Training Camp Update Volume 3, Issue 1 8/02/07
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- Lions Depth Chart QB
- Packers Depth Chart QB
- Houston Texans QB
- Texans Depth Chart QB
- Indianapolis Colts QB
Special Teams: As always, Jason Hanson will handle kicking for the Lions. He’ll be joined during the preseason by camp leg Kenny Byrd, and undrafted rookie out of New Mexico. Just several years ago, WR Eddie Drummond was one of the premier return specialists in the NFL, but things are not looking good for him. He has a history of injuries. His numbers have declined. He has seen virtually no work on offense in minicamps and camps. WR Devale Ellis and WR Shaun McDonald are capable options on returns. The team signed free agent WR Troy Walters and WR Edell Shepherd, whose recent work has been primarily on returns. WR Kevin Kasper, WR Cliff Russell, and DB Dee McCann practiced kickoff returns during OTAs; however they are probably long shots to make the team. Lions Depth Chart QB: Jon Kitna, Dan Orlovsky, Drew Stanton (inj), J.T. O'Sullivan RB: Kevin Jones (PUP), Tatum Bell, T.J. Duckett, Brian Calhoun, Aveion Cason, Anthony Sherrell FB: Alan Ricard WR: Roy Williams, Calvin Johnson, Mike Furrey, Shaun McDonald (PUP), Eddie Drummond (KR/PR), DeVale Ellis (PUP), Edell Shepherd, Troy Walters, Cliff Russell, Kevin Kasper, Brandon Middleton, Ron Bellamy, Reggie Ball, Marcus Robinson (IR) TE: Dan Campbell (PUP), Casey Fitzsimmons, Darnell Sanders, Sean McHugh, Rudy Sylvan K: Jason Hanson, Kenny Byrd DT: Shaun Rogers (PUP), Cory Redding, Shaun Cody, Cleveland Pinkney, Langston Moore, Jon Bradley, Marcus Lewis, Salomon Solano DE: Dewayne White, Kalimba Edwards, Ikaika Alama-Francis, Jared DeVries, Corey Smith, Claude Harriott MLB: Paris Lenon, Ted Lehman (inj), Johnny Baldwin OLB: Ernie Sims (W), Boss Bailey (S), Alex Lewis (S), Anthony Cannon (W), Donte' Curry, James Hargrave CB: Fernando Bryant, Stanley Wilson, Travis Fisher, A.J. Davis, Keith Smith s, Ike Charlton, Tony Beckham, Dee McCann, Ramzee Robinson, Israel Route, LaMarcus Hicks S: Kenoy Kennedy (SS), Daniel Bullocks (FS), Gerald Alexander, Idrees Bashir Green Bay Packers QB: Brett Favre begins camp somewhat limited. He’s expected to participate in only one practice per day as he strengthens his ankle following offseason surgery. "I talked to Brett about a week to 10 days ago, and from our conversation, his ankle is fine," Head Coach Mike McCarthy said. "He wants to start throwing more to get a further evaluation on his shoulder. As far as conditioning, he feels great." Favre also struggled a bit with a tired shoulder during OTAs, but said that he’s been throwing in the weeks leading up to camp. The shoulder isn’t expected to be a problem once the season gets underway. RB: Vernand Morency opens camp as the starting tailback, but most expect a RB-by-committee approach with Morency sharing time with rookie 2nd round pick Brandon Jackson, and possibly veteran Noah Herron and DeShawn Wynn also in the mix. Jackson, a 5-foot-10, 212-pound late bloomer from Nebraska, was an All-Big 12 selection in 2006. He left school following his junior season after producing 1,459 all-purpose yards and 10 touchdowns. Morencey averaged 4.6 yds/carry last year, but struggled to stay healthy and he was benched early into one start for not protecting the football. Herron and Jackson, who both catch the ball well, will compete for 3rd down duties. Seventh-round draft pick DeShawn Wynn was an elite recruit out of high school, but he underachieved at Florida. His lack of toughness and dedication are a concern, but Wynn has excellent size (5-10¾, 232 pounds) and he gained 630 yards and averaged 5.1 yards a carry last season. Wynn could find a niche as the team’s short-yardage back, but also keep an eye on undrafted rookie Corey White (6-1, 239) out of Alabama-Birmingham, who showed some promise during OTAs. "DeShawn Wynn finished the offseason program on a positive note, and he's a big man. It could be him (on short-yardage downs),” said John Schneider, a personnel analyst in the team’s front office. “I'm not exactly sure. Someone in that group is going to step forward. And one thing about our staff, they're willing to try a number of combinations to make things work." Brandon Miree opens camp as the starting FB. Sixth round pick Korey Hall, out of Boise State, will compete against Miree for a roster spot. WR: Donald Driver was listed as day-to-day after failing his physical exam Friday morning. Driver failed his exam because he couldn’t keep his right arm extended while a team doctor applied pressure. He’ll continue to get treatment and hopes to be ready within a day or two. “This is like doing a (field-sobriety test),” Driver said. “You think you can go up there and tell the cop you straight and not drunk and try to walk that fine line, but the next thing you know, you’re walking sideways.” Driver said the shoulder never bothered him in the weight room during the offseason. Driver added a few pounds weighing in at 194 lbs. Coach Mike McCarthy said Driver is day to day, “I’m not concerned, because I think like all of us know that Donald keeps himself in excellent shape all year round. This is something that bothered him coming into camp, so we’re just being cautious him.” Driver and Greg Jennings have the starting spots nailed down, while Robert Ferguson, Ruvell Martin and rookies James Jones and David Clowney add competition not only for roster spots, but for those 3rd and 4th WR spots. Jones, the team’s 3rd round pick, is strong off the line drawing comparisons to Packer great Sterling Sharpe. If Jones has a strong camp he could win the No. 3 job putting pressure on Ferguson to stay healthy and avoid a visit from the Turk. Lastly, don’t forget about Koren Robinson, currently serving a 45-day sentence in the Brown County Jail. Robinson is suspended by the NFL but he can apply for reinstatement on September 18th. If reinstated, he would be under contract through 2008. TE: Coach McCarthy commented that TE Zac Alcorn "has the best hands on the team". It looks like the coaching staff will experiment with a number of players in different offensive sets. On the first day of practice, Donald Lee was running with the first team while veteran (and former first round pick) Bubba Franks lined up with the second team. Franks rarely worked with the No. 1 offense during minicamp and OTAs. "I think it's important to not really get caught up in who runs out there for the first snap of practice, especially the way we use our tight ends," McCarthy said. "We use those guys in a number of different roles." Keep your eyes on rookie Clark Harris, a rookie 7th round pick out of Rutgers. Harris slid in the draft after being projected as a first day pick following his junior season. Tory Humphrey will miss several weeks after breaking his fibula during the first day of training camp. Defense: First round pick Justin Harrell was signed just in time for camp. He began camp lining up with the first team defense ahead of veteran Corey Williams, despite seeing limited reps in OTAs due to a torn biceps tendon suffered in his last year at Tennessee. "We haven't taken the field yet with Justin," McCarthy said. "Based on potential, if we play a base (defense), he'd probably run out there with the first base. Corey would run out there with the first sub group. Same with the nickel. There's really no starting 11. Frankly, I think it would help everybody if they designed the depth charts that way — have a sub and a base." Another rookie hopes to make an immediate impact. Safety Aaron Rouse has great size (6-4, 223) and has a reputation as a big hitter. Picked late in the third round, No. 89 overall, Rouse hopes to challenge for a starting job. In the offseason Rouse did nothing to suggest he can't provide help. The coaches hope he will match up better with top-tier tight ends, but to earn a starting job, Rouse must play big when the pads go on. "We're looking for a guy that's 6-4 and 230 pounds to hit like a guy that's 6-4 and 230," DBs coach Kurt Schottenheimer said. "So we'll let that play out and find that out on the field." Special Teams: Perhaps one of the closest competitions for a job in the Packers’ camp is at kicker. Incumbent Dave Rayner will be challenged by sixth-round draft pick Mason Crosby from Colorado. Rayner faltered early, with a mediocre showing in minicamp. Both have done well so far during practices early in training camp. The return roles will also feature plenty of competition. RB Vernand Morency emerged as the kickoff returner the latter part of last year, although an increased role on offense could change that. WR Shaun Bodiford may be the early favorite to take over that role. CB Will Blackmon and rookie WR David Clowney should also get a look. Further clouding the picture is WR Koren Robinson, who is fishing up a jail sentence and his one year suspension. He can apply for reinstatement later in September. CB Charles Woodson was the primary punt returner last year, however special teams coordinator Mike Stock indicated they plan to use him only when ball security is critically important. The contenders include Shaun Bodiford, Will Blackmon, WR Greg Jennings, rookie WR James Jones, and WR Carlton Brewster. Jones stood out in a recent practice as the only one that didn’t have problems handling the ball in blustery conditions. Packers Depth Chart QB: Brett Favre, Aaron Rodgers (inj), Ingle Martin, Paul Thompson RB: Vernand Morency (KR) (inj), Brandon Jackson, Noah Herron, P.J. Pope, DeShawn Wynn FB: Brandon Miree, Korey Hall, Ryan Powdrell, Corey White WR: Donald Driver, Greg Jennings, Robert Ferguson (inj), Ruvell Martin, James Jones, David Clowney, Carlyle Holiday, Calvin Russell, Shaun Bodiford (inj), Chris Francies, Carlton Brewster, Koren Robinson (susp) TE: Donald Lee, Bubba Franks, Zac Alcorn, Clark Harris, Joe Werner, Tory Humphrey (inj) K: Dave Rayner, Mason Crosby DT: Ryan Pickett (NT), Justin Harrell (inj), Corey Williams (NT), Colin Cole, Johnny Jolly (NT), Daniel Muir DE: Aaron Kampman, Cullen Jenkins, Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila, Mike Montgomery, Jason Hunter, DeVon Hicks, Larry Birdine MLB: Nick Barnett, Abdul Hodge, Desmond Bishop (W), Tim Goodwell, Carl-Johan Bjork OLB: A.J. Hawk (W), Brady Poppinga (S), Tracy White (W), Spencer Havner (S), Juwan Simpson (S), Rory Johnson (W) CB: Al Harris, Charles Woodson, Patrick Dendy, Jarrett Bush, Frank Walker, Will Blackmon (PR), Tramon Williams, Antonio Malone S: Nick Collins (FS), Marquand Manuel (SS), Aaron Rouse (FS), Marviel Underwood (SS), Atari Bigby (SS), Tyrone Culver (FS), Charlie Peprah (FS), Alvin Nnabuife (SS) Houston Texans QB: Matt Schaub was inconsistent on the first day of camp after getting off to a good start in the morning practice. HC Gary Kubiak called the practice sloppy. It didn’t rattle Schaub though. The Texans new QB has shown confidence and good leadership traits since coming over to Houston via trade. Kubiak had this to stay about Kubiak following the first day of work, “He’s fine. He’s a very composed young man. He’s got a lot on his plate right now. It’s the first time he’s ever stepped into a huddle and started two-a-days as a starter of a franchise. That’s a lot on your plate. Now we’re just settling down and keep working and getting better around him, but I think he’s been fine.” On the second day in camp, fans voiced their approval for the passing game as Sage Rosenfels had a good morning session. In one drill, he connected with Andre Davis, who made a spectacular, twisting catch down the sidelines. On the next play, Rosenfels hit Jerome Mathis, who made an over the shoulder catch for another big gain. RB: Ahman Green and the Texans RBs apparently showed up to camp in good enough shape to avoid the running test. “This is the first offseason where I didn’t have to do a run test,” Green said. “We didn’t have to because we worked out four days out of the week, sometimes five on Fridays. Running in this humidity and heat gets you ready. No matter what, you’ll be ready.” HC Gary Kubiak sounds excited by the playmaking ability that Green adds to the team’s backfield. “He can be a huge difference maker,” Kubiak said. “All of the sudden, when you’re right and you call the perfect play or you block the perfect scheme, all of the sudden it can be a home run and not a 10 or 12 yard gain. It makes those guys up front there know if they can hold on to it just a second, there’s a guy that can make them look really, really good.” Ron Dayne looks ready to complement Green as the team’s RB2, reporting to camp in great shape and looking every bit as confident as he did while running wild last December. Backup Chris Taylor injured his knee on the second day of practice and has been placed on IR. Taylor’s loss is rookie Darius Walker’s gain. Walker was released before training camp after signing as a street free agent, but now has a second chance to prove he belongs on the opening roster. He has an uphill battle as both Samkon Gado and Wali Lundy have designs on the RB3 spot; and the Texans are unlikely to carry more than 3 tailbacks on the active roster. Jon Abbate is an undrafted free agent linebacker from Wake Forest, who will be try to make the team as a fullback and backup to starter Vonta Leach. Jameel Cook is a week or two away from practicing after having knee surgery in the offseason that later developed an infection. WR: A week before camp opened the Texans added veteran Keenan McCardell, signing him to a 1-year deal worth $860,000. The coaching staff wanted some insurance opposite Andre Johnson. McCardell may ultimately win the starting job, but for now Kevin Walter has a leg up – consistently lining up with the first team offense. Walter may be better suited to the slot, but he won’t give up his starting job without a fight. Also competing for roles are Andre Davis and rookie Jacoby Jones along with Jerome Mathis, Bethel Johnson and David Anderson. Jones has an excellent size and speed combination (6’ 3”, 215 pounds), but he’s making a big jump to the NFL from Lane College. He could be the wild card in the mix if he works hard and impresses in the preseason. McCardell and Johnson both grew up in the Houston area. Mathis has world-class speed, but he’s been a disappointment following a Pro Bowl rookie season as a home run threat on kick returns. Jones could unseat him on returns. On the team’s competition for the 2nd and 3rd WRs, HC Gary Kubiak commented, "You look at André Davis, you look at wide receiver Bethel Johnson, you look at wide receiver Jerome (Mathis) who’s been on the field these first three practices. We’ve got some guys that can stretch the field, and I think that’s important to our offense.” TE: Owen Daniels enters his second season as the #1 TE after a solid rookie season. Mark Bruener and Jeb Putzier are the backups. Defense: The Texans signed top pick DT Amobi Okoye in time for camp. Okoye, the 10th overall pick in the draft, enters the season as the youngest player in the NFL. The team is excited to add Okoye alongside Mario Williams, the No. 1 overall pick a year ago, who dropped 15 lbs to 280 during the offseason hoping for more production in his 2nd season. DeMeco Ryans, like all rookies, he still had trouble learning plays and making reads last year. Moving him around between the inside and outside only added to that confusion. In his 2nd season with job security at MLB, Ryans is oozing confidence. “I’m feeling a lot more comfortable in year two,” Ryans said. “In year one, my head was spinning coming in, trying to learn a lot. A lot was on my plate, and it was a lot tougher last year. But now that I know the defense and I’m familiar with it, it’s a lot easier.” Kubiak went on to say, “He’s a gym rat. He comes out here and goes all day and he loves being around this complex. You can’t substitute that.” Charlie Anderson, a sixth-round pick in 2004, is competing with Shantee Orr for a starting job. Currently, he’s running with the first team. "Nobody on the team improved more in the offseason than Charlie did," Kubiak said. "He's so much more confident this season." In passing situations, Anderson and Orr are dropping to end to try give the team more quickness on the field. "Charlie's a real good athlete, and we've got high hopes for him," GM Rick Smith said. Veterans Danny Clark and Shawn Barber are also in the mix at SLB behind Orr and Anderson. Special Teams: There are no questions at kicker, where Kris Brown is the only kicker in camp. The same cannot be said for the returner roles. WR Jerome Mathis is one of the top kickoff returners when healthy, however his hamstrings again were an issue during OTAs this year. The coaching staff has put him on notice that he needs to stay healthy to remain a part of the team. DB Dexter Wynn filled in last year on kickoff returns, and did particularly well on punt returns. The team signed WR Bethel Johnson, the leading KR for New England from 2003 to 2005 and the Vikings last year, although he also has had injury problems this offseason. Last but not least is rookie WR Jacoby Jones from Lane College. He has limited experience, but succeeded when he did play and has plenty of potential. Texans Depth Chart QB: Matt Schaub, Sage Rosenfels (inj), Bradlee Van Pelt, Quinton Porter, Jared Zabransky RB: Ahman Green, Ron Dayne, Wali Lundy (3RB), Samkon Gado, Darius Walker, Chris Taylor (IR) FB: Vonta Leach, Jameel Cook (inj), Patrick Pass WR: Andre Johnson, Kevin Walter, Keenan McCardell, David Anderson, Jacoby Jones, Jerome Mathis (KR/PR), Andre Davis, Bethel Johnson (KR), Charlie Adams, Harry Williams, Terry Richardson TE: Owen Daniels, Mark Bruener, Jeb Putzier, Ben Steele (inj), Joel Dreessen K: Kris Brown DT: Travis Johnson (inj), Anthony Maddox, Amobi Okoye, Thomas Johnson, Jeff Zgonina, Tim Bulman, Thomas Smith, Cedric Killings, Deljuan Robinson DE: Mario Williams, Anthony Weaver, Jason Babin, Ndukwe Kalu, Earl Cochrane, Victor DeGrate, Alfred Malone (inj) MLB: DeMeco Ryans, John Abbate OLB: Morlon Greenwood (W), Charlie Anderson (S), Danny Clark (S), Shawn Barber (W/S), Zac Diles, Trent Bray, Eduardo Castenada CB: Dunta Robinson, DeMarcus Faggins, Jamar Fletcher, Von Hutchins, Dexter McCleon, Jason Horton, Fred Bennett, Dexter Wynn, John Walker, Derrick Roberson, Roc Alexander (IR) S: Glenn Earl (SS), C.C. Brown (FS), Jason Simmons (FS), Brandon Harrison (SS), Brandon Mitchell (FS) Indianapolis Colts QB: No significant news to report regarding the Colts QBs. Peyton Manning hasn’t missed a game due to injury, and now, has a Super Bowl title to his credit. Jim Sorgi faces competition from John Navarre for the backup job. Two years ago, Sorgi played in two games after Colts clinched their playoff seed, but he didn’t throw a pass last year. RB: Joseph Addai enters training camp as a potential top 5 fantasy back following the departure of Dominic Rhodes via free agency. Hoping to fill the void and earn a share of the workload, second year RB DeDe Dorsey is a sleeper worth watching in camp. His positional coach from college predicted he’d be the NFL’s next Willie Parker. Dorsey appears to have the inside track as the team’s RB2. He had a productive preseason with Cincinnati last year, but he was cut as the Bengals tried to sneak him through the waiver wire to add to their practice squad. The Colts pounced on Dorsey and now he has an opportunity to play a significant role. Addai was slowed by injuries in college, but he managed to stay healthy as a rookie. If Addai gets hurt, Dorsey could produce much in the same way Rhodes did coming into the Colts as an undrafted rookie free agent and playing in place of the injured Edgerrin James. "I've really tried to work on all aspects of being a running back," Dorsey said. "Playing with the Indianapolis Colts, we're a big passing team, so you have to be on top of your game, especially with pass protection and your pass blocking. So I worked on making sure I was solid in my schemes as well as in the act of pass blocking. The other big thing is knowing your assignment. Having as complex of an offense as we do, it's vital that you know what you're doing on every play." Also competing for a role and a roster spot are Kenton Keith, who played in the CFL previously, and undrafted rookie free agent Clifton Dawson, from Harvard. WR: There’s not much to report on starters Reggie Wayne and Marvin Harrison other than they’re both healthy, in great shape and have made big plays in just about every practice thus far. Harrison, in particular, has been a man possessed, catching by one beat writers estimation a dozen 15+ yard passes during one two-a-day session. The Colts hope to fill the void at WR3 with rookie Anthony Gonzalez. The Colts signed their first-round pick (32nd overall) to a five-year, $7.5 million contract on Thursday. Gonzalez is an upgrade at WR3 for the Colts giving them a big target with good route running skills and hands. Fellow Buckeye and 5th round pick, Roy Hall signed a league minimum, four-year contract. Hall was overshadowed at Ohio State by Gonzalez and Ted Ginn, but his 6’3”, 240 pound size and excellent speed (4.35) make him an intriguing player. In minicamp, Hall showed good hands, outstanding leaping ability and made good adjustments to the ball. While Hall played a secondary role in college, he was utilized as a go-to guy for the team in clutch situations and a key special teams player. The Colts plan to use him in several ways, as a slot receiver and H-back, but right now he's lining up at the outside receiver slot. Once he learns the system, the Colts will try to use his size and speed in the slot to create match-up problems for opposing defenses. If he develops as the team hopes, they’ll have found themselves a diamond in the rough. TE: Dallas Clark returns as the clear cut starter with Ben Utecht serving as the 2nd TE in 2-TE sets. Bryan Fletcher, Jerome Collins and Mike Seidman are competing for roster spots along with Jonny Hartline. Clark has had injury problems as a pro, so keep an eye on Utecht and the other backups in camp as they could end up playing a larger role if Clark misses any time. Defense: Dwight Freeney signed a 6-year, $72 million contract with a $15 million signing bonus just over a week before camp. DT Corey Simon, who missed the Colts Super Bowl season with a knee injury and an undisclosed illness, remains on the team’s PUP list, reported to training camp. The Colts hope Kelvin Hayden can fill the void left by the departure of Josh David at corner. Freddie Keiaho is the front runner to start at WLB and Rob Morris at SLB, but Tyjuan Hagler and Clint Session will provide competition in camp. OL: Pro Bowl left tackle Tarik Glenn, Peyton Manning’s blindside protector, surprised many by announcing his retirement just a week prior to the beginning of training camp. Special Teams: Adam Vinatieri is still widely regarding as the best clutch kicker in the NFL today, and perhaps ever (although Josh Brown was actually more clutch last year). Shane Andrus will once again serve as the camp leg. He was busy in that role last year when Vinatieri was injured. The return specialist job is CB T.J. Rushing’s to lose. He didn’t get many opportunities during his rookie year with the Colts in 2006; however he put up some impressive numbers at Stanford on kickoff returns. A more remote possibility is CB Antonio Perkins. He didn’t get many opportunities during his years with Cleveland; however he put up some impressive numbers at Oklahoma on punt returns. Two other options on kickoff returns are backup RBs DeDe Dorsey and Kenton Keith. Directory: 2007 2007 -> Bbc archives: Beyond the programme download 2007 -> The environment in the news 2007 -> - 2007 -> Out On The Prairie Cowboys fall for each other in Ang Lee’s riveting, landmark “Brokeback Mountain.” 2007 -> An Extension Cord to mars 2007 -> Pricing Closing Price $3,578 (June 22) 52-Wk High $3,825 52-Wk Low $2,982 Market Data 2007 -> Weather Research Center 2007 -> Student enquiry teacher background information 2007 -> The environment in the news tuesday 31 July, 2007 unep and the Executive Director in the News 2007 -> Student enquiry hurricanes in the caribbean Download 0.56 Mb. Share with your friends:
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