Arizona Cardinals

QB: Warner’s playing great in camp thus far, but of course he’s not seeing any sort of a live pass rush either. Coach Dennis Green expressed serious concern about Warner’s immobility after the Cardinals lost their starting center Alex Stepanovich (hand) and RT Oliver Ross (knee/ankle) to injuries this week. Neither played against Dallas, but Ross returned to practice Thursday sporting a black brace on the knee. Ross’ injury isn’t serious according to Green. In Saturday’s exhibition game Warner was very effective going 14-of-19 for 151 yards and a 31 yd TD pass to Larry Fitzgerald. Josh McCown was 4-of-9 for 33 yards while throwing an interception. John Navarre completed 3-of-4 for 21 yards. Earlier this week, Navarre was knocked to the ground when DE Chike Okeafor hit him from behind in 11-on-11 drills. Some words were exchanged, but it was dismissed as unintentional. Okeafor said he was pushed from behind, following a heated exchange between players.

RB: Rookie J.J. Arrington continues to impress in training camp displaying good speed and conditioning. He and Marcel Shipp split carries in their first game-like scrimmage, but Shipp didn’t play against the Cowboys on Saturday. Troy Hambrick’s grip on a roster spot remains tenuous considering he’s not been practicing because of his injured foot. The additions of James Jackson and J.R. Redmond create a bigger pinch for Hambrick. The Cardinals waived RBs Larry Croom and Roger Robinson on Thursday. Arrington, Damien Anderson, James Jackson, J.R. Redmond and Josh Scobey all got some work against the Cowboys. Nobody in particular stood out though Anderson led all rushers with 22 yards on 4 carries. Oddly his longest run was 22 yards.

WR: One of the best performers in camp thus far has been third year receiver Bryant Johnson. Warner connected with him on several occasions in practice including a 45 yard TD in last Saturday’s mock game. Warner said he expects big things from Johnson this year. “I am excited about him,” Warner said. “It’s funny that everybody wants to talk about Larry (Fitzgerald) and Q (Anquan Boldin) and rightfully so, but somehow B.J. gets lost in the mix somewhere. He is going to surprise a lot of people. It is already showing up right now…the burst that he has, the speed, the stride. It is tough to cover a guy that has a stride and speed like he does. He gets on you very fast. I think it will be a great season for him.” Meanwhile, Anquan Boldin returned to practice Thursday sporting a protective shield. The doctors wouldn’t clear Boldin to practice without wearing the shield. "I can see through it, but you don't get no air," Boldin said. "You have to get used to breathing in it, but it will be all right." Boldin did not play in Saturday’s game against Dallas. With Boldin out, Fitzgerald had a big game with a 31 yard TD from Warner (5 receptions for 81 yards on the day). Johnson had 3 catches for 36 yards including a 20 yarder.

TE: The Cardinals added “Mr. Irrelevant” Andy Stokes from the 2005 NFL draft this week to help bolster their depth and competition with Eric Edwards sidelined by a right pectoral muscle tear suffered last week. Stokes was cut by the Patriots and claimed by the Cardinals off waivers. Stokes joins a group of five other inexperienced players competing for the starting job – rookie Adam Bergen, NFL Europe’s Bobby Blizzard, John Bronson and Aaron Golliday. Edwards was considered the slight favorite prior to his injury. Bergen caught a pass against Dallas that went for 18 yards on Saturday. Keep an eye on Bergen as a guy who might emerge in the early weeks of the season as a deep sleeper if he wins the starting job.

Defense: On Wednesday, the Cardinals signed first round pick CB Antrel Rolle to a 6 year, $43 million contract ending an eight day holdout. Green dismissed Rolle’s prolonged absence noting he participated in all 14 voluntary team workouts during the off-season and “isn’t too far behind the learning curve”. Rolle immediately made his presence felt in his first day of practice diving to knock down a throw to Charles Lee on an out pattern in 11-on-11 drills in the afternoon.  Warner commented, “As a quarterback, having a (cornerback) who is quick and fast and has size is always a problem. A lot of times, you’ll find one or the other. You find a big guy who isn’t as fast, you can exploit that, or a little guy who is quick, but you can do some things with bigger receivers. The combination of the two always makes it harder.” Rookie safety Ernest Shazor finally reported to camp this week.

Dennis Green must like what he’s seeing from his rookie tandem of LBs Darryl Blackstock and Lance Mitchell. Both are running with the second team in practice. Blackstock, a third round pick, is playing behind Karlos Dansby at SLB while Mitchell, a fifth rounder, is backing up Gerald Hayes in the middle. Green’s has a long-standing reputation as an offensive minded coach, but make no mistake about it. The Cardinals defense has undergone a metamorphosis under him. They’re younger, faster and backed by a potentially strong pass rush. Keep an eye on their production in their pre-season games.  The defensive line is off to a good start as Bertrand Berry, Chike Okeafor and Calvin Pace all recorded sacks against Dallas. Pace has two sacks while Okeafor forced a fumble.

Special Teams: In the game against Dallas, PK Neil Rackers connected on his only FG attempt (41 yards). He also flaunted his leg strength on kickoffs of 70, 73, and 74 yards (including a touchback). Relative newcomer RB J.R. Redmond may have helped his chances of making the team with some strong return work. He had two punt returns (15.0 average) and took a kickoff return 48 yards. Rookie WR Dan Sheldon is still in the hunt for the PR job with his two returns (10.0 average). Incumbent kickoff returner RB Josh Scobey had one return for 16 yards. RB Larry Croom, who was also competing for the top KR position, was released by the team this week.

Cardinals Depth Chart
QB Kurt Warner, Josh McCown, John Navarre
 RB J.J. Arrington, Marcel Shipp, Troy Hambrick, James Jackson, J.R. Redmond, Josh Scobey (KR/3RB), Damien Anderson
 FB James Hodgins (inj), Obafemi Ayanbadejo, Harold Morrow, Casey Moore
 WR Anquan Boldin, Larry Fitzgerald, Bryant Johnson, Charles Lee, Lawrence Hamilton, Reggie Newhouse, Dan Sheldon (KR/PR), Fabian Davis, LeRon McCoy, Carlyle Holiday
 TE Eric Edwards (inj), Bobby Blizzard, Adam Bergen, John Bronson, Aaron Golliday, Andy Stokes
 K Neil Rackers
 DE Bertrand Berry, Chike Okeafor, Peppi Zellner, Calvin Pace, Antonio Smith, Tyler King
 DT Darnell Dockett, Russell Davis (NT), Kenny King (inj), Ross Kolodziej, Tim Bulman, DeVone Claybrooks, Keith Wright
 MLB Gerald Hayes, Lance Mitchell, Greg Carothers
 OLB Karlos Dansby (S), Orlando Huff (W), James Darling (W), Darryl Blackstock (W/S), Eric Johnson, Isaac Keys (W), Isaiah Ekejiuba (S)
 CB David Macklin, Antrel Rolle, Eric Green, Robert Tate, Rhett Nelson, Raymond Walls, Aaron Francisco, Jermaine Hardy
 S Adrian Wilson (SS), Robert Griffith (FS), Ifeanyi Ohalete (FS), Quentin Harris (FS), Adrian Mayes (SS), Ernest Shazor (SS)

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Atlanta Falcons

QB: Following last week’s American Bowl in Tokyo, Michael Vick said he feels more comfortable in his second season playing in the West Coast offense. Head Coach Jim Mora commented the first team offense performed well against the Colts and the fluidity and familiarity they showed was a promising sign. Vick seems focused on improving as a passer and hopes the team’s offense will begin to take flight this year, especially if he can make teams respect him downfield. He didn’t play much against Baltimore throwing three passes and completing two of them for 32 yards, but he also lost a fumble. Matt Schaub got the bulk of the work but was less than impressive completing 6-of-16 for 86 yards. Ty Detmer was 7-of-13 for 79 yards and an 18 yard TD pass to TE Mark Anelli.

RB: T.J. Duckett continues to work hard at improving in two key areas – pass protection and catching the ball out of the backfield. If he’s able to show he’s improved in both areas then the Falcons might finally begin to make use of him as a receiver, too. Warrick Dunn has shown no signs of slowing down thus far, but it’s inevitable at some point and Duckett’s long been waiting in the wings for a greater opportunity. Nobody overly impressed Saturday against Baltimore with Dunn, Duckett and rookie DeAndra Cobb all getting several carries. Dunn started the game and finished with 5 carries for 19 yards. Duckett managed only 22 yards on 7 carries. Cobb had an 11 yard run but finished with only 17 yards on 9 attempts. Justin Griffith had a solid game at fullback with an 18 yard reception and a four yard run.

WR: Coach Mora expressed a desire to get the ball into the hands of first round pick WR Roddy White, but noted that following a six day holdout he’s pretty far behind and may have a difficult time working his way into the offense anytime soon. So, Mora wants to see White as a kick returner. “I'm cool with it,” White said. “I've got to try to make some plays however they want me to. Whatever they want me to do; I'll go out there and do it.” That said, White’s talents are obvious and he stood out at times since joining the Falcons in camp. It probably won’t be too long before he’s making a push to be a regular part of the offense, too. He did catch 4 passes against the Ravens for 29 yards, but landed awkwardly on his right foot while making a catch in fourth quarter. Meanwhile, there are rumors that Peerless Price could be cut prompting innuendo that he could end up in Philly. Michael Jenkins appears to be set as one starter while Dez White and Roddy White will likely vie for the other spot. Brian Finneran will likely be among the top 4 WRs as well.

TE: Alge Crumpler didn’t play against the Colts in Tokyo last week, but he and FB Justin Griffith returned to practice. "[Crumpler's] knee swelled up a little bit over there," Mora said. "That turf was a little bit hard, and with the long flight . . . with he and Justin we just decided not to play them." TE Eric Beverly was also cleared to practice and make physical contact, but didn’t play against Baltimore in Saturday night’s game. Dwayne Blakley could be a deep sleeper in the event of an injury. The young tight end played well in the preseason opener catching 3 passes for 47 yards – including a nice 36 yard reception.

Defense: DE Patrick Kerney is focused on getting himself healthy and back on the field. After Wednesday’s practice Kerney said, “"Every drill I start into now, I'm going to be pacing myself into it so I don't just go all out. Each day, I'll pick up the percentage that much more and then over the next three of four days I'll be at 100 percent and maybe be able to go next week.” DE Brady Smith is making good progress since undergoing neck surgery in June. He thinks he’s ahead of schedule and was originally thought to be out until sometime in September. "Brady …looked like he was running really well," Mora said. "In talking to him after practice, it's his hope that he'll get some snaps in that last preseason game [Sept. 1] at Miami." Safety Bryan Scott was cleared for contact and was back in the mix last Tuesday. "They tried to limit me to that [10 hits]," Scott said with a smile. "It was more than that. It felt good; we'll see how I feel tomorrow. Oh man, the days were getting long on the sideline. Some would say, 'Enjoy it, rest your legs,' but this is the time to be on the field." Rookie WLB Michael Boley, running with the second team, stood out at times in practice this week. He made some plays in pass coverage breaking up a couple throws while backup SLB Ike Reese forced two fumbles.

Special Teams: PK Todd Peterson connected on FGs of 27, 29, and 34 yards against Baltimore. He missed a 46 yarder wide left. Backup QB Matt Schaub appears to have nailed down the holder job. The Falcons indicated that last year’s PR/KR specialist CB Allen Rossum will probably just handle punt returns and defensive work this year. He didn’t have any returns in this week’s game. Rookie WR Cole Manger had two impressive returns (21.5 average), and rookie WR Brian Bratton returned one for four yards. The now available KR spot could end up in the hands of a rookie. WR Roddy White returned a kickoff 27 yards and RB DeAndra Cobb had a 15 yard return.

Falcons Depth Chart
QB Michael Vick, Matt Schaub, Ty Detmer, Bryan Randall
RB Warrick Dunn (3RB), T.J. Duckett (SD), Jason Wright, Deandra Cobb (KR), T.A. McClendon, Marlion Jackson
FB Justin Griffith, Fred McCrary, Carey Davis, Kevin Dudley
WR Michael Jenkins, Dez White, Peerless Price, Roddy White, Brian Finneran, Kendrick Mosley, Romby Bryant, Lawrence Bady, Cole Magner, Kerry Johnson, Will Pettis
TE Alge Crumpler, Dwayne Blakely, Eric Beverly, Mark Anelli, Brian Casey
K Todd Peterson, Ryan Rossner
DE Patrick Kerney, Brady Smith (inj), Brandon Mitchell (DT), Junior Glymph, Chauncey Davis, Khaleed Vaughn, Erik Flowers, Gabe Nyenhuis, Anthony Herron, Otis Grigsby
DT Rod Coleman, Chad Lavalais (NT), Jonathan Babineaux, Antwan Lake, Darrell Shropshire
MLB Edgerton Hartwell, Jordan Beck
OLB Keith Brooking (W), Demorrio Williams (S), Ike Reese (S/W), Michael Boley, Adrian Archie (W), John Leake (S), Michael Brown (S), Derrick Tinsley, Hannibal Thomas
CB Jason Webster, DeAngelo Hall, Kevin Mathis, Allen Rossum (KR), Christian Morton, Byron Jones
S Bryan Scott (FS), Keion Carpenter (SS), Ronnie Heard (SS/FS), Rich Coady (FS), Kevin McAdam (FS), Ettric Pruitt (FS), Shawn Mayer (FS)

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Baltimore Ravens

QB: There is no QB controversy in Baltimore, at least not yet, but backup Anthony Wright is playing just as well, if not better, than starter Kyle Boller. Third stringer Derek Anderson, a rookie from Oregon State, continues to impress, too. He lacks knowledge of the offense and appears hesitant at times but has great arm strength and showed it on a 40 yard bomb in Thursday’s practice. Boller’s been good and bad in camp thus far. He threw a perfect 22 yard TD pass on a corner route to Derrick Mason last Tuesday. Unfortunately, on the next play he looked off a receiver on the same side then froze and didn’t know where to go with the ball. Had it been a game situation Boller likely would’ve had his bell rung. Boller didn’t look particularly good in the preseason game against Atlanta either completing 5-of-9 for 57 yards and an interception. Anthony Wright was just as bad completing only 4-of-15 for 50 yards.  Anderson lost a fumble and threw an interception in what served as a reality check for the rookie after having some strong practices early in the week.

RB: Jamal Lewis returned to the Ravens Wednesday and practiced in pads for the first time. “It was nice to have your No. 1 horse back there, the guy that's going to get you 2,000 yards," center Mike Flynn said. "He actually ran a few plays and gave us more than I thought he would.” Head Coach Brian Billick noted that he didn’t have his usual explosiveness, but was nevertheless pleased with Lewis’ performance. “He looked fresh, which is what you would expect after not being here for the first week. We'll just continue to push him through it, put him through his paces and see if we can get him to that next level of conditioning.” Lewis reported at a lean 240 lbs, but had a noticeable limp during and after his first practice, but it appeared to be less noticeable in workouts the next day. The Ravens will be cautious with Lewis and he didn’t play against the Falcons, but he’s expected to play against the Eagles on August 20th.

Chester Taylor helped the offense get the better of the first team defense twice in goal line situations. Taylor powered through the middle of the defense for a two yard score. A play later, Boller faked a hand off to Taylor, then hit fullback Justin Green for a score. Taylor continues to have a strong preseason rushing 8 times for 55 yards against Atlanta. Keep an eye on rookie Alex Haynes out of Central Florida. He’s relatively unknown, but has shown plenty of speed and broke a 30 yd TD run last week.  Haynes carried 3 times for 12 yards Saturday while Tellis Redmond got a longer look (10 rushes, 39 yards).

WR: Rookie first round pick Mark Clayton attended his first practice last week after five day holdout. He drew friendly high-fives from teammates but was quickly brought back to Earth by Billick. “I’m going to wear your scrawny little butt out the next couple of days,” Billick said. Offensive coordinator Jim Fassel talked a little about Clayton’s biggest challenge – developing timing and rapport with Kyle Boller. "He's a smart guy," Fassel said. "He understands the game and has a feel for it. I don't think it's going to be a long process. It can't be." Clayton got a lot more work on Thursday catching two long, lofty TD passes from Boller – one over Deion Sanders and the other over Will Demps. He also made a nice catch on a comeback route snatching the ball from CB Jermaine Winborne, who jumped the route and had his hands on the ball, but Clayton plucked it away from him for a reception.

The receiving corps from top to bottom has been playing exceptionally well during the last week. Clarence Moore and Randy Hymes have stood out in the red zone while Derrick Mason and Patrick Johnson continue to give the team consistent overall play each day in practice. Johnson caught the team’s lone TD in a scrimmage against the Redskins and maintained momentum with a couple of long grabs in practice this week, too. Johnson is making a push for the No. 4 WR job. Even the other receivers noticed Johnson regularly beating coverage and catching almost everything thrown his way. Take Johnson’s strong camp with a grain of salt though as he’s been known to show flashes before due to his excellent speed, only to fall short of expectations when the games mean something. Devard Darling’s play has been up and down during camp. He came up with a 20 yard TD catch across the middle of the field in Thursday’s practice. Regarding Clarence Moore, Fassel was quoted saying “Clarence has … stepped up. I’m going to have to keep him in mind when we start game planning.” This will surely draw a smile from Joe (Bryant). At the moment, Moore is leading the race for the No. 2 job but Clayton is gaining ground quickly and continues to pick up the playbook and make plays in practice. In Saturday’s game Hymes caught 3 balls for 51 yards while Moore had one reception for 30 yards. Each player made a big play and did nothing to hurt their chances of making the final roster.

TE: Darnell Dinkins hopes to play a large role this season as part of the two tight end sets the team plans to use when Todd Heap returns fully healthy. He’s been filling in for the injured Heap and the extra work appears to be paying off. Unfortunately, Dinkins left Saturday’s game with a shoulder contusion after making one catch for 15 yards. Daniel Wilcox added two receptions for just 7 yards.

Defense: Following injuries to strong-side LBs Dan Cody and Adalius Thomas the Ravens have scheduled former Ravens LB Peter Boulware to workout with the team on Tuesday or Wednesday. Cody will likely miss the entire season while the team is hopeful Thomas won’t miss much time at all. He’s currently listed as day to day with a hyperextended knee. DE Jarret Johnson has worked with the first unit at SLB this week. Johnson started at SLB against the Falcons on Saturday night. Meanwhile, corner Dale Carter, splitting time with Deion Sanders at nickel, will miss about two weeks after suffering a deep bruise just below his knee. Billick said, “He should be OK.” Meanwhile, CB Samari Rolle is having an outstanding camp. He looks comfortable in the team’s defense. While not making spectacular interceptions like Sanders, McAlister and Reed, he’s been consistent in coverage – breaking up an intended pass for Clarence Moore on one occasion.

Special Teams: PK Matt Stover made a 23 yard FG in the game at Atlanta. PK Rhys Lloyd, who is hoping to make the team as a kickoff specialist had a 39 yard FG attempt blocked and hit his only kickoff a solid 68 yards. PR/KR specialist RB B.J. Sams missed the game with a hamstring injury. In his absence no punts were returned. Three players each fair caught one punt: rookie WR Mark Clayton, RB Tellis Redmon, and WR Randy Hymes. The substitute kickoff returners also did nothing memorable; rookie WR Fred Stamps averaged 16.0 yards on three returns, and WR Pat Johnson averaged 19.0 yards on two returns.

Ravens Depth Chart
QB Kyle Boller, Anthony Wright, Derek Anderson
RB Jamal Lewis, Chester Taylor (3RB), Musa Smith, B.J. Sams (KR/PR), Tellis Redmon, Keith Burnell, Alex Haynes
FB Alan Ricard, Ovie Mughelli, Justin Green
WR Derrick Mason, Mark Clayton, Randy Hymes, Clarence Moore, Devard Darling, Patrick Johnson, Fred Stamps, Curtis Williams, Ronald Bellamy
TE Todd Heap, Terry Jones, Daniel Wilcox, Darnell Dinkins, Trent Smith
K Matt Stover
DE Anthony Weaver, Terrell Suggs, Jarrett Johnson, Roderick Green
DT Kelly Gregg, Dwan Edwards, Ma'ake Kemoeatu, Aubrayo Franklin, Matt Zielinski, Cedric Hilliard, Tron LaFavor
MLB Ray Lewis, Bart Scot, Jim Nelson, Mike Smith, Matt Sinclair
OLB Adalius Thomas (S) (inj), Tommy Polley (W), Dan Cody (S/DE) (inj), Steve Josue
CB Chris McAlister, Samari Rolle, Deion Sanders, Dale Carter, Calvin Carlyle, Zach Norton, Jamaine Winborne, Mark Estelle
S Ed Reed (SS), Will Demps (FS), Chad Williams (SS), Jarvis Johnson (FS), Chris Kelley, B.J. Ward

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Buffalo Bills

QB: J.P. Losman reviewed film of the Bills scrimmage against the Packers a week ago noting that he and the coaches were pleased with what they saw. "There were a couple of mistakes here and there, some very easy mistakes but for the most part the film looked pretty good," he said. Coaches told him he looked comfortable and more often than not made the right decision. On the final play of Thursday’s afternoon practice Losman rolled to his right and threw up a jump ball in desperation that WR Eric Moulds came down with for a score. On an earlier play Losman was picked off by Terrence McGee on an under thrown ball intended for Lee Evans in the corner of the end zone.  On a side note, former Bills Hall of Fame QB Jim Kelly’s son Hunter passed during the last week. He was just eight years old. Several Bills players wore bracelets in practice in honor of him. Bills fans can show their support and help a worthy cause by purchasing a bracelet from Hunter’s Hope web site (www.huntershope.com). 

RB: Rookie Lionel Gates has been a pleasant surprise in camp. “I like his running style," Bills head coach Mike Mularkey said after a recent practice. "He's got some feel for the inside running game and he's not bad outside either. He's hit some things outside … He's got speed for a big guy. He's cut pretty well for a rookie back that is new to this.” Gates fell on draft day because of a slow 40 time recorded at the combine (low 4.7 range), but as is often the case there was more to the story. Gates had a lingering thigh bruise that kept him from performing at his peak level. "When I was at the combine I wasn't at 100 percent," Gates said. "I tried to tough it out and run anyways and unfortunately ran a low time. But in previous years I've been running 4.4's. So I'm back 100 percent, top notch. I'm ready to go." Gates is part of a heated battle for the team’s backup RB job along with Shaud Williams, Joe Burns and ReShard Lee.

WR: Eric Moulds is in peak condition and energized for his 10th season with the Bills. "Eric has really taken on more of a leadership role this year than he did last year with Lee," said receivers coach Tyke Tolbert. "You see him all of the time talking to Lee and Roscoe about certain things, and he'll call the whole team up and tell them to get practice going. He's been phenomenal up to this point." Moulds continues working with QB J.P. Losman on timing and is the first to admit it’s a work in progress, but he thinks it’s just a matter of time. "I don't think it's at the point where he wants and I want it," Moulds said. "And I think he's not on the same page with all of his receivers yet. But it just takes time. I think the time we spent in the offseason helped our game a little bit to know what he's thinking and what I'm thinking. We've just got to get on the same page and keep working. It will come.”

Rookie Roscoe Parris, impressive so far in camp, injured his right hand in practice Wednesday and had surgery on Friday. It’s unclear how long he’ll miss right now, but he is expected to play this season. The injury opens the door for Sam Aiken to live up to the tattoo across his midsection that reads “sleeper”. Moulds and Lee Evans are locked in as the starters, but the competition for the No. 3 is up for grabs between Josh Reed, Parrish and Aiken. Parrish appeared to be on his way towards unseating Reed before the injury, but now Aiken will also have a greater opportunity to prove himself and earn a bigger role. The team’s other young receivers Will Peoples, Tony Brown and George Wilson will get extra work, too. In Thursday’s practice Wilson made an impressive catch on the back line of the end zone in the morning workout.

TE: The Bills signed third round pick Kevin Everett to a contract this week and immediately placed him on the team’s PUP list, where he’ll start the season. Everett tore his ACL in mini-camp shortly after being drafted.

Defense: CB Jabari Greer is doing his best to secure the nickel spot. Greer has plenty of speed and showed that on Wednesday night when he was matched up in the slot against rookie Roscoe Parrish. Parrish ran a “go” route and Greer stuck with him stride for stride resulting in an incompletion. Last week Parrish beat Greer on the same route. Greer’s speed and quickness could prove to be the difference maker. As a junior in high school he won the Tennessee state title for the intermediate and high hurdles. In college he qualified for the 2002 NCAA Championships in the 110-meter hurdles. Defensive backs coach Steve Szabo noted, “He's got very good coverage skills, he's working very hard and he sincerely is one of our better players... He can play in either off or press [coverage]. He's very fast and quick. He makes a good break on the ball. He can make up a good distance on a guy even if he separates from him.” In Thursday’s afternoon practice DT Sam Adams caught a tipped ball at the line and pitched it to Nate Clements, who returned it 40 yards for a score.

Special Teams: In the game at Indianapolis, PK Rian Lindell hit a 26 yard FG and two extra points. None of the top returner guys (CB Nate Clements on punt returns and CB Terrence McGee on kickoff returns) did any returning in the game... Rookie WR Roscoe Parrish was looking like a strong challenger to Clements for the PR job; however he injured his wrist this week and underwent surgery. The anticipated recovery timeframe is not known at this time. Rookie S Jim Leonhard returned a punt 12 yards, and WR Jonathon Smith had a fair catch. Rookie RB Lionel Gates looked quick on kickoff returns in practice this week and brought one back for 27 yards in the game. Also in the mix at KR, offseason acquisition RB ReShard Lee had two returns (19.5 average).

Bills Depth Chart
QB J.P. Losman, Kelly Holcomb, Shane Matthews, Kevin Thompson, Troy Woodbury
RB Willis McGahee, Shaud Williams (3RB), Lionel Gates (3RB), ReShard Lee
FB Damien Shelton, Joe Burns
WR Eric Moulds, Lee Evans, Josh Reed, Roscoe Parrish, Sam Aiken, Jonathan Smith, Will Peoples, George Wilson, Tony Brown, Drew Haddad
TE Mark Campbell, Tim Euhus, Ryan Neufeld, Kevin Everett (inj), Rod Trafford, Brad Cieslak
K Rian Lindell, Owen Pochman
DT Sam Adams, Ron Edwards, Tim Anderson, Lauvale Sape
DE Aaron Schobel, Chris Kelsay, Ryan Denney, Constantin Ritzmann, Uyi Osunde, George Gause
MLB London Fletcher, Mario Haggan (W), Daryl Towns, Liam Ezekial
OLB Takeo Spikes (W), Jeff Posey (S), Josh Stamer (S), Angelo Crowell (W), Kellen Brantley (S)
CB Nate Clements (PR), Terrence McGee (KR), Kevin Thomas, Jabari Greer, Eric King
S Lawyer Milloy (SS), Troy Vincent (FS), Coy Wire (SS), Rashad Baker (FS)

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Carolina Panthers

QB: Jake Delhomme is picking up right where he left off last year and he’s also giving rookie Stefan Lefors plenty of help, too. A few times in practice both QBs would be in the huddle. Delhomme would give the play, and then back out leaving Lefors to run the play at the line of scrimmage. Lefors is learning fast and showing great instincts as a rookie. He’s looking like a rookie at times (missing receivers) but overall the team is quite pleased with his progression and believe he’s right on track.

RB: Dan Henning recently had a Q&A session where he was asked about rookie Eric Shelton. “We picked Eric Shelton because he was big, strong, smart and ran with toughness in college. He also runs fast. The only thing you can't tell in the transition from college to pro is whether a guy is going to be capable of carrying the ball 25 times a game. Somewhere along the line, we would like to see Eric become a featured back in the NFL. There is a lot of road that has to be traveled before we see that. We are completely up in the air about Stephen Davis. We were in a darned if you do/darned if you don't position at the draft. If we hadn't have taken Eric or someone like him, then Stephen didn't come back, we would have been shorthanded. We're looking for a big, strong power back who can take the ball 25 times a game. But if we DID take Eric and Stephen comes back, we could be long handed there. We felt the latter was a better situation to be in, so that's why we took Eric Shelton in the second round.” Despite rumors that Shelton was struggling to pick up the offense, coach John Fox doesn’t seem to be in agreement recently saying, “To watch a rookie in his first game situation, I think myself and the coaching staff are excited to see him. He's looked good thus far in camp. He's had no problem picking up the offense. This is going to be an opportunity. I think coaches all around the League are looking forward to seeing these guys operate on the NFL level for the first time.”

WR: Keary Colbert returned to practice after sitting out a week with a strained hamstring. He didn’t waste any time getting reacquainted with Delhomme catching a long TD pass. While he was out Rod Gardner stepped in to work with the first team. He’s trying to push Colbert for the starting job and played well in his place. Colbert doesn’t appear to be phased by the competition. "I feel pressure every year and every day regardless of who is here," Colbert said. "I want to be a certain type of player and to do that you have to work a certain way. That's not based on other people. It's based on pushing yourself to get better and ultimately help the team get better." There also doesn’t appear to be any sort of jealousy on Colbert’s part. He may be sharing the ball more than originally anticipated with Gardner’s arrival. Drew Carter may also work himself into the rotation along with veteran Ricky Proehl. "The more the merrier," Colbert said. "Depth is not a bad thing. I always reference the Rams and when Ricky was there. They had a number of good receivers and they all played well, the team played well and they went to the Super Bowl. I think we're in a similar situation depth-wise.”  Meanwhile, Gardner is doing his best to impress his new coaches and teammates. “He was a good get for us," said Fox. "He's big and physical and not afraid to stick his nose in there. He likes the physical part of the game. Every time I see him out there, he's jumping up, making a big play. He's getting more and more comfortable day by day.”

Drew Carter continues to impress. In Wednesday morning’s practice, he went over the middle on back-to-back plays, first making a diving catch and then a leaping grab. Carter is showing good hands, and so far, no fear. Rookie Aaron Boone made the highlight play in Thursday’s night session leaping for a long reception from fellow rookie QB Stefan Lefors. Antoine Burns was released following an injury settlement with the team.

TE: Dan Henning was asked about Kris Mangum’s versatility on Wednesday following Freddie Jones’ untimely retirement and was quoted, “Mangum is kind of an in between sized guy. You'd like to have a guy who is as knowledgeable and accountable as Kris and make him 280 pounds to give him a chance to sit on the line and block a guy like Julius Peppers or whoever we have to block during the course of the season. When we put him on the move, we can change the formation look, which gives some doubt as to whether he's going to line up on the left side or right side. It also gives him some momentum to his blocks, and the leverage to move around so that his release is cleaner. But you can't do that with everybody. We'll still put Kris on the line and ask him to do some things inside but we don't think it would be prudent to do that all the time because he's at such a size disadvantage. But we take advantage of the skills he has and move him around so he becomes a tight end/fullback. We also do that with Michael Gaines and Mike Seidman but not as much because they're bigger guys. Brad Hoover and Casey Cramer are in that same role as Kris, the hybrid fullback/tight end.” The Panthers signed Chad Mustard, recently waived by Cleveland, to add depth to the position. Mike Seidman suffered a minor knee injury and sat out Wednesday’s morning practice.

Defense: Brandon Short replaces Mark Fields at strong-side linebacker in training camp. Fox talked a little about Short recently and said, “Brandon is a guy that we went after a year ago. He was a starter with the New York Giants, and I had some past with him and knew his make-up. He worked very hard this offseason and has looked very good thus far in camp. He's a guy that we're counting on to play at a high level.” The Panthers made a roster change this week claiming CB Dwight Anderson off waivers from the Rams while cutting CB Shannon Fitzhugh to make room. At the moment there are no surprises on the team’s depth chart in the secondary. Despite the injured knee, Mike Minter remains listed as the starter at free safety with Colin Branch at SS, Ken Lucas at left corner and Chris Gamble at right corner.

Special Teams: Against Washington this weekend, PK John Kasay hit four extra points but had his only FG attempt blocked (39 yards). WR Steve Smith got a chance to show that he can still return punts at full speed with an 11 yard return. Rookie WR Efrem Hill had a good game with three returns and an 18.0 yard average. Unfortunately for him he is at the bottom of the WR depth chart and will most likely be cut. RB Rod Smart, the primary KR, had some carries on offense in the game but no returns. RB Jamal Robertson, who is hoping to make the final roster, had one kickoff return for 23 yards.

Panthers Depth Chart
QB Jake Delhomme, Chris Weinke, Stefan Lefors, Rod Rutherford
RB DeShaun Foster, Eric Shelton (SD), Stephen Davis (inj), Nick Goings (FB), Rod Smart (KR), Jamal Robertson, Nick Maddox
FB Brad Hoover, Casey Cramer
WR Steve Smith (PR), Keary Colbert (inj), Rod Gardner, Ricky Proehl, Drew Carter, Karl Hankton, Micah Ross, J.R. Tolver, Taylor Stubblefield, Aaron Boone, Efrem Hill
TE Kris Mangum, Mike Seidman, Michael Gaines, Dan Curley, Chad Mustard
K John Kasay
DE Julius Peppers, Mike Rucker, Al Wallace, Isaac Hilton, Jovan Haye, Kemp Rasmussen
DT Kris Jenkins, Brentson Buckner, Kindal Moorehead, Atiyyah Ellison, Jordan Carstens, Omari Jordan, Charles Hill, Eddie Freeman
MLB Dan Morgan, Vinny Ciurciu (W/M), Adam Seward
OLB Will Witherspoon (W/M), Brandon Short (S/M), Thomas Davis (SS/S), Chris Draft (S/M), Bryan Knight (W), Marcus Lawrence
CB Chris Gamble, Ken Lucas, Ricky Manning, Dante Wesley, Eddie Jackson, Dwight Anderson
S Mike Minter (FS/SS), Colin Branch (SS/FS), Idrees Bashir (FS), Marlon McCree (FS), James Whitley (FS), William Hampton, Ben Emanuel (FS)

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Chicago Bears

QB: Wow. What else can one say when it comes to Rex Grossman, who fractured his ankle Friday night. He’s out for 3 to 4 months putting a damper on the entire Bears offense and season for the second year in a row. It’s a shame, too. Grossman’s decision making was markedly improved. He was showing good leadership and command in the huddle and throwing with nice velocity and accuracy. Against the Dolphins last Monday night, Rex Grossman had an outstanding 34 yd pass to Muhsin Muhammad that was nearly a touchdown. Overall, the Bears offense looked fairly good. Then on Friday night Grossman was spun down to the ground by defenders only to get back up, limp a few steps and then sit back down on the turf motioning for a trainer. He was then carted off the field.

Where the Bears turn now is sure to be the hot subject over the next several days. Will they go to battle with Chad Hutchinson? Turn to an unproven rookie in Kyle Orton? Or will recently acquired veteran Jeff Blake get the nod?  Kyle Orton has all but locked up the third string job at this point. He certainly made a good impression against the Dolphins leading the third string offense on two late touchdown drives lifting the Bears to a 27-24 win. He finished 7 for 11 with 175 yds. On Friday night, Orton completed 7 out of 10 passes for 93 yards with an interception.

RB: The contract talks between the Bears and the fourth overall pick Cedric Benson remain at a stand still. Meanwhile, it’s business as usual for Thomas Jones. He continues to play hard in Benson’s absence. Jones rushed for 47 yds on 10 carries with a 1 yd TD run against Miami. Adrian Peterson looks secure in his job as the team’s third back. He rushed for 69 yards and a TD on 13 carries on Friday night against the Rams. Jones ran for 43 yards on 11 carries Friday while catching 3 passes for 15 yards. He also lost a fumble. Fred Russell is fighting for a roster spot. With injuries to Bryan Johnson, Keith Belton and Jason McKie, Marc Edwards is the starting fullback. Offensive coordinator Ron Turner said his late signing isn't an issue. "Marc has been in a system very similar to this," Turner said. "Mentally, it was no big deal for him. He's a veteran and has experience. That's why we figured protection-wise we didn't want to take a chance with someone who's not so sure, so [opponents] could turn somebody loose."

WR: Muhsin Muhammad’s presence immediately makes the rest of the Bears offense better. He helps the running game with his tremendous blocking skills and he’s a sure-handed possession receiver who can also make a big play downfield like he did on Monday night. Muhammad barely missed a TD on a nice 34 yd catch. Rookie Mark Bradley also turned in a fine performance with 5 catches for 131 yards. Bradley spent a lot of time with the first team offense. The coaches were happy with his performance, but they are quick to note that he’s not ready yet and remains inconsistent. Bradley dinged his shoulder Friday night. In Sunday’s practice Bradley avoided contact drills. Bernard Berrian caught 3 passes for 65 yds against Miami. He’s been great in camp, but he missed Wednesday’s practice. His absence allowed Bradley to alternate with Justin Gage and work with the first team. Unfortunately, Bradley dropped two easy catches in no-coverage drills, but did rebound to make a couple nice plays shortly thereafter.

Meanwhile, Eddie Berlin has a partially torn groin muscle that will sideline him for at least six weeks leaving the door open for Carl Ford to make the roster. The team also claimed Derek Abney off waivers from Baltimore to help replace Berlin in the interim. Ford had 3 catches for 56 yards against Miami including a 43 yard touchdown. Neither Gage nor Bobby Wade caught a pass against Miami, but they didn’t see a lot of playing time either. “We didn’t get them as involved with the offense as we’d like,” Ron Turner said. “That’ll come in time. It’s life as a receiver. Some games you have opportunities to make plays, sometimes you don’t. But both of them are having real solid camps, and we feel good about both of them.”

TE: Desmond Clark has been injured throughout training camp, but returned to practice on Sunday. He stepped right in with the No. 1 offense. He hadn’t practiced in three months due to a sprained ankle. Clark faces some competition for the job this year, but shouldn’t have a difficult time fending off the challengers. Coach Lovie Smith recently said “someone will have to beat out Desmond” when asked about his return. This year Clark and the Bears tight ends are being asked to block more because of Ron Turner’s run-focused offense. Clark doesn’t seem too worried. "I'm known as a pass-catching tight end, but I've been doing a good job blocking," Clark said. "I won't have any problems doing what [Turner's] asking the tight ends to do." In the interim John Gilmore was starting with Dustin Lyman right on his heels. Lyman (ankle) and Ron Johnson (knee) missed Wednesday’s practice. Darnell Sanders and Gabe Reid are also in the mix. He caught 4 passes for 34 yards against the Rams. Reid had 2 receptions for 25 yards.

Defense: The Bears defense played reasonably well in their pre-season opener against Miami. They applied some pressure on the QB and were playing without starting corner Charles Tillman. Tillman returned Friday night and recorded an interception and 3 tackles. Adewale Ogunleye is in mid-season form with 3 sacks in their first two games. He consistently put pressure on the QB in each game. CB Nathan Vasher moved into the starting role and rookie Rashied Davis slide into the nickel spot. Neither of them played particularly well. Vasher was called for two pass interference calls and Davis struggled to the point where Jerrell Pippens has since replaced him as the nickel corner. LB Brian Urlacher had a sack while fellow LB Lance Briggs whiffed on a sack in the Dolphins end zone in what would have been at least a safety. Briggs knew he didn’t take advantage of the opportunity and the team had just talked about cashing in on big plays in the locker room before the game. "Last week I was talking about wanting to finish big plays," Briggs said. "Those are the big plays that I'm talking about. Those are the things I have to tune up. It's a good sign when you see linebackers around the quarterback. But I have to finish that play."

Special Teams: In last Mondays’ Hall of Fame game, PK Doug Brien made a 30 yard FG and three extra points. The Bears were not happy with his poor kickoffs of 49, 55, 61, and 53 yards. They consequently used K-balls in practice this week to help simulate game conditions. Brien didn’t see much action in this weekend’s game at St. Louis with one extra point and an “ok” kickoff of 62 yards. In those two games, rookie Nick Novak made three short FGs (22, 22, & 27) and has looked slightly better on kickoffs (72, 66, 68, 60, & 62). With primary KR recovering from hip surgery, several players have returned kicks in the two games: CB Nathan Vasher (2 returns, 21.5 average), WR Mark Bradley (2,18.0), WR Bernard Berrian (2,18.0), and CB Rashied Davis (2,26.5). Several candidates for the PR position have played in the two games: WR Bernard Berrian (1,11.0), WR Bobby Wade (3,7.0), CB Nathan Vasher (1,4.0), and WR Derek Abney (2,4.5). Abney was just waived by Baltimore this week and quickly snatched up by the Bears who remembered his illustrious return career at Kentucky.

Bears Depth Chart
QB Rex Grossman (inj), Chad Hutchinson, Kyle Orton, Ryan Dinwiddie, Kurt Kittner
RB Thomas Jones (3RB), Cedric Benson, Adrian Peterson, Fred Russell, Zack Abron
FB Bryan Johnson (inj), Thump Belton, Marc Edwards, Jason McKie (inj)
WR Muhsin Muhammad, Justin Gage, Bernard Berrian (KR/PR), Bobby Wade, Mark Bradley, Eddie Berlin, Airese Currie, Carl Ford, Derrick Lee, Derek Abney
TE Desmond Clark (inj), John Gilmore, Dustin Lyman, John Owens, Ron Johnson, Darnell Sanders, Gabe Reid
K Doug Brien, Nick Novak
DE Adewale Ogunleye, Alex Brown, Michael Haynes, Israel Idonije, Alain  Kashama, Shurron Pierson, Greg White, Jonathan Jackson
DT Tommie Harris, Ian Scott, Alfonso Boone, Terry Johnson, Darrell Campbell
MLB Brian Urlacher, Quinn Dorsey
OLB Lance Briggs (W), Hunter Hillenmeyer (S/M), Joe Odom (S), Marcus Reese (S), Jeremy Cain (W), Derrick Ballard (W), Levar Woods, Rod Wilson, Leon Joe
CB Charles Tillman, Jerry Azumah (KR) (inj), Nathan Vasher, Todd McMillon, Alfonso Marshall, Talib Wise, Rashied Davis, Leroy Smith
S Mike Brown (SS), Mike Green (FS), Todd Johnson (SS), Bobby Gray (SS), Jason Shivers (FS), Cameron Worrell (FS), Chris Harris, Jerrell Pippens, Brandon McGowan

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Cleveland Browns

QB: Trent Dilfer is expected to be a pocket passer for the Browns in their new offensive system. “Trent has been in an offense other than a West Coast offense," Crennel said. "He knows them both. Only time will tell how we do and how he does.” So far everything seems to be going as smoothly as one might expect. After all, he’s working with completely new receivers, no Winslow and their projected No. 1 WR just ended his holdout. Backing up Dilfer it looks more and more like it will be rookie Charlie Frye, who appears as game-ready as any of the rookie NFL quarterbacks in his class. Frye’s arm strength has been questioned by some observers but GM Phil Savage isn’t concerned stating it is “strong enough”. The Browns believe he’s a gamer who excels in crucial game-time situations. If he follows in the footsteps of other recent MAC quarterbacks the Browns will be happy they drafted him. Doug Johnson and Josh Harris are battling for the third spot.

RB: The Browns are expected to employ a run-oriented attack under new offensive coordinator Maurice Carthon and Lee Suggs continues atop the depth chart and has the inside track on the starting job. .But the Browns coaches remain unconvinced that Suggs will stay healthy. Carthon cautions, “Is he gonna be healthy enough to play 16 games, and then, hopefully, playoff games and eventually a Super Bowl?” That’s why the Browns went out and got Reuben Droughns from Denver. Droughns has been sidelined since August 3rd because of a pulled hamstring, but is expected to begin practicing as early as Monday (August 15th).  He did a little work on the sidelines in Friday’s practice. Droughns absence has allowed Suggs more reps in practice as well as William Green, who’s been playing special teams in camp in an effort to strengthen his hold on a roster spot. "That's the kind of things you have to do to be a part of the team," Green said. "If I can help in any way, I'm going to do it. I'm going to work extremely hard on special teams."

WR: Third overall pick Braylon Edwards finally arrived to Browns training camp signing a five year contract on Thursday, a day after a false alarm and 16 days after his fellow rookies reported to camp. “I've been really anxious to get back on the football field," Edwards said. "The last 24 hours have been exceptionally amazing. I thought yesterday we were going to get it done. It didn't quite happen yesterday so that took it to another emotional level and it culminated today when we signed. The past 24 hours were very on edge. The main thing now is it’s over with. I knew it wasn't going to get past today." Edwards didn’t play in Saturday’s game against the Giants, though Romeo Crennel talked about having him dress and go through pre-game warm-ups with the team. Edwards missed 22 practices overall and 18 full-squad practices. Crennel indicated that Edwards will start at the bottom of the depth chart and needs to work his way up as he proves worthy of promotion and learns the playbook. "Football is football," Edwards said. "Obviously, I have never played on the NFL level. I played all summer with these guys, did the passing camps, watched film with Charlie [Frye] and Trent [Dilfer] all summer. They didn't pick up a new offense since I left. It's the same offense I learned this summer." Asked with which team Edwards would be starting, Crennel said: “We mentioned [fourth-team receiver] WR Lance Moore. He'll be somewhere below Lance.”

With Edwards signed the trade rumors involving Andre Davis figure to heat up again. Davis has been mentioned in rumors involving Seattle, but with the Eagles losing Todd Pinkston (not to mention the TO shenanigans) Philly could turn into a potential suitor as well. Davis has looked average to good in camp (depending on who you ask), but he’s not been mentioned as frequently as Antonio Bryant or Dennis Northcutt in terms of players who are standing out. Bryant took most advantage of Edwards’ absence emerging as the top receiver. He and Dilfer have developed some chemistry and he’s got a leg up on his fellow receivers having already played in Carthon’s system last year in Dallas. The 6’2” 188 lbs. Bryant is said to have one starting job wrapped up leaving Davis, Northcutt and now Edwards to compete for the other. On Thursday, Bryant hauled in a Dilfer deep sideline pass over safety Antwan Harris and then spiked the ball in the end zone.

TE: Steve Heiden and Aaron Shea combined for an impressive 539 yards on 54 receptions with 9 touchdowns last season and figure to be the main options again in 2005 with Kellen Winslow out for the season. Behind these two are guys most people have never heard of. Paul Irons is the team’s third-stringer at the moment. Irons is an undrafted rookie who was a two-year starter at Florida State. After a quiet first week of training camp, Irons has been more visible of late, making more and more catches during practice in the Browns’ tight end-friendly offense. “There’s a great opportunity here to step up and fill the void,” Irons said. “Every day I try to learn what my coaches tell me to do, learn my adjustments and get the job done. There’s a difference between the NCAA and NFL, but there’s a tremendous amount of athletic ability at the school I played at. The difference here is that guys really know what to do. Some may not be as athletic as the guys I played with (in college), but they know how to get the job done. That’s what separates the good athletes from the football players.”

The fourth-team tight end is Keith Willis; a first-year player out of Virginia Tech. Willis is 6’6”, 252 lbs. and towers over most of his teammates. Willis was on the Browns practice squad a year ago and re-signed after Winslow’s injury. When asked what kind of player he is? Willis responded, “…A 100 miles-per-hour guy. I’m a tough kid. I’m not afraid to put my nose in there. I play hard from whistle to whistle, and I’ll give you everything I got. I’m not one of these tight ends that like to catch the ball and fall. I look for yards after the catch. I’m looking forward to showing these fans what I can do and hopefully ease the soreness of the loss of Winslow.” The group should benefit this year from the coaching of Ben Coates, who is now the team’s tight ends coach. On the injury front Aaron Shea suffered a strained muscle in the hip area last Monday. He sat out practice Tuesday, but the good news for the Browns is the tests revealed no structural damage, according to Crennel.

Defense: Corner Daylon McCutcheon remains sidelined. There is nothing new on Daylon," coach Romeo Crennel said following the morning practice on Tuesday in reference to the mysterious, lingering health issues that have caused the seventh-year pro to miss all of training camp so far. McCutcheon is suffering from mysterious, but persistent headaches. His teammates are concerned. “It's very serious,” linebacker Andra Davis said. “I've known Daylon for four years now, and I know he'd love to be out there with us. For us to see him laying up there in the training room not really knowing what's wrong with him, it's serious. We know he'll be back as soon as he can. We'll just keep praying for him.” Cornerback Gary Baxter added, “He wants to be out here bad. You have to take care of your health. You can always play this game, but you can never get your life back.” Third year DB Michael Lehan is playing in McCutcheon’s spot at left corner. Former Raven Gary Baxter is starting on the right side. The listed starters at safety are Sean Jones (SS) and Brian Russell (FS). Brodney Pool and Chris Crocker are the respective backups. Matt Stewart is currently listed as a starter at outside linebacker with Kenard Lang as the backup. It’s questionable how long, if at all, that will last.

Special Teams: PK Phil Dawson had no FG attempts and kicked 2 extra points against the Giants. PK Tyler Jones kicked a 41 yard FG. He is hoping to make the team as a kickoff specialist, although he only had one kickoff in the game for 65 yards, while Dawson had kickoffs of 63, 70, and 70 yards. WR Dennis Northcutt, the top punter, returned one for four yards in the game. Rookie CB Antonio Perkins, who looks to be the primary backup PR, returned one for seven yards. WR Andre’ Davis has been practicing as the top kickoff returner and had a 23 yard return in the game. WR Josh Cribbs has been practicing as the primary backup KR and returned one 35 yards.

Cincinnati Bengals

RB: Second year back Chris Perry is finally healthy and according to some has been the most exciting player in camp. “I’m excited, but I just hope I can make it through the whole season,” Perry said. “When that happens, then I’ll be excited.” Head Coach Marvin Lewis was asked if Perry is learning to play through the soreness. “He’s spirited out there. He caught the ball well yesterday and cut it back across the defense. He’s so talented. We just have to keep him going and get the ball in his hands and let him do his thing.” Perry is an excellent change of pace runner to starter Rudi Johnson, who rushed for 40 yards on six carries Friday night against the Patriots. Perry rushed for 41 yards on 12 carries and caught 3 passes for 27 yards against New England showing his versatility and promise. He led the team in rushing and receiving yards. Each back has their own unique talents. Johnson is a strong runner between the tackles, but Perry is a fluid receiver out of the backfield with the ability to cut, spin and effectively use the stiff arm to his advantage. The team is talking about using Perry not only as a third down back, but also in the “Jet” package alongside Rudi Johnson on first and second downs, too.

So far so good, Perry is already making an impact in practice with his acceleration, speed and hands catching the attention of coaches and teammates. “It would be a nice addition if it looks like he can do what he’s done so far,” offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski said. “It’d be another piece of the puzzle. He opens up avenues that we haven’t been able to use before.” Former Bengals great James Brooks attended practice this week and watched Perry in the team’s scrimmage. Brooks said he knows what Jim Anderson will tell Perry in their film session following the practice. “He’s got good explosion, but he has a tendency to run sideline-to-sideline. Running parallel,” Brooks said. “I know Jim will get on him to get it up field as soon as possible. Take it and go and don’t go laterally. It’s early. He’ll be fine. I hope he does well. There’s a lot of pressure on him.”  Competing for the third spot is Quincy Wilson, who must unseat the steady veteran Kenny Watson. Wilson rushed for 21 yards on 5 carries Friday night.  Watson didn’t play.

WR: Chad Johnson tweaked his ankle earlier in the week on Monday, but quickly got over it. On Wednesday amidst the red-hot weather Johnson put on a display in front of about 5,500 fans. He caught several TDs going deep for some bombs as well as catching some short red zone bloops. ESPN reported this week that Peter Warrick went to see Dr. James Andrews and was given a clean bill of health, but reportedly was given an ultimatum by the Bengals to accept a pay cut or be cut. The Bengals are denying they’ve asked Warrick to take a pay cut and Drew Rosenhaus, Warrick’s agent, has not commented yet. Warrick enters the final season of his contract and with rookies Chris Henry and Tab Perry in the mix, the writing appears to be on the wall regardless. Whether Warrick is with the team or not this certainly appears to be his last year as a Bengal.

Meanwhile the competition for the team’s No. 3 WR is coming down to Henry and third year WR Kelley Washington, who is having a fine camp. “I need to get in and out of breaks better,” said Washington, who has dropped six pounds to 212 pounds from a year ago. “Being a bigger receiver, it is more difficult for us to get out of those breaks than a Chad or T.J. I've looked at those guys and how they run their routes, how they get in and out of their breaks. All bigger receivers have to have that as a part of their game but in this style of offense where we run a lot of comebacks, a lot of curls and get in and out of breaks, that's something that bigger receiver has to pick up really quick.” Washington’s improvement hasn’t gone unnoticed either. Carson Palmer likes what he sees, too. "He's got a lot of motivation because he knows his job is on the line and he's done a phenomenal job," said Palmer. "He's one of those guys who doesn't complain, he comes back play after play and does his thing but at the end of the day he makes you 'ooo' and 'aaahh' when he makes a catch, runs a route or makes a block." Wide receiver Jeremiah Cockheran was waived this week so the team could sign kicker Carter Warley.

Defense: Rookie MLB Odell Thurman is settling into the starting MLB job in camp; playing at a high level and impressing coaches. In Wednesday night’s practice he came up with two interceptions in 7-on-7 drills. Marvin Lewis was asked about Thurman’s improvement, “I think he’s progressing well. He gets a lot of coaching and it’s not going to stop. His progress is important to us. Right now, he’s benefiting from that. With Landon (Johnson) and Brian (Simmons), there’s not a lot of correction to be made generally, so he’s getting filled up on it.” Thurman didn’t disappoint on Friday night against New England either. He finished with seven solo tackles. On one play he leapt into the air and nearly sacked Patriots QB Matt Cassel only he eluded Thurman and escaped to make a nice play. Meanwhile, SLB David Pollack remains unsigned and was demoted to the second team this week as his holdout pushes into the third week. For now, Landon Johnson is starting in his place and Larry Stevens has also looks great at times, too. Safety Madieu Williams strained his hamstring last Tuesday but is expected to be just fine.

Special Teams: PK Shayne Graham was looking good in practices until he aggravated his groin. He kicked a 25 yard FG and an extra point against New England this weekend. At Graham’s urging the team signed his former Virginia Tech teammate PK Carter Warley to handle longer kicks and kickoffs until Shayne is fully recovered. Warley hit a 43 yard FG in the game. WR/PR Peter Warrick announced he was ready to return to practice, but the team said he had to wait longer. Primary PR CB Keiwan Ratliff fair caught his only return against the Patriots. WR Freddie Milons returned one 16 yards.  WR Cliff Russell, the leading candidate for the KR position, set the pace with 3 returns (25.0 average). Three challengers kept the pressure on by each returning one kickoff for 24 yards: rookie WR Tab Perry, WR Jamall Broussard, and Milons.

Bengals Depth Chart
QB Carson Palmer, John Kitna, Casey Bramlet, Craig Krenzel
RB Rudi Johnson, Chris Perry (3RB), Kenny Watson (3RB), Quincy Wilson
FB Jeremi Johnson, Doug Easlick, Ronnie Ghent
WR Chad Johnson, T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Kelley Washington, Peter Warrick (inj), Chris Henry, Tab Perry, Kevin Walter, Cliff Russell (KR), Jamall Broussard, Freddie Milons, Matt Cherry
TE Reggie Kelly, Matt Schobel, Tony Stewart, Kori Dickerson, Lyonel Anderson
K Shayne Graham, Carter Warley
DE Justin Smith, Robert Geathers, Duane Clemons, Carl Powell, Elton Patterson, Jonathan Fenene, Derrick Crawford
DT John Thornton, Bryan Robinson, Matthias Askew, Langston Moore, Shaun Smith, Greg Scott
MLB Odell Thurman, Landon Johnson (W/M), Nate Webster, Caleb Miller (inj)
OLB Brian Simmons (W/M), David Pollack (S/DE), Marcus Wilkins (S), Larry Stevens (W), Cedrick Sullivan (S)
CB Tory James, Deltha O'Neal (WR/PR), Keiwan Ratliff, Reggie Myles, Rashad Bauman, Terrell Roberts, Greg Brooks, Brandon Williams
S Madieu Williams (FS/CB), Kim Herring (SS), Anthony Mitchell (SS), Kevin Kaesviharn (FS), Siddeeq Shabazz (SS), Patrick Body (FS)

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Dallas Cowboys

QB: Troy Aikman visited Cowboys camp last Thursday. Aside from visiting his former team he was also prepping for the Cowboys game which he worked as an analyst for the Dallas Cowboys Radio Network. Aikman thinks Drew Bledsoe should be fine as long as the Cowboys revamped offensive line protects him. “If the offensive line solidifies and protects him, I think that he should have a pretty good year,” Aikman said. “Of course the wide receivers are gonna have to do their part, but I think that he could have a good year for this team.” The only glaring hole on the line at this point is at right tackle. The same cast of underachievers is vying for the spot in camp again this year – led by Jacob Rogers, Torrin Tucker and Kurt Vollers. Larry Allen is a fall back, but the Cowboys would be thrilled if they didn’t have to make that move. Meanwhile, Drew Henson and Tony Romo continue to battle for the backup spot. In Wednesday’s scrimmage both continued to struggle. Romo threw a touchdown pass to receiver Zuriel Smith, but had two turnovers. Henson was intercepted twice and had a potential third interception dropped. When Bill Parcells was asked if Romo was pulling ahead of Henson he responded, “I see quite a bit of progress in Tony, but Tony had two turnovers in nine plays this morning, a fumble and another interception. He's got to be careful.”

RB: Julius Jones arrived in Oxnard noticeably stronger and has consistently looked sharp over the past two weeks, breaking off some big runs and showing good burst and vision. He also appears to have improved his blocking and receiving skills. If 18 practices and two scrimmages are any indication, Jones looks like he can be the focal point of the offense. Meanwhile Anthony Thomas is getting a run for his money from rookie Marion Barber for the backup job. There was speculation earlier last week that if Thomas doesn’t win the job he could be cut because he doesn’t contribute on special teams. Fullback Darian Barnes and Erik Bickerstaff were sidelined for the Cowboys game Saturday leaving the door open for Lousaka Polite to carry the full load. Parcells says he’s not convinced he’ll even carry a fullback on the roster so these three players could be playing for just one roster spot – if that.

One player to keep a watchful eye on is Tyson Thompson. He’s the fastest guy on the team at the moment and was timed at 4.36 in the 40. It’s being reported that Parcells may try to sneak him through waivers and sign him to the practice squad. Thompson has flashed good potential almost every day in camp, but Parcells oddly enough doesn’t seem interested in talking about him. "I don't want to talk about him," he said, before quickly adding: "He's doing OK." On Saturday night Thompson did a lot better than “OK”. Thompson rushed for 64 yards on 10 carries with runs of 10, 18, 10 and 15 yards late in the game putting the team in position to win the game. “I can't get too excited," Parcells said, "but he did run well and he does have speed."

WR: Parcells seems happy with Terry Glenn’s health so far this year. Glenn missed the last 10 games in 2004 because of a serious foot injury and has played a full 16 game slate just twice in his nine-year career. Parcells said Glenn “has done everything he can possibly do” to get ready for the season. The 31 year old doesn’t appear to have lost any speed in training camp. He looks just as smooth as he did before the injury. Parcells said he would like to spell Glenn with second year receiver Patrick Crayton, but it’s not to protect him from injury. Glenn acknowledged missing the game last year while injured this week in camp. "Sitting on the sidelines, especially when your team is losing or winning, however it goes, just when you're not out there," Glenn said. "It's what you get paid to do. And you feel bad sometimes when you go to pick up your paycheck." Parcells commented on Thursday that he wants to see more production out of Terrance Copper in practice, who is working with the second team. To that end, Parcells was asked if any of the receivers have established themselves as a front runner for No. 5 WR job. “No,” Bill Parcells said, “and you could put that with the fourth wide receiver spot, too. Maybe the third. I don't really know who the third receiver is.” That’s hardly a ringing endorsement for Quincy Morgan. If anything Morgan has slipped behind Patrick Crayton on the depth chart. Crayton has the hands. Morgan has the speed. "Quincy is improving as we go. I'm hoping he comes along because Quincy can run," Parcells said. "I didn't say I didn't like anything about him. I'm just looking for consistency."

TE: Parcells said he is thinking about keeping four tight ends on the roster – not including long snapper Jeff Robinson. Jason Witten and Dan Campbell are locks obviously. That leaves Brett Pierce, Sean Ryan and Tony Curtis competing for two spots. Sean Ryan (broken foot) underwent successful surgery and will be out another four weeks approximately. In the opener, Witten looked good catching 5 passes for 62 yards but he also lost a fumble.

Defense: After two weeks of camp it looks like the Cowboys are getting their money’s worth from corner Anthony Henry. “Well, Anthony Henry is better than anybody we've had since I've been here,” said Parcells. “He's big, strong and is a very smart player. He's going to help us this year.” Henry had six solo tackles in the preseason opener against Arizona. Opposite Henry is Terance Newman, who hopes to rebound in his third season after a disappointing performance a year ago. Newman made a nice break on a post route by Patrick Crayton on Thursday and knocked away a pass from Bledsoe. Rookie safety Justin Beriault had an impressive first two weeks of training camp. He made a few big plays in practice and impressed Parcells with his aggressiveness. Unfortunately since then Beriault missed last Saturday's scrimmage after having fluid drained from his knee and he’s been playing in pain since returning to practice last Monday, even missing a couple of practices. The Cowboys need Beriault on the field so Parcells and the coaching staff can evaluate him. Beriault participated in Friday's walkthrough and played against Arizona intercepting a pass and making one tackle. DT Jason Ferguson remains day to day with an ankle injury. DE Marcus Spears is out for about four more weeks with an MCL sprain and high ankle sprain. The Cowboys signed safety Derek Pagel, a former Jet, and he’s seeing time with the third team at free safety. As for who would get the starting nod at free safety right now? If pressed, Parcells said it would be Keith Davis. He’s put together a solid, but unspectacular camp thus far making the occasional big play, but more importantly not giving up many big plays and not biting on play-action fakes. Also worth noting was Demarcus Ware’s listing as a starter at linebacker over Kalen Thornton – even though Parcells noted he’s “struggling mentally”.

Special Teams: PK Billy Cundiff missed a golden opportunity to win over Bill Parcells when he missed a potential 53 yard game winner with 1:07 to play against Arizona. It would have been a 48 yard attempt if not for a penalty. He did hit from 34 and 47 earlier in the game. “Challenger” PK Jose Cortez hit a 33 yarder and looked very strong on kickoffs (73 & 74 yards). Cundiff’s kickoffs went for 60 & 70. Four competitors for the PR position each had one punt return: WR Ahmad Merritt (10 yards), rookie RB Marion Barber (7), WR Zuriel Smith (5), and WR Jamaica Rector (8). RB Tyson Thompson handled most of the kickoff returns (3 returns, 24.0 average), and Merritt returned one for 15 yards. Barber, Rector, WR Terrance Copper, and FS Woodrow Dantzler have also been practicing kickoff returns.

Cowboys Depth Chart
QB Drew Bledsoe, Tony Romo, Drew Henson
RB Julius Jones (3RB), Anthony Thomas, Marion Barber, Keylon Kincade, Woodrow Dantzler (KR), Tyson Thompson
FB Darian Barnes, Lousaka Polite, Erik Bickerstaff
WR Keyshawn Johnson, Terry Glenn, Quincy Morgan,  Patrick Crayton, Terrance Copper, Ahmad Merritt, Zuriel Smith, Reggie Harrell, Jamaica Rector, Tom Crowder
TE Jason Witten, Dan Campbell, Sean Ryan (inj), Brett Pierce, Tony Curtis
K Billy Cundiff, Jose Cortez
DE Greg Ellis, Kenyon Coleman, Marcus Spears (inj), Chris Canty, Leonardo Carson, Jay Ratliff
NT Jason Ferguson (NT), La'Roi Glover, Jermaine Brooks, Willie Blade, Chris Van Hoy
ILB Dat Nguyen, Bradie James (W), Al Singleton (S), Scott Shanle (S), Keith O'Neil, Mike Goolsby, Roger Cooper, Joe Condo
OLB Demarcus Ware (S/DE), Kevin Burnett (W), Eric Ogbogu (S/DE), Kalen Thornton (S), Ryan Fowler (W), Reggie Love
CB Terance Newman (PR), Anthony Henry, Aaron Glenn, Jacques Reeves, Lance Frazier, Bruce Thornton, Nathan Jones, Lenny Williams
S Roy Williams (SS), Keith Davis (FS/SS), Izell Reese (FS), Lynn Scott (SS), Justin Beriault (FS), Derek Pagel

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Denver Broncos

QB: Jake Plummer had a scare early last week, but it turned out to be nothing and he’s fine now. Last week head coach Mike Shanahan shook up the QB depth chart promoting Bradlee Van Pelt to No. 2 and demoting Danny Kanell to No. 4. Say what you want about Van Pelt, but he certainly doesn’t lack any confidence. "I know I'm on the right track," Van Pelt said. "I know I'm going to be very good one day. I know I'm going to be a starter in the league." Danny Kanell was obviously less optimistic regarding the demotion. “This has been the biggest professional challenge of my career,” Kanell said. “It hasn't been easy. It's been a tough week. What's tough is that this was unexpected.” Kanell went on to say he thought he was performing well in camp and coming off one of the best offseason programs of his career. All three QBs played well against the Texans.

Against the Texans Saturday, Plummer got an early touchdown (3 yard pass to Stephen Alexander) and finished 6 for 10 with 60 yards and no interceptions. Bradlee Van Pelt and Matt Mauck each made a case for roster spots, too. Van Pelt was 10 for 17 for 107 yards. "It felt good to get out there but I wanted to play better," Van Pelt said. "I wanted to get some touchdowns and hit some more passes. I felt I played below what I was capable of." Shanahan gave Van Pelt a positive review.  "This was his first game and you could see his athletic ability," Shanahan said. "I'm proud of the way we came back and had a big-time drive against an excellent defense." Van Pelt rushed for 45 yards on 3 carries. Mauck only attempted 3 passes, completing 2 of them for 96 yards (92 of them on a TD pass to Todd Devoe).

RB: Mike Anderson remains the No. 1 back on the depth chart after a couple weeks in training camp. Anderson is the team’s best back in short yardage situations and he’s been successful on several occasions in training camp already. This is an area the Broncos are focused on improving after struggling in that department a year ago. Tatum Bell seems to be spelling him about every third play. The primary competition for the third spot appears to be boiling down to Ron Dayne and Quentin Griffin since Maurice Clarett has been struggling with a groin injury prompting one web tabloid to believe the Broncos could place him on injured reserve to save themselves the embarrassment of cutting a third round pick. An MRI examination on Clarett’s groin was negative, revealing no further damage other than the strain that sidelined him much of the past week. "It's nothing serious," head coach Mike Shanahan said. "It's not torn. He's getting rehab right now, working out a couple of times a day in the weight room, getting treatment about four times a day. Hopefully when we get back he'll be ready to go."

Shanahan said nothing should be read into the battle for the top RB spot, but did add that Quentin Griffin played well last Monday breaking several long runs with the second team. On Tuesday Bell looked good. Working mostly with the second team, he showed improved hands on pass plays. Meanwhile, the Mike “the Marine” is the guy getting the job done day in and day out for the most part. "I know all the stats and how this team as a whole struggled, especially in goal-line situations," said Anderson, referring to last year when he was injured and unable to play a single down. "I'm so excited I can bring something to the table. I'm more excited than the day I got drafted by the Broncos." In Saturday’s game Ron Dayne had the most productive day running 11 times for 56 yards while also catching 2 passes for 14 yards. Bell produced only 11 yards on 8 carries while Mike Anderson ran 6 times for 12 yards; each guy caught a pass, too.

WR: Ashley Lelie had the longest catch of the day for Denver in their joint practice with Houston on Thursday. Lelie beat cornerback Philip Buchanon downfield on a post route for a deep connection from Plummer. Darius Watts continues to be inconsistent. He drops catchable balls only to turn around and make outstanding catches. Jerry Rice has been bothered by plantar fasciitis – meaning he has painful inflammation in his heel. “I've never had it before, but I'm tired of it," said Rice, who practiced Thursday and said he will not push the injury. Rice did play in this weekend’s preseason game, so the injury is probably a non event. Todd Devoe, who spent his rookie year last season on the Baltimore Ravens practice squad, broke free with a short pass from Mauck, and then scampered 92 yards late in the fourth quarter to provide the winning margin in the Broncos' 20-14 preseason victory over the Houston Texans. Charlie Adams, competing for a roster spot, caught 3 passes for 43 yards.

TE: Stephen Alexander continues to work with the first team offense in camp. Jeb Putzier is getting some work with the first unit, but the team plans to use plenty of double TE sets, too. “Jeb can be special, and he's a big part of what we do,” Broncos special-teams coach Tim Brewster said. “But right now, Stephen is the most complete of our tight ends.” Alexander caught a TD pass in the preseason opener from Plummer. Putzier also caught one ball for 11 yards.

Defense: On Thursday, Denver's defense succeeded at keeping the Houston Texans limited to short gains on passes throughout the morning's full-team and seven-on-seven work. The Broncos managed one interception, coming when Domonique Foxworth tipped a David Carr pass intended for wide receiver Reggie Swinton. Al Wilson procured the interception. D.J. Williams opened the morning's seven-on-seven work with a well-timed defense of a pass to Andre Johnson, his former University of Miami teammate. CB Champ Bailey and DT Gerard Warren didn’t play against the Texans on Saturday. Both have hamstring injuries and the coaches are playing it safe. Rookie Darrent Williams started in place of Bailey. Former starter Monsanto Pope started in place of Warren. Ebenezer Ekuban overtook Marco Coleman on the DE depth chart this week. Courtney Brown is the intended regular season starter, but he’s sidelined for three more weeks with a dislocated elbow.

One player showing vast improvement in camp this year is safety Sam Brandon. Heading into camp it was questionable whether or not he’d even make the roster. So far, Brandon has been outstanding making plays in nearly every practice. “I’m a much better player than I was last year,” said Brandon. “But I have to be. Last year was tough. I know I had to come out strong and do well. It’s early, but I’m feeling like I’m doing some nice things.” Brandon is working with the first team when starter John Lynch needs to take a practice off.

Special Teams: PK Jason Elam scored points as usual, FGs from 24 and 27 plus two extra points, in the game at Houston. PK Paul Ernster hit kickoffs of 61, 60, and 70 (touchback) in his quest to earn a spot as the kickoff specialist. Punter Todd Sauerbrun is another option to handle kickoffs. He handled two late in the game for 61 and 62 yards. Rookie CB Darrent Williams was designated as the PR/KR specialist shortly after the draft, and indeed he handled all the returns in the first preseason game. He faired much better on kickoff returns (2 returns, 25.0 average), than he did on punt returns (4, 2.5).

Broncos Depth Chart
QB Jake Plummer, Danny Kanell, Matt Mauck, Bradlee Van Pelt
RB Mike Anderson, Tatum Bell, Quentin Griffin, Ron Dayne, Maurice Clarett
FB Kyle Johnson, Brandon Miree, Cecil Sapp, Kris Briggs
WR Rod Smith, Ashley Lelie, Darius Watts, Triandos Luke (PR), Jerry Rice, Nate Jackson (TE), Charlie Adams, B.J. Johnson, Todd Devoe
TE Jeb Putzier, Stephen Alexander, Patrick Hape (HB), Mike Pinkard, Wesley Duke
K Jason Elam, Paul Ernster
DE Trevor Pryce, Courtney Brown (inj), Ebenezer Ekuban, Raylee Johnson, Marco Coleman, John Engelberger, Anton Palepoi, Randy Garner, Chukie Nwokorie, Aaron Hunt
DT Gerard Warren, Mario Fatafehi, Monsanto Pope, Michael Myers, Luther Elliss, Demetrin Veal, Dorsett Davis, D.J. Renteria
MLB Al Wilson, Keith Burns, Patrick Chukwurah
OLB Ian Gold (W), D.J. Williams (S), Terry Pierce (S/M), Jashon Sykes (W), Louis Green (W), Marcus Steele (S)
CB Champ Bailey, Lenny Walls, Jeremy LaSueur (FS), Darrent Williams, Karl Paymah, Roc Alexander (KR), Dominique Foxworth, Curome Cox, Jeff Shoate, Brandon Browner
S John Lynch (FS), Nick Ferguson (SS), Sam Brandon (FS), Chris Young (SS)

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