Price said. "The sky's the limit." In Saturday’s practice, DE Kyle Moore was running with the first team at left end while Geno Hayes made the play of the day with an interception for a touchdown.

Special Teams: The Buccaneers selected punter Brent Bowden in the sixth round of this year’s draft. His only competition, veteran punter Sam Paulescu was released several days later. Bowden is also anticipated to serve as the holder on kicks. After going through several kickers during the first half of 2009, Connor Barth secured the job for the second half. He enters 2010 as the favorite for the job, a new scenario for him as he noted, “You've seen what you've had to go through the last two years to put you in the position where you're at now. I'm in a lot better position than I was the last couple years. I'm excited about that, and I'm really excited about helping this team win some games this year.” Nonetheless, he still has competition in camp – undrafted rookie Hunter Lawrence. Andrew Economos is back for his fifth year with the Bucs, and is the only long snapper on the roster.

Buccaneers Depth ChartQB: Josh Freeman, Josh Johnson, Rudy CarpenterRB: Cadillac Williams (inj), Derrick Ward, Clifton Smith (inj), Kareem HugginsFB: Earnest Graham, Chris PressleyWR: Mike Williams, Arrelious Benn, Sammie Stroughter, Michael Clayton, Reggie Brown, Maurice Stovall, Terrence Nunn, Mario Urrutia, Preston Parker, Chris Brooks

TE: Kellen Winslow Jr, Jerramy Stevens, John Gilmore, Jeron Mastrud, Ryan PurvisK: Connor Barth, Hunter LawrenceDT: Gerald McCoy , Brian Price (NT), Roy Miller, Ryan Sims, Dre MooreDE: Stylez White, Kyle Moore, Tim Crowder, Michael Bennett, Erik LorigMLB: Barrett Ruud, Niko Koutouvides, Rod Wilson (inj)OLB: Quincy Black (S), Geno Hayes (W/S), Adam Hayward (S), Cody Grimm,Dekoda Wilson, Jon Alston (S), Rico McCoyCB: Aqib Talib (inj), Ronde Barber, Elbert Mack (inj), Myron Lewis, Torrie Cox, E.J. Biggers, Derrick RobersonS: Sean Jones (SS), Tanard Jackson (FS), Sabby Piscitelli (SS), Corey Lynch,Steve Cargile, De'von Hall, Matt O'Hanlon

Tennessee Titans

QB: Vince Young is taking all of the first team reps and has shown tremendous command of the offense so far. His only mistakes and most interceptions have come during goal line seven-on-seven drills. Kerry Collins is taking snaps with the second team and Chris Simms is working with the third team. Simms is on the roster bubble and currently has a "50/50 shot" to make the team.

RB: The Titans began checking players in for camp last Friday night. Saturday morning began with a conditioning test for all of the non-injured players. Chris Johnson ran his test later in the day, due to having "his times a little messed up...he had the schedule a little off.." according to Head Coach Jeff Fisher. As expected, Johnson passed the test with flying colors and was on the field right away. After the first practice Coach Fisher said of Johnson, "He looked good, real good...as fast as I remember." Johnson has told reporters that his goals for the season include winning the MVP award and overtaking Eric Dickerson's single-season rushing record.

WR/TE: The most interesting development of the early practices for the Titans was the use of tight end Jared Cook as a split end in a number of offensive sets. Said Coach Fisher, "we're trying him in different spots, seeing what works best with him." Fantasy owners, however, know that this could be the beginning of Cook (who has physical talents akin to Vernon Davis in terms of size and speed) getting in position to be a fantasy force. We'll be watching his development for you throughout training camp. Receiver Kenny Britt, from whom big things are expected, had a mixed couple of days to start camp. Coach Fisher said that he was working hard and clearly looked better then at OTAs. That said, Britt dropped at least two catchable balls and was outshone by a number of other receivers in early drills.

Defense: The Titans signed first round pick Derrick Morgan (the 16th overall selection) on Saturday to a five-year deal. Morgan actually signed his contract in the Titans dining room

and said, "I'm ready to get started. I know what they have on the table and I know what I have to do." Unfortunately, Morgan has been limited in practice due to "an ongoing calf issue.” He had it before he left OTAs. “We just backed him down (because) he isn't 100%" said Coach Fisher. Tennessee gave away Keith Bulluck's number 53 to Rennie Curran. Curran had requested the number as it is the inverse of the 35 he wore in college. Coach Fisher said, "Well, it's no big deal. We try to have our linebackers in the 50's and Keith isn't here anymore." Long-time Titan Keith Bulluck, to whom Fisher was referring, signed with the New York Giants last week as an unrestricted free agent. The Titans are thin at cornerback necessitating the move of safety Vincent Fuller to corner for early practices. Coach Fisher said that Fuller was only getting reps at cornerback to help the team and that "his value was at safety" and there was no threat in him being asked to change positions. Fisher said that Courtland Finnegan was entrenched as one starting corner and that "hopefully we'll get one or two other starters out of the group working with him." The Titans are hoping Tye Hill, who is currently unable to practice, will be a contributor early on at cornerback.

The Titans practiced with pads for the first time on Sunday but will not have a full pad, full contact practice until Wednesday. Coach Fisher said that the idea was to let the players get their legs about them and "spend more time with their coaches, more time in the installation meetings and less time in the training room. We have a long way to go before we are game ready." The Titans begin the preseason on August 14th with a game at Qwest Field against the Seattle Seahawks.

Special Teams: The offseason retirement of long time punter Craig Hentrich created a specialist job opening. Brett Kern is the favorite to win the job, and has even been working on adding Hentrich’s infamous knuckleball to his repertoire. Although Ricky Schmitt is more of a camp leg at both punter and kicker, he’s also challenging Kern for the punting job. Special teams coordinator Alan Lowry discussed the primary camp objective for kicker Rob Bironas, “The biggest thing is not his field goals, but last year his kickoffs fell off a little bit. So that will be the biggest deal, not his field goals. And we've already talked about that. I think he'll make some improvement in that area.” Ken Amato returns for his eighth season as the Titans long snapper.

Titans Depth ChartQB: Vince Young, Kerry Collins, Chris Simms, Rusty SmithRB: Chris Johnson (3RB), Javon Ringer (KR), Alvin Pearman (PR), LeGarrette Blount, Stafon JohnsonFB: Ahmard Hall, Willie RoseWR: Nate Washington, Justin Gage, Kenny Britt (KR), Lavelle Hawkins, Damian Williams (KR/PR), Dominique Edison, Paul Williams, Marc Mariani (KR), Phillip Morris, Bobby SewallTE: Bo Scaife, Jared Cook, Craig Stevens, Sean Ryan, Steve PfahlerK: Rob Bironas, Ricky SchmittDT: Tony Brown, Jovan Haye, Jason Jones (inj), Sen'Derrick Marks, Kareem Brown, David Howard, Joe Joseph

DE: William Hayes, Jacob Ford, Dave Ball, Jason Babin, Derrick Morgan, Erik Bakhtiari, Marcus HowardMLB: Stephen Tulloch, Mike Rivera, Ken Amato (LS)OLB: Will Witherspoon (W/S), David Thornton (S), Gerald McRath (S) (susp), Colin Allred, Rennie Curran, Jamie Winborn, Stanford Keglar (W), Patrick TrahanCB: Cortland Finnegan (PR), Ryan Mouton, Jason McCourty, Alterraun Verner, Tye Hill, Rod HoodS: Michael Griffin (FS), Chris Hope (SS), Vincent Fuller (FS), Robert Johnson,Myron Rolle, Donnie Nickey, Nick Schommer, Robert Johnson

Washington Redskins

QB: The Redskins embark on a new era as Mike Shanahan takes the helm of his first training camp in D.C. Redskins fans are hoping that he’ll have the same success with new QB Donovan McNabb that he had with John Elway in Denver at a similar point in his career. No real surprises in the first few days as McNabb took snaps with the 1s, Rex Grossman ran the 2s and Richard Bartel and Colt Brennan split time with the other units. The Redkins the proceeded to trade for John Beck and waive Colt Brennan. This sets up a battle between Beck (from Baltimore) and Bartel for the QB3 job, who according to Shanahan, will be on the active roster during the season. "Yes, I think it is good to have three quarterbacks if you feel that guy deserves to be on your football team," Shanahan said. "Number one, you never have enough quarterbacks and if you lose somebody, it’s hard to find a person that can come in and run your system.”

RB: Fantasy owners are hungry for any insight into the RB competition, and so far, the results have been encouraging if you’re a Redskins fan, but probably not what you wanted to see if you’re a fantasy owner. Clinton Portis has run with the first team most of the week and looks fit and explosive. On Saturday, he outran uber-athletic Brian Orakpo and looked like the Portis of old. But Portis isn’t the only RB looking ready to contend for a big workload, as Larry Johnson – a favorite of Shanahan’s when they were both in the AFC West – has run with power and intensity from the opening snap of camp. Willie Parker is no bet to make the final roster, so don’t risk a pick on him unless he really lights it up in the coming weeks.

WR: Santana Moss is the one constant in this corps, and didn’t make a ton of big plays in Week One but was on the field and looking every bit the top option. The fact 38-year old Joey Galloway lined up with the first unit to open camp is a tell-tale sign of the Herculean improvement Malcolm Kelly and Devin Thomas have to make in order to be worthwhile as players or fantasy commodities. Kelly missed time this week with a hamstring injury – shocking, I realize. Thomas seemed off at the start of the week but admittedly showed more consistency over the weekend. On Sunday, Thomas grabbed a ball in spite of triple coverage and ran it into the end zone. As for Galloway, it’s hard to imagine he’ll really have significant

playing time once the games matter. He’s caught a combined 20 passes over the last two seasons in Tampa Bay and New England. The real dark horse in this race is Roydell Williams, who has done everything right so far in camp. If he continues at this pace, he’ll deserve a roster spot more than Thomas or Kelly, if you can believe that.

TE: All eyes will be on Chris Cooley, returning from a season-ending injury, and his backup Fred Davis. Both are talents and could quite possibly be the two best receivers on the team at any position. Cooley has been full go in practice but told reporters on Saturday that he is disappointed in his efforts thus far. "I put a lot of pressure on myself. I honestly believe that I'm my biggest critic. I will go in there right now and watch that whole practice. I'm really not happy with the way I practiced today. There's always stuff that I feel like I could do better. But I think this offense is going to give me every opportunity to make big plays and most importantly just to help our team." Fred Davis has looked smooth, fit and has built a quick chemistry with McNabb. Believe it or not, 3rd string TE Lee Vickers has also been a standout. Perhaps the TEs stand out more because the WR corps is so pedestrian, but either way all three of these guys look like key contributors.

Defense: The story of the first few days of camp revolved around disgruntled DT Albert Haynesworth, who showed up to camp saying all the right things after a contentious offseason. Unfortunately he failed to pass Mike Shanahan’s fitness test on consecutive days, and then swelling in his knee kept him out of practice (and attempting the fitness test) through the week’s end. Whether this is yet another tug of war between the coach and player remains to be seen, but so far there’s simply not much to say about how this situation will ultimately unfold. At cornerback, Phillip Buchanon and Justin Tryon both opened some eyes this week as they contend for the nickel back role. LaRon Landry appears ready to embrace the role of defensive leader, as he’s been eye-opening at times in early practice, including a leaping Pick 6 interception return on Sunday. On Saturday, starting corner DeAngelo Hall intercepted Donovan McNabb for his own Pick 6. The defense has had the better of the offense in the early going.

Special Teams: Head coach Mike Shanahan recently commented on two of his specialists, "I was impressed by Graham. He's done a great job since I've been here. It's always nice to see him. It's not a live situation when you have a full rush, but the timing was there. Really, the only one or two he missed were poor snaps. Hopefully we can just keep getting better in that area." That’s good news for Graham Gano, who has been the only kicker on the roster since the team released Justin Medlock in June. That’s not-so-good early news for long snapper Nick Sundberg, who was signed to replace the not re-signed Ethan Albright. Special teams coordinator Danny Smith commented on punter/holder Josh Bidwell, “He’s a professional.  He’s a sturdy guy with a powerful leg and I think he’s gonna do a good job for us.  He’s done this before and he knows his job is to get us good field position and put the ball down the field wherever we need it to be.”

Redskins Depth ChartQB: Donovan McNabb, Rex Grossman, Richard

Bartel, Colt Brennan (inj)RB: Clinton Portis, Larry Johnson, Ryan Torain, Willie Parker, Keiland WilliamsFB: Mike Sellers, Dennis MorrisWR: Santana Moss (PR), Devin Thomas, Malcolm Kelly, Joey Galloway, Roydell Williams, Terrence Austin, Bobby Wade, Anthony Armstrong, Brandon Banks,Shay HodgeTE: Chris Cooley (inj), Fred Davis, Lee VickersK: Graham GanoNT: Maake Kemoeatu (inj), Kedric Golston, Anthony Bryant, Howard GreenDE: Albert Haynesworth (NT), Philip Daniels, Adam Carriker (inj), Jeremy Jarmon,Vonnie Holliday, Rob Jackson, Antoine Holmes, Darrion ScottILB: London Fletcher, Rocky McIntosh (inj), H.B. Blades, Perry Riley, Chris Draft,Robert Henson, Darrel YoungOLB: Brian Orakpo (S/DE), Andre Carter, Chris Wilson (S/DE), Lorenzo Alexander,Alvin Bowen, Curtis GatewoodCB: Carlos Rogers, DeAngelo Hall (inj), Justin Tryon, Phillip Buchanon, Kevin Barnes, Byron Westbrook, Ramzee Robinson, Marcus McCauley, Doug DutchS: Laron Landry (FS), Reed Doughty (SS) (inj), Chris Horton (SS) (inj), Kareem Moore (FS), Lendy Holmes