NFL Training Camp Update - Monday, 8/2/2021
NFL Training Camp Update - Monday, 8/2/2021
Training Camp Notes
Jets: I like this quote by Jets rookie cornerback Jason Pinnock: “I’m a person that lives where my feet are.”
Packers: More quotes, this one from receiver Marques Valdes-Scantling: “Who cares about the past? It’s all about what’s next,” Valdes-Scantling said following the team’s fourth practice of camp. “I think that’s just something that losers do, is think about whatever you did in the past.”
Seahawks: What does Gabe Jackson like to do with goals and dreams? Not “throw them” that’s for sure: “Oh, man. I don’t like to throw my dreams and goals out there, but hopefully one day you see it and I see it,” Jackson said.
Jackson also says he pays no attention to media, giving him yet another reason to be beloved.
Raiders: Fifth round rookie CB Nate Hobbs has been pushing for a starting role in the slot. Everyone in Vegas also seems to be very excited about Gus Bradley as the new defensive coordinator.
Dolphins: Jaylen Waddle is still recovering from the ankle injury he suffered in 2020 but nothing that is expected to stop him from starting in Week 1. Linebacker Brennan Scarlett has stood out, and this is another shoutout for receiver Robert Foster.
Cardinals: Jordan Hicks doesn’t seem to want to be there, but the new league rules forcing teams to fine players $50,000 per day for holding out seems to be working. Hicks wants to be traded but he’s reluctantly accepting a mentor role until Zaven Collins or Isaiah Simmons need a replacement.
49ers: Kyle Shanahan called receiver Jalen Hurd a possible “X factor” at slot.
Patriots: No coach likes a reclamation project more than Bill Belichick and his latest is linebacker Raekwon McMillan, who he apparently likes so far.
Panthers: WR Omar Bayless was a standout in camp last year and is doing it again this year.
Saints: CB Ken Crawley, WR Deonte Harris, S CJ Gardner-Johnson may be players to monitor.
Jets: Rookie guard Alijah Vera-Tucker seems like a good player to have in camp.
Browns: Second-year UDFA CORNERBACK A.J. Green could make the final 53-man roster. Also, David Njoku has the early track at being TE1 over Austin Hooper.
Eagles: Rookie wideout DeVonta Smith will be out 2-3 weeks.
Bills: Early returns on Gregory Rosseau and Carlos Basham are good.
Lions: Jonah Jackson was a third round pick in 2020 and he started all 16 games at left guard as a rookie. Dan Campbell is impressed with Jackson and the team thinks he’s a long-term piece for the franchise. Cornerback Amani Orukwariye has been called out by Campbell for positive reasons too.
Ravens: Miles Boykin apparently is NOT standing out. In previous reports, we know that James Proche has impressed at camp. With Marquise Brown, Sammy Watkins, and Rashod Bateman locked in for receiver jobs, and Devin Duvernay and Tylan Wallace nearly locked in, does Baltimore manage to pull off trading one of their receivers to another team? It could be Boykin has some value remaining, two years after being a third round pick.
Writer Pet Peeve of the Day: Hyperbole. “Lance showed no signs of being a rookie.” Oh, sure he did. That’s not true. I’m sure he had at least one sign of being a rookie.
49ers: OL Jaylon Moore, CB Deommodore Lenoir may be standing out so far among SF rookies.
Lions: WR Victor Bolden is making a case for the 53.
Cowboys: Guard Connor Williams is taking some reps at center.
Packers: Yet another wide receiver “stand out” in training camp and this time it is Juwann Winfree.
The 6'3" -215 pound Winfree was a sixth-round pick by Denver in the 2019 NFL Draft out of Colorado, where he appeared in 15 games and hauled in 649 yards with four touchdowns. He saw 10 offensive snaps with Denver in 2019 and spent a majority of the 2020 season on the Green Bay Packers practice squad--although he was on the field for four offensive snaps.
While, of course, mini-camp needs to be taken with a grain of salt, Winfree was one of the standout performers. Two of Winfree's big plays came on a 50-yard touchdown pass from Kurt Benkert and then another 30-yard touchdown reception on a deep corner route from Jordan Love. ESPN's Rob Demovsky would say that Winfree "found ways to get open often." Meanwhile, Matt Schneidman of The Athletic mentioned that Winfree "stood out on offense."
With four training camp practices in the books, Winfree continues to separate himself. Each practice, he continues to haul in several receptions, with a few of them being for big plays, and he's also earned some first-team reps with Aaron Rodgers as well. Wes Hodkiewicz of Packers.com summed up Winfree's early performance quite well by saying that he just "keeps making plays."
Steelers: TE Zach Gentry came into camp in improved shape and could win the number three job.
Chargers: Rookie OT Rayshawn Slater is apparently killing it.
Colts: LB Kemoko Turay is doing well. Turay has missed most of the last two years.
Patriots: Mac Jones had his best practice on Monday.
Packers: Devin Funchess is another receiver who could fight for a role in Green Bay.
Titans: S Chris Jackson was a seventh round pick last year.
Steelers: The offensive line is a dangerous mess right now.
The unit charged with protecting Big Ben on this day (not that there was any threat of the quarterback actually getting hit in this controlled setting) was, left to right: Dan Moore Jr, Brandon Walton, rookie center Kendrick Greene (who has a real shot to start), Rashaad Coward and Joe Haeg. If you haven't heard of many of them, you are not alone. It got ugly, fast.
"We were leaking a little bit in some areas," Tomlin suggested in an understated tone, "but it's an opportunity for guys to show their mettle and rise up and put their conditioning on display."
Falcons: Cornerbacks A.J. Terrell, Darren Hall, and Chris Williamson stand out.
Eagles: Former first round tackle Andre Dillard does not look good so far. DE Josh Sweat getting called out as a star of camp.
Eagles: There is however excitement building around tight end Tyree Jackson. A three-year starter at QUARTERBACK for the University of Buffalo, Jackson went undrafted in 2019 and then played in the XFL in 2020. He was signed by the Eagles as a tight end this January and he looks “better than anyone besides Zach Ertz and Dallas Goedert in camp.” That’s phenomenal for a guy who was not a tight end last year.
Cowboys: CeeDee Lamb could be the Cowboys true number one receiver this season. (I’ve heard the same about Jerry Jeudy and the Broncos)
Giants: Shout outs for TE Evan Engram and WR David Sills. Rookie OLB Azeez Ojulari could start immediately.
Ravens: Rookie first rounder Odafe Oweh “continues to stand out” per reports. Monday was also another strong day for James Proche. Also, kicker Jake Verity is apparently looking great in camp and that might mean Baltimore can once again trade a special teamer (nobody’s beating Justin Tucker) for a draft pick. Incredible.
Seahawks: Pete Carroll thinks RB Alex Collins looks “marvelous,” showing up 15 lbs lighter this year, and that he sees him as a starter type. S Marquise Blair is also standing out.
Patriots: OT Korey Cunningham is moving up the charts.
Jaguars: Here’s something different — Trevor Lawrence had a bad practice on Monday. I haven’t many notable BAD days but this certainly is one of them. And I kind of like that Lawrence is having some bad practices. It’s what rookies are meant to do. He needs to have some sort of adversity.
Jaguars: On another note, WR Laviska Shenault could be emerging as WR1. Shenault caught 58 of 79 targets as a rookie, gaining 7.6 yards per target. With Lawrence as his QB, a full year under his belt, and a healthy 17-game season, Shenault could challenge for some huge numbers this year. At the tight end position, Ben Ellefson appears to be the clear favorite over Tim Tebow for the number three job. Tebow may not even be TE4 right now. His path is on the practice squad.
It should also be known that hating Tim Tebow is hack. You shouldn’t be a hack. Do better than making a 10-years-ago joke about Tim Tebow. If the rest of the world hasn’t moved on from stale Tebow hate and humor, then maybe it’s just me and a few other fine art comedy fans, but I know deep down that we’re all ready for a different take on Tim Tebow than the obvious one. This goes back to what I said about Nickelback jokes being hack too.
Ravens: WR Rashod Bateman, a favorite of mine, is being held out with “muscle tightness” which is also a phrase that I used to whisper to myself at the gym. “Gotta get that muscle tightness, bro.”
Saints: WR Juwan Johnson, DT Jalen Dalton, WR Jalen McCleskey, and LB Andrew Dowell are mentioned as “impressive” young players in camp. Sean Payton agreed on Donnell.
Titans: CB Kristian Fulton “shined” and WR Marcus Johnson has had a strong camp. This is the same Johnson who was traded to the Seahawks in the Michael Bennett trade and he had 14 catches for 255 yards with the Colts last season. He turns 27 this week.
Browns: LB Anthony Walker has been a stand out all camp but did leave the field with an injury on Monday. It may not be serious.
Chargers: Seventh round rookie DB Mark Webb has had an impressive training camp as a safety and Star for Brandon Staley. He will need to have a big effort on special teams, per Staley.
Jets: WR Elijah Moore is “the best player in camp” so far. That’s pretty amazing and it’s the word we’ve heard since almost his first day on an NFL team.
Raiders: Damon Arnette is reportedly handling his demotion well. Henry Ruggs is 13 lbs heavier and looking good in camp too. And more positive signs from rookie tackle Alex Leatherwood. Vegas will be a young team. I’ve got no idea what kind of team they’ll be but I’m rooting for them.
Jaguars: Rookie OT Walker Little had some nice moments on Monday.
Texans: Rookie WR Nico Collins is a guy who could contribute right away.
Kyle Shanahan: “I thought Trey had one of his better days on Saturday. But that was nothing to move him up there to start talking differently with Jimmy or anything like that."
More Austin Trammell shout outs. I was one of the first. Trammell was my “Grayson McCall” of the 2021 NFL Draft.
Panthers: Sam Darnold is only being ripped so far.
Cowboys: WR CeeDee Lamb and DE Randy Gregory are the stars of Cowboys camp so far, but S Trevon Diggs was ranked number three behind them at DallasCowboys.com.
Will add more all during training camp, so sign up for updates.
