Lots of stuff these days with training camps in full swing.
- [Bills DE/OLBs IK] Enemkpali and [Eric] Striker have gotten first-team reps with both Shaq Lawson and Manny Lawson out with injuries. The longer those two are out, the stronger the case will be for Striker – an undrafted free agent – to stick. He had a sack during the scrimmage. The coaching staff has settled on playing him outside after trying him out inside, too. Enemkpali is getting a big opportunity, but hasn't stood out.
- [Pats DE/OLB Geneo] Grissom Shines in Scrimmage, Helps Own Cause: While much of the talk of the Blue-White Scrimmage on Friday centered around, and rightfully so, the play of Tom Brady, Geneo Grissom had a very solid day. The second-year defensive end has been mentioned as a player that will have to contribute on STs to make the roster in 2016. He did just that on Friday.
Grissom set the tone of the session right from the opening kickoff. Flying down the field, he absolutely de-cleated V’Angelo Bentley with a thunderous hit that could be heard all over the practice fields.
After the Blue team scored on their first possession, he made the tackle again on Bentley, albeit with a little less force than the first one. I’m sure that the coaches explained to him to throttle it back just a tad. Later in the session, after the White team had kicked a field goal, they tried a squib kick. Grissom alertly picked it up and showing some nice agility, returned it to near midfield. That set the stage for Brady to throw a bomb on first down deep down the left sideline to Matthew Slater for a touchdown.
He flashed a couple of times on defense as well, showing a nice pass rush from the edge. With the defensive end position jam packed with depth, one way to stand out is having special teams’ versatility. Grissom did nothing to hurt his chances with his performance on Friday morning.
- Miami released its first [RB] depth chart of camp, and it’s [Jay] Ajayi listed atop the list. [Arian] Foster is No. 2, followed by Damien Williams. Rookie Kenyan Drake is listed among “other” with Daniel Thomas and Isaiah Pead. [OUB: Kenny Stills was listed as a starter at WR, while Jordan Phillips was listed as 2nd team DT after Earl Mitchell.]
- A battle that intrigues me in Miami Dolphins is the Defensive Tackle position. Here Jordan Phillips is battling incumbent starter Earl Mitchell for the honor of playing next to Ndamukong Suh, in the middle of the D-Line.
This battle is a battle of youth vs experience. The question is whether the young, talented Phillips can be consistent enough to take the starting job he was drafted for last year. So far reports have neither player asserting himself, so Mitchell may have a slight edge by default, for now.
- Jordan Phillips still fighting for starting job as Dolphins defensive tackle
Max Bultman
South Florida Sun Sentinel
August 5, 2016
After looking like a starter at defensive tackle through offseason workouts, Jordan Phillips' reps with the first team have dipped in training camp.
In his place, Earl Mitchell seems to have surged ahead in the competition to start alongside Ndamukong Suh on the interior of the Dolphins' defensive line.
Phillips, a 2015 second-round pick out of Oklahoma, was plagued by questions about his motor through his rookie season. Working often with the first team in minicamp and organized team activities, he looked to have remedied those concerns, but now he finds himself back fighting for the starting spot.
"I've improved a little bit," Phillips said after practice Friday morning. "Still not where I need to be." While Phillips conceded that the veteran Mitchell is ahead of him at the moment, defensive line coach Terrell Williams cautioned against reading too much into who will start.
"They're both gonna play," Williams said. "Earl, Suh and Jordan, we're gonna rely heavily on those guys, along with some other guys. But on the defensive line, I think sometimes you look and see who goes out with the starters, and it doesn't really matter. Because, [when I was] in Oakland, we had guys who didn't start that played more than the starters."
If inconsistent energy is indeed the problem for Phillips, his coach's words may not turn out to be reassuring. But plenty of time remains for him to prove himself in training camp and preseason games.
Last season, Phillips started four of the 15 games he played in and finished with 14 tackles and two sacks. As a second-round draft choice, the Dolphins will be looking for more out of Phillips in 2016.
"I'm not down on Jordan, but I want Jordan to grow and become the player we think he can be," defensive coordinator Vance Joseph said. "And that's why he's being pushed a little bit." Joseph echoed Williams in downplaying the significance of starters at a position where rotation and depth are so important. He said Phillips' issues of taking plays off have come back from time to time, but he does not believe they were haunting Phillips.
If that's true, Mitchell's surge in first-team reps might say as much as about himself as they do about Phillips.
In 2015, Mitchell started all 12 games he played in but had no sacks among his 14 tackles. Those numbers don't suggest he was the disruptive force the Dolphins would like in the middle next to Suh, but the seventh-year pro does have a decided edge in experience.
Phillips, for his part, is listed at 6 feet 6, 335 lbs., giving him the capacity to eat more space than just about anyone on the defensive line, including Mitchell (6-3, 310).
As the Dolphins transition to a wide-nine defensive front, Phillips' size and skill could prove valuable, as long as they can count on his effort. On Friday, Joseph said he thought Phillips and Mitchell were both working hard.
With Suh sitting out Friday, resting his back, Phillips took increased reps against the first-team offense, work that is key to his continued growth. But with Mitchell seeing more of those opportunities early in camp, Phillips still has ground to make up.
"I think [Williams] and [senior defensive assistant/pass rush specialist Jim Washburn] put out who they think deserved that day," head coach Adam Gase said Thursday. "Whoever they feel like deserves that spot to start, that's who they put out there. They're not taking any guff from anybody. They go off performance, so if a guy's not in that first group, then they felt differently about it.
Asked what the coaches had communicated to him in terms of ways to catch up, Phillips' answer was simple.
"I've just gotta come off the ball harder," he said. "That's pretty much it."
- [Steelers QB] Landry Jones worked in individual drills today and seemed to move around just fine. Wasn’t in team drill but he looks a whole heck of a lot better than he did limping off the field 24 hours ago.
- Landry Jones put on a good showing in the two-minute drill session. He went 5 for 6 with two connections to Jesse James and Eli Rogers respectively. His final completion was a six-yard touchdown to Brown as time expired.
- On Tuesday, the [Jags'] starting offense ran the two-minute drill for the first time in camp. Bortles completed four straight passes to cross midfield before the defense bowed up – Aaron Colvin broke up a pass on third down and Prince Amukamara (against Allen Hurns) didn’t give an inch on fourth down.
- Maybe it’s just the Broncos’ pass rushers, but projected starting right tackle Donald Stephenson had a rough day Friday. During team drills, outside linebackers Von Miller and Shaquil Barrett had their way with him, using power and speed moves to get to the quarterback.
Stephenson hasn’t been a full-time starter in his career, mostly because of injuries, but he hasn’t had the best camp. The Broncos need him to produce. Michael Schofield appears to be the first reserve off the bench. [OUB: Other commentators disagreed and said he had a bad day in an otherwise solid camp. They say he may be the least of the OL's worries right now.]
- Right now, [Cowboys DE Mike] McAdoo is outplaying the rookie and my pet cat Charles Tapper, that's enough to at least give him a shot to win your hearts and minds.
- New York Giants WR Sterling Shepard continues to make ‘play after play,’ and doing so while playing with the first team. It’s ‘clear’ he’s going to be a big part of the club’s offense with his ability to make tough, contested catches.
- How are the Philadelphia Eagles quarterbacks faring during training camp? Here's an evaluation from Monday’s practice at the NovaCare Complex:
After a rough day Sunday, the Eagles quarterbacks bounced back Monday. In the last practice before Thursday’s preseason opener, it was also clear that coach Doug Pederson is shifting gears. Sam Bradford and Chase Daniel got more work than rookie Carson Wentz, something Pederson said would happen as the regular season drew nearer.
Sam Bradford: Up
Wow moment: Bradford completed all six passes he threw during the first period of Monday’s practice, signaling it would be a better day. His most eye-catching throw was a deep pass to Josh Huff that went for a touchdown. Huff was covered by cornerback Randall Evans, but Bradford’s throw gave him room to make the catch in stride.
Whoa moment: During one full-team drill, Bradford threw a Hail Mary into the end zone. The ball arced high in the air, allowing a group of players to gather under it. One of the wide receivers had a chance, but the ball fell harmlessly to the ground. It wasn’t a bad throw, but the line of scrimmage was only at about the 20-yard line. Bradford could have made a standard throw and had a pretty good chance of scoring.
- After a horrendous day on Sunday morning, Sam Bradford really rebounded. He was the best quarterback on the field Monday, which has been the case for most of training camp. He hit a few deep balls to Nelson Agholor, Zach Ertz and Chris Givens.
- Q. What's the thinking behind not having T Lane Johnson taking snaps at left tackle?
[Eagles HEAD] COACH PEDERSON: Well, we just want to make sure Lane is comfortable at the right [tackle] spot. The other thing, with the tackles we have, [G/T Matt] Tobin has done a nice job filling in over there. [We are] just giving him that opportunity there, as well. I think Tobin's having a great camp [and] really has stepped in. So we haven't felt the need, offensively, to move Lane over there at this time.
Q. So right now, if you had to fill that left tackle spot in the regular season, the plan would be to go with Tobin instead of switching Lane Johnson over?
COACH PEDERSON: I think so. There’s a bunch of combinations. It's hard to exactly predict what would happen scenario-wise. Yeah, there's opportunities for Lane to come over. Tobin could go over to the right side. You have [G/T] Allen Barbre that can jump out there. You got [G/T] Dennis Kelly that could switch. There's a bunch of scenarios. I can't get into the 'what ifs' at this time. But what you're seeing right now has worked extremely well through camp.
- Redskins LT Trent Williams back in practice, but still sore: "It's called getting old"
By JP Finlay August 07, 2016 4:14 PM
RICHMOND - When Trent Williams didn't dress for Redskins practice last Thursday, nobody blinked. After four straight Pro Bowl seasons, the veteran left tackle has earned a few extra rest days.
When Williams again didn't practice on Friday, a few eyebrows raised, but, given that it's August at training camp, few thought too much of it.
So on Sunday, after a Saturday off, when Williams walked out to the practice field dressed but hardly took any reps beyond a few individual drills, it was time to ask some questions. Asked how he felt, Williams joked back, "I'm walking."
"I dont know," Williams said, asked if there was any specific injury. "It's called getting old."
At 28, Williams is hardly old, but in the NFL, his six seasons in the trenches make him a grizzled veteran. While it's nlikely Williams would play Thursday in the Redskins preseason opener, Williams allowed that is the coaching staff's call.
"We’ll gradually progress him until he’s ready to roll, which is very, very close," Washington coach Jay Gruden said after Sunday's practice.
Leaving the field, Williams walked gingerly and it looked like his full right leg was wrapped up.
"I'm just taking it easy," he said. "A little soreness here or there and coaches are taking care of me."
– Punter Tress Way was booming kicks all day long, hitting huge distances with good hang time and pretty good location that was often forcing the returners to back up to field the kick. He finished last season with a top-10 punting grade at PFF, and has back-to-back fine seasons to his name. He’s somebody that probably deserves a little more recognition, because as Rich Eisen says, “Punters are people too.”
--Tress Way shows no signs of losing strength in his punts any time soon, as he continued to boom punt after punt down the field on Sunday. The fans in attendance were awestruck by how perfect the spirals are on his kicks, too.
- The Lions have been pretty consistent with their first-team offensive line: Decker at left tackle, Tomlinson at left guard, Swanson at center, Warford at right guard and Reiff at right tackle. The second-team line hasn't changed much, either, from left to right: Cornelius Lucas, Joe Dahl, Gabe Ikard, Geoff Schwartz, Michael Ola. Teams typically keep nine offensive linemen, sometimes 10, and third-round pick Graham Glasgow has a roster spot sewn up, so one or more of that group could find themselves out on the street after exhibition play. Glasgow lost his lone rep of one-on-ones when Louis Palmer ran by him for a would-be sack.
- [Lions rookie OC Graham] Glasgow really struggling. He’s exceptionally tall for a center at 6’6”, and Walker and others took advantage of his lack of natural leverage inside. Glasgow has been largely working behind Gabe Ikard at center, both behind Travis Swanson (who was decent today). I was hoping this was Coach Caldwell sending a message that the rookie must earn his role over the underwhelming Ikard, but he legitimately looked in way over his head. If you were expecting him to start Week One in Indy, you need to rethink that.
- Rookie Graham Glasgow got in more work with the second unit today. He opened camp repping mostly on the third team, behind Travis Swanson and Gabe Ikard, but he's been ahead of Ikard for a couple days now.
- Second-year [Packers] fullback Aaron Ripkowski will assume Kuhn's starting job. Ripkowski was a sixth-round pick last year. Speaking with media earlier this week, new running backs coach Ben Sirmans said Kuhn's influence helped Ripkowski.
"It seems like he learned a lot from Kuhn," Sirmans said, "and was a guy that he kind of measured and saw the right things that Kuhn was doing. So he would know what to do when his name was called, and obviously, it’s really called upon right now in the role that he’s going to have. And everything that I’ve seen so far with him, I’ve been pretty pleased with."
- Green Bay Packers: It’s time for Aaron Ripkowski
by Freddie Boston 2 days ago
With John Kuhn’s departure confirmed, all eyes are on Aaron Ripkowski.
Any hopes of Kuhn reuniting with the Green Bay Packers were squashed with the fullback signing a one-year deal with the New Orleans Saints.
Yet the Packers had already moved on from their longtime fullback. Aaron Ripkowski was largely a non-factor as a rookie, but his time has come.
The apt-named fullback is largely an unknown to fans, with just one reception to his name in 2015. He was on the field for 1.6 percent of the Packers’ offensive snaps last season according to Football Outsiders, but head coach Mike McCarthy has evidently seen enough to kickstart the transition to youth.
Lambeau Field will be without its fan favorite for the first time since 2006, a tough act to follow. Yet it’s not Kuhn’s popularity Ripkowski must replicate, or even his play from a physical standpoint. What made Kuhn so special was his mind.
A knowledge of the Packers offense only championed by Aaron Rodgers and an ability to quickly diagnose plays and pickup blitzers ensured the fullback position didn’t die out in Green Bay. His understanding of the scheme and clockwork synchronization with his quarterback is what made Kuhn one of offense’s the unsung heroes.
Any drop-off at the fullback position won’t come from a lack physical talent.
At 6-foot-1, 257 pounds, Ripkowski has a slightly bigger frame than Kuhn. He left Oklahoma praised for his run blocking and violent hitting. As we saw briefly in Carolina, he’s a bulldozer with the ball in his hands.
Ripkowski can take over the sporadic ball-carrying duties if required. He touched the ball 13 times from scrimmage with the Sooners in 2014, adding 51 yards and four touchdowns.
Kuhn was a reliable short-yardage running back during his nine-year stay in Green Bay, with 75 of his 196 carries going for either a first down or touchdown.
What Ripkowski must prove now is he can translate his college success into reliability for the Packers. His usage will be limited—Kuhn played on just 26.6 percent of offensive snaps last term—but he needs to execute assignments in a similar manner to his predecessor.
The key is to show mental processing ability Kuhn regularly displayed. New running backs coach Ben Sirmans believes the second-year man is ready to make the leap.
“He’s really shown from a mental standpoint, it’s something he’s ready to handle,” Sirmans told Packers.com. “Sometimes those guys have to be some of the smartest guys on your offense in understanding protections, who they have on runs, adjustments.”
The simple fact Kuhn wasn’t even a training camp body suggests Ripkowski is ready.
Re-signing the veteran would have cost spare change relative to the ever-inflating salary cap. The Packers’ decision to favor young blood wasn’t a financial one; Ripkowski is deemed the better player at this stage of their respective careers.
Roster spots are like gold dust, and keeping two fullbacks on the books is deemed too much of a luxury. Kuhn’s spot may be required to maintain a seventh wide receiver or an additional offensive lineman. Training camp will answer those questions.
The Packers have long made their decision at fullback, but Kuhn’s move to New Orleans confirmed what we already knew.
It’s Ripkowski’s time.
- Veteran [Falcons OG] Chris Chester is listed as the current starter, whereas many thought Mike Person would be the front-runner. Rookie Wes Schweitzer isn’t even listed on the right side - he’s listed as the backup to LG Andy Levitre. This will be a position to pay attention to in the coming weeks, as it’s still likely to change a good bit before the season gets here.
- [Panthers] Offensive tackle Daryl Williams later earned praise by locking up defensive end Ryan Delaire with sound technique.
- Two [Panthers] rookies went head to head when wide receiver Keyarris Garrett was targeted in the far corner against cornerback Zack Sanchez, who was able to disrupt the timing and force an incompletion.
- Rookie Zack Sanchez will also see a lot of action. His understanding of schemes and offensive looks will be key for Sanchez to succeed in the nickel. The preseason experience for the three corners is something that will be key in determining if Carolina’s defense will find success early in the season.
- [Bucs] Backup linebacker will be a heated competition -- draft pick Devante Bond, rookie Luke Rhodes and veteran Adarius Glanton are the current second-string three, ahead of returning linebackers Josh Keyes and Jeremiah George and rookie Micah Awe, who got a shoutout from Mike Smith on Saturday.
- At safety, something to watch. The [Cards'] starters are the injured Tyrann Mathieu, and he is backed up by Tony Jefferson. The strong safety starter right now is listed as D.J. Swearinger, ahead of Tyvon Branch. Before the offseason, you would’ve thought Branch or Jefferson would be penciled in there, but it is Swearinger right now. As much as the Cards have had to figure out their cornerback situation, their safety spot — especially with rookie Marqui Christian making strides — is pretty strong. There might have to be a tough choice made there too, especially once Mathieu is considered healthy.
- Highlights of [49ers QB Blaine] Gabbert’s day included a deep completion to WR Dres Anderson over CB Kenneth Acker, and a perfectly-thrown corner route to TE Blake Bell to beat LB Gerald Hodges for a 20-yard touchdown.
- DiAndre Campbell had his most productive day catching multiple passes. Tight ends Blake Bell and Garrett Celek also made key catches in the team session.
- QB Colin Kaepernick. Completed 7 of 9 passes, including the deep pass to Ellington, as well as one to tight end Blake Bell. Bell beat nickel back Will Redmond with a post route.
- TE Blake Bell. Made four catches, including a touchdown catch over inside linebacker Gerald Hodges, a complete a stiff in coverage.
- [Bills DE/OLBs IK] Enemkpali and [Eric] Striker have gotten first-team reps with both Shaq Lawson and Manny Lawson out with injuries. The longer those two are out, the stronger the case will be for Striker – an undrafted free agent – to stick. He had a sack during the scrimmage. The coaching staff has settled on playing him outside after trying him out inside, too. Enemkpali is getting a big opportunity, but hasn't stood out.
- [Pats DE/OLB Geneo] Grissom Shines in Scrimmage, Helps Own Cause: While much of the talk of the Blue-White Scrimmage on Friday centered around, and rightfully so, the play of Tom Brady, Geneo Grissom had a very solid day. The second-year defensive end has been mentioned as a player that will have to contribute on STs to make the roster in 2016. He did just that on Friday.
Grissom set the tone of the session right from the opening kickoff. Flying down the field, he absolutely de-cleated V’Angelo Bentley with a thunderous hit that could be heard all over the practice fields.
After the Blue team scored on their first possession, he made the tackle again on Bentley, albeit with a little less force than the first one. I’m sure that the coaches explained to him to throttle it back just a tad. Later in the session, after the White team had kicked a field goal, they tried a squib kick. Grissom alertly picked it up and showing some nice agility, returned it to near midfield. That set the stage for Brady to throw a bomb on first down deep down the left sideline to Matthew Slater for a touchdown.
He flashed a couple of times on defense as well, showing a nice pass rush from the edge. With the defensive end position jam packed with depth, one way to stand out is having special teams’ versatility. Grissom did nothing to hurt his chances with his performance on Friday morning.
- Miami released its first [RB] depth chart of camp, and it’s [Jay] Ajayi listed atop the list. [Arian] Foster is No. 2, followed by Damien Williams. Rookie Kenyan Drake is listed among “other” with Daniel Thomas and Isaiah Pead. [OUB: Kenny Stills was listed as a starter at WR, while Jordan Phillips was listed as 2nd team DT after Earl Mitchell.]
- A battle that intrigues me in Miami Dolphins is the Defensive Tackle position. Here Jordan Phillips is battling incumbent starter Earl Mitchell for the honor of playing next to Ndamukong Suh, in the middle of the D-Line.
This battle is a battle of youth vs experience. The question is whether the young, talented Phillips can be consistent enough to take the starting job he was drafted for last year. So far reports have neither player asserting himself, so Mitchell may have a slight edge by default, for now.
- Jordan Phillips still fighting for starting job as Dolphins defensive tackle
Max Bultman
South Florida Sun Sentinel
August 5, 2016
After looking like a starter at defensive tackle through offseason workouts, Jordan Phillips' reps with the first team have dipped in training camp.
In his place, Earl Mitchell seems to have surged ahead in the competition to start alongside Ndamukong Suh on the interior of the Dolphins' defensive line.
Phillips, a 2015 second-round pick out of Oklahoma, was plagued by questions about his motor through his rookie season. Working often with the first team in minicamp and organized team activities, he looked to have remedied those concerns, but now he finds himself back fighting for the starting spot.
"I've improved a little bit," Phillips said after practice Friday morning. "Still not where I need to be." While Phillips conceded that the veteran Mitchell is ahead of him at the moment, defensive line coach Terrell Williams cautioned against reading too much into who will start.
"They're both gonna play," Williams said. "Earl, Suh and Jordan, we're gonna rely heavily on those guys, along with some other guys. But on the defensive line, I think sometimes you look and see who goes out with the starters, and it doesn't really matter. Because, [when I was] in Oakland, we had guys who didn't start that played more than the starters."
If inconsistent energy is indeed the problem for Phillips, his coach's words may not turn out to be reassuring. But plenty of time remains for him to prove himself in training camp and preseason games.
Last season, Phillips started four of the 15 games he played in and finished with 14 tackles and two sacks. As a second-round draft choice, the Dolphins will be looking for more out of Phillips in 2016.
"I'm not down on Jordan, but I want Jordan to grow and become the player we think he can be," defensive coordinator Vance Joseph said. "And that's why he's being pushed a little bit." Joseph echoed Williams in downplaying the significance of starters at a position where rotation and depth are so important. He said Phillips' issues of taking plays off have come back from time to time, but he does not believe they were haunting Phillips.
If that's true, Mitchell's surge in first-team reps might say as much as about himself as they do about Phillips.
In 2015, Mitchell started all 12 games he played in but had no sacks among his 14 tackles. Those numbers don't suggest he was the disruptive force the Dolphins would like in the middle next to Suh, but the seventh-year pro does have a decided edge in experience.
Phillips, for his part, is listed at 6 feet 6, 335 lbs., giving him the capacity to eat more space than just about anyone on the defensive line, including Mitchell (6-3, 310).
As the Dolphins transition to a wide-nine defensive front, Phillips' size and skill could prove valuable, as long as they can count on his effort. On Friday, Joseph said he thought Phillips and Mitchell were both working hard.
With Suh sitting out Friday, resting his back, Phillips took increased reps against the first-team offense, work that is key to his continued growth. But with Mitchell seeing more of those opportunities early in camp, Phillips still has ground to make up.
"I think [Williams] and [senior defensive assistant/pass rush specialist Jim Washburn] put out who they think deserved that day," head coach Adam Gase said Thursday. "Whoever they feel like deserves that spot to start, that's who they put out there. They're not taking any guff from anybody. They go off performance, so if a guy's not in that first group, then they felt differently about it.
Asked what the coaches had communicated to him in terms of ways to catch up, Phillips' answer was simple.
"I've just gotta come off the ball harder," he said. "That's pretty much it."
- [Steelers QB] Landry Jones worked in individual drills today and seemed to move around just fine. Wasn’t in team drill but he looks a whole heck of a lot better than he did limping off the field 24 hours ago.
- Landry Jones put on a good showing in the two-minute drill session. He went 5 for 6 with two connections to Jesse James and Eli Rogers respectively. His final completion was a six-yard touchdown to Brown as time expired.
- On Tuesday, the [Jags'] starting offense ran the two-minute drill for the first time in camp. Bortles completed four straight passes to cross midfield before the defense bowed up – Aaron Colvin broke up a pass on third down and Prince Amukamara (against Allen Hurns) didn’t give an inch on fourth down.
- Maybe it’s just the Broncos’ pass rushers, but projected starting right tackle Donald Stephenson had a rough day Friday. During team drills, outside linebackers Von Miller and Shaquil Barrett had their way with him, using power and speed moves to get to the quarterback.
Stephenson hasn’t been a full-time starter in his career, mostly because of injuries, but he hasn’t had the best camp. The Broncos need him to produce. Michael Schofield appears to be the first reserve off the bench. [OUB: Other commentators disagreed and said he had a bad day in an otherwise solid camp. They say he may be the least of the OL's worries right now.]
- Right now, [Cowboys DE Mike] McAdoo is outplaying the rookie and my pet cat Charles Tapper, that's enough to at least give him a shot to win your hearts and minds.
- New York Giants WR Sterling Shepard continues to make ‘play after play,’ and doing so while playing with the first team. It’s ‘clear’ he’s going to be a big part of the club’s offense with his ability to make tough, contested catches.
- How are the Philadelphia Eagles quarterbacks faring during training camp? Here's an evaluation from Monday’s practice at the NovaCare Complex:
After a rough day Sunday, the Eagles quarterbacks bounced back Monday. In the last practice before Thursday’s preseason opener, it was also clear that coach Doug Pederson is shifting gears. Sam Bradford and Chase Daniel got more work than rookie Carson Wentz, something Pederson said would happen as the regular season drew nearer.
Sam Bradford: Up
Wow moment: Bradford completed all six passes he threw during the first period of Monday’s practice, signaling it would be a better day. His most eye-catching throw was a deep pass to Josh Huff that went for a touchdown. Huff was covered by cornerback Randall Evans, but Bradford’s throw gave him room to make the catch in stride.
Whoa moment: During one full-team drill, Bradford threw a Hail Mary into the end zone. The ball arced high in the air, allowing a group of players to gather under it. One of the wide receivers had a chance, but the ball fell harmlessly to the ground. It wasn’t a bad throw, but the line of scrimmage was only at about the 20-yard line. Bradford could have made a standard throw and had a pretty good chance of scoring.
- After a horrendous day on Sunday morning, Sam Bradford really rebounded. He was the best quarterback on the field Monday, which has been the case for most of training camp. He hit a few deep balls to Nelson Agholor, Zach Ertz and Chris Givens.
- Q. What's the thinking behind not having T Lane Johnson taking snaps at left tackle?
[Eagles HEAD] COACH PEDERSON: Well, we just want to make sure Lane is comfortable at the right [tackle] spot. The other thing, with the tackles we have, [G/T Matt] Tobin has done a nice job filling in over there. [We are] just giving him that opportunity there, as well. I think Tobin's having a great camp [and] really has stepped in. So we haven't felt the need, offensively, to move Lane over there at this time.
Q. So right now, if you had to fill that left tackle spot in the regular season, the plan would be to go with Tobin instead of switching Lane Johnson over?
COACH PEDERSON: I think so. There’s a bunch of combinations. It's hard to exactly predict what would happen scenario-wise. Yeah, there's opportunities for Lane to come over. Tobin could go over to the right side. You have [G/T] Allen Barbre that can jump out there. You got [G/T] Dennis Kelly that could switch. There's a bunch of scenarios. I can't get into the 'what ifs' at this time. But what you're seeing right now has worked extremely well through camp.
- Redskins LT Trent Williams back in practice, but still sore: "It's called getting old"
By JP Finlay August 07, 2016 4:14 PM
RICHMOND - When Trent Williams didn't dress for Redskins practice last Thursday, nobody blinked. After four straight Pro Bowl seasons, the veteran left tackle has earned a few extra rest days.
When Williams again didn't practice on Friday, a few eyebrows raised, but, given that it's August at training camp, few thought too much of it.
So on Sunday, after a Saturday off, when Williams walked out to the practice field dressed but hardly took any reps beyond a few individual drills, it was time to ask some questions. Asked how he felt, Williams joked back, "I'm walking."
"I dont know," Williams said, asked if there was any specific injury. "It's called getting old."
At 28, Williams is hardly old, but in the NFL, his six seasons in the trenches make him a grizzled veteran. While it's nlikely Williams would play Thursday in the Redskins preseason opener, Williams allowed that is the coaching staff's call.
"We’ll gradually progress him until he’s ready to roll, which is very, very close," Washington coach Jay Gruden said after Sunday's practice.
Leaving the field, Williams walked gingerly and it looked like his full right leg was wrapped up.
"I'm just taking it easy," he said. "A little soreness here or there and coaches are taking care of me."
– Punter Tress Way was booming kicks all day long, hitting huge distances with good hang time and pretty good location that was often forcing the returners to back up to field the kick. He finished last season with a top-10 punting grade at PFF, and has back-to-back fine seasons to his name. He’s somebody that probably deserves a little more recognition, because as Rich Eisen says, “Punters are people too.”
--Tress Way shows no signs of losing strength in his punts any time soon, as he continued to boom punt after punt down the field on Sunday. The fans in attendance were awestruck by how perfect the spirals are on his kicks, too.
- The Lions have been pretty consistent with their first-team offensive line: Decker at left tackle, Tomlinson at left guard, Swanson at center, Warford at right guard and Reiff at right tackle. The second-team line hasn't changed much, either, from left to right: Cornelius Lucas, Joe Dahl, Gabe Ikard, Geoff Schwartz, Michael Ola. Teams typically keep nine offensive linemen, sometimes 10, and third-round pick Graham Glasgow has a roster spot sewn up, so one or more of that group could find themselves out on the street after exhibition play. Glasgow lost his lone rep of one-on-ones when Louis Palmer ran by him for a would-be sack.
- [Lions rookie OC Graham] Glasgow really struggling. He’s exceptionally tall for a center at 6’6”, and Walker and others took advantage of his lack of natural leverage inside. Glasgow has been largely working behind Gabe Ikard at center, both behind Travis Swanson (who was decent today). I was hoping this was Coach Caldwell sending a message that the rookie must earn his role over the underwhelming Ikard, but he legitimately looked in way over his head. If you were expecting him to start Week One in Indy, you need to rethink that.
- Rookie Graham Glasgow got in more work with the second unit today. He opened camp repping mostly on the third team, behind Travis Swanson and Gabe Ikard, but he's been ahead of Ikard for a couple days now.
- Second-year [Packers] fullback Aaron Ripkowski will assume Kuhn's starting job. Ripkowski was a sixth-round pick last year. Speaking with media earlier this week, new running backs coach Ben Sirmans said Kuhn's influence helped Ripkowski.
"It seems like he learned a lot from Kuhn," Sirmans said, "and was a guy that he kind of measured and saw the right things that Kuhn was doing. So he would know what to do when his name was called, and obviously, it’s really called upon right now in the role that he’s going to have. And everything that I’ve seen so far with him, I’ve been pretty pleased with."
- Green Bay Packers: It’s time for Aaron Ripkowski
by Freddie Boston 2 days ago
With John Kuhn’s departure confirmed, all eyes are on Aaron Ripkowski.
Any hopes of Kuhn reuniting with the Green Bay Packers were squashed with the fullback signing a one-year deal with the New Orleans Saints.
Yet the Packers had already moved on from their longtime fullback. Aaron Ripkowski was largely a non-factor as a rookie, but his time has come.
The apt-named fullback is largely an unknown to fans, with just one reception to his name in 2015. He was on the field for 1.6 percent of the Packers’ offensive snaps last season according to Football Outsiders, but head coach Mike McCarthy has evidently seen enough to kickstart the transition to youth.
Lambeau Field will be without its fan favorite for the first time since 2006, a tough act to follow. Yet it’s not Kuhn’s popularity Ripkowski must replicate, or even his play from a physical standpoint. What made Kuhn so special was his mind.
A knowledge of the Packers offense only championed by Aaron Rodgers and an ability to quickly diagnose plays and pickup blitzers ensured the fullback position didn’t die out in Green Bay. His understanding of the scheme and clockwork synchronization with his quarterback is what made Kuhn one of offense’s the unsung heroes.
Any drop-off at the fullback position won’t come from a lack physical talent.
At 6-foot-1, 257 pounds, Ripkowski has a slightly bigger frame than Kuhn. He left Oklahoma praised for his run blocking and violent hitting. As we saw briefly in Carolina, he’s a bulldozer with the ball in his hands.
Ripkowski can take over the sporadic ball-carrying duties if required. He touched the ball 13 times from scrimmage with the Sooners in 2014, adding 51 yards and four touchdowns.
Kuhn was a reliable short-yardage running back during his nine-year stay in Green Bay, with 75 of his 196 carries going for either a first down or touchdown.
What Ripkowski must prove now is he can translate his college success into reliability for the Packers. His usage will be limited—Kuhn played on just 26.6 percent of offensive snaps last term—but he needs to execute assignments in a similar manner to his predecessor.
The key is to show mental processing ability Kuhn regularly displayed. New running backs coach Ben Sirmans believes the second-year man is ready to make the leap.
“He’s really shown from a mental standpoint, it’s something he’s ready to handle,” Sirmans told Packers.com. “Sometimes those guys have to be some of the smartest guys on your offense in understanding protections, who they have on runs, adjustments.”
The simple fact Kuhn wasn’t even a training camp body suggests Ripkowski is ready.
Re-signing the veteran would have cost spare change relative to the ever-inflating salary cap. The Packers’ decision to favor young blood wasn’t a financial one; Ripkowski is deemed the better player at this stage of their respective careers.
Roster spots are like gold dust, and keeping two fullbacks on the books is deemed too much of a luxury. Kuhn’s spot may be required to maintain a seventh wide receiver or an additional offensive lineman. Training camp will answer those questions.
The Packers have long made their decision at fullback, but Kuhn’s move to New Orleans confirmed what we already knew.
It’s Ripkowski’s time.
- Veteran [Falcons OG] Chris Chester is listed as the current starter, whereas many thought Mike Person would be the front-runner. Rookie Wes Schweitzer isn’t even listed on the right side - he’s listed as the backup to LG Andy Levitre. This will be a position to pay attention to in the coming weeks, as it’s still likely to change a good bit before the season gets here.
- [Panthers] Offensive tackle Daryl Williams later earned praise by locking up defensive end Ryan Delaire with sound technique.
- Two [Panthers] rookies went head to head when wide receiver Keyarris Garrett was targeted in the far corner against cornerback Zack Sanchez, who was able to disrupt the timing and force an incompletion.
- Rookie Zack Sanchez will also see a lot of action. His understanding of schemes and offensive looks will be key for Sanchez to succeed in the nickel. The preseason experience for the three corners is something that will be key in determining if Carolina’s defense will find success early in the season.
- [Bucs] Backup linebacker will be a heated competition -- draft pick Devante Bond, rookie Luke Rhodes and veteran Adarius Glanton are the current second-string three, ahead of returning linebackers Josh Keyes and Jeremiah George and rookie Micah Awe, who got a shoutout from Mike Smith on Saturday.
- At safety, something to watch. The [Cards'] starters are the injured Tyrann Mathieu, and he is backed up by Tony Jefferson. The strong safety starter right now is listed as D.J. Swearinger, ahead of Tyvon Branch. Before the offseason, you would’ve thought Branch or Jefferson would be penciled in there, but it is Swearinger right now. As much as the Cards have had to figure out their cornerback situation, their safety spot — especially with rookie Marqui Christian making strides — is pretty strong. There might have to be a tough choice made there too, especially once Mathieu is considered healthy.
- Highlights of [49ers QB Blaine] Gabbert’s day included a deep completion to WR Dres Anderson over CB Kenneth Acker, and a perfectly-thrown corner route to TE Blake Bell to beat LB Gerald Hodges for a 20-yard touchdown.
- DiAndre Campbell had his most productive day catching multiple passes. Tight ends Blake Bell and Garrett Celek also made key catches in the team session.
- QB Colin Kaepernick. Completed 7 of 9 passes, including the deep pass to Ellington, as well as one to tight end Blake Bell. Bell beat nickel back Will Redmond with a post route.
- TE Blake Bell. Made four catches, including a touchdown catch over inside linebacker Gerald Hodges, a complete a stiff in coverage.
