Kenny Golladay Expected To Miss 2-3 Weeks With Hamstring Pull
(8/5 10:42 AM PT)
The Facts:
The expectation after Golladay’s doctor visit is that he’ll probably miss 2-3 weeks due to his hamstring pull, according to a source.
Reported by the New York Daily News
Diehards Line:
That’s good news because it means Golladay could be back in late August, still a couple weeks ahead of the Giants’ Week 1 opener against Denver on Sept. 12. It’s prudent for the Giants to be cautious with their free agent signing after his Tuesday injury at practice in a 7-on-7 drill.
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Derek Carr More Comfortable And Confident In Offense
(8/5 10:09 AM PT)
The Facts:
Entering his eighth NFL season and fourth under Jon Gruden, Carr finally feels comfortable and confident in leading an offense. "I remember the night before every practice, I'd be stressed out," the quarterback said of the early parts of his career, via the team's official website. "In my head, I'm just hard on myself. I'm thinking about everything like, 'I got to do that right.' I'm checking my notes like, 'I got to do that. I wrote this down, got to fix that.' Now, it's just so free."
Reported by NFL.com
Diehards Line:
Carr is coming off a solid season for the 8-8 Raiders, crossing the 4,000-yard mark for the third straight year under Gruden and compiling a 27-19 TD-INT ratio. He also generated a career-best 101.4 passer rating. There is promise in Vegas, with a young receiver corps that has impressed this offseason, led by second-year players Henry Ruggs III and Bryan Edwards. In addition, the backfield with Josh Jacobs and Kenyan Drake has the chance to be dynamite. Carr noted that the diverse skillsets of his receivers should help open up the offense in 2021 and he's not wrong. Given his late QB2 price point in current fantasy drafts, you could do worse when looking at inexpensive options.
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Sirianni In No Hurry To Name Jalen Hurts His Starter... Even If He's Already the Starter
(8/5 10:00 AM PT)
The Facts:
Hurts is the best quarterback on the Eagles roster. Hurts has been taking the first-team reps during training camp. But Hurts is not Philadelphia's starting quarterback — at least not yet. HC Nick Sirianni has been careful not to actually call Hurts the Eagles' QB1, first during the offseason program and now during training camp. Ostensibly this is because Philadelphia wants to make sure Hurts goes out and earns the job. But Sirianni was still asked on Thursday why he's been so hesitant to effectively call a spade a spade. "There's just no rush there on having to do that," Sirianni said during his press conference. "We just want him to continue to impress, and show like he has. We're just not there yet."
Reported by Profootballtalk.com
Diehards Line:
As PFT suggests, with the start of the regular season still more than a month away, the Eagles don't really have to be at that point yet. But unless something wildly dramatic happens, that is going to be Hurts' job. Sirianni can wait or just outright say it, but the outcome is highly likely to be the same.
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Aaron Rodgers' Relationship With Gutekunst A Work In Progress
(8/4 10:44 PM PT)
The Facts:
Rodgers' offseason standoff produced a desirable result for both sides, but that doesn't mean everything is peachy between the quarterback and the front office. Rodgers was asked about the status of his relationship with general manager Brian Gutekunst during a memorable press conference to open training camp and called it "professional." A week later, Rodgers offered an update when asked a second time. "I think it's a work in progress. I think relationships aren't formed in a matter of a couple days," Rodgers said. "There's time where the respect grows and the communication follows."
Reported by NFL.com
Diehards Line:
Rodgers continued: "There's no break in communication, there's no forced conversations where you got to hit this person up because it's on your to-do list that day. It's all about wanting to have those conversations and wanting to be in conversation like that. We've had a couple conversations, they've been positive conversations. ..." Rodgers had a wish granted when the Packers promptly acquired former teammate Randall Cobb, bringing back someone Rodgers called "a true slot receiver" last week. ... Should the Packers succeed in 2021, perhaps Rodgers will find it easier to interact with Gutekunst, especially when it comes to long-term planning. If not, we could end up in another situation similar to the one that dominated headlines for much of the offseason.
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Deshaun Watson Has Excuse For Absence From Practice... Beyond The Real Excuse
(8/4 10:42 PM PT)
The Facts:
Whenever HC David Culley fields questions about Watson, the non-answer comes with a delivery that best could be described as frenetic bewilderment. On Wednesday, OC Tim Kelly gave a real answer about Watsons current whereabouts. The context — now that the Texans are practicing in pads, Watson isnt present at practice. As Kelly explained it, Watson is attending meetings. "Hes been a great asset for us in the room and some of the stuff we do, how he sees it and how he sees the intent of the plays," Kelly said. "Its been great. Hes been very helpful with those players. Again, were doing a good job of keeping him engaged and going through some different stuff with him. Hes been good for those players."
Reported by Profootballtalk.com
Diehards Line:
Via John McClain of the Houston Chronicle, Watson hasnt been on the practice field because he has injuries to his ankle and calf. Its unknown whether those injuries would keep him from practicing but for the awkward posture that player and team currently occupy, given Watsons desire to be traded, the teams desire to trade him, the uncertainty arising from 22 civil lawsuits, the existence of 10 criminal complaints, the inevitability of a grand jury taking up the matter, and the possibility of an indictment. ... Meanwhile, Tyrod Taylor continues to prepare as if he'll be the team's starter. You should do the same.
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Taylor Downplays Concerns As Joe Burrow, Offense Get Off To Slow Start
(8/4 2:46 PM PT)
The Facts:
Burrow hasn't quite looked like the record-breaking rookie of 2020 from the start of Bengals training camp. Understandable enough as the second-year quarterback returns from an ACL tear. Perhaps more disturbing, however, is that the Bengals' pass protection, which struggled last year and put the 2020 No. 1 overall pick in plenty of peril, hasn't handled the Bengals' rush especially well in early practices, either. Camp reports of Burrow looking uncomfortable, however, are premature to HC Zac Taylor. "I think it's the whole unit right now. We're just getting a feel for each other. You know, you'd like to be throwing touchdowns on every play right now, but we've got some progress to be made," Taylor told reporters Wednesday. "But there's no cause for panic for any reason for that."
Reported by NFL.com
Diehards Line:
Burrow, when healthy, provided an injection of excitement for Bengals fans last year, despite the club's last-place divisional finish (4-11-1). He broke NFL rookie passing records, including becoming the first to pass for three consecutive 300-yard games, against the Jaguars, Eagles and Browns. Taylor, in turn, let it fly with the pass offense as Burrow averaged 40.4 pass attempts over 10 starts before he was hurt. So far in camp, however, Burrow is still searching for rhythm. WR Tyler Boyd suggested today that Burrow might not be completely confident that he can do everything. "I think he looks good. Just watching him move around in the pocket, his pocket presence seems great. I think he's kind of a little iffy on his knee, but it's kind of hard to tell. I feel like he's ready to go, but I also think he doesn't want to do too much," Boyd said. Taylor explained: "There's different tracks guys are on right now. I'm encouraged from what I see from Joe and when I meet with Joe, and again we're going to complete more balls as we go forward, we all know that. ..." Burrow's return from injury, and the protection that awaits him, will be on display in the club's preseason opener against the defending Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers, featuring one of the league's elite defenses, on August 14.
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Kirk Cousins Will Return To Practice Thursday
(8/4 2:45 PM PT)
The Facts:
HC Mike Zimmer said Wednesday he expects Cousins back at practice Thursday.
Reported by NFL.com
Diehards Line:
Cousins was one of three Minnesota QBs placed on the reserve/COVID-19, along with backup Nate Stanley and rookie Kellen Mond, who tested positive. Cousins and Stanley were considered high-risk close contacts and were forced to isolate. Stanley is also expected to return to practice Thursday. When asked about Mond, Zimmer shrugged his shoulders, per Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press. With the trio of signal-callers forced onto the reserve/COVID-19 list, the Vikings employed Jake Browning as the sole quarterback for practice this week. Minnesota later signed Case Cookus and claimed Danny Etling off waivers.Cousins' return should allay the QB issue for now as the Vikings press toward their preseason opener against Denver on Sat. Aug. 14. The Broncos and Vikings are slated to hold joint practices before the preseason affair.
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Cam Newton Having Strong Start To Second Camp With Patriots
(8/4 2:44 PM PT)
The Facts:
Newton was the Patriots' best quarterback through the first week of training camp. He was more accurate and sure of himself at the line. He barked protection calls and lofted bombs. His arm consistently looked a touch stronger, firing passes into tight windows and downfield. OC Josh McDaniels explained the change seen in his starting quarterback Wednesday after practice. "He just knows much more about we're doing. It's a lot less new learning everyday, more repetition of things he already understands. ... Things slow down. Things make more sense," McDaniels said. There were things I was telling him to do last year that he didn't quite understand, but I was telling him, 'Hey, do it this way. Try and do it that way. Make him the Mike, whatever.' He was trying to do everything I said."
Reported by the Boston Herald
Diehards Line:
McDaniels continued: "Now, he actually understands the why on most things. That is really the goal for the quarterbacks -- when you're out there trying to read defenses on a play-to-play basis, if you don't understand why we're doing something or why you're supposed to make the protection slide here or there, it's a tough position to play. The game has slowed down for him. The offense makes a lot of sense. Like I said, there's a lot less new learning for him. ..." As Profootballtalk.com suggested, though the Patriots drafted Mac Jones with the 15th overall pick, Newton is still slated to be the team's QB1 until Jones outperforms him. With the knowledge and experience in the system, Newton may hold off Jones to open the season. But he may or may not continue in that starting spot for long if Jones makes enough progress.
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A.J. Green Missing Time; Should Return Next Week
(8/4 2:43 PM PT)
The Facts:
Add Green to the list of players dealing with injuries at training camp. Green did not practice on Wednesday and HC Kliff Kingsbury addressed his condition in a press conference after the session. Kingsbury said, via Darren Urban of the team's website that Green is dealing with a "minor thing" without detailing the nature of the injury.
Reported by Profootballtalk.com
Diehards Line:
While it's minor, Kingsbury said that he doesn't expect Green will be back on the practice field until next week. The Cardinals have their first preseason game next week and it's unclear if there are any thoughts of having Green take part in that contest. Green missed seven games in 2018 and the entire 2019 season with injuries, but appeared in all 16 games for the Bengals last year.
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Roman Believes Lamar Jackson Will Get Up To Speed Quickly
(8/4 12:02 PM PT)
The Facts:
HC John Harbaugh has found some silver linings to Jackson's absence from practice at training camp when it comes to getting backups ready to play, but the hope in Baltimore is that they won't be needing Trace McSorley or Tyler Huntley on the field come the regular season. Getting Jackson totally up to speed once he's back from the COVID-19 reserve list will help make that a reality and the expectation is that they'll be able to get that process going in a few days. On Wednesday, offensive coordinator Greg Roman said he thinks that leaves the team with enough runway for that to happen. "The first game's not until September," Roman said. "We got some time, and I think we've got enough time. Big thing is getting him healthy and making sure he's in a good place."
Reported by Profootballtalk.com
Diehards Line:
Roman said "the train's down the road" when it comes to the work they've done installing the offense without Jackson and that they won't slow things up once Jackson gets on the field, so it may not be a bad thing that hitting the ground running is something Jackson's done well during his career. ... Stay tuned.
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