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Training Camp Update
Volume 10, Issue 1 – 8/12/15
We say it all the time because it's true: Things change fast in the NFL. And they never change faster than they do in August. And nobody covers those changes and team situations more comprehensively than Footballguys.com. Our Training Camp Updates come out once a week in August and our staff covers everything you need to know about every NFL team. This is the deep stuff that gives you an edge. We're not going to rave that Andrew Luck and Le’Veon Bell are great. You know that.
Read our weekly updates to get the inside scoop on how the Jets running backs are practicing and which player is the best bet for your draft. Or the Colts WR corps. Or which Minnesota receivers are shining in practice. It's the kind of information that will put you over the edge and on the way to dominating your draft.
Happy reading and let's have a great 2015 season,
Joe Bryant and David Dodds
Owners, Footballguys.com
Arizona Cardinals
QB: Carson Palmer hasn't been fully involved in his return from a torn ACL, but he has looked good in what he has done. He is moving well while wearing a knee support. Palmer even survived an inadvertent hit from one of his offensive linemen when defensive back Tyrann Mathieu was a bit more aggressive than he intended. Drew Stanton has also been given time off during the early stages of camp, a sign that he is firmly established as the team's primary backup. The Cardinals released Chandler Harnish a few days into camp, but that wasn't a sign of confidence in Logan Thomas. Thomas is still competing for the third quarterback spot, although he appears to be a step ahead of Phillip Sims so far. Reports of Sims performances have all been positive, but only relative to modest expectations.
RB: The most significant development of training camp so far for the running backs didn't have anything to do with what happened on the field. Andre Ellington received a vote of confidence from Head Coach Bruce Arians. Arians said he wants to get Ellington up to 20 touches per game. It's not a good sign that Ellington has already had to deal with a hamstring injury, a struggle that rookie David Johnson has shared. Hamstrings are somewhat of an epidemic for the Cardinals at this point, with Marion Grice also befallen by one. Ellington and Johnson's absences have given Stepfan Taylor greater opportunity to solidify his roster spot. Taylor isn't old but he's one of the Cardinals’ most experienced backs. Nobody is questioning the talent of running back Kerwynn Williams, but he needs to prove his consistency to be relied upon; he’s been fumblingearly in training camp.
WR:All the excitement this offseason has been about John Brown. Brown's impressive displays have pushed the optimism for Michael Floyd to the side. That optimism disappeared completely when Floyd went down with a significant injury during the first week of training camp; dislocating three fingers and requiring surgery. Floyd's absence moves Jaron Brown into the team's three receiver sets. Jaron had struggled early in camp, but a few spectacular plays towards the end of the first week helped alter the mood around him. Arians touched on that specifically, “He caught everybody's attention with that catch, so he put a little more money back in the bank because he withdrew a bunch. Finally nice to see him make a deposit." Floyd's injury has only served to highlight the quality of the Cardinals depth at receiver. Rookie J.J. Nelson has impressed early and appears to have already solidifiedthe fifth spot on the depth chart.
TE: It's not easy to stand out as a tight end in Bruce Arians’ offense at the best of times, training camp is no exception. Jermaine Gresham was signed to add a veteran presence and likely starter. However, both Gresham and second-year player Troy Niklas missed much of the first week of training camp with injuries. Darren Fells appears to be the only player capable of breaking up the Niklas-Gresham combination; he has been the best,active tight end in camp.
Defense: The biggest change for the defense this year is on the sideline, as James Bettcher replaces Todd Bowles. Early reviews have been universally positive. It won't be a surprise to anyone who watched him in college, but Markus Golden has stood out early in camp. Golden's athleticism is what attracted the Cardinals, and it’s showing. Looking good in early camp doesn’t necessarily mean much in September, but it's helping earn him opportunities. Bettcher has highlighted his motor, “He’s playing phenomenally hard, working his tail off to learn the system.” Bettcher also pointed out that he has a tough job ahead of him to learn the Cardinals defense. Golden is a rookie, but he and second-year player Kareem Martin are in similar situations as athletes trying to prove their technique. Martin has stood out with some impressive plays, but questions remain if he and Golden are just feasting on second-tier offensive linemen.
PK:Arians has increased trust in kicker Chandler Catanzaro entering his second year and should allow him to try more field goals from 50+ yards because he doesn’t fear hurting the kicker’s confidence. Arians didn’t take as many chances from distance last year because of the team’s strong defense and Catanzaro’s inexperience. Catanzaro said, “That’s something I’m definitely ready for and feel confident about.”
Cardinals Depth Chart
QB:Carson Palmer,Drew Stanton,Logan Thomas
RB:Andre Ellington,David Johnson (inj),Kerwynn Williams,Stepfan Taylor,Marion Grice
FB:Robert Hughes
WR:Larry Fitzgerald,Michael Floyd (inj),John Brown (KR),Jaron Brown,J.J. Nelson,Brittan Golden,Ryan Spadola,Travis Harvey,Jaxon Shipley,Nathan Slaughter
TE:Darren Fells,Troy Niklas,Jermaine Gresham,Ifeanyi Momah,Gerald Christian,Ted Bolser
LT:Jared Veldheer,Tavon Rooks
LG:Mike Iupati,Anthony Steen
C:AQ Shipley,Ted Larsen
RG:Jonathan Cooper,Earl Watford,Antoine McClain
RT:DJ Humphries,Bobby Massie,Bradley Sowell,Cameron Bradfield
K:Chandler Catanzaro
NT:Alameda Ta′amu,Corey Peters
DE:Calais Campbell,Cory Redding,Matt Shaughnessy,Frostee Rucker,Rodney Gunter,Ed Stinson
ILB:Sean Weatherspoon,Kevin Minter,Glenn Carson,Darryl Sharpton,Kenny Demens,Daryl Washington (susp)
OLB:Alex Okafor,LaMarr Woodley,Lorenzo Alexander,Markus Golden,Kareem Martin,Shaq Riddick
CB:Patrick Peterson (PR),Jerraud Powers,Justin Bethel,Shaquille Richardson,Damond Smith,Jimmy Legree
S:Tyrann Mathieu (FS),Tony Jefferson (SS),Deone Bucannon (SS),Rashad Johnson (FS),Chris Clemons(FS),D.J. Campbell(SS)
Atlanta Falcons
QB: The Atlanta offense looked good during the annual "Friday Night Lights" scrimmage in Buford. "There were definitely some big plays by the offense that we’re real proud off," said new head coach Dan Quinn. Also on Friday, new offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan commented on Ryan, "(Ryan is) not going to be running 4.4 down the sidelines and breaking people off, but he's very quick in the pocket, especially for how tall and lanky he is... That's a good combination because he can see over the line of scrimmage, keep his eyes down the field and he still has the athletic ability that if he’s in trouble he has a chance to still make a play... “He’s always been good at throwing on the run."
RB: Starting running back Devonta Freeman suffered a hamstring strain midweek and will miss “a few weeks.” That’s a shame because Freeman looked sharp in red zone drills prior to the injury; he also caught the ball well. Coach Quinn did not provide a timetable for Freeman's return, "Hopefully, for him, it's a quick turnaround.He's such a passionate competitor. You can see how disappointed he was not to be able to finish today. So hopefully, we'll get him back out here soon. He is an absolute competitor. Just every day, he brings it. And he stands for a lot of the stuff I love about our team: attitude, intensity, toughness and wanting to compete."
The Falcons also are without vaunted rookie Tevin Coleman. Coleman also has a hamstring strain and has been out since last Tuesday. Before the hamstring injury, Coleman had mostly worked with the second-team offense. His injury – like Freeman’s – is considered week-to-week.
Undrafted rookie Terron Ward has gotten first-team reps in their stead, and he’s made the most of his opportunity. Veteran Antone Smith and second-year pro Jerome Smith are also taking first-team snaps right now. "It will be a unique opportunity to get some of the guys some more turns," Quinn said. "Hopefully the other guys will be back quickly, too. But I love the group - I really do in terms of the attitude they're trying to establish. It's unfortunate, but at the same time, the next guy is up." Antone Smith is well along in his recovery from last year's broken leg, "I'm right where I need to be at this time right now." Smith had a long-gainer during the annual Friday Night Lights event; he hasn’t lost his explosiveness. "It was great to see Tone really coming to life,” Quinn said. “For him to have an injury, to come back and battle like he did in rehab, I feel thrilled for him tonight.” Michael Ford (out of football last year after being with the Bears in 2013) has been signed as a camp body while Freeman and Coleman rehab.
WR: Julio Jones has been lining all over the field in early camp, highlighting his versatility and prominent role in the newly installed offense. He has lost five pounds since the start of training camp and believes he “has another gear," as a result. Team owner Arthur Blank proclaimed Jones would be a Falcons' "lifer" as the team and Jones' representatives work on a new contract. Leonard Hankerson has impressed: "I think it’s the length, he’s got such a big catching radius," Coach Quinn said last week. "You’ve probably seen some of the sideline plays, he’s got such a knack for keeping it in bounds and going to stretch for the ball, so that’s probably one of the biggest things that stand out for me with Hankerson." Roddy White had his knee drained prior to the Falcon's June minicamp and expects the knee to be drained again during the 2015 season, but doesn’t see it impacting his play. Rookie Justin Hardy missed practice last Thursday due to a stomach illness. Nick Williams made a nice catch while sliding out of bounds on the last play of Thursday's practice. During Friday's scrimmage in Buford, Hardy came up with a big touchdown catch on a bomb from quarterback T.J. Yates.
TE: Matt Ryan and Jacob Tamme are still working on their chemistry. Ryan reportedly threw the ball behind Tamme during Thursday's practice. Meanwhile, Levine Toilolo made some impressive catches and earned praised from the coaches on his continued improvement as a blocker.
Defense: Defensive end Vic Beasley was held out of Thursday’s practice due to a stomach illness. During Thursday's one-on-one passing drills, there were three straight pass interference penalties committed by Jonathon Mincy, Terrell Floyd and Ricardo Allen. After practice, Quinn highlighted the safeties' play, “William Moore has been off to a terrific start inside. Rico Allen is somebody that we’re still excited about.” Regarding the corners, Quinn said, “Outside, we’ve got some taller and longer guys. We are trying to see what Jalen (Collins) can do. We are trying to see what Dez (Southward) can do. They didn’t play a lot for us in the spring. That competition is there and then who’s going to move inside to play nickel. As we are getting started, the competition there is real."
Falcons Depth Chart
QB:Matt Ryan,T.J. Yates,Sean Renfree
RB:Devonta Freeman (3RB) (inj),Tevin Coleman (inj),Antone Smith,Terron Ward,Jerome Smith,Ronnie Wingo
FB:Patrick DiMarco,Colin Mooney
WR:Julio Jones,Roddy White,Leonard Hankerson,Justin Hardy,Devin Hester (PR),Eric Weems (KR),Bernard Reedy,Freddie Martino,Carlton Mitchell,Nick Williams
TE:Jacob Tamme,Levine Toilolo,Tony Moeaki,Mickey Schuler
LT:Jake Matthews,Lamar Holmes,Sam Baker
LG:Chris Chester,Mike Person,Harland Gunn
C:Joe Hawley,James Stone,Valerian Ume-Ezeoke
RG:Jon Asamoah,Peter Konz,Jared Smith
RT:Ryan Schraeder,Tyler Polumbus,Jake Rogers,
K:Matt Bryant
DT:Paul Soliai,Jonathan Babineaux,Ra′Shede Hageman,Grady Jarrett,Ricky Havili-Heimuli,Cliff Matthews
DE:Kroy Biermann,Tyson Jackson,Vic Beasley,O′Brien Schofield,Adrian Clayborn,Malliciah Goodman,Stansly Maponga
MLB:Paul Worrilow,Allen Bradford,Nathan Stupar
OLB:Brooks Reed (S),Justin Durant,Joplo Bartu (S),Marquis Spruill (W),Tyler Starr (S),Jacques Smith(S)
CB:Desmond Trufant,Robert Alford,Jalen Collins,Phillip Adams,Dezmen Southward,Jordan Mabin,Kevin White
S:Kemal Ishmael (FS),William Moore (SS),Charles Godfrey (SS),Ricardo Allen,Akeem King,Brandon Bishop(FS),Sean Baker(FS), Damien Parms
Baltimore Ravens
QB: Because of his consistency, it can be easy to overlook the fact that Joe Flacco is on his fourth offensive coordinator in as many years. This year, Marc Trestman comes to town with his pass-heavy scheme and history of involving running backs in the passing game. This fits with Flacco’s history, as he has one of the best deep ball arms in the game and often utilized Ray Rice as a receiving weapon early in his career. Flacco has improved nearly every season (his lackluster 2013 excepted), and there’s no reason to think that a new coordinator will hinder that.After having Tyrod Taylor in town as a promising backup, Baltimore let him go and brought in veteran Matt Schaub to back up Flacco. Schaub has already struggled in camp, throwing multiple interceptions. Flacco has never missed a game in his career, and Baltimore certainly hopes that continues. They would be significantly hampered with Schaub starting.
RB: Justin Forsett, previously a veteran journeyman, burst onto the scene last year with 1,266 rushing yards in relief of Ray Rice after Rice’s legal issues and release. This season, Forsett enters as the unquestioned starter, a role he has never had entering any of his previous seven NFL seasons. Forsett’s skill set aligns well with Trestman’s offensive scheme. Doubling last year’s 44 receptions isn’t out of the question. In fact, Forsett caught a long fade route up the seam in a practice last week.Second-year player Lorenzo Taliaferro and rookie Javorius “Buck” Allen will likely split backup duties behind Forsett. Taliaferro is a bigger runner who isn’t very creative in his style. Allen is a great receiver out of the backfield and displayed excellent pass-blocking skills in college at Southern California. Allen performed very well in a practice at M&T Bank Stadium in front of the fans. He looks to be a fit for the zone blocking scheme.
WR: The pass-catchers are the biggest group to watch for Baltimore. Veteran Steve Smith Jr. is the only proven commodity at wide receiver; and per his announcement on Monday, this will be his final NFL season. It’s unclear who will join Smith as a starter. In contention are first-round pick Breshad Perriman, Kamar Aiken, and Marlon Brown. Both Perriman and Brown have been hampered by injuries. Regardless of who wins the job, there will be opportunity to produce in Trestman’s high-volume passing game and with a seasoned veteran like Joe Flacco throwing passes. Perriman seems to have a grasp on the responsibility that comes with being a first-round pick and has worked on his conditioning and fundamentals in the offseason.Second-year player Michael Campanaro will help in the slot, while size/speed freak Darren Waller and veteran deep-ball specialist Aldrick Robinson are likely to be on the wrong side of the roster bubble.
TE:Second-year player Crockett Gillmore and rookie second-round pick Maxx Williams will battle to be yet another starting pass-catcher who lacks experience. Gillmore is more of a block-first player, while Williams showed the ability in college to be a playmaker. Some of that ability was on display in a practice last week. While rookie tight ends tend to struggle in the NFL, a quick read between the lines suggests that Baltimore is ready to utilize Williams. Gillmore bulked up to 275 pounds in the offseason, suggesting he’ll be used more as a blocker. Williams, however, has admitted to difficulty grasping the playbook. The tight ends aren’t likely to make a huge impact in the passing game.