9/04 In addition to the moves reported earlier, the Cardinals also released WR Ed Gant, WR Mike Jones, WR Onrea Jones, FB Charles Scott and WR Isaiah Williams.

9/04 Following up on the previous item. ... The Cardinals made it official this afternoon by announcing the rights to QB Matt Leinart have been waived. ... The team also waived/injured RB Alfonso Smith (neck).

9/04 According to ESPN insider Adam Schefter, the Cardinals have told Matt Leinart they will release him today. Max Hall will be No. 2 QB. ... Stay tuned. Leinart is likely to draw some attention once the move is officially announced. The Seahawks -- with Leinart's college coach, Pete Carroll, running the show -- are down to two QBs after releasing J.P. Losman this morning.

9/03 Reviewing the ongoing saga. ... As the National Football Post notes, for the time being, meaning at least one more day, the Cardinals are going to carry four QBs. Perhaps that means the team is still hopeful a trade opportunity will come together for Matt Leinart. He’s on the roster behind starter Derek Anderson and with rookies Max Hall and John Skelton, both of whom impressed during training camp and preseason. Will the Cardinals roll into the regular season with four quarterbacks? It’s certainly possible. Would the Cardinals feel secure about Hall or Skelton being in the No. 2 role in the regular season? According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, they believe Hall is capable enough. ... So how will the team ultimately determine Leinart's fate? According to Arizona Republic staffer Kent Somers, HC Ken Whisenhunt summarized the key question on Friday: "[C]an [Leinart] survive in the role as a No. 2 on this team? And that's really what the decision is about. ..." But there might be more to it. As Profootballtalk.com's Mike Florio suggests, the Cardinals would like to get something, anything in return for Leinart. And by all appearances the Cardinals don't want to cut him loose, since Florio believes doing so would likely result in Leinart making a beeline for Pete Carroll and his Seahawks. ... Whatever the case, we'll know tomorrow. Stay tuned.

9/03 According to AZCardinals.com staffer Darren Urban, HC Ken Whisenhunt told reporters on Friday that WR Larry Fitzgerald is on schedule in his recovery from the sprained MCL he suffered last month to play in next week's regular-season opener.

9/03 According to Profootballtalk.com, the Cardinals have parted ways with TE Anthony Becht. The ten-year veteran has played in all but two regular-season games of his 10-year career. Stephen Spach and Ben Patrick remain as the team's top-two TEs.

9/03 According to ESPN's Chris Mortensen, QB Matt Leinart isn't pursuing a trade; sources tell Mortensen that Leinart believes his best chance to start again this year is in Arizona. That being said, the Cardinals are still gauging interest on their own with Mortensen adding: "I'll be surprised if Leinart remains, whether traded or cut."

9/02 As the Associated Press reported, with the controversy swirling ahead of him on the QB depth chart, Max Hall wrapped up his preseason with a big night. The undrafted rookie from BYU completed 7 of 9 passes for 126 yards and scored on a 6-yard run Thursday night in the Cardinals' 20-10 victory over a Washington Redskins team made up almost entirely of reserves. ... Hall, who has impressed coaches throughout training camp, directed Arizona to two touchdowns and a field goal in the three possessions he was in the game. ... Meanwhile, Derek Anderson, starting for the second week in a row ahead of Matt Leinart, played one series, completing 2 of 3 passes for 47 yards for Arizona. Leinart played the next two series, going 3 of 5 for 14 yards. ... According AZCardinals.com staffer Darren Urban, RB Beanie Wells, who left the game early and appeared to be icing his knee after leaving, said he was fine after the game. His status will still bear watching in coming days. ... Oh yeah. So will the QB situation. ... (Get complete game stats HERE)

9/02 According to the Sports Xchange and CBSSports.com's Len Pasquarelli, Matt Leinart and his representatives have been granted permission to seek potential suitors for a trade. Pasquarelli added, however, that a quick survey of the franchises rumored to have an interest in Leinart indicated that none has heard from anyone representing him. ... As Pasquarelli pointed out, it is not unusual for a franchise attempting to trade a player to grant permission for the player or his agents to test the market themselves. The team, though, still has the prerogative to accept trade conditions, if they are worked out. ... Meanwhile, the Arizona Republic reported that Leinart is expected to participate in tonight's preseason finale against Washington. ... Stay tuned.

9/02 Following up on the ongoing drama. ... According to NFL Network insider Jason La Canfora, league-wide interest interest in Matt Leinart is "soft." In fact, La Canfora put it at "nil. ..." One reason would be the fact that not many teams are interested in his contract (which reportedly pays $2.49 million this season and $7.4 million in 2011). ... With a trade looking unlikely, releasing Leinart or keeping the unhappy camper around as Derek Anderson's backup are the top two options. Leinart has said he isn’t interested in being a backup. So, as NFL.com suggests, if his current situation in Arizona is irreconcilable, the next step appears to be his release. ... Meanwhile, former teammate Kurt Warner appeared on Xtra Sports 910 in Phoenix to discuss Leinart's failure to secure the starting job in 2010. And while Leinart has claimed that he outperformed Anderson this summer, Warner explained that the decision has obviously been based on more than that -- and that HC Ken Whisenhunt is making the call with the goal of winning as many games as possible in the coming season. "Coach has thought long and hard and watched every play since way back when they started this offseason, and the evaluation process starts with Coach and goes through I'm sure a number of other people," Warner said. "And they're weighing a lot of different things to come to the final conclusion, whatever that is. You know, so I think that's where it's hard. Everybody looks at two preseason games and thinks, 'Well, that's not enough.' But you have to understand that this process has been going on for a while. ..." That's a fact. As Profootballtalk.com's Mike Florio put it: "Leinart didn't lose his job in two weeks; Leinart systematically has been putting himself in this position over the last four years. He has received every opportunity to succeed. In 2010, Leinart was backed up with a failed starter from the Browns, hardly a worth adversary. And Leinart still failed. ..." Stay tuned. Sounds like we'll have some resolution in coming days.

9/01 Following up on a previous item. ... FOXSports insider Jay Glazer is advising his Twitter followers the Giants are not interested in trading for Matt Leinart. Per Glazer the Giants are looking for a veteran who's perfectly content with being Eli Manning's backup. Leinart told Glazer earlier today he believes he should be a starter somewhere. ... Stay tuned.

9/01 According to Profootballtalk.com's Mike Florio, the Cardinals locker room currently is buzzing with a rumor that Matt Leinart will be traded to the Giants. Per Florio: "It's unclear whether there's any truth to the rumor, but it is true that the Cardinals' locker room is buzzing with a rumor that Leinart will be traded to the Giants. ..." Fair enough. As previously noted, the Giants were one of three teams that ESPN insider Adam Schefter reported has an interest in Leinart. The Giants are the only one of the three not publicly denying Schefter's report. Remember: This is a rumor. Not a fact. ... We'll continue watching and let you know if it moves beyond the rumor level.

9/01 FOXSports insider Jay Glazer discussed the ongoing Matt Leinart trade rumors during an appearance on the Dan Patrick Show this morning. ... Per SI.com's Dan Perloff, Glazer said he got calls from teams asking about Leinart's character. Glazer said that he worked out with Leinart in MMA and teams thought he knew the QB's character. Glazer said he subsequently texted with Leinart. "I told Leinart. He didn't know," Glazer said. Glazer asked Leinart if he'd be a backup. Glazer said that Leinart doesn't want to be backup and texted this: "He's done enough in this league. ... He wants to be a starter somewhere." Glazer explained that Leinart didn't sling the rock when he was out there in preseason -- he was being too careful. And there were always problems with the coach. "He and Ken Whisenhunt, they just never clicked," Glazer said. ... At this point Leinart's biggest problem appears to be th fact there are no starting jobs available -- including in Arizona. Stay tuned.

9/01 According to ESPN insider Adam Schefter, three teams have discussed picking up Matt Leinart: The Bills, Raiders. The Bill have denied the report, but Schefter insists they have discussed the possibility. Of concern for any interested suitor is Leinart's contract. ... Stay tuned. More to come

9/01 Reviewing the ongoing QB drama in Arizona and seeing where we stand. ... Derek Anderson will start at quarterback again for Arizona when the Cardinals play Washington on Thursday night in their final preseason game. HC Ken Whisenhunt says he will use the same playing order as he did in last Saturday’s win at Chicago. That means Matt Leinart will come in to replace Anderson at some point. ... Whisenhunt’s decision comes following a meeting with Leinart on Monday afternoon after the former first-round pick told reporters that he had outplayed Anderson in training camp and preseason, and that his problem with his coach “probably goes beyond football. ..." Given Whisenhunt's comments upon announcing the move last week -- suggesting Leinart's reaction to the demotion was something he'd be watching, you have to believe the coach was paying close attention to the QB's words. Indeed, Whisenhunt told reporters on Tuesday that he's always had an open-door policy for players if they have a problem to come to him. He says he talked to Leinart earlier about the situation but obviously a second conversation was necessary. "I understand where Matt was coming from, he was disappointed," Whisenhunt said. "I expect those types of situations to happen. Would I have rather he come to me and talk to me? Yes, to be perfectly honest with you, I would. Matt and I had an opportunity to talk [Monday], and he definitely had some feelings that he needed to get out and he came up (to the office) and saw me. ..." Asked what he and Leinart talked about, Whisenhunt said they "touched base" on all the issues surrounding the decision to make Anderson the starter. "It was a good talk,' the coach said. "Obviously, there must have been some breakdown because he didn't hear what he wanted, but, hopefully, we got that cleared up yesterday. ..." As ESPN.com's Mike Sando said, Leinart's reaction to Whisenhunt's moves is understandable. He's frustrated after putting in the time and effort he felt was necessary to keep the starting job, and it's not like Anderson has lit up the practice field or opposing defenses. Sando added, however, it's also possible the Cardinals will view Leinart's response as whining and unbecoming of a starting quarterback -- in effect, more evidence Leinart isn't suited for the role. Adding to the intrigue, NFL Network insider Mike Lombardi advised Total Access viewers that "nobody in the locker room is in favor of Leinart" -- including WR Larry Fitzgerald, who was undoubtedly consulted about the change. ... And as previously noted, FOXSports insider Jay Glazer is reporting the Cardinals are actively shopping Leinart. And that's where we stand. Stay tuned, however, sounds like more change could be coming.

8/31 Cardinals waived TE Dominique Byrd and placed RB Nehemiah Broughton (knee) on IR. Byrd fell behind late-round rookie Jim Dray at the bottom of Arizona's TE depth chart, sealing his fate. Broughton's season-ending injury explains the acquisition of FB Charles Scott in a trade with Philadelphia on Monday. ... Also: The team waived/injured WR Darren Mougey, who broke his hand last week in practice.

8/31 According to FOXSports insider Jay Glazer, the Cardinals have been contacting teams today shopping QB Matt Leinart. Glazer cites "several sources" and adds it's unclear what compensation the team is looking for at this point. ... Stay tuned.

8/31 According to ESPN insider Adam Schefter, HC Ken Whisenhunt, during an appearance on the Scott Van Pelt Show, said that Arizona's plan is for Derek Anderson to start final exhibition game. ... Stay tuned. It's safe to say we'll be hearing more on this situation before all is said and done.

8/31 As Arizona Republic staffer Kent Somers noted, Matt Leinart exercised some diplomacy last week when talking about being demoted to backing up Derek Anderson. On Monday, however, Leinart didn't hold back, saying he must have lost his job for reasons other than performance. "I feel like I've outplayed the competition, training camp, preseason," he told reporters. "I think my plays speaks about that. For me, this goes beyond the football field. The philosophy is you want the best 11 guys to play. I feel like I've proved that with my performance. I don't really know what else I could possibly do, so it probably goes beyond football. For me, I just really want an explanation and I haven't been given one. ..." Leinart acknowledged he had not asked HC Ken Whisenhunt for an explanation. We'll suggest Leinart might not like what he hears if he does ask. ... "I've been with Matt for four years now, I have great respect for how Matt's worked," Whisenhunt said. "I think what we've been consistent with is. ... Always trying to pick the best team. That's what this process is about. It's not about whether you like somebody or don't like somebody. ..." Whisenhunt and Leinart met Monday afternoon to talk it out but Somers believes Anderson is still likely to start the regular-season opener. Somers also went on to point out the obvious: If Leinart is not the starter, it's questionable if the Cardinals would keep him as the backup, or if Leinart would want to stay. Leinart could be released or traded, although it's believed the Cardinals have not started to test his value with other teams. The other two QBs on the roster, Max Hall and John Skelton, are rookies, and it would be a risk to have one of them backing up Anderson.

8/31 As Arizona Republic staffer Kent Somers reported Monday, there is plenty of tangible evidence for HC Ken Whisenhunt and his staff to consult as they pick a QB to start the regular season. Since May, every second of every practice and game has been recorded on video. Passes have been charted, knowledge of the offense tested, footwork dissected. Yet, it's the intangibles that have the biggest impact on Whisenhunt's decision to pick Derek Anderson or Matt Leinart. Per Somers, the list of qualities will included: Command of the huddle. Team chemistry. Leadership. The trust of his teammates. ... Whisenhunt didn't name a starter after the 14-9 victory over the Bears on Saturday night in Chicago, nor did he provide a timeline for doing so. "The starting QB evaluation covers more than just this game, Whisenhunt said. "We've had a lot of practices, and there are a lot of things that will be taken into account in making this decision." But as Somers notes, the decision is most likely already made, and signs point to Anderson being the choice. Why else would Whisenhunt risk benching Leinart, who has been the starter since the day Kurt Warner announced his retirement? Somers summed up: "It's not a move a head coach makes if he's convinced the other players have implicit trust in Leinart." Of course, there might not be an official announcement until the regular season begins. So, we'll go ahead and remind you at this point that just because one of the two is starting for the Cardinals that doesn't mean they should start for your team.

8/31 As Associated Press sports writer Andrew Seligman framed it: "Not exactly a dominant performance by Derek Anderson. Not quite redemption, either, for Matt Leinart, but a win for Arizona. ..." Anderson and Leinart each threw for a touchdown while delivering solid if not spectacular performances to help the Cardinals beat the Bears 14-9 in a preseason game Saturday night. ... Anderson started after the first-team offense struggled with Leinart, and he responded by completing 7 of 12 passes for 94 yards. Leinart came in late in the second quarter and was 9 of 10 for 84 yards, with a touchdown pass early in the third that made it 14-0. ... Anderson led the Cardinals to their first touchdown, converting three third-down passes on a 72-yard drive, and WR Stephen Williams turned a slant underneath into a 27-yard touchdown. Leinart came on with just over two minutes left in the first half near midfield. Leinart had the Cardinals in position to score after going three-and-out on all three series in a loss to Tennessee on Monday night. They were on the 15 when Beanie Wells lost a fumble at the 6 after being stripped by with 52 seconds left, stopping what could have been their first scoring drive of the preseason for Leinart. Leinart finally broke through midway through the third when Steve Breaston caught a 13-yard pass, flying over Chris Harris at the goal line to make it 14-0. The TD had to feel good for Leinart, who was on the defensive this week after HC Ken Whisenhunt made the switch. In an interview with the Arizona Republic on Friday, the former Southern California star said he's been "efficient" and "accurate." Even so, it's been a trying preseason for a QB who was penciled in to take over for the retired Kurt Warner. He's been labeled a bust. His arm strength has been questioned, as has his accuracy downfield. It doesn't help that the receivers have been hit hard by injuries, most notably Larry Fitzgerald. ... Early Doucet was back after missing a game with an abdominal strain and caught a 2-yard pass, but Darren Mougey (broken hand) and Andre Roberts (shoulder) were out. So was TE Ben Patrick (knee), who missed his third game. ... FB Nathan Broughton sprained his knee in the second quarter. ... (Get complete game stats HERE)

8/27 Following up on the ongoing story. ... After being benched in favor of Derek Anderson for Saturday night's game against the Bears, Matt Leinart addressed the situation -- and you have to wonder how his reaction will go over with coaches and teammates. "I don't know how you judge performance when you have 13 pass attempts to the other guy's 40," Leinart said, per Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic. Of course, as Profootballtalk.com's Mike Florio put it: "Matt, it's not about the other guy. It's about you. ..." Florio went on to explain that HC Ken Whisenhunt has seen far more than 13 pass attempts from Leinart in training camp practices, off-season practices, in-season practices, pre-season games, regular-season games, and even postseason games. Positives? Leinart hasn't become discouraged. "I believe that I'm going to be starting that opening game," he said. As to a possible trade if he doesn't win the job that he's now losing, Leinart said that "we'll cross that bridge when we come to it. ..." Leinart might want to look around again. He might already be on the bridge.

8/27 Following up on the still-developing story. ... The Cardinals have made the switch from Matt Leinart to Derek Anderson, at least for the team's third pre-season game against the Bears. The third game of the preseason is often thought of as a dress rehearsal for the regular season, the first time coaches typically install a game-plan during the preseason. The intrigue now lies in what Anderson does with it, how Leinart reacts, and what HC Ken Whisenhunt ultimately decides to do. "There is thought put into this," Whisenhunt said in announcing the move. "We are evaluating not only how Matt handles this but how other players handle it. ..." While NFL Network insider Jason La Canfora reported the Cardinals aren't ready to dump Leinart -- he could, after all, retain his starting job -- there's no denying the coaching staff sees his work every day, and has for several seasons. Now, the move to give Anderson a longer look. It's hard not to see the momentum building. If nothing else, Whisenhunt also knows the speculation it will generate and the further questions about Leinart's immediate future. ... Anderson, meanwhile, downplayed the opportunity. "I just got some reps with the first team today and I don't know where we'll go from here," Anderson said. "We'll continue to work and get better every day and we will see what happens. ..." Again, Whisenhunt made it clear this was not a permanent change in the depth chart, but regardless, AZCardinals.com staffer Darrin Urban notes that Anderson wasn't going to have a chance to be the starter unless he was given the chance to be the starter. Now, Anderson has his foot in the door. "I sense from our fans a little bit of discomfort because we don't have the same guys we have had in there, and I understand that," Whisenhunt said. "But I feel very good about the players we have on this team and knowing we will have the right combination when we start our season. ..." As Urban summed up, the question now is which quarterback fits that combination? Anderson or Leinart? Our thought? Whisenhunt's attempts to downplay the change notwithstanding, this is a big deal. Look for Anderson to hold onto the job barring a catastrophic flop in Chicago.

8/26 According to the team's official web site, HC Ken Whisenhunt said he hoped WR Early Doucet (abdomen), who sat out most of practice Thursday, will be able to dress and at least play a few snaps against the Bears. ... Meanwhile, WR Larry Fitzgerald (knee) donned some shells and a helmet and went through a handful of individual drills Thursday. Whisenhunt said the limited work was just that, and that Fitzgerald should have no issues being ready for the regular season.

8/26 Let's see. ... The Cardinals didn't gain a first down in Matt Leinart's three possessions Monday night. As Arizona Republic staffer Kent Somers pointed out, Leinart didn't have much time to throw because of poor protection and the Titans' blitzes but he also missed badly on a deep pass to WR Stephen Williams, who had a step on a defender. Somers further notes that Leinart apparently is getting a reputation for checking off to other options if someone isn't open immediately downfield. At one point in the practice, a Titans CB watched Leinart come to scrimmage and said to teammates on the sideline, "I got a nickel that says he checks down." The comment is a hint about what others in the NFL might be thinking of Leinart -- and it's certainly one of the reasons that Derek Anderson will get the start against Chicago in the team's all-important third pre-season game this weekend. ... And make no mistake about it: If Anderson doesn't absolutely bomb against the Bears Saturday night, he's "it." And if he's it, Leinart's future as a Cardinal is in serious question. In fact, it already is. As ESPN.com's Mike Sando suggested, "HC Ken Whisenhunt would not demote his starting QB in third week of preseason if he thought that QB had earned the respect of the locker room. ..." ESPN's Chris Mortensen also chimed in by reporting a Cardinals insider told him that it's "not even close" between Anderson and Leinart. So even though it's not official, Mortensen advised his Twitter followers to "bet on Anderson starting the year. ..." Need more evidence? Well, NFL.com's Mike Lombardi began suggesting earlier this week that Leinart wasn't a lock to be on the Week 1 roster. And Profootballtalk.com is now reporting they received a tip earlier this morning claiming that Leinart was told the Cardinals were working on a trade to Seattle, where Leinart and Pete Carroll would be reunited. While just a rumor, these latest developments certainly lend at least some credence to both theories. ... Stay tuned. More undoubtedly to come.

8/26 Following up on the ongoing story. ... According to ESPN insider Chris Mortensen, Derek Anderson -- not Matt Leinart -- will start for the Cardinals in their third pre-season game Saturday. HC Ken Whisenhunt is not ready to name a permanent starter yet. ... Stay tuned.

8/26 Following up on the ongoing story. ... In an article published Tuesday, Arizona Republic staffer Bob McManaman suggested if Matt Leinart struggles badly, HC Ken Whisenhunt will have no choice but to turn the job over to Derek Anderson. And if Leinart does well, McManaman believes the QB may have to do "super well" for the Cardinals to pay him the $13 million they will owe him next season. A so-so season by Leinart likely means he won't be back in 2011.

8/25 Following up on a previous item. ... The list of injured WRs grew when rookie Andre Roberts, the third-round pick, suffered a sprained right shoulder against the Titans and is expected to miss about a week. That likely will mean the Cardinals will play the Bears on Saturday night without three of their top five WRs. Larry Fitzgerald is out with a knee sprain, and Early Doucet is expected to miss another game with an abdominal strain. Stephen Williams, the undrafted rookie from Toledo, started along with Steve Breaston Monday night in Nashville. ... Roberts, who has struggled catching the ball through training camp, also is the team's No. 1 punt returner. Justin Miller and Marshay Green are the main backups. ... One last note on this one: With Matt Leinart and Derek Anderson both coming up a bit short so far this summer, the injuries at WR have to further hinder the QB's progress.

8/25 In addressing the team's QB play in Monday night's loss to the Titans, HC Ken Whisenhunt noted a couple of times about the new faces in new places on offense -- the reserve receivers playing, the offensive linemen in new spots. "We have been able to operate with the same guys the last three years where they learned a lot," Whisenhunt said. "There will be a growth process. ..." In terms of Matt Leinart specifically? "It's not just the quarterback," Whisenhunt said. "I wish Matt had thrown the ball better on the post, I wish he would have thrown the ball better to Stephen [Spach]. But once again, the blame is not all on the quarterbacks. A lot has to do how the line played, the way we didn't do some things that we should have done that would have made his job easier. That's the thing you have to be careful about, making a quick judgment on the quarterback when we haven't been as successful as we would have liked to have been. ..." As previously noted, there's suddenly a great deal of uncertainty surrounding Leinart. But AZCardinals.com staffer Darren Urban, a daily and intimate observer of the team, advised readers that he's not convinced -- regardless of what happened in Tennessee -- that Derek Anderson has been able to pick up enough ground on Leinart to surpass him on the depth chart. Anderson is still new in the system and Leinart knows what he is supposed to do. As Urban summed up: "Leinart still needs to show he can execute, but this staff -- going back to Leinart's struggles as a starter in 2007 -- isn't comfortable with guys who don't know the system."

8/24 WR Stephen Williams, an undrafted rookie, led the Cardinals with three receptions for 59 yards, including a 37-yarder. "He's learning how to play in this league," HC Ken Whisenhunt told CBSSports.com. "He is by no means a finished product, and I think tonight was terrific from the standpoint that he got a number of reps. That's what he needed. ..." Williams continues to make a strong push for the No. 4 WR spot. Now if only the Cardinals can find a QB capable of utilizing all the talent at that spot.

8/24 According to Arizona Republic staffer Kent Somers, WR Andrew Roberts is expected to miss a week because of a shoulder sprain. HC Ken Whisenhunt told reporters that Roberts' was the only injury from Monday night's game in Tennessee.

8/24 After watching WR Larry Fitzgerald running the length of LP Field in pre-game warmups, AZCardinals.com staffer Darren Urban wrote: "Definitely looks like a guy on track to be back for regular-season opener. ..." Fitzgerald suffered a sprained MCL in the pre-season opener.

8/24 According to Arizona Republic staffer Bob McManaman, Beanie Wells has a consistent message he's been delivering to HC Ken Whisenhunt. He wants the ball. ... Wells, last year's first-round pick from Ohio State, said he wants to leave his mark in the NFL, but to do that before the typical NFL RB's expiration date -- on or before the ripe old age of 30 -- he needs as many carries as he can get. "My goal has always been to be the best running back to ever play the game and that's still my goal," said Wells, 22. "I know it's going to take some time, but I've got time. ... I just need to get the carries." He rushed for 793 yards and seven touchdowns as a rookie and said he hopes to double those figures in 2010. His workload increased in the second half of last season, but to make sure that trend continues, Wells said he's planting seeds with Whisenhunt about getting more playing time. Whisenhunt acknowledged he's spoken with Wells, the No. 2 RB on the depth chart behind Tim Hightower, several times on the subject and is encouraged by Wells' hunger for carries. "We have talked about it and I'm sure we'll talk about it more," Whisenhunt said. "He just has to remember that there are other areas to his game that he needs to get better with. ..." For the record, Wells wouldn't put a number on how many carries per game would make him happy, stating: "As long as I get most of them it doesn't matter. ..." For what it's worth, Wells got six carries for 19 yards (17 on one carry) against the Titans; he also caught three passes for another 13 yards. Hightower finished with three yards on five carries.

8/24 ESPN insider Adam Schefter, appearing in advance of Monday night's game against the Titans, advised the network's Monday Night Countdown viewers the "the door has been opened" for Matt Leinart to lose his starting job. "There's not a lot of confidence in that locker room that Leinart is going to be their long-term quarterback," Schefter said. ESPN sideline reporter Michelle Tafoya lent further credence to Schefter's report by telling viewers that HC Ken Whisenhunt believes Leinart still has something to prove. ... Countdown host Suzy Kolber went on to suggest that backup Derek Anderson has been impressive in recent practice sessions. ... So how did Leinart fare with something to prove? Well, the former first-round pick was 4 of 6 for 28 yards but produced no points for a second straight preseason game in a 24-10 loss to the Titans in Tennesse. ... The Cardinals went three-and-out on each of his three series. Anderson replaced Leinart and gave the Cardinals a brief spark against the Titans’ first-team defense. He completed a 13-yarder to Steve Breaston for Arizona’s first first down of the game. He also found rookie Stephen Williams, starting in place of Larry Fitzgerald (sprained knee), on a 37-yard pass. But it wasn't all good for Anderson. Working from the Tennessee 6, the former Brown overthrew Breaston in the end zone and couldn’t connect with Williams before the Cardinals settled for a 19-yard field goal from Jay Feely in the second quarter. But as Profootballtalk.com's Mike Florio put it, "Still, Anderson led the Cards to three points -- and that's three points more than Leinart could muster in three drives. ..." According to Associated Press sports writer Teresa M. Walker, the Cardinals looked a bit tired from the trip east in an exhibition preceding a joint practice between the teams Wednesday at the Titans’ headquarters. ... For what it's worth, QB Max Hall was intercepted in his brief duty behind Anderson, but he did find Max Komar for a 22-yard TD midway through the fourth quarter. ... (Get complete game stats HERE)

8/20 According to the Arizona Republic, with WR Larry Fitzgerald out with a knee injury, coaches will be especially cautious in bringing Early Doucet back from an abdominal strain. Doucet is willing to play through pain, but HC Ken Whisenhunt doesn't want him to return too soon and aggravate the injury. The Cardinals don't need two of their top three WRs on the injured list at the end of training camp. The plan is to rest Doucet and hope he can play in the third or fourth preseason game. He isn't expected to play Monday night in Tennessee.

8/19 According to CBSSports.com, HC Ken Whisenhunt wanted to see his team compete in a controlled scrimmage Wednesday night. What he saw was the first-team defense dominating the first-team offense with multiple sacks off blitzes and a Derek Anderson interception to end the carnage. ... Still, Whisenhunt took exception with the notion that QB Matt Leinart has been overly cautious in camp. "I wouldn't say that. He's trying to take what the defense is giving him." But Leinart has been inconsistent in training camp. He had three solid days in the first week, but slipped a bit with an uneven performance in the scrimmage and in the season's first preseason game. ... Also: WR Early Doucet (abdomen) is unlikely to play Monday in Tennessee, but is probable for the third pre-season game in Chicago.

8/18 According to the Arizona Republic, HC Ken Whisenhunt wasn't very impressed with his team's effort against the Texans. The first two units on both sides of the ball didn't play well and Whisenhunt called some of the offensive mistakes in the first half "a joke. ..." As Republic staffer Kent Somers noted, it's rare for Whisenhunt to be that critical of his team, and his irritation seemed to grow as his Monday news conference progressed. "There were a couple of times in the first half, offensively, where it was a joke, to be quite honest with you," Whisenhunt said. "Plays that we had run 25 times in two weeks looked like it was the first time we'd run it. ..." The Cardinals won 19-16 after the reserves overcame a 16-0 deficit. The starting offense didn't score in its one quarter of action, and the first-team defense yielded a field goal. Whisenhunt was especially displeased with Matt Leinart and his backup, Derek Anderson. The offensive breakdowns weren't all their faults, but the QB has to be able to compensate for them, the coach said. "Wasn't good enough, wasn't good enough," Whisenhunt said when asked about the performances of Leinart and Anderson. "That wasn't a reflection of a player individually as it was our team. When you don't have success offensively, it falls on the QB. ... I was disappointed we were not more effective in the first half and certainly not pleased we put the ball on the ground the second play. That, to me, is unacceptable. And it's going to be on our QBs to play better. ..." The immediate question, of course, is whether either Leinart or Anderson are capable of delivering that.

8/17 According to the team's official web sitee, QB John Skelton’s impressive preseason debut (he compiled a perfect passer rating), combined with the impressive practices of fellow rookie Max Hall, has made for an interesting battle for the team’s third spot. There’s only one wrench in that ideal -- HC Ken Whisenhunt is still preparing his top two QBs, Matt Leinart and Derek Anderson. As AZCardinals.com staffer Darren Urban notes, it’s not like the recent past, where a veteran like Kurt Warner could get by with a minimum of pre-season work. “We are trying to make sure Matt and Derek get their share of reps,” Whisenhunt said. ... Hall did not play in the preseason opener. Whisenhunt said he is hopeful Hall gets a chance to play in Tennessee. ... For what it's worth, when it was pointed out that Skelton (at 6-6) and Hall (6-1) are polar opposites in many ways, Whisenhunt replied, “but there is a difference in body-type between Peyton Manning and Drew Brees and they are both excellent quarterbacks.”

8/17 An MRI of WR Larry Fitzgerald's right knee revealed just a sprain of the MCL (which is better than an ACL sprain). That's good news. According to AZCardinals.com staffer Darren Urban, Fitzgerald said he's talked to HC Ken Whisenhunt and the Cards will play it conservatively, which probably means no more preseason. Fitzgerald is expected to be ready by the time the Cardinals open the regular season in St. Louis Sept. 12, but he's not all that happy about missing the pre-season work. "It makes a big difference," he said. "I play a position that is predicated on timing. We have a new QB (Matt Leinart) and I need to be out there with him every single day. ..." Also: Fitzgerald said this injury is worse than the one he suffered in San Francisco last season (he didn't miss a game). He wouldn't set a timetable for his return, but said he wants to practice again in the preseason.

8/17 It was just one practice, but with WRs Larry Fitzgerald (knee) and Early Doucet (abdominal) sitting out Monday, rookie Stephen Williams was running with the first team. According to CBSSports.com, the undrafted free agent has been the biggest surprise of training camp.

8/17 Rookie QB John Skelton directed two late touchdown drives against the Texans' reserves to give Arizona a 19-16 home victory last Saturday night. Starting QB Matt Leinart completed 6 of 7 for 49 yards but, in addition to the sacks, misconnected with Tim Hightower on a handoff, for a fumble. Leinart's backup, Derek Anderson, threw a 2-yard touchdown pass to Beanie Wells but was intercepted twice. "Too sloppy," HC Ken Whisenhunt said at halftime. Asked about Leinart's play, Whisenhunt targeted the entire first-team offense. "I'm not pleased with how our offense performed in general," he said. "It's not so much the QB. We had guys the wrong routes, guys in the wrong spot. We had a protection breakdown, not a breakdown but we got beat. All things that we've got to clean up. ..." Skelton, a fifth-round draft pick out of Fordham, connected with Jason Wright on a 15-yard pass play with 1:53 left for the deciding score. The 6-5 Skelton completed 5 of 6 passes for 84 yards. ... Arizona's first possession went nowhere. Leinart and Hightower messed up a handoff for a fumble that loss 11 yards, then Leinart was sacked by Houston DE Mario Williams for a 12-yard loss. The next time the Cardinals had it, Leinart drove them from their own 21 to the Houston 32, but Jay Feely's 50-yard field goal try was wide right. ... Anderson, signed as a free agent to push Leinart in training camp, completed 13 of 22 for 88 yards and a touchdown, but was plagued by the same issues he had last season in Cleveland, when he was intercepted 10 times, compared with three touchdowns, and lost his job to Brady Quinn. ... WR Larry Fitzgerald suffered a minor knee sprain that could sideline him the remainder of the preseason. ... (Get complete game stats HERE)

8/31 The Cardinals' punting competition kicked into high gear with an abundance of stalled drives by Arizona's offense. And the battle stayed close in a 30-2 loss to the Denver Broncos in Thursday night's exhibition closer. ... The highlight came when Krishawn Hogan downed Richie Leone's 38-yard punt at the Denver 2 in the first half. Matt Wile's best punt was a 49-yarder to the Denver 8, but he also badly missed on a 53-yard field goal and had a touchback in the first half along with a punt that Kalif Raymond returned from the goal line. ... Needless to say the fact we're discussing the punter battle is indicative of a lack of offense. ... Get complete stats for the game HERE.

8/31 According to Kyle Odegard of the team’s official website, HC Arians was singing the praises of third-string quarterback Blaine Gabbert, saying he looks like a guy who could start in the league again. “I’ve been very pleased,” Arians said. “Short-term, I’d be very comfortable if he had to play for us. Long-term, if he continues at this rate, he could be a starter.” As Profootballtalk.com notes, the Jaguars and 49ers have tried that with the former No. 10 overall pick, and he has a 9-31 record as a starter. And even if you believe that team record is not an accurate indicator of a quarterback’s ability, there’s also his 71.5 career passer rating, his 56.0 completion percentage and his 6.0 yards per pass attempt. Gabbert is obviously in a much more stable situation now than he’s been in his career, and Arians has the reputation as a quarterback whisperer. So far this preseason, Gabbert’s averaging an adult 8.7 yards per pass attempt, and is 36-of-57 passing for 496 yards, with a touchdown and an interception (which the team’s own website blames on one of their own wide receivers). The Cardinals will need a long-term answer at the position, as Carson Palmer has been talking about retirement and backup Drew Stanton‘s in the last year of his deal. But expecting Gabbert to the QB of the future seems like a reach.

8/30 According to the Sports Xchange, two lost fumbles during Saturday's preseason game at the Falcons have made the Cardinals think about hitting the reset button on veteran running back Chris Johnson. After back-to-back years of early season-ending injuries and some internal concerns as to whether the speed is still there, the turnovers now make it impossible to guarantee him a spot on the 53-man roster and in the four-person running back room. It's clear Kerwynn Williams has moved up to No. 2 on the depth chart behind David Johnson, leaving Chris Johnson to have to beat out Andre Ellington, Elijhaa Penny and/or rookie James Summers to win one of the final spots. And on that topic, here's what head coach Bruce Arians had to say on Monday: "It's going to be a tough decision for that spot.

8/30 According to Arizona Republic staffer Bob McManaman, John Brown said he was probably only 90 percent healthy when he hauled in two long touchdown passes during Saturday night’s preseason victory over the defending NFC champion Atlanta Falcons. Despite outracing the Falcons’ starting safeties, he said his sore quadriceps muscle is still nagging at him. “Yeah, but his 90 percent is better than most people’s 100 percent,” teammate Larry Fitzgerald said Monday. As significant as David Johnson is to Arizona’s potent offensive attack, McManaman believes it won’t be nearly half as good as it can be if Brown isn’t available. Brown’s ability to stretch opposing defenses and make the tough over-the-shoulder catches makes everything else work like clockwork in HC Bruce Arians’ vast array of intricate play calling. The hope, of course, is that Brown can remain healthy for a full season. His body, though, has been slow to recover from aches and strains and pulls because he has the sickle cell trait. The Cardinals thought they had found a remedy to speed up his recovery time, especially after Brown had a troublesome cyst removed from his spine, but the quad injury has been troublesome. “I mean, I’m hoping I can be 100 percent but it don’t matter,” Brown said. “As long as I can push through it and do what I did last week (against Atlanta), it’s going to be good enough. But if I’m 100 (percent), I feel like I can give us an extra boost and help a lot more.” If the Cardinals only get a 90-percent healthy Brown, Arians said that will be enough judging from what he saw from the receiver in Atlanta. “That was against their starters,” he said, “so I think that kind of answers the question right there.”

8/26 As Associated Press sports writer Charles Odum reported, John Brown made a strong statement his lingering quadriceps injury is no concern as he caught two touchdown passes to lead the Arizona Cardinals to a 24-14 preseason win over the Atlanta Falcons on Saturday night. ... Brown showed off his speed when he caught a 28-yard scoring pass from Carson Palmer and a 21-yarder from Drew Stanton, each in the second quarter. Brown's explosive showing confirmed his status as the Cardinals' top downfield threat after he had been slowed by the injury. Last week, coach Bruce Arians said if Brown "can't run long enough, we've got to replace him." Brown's ability to recover quickly from injuries is affected by his 2016 diagnosis with sickle cell trait. He also left camp this week for a funeral in Miami and rejoined the team Friday night in Atlanta. ... According to ESPN.com's Josh Weinfuss, when he had time in the pocket, Palmer looked ready for the regular season, especially on the above-mentioned touchdown pass to Brown when he threw a beautifully-placed pass to the right sideline of the end zone that only Brown could catch. He finished with 86 yards and a touchdown on 8-for-13 passing. Stanton, who beat out Blaine Gabbert to be Arizona's backup, completed 4 of 6 passes for 53 yards and a touchdown. ... Rookie James Summers had a 5-yard scoring run in the fourth quarter. Starting RB David Johnson did not play. Chris Johnson fumbled twice in the first quarter before finding a groove and finishing with 31 yards on six carries. While his spot on the roster was firm heading into the game, two fumbles – including losing one in the red zone – won’t bode well for him if other running backs make a run at his spot. Also of concern, starting OTs Jared Veldheer and D.J. Humphries both got beat throughout their time on the field in the first half. With Saturday night being their last preseason action until the regular season starts, Weinfuss believes there’s reason to be concerned that neither had a good showing against the Falcons. ... Rookie WR Chad Williams lost a fumble in the third quarter. Williams had struggled through the last few weeks of camp, so the fumble wasn’t good timing for the young receiver. ... Get complete stats for the game HERE.

8/22 The Cardinals will treat Saturday’s preseason game against the Falcons as their “get-ready” game for the regular season, HC Bruce Arians said. To that extent, they’ll install a game plan specifically for Atlanta’s defense and the starters, with the exception of running back David Johnson and wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald, will be in for at least 30 plays. According to Arizona Republic staff writer Scott Bordow, Arians said treating the game like a regular-season contest will help quarterback Carson Palmer, whom he said held onto the ball too long against the Bears last Saturday. “We were just running some of the stuff we’ve been working on. It just didn’t pan out,” Arians said. Arians knows Johnson won’t like sitting out much of Saturday’s game but, “He’ll like it in November.” As for Fitzgerald, “I don’t think after this many years Larry needs to be tackled,” Arians said. “And if we throw it to him they’ll probably tackle him so we probably won’t throw it to him.” ... Wide receiver John Brown (quad) returned to practice Monday but Arians said Brown would miss practice the rest of the week to attend a funeral and then join the team in Atlanta. Brown said he is feeling better this week but when asked if he would be ready for the season opener in Detroit, he said he was only focused on Saturday's game. ... Meanwhile, there are still two games left in the preseason but Arians made it sound as if running back Kerwynn Williams will be his punt and kickoff returner. “He’s pretty fearless back there and it’s different tackling a running back than it is a receiver,” Arians said. “A guy that can make you miss, got some tackle-breaking ability and he has that.”

8/22 According to Arizona Republic columnist Dan Bickley, there is no battle for the backup QB job in Arizona. HC Bruce Arians just declared the job is Drew Stanton's. Blaine Gabbert will be the team's third QB if he makes the final roster.

8/21 John Brown, who has been missing time with a quad issue, was back at practice Monday, but it will be a cameo appearance. HC Bruce Arians said, via Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com, that Brown will leave the team to attend a funeral and miss practice on Tuesday and Wednesday as a result. He will rejoin the team in Atlanta, where they will face the Falcons on Saturday night. As Profootballtalk.com's Josh Alper notes, it’s not clear if Brown has a chance to play in that game, although it would seem somewhat unlikely given his limited practice schedule this summer and the possibility that he’s just now getting past the quad injury.

8/20 According to ESPN.com's Josh Weinfuss, the talk all week during Cardinals training camp has been how these are the dog days of camp and how everyone wanted to go home. They played like it on Saturday night against the Chicago Bears in a 24-23 loss at University of Phoenix Stadium. ... The starters came out slow on offense and defense in the first quarter, leading to HC Bruce Arians leaving them in until the second quarter, when both units finally found a rhythm. The offense scored a touchdown on fourth down and the defense showed glimpses of the talent it has, including when Tyrann Mathieu returned an interception for 52 yards. ... Third-string quarterback Blaine Gabbert was given the third and fourth quarters to get more comfortable in the Cardinals' offense and he took his opportunity and, well, ran with it. Quite literally, in fact. Gabbert scored on a 4-yard scramble in the third quarter. He threw for 174 yards, completing 14 of 25 passes while leading the Cardinals to the brink of a win with a touchdown drive in the final seconds. He capped the 35-yard touchdown drive with a 3-yard pass to Jeremy Ross but the two-point conversion failed. Starter Carson Palmer struggled to get going in the first quarter but rebounded in the second to throw a 1-yard touchdown on fourth down to Jermaine Gresham. Drew Stanton played just two drives in the final 3:36 of the second quarter. For now, at least, the Cardinals' quarterback depth chart will remain the same. ... Two Cardinals rookie receivers showed their consistency on Saturday night. Krishawn Hogan caught two of four targets for 32 yards and Chad Williams caught one of his two targets for 15 yards. ... Phil Dawson, who has never kicked one longer than 56 yards in his 18 NFL seasons, attempted a 63-yarder with a second to play in the half and was short and wide right. Chicago's Deonte Thompson fielded the miss a step inside the end line and dodged tackles all the way downfield as he ran 109 yards for the score. ... David Johnson barely played for Arizona, gaining 3 yards in three carries. Palmer was 9 for 14 for 67 yards and the above-mentioned touchdown. ... Get complete stats for the game HERE.

8/18 As ESPN.com's Josh Weinfuss notes, there's a fad spreading through the NFL, and David Johnson is among the latest to pick it up: A plant-based diet. ... After watching two food documentaries on Netflix, Johnson and his wife, Meghan, both adopted a plant-based diet about a month ago. Thus far, according to Johnson, an All-Pro and Pro Bowl selection a year ago, he feels better since (mostly) removing meat from his diet. But he's had to make slight alterations to his diet. Johnson realized quickly as training camp began in late July that sticking with a strict plant-based diet caused him to lose more weight than he intended. He reported to training camp at 223 pounds, lighter than he had been in the past. His lower weight made him more agile, which Johnson said benefited him as a receiver, but he needed to maintain a certain weight to be effective, so he began adding meat in his meals. By and large, he's cut most meat out of his diet and has noticed he has more energy and less fatigue. "It wasn't as hard as I thought it would be," Johnson said. "I thought it would definitely be hard just because, as Americans, we're taught to eat a whole bunch of meat. It's not even just eating meat, it's the portions. What I've learned is that we're taught eating like 24 ounces of steak is a manly thing, when really you're only supposed to eat 8 to 10 as a portion." Johnson curbed any concern about maintaining his caloric intake by shrinking the size of his meals and increasing their frequency. He now eats about six small meals a day instead of the three or four he had when he wasn't following a plant-based diet. Between meals he snacks on nuts, mainly cashews. "That's another way to get my calories," he said. "Some of that stuff also has protein in it."

8/17 According to ArizonaCardinals.com's Darren Urban, the ongoing story about the wide receivers remained ongoing. HC Bruce Arians was asked about wide receiver John Brown, who had noted that his sickle-cell issue slows his healing process. “That’s a fact,” Arians acknowledged. As for having to wait on Brown’s return, “I don’t have any choice,” Arians said. “If he can’t run he can’t play. Now, if he can’t run long enough (after he returns), you’ve got to replace him.” Brown’s stamina looked fine before the quad injury, so that shouldn’t be a problem once Brown gets back. But the Cardinals are clearly watching the situation. Carson Palmer, noting there is still nearly a month before the regular season, isn’t worried about one of his close friends. “He wants to be out there, but at the same time, we have a ways to go before we play our first game,” Palmer said. “He’s a big part of this offense. We want him in Detroit and we need him in Detroit. ...” In a related note: Arians doesn't expect rookie wide receiver Chad Williams to start contributing to the offense until around Thanksgiving but said Williams could play on special teams. "It's going to be very hard to get a hat on Sunday," Arians said.

8/16 Now in his fifth season, Jaron Brown has come off an ACL tear that ruined his 2016 with a chance -- and perhaps a Cardinals’ need -- to help save the receiving corps. Larry Fitzgerald is the No. 1 wideout. Brown? “He’s No. 2 right now,” coach Bruce Arians said Tuesday. It’s not John Brown, who is finally returning to practice full go after battling a quad injury. It’s not J.J. Nelson, who remains a dangerous deep threat but whose smaller size continues to work against having a bigger role. It’s not the long-departed Michael Floyd, who this time last year still had a chance to be a major part of the future. ... As the team's official web site suggests, the remarkable part of Jaron Brown’s place on the depth chart isn’t so much about a question with his receiving skills. Brown was off to a great start as a receiver last year, taking important reps away from the underachieving Floyd in September. The return from his ACL tear is what turns heads. In the seventh month of rehab, Brown was already thinking about ditching his knee brace. While he was told to wear it to open camp, it was discarded less than two weeks in. While he was limited at first, he seamlessly integrated into work soon enough, making plays. “I keep feeling like they’re going to hold him back,” said Carson Palmer, a veteran of two ACL rehabs. “I feel like he’s going to miss some days. Like there’s going to be some soreness or something, but it’s like it never happened, which is amazing. ..." With 55 catches in four years, Brown has never been a go-to target. He still is needed on special teams. But his chemistry with Palmer has grown – missed bomb aside – and the Cardinals need him to remain a viable threat, even if John Brown and Nelson click again.

8/16 A day after HC Bruce Arians bemoaned John Brown’s lingering injury problem, Brown pushed back a bit, saying he’s not going to play until he’s healthy. “I understand the situation that’s going on with the receivers and all that, but I’m just going to come back when I’m ready,” Brown told Arizona Republic staffer Kent Somers. ... Brown suffered a quadriceps strain early in training camp and is practicing on a limited basis. On Monday, Arians admitted Brown’s injury is a concern. “He’s not available,” Arians said. “You’re only as good as when you’re available.” On Tuesday, Brown made it clear he’s not rushing back. “My body is different than others’,” he said. “They expect me to come back fast, but I can’t. I’m all right, but I’m not where I want to be at.” Brown said he couldn’t estimate when he would be able to return. He could play Saturday against the Bears, “but I won’t be at my best.” Brown missed most of training camp last year because of a concussion, and then dealt with leg soreness and fatigue during the season. Doctors eventually found that Brown had sickle-cell trait, which can cause those symptoms. In the offseason, Brown also had a cyst near his spine drained. After that, Brown said this spring, he was quickly back to full health. That hasn't been the case in camp so far, however. ... The good news? Brown was working fully Tuesday; we'll see if he can pick up the pace in coming days.

8/15 According to AZCardinals.com's Darren Urban, wide receivers John Brown, rookie Chad Williams and Aaron Dobson are all scheduled to practice in full today. All had been sitting out with various injuries. Brown is the most notable; he has been missing time with a strained quad muscle.

8/15 As the Cardinals official website notes, Andre Ellington didn’t have an overwhelming statistical night on Saturday against the Raiders, but did show glimpses of the player who once upon a time was the starting running back for the Cardinals. Ellington finished with 20 rushing yards on seven carries, added four catches for 31 yards, and, according to Pro Football Focus, did not make any mistakes in pass protection. PFF gave him a grade of 77.1 for his work, which was one of the higher marks on the team. Ellington’s most notable run was a 15-yarder in which he had nice blocking, and he also had a 13-yard reception. "He’s healthy for the first time in two years,” HC Bruce Arians said. “He showed it on two or three runs (Saturday) and a couple of passes.” But he will need to show that consistently with a roster spot that is still in flux. Ellington is fourth on the depth chart at running back, behind David Johnson, Chris Johnson and Kerwynn Williams. The injury to T.J. Logan increases his chances of making the team, but Ellington still faces competition from Elijhaa Penny for what could be the final running back spot. This is a pivotal training camp in Ellington’s career. More games like Saturday would help his case to remain with the only NFL team he has ever known.

8/14 With John Brown working on a limited basis due to a quad strain, HC Bruce Arians admitted on Monday tgat Brown not practicing full time is a concern. ... It's worth watching.

8/13 Carson Palmer threw a 12-yard touchdown pass to Brittan Golden to cap his brief preseason debut in a 20-10 win over the Raiders in Oakland. ... Palmer, at age 37 beginning his 15th NFL season, directed Arizona on a 12-play, 70-yard touchdown drive to start the game. It looked as if the Cardinals were headed for a short field goal, but the Raiders were called for covering the snapper on the kick, giving Arizona a first down and setting up its opening TD. ... David Johnson had a 10-yard run in the opening drive. The standout running back carried three times for 16 yards before calling it a night. ... While it was the preseason opener for Oakland, it was Arizona's second outing. The Cardinals starters did not play in the team's 20-18 loss to Dallas in the Hall of Fame Game. Palmer showed little sign of rust after a very light week of workouts. He hadn't thrown a pass in practice since Tuesday, taking Wednesday and Thursday's workouts off. ... Drew Stanton, who appears to have a firm hold on the backup quarterback job despite the addition of Blaine Gabbert, had a strong first half in relief of Palmer. Stanton, Palmer's backup for the past four seasons, completed 11 of 15 passes for 112 yards, including a 7-yard TD pass to tight end Troy Niklas. Gabbert played most of the second half, completing 5 of 9 passes for 53 yards. ... Wide receiver John Brown, slowed by a quadriceps issue, did not play. According to ESPN.com's Josh Weinfuss, when Brown isn’t on the field, the Cardinals’ receivers tend to be lacking another big-play option beyond Larry Fitzgerald. That was the case Saturday. Without him, Arizona is in need of a playmaker, someone who can compete for fade routes in the corner of the end zone or take hits across the middle. Without that receiver, Weinfuss believes the Cardinals might struggle to find crucial plays when they need them most. ... Get complete stats for the game HERE.

8/10 This is only his fourth NFL season, and TE Troy Niklas, the former second-round pick, has already undergone six surgical procedures. Niklas, 24, has almost had as many operations performed on him as he has career receptions (eight). Though he may look indestructible at 6-6 and 270 pounds, he isn’t impervious. “With Troy, it’s just that he’s had such bad luck,” QB Carson Palmer said Wednesday. “I would never question his toughness or his talent, and I think him getting the reps he’s gotten, the experience he’s gotten, he’s gotten better each week, so I’m really excited to see what kind of year he can have.” As Arizona Republic staffer Bob McManaman notes, every year, he reports to training camp expecting to live up to his draft hype and his size expectations. Every year, something happens to stop him in his tracks. So he's made some adjustments. Niklas is a little lighter this year, which makes him faster at hitting his cuts and breaks. He’s spent more time fine-tuning his techniques, like learning how to improve his hand speed and placement. So far, HC Bruce Arians loves what he’s seeing. “When he’s healthy, he’s another tackle that can run and catch,” Arians said. Of course, the tight end isn't featured in Arians' offense. It's a block-first role. And Jermaine Gresham is the starter. But it'll be interesting to see what the athletic Niklas can do if healthy.

8/9 Blaine Gabbert played extremely well in the Hall of Fame Game, completing 11 of 14 passes for 185 yards with no interceptions. He didn't do enough yet, however, to make head coach Bruce Arians believe he can move ahead of second-stringer Drew Stanton. "There's a chance, but there's a long way to go," Arians said. "Drew just knows the offense so well. ..." Also worth noting: Arians said QB coach Byron Leftwich will call plays against Raiders this week. It's another step in prepping Leftwich for coaching future.

8/9 HC Bruce Arians said he wants to employ more of a two-back system at running back this season, and David Johnson and Chris Johnson will get the bulk of that work. Behind them, however, are four running backs competing for two or three spots. According to the Sports Xchange, Elijhaa Penny seems to have the inside track on the No. 3 spot based on how he's performed in training camp thus far. Arians has singled out Penny for his goal-line awareness, toughness, pass-protecting ability and receiving talents. That could spell trouble for a veteran such as Andre Ellington, who has been beset by injuries since joining the league in 2013. Rookie T.J. Logan looked like a shoo-in to make the team, at least as a kick returner, before suffering a wrist injury that will cost him at least 12 weeks. Kerwynn Williams and rookie James Summers now have better shots at making the roster with Logan out.

8/8 WR Jaron Brown suffered a torn ACL in November; HC Bruce Arians was asked what type of leap Brown has made from last season. "When he practices, he looks real good," Arians said. "Anything is a leap from last year. He couldn't jump over that chair last year. I like seeing him back on the practice field. ..." As the Sports Xchange notes, there is elite speed to burn behind Larry Fitzgerald in regulars John Brown and J.J. Nelson, especially now that John Brown appears to be over the illness that sapped much of his strength in 2016. The depth here is better than average with targets such as Jaron Brown, Brittan Golden and veteran addition Aaron Dobson.

What we know: David Johnson is good. Really good. At this point, it's safe to assume he's not making past the first two picks of your draft. After rushing for 1,239 yards and earning 879 receiving yards last year, the 25-year-old reiterated that his goal for 2017 is to blast past the 1,000 yards rushing/1,000 yards receiving barrier and head coach Bruce Arian has made it clear he's willing to ride Johnson as hard as he has to (suggesting 30 touches per game is reasonable). Spend up if you're in position to do so.

What we think: In case you weren't paying attention, Carson Palmer played well down the stretch last year. With Larry Fitzgerald, a healthy John Brown, J.J. Nelson and Jaron Brown providing big-play potential on the outside -- and with the aforementioned David Johnson as effective and dangerous a receiver as there is out of the backfield -- Palmer is intriguing at his current price. We think he could be a great value as a QB2 -- if the Cardinals can shore up an offensive line that allowed opponents to sack Palmer 40 times last year.

Initial Issues/Injuries Of Interest: John Brown has missed the last week with a quad injury. He should return this week. The Cardinals placed rookie RB T.J. Logan (wrist) on injured reserve. 9/03 As Profootballtalk.com notes, even though backup Drew Stanton hasn’t been very good this preseason, the Cardinals don’t mind going into the season with him the only guy behind starting quarterback Carson Palmer. The Cardinals cut quarterback Matt Barkley, leaving them with just two as they got to the 53-man roster limit. They also released veteran defensive tackle Red Bryant and safety Chris Clemons. Their full list of cuts also included the following players: Center Taylor Boggs, cornerback Cariel Brooks, wide receiver Marquis Bundy, linebacker Donald Butler, tackle Rob Crisp, safety Matthias Farley, wide receiver Brittan Golden, cornerback Trevon Hartfield, wide receiver Chris Hubert, guard Antoine McClain, cornerback Harlan Miller, tight end Ifeanyi Momah, running back Elijhaa Penny, tackle Given Price, linebacker Shaq Riddick, wide receiver Jaxon Shipley, tight end Hakeem Valles, running back Kerwynn Williams and cornerback Ronald Zamort. They also waived-injured linebacker Tristan Okpalaugo.

9/02 While speaking to reporters on Friday, Cardinals coach Bruce Arians said that the team would not be announcing cuts until closer to Saturday’s 4 p.m. ET deadline. The team hasn’t announced any, but the NFL’s daily transaction wire scooped them with news of eight players who won’t be on the team’s initial 53-man roster. Safety Chris Clemons and linebacker Donald Butler were the most experienced players let go by Arizona. The Cardinals also waived running back Kerwynn Williams. He had 80 carries for 388 yards and a touchdown in 11 games over the last two seasons, but David Johnson, Chris Johnson and Andre Ellington leave the Cardinals well stocked in the backfield. Offensive lineman Taylor Boggs, defensive back Cariel Brooks, wide receiver Marquis Bundy, tackle Rob Crisp and guard Antoine McClain were also let go by Arizona. The Cardinals also traded for cornerback Marcus Cooper on Friday, leaving them with one extra move to make to get to 53 players.

9/02 According to Profootballtalk.com, the Cardinals have released WR Jaxson Shipley. In addition, the Chiefs and Cardinals have struck a trade. Cornerback Marcus Cooper has been sent to Arizona, with Kansas City getting an undisclosed draft pick in the exchange. The Cardinals wanted to add some depth to their secondary and couldn’t be sure they’d land Cooper if the Chiefs had set him free.

9/02 Matt Barkley, trying to hang on to the Cardinals' No. 3 quarterback job, overcame an early turnover to complete 20 of 29 passes for 269 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions in Thursday night's 38-17 win over the Broncos in Arizona. "We're not going against All-Pros, but we moved the ball and we put points on the board," Barkley said. "That's what our goal was. I think we did a good job of doing it tonight. ..." As the starters for both teams took the night off, Barkley, in his fourth NFL season out of USC, completed 20 of 29 passes for 269 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions. ... Rookie Elijhaa Penny rushed for 113 yards in the Cardinals' lone victory of the preseason. Cracking the deep running back corps in Arizona might be tough, but Penny figures he showed he belongs somewhere in the league. "That is kind of what I prepared myself for this offseason, just games like this, knowing what kind of running back I am," Penny said. "I have put some weight on to carry the load and tire some defenses out. I'm pretty sure, if not the Cardinals, I impressed 31 other teams. ..." WR Jaxon Shipley continues to be consistently impressive during preseason games. He did it again Thursday night, with 67 yards on four catches, including a 30-yard catch over his shoulder along the sideline in the third quarter. With as deep and as experienced a wide-receiver corps as Arizona has, it’s unlikely Shipley will make the roster, but he has shown this preseason he could help another offense. ... After spotting Denver to a 10-0 lead, the Cardinals scored the next 23 points, capped by Chandler Catanzaro's 59-yard field goal early in the third quarter. Catanzaro's longest in his first two NFL seasons was 51 yards. ... OLB Kareem Martin had to be helped off the field in the third quarter with a knee injury. Arians said he expected Martin to be out two or three weeks with a sprained ligament. OLB Tristan Okpalaugo left in the second quarter with a right knee injury. ... You can get complete statistics for this game HERE.

8/30 Following up on the ongoing story. ... WR John Brown returned to practice after passing the NFL's concussion protocol but participated only in individual drills and had to take a day off because of a headache. "I don't know anything about concussions other than he was fine and then he had a recurring headache," HC Bruce Arians said. "You get a headache, we've got to treat it as still a problem." Asked if he's worried about Brown possibly suffering through lingering symptoms, Arians said, "I don't think so. ... It could be anything. But when you have a concussion, it's different. ..." Meanwhile, WR Jaron Brown continued to be the story of camp for the Cardinals, catching everything in sight despite only moving up one spot on the depth chart from No. 5 to No. 4. "The main thing is he's gotten opportunities," quarterback Carson Palmer said. "For whatever reason over the years he just hasn't been on the field a ton because there are guys in front of him and he's been the young guy, the undrafted guy. With 'Smokey' (John Brown) being down for a number of days of practice and then J.J. (Nelson) being down and Larry (Fitzgerald) being down, he's just gotten that opportunity and he seized it. That's the definition of next man up. I think he embodies that very well because we were down three receivers at one point and then Brittan (Golden) was down, too, so four receivers. The next man up needs to come make plays and he's done that every day in camp."

8/29 With the news that cornerback Mike Jenkins suffered a torn ACL in Sunday’s game, the Cardinals lost a potential contributor in the secondary. They officially ended his season later in the day by placing Jenkins on injured reserve. Eleven other players learned that they won’t be part of the team’s roster as well. According to Profootballtalk.com, the Cardinals dropped long snapper Danny Dillon, leaving Kam Canaday as the winner of that competition, and they waived/injured quarterback Jake Coker. Coker, who suffered a knee injury, was the quarterback for Alabama when they won the national title last season but was behind Carson Palmer, Drew Stanton and Matt Barkley before his injury. Arizona also parted ways with guard Jake Bernstein, receiver Amir Carlisle, tight end Gerald Christian, tackle Clay DeBord, defensive tackle Iosia Iosia, cornerback Asa Jackson, wide receiver Franky Okafor, cornerback Shaun Prater, punter Garrett Swanson and safety Tyrequek Zimmerman. They have two more moves to make to get down to 75 players.

8/29 Following up on the previous item. ... Carson Palmer played three drives on Sunday in Houston and two of them ended with interceptions. The team's starting offense has looked disjointed throughout the preseason. And it will all be completely forgotten in two weeks. The preseason matters more to some teams than others. Through their actions and words this week, the loaded Cardinals made it clear this week they aren't worried. When you look at Sunday's effort closer, they shouldn't be. As NFL.com notes, Palmer had two passes picked off on fluky tip plays. Texans linebacker John Simon deserves credit for a one-in-a-million pick-six he pulled off against Palmer, but there's not a lot to learn from that play. The Cardinals marched 75 yards for a touchdown in between Palmer's interceptions and ran the ball well all night. They won the battle up front on offense and had over 200 yards in the first quarter and a half. Palmer took a few big hits -- the team's offensive line certainly has questions -- so HC Bruce Arians removed his quarterback early in the second quarter. Larry Fitzgerald and Patrick Peterson didn't even play. "I'm not interested in seeing them play 30 plays," Arians said earlier this week. "I know what they can do." We'll see what they can do in two weeks against New England. Save the judgment for then. ... Meanwhile, Arians told reporters on Monday that rians: DB Mike Jenkins has a torn ACL and is done for the year. WR John brown still having headaches but making progress on his return from concussion. That's something we'll likely be watching right up through Week 1 kickoff.

8/28 Houston intercepted two of Carson Palmer's passes in the Texans' 34-24 exhibition victory over the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday. ... Andre Hal intercepted Palmer's second pass of the day to set up Houston's first score, a 1-yard touchdown run by new running back Lamar Miller. Palmer's second drive was his only clean one, and it ended with a 3-yard touchdown run by David Johnson. On Arizona's next possession, linebacker John Simon tipped a pass by Palmer, intercepted it and returned it 59 yards for a touchdown. It was the second straight game in which Palmer had an interception returned for a touchdown after Brandon Flowers did it in last week in a 9-3 loss at San Diego. Palmer attempted to tackle Simon after the interception and was tackled by 305-pound defensive end Devon Still, a hit that knocked the quarterback's helmet off. HC Bruce Arians had seen enough after that hit, and Palmer was replaced by Drew Stanton. Despite a slow start, Stanton got into a rhythm and finished with 70 yards on 7-for-15 passing. For the second straight game, third-string quarterback Matt Barkley looked impressive at times while still showing signs of inexperience. He had two touchdown passes that showcased his arm -- one on a 43-yard pass to Chris Hubert and another on a 5-yard pass to Jaxon Shipley in traffic that was placed exactly where it needed to be for Shipley to get it. ... Wide receiver Chris Hubert put his speed on display in the fourth quarter, blowing past a Houston defensive back for a 43-yard touchdown run. He’s had a solid camp, showing off his speed and receiving, and on Sunday, when it counted the most, he had three catches for 72 yards. ... According to reports, Patrick Peterson injured his ankle during pregame warmups and did not dress. Mike Jenkins left the game in the first quarter with a right knee injury. He went down after defending a DeAndre Hopkins pass. It was a non-contact injury. Running back Stepfan Taylor hurt his knee in the third quarter and did not return. All-Pro safety Tyrann Mathieu, who came off the physically unable to perform list last week after knee surgery, was expected to play on Sunday, but remained on the sideline in a T-shirt and shorts. ... You can get complete statistics for this game HERE.

8/28 The good news for the Cardinals starting offense on Sunday is that they found the end zone for the first time in the preseason. The bad news is that David Johnson’s touchdown run was sandwiched between a pair of Carson Palmer interceptions. Interception No. 2 came on a great play by Texans linebacker John Simon to tip an attempted screen into the air before corralling it and rumbling 59 yards for a touchdown. That poor outcome was made worse when Palmer was drilled by Texans defensive lineman Devon Still after a futile attempt to stop Simon. The hit to the head left Palmer without a helmet and members of the Texans medical staff were looking at Palmer on the bench after Drew Stanton took over at quarterback on the next possession. Palmer appeared to have a chipped tooth., We'll follow up as needed. As Profootballtalk.com notes, if that was Palmer's last pre-season appearance, he’ll end the exhibition season 12-of-22 for 139 yards with three interceptions, two of which were returned for touchdowns.

8/25 Following up on the ongoing story. ... According to reports out of Arizona, John Brown, who missed Wednesday's practice after returning from a two-week concussion-related absence, is back on the practice field today.

8/24 As Profootballtalk.com reminded readers, John Brown went into the league’s concussion protocol early in training camp and wound up missing three weeks of work before getting cleared to return to practice last weekend. Brown’s return to action has hit a snag, however. HC Bruce Arians said, via Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic, that Brown has a headache and won’t practice on Wednesday. The Cardinals were off on Tuesday and Brown took part in Monday’s practice while wearing a non-contact jersey to let his teammates know not to hit him during the workout. Per Somers, the Cardinals “seem confident” Brown will be ready to go for the start of the regular season but concussions don’t always follow a straight line and a return to the concussion protocol could make that an iffy proposition given how long the symptoms have lingered this month. Wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald is also out of practice on Wednesday while he continues to manage the MCL issue that kept him from playing in the team’s second preseason game.

8/21 HC Bruce Arians announced that wide receiver John Brown has been cleared to practice and would be returning to work today. Brown originally suffered the injury three weeks ago when he got a concussion in practice and was going through the concussion protocol. He was expected to return in a week or two, but everyone started to get concerned this past week as he missed the Cardinals second preseason game. His return is good news. ... Also: Larry Fitzgerald, who sat out Friday night's game with a mild MCL sprain, is back at practice.

8/21 LB Alex Okafor, who suffered a torn biceps tendon, is planning to play through it, rather than have surgery.

8/20 WR Michael Floyd is entering the final year of his contract and although he's seen the team give extensions in recent weeks to Tyrann Mathieu, Carson Palmer and Larry Fitzgerald, he said he's only been concerned with his performance in camp. "I feel the best I've felt since I've been here, since I've been a rookie," he said. "I think everything's going great for me. I'm having a good camp, knowing the offense a lot more now and I'm feeling good about this year."

8/20 Following up on the previous item. ... Larry Fitzgerald did not play against the San Diego Chargers on Friday because of a knee injury. HC Bruce Arians said Fitzgerald is suffering from a slight MCL sprain. "It's just minor," Arians said. According to ESPN.com, Fitzgerald was seen running on the field during pregame warmups but dressed in shorts and a long-sleeved T-shirt on the sideline during the game. Fitzgerald missed two games in 2014 because of an MCL injury in his right knee. Fitzgerald has three full weeks until the regular-season opener against the Patriots. Expect him to be ready.

8/20 True, it is only the preseason but the Cardinals’ first-team offense looked dismal in Friday night’s 19-3 loss to the San Diego Chargers, not scoring a point, rushing for five yards, passing for 37 and not moving the ball past the 34-yard-line. According to ESPN.com's Josh Weinfuss, HC Bruce Arians has stressed that keeping his starters healthy for Week 1 is a priority. Arians also said he’s not worried because he knows what the offense can do. While that’s a fair point, the Cardinals have one more preseason game to work out any kinks and knock the rust off. Will they be able to do it? Carson Palmer threw what Weinfuss characterized "an awful interception" when he looked for a quick screen and threw the ball right into the chest of Chargers cornerback Brandon Flowers, who was nearly on top of Palmer. ... These two weeks of preseason games may be what the Cardinals need: an opportunity to get all their terrible plays out of their system. Only time will tell. But they’d still like to see a drive cross midfield and even produce a touchdown. ... Palmer threw for just 37 yards on 4-for-8 passing with the interception that was returned for a touchdown. He played 11 snaps in three series. For the second straight week, Drew Stanton threw an interception on a similar route -- over the middle, on a pass that he sailed too high. He was 2-for-7 for 32 yards. Matt Barkley looked better Friday than he did a week ago, connecting on five of his first six attempts. On one play in the fourth quarter, he stepped out of pressure to complete a pass. Barkley overthrew two of Arizona’s fastest receivers, J.J. Nelson and Chris Hubert, on deep passes, but overall was more impressive than a week ago. He finished 10-for-15 passing with 85 yards and no interceptions. ... Arians said WR Larry Fitzgerald has a "slight MCL." He didn't play Friday. WR Jaron Brown is in the mix at wide receiver, and had a chance to shine with Fitzgerald not playing. Brown continued his strong summer with a key third-down catch with the Cards backed up near their end zone. He had two receptions for 40 yards. ... David Johnson had 5 yards on three carries. Chris Johnson added 7 yards on four carries. ... Chandler Catanzaro made a 52-yard field goal for Arizona.

8/19 Bruce Arians will return to the sidelines for Friday night's game against the Chargers and is expected to "coach as usual" just three days after being hospitalized, NFL Media's Mike Garafolo reported Friday, per a team spokesman. After arriving in San Diego for the Cardinals' joint practice with the Chargers on Tuesday, Arians experienced stomach pains and was transported to the hospital. He was released from the hospital Wednesday morning after being treated for symptoms associated with diverticulitis, a condition which affects the digestive tract.

8/17 Following According to NFL Network's Mike Garafolo, HC Bruce Arians had diverticulitis. Arians thought he had a kidney stone. The coach was doubled over in pain due to the issue. He has been on a strict diet, but the issue led to overnight hospitalization. Arians is back with the team now and said he was "fine" during his news conference a short time ago.

8/17 Following up on the ongoing story. ... According to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network, HC Bruce Arians is scheduled to be released from the hospital today, and he’ll rejoin the team tonight. The 63-year-old Arians was taken in for tests yesterday and held overnight, after complaining of stomach pains. The Cardinals are in the midst of some joint workouts with the Chargers in San Diego.

8/17 Just weeks after Amazon Prime's All or Nothing series captured All-Pro defensive back Tyrann Mathieu touting David Johnson as a bigger version of multi-dimensional Hall of Famer Marshall Faulk, Arizona GM Steve Keim went a step further. "His receiving and ball skills are second to none," Keim recently told ESPN.com's Dan Graziano. "I mean, probably the best receiving back I've seen." Does that include Faulk, commonly regarded as the most effective receiving back in NFL history? "A lot of people have compared him to Marshall Faulk, and our coaches had Marshall Faulk in Indy," Keim explained. "I think he's very similar in some ways athletically and in terms of ball-catching skills to Marshall." As NFL.com's Chris Wesseling notes, current Cardinals offensive consultant Tom Moore and HC Bruce Arians are in a unique position to draw the comparison between Faulk and Johnson. As the Colts' OC and QBs coach, respectively, during the 1998 season, they witnessed the dynamic dual-purpose back up-close as Faulk exploded for a league-high 2,227 yards from scrimmage. Meanwhile, a WR when he entered Northern Iowa, Johnson retained all benefits of the position when he bulked up to 230 pounds and moved to the backfield. "He's probably as natural a catcher as there is," Carson Palmer said last December. So it's no surprise that Arians will continue to have Johnson line up out wide and in the slot as a runner/receiver hybrid as he did late last season. And now that Chris Johnson and Andre Ellington are available to help shoulder the running workload, Arians is working on new methods to take advantage of the younger Johnson's obvious mismatch potential versus linebackers and safeties. "He's got rare and unusual skills I've never seen in a back, where he's got an erect running style, yet at the same time he has tremendous lower flexibility and lateral quickness," Keim explained. "So that's a weird combination, because usually those taller, upright guys are kind of straight-legged and stiff. This guy's got an unusual knack of being able to pick and slide and do some things laterally."

8/16 Following up on the previous item. .... HC Bruce Arians underwent tests at a San Diego-area hospital and will stay the night, according to the team. Cardinals spokesman Mark Dalton expects to update us further on Wednesday. The Cardinals are in San Diego for joint practices with the Chargers. We'll continue to follow up.

8/17 HC Bruce Arians was taken to a hospital in San Diego with stomach pain, according to the team. NFL Network's Mike Garafolo reports early indications are Arians should be okay, but every precaution is being taken. We'll continue to follow up.

8/16 RB Andre Ellington had a 35-yard gain, the Cardinals' longest run of the night against Oakland last Friday, and played a big role in Arizona rushing for 172 yards overall. Ellington is the team's No.3 running back behind David Johnson and Chris Johnson, but he still figures to be a factor in the team's offensive game plan. "I know this, every time he touches it it's got the potential to go to the house," HC Bruce Arians said. Local observers have suggested Ellington could handle kick return work as well.

8/13 Carson Palmer directed a 73-yard drive for a field goal in his one series before the Raiders backups dominated their Arizona counterparts in a 31-10 victory in the teams' preseason opener Friday night. ... Palmer completed 3 of 5 passes for 31 yards. The biggest play of the drive came when David Johnson faked out a defender at the line of scrimmage and raced for a 23-yard gain. None of the team's quarterbacks were outstanding, but starter Palmer had the best performance of them all. After Palmer’s day was over Drew Stanton and Matt Barkley left a lot to be desired. Each had an interception but Barkley looked inefficient and inaccurate, sometimes rushing through or not even going through his progressions – all areas that HC Bruce Arians wanted to see improved during camp. Jake Coker didn’t impress or disappoint. He had an adequate showing, completing 2-of-5 passes for 16 yards. ... According to ESPN.com's Josh Weinfuss, the maturity and growth of Johnson was evident Friday night – and the second-year back didn’t even catch a pass. He rushed three times for 31 yards. He showed patience and hit the hole hard and was quick on the outside. "Nothing different than what I see every day in practice," Palmer said of Johnson. "Just runs powerfully, has great vision, he's a phenomenal blocker. ... He's a special player. ..." If Johnson continues playing like he did Friday night, he could be in for another impressive season. ... The Cardinals looked very good until the red zone, where they couldn’t score after Johnson put them at the 8-yard-line with his 23-yard run. A run and two passes couldn’t get the Cardinals a touchdown and they settled for a field goal. ... Wide receiver Jaxon Shipley had a good enough showing Friday to impress. Although it’s unlikely he makes the Cardinals’ depth chart at receiver, he was impressive enough to put together solid film. He finished with three catches for 54 yards, and one of them was a pretty catch on the run.

8/11 According to Arizona Republic staffer Kent Somers, OC Harold Goodwin will call plays in three of the four preseason games, including Friday night against the Raiders, including Friday night against the Raiders. Goodwin has called plays in previous preseasons, but never as much as this year. HC Bruce Arians, who calls plays during the regular season, will call them in the third preseason game when starters traditionally play into the second half. The extra duties might help Goodwin secure a head-coaching job or prepare him to one day take over play-calling from Arians. Over the past few years, one consistent piece of advice from Arians has been “take more shots,” Goodwin said. “I learned my lesson.” Giving up play-calling will give Arians plenty of free time on the sideline. Asked what he would be doing during the game, Arians said: “Deciding if we go for it on fourth (down) or go for two. Tough job. Somebody’s got to do it.” It will give Arians more time to yell at players and officials. “They wish I was more involved in that part of it,” he said.

8/11 As NFL.com's Jeffri Chadiha understated, RB David Johnson won't be flying under the radar this season. A third-round pick in the 2015 NFL Draft, he surprised plenty of people with his all-around skills as a rookie, gaining 1,636 total yards and scoring 13 touchdowns. The hype surrounding him is only going to grow in his second pro season. "I'm afraid to talk about him because I might get him hurt," joked HC Bruce Arians. "But he can run it 25 times and he can catch it 15 times. The sky is the limit for his ability, because he can do so many things. I don't want to run him in the ground early, because we have Chris [Johnson] and Andre [Ellington]. We have a great group of running backs, so one guy doesn't have to get all the carries early in the season. ..." Fantasy owners shouldn't mistake not running David Johnson into the ground for underutilizing him. Don't back off based on this comment.

8/10 TE Troy Niklas drew high praise from HC Bruce Arians, who said the third-year pro from Notre Dame is finally starting to "look like the player we drafted and wanted." The coach added: "He's made a really nice move. He had all those injuries and that bad luck and knock on wood I didn't jinx him but he's where I want him to be right now. He's blocking extremely well. He's catching the ball well. He understands what he's trying to do much better." Niklas was floored when those comments were relayed to him. "It's awesome to hear him say that," he said. "It means I'm definitely taking a step in the right direction and doing more of the things he wants to see from me. So that's pretty cool to hear. Especially coming from a guy like him. You don't really get those compliments all the time. He gets my name confused with 'dumb (expletive)' a lot." TE has generally been a fantasy wasteland when it comes to the Cardinals. But with Jermaine Gresham, Daniel Fells, Niklas and Ifeanyi Momah there's plenty of talent. We'll see if they tap into it more this season. If so, somebody could emerge as a viable free-agent pickup.

8/10 As the Cardinals' official website notes, contract extension talks are often prolonged and tense, a standoff between two sides that can get ugly. When the Cardinals approached quarterback Carson Palmer about adding a year to his current deal, he didn’t dig in his heels and battle for leverage. He simply asked for a pen. “I didn’t hesitate,” said Palmer, who is now under contract through 2018. “I’ve been playing my whole career to be in a situation like this.” In his first public comments since signing the extension, Palmer spent a good portion of his press conference on Tuesday raving about the Cardinals’ organization from top to bottom, including GM Steve Keim’s ability to find talent and HC Bruce Arians’ play-calling and coaching prowess. Palmer, 36, had some trying times in previous stops in Cincinnati and Oakland, and was clear that the Cardinals will be his final NFL home. "It’s a top-flight, first-class organization, and guys that have played elsewhere understand that and realize how special it is,” Palmer said. “That’s why I’m so happy to finish my career here, and know this is where it ends. ..." The different components Palmer mentioned have helped turn the Cardinals into a Super Bowl contender. The 2015 team won a franchise-record 13 games and made it to the NFC Championship game, but Palmer said Keim has put together a more impressive roster this year.

“I thought last year’s team was really, really good until we started working in OTAs,” Palmer said. “And then we got to training camp and you see how much better this team is than last year, and we still have room to grow. Just knowing Steve and what his abilities are – to bring in vets, bring in rookies and to take chances on guys like (rookie cornerback) Brandon Williams – you see the talent that he has. I don’t see a window (to contend). I just see opportunity.”

8/09 Wide receiver J.J. Nelson (groin) returned to practice on Tuesday and is expected to be available against Oakland. As previously noted, wide receiver John Brown (head) is getting close to a return but won’t play.

8/09 According to the team's official web site, HC Bruce Arians has ruled out WR John Brown (concussion) for Raiders game, even if he is cleared.

8/09 Fantasy owners aren't alone in their high expectations for David Johnson. The good news? The Sports Xchange reports that Johnson is ready to embrace them after a breakout rookie season. The second-year pro said all the talk and hype motivates him even more. "It's good to hear. I've always been confident in myself and it's good to finally hear that people are looking at me to help out the team and are expecting a lot from me," he said. "I have great teammates and great coaches that are helping me stay levelheaded and helping me stay focused that the biggest thing is the team." Johnson said he feels like a completely different player than he did a year ago at this time. "Last year, my head was spinning. It was like a roller coaster," he said. "This year, I'm so much more comfortable with the team, with my teammates, with the playbook, with being an NFL player, just the NFL atmosphere. I couldn't wait for this day to come. I can't wait for tomorrow, I can't wait for the preseason to be over and we can start our postseason. I'm just blessed to be here and I can't wait to get it started. ..." Fantasy owners should expect to pay a premium to secure Johnson's services. ... The Cardinals are in relatively good health after their first week of training camp. John Brown has missed time working his way through the concussion protocol, but it's not a long-term issue. In a related note, Brown, one of the fastest players in the league, will get a look at punt returner in camp, according to HC Bruce Arians. "He was dynamic in college," Arians said. "We're going to look at him a lot harder this year, along with (fellow receiver) J.J. (Nelson), who we brought in here for that same reason. They both came in as punt return guys. ..." Also worth noting: Jaron Brown has been working ahead of Nelson as the No. 4 receiver early in camp. ... And finally. ... As first reported by ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Cardinals gave 1-year extensions to Carson Palmer and Larry Fitzgerald, tying QB to AZ through 2018 and WR through 2017. And so much for the speculation that this could be the final season for the 36-year-old Palmer and the 32-year-old Fitzgerald. It also makes you wonder about the future in Arizona of Michael Floyd, who is entering a contract year. Whatever the case, go ahead and assume the Cardinals passing attack will continue to prominently feature both Palmer and Fitzgerald beyond 2016 (although Fitzgerald's deal isn't guaranteed). 9/05 The Cardinals announced the following players were among those released as they met today's deadline for reaching the 53-man roster limit: RB Robert Hughes and RB Paul Lasike (as previously reported), WR Trevor Harman, WR Jaxon Shipley, QB Phillip Sims, QB Logan Thomas, S Anthony Walters, RB Kerwynn Williams. The arrival of Matt Barkley, acquired in a trade with Philadelphia, made Thomas and Sims expendable.

9/05 As NFL.com's Marc Sessler put it, "Chris Johnson still has a splash of gas in the tank. ..." This after the veteran running back piled up 45 yards at 4.1 yards per carry in his quest to make Arizona's roster. Johnson showed burst on the ground and through the air, moving the chains on a 10-yard catch and dash in the opening frame. Johnson showed no visible signs of the hamstring injury that kept him off the field during the preseason, leaving HC Bruce Arians to say, per the Arizona Republic: "I thought Chris looked extremely sharp." Arians brought Johnson aboard to challenge Andre Ellington and rookie David Johnson for snaps. CJ2K isn't the same runner of old, but he looked healthy on Thursday night. And as Profootballtalk.com's Michael David Smith notes, the Cardinals’ running game was one of the worst in the league last year, and getting Johnson up to speed would go a long way toward turning that around.

9/04 Following up on the previous item. ... Matt Barkley lost the third-string quarterback job to Tim Tebow on Thursday night, and now Barkley is heading to Arizona. According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, the Eagles get a seventh-round pick from the Cardinals if Barkley is on the Cardinals roster for six games. A fourth-round pick of the Eagles in 2013, Barkley has played sparingly in Philadelphia. With Sam Bradford and Mark Sanchez firmly ahead of Barkley on the quarterback depth chart and Tebow out-playing Barkley in the preseason as well, it appeared that Barkley was on the verge of getting cut. But as Profootballtalk.com notes, the Cardinals, whose season fell apart last year after injuries to starting quarterback Carson Palmer and backup Drew Stanton, have decided that it’s worth giving a late-round pick up to acquire a third-string quarterback with some potential. And the Eagles get something out of a player who was going to give them nothing.

9/04 According to the team's official web site, HC Bruce Arians didn't rule Michael Floyd (fingers) out for Week 1. Floyd began catching light passes on the sidelines this week. And while Week 1 seems optimistic, Floyd should be available soon.

9/04 According to FOXSports insider Jay Glazer, the Cardinals have traded a conditional late pick to the Eagles for QB Matt Barkely.

9/04 As Profootballtalk.com notes, HC Bruce Arians thought running back Chris Johnson looked “extremely sharp” in his preseason debut for the team on Thursday night and a couple of early cuts out of Arizona make Johnson’s chances of sticking around for more action in the desert look pretty good. Josina Anderson of ESPN reports that the team has cut running backs Robert Hughes and Paul Lasike. Hughes was talked about as a short yardage option out of the backfield for the Cardinals this season, but he played sparingly in the preseason and the team has opted to roll with other backs. Hughes ran seven times for 11 yards last season and caught eight passes for 140 yards. Lasike was an undrafted free agent out of BYU and had two carries and a catch in the preseason.

9/04 According to ESPN.com's Josh Weinfuss, the preseason ended Thursday with the Cardinals a 22-20 win over the Broncos along with some good and bad news. The good news was that running back Chris Johnson looked good and linebacker Sean Weatherspoon played into the third quarter. The bad news, however, was the knee injury suffered by tight end Gerald Christian in the second quarter. He left the sideline on a cart, leaving Arizona with two healthy tight ends on their roster heading into the first week of the season. ... Playing in a final preseason game for the first time since 2009, Johnson ran 11 times for 45 yards in his first action of the summer after recovering from a hamstring injury. Johnson started out slowly, but reeled off a 16-yard run from the Arizona 20, sparking a 15-play, 80-yard drive that ended with Paul Lasike's 4-yard TD catch from rookie Phillip Sims. Sims also warmed up after a sputtering start and began finding his targets - save for a pass to a wide-open pylon just before halftime that helped stall another 15-play drive, this one capped by Chandler Catanzaro's field goal. Catanzaro, however, missed two PATs, the second coming after Logan Thomas' 59-yard TD toss to J.J. Nelson that put Arizona (2-2) ahead 22-20 early in the fourth quarter. ... Sims started and played the first half, while Thomas played the third and fourth quarters. After a solid preseason in which he's looked poised and steady, Sims looked frazzled early in the first quarter but settled down to finish 14-for-22 for 101 yards and a touchdown. Thomas, however, looked composed from the start of the second half, leading the Cardinals on a 51-yard drive for a touchdown. ... (Get complete game stats HERE)

9/03 As previously noted, Michael Floyd has taken the next step in his recovery from three fractured fingers in his left hand: He’s started to catch passes. But he still wasn’t sure when his hand will be well enough return to practice. "I don’t really know yet," Floyd said. "They never gave me no set date. It’s kinda day-to-day as you can say it. I feel good for the most part, but obviously transitioning to practice and into a game is totally different with all the physical contact that you get. We’ll see how it goes." According to ESPN.com's Josh Weinfuss, when his hand is ready, Floyd said his most important re-adjustment will be reclaiming his timing with quarterback Carson Palmer. Floyd felt the 11 days before the season opener is enough time to make that happen. Today is four weeks out of surgery for Floyd, who said his hand has been responding to his rehab. "I think I’m doing well with the treatment and all that,” he said, "and following all the directions that the doctors give me."

9/02 Rookie wide receiver J.J. Nelson has started the last two games in the three-receiver set. Part of the reason is Michael Floyd is out with a hand injury. But according to the Sports Xchange, it's also significant that Nelson, a fifth-round pick, started ahead of Jaron Brown and Brittan Golden. Nelson made a 57-yard grab against the Chargers last week. He has great speed, and Arians is intrigued with using him along with John Brown, another speedster.

9/02 With the exception of Sunday night in Oakland, Carson Palmer has surpassed expectations for a starting quarterback who’s coming back from an ACL injury at age 35. According to ESPN.com's Josh Weinfuss, Palmer looks stronger, fitter, more agile -- when he runs, that is -- and more confident. It’s all a product of Palmer rededicating himself during his rehab, and it’s showing on the field. Weinfuss went on to advise readers that Palmer's arm is stronger than it has been in years -- possibly ever. He has had throws of 65 and 55 yards in the air this summer, something that was all but impossible after his shoulder injury in Week 1 last season. Wide receiver John Brown said Palmer isn’t underthrowing receivers this season, as he did at times last year. Other receivers have commented on Palmer’s velocity. Brittan Golden said Palmer’s passes are stronger this year than last year. While an improved shoulder and knee may be the obvious reasons for Palmer’s return to the field, HC Bruce Arians said Palmer’s core is to be credited for Palmer’s resurgence. Yet, while Palmer looked flawless in the Cardinals’ first preseason game, he has slowly regressed. Since completing all four of his attempts against the Chiefs, he’s 11-for-29 the past two games -- the ones in which he’s supposed to get closer to regular-season form. Part of it is the offensive line. That unit will have to pick up the pace to keep Palmer on track.

9/01 According to Arizona Republic staffer Kent Somers, WR Michael Floyd was catching soft passes on the sideline before practice. Floyd, who underwent surgery after dislocating three fingers early in camp, reportedly "looked comfortable" catching the ball.

9/01 The Cardinals' offensive line has become a concern as the 2015 NFL season approaches. Injuries and a looming suspension to right tackle Bobby Massie has thrust a unit that was supposed to be improved into flux. During the first half of Sunday night's 30-23 win over the Oakland Raiders, the offensive line got pounded. The most notable beatings -- and there were several -- came from Khalil Mack. The second-year pass rusher repeatedly clown-suited both offensive tackles Jared Veldheer and Bradley Sowell. Mack produced two sacks, a forced fumble and numerous quarterback pressures. Following the game, coach Bruce Arians said it wasn't all on the line and noted that quarterback Carson Palmer needs to get the ball out of his hands when he knows pressure is coming. "We've got to do a better job of getting the ball out of our hands sometimes," Arians said, via the Arizona Republic. "I thought we held it a little bit longer today. Our backs could have helped a couple times to protect (Palmer). I thought we were just out of sync. They did a good job of loading up the box and making the run game tough." Arians pointed to Mack causing most of the damage to his beleaguered offensive line. "It was just one guy on one guy most of the time," Arians said. "Carson's got to get the ball out of his hands. He can't be looking for three and four (options) against that rush." As NFL.com suggests, for what was an emphasis this offseason, the Cards can't be happy watching their blockers dismantled with such ease in the third preseason game. If it's not improved when the Cards face stalwart fronts -- like the one in Seattle, for instance -- it could become the offense's Achilles' heel.

8/31 Punter Dave Zastudil missed 14 games last season after suffering a groin injury in September and it looks like the two games he did play with the Cardinals will be his last with the team. According to Profootballtalk.com, the Cardinals announced that they have released Zastudil on Monday, leaving Drew Butler as the only punter on the roster heading into the 2015 season. ... Among the other players released: tight end Gannon Sinclair, wide receiver Ryan Spadola and wide receiver Travis Harvey. The Cardinals are left with one move to make to get to 75 players.

8/31 Marion Grice scored on an 11-yard run with 31 seconds left and the Cardinals beat the Raiders 30-23 on Sunday night in an exhibition game where both first-team offenses struggled. Logan Thomas fionally came through by leading the winning drive with help from a 38-yard pass to Ifeanyi Momah. ... Carson Palmer struggled against his former team as he was under pressure from Khalil Mack for most of the first half. Palmer was 8 for 22 for 103 yards and was intercepted twice by Nate Allen. According to ESPN.com's Josh Weinfuss, for as good as the offensive line looked during practice the last few weeks, it played equally as bad Sunday night in Oakland. The tackles struggled with the Raiders' outside rush and the interior had trouble slowing down defensive line’s push, all of which led to the three sacks. ... Andre Ellington was held to 19 yards rushing on nine carries as Arizona struggled to move the ball at all in the opening half. ... Drew Stanton and Phillip Sims each threw TD passes for the Cardinals. ... There were a few instances Sunday where receivers weren’t running the right routes, in particular J.J. Nelson. He cut short one route and ran the wrong way on another early in the game. He’s still young and inexperienced, but he needs to get on the same page as Palmer quickly to have an impact on the offense during the regular season. ... Momah doesn’t need to convince the Cardinals to make the roster but he showed late in the fourth quarter what he’s capable of. He had a key block and two catches for 54 yards in the final drive, which ended with a game-winning touchdown. ... (Get complete game stats HERE)

8/29 Andre Ellington is the workhorse for the Cardinals. Last season, he had five carries inside the 5-yard line and scored from the 2 during the Cards' first preseason game. Arizona has quite a few options to hand the ball off to near the goal line, so ESPN.com's Josh Weinfuss advises readers not to be surprised when Stepfan Taylor or David Johnson get a few short-yardage touchdowns, as well.

8/29 Running back Chris Johnson may not have been promised anything by the Cardinals. But he has received a pretty significant guarantee. Profootballtalk.com has confirmed that $400,000 of Johnson’s $870,000 base salary is fully guaranteed, for skill, injury, and salary cap. It means that, even if the Cardinals cut Johnson, he still gets the $400,000. Prior reports have indicated that Johnson can make up to $2 million, with his salary shooting up another $1.13 million if he rushes for 1,300 yards. A source with knowledge of the situation tells PFT that NFLPA records don’t include that term, but that’s not entirely uncommon. As Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic recently noted, only one running back in franchise history has rushed for 1,300 or more yards — Ottis Anderson with 1,356 in 1980 and 1,376 in 1981.

8/29 As ESPN.com's Josh Weinfuss reminded readers, John Brown was having a great rookie season (five touchdown catches by Week 10) until he hit the so-called rookie wall. He felt it physically and his stats showed it. Brown added 10 pounds of upper-body muscle and stopped eating fast food in an attempt to break through that wall this season. Brown will have a larger role in the offense this season and it helps that he’s one of Carson Palmer's favorite targets.

8/28 According to multiple reports, Chris Johnson (hamstring) returned to practice on Friday. The next question is whether he'll be ready to play against the Raiders on Sunday. "I feel like I need preseason games," Johnson said earlier this week. "Every preseason, I like to get in there, get a couple carries and just get a feel for it." By time Johnson signed with the Cardinals on Aug. 17, he had missed almost three weeks of training camp in addition to OTAs and minicamp. He's not accustomed to missing practices -- and certainly not games. He's missed just one game since getting drafted in 2008. For what it's worth, NFL.com is predicting Johnson will make the final roster, as he has made a positive impression on his new teammates overall. Once Johnson is cleared, it is expected he'll share the workload behind starter Andre Ellington and rookie David Johnson.

8/28 As ESPN.com's Josh Weinfuss notes, Larry Fitzgerald has led the Cardinals with red zone targets the past two seasons with 12 in 2014 and 24 in 2013. While John Brown had only six last season, Weinfuss believes the speedy youngster figures to be a larger part of the offense this season and already has scored a red zone touchdown in the preseason. It should be noted, however, that Michael Floyd led the Cardinals with three red zone touchdowns last season but there isn't a set return from his injured hand.

8/27 TE Troy Niklas is sidelined again with a hamstring injury, his second since the beginning of camp. No timetable has been given on the second-year pro, leaving multiple question marks at tight end, with Jermaine Gresham's status still up in the air. Which means it's no different than it's been for the last decade. Ifeanyi Momah might be a player to watch here.

8/27 Following up on a previous item. ... Michael Floyd walked through the team’s locker room on Wednesday without his injured left hand wrapped. It was a sign of progress, but HC Bruce Arians said there is still not an estimate on when Floyd will return. "He’s doing extremely well, so no, I don’t think there is an exact timetable," Arians said. "I wouldn’t be shocked if he’s ready (for Week 1), knowing Michael." The Cardinals open the regular season Sept. 13 at home against New Orleans. According to ESPN.com's Josh Weinfuss, Floyd’s stitches were removed on Aug. 18, almost two weeks after he had surgery to repair three dislocated fingers in his left hand. Floyd has been working on his conditioning with assistant strength and conditioning coach Roger Kingdom before and after practices.

8/27 According to ESPN.com's Josh Weinfuss, by the end of Thursday's practice, the Cardinals will know if running back Chris Johnson will play in Sunday night’s game in Oakland. Johnson will be put through a test run during practice to gauge his viability, HC Bruce Arians said. CJ2K is recovering from a hamstring injury. If he passes, he'll likely be on the field against the Raiders, Arians said.

8/27 In his third year in head coach Bruce Arians' system, quarterback Carson Palmer feels comfortable enough to start demanding more of his teammates. Last Saturday, he was demonstrative when someone made a mistake. "My level of expectation is higher now because guys have been in the system longer," Palmer said. "There are certain things you can't do, and they can't happen in games. Obviously, mistakes happen but you can't sweep them under the rug. ..." Meanwhile, rookie J.J. Nelson has started the last two games in the three-receiver set. Part of the reason is Michael Floyd is out with a hand injury. But according to the Sports Xchange, it's also significant that Nelson, a fifth-round pick, started ahead of Jaron Brown and Brittan Golden. Nelson made a 57-yard grab against the Chargers last week. He has great speed, and Arians is intrigued with using him along with John Brown, another speedster.

8/26 According to AZCardinals.com's Darren Urban, there's still no timetable for Michael Floyd's return to action, but HC Bruce Arians is optimistic about the opener. Floyd underwent surgery to repair three dislocated fingers on Aug. 6. The timetable has been vague all along, but the general belief has been a Week 1 return was possible. We'll be watching for more.

8/26 Stepfan Taylor proved at the end of last season he's capable of a handling a larger role in the offense. But the additions of David Johnson in this year's draft and Chris Johnson via free agency put some obstacles in his path. After Andre Ellington's season ended in Week 13 with a hip flexor, Taylor ran for 125 yards in the final four games. He averaged 31.3 yards per game as the primary option. Before Ellington got hurt, Taylor averaged 8.3 yards per game. Those four games built up Taylor's confidence heading into the offseason. "The more touches you get the more confidence you get being out there on the field," Taylor said. But confidence alone isn't enough. When Taylor reported for camp, he was about 15 pounds stronger than he was last season. The coaching staff wanted Taylor to weigh between 210 and 215 a year ago, but it was a struggle for him to lose the weight. At Stanford, Taylor played between 217 and 220. In the NFL, he's used to playing at 225, his current weight. Taylor would like to make more plays, but right now he's looking to secure a spot on the Cardinals' 53-man roster next month. "I go into every season like it's my last," he said. "You got to compete. You can never get comfortable."

8/25 According to Arizona Republic staffer Bob McManaman, there is no guarantee the Cardinals will keep three quarterbacks on their active roster once the team breaks camp. Given their concerns about depth at other positions, it’s quite possible they decide to pocket a third quarterback on the practice squad instead. But no matter what they do with the No.3 QB, the question remains whom will it be? Does Logan Thomas still possess the inside track on the job he carried with him into training camp? Or has free-agent tryout Phillip Sims taken the lead following a strong showing in his second preseason appearance? Thomas didn’t complete a pass in four attempts during Saturday night’s 22-19 loss to the visiting San Diego Chargers. Sims was 8 of 13 for 89 yards and directed the Cardinals to 10 fourth-quarter points to force a tie until San Diego won the game on a last-second 42-yard field goal by rookie kicker Josh Lambo, a former soccer goalkeeper. Sims looked poised and in control during his time in the game, but if he made any significant headway against Thomas, HC Bruce Arians wasn’t saying. Then again, he didn’t say Thomas has lost any ground, either. When asked if there was a leader for the third quarterback spot, he simply said, “No.” Whatever the case, Sims, an undrafted free agent whose unusual journey to the Cardinals saw him first enroll at three different universities, knows he only has two more weeks to try and impress enough to win an NFL job. It clearly is desperation time for both he and Thomas to distance themselves from the other. We'll see how much of a chance they get. It might not come until the fourth preseason game. But with starting quarterback Carson Palmer and backup Drew Stanton each coming back from significant knee injuries that prematurely ended their seasons a year ago during the Cardinals’ 11-win campaign, finding a competent and a consistent No. 3 quarterback is essentially important.

8/24 As Arizona Republic staffer Kent Somers framed it: "David Johnson’s hamstring was strained for the first two weeks of training camp. So was the patience of HC Bruce Arians, who wanted to see what the rookie running back looked like in pads. ..." Arians got his wish on Saturday night. He liked what he saw. Johnson, the team's third-round pick, entered the game on the second possession and finished the first half with 66 yards on 13 rushes and 15 yards on two receptions. He seemed to improve every time he touched the ball. Early in the game, he tried to bounce a couple of runs outside, rather than follow his blockers. Later, Johnson showed better patience, as well as the speed to get outside and the power to stiff-arm opponents. “I thought after he quit dancing and he got out of the dance studio, he ran real well," Arians said. "He can go out on 'Dancing With the Stars' if he wants to dance. As big and fast as he is, take your foot on the ground and give me four yards or more." His performance was a welcome relief for Arians, who was concerned that so many of his running backs were missing time with hamstring injuries. That prompted the Cardinals to sign veteran Chris Johnson earlier this year. He was supposed to play a little against the Chargers, but a hamstring strain suffered at the end of Thursday’s practice kept him from playing. We'll see if that hamstring -- along with David Johnson's impressive play -- keeps CJ2K from making the final roster.

8/23 As Profootballtalk.com reported, Chris Johnson, signed by the Cardinals last week, did not play in last night’s preseason game against the Chargers even though the Cardinals had initially planned to get him at least a few carries. Afterward, HC Bruce Arians explained that Johnson pulled a hamstring in Thursday’s practice and will be out for a week or two. If he’s out two weeks, that means he won’t play at all for the Cardinals, and his first live action in their offense wouldn’t come until the regular season. With David Johnson's hamstring clealry no longer and issue (see previous item), it's fair to wonder if Chris Johnson will make the final roster. ... We'll be watching for more.

8/23 As ESPN.com's Josh Weinfuss reported, while Chris Johnson watched from the sideline, rookie running back David Johnson made a case for being in the Cardinals’ backfield rotation during Saturday night's 22-19 loss to the Chargers. ... Johnson shined in his preseason debut, showing off his upper-body strength with an array of stiff arms. While he still showed signs of rookie inexperience, especially in pass protection, Johnson developed a knack for finding the holes in the offensive line and getting through them. In addition to rushing for 66 yards in 13 carries, Johnson, a fourth-round pick from Northern Iowa who had been out most of training camp with a hamstring injury, also caught two passes for 15 yards. According to Weinfuss, Johnson still needs to improve his vision and follow blocks better -- and learn how to pass protect better -- but he made a case for being the primary back on Saturday. ... Meanwhile, Carson Palmer experienced his first hits of the preseason and bounced up from them quickly, but he showed just how healthy his arm is by launching a 57-yard pass to J.J. Nelson, who got time with the starters, in the first quarter that traveled about 55 yards in the air. The 35-year-old quarterback, coming back from ACL surgery, had gone 4 for 4 for 77 yards in his lone series against Kansas City the previous week. ... While backup Drew Stanton was sacked four times and third-string Logan Thomas didn’t complete a pass, the Cardinals’ most impressive quarterback Saturday was rookie undrafted free agent Phillip Sims, who looked calm while leading Arizona on a scoring drive in the fourth quarter. ... Overall, the Cardinals quarterbacks were sacked six times in the first half. The offensive line struggled with quick edge rushers but Johnson and the young tight ends had trouble picking up blitzes and rushers. ... Larry Fitzgerald’s first preseason target came late in the first quarter when Arizona needed it. On a fourth-and-4 from Chargers 35, Stanton hit Fitzgerald on a 5-yard pass to get the first down. ... WR Brittan Golden went down after a hard hit in the third quarter. ... Chandler Catanzaro had field goals of 28 and 37 yards, but missed from 38. ... (Get complete game stats HERE)

8/22 The Cardinals play their second preseason game, against Chargers tonight. Not only will the Cardinals starters play for the entire first quarter, which means Carson Palmer may get a second series to show how far his arm has come, but ESPN.com's Josh Weinfuss notes that new RB Chris Johnson will make his Cardinals debut giving HC Bruce Arians a taste of what the backfield can look like during the regular season. In addition, two former San Diego RBs, Marion Grice and Kerwynn Williams, are trying to earn a roster spot this season with Arizona. Grice was a sixth-round draft pick by the Chargers in 2014, but released during final roster cuts, finding a home with the Cardinals. Williams spent 2013 on San Diego’s practice squad, but was cut during the 2014 training camp and signed with Arizona last season.

8/21 According to ArizonaCardinals.com's Darren Urban, David Johnson still has to show he can carry the ball, and he talked Wednesday about learning a very big playbook. But while he cautioned that hamstrings can be “tricky,” Johnson has run well the past couple of practices. And catching the ball, he has looked every bit the player Bruce Arians said he’d be in that role. In drills coming out of the backfield, Urban reports that no one has really been able to cover him, making one think about the matchup issues Johnson can provide. Now, we wait to see what it looks like in a game. ... As Urban explained, Arians likes to use his running backs as receivers, and this isn’t just about throwing swing passes to a guy — which is why it will be interesting to see how Chris Johnson adapts to the offense. Andre Ellington runs out of the slot and has shown good hands (remember, Arians has said he thinks Ellington could have been a wideout in this league) and that is something Johnson has already shown. There is no fighting the ball when it comes to him.

8/20 TE Jermaine Gresham practiced two days last week but didn't play in the Chiefs game. According to the Sports Xchange, Gresham, who had back surgery in the spring, appears close to being full speed and should play this week.

8/20 Defensive lineman Corey Peters recovered from a 2013 torn right Achilles to play in 15 games for the Falcons last season and landed a three-year deal with the Cardinals as a free agent. As Profootballtalk.com reports, the Cardinals are going to have to wait until the second year of that deal to get any contributions from Peters, however. HC Bruce Arians announced on Thursday that Peters has torn his other Achilles and will miss the 2015 season as a result. Peters was expected to start at nose tackle this season, so his loss will force the team to come up with a new plan on the defensive line. Arians said that the first man up to replace Peters will be 2015 fourth-round pick Rodney Gunter, who the team traded up to get after being impressed by his work at Delaware State.

8/20 A Cardinals offensive line that seemed so promising throughout the offseason is now riddled with question marks. Left guard Mike Iupati, signed away from the San Francisco 49ers in March, is expected to undergo arthroscopic knee surgery that will sideline the three-time Pro Bowler for about six weeks, according to NFL.com. With Iupati and Jared Veldheer solidifying the left side and 2013 first-round guard Jonathan Cooper finally healthy and ready to join Bobby Massie on the right side, the Cardinals had reason to believe the offensive line would be a team strength in 2015. That's no longer the case. In addition to Iupati's early season absence, Massie is facing a three-game suspension in September. There are also concerns at center, as the underwhelming play of A.Q. Shipley and Ted Larsen forced Arizona to bring back declining veteran Lyle Sendlein. As NFL.com's Chris Wesseling suggested, the four potential trouble spots up front are especially disconcerting with an immobile Carson Palmer returning from ACL surgery.

8/20 The Cardinals signed running back Chris Johnson this week and made it clear that they are promising him nothing more than an opportunity to make the team this summer. But after an offseason that saw the Jets pass on his contract option and Johnson get shot in the shoulder, the running back says that he’s “just happy to be back playing football.” He added that he didn’t agree with those who believe that his performance with the Jets was a sign his best days playing football are in the past. “Losing a step, I don’t see it,” Johnson said. “I actually felt I was more explosive last year.” Johnson averaged 4.3 yards per carry for the Jets in a rotational role last season, which was an improvement over his final year with Tennessee and more than a yard above what Andre Ellington averaged while leading the Cardinals in rushing last season. As Profootballtalk.com suggests, if his practice efforts offer the promise of similar production this year, a roster spot come September seems like a good bet. For what it's worth, Cardinals players all seem to support Johnson's arrival. Even Ellington likes the move, telling the Aizona Republic, "As many players as we can get in here to help us win a championship, I'm all for it."

8/19 Following up on the ongoing story. ... Chris Johnson can make as much as $2 million with the Cardinals if he hits incentives tied to his rushing yards and making the Pro Bowl. The deal is for the veteran’s minimum of $870,000 without those escalators and has no signing bonus, so it won’t cost the Cardinals much if Johnson is part of a running back rotation this season. It’s not enough money to guarantee him a spot in such a rotation, however. HC Bruce Arians said Tuesday that he told Johnson (and veteran tight end Jermaine Gresham), via Darren Urban of the team’s website, that they are “not promised anything” more than a chance to compete for a roster spot. Arians also said that Johnson’s physical with the team turned up no red flags, outside of the “bullet in [Johnson’s] trap.” Arians was referencing the fact that Johnson was shot in the shoulder earlier this year, but the team obviously wasn’t too concerned that it would affect him on the football field. ... Meanwhile, Urban speculates the Cardinals will keep five running backs. Andre Ellington will be the starter. Chris and David Johnson will be there. After that? Urban thinks there would be one between Robert Hughes and Paul Lasike as the “big” back -- Hughes has the inside track there -- and one among Stepfan Taylor, Kerwynn Williams and Marion Grice. Taylor is good on special teams, and Williams’ game is similar to Ellington’s and Chris Johnson’s (plus, he could go on the practice squad if necessary.)

8/18 According to Ed Werder of ESPN, the deal Chris Johnson agreed to in Arizona includes no signing bonus, and the veteran minimum salary of $870,000. He could make up to $2 million this year total, but that would require him making the Pro Bowl and rushing for 1,300 yards. Of course, if he hits those numbers, the Cardinals will he happy to pay him. But as Profootballtalk.com notes, Johnson hasn’t hit 1,300 yards since 2010, and had a career-low 663 last year in a part-time role with the Jets. If he can’t double that while sharing the load with Andre Ellington, he’ll at least be an affordable part of the rotation -- if he makes the final roster. Remember, the Cardinals are only on the hook for the entire veteran minimum if Johnson is on the Week 1 roster. Meanwhile, rookie David Johnson has returned to work. While he's missed considerable on-field time with a hamstring injury, the youngster claims he worked hard on the mental reps and he doesn't feel like he's terribly behind in that regard. His coaches might disagree. Either way, we'll begin to get a look at him in coming days.

8/18 Following up on the previous item, the Cardinals had Chris Johnson in for a physical and workout before signing him on Monday. The physical revealed that he’s ready to go and fully healed from the shoulder injury he suffered when he was shot this offseason. Now, as Profootballtalk.com's Michael David Smith suggests, the question is whether Johnson has anything left. He’s coming off a season in which he had career lows of 155 carries for 663 yards and one touchdown, and he appears to be a far different player now than he was in 2009, when he ran for 2,006 yards. Johnson turns 30 next month and isn’t the player he used to be. Johnson is expected to split carries with Andre Ellington in the Cardinals’ backfield, but David Johnson, who returned from a hamstring injury on Monday, will have something to say about that. That said, Chris Johnson’s resume precedes him. Johnson has rushed for 8,628 yards and 51 touchdowns in seven seasons. He eclipsed 2,006 yards in 2009, just his second season in the NFL. Like Ellington, David Johnson said after Monday’s practice he hopes to learn from the three-time Pro Bowler. Unlike Ellington, David Johnson (6-1, 224) doesn’t resemble Chris Johnson much. But neither David Johnson nor Ellington felt threatened by Chris Johnson’s addition. “I’m excited, man,” Ellington said. “As many players as we can get in here to help us a win a championship, I’m all for it.

8/17 Following up on the previous item. ... According to FOXSports insider Jay Glazer, Chris Johnson has agreed to terms with the Cardinals.

8/17 According to AZCardinals.com's Darren Urban, HC Bruce Arians said rookie RB David Johnson is back to practice on a limited basis after missing almost the entirety of training camp up to this point with a hamstring injury. The injury is one of the reasons for the team's interest in Chris Johnson, which hasn't led to CJ2K's presence on the roster yet (although he has passed his physical and will work out for coaches). Perhaps David Johnson's return will change that interest.

8/17 After Saturday night's loss to Kansas City, HC Bruce Arians said RB Andre Ellington was back. He should've given that distinction to QB Carson Palmer. Ellington got caught from behind on a 57-yard run on the game's fourth play after Palmer hit him on a bullet through a key hole down the middle of the field that set up an eventual touchdown. By comparison, Palmer didn't even get touched Saturday. Palmer said he wasn't hit once in his seven plays in the first quarter. "I could've hitched three or four times on any of the passes we threw tonight," Palmer said. "Very clean pocket. I thought we executed and did what we needed to do." As ESPN.com's Josh Weinfuss notes, Palmer's performance -- 4-for-4 for 77 yards and not a smidge of dirt on his uniform -- was enough for a collective sigh of relief to be exhaled by the Cardinals. Palmer's back. And he may never have looked better. Palmer's passer rating was 118.8 but it was the long pass to Ellington that should silence any of his doubters. He put enough zip on the throw to fit into a small hole. It was the type of play Palmer needed to verify that his shoulder is rehabbed and his knee is healthy.

8/16 As Associated Press sports writer Bob Baum reported, Carson Palmer was flawless in a brief appearance in a losing effort Saturday night as Chiefs beat the Cardinals 34-19 in the teams' preseason opener Saturday night. ... Palmer, in his first game since tearing an ACL last Nov. 9, was 4 for 4 for 77 yards, directing a seven-play, 80-yard touchdown drive to start the game before sitting down for the night. Palmer threw over the middle to Andre Ellington on a 57-play to highlight the seven-play, 80-yard drive. "It's great to be back and play on this grass again in front of our fans and in our stadium," Palmer said. "It's been a long time coming. It's been a lot of days since I saw this day in the future." On the big play, Palmer found Ellington through a tight window. Ellington, who nursed a foot injury most of last season and has missed most of training camp with a hamstring injury, scored on a 2-yard riun on third-and-goal. Ellington was quick despite missing most of the first two weeks of training camp with a hamstring injury. ... Backup Drew Stanton struggled, going 0-for-3. While Palmer will draw the headlines, and rightfully so, third-string quarterback Logan Thomas looked impressive, especially with his accuracy (which, as noted in a previous item, has been an issue). The way Thomas played will make it tough for Phillip Sims to make the roster. Thomas went 9-for-15 for 107 yards and an interception. But according to ESPN.com's Josh Weinfuss, besides the pick and a drive on in which he had two straight incompletion, Thomas showed touch and control with his passes, and was used twice on quarterback sneaks to get first downs. He also took off for a 15-yard gain. ... Chandler Catanzaro's 52-yard field goal try early in the fourth quarter was deflected. ... (Get complete game stats HERE)

8/15 Arizona hosts Kansas City Saturday in its preseason opener tonight and there are a lot of areas for HC Bruce Arians to focus on. He said there are about 20 players he's anxious to watch, on top of the injured veterans. One of those we won't see much of is Carson Palmer, whose continuing good health is vital. Drew Stanton is ready to roll as the No. 2. Beyond that? According to Arizona Republic staffer Kent Somers, the Cardinals knew quarterback Logan Thomas was a project when they drafted him in the fourth round out of Virginia Tech in May 2014. And Thomas has done nothing since to convince them otherwise. Coaches hoped Thomas would be further along now, 15 months after he joined them, and it’s possible he won’t make it past the 16-month anniversary. That’s why preseason games, beginning tonight against the Chiefs, are so important for Thomas. His challenge, along with that of rookie free-agent Phillip Sims, is to prove they are worthy of being the Cardinals’ third quarterback behind Palmer and Stanton. After Palmer and Stanton play in the first quarter, Thomas will play the second and third, with Sims taking over for the fourth. Thomas continues to struggle with accuracy, just as he did at Virginia Tech. The Cardinals hoped they could polish Thomas’ mechanics enough that by his second season, they could envision him as a future starter. Instead, he has much to prove to make the team. If Thomas and Sims don’t play well this preseason, the Cardinals’ third quarterback in 2015 could be on another team’s roster at this point.

8/15 According to FOXSports 910 Radio's Mike Jurecki, rookie RB David Johnson is out at least another week with the hamstring injury that's sidelined him since the start of training camp. Which might be the biggest reason Chris Johnson is coming in tomorrow for a physical and workout.

8/15 Following up on the previous item. ... Chris Johnson has a physical with the Cardinals Sunday. Johnson was reportedly offered a contract by the Cardinals earlier in the week, and this visit indicates that both sides are ready to complete a deal. As NFL.com's Gregg Rosenthal notes, HC Bruce Arians has been frustrated with injuries at the running back position. Rookie David Johnson is week to week with a hamstring injury, and Arians has warned him that he won't get playing time if he doesn't return to the field soon. Andre Ellington is healthy again and Robert Hughes is expected to make the Cardinals as a short-yardage option, but there is definitely room for someone to share carries in the desert. As Rosenthal summed up, "Chris Johnson has been a boom or bust back in recent years without a lot of booms, and we don't think he would be guaranteed to make the team if he's signed." That said, the amount the Cardinals offer will be telling.

8/14 According to FOXSports insider Chris Johnson is heading to Arizona on Sunday for a workout and physical with Cardinals. The team reportedly has an offer on the table. We'll follow up as needed.

8/14 Last year John Brown became an offseason sensation. As NFL.com's Kevin Patra notes, the wideout nicknamed "Smoke," because of his speed, now has a tagalong this training camp in rookie J.J. Nelson, who HC Bruce Arians has come to call "Fire." "Wherever you see Smoke, you see Fire," Arians said, via the Arizona Republic. "That's his nickname now. He's always in Smoke's hip picket, following him around, and that's a good thing. Smoke's been through it and he knows how to help (Nelson) get to where Smoke is now and faster than Smoke got there last year." Nelson ran a 4.28 40-yard dash at the combine, faster than Brown's 4.34. The question is whether Nelson can pick up the scheme and routes as fast as Brown did last year. So far, teammates like his progresses. Said Carson Palmer: "He may be real quiet and reserved, but I think he's got a little swag to him now. I think he's kind of realizing, 'Maybe I can play with these guys. Maybe I'm not too small. Maybe I'm not too skinny,' all the knocks you get as you're coming into the draft and all the negative things that come up about yourself when you're from a small school." Michael Floyd's recent hand injury certainly opens the door for more reps for the younger player this preseason. Now he has to take advantage of the opportunity.

8/13 According to FOXSports 910 Radio's Mike Jurecki, the versatile Robert Hughes will be the team's short yardage back this season, barring injury.

8/13 According to HC Bruce Arians, Andre Ellington, who is returning from a hamstring injury, is close to full speed and will play on Saturday, when the Cardinals open the exhibition season against the Chief. Rookie RB David Johnson will miss this one with the hamstring injury that's sidelined him since camp opened.

8/13 Larry Fitzgerald turns 32 on Aug. 31, so he has answered a few questions and taken kidding about his age. As usual, Fitzgerald has a comeback. "Did you watch Terminator recently?" Fitzgerald said. "Remember his quote. He said, 'old but not obsolete.'" Fitzgerald is coming off his least productive season since 2004, his rookie year. But the drop-off last season, Fitzgerald said, was due mostly to bad luck. Fitzgerald suffered two knee sprains, and the Cardinals lost their top two QBs, Carson Palmer and Drew Stanton, to knee injuries. In addition, under HC Bruce Arians Fitzgerald’s role has changed. He doesn’t run many deep patterns any more, and last year he frequently lined up in the slot position. ... Still, in the five games before Palmer’s injury last season, Fitzgerald averaged six catches and almost 90 yards and scored his only two touchdowns. There is reason for hope.

8/12 Chris Johnson has indeed received an offer to join the Cardinals, and he’s considering it. Citing a league source, Profootballtalk.com's Mike Florio reports that Johnson has multiple teams currently interested in his services, but he’s waiting to make the right decision. In Arizona, Johnson would be joining a contending team with a solid offense and a coach who knows that side of the ball well, with a quality quarterback and receivers. But Andre Ellington appears to be the primary back, and Johnson possibly would be an in-house insurance policy at best, a camp body at worst. ... Stay tuned.

8/12 For the week John Brown spends in southern California in the offseason working out with Carson Palmer, he is a developing NFL wide receiver. As ArizonaCardinals.com's Darren Urban explained, the unique relationship between the veteran NFL quarterback and the raw rookie out of Division II Pittsburg State seemed a long shot when Brown was drafted in 2014. But from the time the pick was made and Palmer was the first Cardinal to reach out to Brown via text, the two simply meshed despite differences in age and background. Both see the potential in what Brown can be as a receiver, a potential only hinted at during a rookie season that saw several spectacular touchdown catches but also a late fade. His 48 catches for 696 yards and five TDs were suppressed some by the quarterback issues the Cardinals had in 2014, but Brown knew he could and should be better. If he wasn't sure, Palmer has been there to tell him all offseason, prodding Brown to become the player Palmer believes he can be. That's a reason Brown went back to Palmer's house this summer, to continue to sharpen those skills. Palmer said he's connected with some other receivers like this over the years. But there was instant respect from the quarterback with how Brown carried himself on and off the field, how he was able to pick up Bruce Arians' offense quicker than expected, and how he wasn't overwhelmed with the jump from Pittsburg State to the NFL. "He was by far the most mature rookie player I've ever been around," Palmer said of Brown. "Now going into the second year, he's the most mature second-year player. He just wants to be great." The 5-11 Brown added around 10 pounds of muscle to his previous 179-pound frame to better get off a press coverage because, as Arians said, Brown couldn't just keep trying to run around defenders at the line of scrimmage. Arians already noticed that Brown "handles himself totally differently" this year. Fantasy owners should see that on the field.

8/11 On Monday, HC Bruce Arians said he and GM Steve Keim would meet to discuss running backs. As previously noted, the result was Arizona offering Chris Johnson a one-year contract. As of Tuesday night, Johnson had yet to accept. Adding Johnson could play out in one of two ways for the Cardinals, whose running back room has been thinned because of injuries. Arians hasn't been impressed with the players who remain, he said Monday. As ESPN.com's Josh Weinfuss suggested, Johnson, who rushed for at least 1,000 years in his first six seasons before a disappointing 663-yard effort in 2014 with the New York Jets, could come into camp and look like the CJ2K of old. Before his 1,077-yard season in 2013, in which he averaged 3.9 yards per carry, he never averaged less than 4.0. Even last year, he gained 4.3 yards per rush. By comparison, the Cardinals averaged 3.29 last season -- the lowest in the NFL. Weinfuss added: "If Johnson were to return to his pre-Jets level -- which included a 2,000-yard season in 2009 -- he’d make Arians’ job easier in 2015: He’d be the feature back, no questions asked. ..." Given all that, it's safe to say the Cardinals don't believe Andre Ellington can handle that role. The Cardinals need Ellington to be healthy, so lessening his between-the-tackles load could be the answer. Johnson has been doing that for his entire career. And with rookie David Johnson having missed every padded practice during training camp, the jury on him remains out. As Arians said Monday, he’s still unproven. In fact, ArizonaCardinals.com's Darren Urban reports that Arians, asked about Johnson, said that no practice time "killing him." The coach added: "There’s no way in hell I’m putting [Johnson] out there" if he misses camp. ... Meanwhile, slowly and surely the Cardinals are getting their injured players back on the field as second-year tight end Troy Niklas was cleared to play Tuesday, Arians said. A day after he returned to practice from a hamstring injury, Ellington was to fully practice. Arians also said tight end Jermaine Gresham would increase his reps Tuesday.

8/11 WR Michael Floyd, who underwent surgery on the three fingers he dislocated last week, didn't give a timetable for his return. Floyd told reporters he'd just take it "day by day." The wideout is, however, hopeful to be back for the regular-season opener.

8/11 According to the Arizona Republic's Kent Somers, HC Bruce Arians loves what he’s seen from starting TE Darren Fells. “It’s going to really, really hard to beat him out." The general assumption has been that Jermaine Gresham would nail down that starting role. That said, if the starting tight end of the Arizona Cardinals emerges as a fantasy weapon, it will be the first time one has done so in many years.

8/11 Following up on the previous item. ... According to FOXSports 910 Radio's Mike Jurecki, the Cardinals interest in Chris Johnson proves they want a running back that will come in and compete with Andre Ellington, who is just returning from a hamstring-related absence. Jurecki added both players' skill sets are similar. The question now is whether the Johnson is willing to work for considerably less than the $4 million he made last year. ... In a related note, Jurecki reports David Johnson's injury is a Grade 2 hamstring injury. He's likely out another week and has yet to practice in full pads.

8/11 According to Dianna Marie Russini of ESPN (via Profootballtalk.com), the Cards have offered former Titans running back Chris Johnson a one-year deal, and are awaiting word on whether he’ll accept. It’s no guarantee he’ll sign, but the fact the Cardinals are interested says something about their spot. Although Andre Ellington (hamstring) has returned to work, David Johnson (hamstring) and Marion Grice are still missing time. ... Stay tuned.

8/11 As previously noted, Andre Ellington, after missing time with a strained hamstring, took the first step to playing in the Cardinals first preseason game on Saturday by returning to practice Monday. He didn't participate in full 11-on-11 drills, instead going through individual workouts off to the side about a half-hour after HC Bruce Arians voiced his displeasure with Ellington for missing a week of practice. "It feels good," he said. "Just kind of one of those things. You don't want to rush it, even though I feel like I want to, but I got to be smart about it." He has three more practices to prepare himself for Saturday's preseason opener against Kansas City. After Monday's practice, he said he's day-to-day but that 100 percent healthy wasn't far away. His conditioning has been Ellington's focus this week. He said he's carrying extra weight he's not used to. Whenever he's given clearance by team trainers to return to contact, Ellington said he's ready. As for Saturday, Ellington has no plans of missing the game. "Is there a game Saturday?" he asked. "I'm there and I'm playing."

8/11 The Cardinals got Andre Ellington back at practice Monday, but that wasn't enough to make HC Bruce Arians feel confident that they have enough in the backfield. As Profootballtalk.com notes, Ellington missed time with a hamstring injury, which is the same reason that rookie David Johnson has been out since early in training camp and also why Marion Grice has been on the sideline. Stepfan Taylor and Kerwynn Williams have been active, but Arians said, via the team's website, that he was "not fired up about the running backs' performance on Saturday." While talking to the media, Arians said he and GM Steve Keim would discuss other possibilities. Arians was asked if former Raven Ray Rice would be one of the players up for discussion, but the coach said, via Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com, that the team isn't considering him. ... Pierre Thomas, Steven Jackson and Chris Johnson are other veteran options that could land on Arizona's radar and the team could also explore a trade if they decide to move forward with an outside addition to the group.

8/11 The Cardinals are ready to pull Carson Palmer out of bubble wrap. Coming off November's ACL tear, Arizona's starting QB has been full-go for training camp and will see his typical share of preseason action. ... HC Bruce Arians said Palmer's exhibition snaps would be "pretty much no different" than in previous years with the team. The same applies for backup passer Drew Stanton, returning from a knee injury of his own. "I know they can play on Sundays, but they still have to be game-speed ready," said Arians. As NFL.com noted, it's not a surprise after Palmer told reporters last month that he's "not even thinking about my knee." Or his arm, which "is a lot stronger," according to wideout Michael Floyd. ... We still won't see much from Palmer in August. He played only 54 snaps last preseason to Stanton's 72, per Pro Football Focus. Either way, getting a healthy Palmer back in time for September is huge for a team that struggled without him in 2014. Of course, we won't see much of Floyd either. As AZCardinals.com's Darren Urban notes, Floyd had three fingers surgically repaired last Wednesday. While there's no official timetable for his return, reports have indicated a three to six week absence with the latest reports trending toward the lesser numbers. Regardless, the Cardinals have depth at receiver, even if Floyd’s absence were to trend into the regular season. Larry Fitzgerald -- who was Palmer’s top target for that brief stretch when Palmer was healthy post-shoulder last season -- should be No. 1, and John Brown is primed to be a No. 2 target even with no Floyd. Jaron Brown, Brittan Golden and J.J. Nelson have all looked good in early camp. For the Cards, this is an injury that can be overcome, assuming Floyd doesn’t miss significant regular-season time. Jaron Brown might be a guy for fantasy owners to watch in Floyd's absence. ... The backfield is also worth watching. Andre Ellington is immensely talented but his workload needs to be monitored closely, and he doesn't excel at running better the tackles. That's why the Cardinals took David Johnson in the third round. Like Ellington, Johnson is an excellent receiver. Arians has made his desire for Ellington to get 20 touches a game clear; but Johnson will be a factor. Both Ellington and Johnson have been slowed by hamstring injuries so far in camp but neither injury is believed to be serious. ... Fitzgerald had a sore foot after being stepped on, Arians said Saturday. But Arians said Fitzgerald's foot pain was not "injury related." Fitzgerald appeared to be limited during Friday's practice. Teams don't release injury reports during training camp. His reduced participation in practice might carry over to Saturday. "I don't want it aggravated," Arians said. Which seems like a very wise course of action for a veteran talent like Fitz.

8/29 According to ESPN.com's Josh Weinfuss, Thursday night was Logan Thomas' chance to show HC Bruce Arians the progress he's made during his first training camp. But Thomas struggled to get the Cardinals' offense going, missing receivers short and high. The Cardinals' 12-9 loss to San Diego wasn't all on Thomas' shoulders, but his 73 passing yards on 9-for-21 passing didn't help. Arizona's offensive line didn't keep Thomas clean, but it was a chance for Thomas to find out what running for his life was about. ... Rookie wide receiver Walt Powell looked to have earned a spot on the 53-man roster with his special teams play Thursday. He returned five kicks for 140 yards and made a nifty move after his only reception. Before the game, Arians said three receivers are playing for one spot and Powell had the best showing Thursday night. The only major flaw he showed against the Chargers was how he carried the football during his returns, away from his body and reckless. In his first game since becoming the Cardinals kicker, rookie Chandler Catanzaro picked up where he left off, hitting all three of his field goals and scoring all of Arizona's points. He also fared well in kickoffs, including one that led to the Cardinals forcing a fumble. ... Worth noting: Arians didn't call the offensive plays against the Chargers, instead handing the duties to offensive coordinator KC -- Chiefs' Offensive Struggles Continue In Loss To Packers; Succop In Trouble? (8/29/01:50 CT). Goodwin, Arians said, put together the game plan for Thomas. It’s the first time since at least 2004 that Arians hasn't called the plays, according to the coach. Arizona opens the regular season Sept. 8 against the very same Chargers. Not calling the plays will give Arians a different perspective from the sideline. “I’ll be able to look some players in (the) eyes on defense and special teams and not be as involved in calling the plays as much as watching the players, especially these young players, perform and see who has the look that you’re looking for,” Arians said. ... (Get complete game stats HERE)

8/28 According to ESPN Stats & Information, Carson Palmer led the NFL with 145 passes thrown 15 or more yards downfield last season, but he also led the league with 13 interceptions on such throws while finishing 17th in yards per attempt and 29th in touchdown-to-interception ratio on deep passes.

8/27 Profootballtalk.com has learned that Tommy Kelly will be signing with the Cardinals a couple of days after he was released by the Patriots. The team needs help on the defensive line in the wake of Darnell Docket's ACL tear. Kelly is coming off an ACL tear of his own in 2013 and wasn’t able to convince the Patriots that he was worth bringing back for another season. He’ll get at least a few days to give the Cardinals a reason to draw a different conclusion. Kelly had 22 tackles and 2.5 sacks in five games last season before getting hurt last year. Frostee Rucker is getting the first look at Dockett’s spot for the Cardinals, who also signed Isaac Sopoaga since Dockett was injured.

8/27 The Cardinals' excitement at rookie receiver John Brown was already well documented. But after Sunday's game against the Bengals, HC Bruce Arians estimated to TheMMQB.com's Peter King that Brown will be used on "60 percent" of offensive snaps this season. As NFL.com's Chris Wesseling pointed out, T.Y. Hilton played 57 percent of the snaps in Arians' offense with the Colts in 2012. So that 60 percent number isn't a huge reach.

8/26 The Cardinals' starters won't play Thursday at San Diego, HC Bruce Arians said. Rookie QB Logan Thomas will start and play the entire game.

8/25 The Cardinals have made their way to 75 players by dropping 13 players. As previously noted, kicker Jay Feely is out after losing the kicking competition and the team has also announced that tackle Max Starks and quarterback Ryan Lindley will join him in a search for new employers. As Profootballtalk.com noters, the writing was on the wall for Lindley with the addition of Logan Thomas in the draft. Carson Palmer and Drew Stanton held the first two spots on the depth chart and Thomas will slot in behind them while Lindley tries to land a reserve spot elsewhere in the league. Linebacker Keenan Clayton, linebacker JoJo Dickson, center Tom Draheim, wide receiver Reggie Dunn, linebacker Derrell Johnson, safety Orhian Johnson, wide receiver Kevin Ozier, defensive tackle Justin Renfrow, cornerback Brandon Sermons and running back Damien Thigpen have also been released.

8/25 Following up on the previous item. ... Veteran kicker Jay Feely has lost the competition in Arizona. The Cardinals have decided to release Feely, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports. Chandler Catanzaro, a rookie out of Clemson, has been competing with Feely through training camp and the preseason. Catanzaro has made all of his field goals in the preseason, while Feely missed a field goal in Sunday’s preseason game. As Profootballtalk.com's Michael David Smith suggests, the 38-year-old Feely still has a shot of catching on somewhere, as the kicking situation is up in the air in several cities. Denver, where kicker Matt Prater is suspended for the first four games of the season, may be a short-term option.

8/25 As ESPN.com's Josh Weinfuss noted, for much of the first half, the Cardinals’ starting offense looked too familiar. It played like the last year’s offense, especially quarterback Carson Palmer, who threw one interception that was returned for a touchdown in the Cardinals' 19-13 loss, and had two others go either off or through the hands of Bengals’ defenders. ... With impressive protection from the offensive line, Palmer threw for just 92 yards on 7-of-19 passing while not leading the first-team offense on a scoring drive for the first time all preseason. The Cardinals (1-2) got their lone touchdown on a 30-yard pass from backup Drew Stanton to rookie John Brown with 1:29 left in the third quarter, tying it at 13-13. ... Veteran kicker Jay Feely may have sealed his own fate late in the first quarter by missing a 48-yard field goal wide right. HC coach Bruce Arians has been clear that his first requirement for a kicker to make the team is making his field goals. If all is equal after field goals, then kickoffs will decide who stays and who goes. Feely’s two kickoffs both went nine yards deep. Rookie Chandler Catanzaro hit a 23-yard field goal and sent one of his two kickoffs nine yards deep and the other out of the end zone. ... As CBSSports.com's Igor Mello notes, receiver Larry Fitzgerald had another productive showing Sunday night against the Bengals. Fitzgerald caught a 43-yard pass from Palmer on the second drive of the night. He then made a leaping 19-yard grab in the second quarter. He caught three of the four passes thrown his way for 71 yards, averaging 23.7 yards per grab. ... One last note from Weinfuss: We shouldn't read much into Jaron Brown or Ted Ginn not playing much in the first half with the first team. John Brown needed more time with the starters but both have showed throughout camp and the preseason that they’re worthy of first-team reps. ... (Get complete game stats HERE)

8/23 Training camp 2014 is over and a lot was discovered during the past 27 days. Among the things ESPN.com's Josh Weinfuss learned, the offense really is light years ahead of where it was last year. Just watch the first two preseason games. The Cardinals were as efficient as they’ve been in some time, but that wasn’t just a show for the cameras. During practice, Arizona moved the ball with ease despite a defense knowing exactly what was coming most of the time. When Carson Palmer faced the scout defense this week, he looked almost flawless, using his battery of weapons to his advantage. What stood out most, however, was that the formation issues that plagued them last year were gone. This was an offense that knew what it was doing. ... Also worth noting: Weinfuss is convinced John Brown is the real deal. He still hasn’t gone against a live defense for an entire game but from what we’ve seen out of Brown, he’s as fast with pads on than without them. The Cardinals are trying to temper their expectations of Brown, but it’s tough. He’s lived up to the hype.

8/22 According to the Sports Xchange, rookie Logan Thomas is clearly ahead of Ryan Lindley for the third quarterback position. Lindley played the second half last week against the Vikings and was decent: 8 of 15 for 64 yards. Lindley wasn't bad but he didn't play as well as Thomas did the previous week. He completed 11-of-12 in a nearly flawless performance. It was a huge night for Thomas, who struggled with accuracy at Virginia Tech. The competition isn't over but Lindley has a lot of ground to make up.

8/21 According to the Sports Xchange, RB Andre Ellington isn't going to get much work this preseason as the team tries to keep him healthy for the regular season. He will be in the game in most situations. He might come out at the goal line at times, with Jonathan Dwyer taking over in short-yardage situations.

8/20 According to ESPN.com's Josh Weinfuss, Jay Feely and Chandler Catanzaro will split the kicking duties Sunday against Cincinnati. Feely will kick in the first half and Catanzaro in the second. On Wednesday, Feely went 5-for-5, hitting from 23, 32, 39, 38 and 47 yards, respectively. Catanzaro hit his first two from 23 and 33 and then missed his final three from 41, 40 and 47. ... This one is still too close to call.

8/19 HC Bruce Arians said running back Jonathan Dwyer, who got a goal-line touchdown run Saturday against the Vikings, is "exactly" what the team anticipated when it signed him, reports ESPN.com. "Jon can bounce it outside; he has deceptive speed for a big man," Arians said. Dwyer is competing with Stepfan Taylor for opportunities behind starter Andre Ellington.

8/18 Following up on the previous item. ... The team announced later that former Pro Bowler Darnell Dockett has a torn ACL.

8/18 About an hour into Monday's practice, defensive tackle Darnell Dockett was carted off the field with an apparent leg injury. Dockett was grabbing his lower right leg after a play during an 11-on-11 period. It’s undetermined which part of his right leg Dockett was holding. According to FOXSports.com's Mike Garafolo, the team believes Dockett tore an ACL.

8/18 It's safe to say the top four spots receiving spots have been locked up, especially after how John Brown, listed behind Larry Fitzgerald, Michael Floyd and Ted Ginn, has been playing. And now ESPN.com's Josh Weinfuss reports that Jaron Brown may have locked up that elusive fifth spot over the past week. He had another impressive game and he's been looking very good in practice, and no one else has been playing well enough to take it from him. Brown had a 51-yard catch and run and then a 35-yard catch.

8/18 As CBSSports.com's Larry Hartstein notes, receiver Michael Floyd hasn't played in a preseason game while nursing a groin injury. He also missed Monday's practice, but ESPN.com reports HC Bruce Arians expects Floyd to return for the next practice Wednesday. That would give Floyd a good chance to play in the third preseason game Sunday against the Bengals.

8/17 According to ESPN.com's Josh Weinfuss, evaluating the running game was clearly the priority Saturday night for the Arizona Cardinals in Week 2 of the preseason. The end result was a 30-28 loss to the Vikings in Minnesota on Saturday night. ... Andre Ellington, who's locked in as the starter, had two carries for 5 yards and a reception for 16 yards. But Saturday wasn't about him. It was about seeing how Jonathan Dwyer, Stepfan Taylor and Robert Hughes can fill in behind Ellington as a running back corps with defined roles rather than a defined ranking. ... The running game produced the majority of Arizona's points Saturday. Dwyer scored on a 1-yard run, bouncing outside as Hughes opened the edge with a block as fullback. Dwyer finished with 10 yards on five carries. Hughes added a touchdown on a 2-yard score in the third quarter on a dive up the middle. ... A few Cardinals strengthened their hold on a roster spot. It'll be hard for Jaron Brown to lose the fourth receiver spot after catching two passes for 86 yards. While Darren Fells was the fourth tight end heading into the game, his 1-yard jump-ball touchdown was a flash of why the Cardinals took a risk on him last year. He used his size to out-jump Vikings linebacker Chad Greenway and his sure hands secured the pass. .. Kicker Jay Feely knew what coach Bruce Arians wanted -- kickoffs that are deep and high. He kicked off five times and three of them -- his first two -- were kicked into the end zone. His first two were 4 yards deep and returned for 26 and 31 yards. Feely's third kick was fielded at the goal line and returned 44 yards, while his fourth went to the 3 and was returned 15 yards. His fifth kickoff was his best, going about 8 yards deep, and was returned 25 yards. ... Saturday was Ryan Lindley's chance to make Arians consider him as the third quarterback, but the third-year signal caller didn't make a strong enough case. He was 7-for-13 for 53 yards and looked out of sync in the fourth quarter, missing a gimme touchdown pass to Fells then missing on his next two passes. The Cardinals' final touchdown came on as an odd of a play as there is. Lindley fumbled the snap and in the scrum to recover it, offensive lineman John Estes knocked the ball away. It was picked up by rookie running back Zach Bauman who scored. The play was reviewed and upheld as a backward pass that was recovered as a fumble. ... Carson Palmer led the Cardinals on a 93-yard drive to start the game, and Dwyer ran around left end untouched for the score. Palmer played two series and finished 4 for 8 for 91 yards. Stanton went 6 for 8 for 81 yards. ... (Get complete game stats HERE)

8/16 Following up on an item in this week's Team Notes. ... According to ESPN.com's Josh Weinfuss, Jay Feely needs a big night against the Vikings as the second round of the Cardinals' kicking battle begins. Feely will handle all the kicking duties and will debut a new kicking style that incorporates longer strides similar to former Detroit kicker Jason Hanson's approach. Last week, rookie Chandler Catanzaro went 3-for-3 on field goals and two of his seven kickoffs went for touchbacks. Feely, however, knows what will keep him in contention for the job he's held since 2010. Arians wants to see deep kickoffs with high hang time and made field goals. Catanzaro was aided by kicking indoors last week while Feely will be kicking outside in Minnesota. It may make a difference but Feely needs to overcome those obstacles to win the job.

8/16 While all of Arizona's starting skill positions are pretty much set, the best position battle is for the No. 2 running back between second-year back Stepfan Taylor and Jonathan Dwyer. According to ESPN.com's Josh Weinfuss, the two have split time behind starter Andre Ellington during training camp but with the Cardinals' new two-back system, the second job is valuable. Taylor has played in between the tackles while Dwyer is a power back who has proven to be dangerous in the red zone.

8/15 As NFL.com's Chris Wesseling notes, in fantasy football circles, there has been some debate over the extent to which HC Bruce Arians will lean on Andre Ellington, a smaller back deemed incapable of carrying a heavy workload as a rookie. According to Cardinals game analyst Ron Wolfley, the coaching staff views Ellington as their version of Jamaal Charles. "I think he's gonna be basically Jamaal Charles," Wolfley said during the telecast of the preseason opener. "I think that probably is the best comparison. ..." Regarding Arians' prescription of 25 to 30 touches per game, Wolfley said, "I'll believe it when I see it. But at the same time, I was talking to some coaches, guys that I have an awful lot of regard and respect for on this team that believe he's a 2,000-yard per year player -- just like Charles, 70 receptions. They're going to get him the ball, they're going to do it in creative ways. ... He's a rare talent. He really is. Because there's not many running backs you can take and split them out." Arians is so confident in Ellington's pass catching and route running that he believes the former Clemson star could be an NFL starter at wide receiver. Darren Sproles was the only running back to line up as a wide receiver more often than Ellington in 2013, per Football Outsiders. As Wesseling notes, we shouldn't expect to see Ellington running between the tackles to kill the clock, as Charles did as the NFL's most valuable running back last season. But there's reason to believe Arians can get the ball in Ellington's hands in space to emulate Andy Reid's success with Charles in the passing game and outside the trenches.

8/14 Rookie kicker Chandler Catanzaro had the kicking duties all to himself Wednesday. He went 8-for-9, only missing from 47 yards. He won’t be kicking Saturday. Veteran Jay Feely will handle the kicking against the Vikings. This competition is still too close to call.

8/14 Despite HC Bruce Arians avowed preference against using fullbacks, the Arizona Republic reports that a two-back alignment is something we'll be seeing more of this season. "We've got a little bit more two tight ends, two-back in our plan right now than we've had," Arians said. According to Republic staffer Kent Somers, there are two primary reasons: Andre Ellington's ascension to the featured running back role and the signing of Robert Hughes last December. The Cardinals would like to get the ball to Ellington 20 or so times a game, but want to limit his carries inside the tackles. He's more dangerous "in space" as a receiver, plus they want to keep him healthy the entire season. Using Ellington out of the backfield as a receiver, or lining him up at receiver, comes with risks. In a one-back formation, it leaves the backfield empty; meaning quarterback Carson Palmer had better get rid of the ball quick when blitzed. Having another back in the game is one way to counter that. "It's nice when a guy can play two positions and Robert (Hughes) can, as a running back and a fullback," Arians said. The changes are a product of the unique skills Ellington and Hughes bring to the backfield. Ellington is dangerous when defended one-on-one by linebackers and safeties. At 5-11 and 235 pounds, Hughes is built like a prototypical fullback but doesn't necessarily play like one. Hughes made an immediate impression on coaches and teammates with his receiving ability, and the Cardinals could use him in that role, too, this year. Arians has said he doesn't believe in tailback by committee, and he recently referred to Ellington as the "bell cow" of the running back position. But that, too, has changed some this year. As Somers notes, Ellington has a different style than backups Stepfan Taylor, Jonathan Dwyer and Hughes. Arians hinted that the play calls and blocking schemes could be different depending upon the running back in the game. "We'll run the ball different with (Ellington) in the ballgame than with, say, Jonathan Dwyer and Stepfan," he said. The question for fantasy owners is how much will that be?

8/13 According to Bleacher Report's Dan Pompei, "Michael Floyd is in for a big year. Some people in camp think he'll be their No. 1 WR. ..." That would be a significant development considering Larry Fitzgerald is the current No. 1. That said, it wouldn't be shocking. Floyd made great strides last season and Fitzgerald is aging and possibly heading into his final season as a Cardinal. Of course, fantasy owners might contend that a competitive situation between the two would be the best thing possible.

8/13 ESPN's Ron Jaworski believes Logan Thomas was the most impressive rookie quarterback in all of last weekend's preseason games. ... As the Redzone.org notes, Operating against the Texans' third- and fourth-stringers, Thomas completed 11-of-12 passes for 113 yards with a touchdown. Although he wasn't a consistently high-end producer in college, at 6-6 and 250 pounds, Thomas certainly looks the part of a franchise quarterback in the NFL and he landed on a team with a renowned QB guru, Bruce Arians, running the show, and talented pass catches in Larry Fitzgerald, Michael Floyd and Andre Ellington. Coupled with the fact that starting QB Carson Palmer is 35 years old and not the most durable or mobile QB in the league, Thomas could seize a major opportunity.

8/13 The buzz surrounding John Brown continues to grow. And nobody is fanning the flames harder than Cardinals GM Steve Keim. “I haven’t seen a rookie come in and do what he’s done -- and it’s early still -- since Anquan Boldin," Keim told Grantland's Robert Mays on Monday. "This guy came through the first day, and being from Pittsburg State, has uncanny instincts, unbelievable understanding of route concepts, leverage, being in the right spot at the right time. On top of great ball skills, he has unusual speed and explosiveness. You add all that in combination, and it’s amazing this guy who came from Pittsburg State can do this. Through this part of camp, I haven’t seen any of our players cover him, and I think you’d probably be able to put on the Texans tape and realize they didn’t have anybody to cover him. ..." Remember, Keim is saying the Cardinals secondary -- a group that includes Patrick Peterson -- couldn’t cover a 5-foot-10 third-round pick from Pittsburg State. Brown ran a 4.3 at the combine, and he adds a speed element to the Cardinals’ offense that they didn’t have a year ago. “He had five for 87 in the first half [against Houston],” Keim said. “If you watch the film, he probably should have had seven or eight for about 200. ...” According to Mays, the Cardinals had “huge grades on the guy,” and the question was how long they would feel comfortable waiting while still having the chance to get him. Keim knew that the top of the fourth was “too chancy,” so he pulled the trigger with Arizona’s second of two third-round picks. “Would we have been irate if John Brown had gone off the board in the top of three? Absolutely. There probably would have been some holes in the wall in our facility.” He remains an intriguing prospect.

8/12 Rookie kicker Chandler Catanzaro had a strong outing in the preseason opener and if he keeps this up CBSSports.com's Jason La Canfora wouldn't be surprised if the Cards become the latest in a string of teams to go with very young, cheap kickers with live legs. Veteran Jay Feely -- who HC Bruce Arians cautioned will get his opportunity in future preseason games -- is on a one-year minimum contract worth about $1 million, while Catanzaro was an undrafted free agent. Catanzaro, Clemson's all-time leading scorer, didn't handle kickoffs in college -- they had another specialist do it -- but he has displayed no lack of leg strength thus far. Coming off a season in which the Cards ranked 27th in touchbacks and were also below the league average in overall field-goal percentage, and in which Feely missed three of 19 kicks inside of 39 yards, change could be in the air. This division is so competitive and the margin for error so tight, that if Catanzaro shows the pressure isn't too big for him he might emerge.

8/12 As ArizonaCardinals.com's Darren Urban notes, when your head coach, offensive and defensive coordinators and many of the main players are the same as last season, and after the team has a whole looked pretty good in the preseason opener, the thought process for the preseason sometimes with be adjusted. That sounds like it might be true for HC Bruce Arians, who said today that he might “buck the trend” and not play starters as much as he might normally in the preseason. It’s obviously on his mind. He mentioned running back Andre Ellington in particular, who should play a little more Saturday in Minnesota but “Andre is not going to see a whole lot of action this preseason.” Arians wants to keep Ellington healthy. .... That will be just fine with fantasy owners investing considerable draft-day capital to acquire a guy who still has to prove he's capable of being a workhorse. ... As for the running game, which had Ellington with only two carries and a total of three kneel-down plays, Arians said: “I am not concerned. We ran the ball effectively even with some mental errors from some young guys.” The Cardinals had a total of 81 yards rushing on 37 official attempts.

8/11 Following up on the previous item. ... The Cardinals found out what John Brown and Jaron Brown can do for them. ... The pair of receivers was thrust into the starting lineup when Michael Floyd and Ted Ginn were sidelined for Saturday's preseason opener against the Texans with injuries, and they responded by playing like starters. Jaron didn't have a monster game but he was methodic and accurate with his receptions, one of which went for a touchdown. John, however, played the role of star in his first NFL action. He was targeted 10 times, catching five of them, for 87 yards, displaying his speed and quickness on nearly every one of them. "I just knew I had to step up," John Brown said. "So, it's basically showing those guys in case anything happens I can be the person to fill those shoes." John and Jaron will get to stay in their roles a little longer. HC Bruce Arians said Floyd tweaked his groin late Thursday and will miss six to 10 days while Ginn, who banged knees with a gunner while returning punts early in Thursday's practice, will miss "maybe" three days. ... From a fantasy perspective, John Brown is the guy to watch. As ESPN.com's Josh Weinfuss suggested, it's one thing to come in as a rookie, play like a starter and start laying roots on your standing on the roster. It's another for the defense to start taking notice. "Oh man, he's a beast," defensive tackle Darnell Dockett said of John Brown. "He's good. He plays every day like he's hungry. He practices the same way. You can't expect him anything but greatness from him. He's been working his tail off and I'm very impressed with him. Real low key. Take some pressure off the other guys. He doesn't surprise me with his performance on the field because he does it in practice, too."

8/10 As Profootballtalk.com's Josh Alper noted, the Cardinals defense carried a lot of the load on the way to 10 wins last season, but their offense's first showing of the preseason suggests they'd like to change things around this season. ... Carson Palmer was perfect in his brief appearance, and the rest of the Arizona Cardinals were almost as good Saturday night in a 32-0 rout of Houston. Palmer completed all five of his passes on the opening drive, piling up 84 yards and a touchdown to Larry Fitzgerald that made a strong opening statement. Arizona got catches from tight end Rob Housler and wide receivers John and Jaron Brown (playing in place of Michael Floyd and Ted Ginn) on a drive that saw the Texans offer little resistance after an early sack by J.J. Watt. John Brown caught five passes for 87 yards, all in the first half. ... Palmer's backup, Drew Stanton, who hasn't thrown a regular-season pass since 2010, completed 11 of 17 for 152 yards and 5-yard TD pass to Jaron Brown. ... Rookie Logan Thomas played the entire second half, completing 11 of 12 passes for 113 yards and a touchdown. ... Rookie Chandler Catanzaro, trying to take the kicking job from Jay Feely, had field goals of 32, 28 and 25 yards. Feely is to kick next week when Arizona plays at Minnesota. ... The Cardinals totaled 409 yards, although 326 of them came in the air. As ESPN.com's Josh Weinfuss suggests, if the offense can find a way for the running game to keep improving like the passing attack did, it can be a dangerous one. ... Floyd was held out with a sore groin; Ginn due to a knee. ... (Get complete game stats HERE)

8/09 NFL.com's Marc Sessler calls John Brown, the rookie Cardinals wideout that teammates "haven't been able to cover" at training camp, the player he's interested in watching when Arizona takes on the Texans tonight. The third-round pick out of Pittsburg State has been tabbed as a T.Y. Hilton clone because of their similar size and matching 4.34 speed. The 5-foot-11, 179-pound Brown has spent time with the ones in practice and has a chance to beat out Ted Ginn as Arizona's deep threat du jour alongside Larry Fitzgerald and Michael Floyd in three-receiver sets.

8/08 As ESPN.com’s Josh Weinfuss notes, Jay Feely has seen competition before, but this year it's stiffer than before. Rookie Chandler Catanzaro started camp strong despite struggling as of late, but if Catanzaro can come through in games on field goals and kickoffs, then he'll have a good shot at winning the job.

8/07 According to ESPN.com's Josh Weinfuss, it didn’t take long for Darren Fells to start climbing the depth chart. Handed an opportunity in the wake of Jake Ballard’s retirement, Fells took a few snaps with the first team on Thursday and it looks like Arizona will take advantage of his athleticism by using him in various positions and formations, including sending him in motion. He showed off his sure hands on a touchdown catch from Drew Stanton that he hauled in between two defensive backs. When Fells wasn’t working with the first team, he was playing on Stanton’s second-team unit. ... Also: Wide receiver Ted Ginn appeared to hurt his right leg while working on punt returns early in practice. He walked off the field gingerly and spent the next few minutes stretching, but soon returned to practice.

8/06 Tight end Jake Ballard, who started 13 regular-season games and three postseason games for the 2011 Giants, has retired from the NFL. Ballard tore an ACL during New York’s Super Bowl XLVI win over the Patriots. In 2012, the Giants waived Ballard, hoping to slide him through to injured reserve. The Patriots claimed Ballard on waivers. The Patriots eventually released Ballard, and he appeared in eight games for the Cardinals last season, with three starts.

8/06 Third-string quarterback Ryan Lindley sat out Tuesday’s practice for an unknown reason. He didn’t wear pads or a helmet but went through early non-contact drills with the rest of the quarterbacks. Lindley did have a compression sleeve on his left leg. WR John Brown was back at practice. ... Meanwhile, without Lindley practicing, rookie quarterback Logan Thomas saw more snaps and more attention. During 7-on-7 drills, he got every snap with the third team under the watchful eye of assistant head coach Tom Moore. But during that drill, his receivers had a case of the drops. During one stretch, running Jalen Parmele dropped a pass while tight end Troy Niklas dropped two, and Thomas was intercepted by Anthony Walters. According to ESPN.com's Josh Weinfuss, it was a combination of defensive pressure and the velocity of Thomas’ passes that caused the receivers to miss the passes.

8/05 According to the Arizona Republic, rookie John Brown missed his fourth consecutive practice because of a sore hamstring, and HC Bruce Arians said he hoped the speedy wide receiver, who has been one of the stars of training camp, can resume workouts today. "He's not quite ready yet," the coach said. "We were hoping the day off (on Sunday) would get him there, but he's still a little tender. ... I don't want a setback with this thing. ..." As previously noted, Brown has impressed the Cardinals with his speed. But the youngster needs to get on the field to continue his development. ... Meanwhile, Arians singled out a handful of young players he said were impressive during Saturday's scrimmage, which involved some live tackling for the first and only time in camp. Among those who shined, he said, were fullback Robert Hughes, running backs Jonathan Dwyer and Jalen Parmele and tight end Darren Fells, a former basketball player from UC-Irvine. "Right now, he's moving up the depth chart fast," Arians said of Fells. "The best thing he's doing is coming off the line and blocking people, and that's the hardest thing for basketball players to learn. But he's coming off the ball extremely well right now. He's knocking some people back and he's doing it every day." How is he as a receiver? "Oh, he's outstanding. He's got hands about that big," Arians said, holding out his arms about a yard apart. "He don't miss anything."

8/05 The workhorse tailback may be a dying breed, but it hasn't fallen into complete extinction. In Arizona, Andre Ellington is poised to become the go-to option in the backfield. Indeed, HC Bruce Arians has maintained all offseason that Ellington will get 25-30 touches per game this year. We'll suggest fantasy football owners take that for what it's worth. Such a weekly workload would lead to 400 to 480 carries and catches for the season, a staggering amount of activity for a running back in any era. Larry Johnson set the record for single-season rushing attempts in 2006, with 416. He added 41 catches that year, for 456 touches. As a rookie during a season in which he made Rashard Mendenhall and Ryan Williams irrelevant, Ellington had 118 rushing attempts and 38 receptions, for a total of 156 touches. Stepfan Taylor and Jonathan Dwyer will be standing by to fill in as -- or if you believe Arians, if -- needed. ... Worth watching: After springtime's worth of reports alerting us to rookie receiver John Brown "blowing everyone away" and drawing "favorable" comparisons to Colts burner T.Y. Hilton, the newcomer is off to a hot start at training camp. "I can tell you so far we haven't been able to cover him," said Cardinals GM Steve Keim. The third-round pick out of Pittsburg State has drawn parallels to Hilton because of their similar size and identical 4.34 speed. The 5-11, 179-pound Brown is a candidate to leapfrog Ted Ginn as a deep threat alongside Larry Fitzgerald and Michael Floyd in three-receiver sets. As NFL.com suggests, it's notable that a rookie is excelling against a talented trio of Cardinals corners in Patrick Peterson, Antonio Cromartie and Justin Bethel, but Keim acknowledged he wants to see Brown do the same in pads. And his first reception in pads? Brown beat Bethel for 80-yard TD. ... Although Brown is currently nursing a tender hamstring, it can't hurt to get him on your radar. 8/30 The Cardinals began trimming to the 53-man roster limit on Friday, placing guard Jonathan Cooper on injured reserve and releasing defensive tackle David Carter, safety Jonathon Amaya, guard Chilo Rachal, safety Curtis Taylor, wide receiver Mike Thomas, wide receiver Charles Hawkins, center Adam Bice, wide receiver Dan Buckner, tight end Alex Gottlieb, guard Senio Kelemete, linebacker Zack Nash, linebacker Colin Parker and tight end Richard Quinn.

8/30 Ryan Lindley threw for two touchdowns in a 32-24 victory at Denver on Thursday night. 'That's the true measure of a quarterback,' Lindley said of the win, which he secured with a fourth-quarter rally, one he hopes lands him on the Cardinals' 53-man roster as their third QB. Lindley threw a 55-yard TD pass to Jaron Brown in the third quarter. Stepfan Taylor added a 15-yard TD run with 1:05 left. ... According to ESPN.com's Mike Sando, running back Ryan Williams -- nine carries for 25 yards and a touchdown -- looked better than the stat sheet suggests. His per-carry average took several hits, including on a 1-yard scoring run. Williams showed quickness in outrunning defenders around the corner for an 8-yard gain. He spun away from trouble and accelerated on another run. The blocking generally wasn't there for him, notably when he lost 6 yards on a carry. HC Bruce Arians told reporters the team tentatively plans to keep five running backs on its initial 53-man roster, including Williams, who has been fighting through injuries to justify a roster spot. Arizona's plans at running back could evolve between now and the cutdown date Saturday, but for now, Williams' roster status appears secure. 'Right now I would keep all five' running backs, the said. 'They are solid. They can all play. You can't have enough good backs. We have a stable of them. I am not going to cut a running back that's a good football player to keep an average player just to have eight players at another position. We are going to keep the best 53 players we have. ...' Rashard Mendenhall is clearly established as the starter. Rookies Andre Ellington and Stepfan Taylor figure into the team's plans as well. Alfonso Smith would be the fifth. ... In other news, Arians said veteran tight end Jeff King would undergo knee surgery Friday. Injuries are severely affecting depth at that position. Starter Rob Housler has a high-ankle sprain and might not be ready for the regular-season opener at St. Louis -- a concern for the Cardinals, who plan to use two tight ends extensively under Arians. ... (Get complete game stats HERE)

8/28 According to the Arizona Republic, running back Ryan Williams is aware of a report that the Cardinals are trying to trade him, but he's not fretting over it. True or not, it doesn't change the way Williams will approach Thursday night's game against the Broncos in Denver. "If it doesn't work here, it will work out somewhere else," he said. "I know what I'm capable of doing. I've busted my tail harder than everybody in this building and this locker room right now, from January to May. Everybody in this building has seen me every day, from early in the morning to mid-afternoon, busting my tail so I can get back. If it (the trade) happens, it happens. I'll make the best of it wherever I go. For now, I'm here and I'll try to make the best of it here." Republic staffer Kent Somers reports that HC Bruce Arians declined comment when asked whether Williams was being shopped.

8/27 As Profootballtalk.com notes, every team has been making cuts over the last few days to pare their rosters down to 75 players, but the Cardinals actually added a player on Tuesday while also excising the necessary players from the team. The Cardinals have signed tight end Richard Quinn, who was cut by the Bengals a couple of days ago. Quinn was a second-round pick of the Broncos in 2009, but got cut by the team in 2011. Arizona is hurting at tight end with starter Rob Housler out with an ankle injury (see previous) and backup Jeff King just getting back to work after a knee injury. Quinn had just one catch in 29 games with Denver, so he’s unlikely to help the team much as a receiver. The Cardinals were at 76 players before Quinn’s arrival. They released safety Javon Harris and tight end Mickey Shuler to get to the 75-man limit.

8/27 Following up on previous items. ... Tight end Rob Housler is expected to be questionable for the regular-season opener against the Rams because of a high ankle sprain suffered last Saturday against the Chargers. Housler was optimistic about playing against the Rams but needs to show progress over the next week. We suggest he'll need to show remarkable progress. High-ankle sprains are usually four-to-six week injuries. ... Meanwhile, running back Rashard Mendenhall won’t play Thursday because of a sprained knee but is expected to be fine for the start of the regular season.

8/26 Following up on a previous item. ... TE Rob Housler has been diagnosed with a high ankle sprain. The injury will likely keep him out of action through September. ... Meanwhile, Andre Roberts returned to practice Monday after injuring a quad against the Chargers. Rashard Mendenhall is still considered day-to-day with a minor knee sprain.

8/25 According to CBSSports.com's Jason La Canfora, the Cardinals expect to have RB Rashard Mendenhall back for the season opener and they have been shopping oft-injured RB Ryan Williams... Mendenhall suffered a minor sprain in Saturday night's game but is expected to be ready for the regular season and will likely wear a brace, at least early in the season.

8/25 The kicking competition didn’t last long. After Dan Carpenter’s one and only field goal attempt was blocked Saturday night against the Chargers, the Cardinals cut the kicker they just signed last week, leaving Jay Feely in place with the job he’s held since 2010. Carpenter was one of 11 roster moves the Cardinals made Sunday as they move to get their roster down to the required 75 by Tuesday’s deadline. As of now, they still must make one more move. There has been no decision yet made on the status of injured guard Jonathan Cooper, who broke his leg in the game and could be out for the season. Aside from Carpenter, the release list included: WRs Nick Edwards and Jarett Dillard along with QB Caleb TerBush.

8/25 Following up on the previous item. ... Four starters left Saturday night’s preseason game against the Chargers due to injuries. The biggest was rookie left guard Jonathan Cooper, the team’s first-round draft pick, who suffered a broken left leg and will be out indefinitely. “It’s a tragic situation,” said starting right guard Daryn Colledge, who spent the previous two seasons on the left side. “Anytime you lose a starter it’s hard but in this business it’s next man up and the show must go on. So it’s an open competition I’m assuming at that position and it’s a chance for somebody to prove themselves.” Chilo Rachal, a free-agent addition from the Bears this off-season, replaced Cooper at left guard. Colledge said he isn’t sure if he will be asked to slide back to the left side or not. “That situation will sort itself out, whatever it is,” he said. “I’m paid to play wherever I’m put. ..." In other injury news Saturday, running back Rashard Mendenhall left the game near the end of the first quarter with a right-knee injury. He had missed a handful of practices in training camp already because of tendinitis in the knee, the same one that required major surgery at the end of the 2010 season. Tight end Rob Housler also came out after suffering a right-ankle injury. ... Wide receiver Andre Roberts (quadriceps) was also injured. He is scheduled for an MRI today also. Rookie tight end D.C. Jefferson limped off later in the fourth quarter with an undisclosed injury. Tight end Jeff King missed his third consecutive preseason game due to a troublesome knee. HC Arians had said he hoped King would be able to get in on a few plays against the Chargers, but apparently the team will continue to be cautious with him. ... Also: According to the National Football Post, the Cardinals have reached an injury settlement and parted ways with receiver Jarett Dillard, who had been sidelined with concussion-like symptoms.

8/25 The Cardinals lost two key starters to injuries in Saturday night's 24-7 loss to the Chargers. That includes the No. 7 overall pick in the draft. ... Guard Jonathan Cooper was carted off the field with a left ankle injury. A player was blocked into Cooper's leg while he was running down the field trying to make a block. Cooper was unable to put any weight on the leg after the injury, and he had to be helped off the field. HC Bruce Arians said after the game that Cooper broke his leg on the play, per Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic, putting the rookie's season in jeopardy. The highly athletic guard was enjoying a nice training camp and was expected to spearhead an improved Cardinals offensive line. Earlier in the night, nose tackle Dan Williams left with an ankle injury. Starting tight end Rob Housler also was knocked out with an ankle injury. Rashard Mendenhall carried six times for 47 yards before leaving with an knee injury. Mendenhall will have an MRI. ... Meanwhile, Ryan Williams returned to practice late in the week and made his 2013 preseason debut late in the third quarter. Williams, troubled by knee issues lingering from a 2011 injury, gained 5 yards on his first play. According to ESPN.com's Mike Sando, He was the fourth running back to get carries in this game, after Mendenhall, Alfonso Smith and Stepfan Taylor. Rookie Andre Ellington was shaken up returning a kick right before Williams went into the game. Ellington then went back into the game on offense, replacing Williams. Williams returned when Ryan Lindley took over at quarterback in the final five minutes. He carried one more time and gained 5 yards. He ran well on his two carries. Time could be running out for Williams. ... Also worth noting: The Cardinals wanted to focus on this area after settling for four field goals and a 12-7 victory in their most recent preseason game. They scored one touchdown in two red-zone possessions against San Diego. Housler dropped an accurate pass from Carson Palmer in the end zone, killing the first opportunity. Receiver Michael Floyd made an impressive leaping grab in the back of the end zone to score on the other red-zone possession. Palmer completed 12-of-23 passes for 122 yards with the TD to Floyd. ... This was progress, in a way, but the shaky pass protection and injuries likely prevented Arizona from enjoying it. ... (Get complete game stats HERE)

8/24 Rashard Mendenhall injured his right knee in the first half, and it’s questionable whether he’ll see any more work against the Chargers, according to Darren Urban of AzCardinals.com. The degree of the injury is unknown, but Mendenhall was seen “walking around,” Urban said. The 26-year-old Mendenhall, who joined the Cardinals in March after five seasons with the Steelers, racked up 47 yards on just six carries in the first quarter against San Diego on Saturday night. Mendenhall has dealt with tendonitis in his right knee during training camp. He suffered an ACL tear in his right knee in the 2011 regular-season finale with Pittsburgh. ... Stay tuned. More as further details come to light.

8/24 HC Bruce Arians has been typically direct when assessing what's at stake for third-year running back Ryan Williams as the team approaches its third game of the 2013 preseason. "Every evaluation is critical for him now," Arians told reporters. "He's missed so much that I want to see how he does in practice before I put him in a game. Hopefully, he’ll do as well as I think he will and be able to get out there and play full speed and get tackled." The team expects Williams, who has been slowed all month by ongoing knee issues, to play against San Diego on tonight, but Williams' availability is very much a day-to-day situation. According to ESPN.com, the organization is rooting for him. GM Steve Keim, one of the people most excited about Williams' potential before the 2010 draft, recently delivered what Williams called a pep talk. Indeed, ESPN.com's Mike Sando noticed that Williams' locker was next to the locker for receiver Larry Fitzgerald. One day, Williams sat at his locker and waited while Fitzgerald conducted an interview at the next stall. The rest of the locker room had cleared out. Williams was waiting for Fitzgerald to finish so the two could grab lunch together. As Sando suggested, a player could do worse than having the GM and the team's most iconic player in his corner. "At this point, though," Sando wrote, "there can be no substitute for performance. Williams must play. He must play well. He must remain healthy enough to practice and play again. Time is running out."

8/24 Carson Palmer's arrival by trade should help the Cardinals recover from a three-year struggle at the quarterback position. Bruce Arians' arrival as head coach means additional playing time for tight ends in his fullback-free offense. And according to ESPN.com's Mike Sando, with Palmer behind center and talented tight end Rob Housler running routes, the Cardinals should accomplish something in 2013 that eluded them in two of the past three seasons. They should complete a touchdown pass to a tight end. They should do it more than once. Arizona ranks last in the NFL with 42 total touchdown receptions since 2010. The team also ranks last over that span in percentage of touchdown passes to tight ends (9.5). Housler has yet to catch a pass through two exhibition games, but Arians said the team was focusing on Housler's blocking. He said the receiving part was "a given" for Housler in his offense. Housler did lead NFC West tight ends in receptions with 45 last season. Sando went on to remind readers that Arians' 2012 Colts offense completed five touchdown passes to tight ends, tied for 17th in the NFL. His Steelers' offenses of the previous two seasons completed seven to tight ends, which ranked tied for 26th. The percentages of total team touchdown passes going to tight ends were 21.7 percent with the Colts and 16.3 percent during his final two seasons with the Steelers. Of course, as Sando summed up: "Every team is different. The percentages will not carry over from one situation to the next. For Housler and the Cardinals, however, there is only one direction to go."

8/23 Under new coach and play-caller Bruce Arians, and veteran quarterback Carson Palmer, receiver Michael Floyd seems poised to breakout in his sophomore year. At least according to them. "We expect Mike to have a big year," Palmer said Monday from Cardinals' practice. "He's done a great job in camp. He's made a lot of big plays." As ArizonaSports.com's Jules Tompkins notes, along with Larry Fitzgerald and Andre Roberts, Floyd poses a major threat to opposing defenses, especially given his size. "He's gone up and high-pointed the ball," told Palmer. "When you're built like he is and you're the type of player and the style of player he is. I think seven out of 10 times, when the ball's up in the air and it's a 50-50 ball, he's got to make it. ..." Arians, similarly, when asked how Floyd could improve in his second year in a way that would help the Cardinals offense, answered, "Be a playmaker. And when his opportunities come, make them, which he's been doing." Along with his maturity, Floyd's surroundings -- specifically, his relationship with Fitzgerald -- are believed to have an enormous impact on his development. "He's learning from one of the best," said Palmer. "And we're still seeing how good he can be. He's still got a lot of room to improve."

8/22 According to ArizonaCardinals.com's Darren Urban, Patrick Peterson has talked about playing offense before. At this point, it’s no secret. But the Pro Bowl cornerback revealed Thursday the number of plays in the Peterson offensive playbook has grown to 60. “I didn’t know it was going to be this many,” Peterson said with a smile. “I am definitely getting my workload.” But Peterson said he was on board with all the offensive work and relishes the chance. “The thing that intrigues me about the plays I am in there, I don’t go in just to get the ball. I can be in there as a decoy,” Peterson said. “I can be there to open up the field for other guys, to take the top off the coverage. That’s what I love about it most. ...” Peterson knows the first concern would be that extra offense would take away from his defensive play. He insisted -- multiple times -- that wouldn’t be the case. “I’m positive,” he said. He referenced playing against St. Louis as a rookie, when the Rams ran a receiver on a go route three straight plays on him. On the fourth play, Peterson took back his famous 99-yard punt return. Offensively, Peterson is “getting very comfortable. There are definitely things I can still learn. Playing offense on this level is very difficult from college and high school. There is a lot more terminology, a lot more reading, a lot more alignments, especially in this offense.”

8/22 Finally. ... HC Bruce Arians said that Ryan Williams, who’s missed almost all of training camp and the first two preseason games with a knee issue, will take part in practice on Thursday, according to Darren Urban of AzCardinals.com. Also, Arians indicated that Williams could have a chance to play in Saturday’s game against San Diego, according to Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic. ... As previously noted, Arians' patience with Williams has been wearing thin. We'll see if Williams can start winning the coach over.

8/22 As ArizonaSports.com's Adam Green put it on Wednesday: "At this point, it's actually quite simple for Ryan Williams. He needs to get on the field, and the sooner the better. ..." No doubt. Williams, who has been plagued by injuries since being drafted in 2011, continues to do so. His latest ailment, a right knee injury, has caused him to miss practices over the last few weeks as well as both of the team's preseason games. And unfortunately, it does not sound like he'll be making his preseason debut when the Cardinals take the field Saturday against the San Diego Chargers. For Williams, being out of action while the team's other four options -- Rashard Mendenhall, rookies Andre Ellington and Stepfan Taylor along with Alfonso Smith -- are on the field making plays is not a good way to impress a new coaching staff. And the new coaching staff is getting frustrated. "He needs to start playing," HC Bruce Arians said Monday. "I can't evaluate him unless he plays." A further indication of the frustration comes from Arians openly questioning if Williams' problems are more mental than physical right now. "He's the only one that can answer that," the coach said. For now, however, Williams is limited a little running along with work on the stationary bike. "You can't get these reps back," Arians lamented. "He had an excellent OTAs; he started out with an excellent camp; was cutting, running. And then just put the brakes on. ..." Given the current situation, Williams is a guy we're avoiding in our drafts. That could change, but the value just isn't there now.

8/21 As ArizonaSports.com notes, the expectations for tight end Rob Housler heading into his third NFL season are high. Many have pegged the former third-round pick (69th overall) as their breakout player for 2013. So far in the preseason, though, Housler's only breakout play -- statistically speaking -- has been breaking out of the pre-snap huddle. He has zero catches in two games and has been targeted only once -- Carson Palmer's first pass attempt last week against the Dallas Cowboys. "I'm not worried about the numbers right now," Housler said Tuesday. "I've never complained about targets or receptions. The outside perception may see the numbers and may see maybe a question mark there, but I don't. I have a lot of confidence in our system and the way things have been going in practice, so it's not really a big concern for me." HC Bruce Arians, when asked about the lack of balls thrown in Housler's direction, said the 25-year-old is "a given to me, so I don't need to see that part. Right now, we're not featuring Robby a lot in the passing game. It's more blocking, and I think he's improved tremendously." Housler's size and speed -- he's 6-5 and 250 pounds and ran a 4.46 40-yard dash at the 2011 NFL Combine -- would appear to be a natural fit in Arians' offense that often features two, and sometimes three, tight ends. "We know he can run and catch," Arians said. "If we want to feature him, we've got a bunch of packages where we can feature him."

8/21 One week after he was cut by the Dolphins, kicker Dan Carpenter has found a new home with the Arizona Cardinals, NFL.com's Ian Rapoport reported Wednesday. It's a transaction that should give incumbent Jay Feely a sense of déjà vu out west. Feely was released by Miami in 2008, in favor of Carpenter, who was a rookie at the time. Five years later, Feely's job is again on the line. Feely, 37, has nailed 68 of 79 field goal attempts (86.1 percent) in three seasons with the Cardinals, including a 5-for-7 mark from 50-plus yards. Carpenter was less accurate in Miami, connecting on 127 of 155 attempts (81.9 percent) over five seasons. He's been a mixed bag on deep kicks, hitting just 10 of 20 from beyond 50 yards.

8/20 According to NFL.com's Ian Rapoport, Mike Thomas, who was released by the Lions on Monday, has agreed to a contract with the Cardinals. Thomas joins a receiver group highlighted by Larry Fitzgerald, but without too much experienced depth behind him. Michael Floyd and Andre Roberts will be making the team and Kerry Taylor looked good against the Cowboys last weekend, but he’s an unproven commodity and the rest of the competition Thomas will face for a spot are undrafted free agents. Thomas had 158 catches in his first three seasons as a slot target for the Jaguars before being traded to the Lions in the middle of his fifth season. As Profootballtalk.com's Josh Alper notes, a team with Fitzgerald on the outside will have opportunities in the slot and Thomas will use what’s left of the preseason to convince Bruce Arians that he’s capable of making the most of them.

8/20 According to the team's official web site, Larry Fitzgerald was critical of his performance after Saturday's win over the Cowboys, specifically a red-zone play late in the first quarter. Carson Palmer was supposed to look for Fitzgerald on third-and-4 from the Cowboys 9, but Fitzgerald was slow getting off the line and Palmer hit Michael Floyd instead. It was Fitzgerald's second game in Bruce Arians' new offense, in which Arians has been placing his star receiver all over the field, similar to what Arians did with Reggie Wayne last season in Indianapolis. "He's doing great," Arians said of Fitzgerald. "He just needs to speed up what he did. He did the right thing, he just didn't do it fast enough and Carson didn't see him so he just threw it to Michael. ..." Palmer hit Floyd up the middle, but Arians said Palmer's call to get the play outside wasn't loud enough. Fitzgerald took the play personally. "I have to be accountable and make sure I'm doing what I need to do so Carson can trust me and I can make the plays for him," Fitzgerald said. ... With two games left in the preseason and Fitzgerald becoming more comfortable in his new positions with every practice, Arians said the mistakes are easily correctible. "It's time to correct them," he added. ... Meanwhile, as Arizona Republic staffer Kent Somers noted, Arians doesn't cut receivers any slack for not making catches, especially in the end zone. After the first preseason game, he said tight end D.C. Jefferson dropped a touchdown pass. On Monday, he said receiver Kerry Taylor should have caught one in the end zone. "I call it the grimy area. You've got to make grimy catches," Arians said. According to Somers, both would have been amazing catches. Jefferson and Taylor did well to get their fingers on the ball. "This the NFL," Arians said. "When you get both hands on the ball, you've got to catch it." Otherwise, Taylor had a "solid game," Arians said. He said Taylor flourished because he's smart, and that intelligence helps against a zone team. Taylor knew how to get open. ... For what it's worth, Arians said Palmer was average against the Cowboys. "He'll probably say he was terrible. He knows he can play better." Asked to assess kicker Jay Feely's performance this preseason, Arians paused for four seconds. "Solid until he missed that short one," Arians said, referring to the 30-yard attempt against Dallas. "And we spoke to each other about that. Not acceptable."

8/19 When HC Bruce Arians said two weeks ago that he might keep just two quarterbacks this season, the obvious math left Ryan Lindley on the outside looking in. But Lindley's performance in the Cardinals' two preseason games has impressed Arians. "He has done extremely well in both outings," Arians said. "His decision making in games has been very good." Lindley, in his second season, was 4-for-6 for 52 yards and a quarterback rating of 93.8. against Green Bay, he threw for 78 yards on 3-of-5 passing. Although his reps have been limited in games, Lindley will get a chance to play a large chunk of the preseason finale in Denver. "He will have a really good chance next week," Arians said.

8/19 According to the Arizona Republic, HC Bruce Arians expects “about five guys” who will practicing on Monday after missing time because of injuries. All of those could play on Saturday against the Chargers. Running back Ryan Williams is not among those. Asked to assess Williams’ chances of making the team, Arians responded: “Well, he needs to start playing. I can’t evaluate him unless you play.” Among the injured players who could be back for this game is tight end Jeff King (knee).

8/18 As the Associated Press framed it, "The Dallas Cowboys had a gift for Bruce Arians in his first home game as Arizona coach. Six of them, actually. ..." The Cowboys committed five of their six turnovers in the first half, but the Cardinals didn't Arizona didn't do much with the turnovers, turning them in to just three field goals for a 9-0 halftime lead en route to 12-7 preseason victory Saturday. Arizona Republic staffer Kent Somers wrote, "There is no need for the University of Phoenix grounds crew to slide the entire 100-yard football field inside when the Cardinals practice on Monday afternoon. 20 yards or so will do just fine, at least when it comes to the offense. ... Jay Feely kicked field goals of 25, 53, 40 and 22 yards as Arizona failed to find the end zone on four possessions inside the Cowboys' 20. This does not sit well with Arians, who sees himself as a play caller who will go for the throat. For the Cardinals, it's a trend that carried over from their victory over Green Bay in the preseason opener. They forced two turnovers in that game. In the four quarters played by the Cardinals' starting and backup defensive units, opponents committed seven turnovers, while the Cardinals committed one. ... It's not as if the Cards didn't move the ball -- 365 yards -- and even Arians noted his team gained yards. Just not enough inside the red zone. ... Carson Palmer, who finished 7-for-15 for 66 yards, missed on his last three passes, including a final two to Andre Roberts and Larry Fitzgerald where in both cases it looked like quarterback and receiver went different ways on the play. Palmer acknowledged those two players were among the sloppy things the Cards needed to clean up. Fitzgerald, who had three catches for 44 yards, was also taking blame. "I missed a 'hot' (read) down there and coach Arians jumped on me," Fitzgerald said. "I let the group down. I've got a lot of work to do. It was OK, but far from where we are capable of being. ..." Let's hope so. ... The Cardinals did see some life in the running game with starter Rashard Mendenhall in his first game. He gained 32 yards on seven carries and looked solid doing it. Again, though, Arians said the Cards had too many mental errors from offensive players in the red zone, something that "baffles me," he said. That'll be what they want to fix heading into the third preseason game next week against San Diego, in which the starters will play into the third quarter, Arians said. ... A few final notes: The Cardinals did work CB Patrick Peterson into their offense as a regular receiver, not as a gimmick player or within a trick-play context. That is the expectation for Peterson this season. Peterson gained 6 yards on a backwards pass (officially a rushing attempt). The Cardinals' failure to produce in the red zone will give them something to focus on beyond whatever role Peterson might play as a receiver. ... (Get complete game stats HERE)

8/16 The NFL denied linebacker Daryl Washington’s appeal of a four-game suspension, but Washington doesn’t view his trip to New York this week as a waste of time, Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic reports. “I was expecting to go up there and get some good news,” said Washington, who was suspended for violating the league’s substance-abuse policy. We had a nice, long meeting. It was good to go up there for him to see me in person, to understand what kind of guy I am off the field.” Washington met with Adolpho Birch, a senior vice president for the NFL. Washington faces the possibility of missing additional games because he faces charges in an alleged domestic-violence incident. His next court hearing on that matter is in October.

8/16 Cardinals GM Steve Keim says he has never been a part of a team with a more valuable defensive player than Patrick Peterson. In an interview with Richard Klemko of Sports Illustrated, Keim said, "The guy can really help you in three phases of the game -- defense, special teams and now as a receiver. He is one of a kind. Every player that you draft, there's a maturation process. Sometimes guys have to grow up. When Patrick walked through the door he was ready to play. He was already a pro, from a skill-set standpoint and from an attitude and maturity standpoint. From an ability standpoint, I've never seen anything like him." Keim added, "He's the closest thing in the league to a Bo Jackson, a Deion Sanders. I've seen him stand on the field flatfooted and throw the ball 65-70 yards. He goes out to practice as a wideout, and runs a 10- and 15-yard out as well as anyone on our team. His value to our team is really unparalleled."

8/13 Following up on the previous item. ... Ryan Williams has missed most of training camp with trouble in the knee he injured as a rookie in 2011. He reported underwent platelet-rich plasma treatment 10 days ago. Asked Tuesday when the third-year pro might be back, HC Bruce Arians indicated he could not offer a timetable. “I have absolutely no idea,” Arians said, per Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic. Meanwhile, in a feature published in the Republic on Tuesday, Somers wrote that “there is a feeling in camp that Williams needs to quit worrying about the knee and play.” One could easily surmise that Arians shares in that view.

8/13 According to the Arizona Republic, Ryan Williams underwent a platelet-rich plasma injection in his ailing right knee about 10 days ago. Williams is just one of many athletes to receive such injections, which are designed to send highly-concentrated platelets, the part of blood that helps us heal, to the injured area. As Republic staffer Kent Somers explained, "It works like this: The patient’s blood is drawn and then put through a centrifuge. That concentrates it down to 7-10 times the normal amount of platelets. The substance is then injected into the injured area. “It tricks the body into regenerating,” said Dr. Luga Podesta, an orthopedic surgeon at Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic in Los Angeles, who isn't treating Williams but who performs PRP regularly. ... Williams suffered a patellar tendon tear nearly two years ago, and his current knee problem is believed to be related. According to Dr. Podesta, the recovery time following the procedure is two weeks. For Williams, the two week mark would be this weekend. So it would seem doubtful he would play Saturday against the Cowboys. After that, the patient returns to activity as his body dictates. He probably wouldn’t jump back into full action, but work back gradually. ... Stay tuned.

8/13 Larry Fitzgerald, Michael Floyd and Andre Roberts combined to catch four passes for 77 yards and a touchdown during limited action in the Cardinals' exhibition opener at Green Bay. It was an encouraging start for the Cardinals' receivers in their first game with new quarterback Carson Palmer. According to ESPN.com's Mike Sando, where Floyd fits into the equation entering his second season is of great interest. ... "He gets it, he understands it," Palmer said earlier in camp. "He has had a natural feel for getting open in zones, which is something you're not taught. You just sit there and watch film with a guy forever and you either have it or it's something that takes years to develop. Phenomenal player." Floyd caught 45 passes last season, the fifth-highest total for a rookie wide receiver. He ranked fourth within that group in routes run and seventh in offensive snaps played, according to ESPN Stats & Information. In other words, there's ample room for growth. And plenty of time. "He is still young -- that is what you don't realize about Mike because he is very mature for his age," Palmer said of the 23-year old wideout. "He seems like he is in Year 4 or 5 instead of going into Year 2, and he didn't play a whole bunch in Year 1. He is still working, he is learning from one of the best [Fitzgerald] and we expect Mike to have a big year."

8/12 According to the team's official web site, the running back health is improving. Rashard Mendenhall is back to practicing fully and Andre Ellington (concussion) has been cleared but will be worked back in slowly. Ryan Williams, said HC Bruce Arians, remains day-to-day with his knee issues. One thing is for certain: Arians said the Cardinals are not considering bringing in another running back, so the concern for numbers there (Alfonso Smith and Stepfan Taylor are the only ones to have avoided dings) can’t be that great. ... Also: WR Jarrett Dillard has a concussion. He’s out until he’s cleared. Arians said he expects TE Kory Sperry (ankle) back next week, making it unlikely he'll play against Dallas. TE Jeff King (knee) is day-to-day. ... For what it's worth, Arians wants to play his starters at least 20 plays against the Cowboys, but he doesn’t want them to go the full first half.

8/11 The Cardinals were back at practice this morning at the team’s Tempe facility for the first time since playing against the Packers on Friday night. One issue? The running back situation isn’t cleared up right now, starting with the fact running back Ryan Williams (knee), who insisted last week he’d be back for the Cowboys game, might not be back yet. “I don’t know if he’ll play this week,” HC Bruce Arians said. Andre Ellington is still being handled with kid gloves with his neck issue (he is sitting today) and Arians said Rashard Mendenhall is still trying to get the stiffness out of his knee.

8/10 According to Associated Press sports writer Nancy Armour, "Stepfan Taylor aced his first test. Exactly what you expect from a Stanford kid. ..." Taylor ran for 64 yards in his NFL debut, and the Cardinals exposed several trouble spots for the Green Bay Packers in a 17-0 preseason win Friday night. Carson Palmer and Drew Stanton each threw for a touchdown against a Packers secondary that had trouble containing anybody, and Arizona's aggressive new defense had three sacks, one interception and one forced fumble. ... Palmer completed 4 of 6 passes for 77 yards with the one TD, zero interceptions and a 149.3 passer rating. As ESPN.com suggested, he certainly looked like the upgrade Arizona sought from its previous quarterbacks. Both incomplete passes were deeper attempts on third down. Palmer found Andre Roberts for a 38-yard touchdown against the Packers' starting defense (Arizona was tied for last in the NFL with three passes of 38-plus yards last season). Palmer also found Larry Fitzgerald for a 21-yard gain and Michael Floyd for an 18-yard gain. When Stanton threw a touchdown pass to Jaron Brown, the Cardinals had as many scoring passes as the 2012 team managed through two-plus preseason games. Nearly 12 minutes remained in the second quarter. ... The running game was one of Arizona's (many) problems last year, and the Cardinals bolstered it by drafting Taylor and Clemson's Andre Ellington to back up free agent acquisition Rashard Mendenhall and Ryan Williams. Though Mendenhall (patella tendinitis) and Williams (sore knee) missed the game and Ellington didn't touch the ball, the Cardinals barely missed a beat thanks to Taylor and Alfonso Smith. Smith added 21 yards on 12 carries. Taylor ground down the Packers with one short-yardage play after another, but he also showed a knack for wriggling free for longer runs. 'I'm willing to compete and run north and south through the tackles,' Taylor said. 'The first game back out, you feel like you can make some more plays, you've got to get used to getting hit again. Went out there and ran hard. The line blocked well, and we saw where we can improve as an offense. We felt like we felt some points out there on the field.' Though Taylor never found his way to the end zone, he got the Cardinals in scoring position only to see two field goal attempts fail. 'I was disappointed in the kicking game,' HC Bruce Arians said. 'Obviously.' Will Batson missed field goals from 31 yards (wide left) and 42 yards (wide right). Jay Feely also missed a field goal from 53 yards, but was good from 21 late in the game. ... (Get complete game stats HERE

8/09 Last year, the Cardinals finished last in the NFL in rushing, averaging just 75.3 yards per game. Their leading rusher ended up being the third-down back and kick returner, LaRod Stephens-Howling, who ran for all of 356 yards. As the Arizona Republic noted, Minnesota's Adrian Peterson bested that total in back-to-back December games against the Packers and Bears when he ran for 364 yards. Arizona had four games last season when it failed to rush for more than 50 yards as a team. But the Cardinals' lack of a running game isn't a new one. It's been a sore spot for the past decade and to be frank, a bit of joke around the NFL. Since 2003, the team has never ranked better than 22nd in the league in average rushing yards per game. It's finished last four times, including the 2005, 2008 and 2010 seasons, and ranked 28th or worse in four other seasons. And that raises another issue. The poor rushing attack has allowed opposing defenses to abandon any need to stack the box up front. They can play maximum coverage and send pass rushers to tee off on the quarterback. As Republic staffer Bob McManaman suggests, it's probably no coincidence that Arizona has allowed the most sacks (58) in the NFL last season and the second-most each of the previous two years (54 and 50) before that. As Carson Palmer noted, a solid rushing game "makes everybody's job easier" and that having one ranked within the top 15 should be the goal. "Our guards are big and strong, physical and can move piles and move line of scrimmages," Palmer said. "Rashard Mendenhall has been very successful and there's a couple guys right behind him waiting for their opportunities, so it's a good combination of guys we have. So yeah, I think there's a real desire to run the ball and a need to run the ball." Mendenhall has two career 1,000-yard rushing seasons on his resume but he was limited to just 182 yards over six games last season with the Steelers due to injuries and he's been nursing a sore knee the last week (but says he's fine now). And it's hard to say he isn't better than what Arizona's had. As Arians put it, Mendenhall is "a 220-pound guy with 180-pound feet." The team needs him. Ryan Williams has been limited by a knee issue. The good news is the depth at the position might be better than expected thanks to rookies such as Stepfan Taylor and Andre Ellington, who have impressed Arians, as has Alfonso Smith. But make no mistake about it: Mendenhall is the guy as long as he's in the locked and upright position.

8/08 While Rashard Mendenhall is expected to play about 15 snaps along with the rest of his fellow starters, the remaining snaps in the backfield will be taken by a combination of Alfonso Smith, Stepfan Taylor and possibly Andre Ellington. Ryan Williams will stay in Arizona, Arians said, to continue resting his irritated knee. Ellington, who had a stiff neck and headache after Tuesday’s practice, missed Wednesday because the Cardinals put him through the concussion protocol and may not make the trip. That could leave two backs for three quarters, and since Smith is in his fourth season, Arians will be focused on evaluating Taylor. “What you do out there against another team at full speed is key,” Taylor said. “I’ve got to go out and prepare for that. ...” As the team's official web site notes, Smith is a downhill runner who has shown an aptitude for pass protection, while Taylor is a between-the-tackles type with good vision. Taylor is prepared to carry 20 or 30 times Friday. During the last few practices, Taylor and Smith have been running with the first team, which meant a faster pace for the rookie. His adjustment to the NFL has been accelerated because of injuries, but it’s also given him exposure he may not have received had all the backs stayed healthy. “They say injuries is opportunity,” he said. “You don’t want to be put in that situation and once you’re out there you’re not prepared. It just gives off the wrong impression to the coaches. So you try to be as prepared as possible.”

8/07 Carson Palmer is playing in an offense that's vastly different from the ones he operated in Cincinnati and Oakland. According to the Sports Xchange, the veteran is being challenged, mentally, like never before, and at age 34, he said that's a good thing. "I'm very comfortable with being uncomfortable," Palmer said. Nearly everything about this offense is different for Palmer: route combinations, protections, site adjustment and verbiage. He's worked hard at mastering it, though, and the results are showing, according to HC Bruce Arians. "We spend so much time together that they (quarterbacks) get ahead of the rest of the team," Arians said. "He's getting it and the receivers are now finally starting to get it." Arians has assured Palmer that around 99 percent of the offense has been installed. "There might be a just a wrinkle or two left to put in," Arians said. "You have all the protections and the calls. And the protections are the key to everything." This offense requires more "hot" reads from Palmer and more sight adjustments on routes from receivers. It puts a lot of pressure on the quarterback to perform. Before this spring, Palmer had never worked with the team's receivers. But he spent most of the offseason with them, including a week in Minneapolis working with Larry Fitzgerald, Andre Roberts and Michael Floyd, the team's top three wideouts. "We'd all like to have it down pat and know it inside and out right now and be completely comfortable," Palmer said, "but there's so much to it and there's so many adjustments and so many post-snap adjustments that you don't just install it and have it. This is my fourth offense in four years. And this is the most challenging offense that's I've been in, but I enjoy the challenge. It keeps you fresh, it keeps you sharp. ..." For what it's worth, the Cardinals have four quarterbacks on the roster right now. It’s possible, Arians said, they could end up with just two. Palmer is the unquestioned starter. Drew Stanton is the unquestioned backup. And according to the team's official web site, the reality is Ryan Lindley is the third-stringer -- Caleb TerBush isn’t really in the mix -- unless Arians and the Cardinals go in another direction. Arians has been on teams “for a number of years” that have kept just two quarterbacks on the roster. He’d do it again. “If it comes down to Ryan and another guy at another position, we’ll determine what’s more valuable to our football team at that time,” Arians said. “We’re going to keep the best 53. ...” Also: RB Rashard Mendenhall returned to practice Tuesday after resting his sore knee. ... The Cardinals waived/injured WR LaRon Byrd.

8/07 According to the team's official web site, HC Bruce Arians had mentioned a lot of receivers who have stood out over the offseason and the beginning of camp. One name that hadn’t come up was Arizona State product Kerry Taylor, who was with the Cards’ practice squad last season. Then the depth chart came out and Taylor – who has read all the stories about the other wideouts -- was listed as Larry Fitzgerald’s backup, the fourth receiver on a team looking for one. Arians said Taylor is smart and versatile, and Taylor knows that plays in his favor. “I feel like I have been pretty consistent with everything and I’m one of the guys who can play every position,” he said. “I can do things that I know coaches can count on me. You try and do all the little things right.”

8/06 HC Bruce Arians hasn't been publicly critical of running back Ryan Williams, who has now missed four more days of practice than expected because of a right knee ailment. But the Arizona Republic reports it's clear Arians' patience with the situation is declining. On Monday, Arians said Williams remains out. It will be a surprise if Williams, in his third year, plays Friday against Green Bay. He's missed a lot of practice time, and, in general, the Cardinals will err towards side of caution in deciding to play players who have been injured this camp. With Williams out, Alfonso Smith and rookies Stepfan Taylor and Andre Ellington have received more snaps in practice. But if those three have separated themselves from "the pack," then it's a pack of one: Williams. That's because Rashard Mendenhall remains the starter, although he has missed practice lately with knee tendinitis. Arians remains high on Mendenhall, so he probably isn't included in the pack. As for Williams? "It's hurting him extremely not to be on the field competing for the job, because those other guys are doing so well," Arians said. That's not good.

8/06 As NFL.com reported, Ryan Williams' surgically repaired knee appears to have taken a turn for the worse. Williams described the injury Friday as irritation of the "fatty pad under patella tendon," which was repaired in August 2011. By Saturday, Williams was sporting crutches after undergoing further treatment on the knee, according to the Arizona Republic. HC Bruce Arians hopes to have him back on the field by next week, though Williams has said there's no timetable for his return. Meanwhile, Rashard Mendenhall was held out of Saturday's practice with knee tendinitis. After downplaying Mendenhall's injury, Arians said he expects his starter back in a couple of days. With Mendenhall and Williams sidelined, fifth-round draft pick Stepfan Taylor worked as the starter, followed by Alfonso Smith and sixth-round draft pick Andre Ellington. Mendenhall seems to be locked in as the primary back -- as long as his knee isn't an ongoing issue. ... Also, the 15th overall pick in 2012, Michael Floyd had an underwhelming rookie year. He caught 45 passes for 562 yards and two touchdowns. But he seems to have improved over the offseason. Under the tutelage of veteran teammate Larry Fitzgerald, Floyd appears to be in better shape and he's improved his route-running, especially at intermediate distances. According to the Sports Xchange, Carson Palmer has thrown deep to him at least three times in the first days of practice, completing all three. Floyd and Fitzgerald could give the Cardinals two big, physical threats at receiver. ... According to ESPN.com, tight end Rob Housler has been hard to overlook early in camp. The buzz about the athletic Housler extends to the locker room. ... The Cardinals officially placed rookie receiver Ryan Swope on the reserve/retired list because of his ongoing concussion issues. ... One last item: CB Patrick Peterson is getting some work on offense in training camp; whether he'll emerge as a legitimate weapon remains to be seen. 8/31 The Cardinals announced the following players were released as they met tonight's deadline for reaching the 53-man roster limit: CB Crezdon Butler, LB Anthony Coleman, DB Blake Gideon, LB Clark Haggans, OL Russ Hochstein, DT Ricky Lumpkin, LB Colin Parker, CB Larry Parker, WR DeMarco Sampson, TE Steve Skelton, RB Alphonso Smith, LB Quan Sturdivant, DE Ronald Talley, DE Everrette Thompson, TE Martell Webb, OL Scott Wedige, LB Brandon Williams, WR Isaiah Williams, WR Stephen Williams, OT D.J. Young.

8/31 Following up on the previous item. ... John Skelton has beaten out Kevin Kolb as the Cardinals' starting quarterback, HC Ken Whisenhunt said at a news conference on Friday. "We feel like the quarterback that gives us the best chance to win is John Skelton," Whisenhunt said. Skelton is the last quarterback to be named a starter in the NFL this season, in part because both he and Kolb did little to distinguish themselves in preseason play. The Cardinals open the regular season at home against the Seattle Seahawks on Sept. 9. Whisenhunt left the door open for Kolb, last season's Week 1 starter, to win back his old job. "There's no guarantee going forward that Kevin won't be playing for us or won't be the starter," Whisenhunt said. In fact, given the sad state of their offensive line, it seems likely. It also seems likely that Kolb won't hold onto the job if/when his turn comes. ... Bottom line? This just in: QB is not a position of strength in Arizona.

8/31 SiriusXM Radio's Adam Caplan, citing an unnamed source, is reporting that John Skelton will start at quarterback for the Cardinals come Week 1. ... Stay tuned. We'll be watching for more.

8/29 The Cardinals have yet to announce their starting quarterback to start the season, who Profootballtalk.com's Mike Florio suggests will "eventually and inevitably will be the first guy to get benched. ..." Craig Morgan of FOX Sports Arizona explained on Wednesday's PFT Live that a decision is most likely coming on Friday, a day after the Cardinals' preseason finale. Morgan thinks that Kevin Kolb has the edge over John Skelton; Florio believes the fact that it's even close underscores the mistake that the Cardinals made by trading for and then paying Kolb.

8/29 According to the Arizona Republic, WR Stephen Williams suffered an injury to his right Achilles' tendon in Monday's practice and wore a walking boot Tuesday. He's not likely to play on Thursday. That's a blow to Williams' chances of making the roster. Even before the injury, he appeared to have fallen below DeMarco Sampson and LaRon Byrd on the depth chart.

8/29 According to Arizona Republic staffer Kent Somers, one of the difficulties for coaches in evaluating the quarterback situation are some of the poor practice performances by John Skelton. He plays better in games, no question. And he wasn't bad in every practice. But there were a few at training camp that would have given most coaches pause. Overall, Kevin Kolb looked better in practice. Not by a lot, though. ... That might explain why the coaching staff is taking so long to announce their starter at the position. Skelton still seems likely to get the nod, but it's hard to have much confidence in either Skelton or Kolb holding down the starting role for the entire season. ... Also: TE Rob Housler was limited Tuesday because of a sore hamstring but the Cardinals expect him to play this week.

8/28 Following up on the previous item. ... Beanie Wells and Ryan Williams have been used judiciously this preseason because they are coming off knee injuries. But both have now made their preseason debuts, and it's fair to ask which one will get the majority of the carries this season. As the Sports Xchange suggests, that's hard to say right now. Wells is big, powerful and fast. He punishes defensive backs when they try to tackle him. Williams is smaller, quicker and has been agility. He's more elusive. To start the season, it appears Wells will be the starter with Williams backing him up. But that could change. Williams has shown the ability to make something out of nothing, and that could be a valuable skill given the team's offensive line troubles. ... Meanwhile, William Powell has been the camp phenom. He leads the team in rushing, averaging nearly seven yards per carry. Granted, his yardage has come against other teams' backups, but Powell has shown quickness and vision. He has worked his way into a spot on the roster as the team's fourth running back. Look for him to make the team ahead of Alfonso Smith and Javarris James. Other players are rooting for him to make the team. "That young man, he's taken advantage of his opportunities," wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald said. "The young man has a knack for making plays. You tip your hat to him because he works so hard in practice. We're all happy and excited for him."

8/27 According to AZCardinals.com staffer Darren Urban, HC Ken Whisenhunt didn’t make a decision on who his starting quarterback will be when the regular season starts, but he did make a decision on who will start against Denver in the preseason finale — and it isn’t Kevin Kolb or John Skelton. It will be rookie Ryan Lindley. ... Kolb and Skelton likely will sit out with Rich Bartel coming in relief of Lindley. William Powell, who leads the NFL in rushing, is going to get a start at running back (although Beanie Wells and Ryan Williams will each get a chance to play to knock more rust off). This is about getting some reps against defenders higher on the food chain for guys like Lindley and Powell. ... Urban added one thing Whisenhunt made very clear: Lindley, regardless of his performance, is not in the mix to be a starter in the regular season. He was even asked about all the fans looking for Lindley to play if Ryan has a good game. Whisenhunt knows that influx of opinion is possible -- but again, emphasized Lindley will not be starting when the games count. ... Meanwhile, the decision for the quarterback is coming, obviously, but Whisenhunt still isn’t saying when. Practice this week remains part of the evaluation process between Kolb and Skelton. ... Stay tuned.

8/26 As Arizona Republic staff writer Kent Somers framed it, "Through four preseason games, the Cardinals look bankrupt offensively. They are upside down in their investment at quarterback. The offensive line's bottom line is plummeting. And there is fear that their most valuable asset, receiver Larry Fitzgerald, won't get the ball enough to keep the whole thing afloat. ..." Sounds about right. But Somers believes there is a chance to turn things around by running the ball effectively and passing judiciously. Somers conceded that while it sounds simple enough, but it's hard to do. That said, neither Kevin Kolb nor John Skelton appears to have the command of the offense, or the skill level, necessary to spread the field with receivers and find the open one. At least as this point. So the Cardinals have to be able to run the ball. Their trio of backs -- Beanie Wells, Ryan Williams and LaRod Stephens-Howling -- are talented and have a variety of skills. Wells is a powerful, physical runner. (When he's healthy.) Williams has great instincts and vision. (When he's healthy.) Stephens-Howling is excellent on third downs, dangerous when isolated on linebackers and safeties. (When he's healthy.) All three have been limited in preseason by injuries and soreness but are expected to be ready for the season opener on Sept. 9. The Cardinals need all of them and they need to focus on using them. It's easy, however, to get away from the rushing attack. The rules are set up in the favor of the passing game. The Cardinals have Fitzgerald, one of the better receivers of his generation. And the team was incredibly successful throwing the ball from 2007 through 2009. But Kurt Warner is gone and the Cardinals need to move forward. We agree. And if Williams turns out to be the "special" player some believe he can be (see previous item), it might work out for the best.

8/25 According to the Arizona Republic, HC Ken Whisenhunt said the team appears to have emerged from Thursday night's Titans game with no additional serious injuries. He anticipates several players will return to practice next week, including tight end Rob Housler (hamstring) and running back LaRod Stephens-Howling (groin).

8/24 According to Associated Press sports writer Bob Baum, HC Ken Whisenhunt says he's not quite ready to name a starting quarterback but indicates a decision could come soon. Of course, it has to, because the Cardinals open their regular season in a little more than two weeks at home against Seattle. Speaking at his usual day-after news conference on Friday, Whisenhunt said he would think about it over the weekend. "I'm sure I'll get asked that question again,' he said. 'The next time I think maybe I'll have a little more information. ...' John Skelton and Kevin Kolb have been competing for the job, and neither has been outstanding. Whisenhunt said he was not ready to say whether the competition would continue into next Thursday night's preseason finale at home against Denver but that the decision might await the outcome of a few more practices. The Cardinals have the weekend off, then resume workouts on Monday.

8/24 The Cardinals have put Levi Brown on injured reserve, officially ending his season after he suffered a torn triceps. Brown was slated to be the Cardinals’ starting left tackle, so his loss is a tough blow for an offensive line that was already struggling to protect quarterbacks John Skelton and Kevin Kolb. ... Meanwhile, NFL teams have until Monday afternoon to cut their rosters from 90 to 75 players, but the Cardinals got a jump on things by getting down to 75. In addition to putting Brown on injured reserve, Profootballtalk.com reports they also waived fullback Jared Crank and running back Thomas Clayton with the waived-injured designation, and they released the following players: DE Landon Cohen, WR Gino Crump, S Eddie Elder, WR Tre Gray, CB Marshay Green, WR Jaymar Johnson, FB Reagan Maui’a, LB Marcus McGraw, LB Zack Nash, CB James Nixon, K/P Ricky Schmitt and LB Paul Vassalo.

8/24 In non-QB related news out of Arizona (there will be plenty of quarterback discussion to come), Arizona Republic staffer Kent Somers notes that Ryan Williams continues to impress. Williams made something out of nothing a few times Thursday night, and he did a nice job of avoiding taking losses when blocking mistakes were made. If he stays healthy, Somers belives Williams shows every sign of being a special player. ... Meanwhile, William Powell leads the Cardinals in rushing this preseason. He's made plays in every game. He's doing it mostly against guys well down the depth chart, which must be factored into his evaluation, but he appears to have good vision and instincts. We'll see if it's enough to earn him a roster spot. ... Also: Larry Fitzgerald had his most productive preseason game, but it's not like catching a bunch of balls in the preseason is a goal of his. As he said after the game, he prefers to get his catches against Seattle in Week 1. Getting the ball to Fitzgerald is one of the team's lesser concerns. He puts up numbers no matter who is throwing him the ball. The Cardinals don't game plan in preseason to get the ball to Fitz. He usually lines up on the same side of the ball every time and rarely goes in motion. That's not the case during the regular season.

8/24 With one preseason game left, Ken Whisenhunt still isn’t giving any hints about who is will name as his starting quarterback this season. As AZCardinals.com staffer Darren Urban suggested, it’s hard to tell if Thursday night’s game against the Titans gave him the information he needed for his decision. Or at least the information for which he had been hoping. If anything, the situation might have gotten murkier. "It sure seems that way,” Whisenhunt said after a 32-27 loss. ... John Skelton’s start, behind new left tackle D.J. Young, didn’t go well, with a sack on the first play and an interception on the first pass. Kevin Kolb, in relief, got better protection as D’Anthony Batiste moved to the left tackle and better production when passing. But Kolb also threw two ill-advised interceptions – one returned for a touchdown – that pumped the brakes on what could have been a very good night. “I’m glad I don’t have to make the (quarterback) decision,” wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald said, acknowledging how close the competition has been. Skelton finished 4-for-10 for 41 yards. Kolb was 17-for-22 for 156 yards, a touchdown and the two picks. With Young starting -- and struggling -- Whisenhunt acknowledged that the previous protection problems that had hindered Kolb “flipped” and now caused Skelton problems. As NFL.com noted, Whisenhunt and Russ Grimm arrived in Arizona with the promise that they would solve the Cardinals' offensive line. Five years later, it might be the worst group in football. The quarterbacks are hard to evaluate when they get no protection. The no-huddle helped Kolb later with the protection. But protection wasn’t Skelton’s only issue. Tight end Todd Heap and wide receiver Michael Floyd each couldn’t hang on to what looked like catchable balls, which might have changed the complexion of Skelton’s day. ... Skelton still seems like the most likely starter, but does it matter? As NFL.com suggested, the way that the Cardinals' offensive tackles are playing, whoever starts the season under center probably won't stay healthy for long. ... Other notes of interest. ... Beanie Wells made his return, looking and feeling rusty but healthy on six carries for 12 yards, with not many holes to be found behind the starting offensive line. But NFL.com pointed out, the more we see of Ryan Williams the more it looks like he'll be the team's best running back this year. ... Fitzgerald finished with five catches for 91 yards. ... (Get complete game stats HERE)

8/23 Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that the Cardinals are still open to the possibility of adding a veteran quarterback. As Profootballtalk.com's Mike Florio notes, plenty of quarterbacks will indeed be available as the rosters cut from 90 to 53 players. Other teams may be inclined to try to trade a quarterback in lieu of letting him walk away for nothing. In this regard, Florio suggests keeping a close eye on Seahawks quarterback Tarvaris Jackson. Clearly on the trade market but not getting a single snap in the preseason, Jackson probably will be cut if he’s not traded (barring injury to Matt Flynn or Russell Wilson on Friday night). But if Jackson is cut the Cardinals could be interested. Florio reminded readers that in 2008, Jackson torched the Cardinals on their home turf. Meanwhile, if the Cardinals add a veteran, it will make for a crowded depth chart -- unless the Cardinals are willing to cut Kolb after everything they gave up to get him and to keep him. ... Also: According to AZCardinals.com staffer Darren Urban, TE Rob Housler is sitting out tonight's game against the Titans with a bad hamstring. Not good news. Housler seems to be the most likely of the Cardinal TEs to emerge as a legitimate receiving threat this season.

8/23 According to ESPN.com's Mike Sando, first-round draft choice Michael Floyd hasn't stood out yet. Larry Fitzgerald will continue to carry the passing game. Rob Housler will emerge as more of a threat at tight end. Andre Roberts and Early Doucet give the team two strong inside options. Getting Floyd going will be one key to unleashing Roberts from the slot. Roberts has good quickness and instincts. The Cardinals' quarterbacks like the way he moves within zones, but they need to do a better job locating him.

8/23 John Skelton will start and likely play at least into the second quarter of tonight's game against the Titans in Tennessee. Kevin Kolb will take over then, reversing the order of appearance in last week's game against the Raiders. When the team broke training camp in Flagstaff on Tuesday, both quarterbacks expressed satisfaction at the progress they've made this preseason. According to Arizona Republic staffer Kent Somers, Kolb said he tried to focus on each day of practice, instead of worrying about the future. "I tried to approach everything like a 16-game season," he said. Skelton said: "Ultimately, I got better. You could see, progressively, day-in and day-out, I was getting better, and that was my ultimate goal. And at the end, let the pieces fall where they may. ..." Judging by preseason game results, Somers believes Skelton probably leads Kolb, but HC Ken Whisenhunt is in no rush to make a decision. He said this week that he might wait until the final preseason game, next Thursday against Denver, before picking a starter. And as Somers further noted, that won't necessarily end the competition. Whomever Whisenhunt chooses to start will have a loose grasp on the job until he proves himself in the regular season. ... Other notes of interest heading into tonight's game: With LT Levi Brown (triceps) expected to miss most of the season, D.J. Young, who spent most of last season on the practice squad, will start a game for the first time since he was a senior at Michigan State. Young has good mobility and he's picked up the mental side of the game. But there are still decisions to be made at the position. ... Beanie Wells will makes his preseason debut and figures to play no more than 10 snaps. Ideally, he would carry the ball about five times. The Cardinals and Wells have been cautious in bringing him back from off-season knee surgery. According to Somers, Wells needs to make this look like a wise decision. ... And finally: The top four WR spots are set, but there appears to be competition for the fifth and sixth positions. DeMarco Sampson and LaRon Byrd probably have the edge now. Stephen Williams needs to make an impact to figure into the mix. Isaiah Williams has turned heads at times this preseason.

8/22 Following up on the previous item. .... Beanie Wells and Ryan Williams are scheduled to play in the same game on Thursday for the first time in more than a year. Williams, who missed all of last season with a knee injury, made his preseason debut last week, gaining 25 yards on five carries, including a touchdown. Wells, who underwent knee surgery in January, is expected to participate in a handful of plays on Thursday against the Titans in Nashville. As Arizona Republic staffer Kent Somers notes, Wells has increased his participation in practice the past two weeks, although at times he appeared to have a slight limp. It's tough to tell when Wells is limping, however, because he has never looked smooth when not at full speed. "When he gets going, you don't see a limp," HC Ken Whisenhunt said. "It will be interesting to see when he gets the adrenalin flowing in a game. There are no concerns about anything from a health standpoint with his knee. It looks stable and he looks good when he's running. ..." We'll all get a chance to see for ourselves tomorrow night.

8/21 Following up on an ongoing story. ... According to AZCardials.com staffer Darren Urban, the Cardinals will indeed have Beanie Wells Thursday against the Titans. HC Ken Whisenhunt said he liked how Wells did in practice this week -- brief as it was -- and will be treated in the game much like Ryan Williams was last week against the Raiders. “I’m excited to see him in a game,” Whisenhunt said. “There’s no concern with him at all with his health.” Without calling the coach dishonest, we'll instead kindly suggest Fantasy owners believe Wells is healthy when they see it with their own eyes. Reports out of camp have been mixed at best (see previous items).

8/21 The focus on offensive tackles and quarterbacks intensified Monday as the Arizona Cardinals held their first full practice since facing Oakland on Friday night. John Skelton worked at quarterback with the starting offense, with Kevin Kolb getting second-team reps as part of their rotation. As previously noted, Skelton will get the start Thursday against Tennessee (although HC Ken Whisenhunt insists the competition is ongoing). ... According to ESPN.com's Mike Sando, the ball was on the ground quite a bit while Skelton led the first-team offense. The passing game didn't seem to be functioning crisply. Larry Fitzgerald slipped out of a break, coming up short on one ball near the sideline. Fitzgerald also dropped a ball. He was upset with himself after practice, turning serious when the subject arose. Fitzgerald: "I dropped a ball, slipped on a couple routes -- stuff that is inexcusable. I need to give John better looks than that. I have to hold myself to a higher standard. Got to get better tomorrow. ..." Also: TE Rob Housler, though enjoying a strong camp overall, had trouble connecting with Skelton a few times. It was a tough day for the tight ends overall. Veteran Todd Heap left practice with a stinger injury. Jeff King suffered a false-start penalty, the offense's third of the day. ... Kolb, leading the second-team offense, connected on a deep pass to Stephen Williams. "Kevin had a great day today, John made some throws and that's what it's about," Fitzgerald said. ... Worth noting: Andre Roberts was on point when battling cornerback Larry Parker for the ball. Parker jumped the pass from Skelton, sending the ball into the air. Roberts stayed with it aggressively and made the catch. ... Big picture? We're hoping Skelton is named the starter. If nothing else, he seems to be willing to stand in the pocket and get the ball down the field. Kolb has struggled in both regards.

8/20 Following up on the previous item. ... Most of the Cardinals starters will play into the second half on Thursday night against the Titans, and quarterback John Skelton will receive the majority of the work with the first-team offense. And even though it appears that Skelton is all but certain to be the Week 1 starter, Arizona Republic beat writer Kent Somers noted that doesn't mean HC Ken Whisenhunt will make it official after the game. The decision could go through the final preseason game, against Denver on Aug. 30. “I don’t think there’s any pressure or any reason to say you would have to make that decision before that game,” Whisenhunt said. “I just want to make sure we have enough situational evaluations of these players to make that decision. ...” Skelton didn’t play in the second half because Whisenhunt didn’t want him to play behind the backup offensive line. “The first thing is we have to get John enough snaps to balance it out,” Whisenhunt said. By Somers' unofficial count, Kolb has participated in 31 plays this preseason while Skelton has been in for 33. ... Also according to Somers, coaches were pleased with running back Ryan Williams’ preseason debut last week and would like to play Williams more on Thursday. Williams was in on eight plays and had five carries for 25 yards. Williams’ workload this week will depend upon the health of Beanie Wells. Coaches are hopeful that Wells will play for the first time this preseason. ... Meanwhile, William Powell has made a positive impression at the position. He leads the Cardinals in rushing this preseason with 160 yards on 26 carries, a 6.7 yard average. Powell also has scored two touchdowns and is now in contention for a roster spot, behind Wells, Williams and LaRod Stephens-Howling.

8/20 HC Ken Whisenhunt said his quarterback competition is not over. But NFL.com's Gregg Rosenthal suggests the coach's actions tell a different story. John Skelton will start the Cardinals' fourth preseason game against the Tennessee Titans on Thursday night. Whisenhunt points out that it's simply Skelton's turn in the rotation. He said that Skelton's time was limited during the last preseason game because he didn't want to expose him behind Arizona's backup offensive line. But as Rosenthal argues, if Kevin Kolb still had a good chance to be the Cardinals' starter, Whisenhunt would get him as much work as possible with the starting unit. He would change the rotation. If the battle still raging, Whisenhunt would have played Skelton for more than three completions and one very brief touchdown drive last week. According to Rosenthal, "The only conclusion to make: Whisenhunt has seen enough. ..." We tend to agree -- for reasons Rosenthal laid out. This is the "dress rehearsal" week. This is closest thing we'll see to a real game in the preseason. Kolb will start the game on the sideline. Although Kolb arguably has been protected worse than Skelton, he's also slower to make decisions. He's quicker to leave the pocket. He doesn't see the pressure coming. As Rosenthal summed up: "When things go bad for Kolb, they completely collapse."

8/19 Following up on a previous item. ... It didn’t take long for word to get back to Kevin Kolb about Raiders defensive tackle Tommy Kelly calling him “scared” and “skittish.” And as Profootballtalk.com's Darin Gantt suggested, Kolb’s reaction showed the kind of backbone Kelly accused him of lacking. “Scared? Scared of what?” Kolb told Darren Urban of the Cardinals’ official website. “Taking a hit? I have never been afraid of anyone on the field and that will never change. That includes Number 93 [Kelly]. There’s a fine line between holding in the pocket and trying to escape to make a play. Tommy Kelly is too clueless to know the difference. I don’t mind people criticizing my play. Don’t ever question my toughness. ...” What has been questioned thus far, and rightfully so, is Kolb’s ability. But if a little fire provided by an opponent is enough to get his attention, it’ll be interesting to see how he responds next time on the field.

8/18 The Cardinals will start John Skelton against the Titans this Thursday, according to Mike Jurecki of XTRA 910 Radio. Jurecki believes that was the plan all along with both quarterbacks rotating starts.

8/18 According to multiple reports, an MRI has revealed LT Levi Brown has torn triceps that will require season-ending surgery. There is a possibility Brown could return at the end of the season, but the rehab time is a solid three months. In the meantime, the Cardinals will be looking at all their options at the position -- including free agents.

8/18 According to XTRA 910 Radio's Mike Jurecki, RB Beanie Wells is still having a hard time cutting in practice. Jurecki, who reported on Friday that Wells is still sporting a bulky brace on his troublesome knee, went on to advise his Twitter follwers it may wishful thinking that Wells will play against the Titans on Thursday.

8/18 Following up on the previous item. ... Kevin Kolb led the Cardinals on a touchdown march in his first possession Friday night. After two performances in which Kolb somehow racked up a 0.0 passer rating, NFL.com's Gregg Rosenthal suggests this must have come as a great relief to HC Ken Whisenhunt. And Kolb. And Fantasy owners with an interest in Larry Fitzgerald. ... But the optimism was short-lived as Kolb reverted to his usual preseason form after that. He took an intentional grounding penalty at the Cardinals' goal line. It looked like a possible safety, but the ball was spotted at the 1-yard line. Kolb was slow to react under heavy pressure on the next play and took a safety. The next two drives included two sacks, two incompletions and no first downs. Kolb completed 3 of 6 passes for 22 yards and took three sacks. According to the Raiders' preseason television team, Raiders defensive tackle Tommy Kelly ran off the field screaming about Kolb, "That boy's scared!" None of which does much to contradict Arizona Republic beat writer Kent Somers' belief that John Skelton is now the heavy favorite to be Arizona's Week 1 starter. ... Stay tuned.

8/18 John Skelton made a brief appearance in his battle with Kevin Kolb for Arizona's starting quarterback job, just long enough to throw the first touchdown pass for either player this preseason. Skelton's 3-yard toss to a wide open Anthony Sherman was part of a 17-point second quarter by Arizona, and the Cardinals beat the Oakland Raiders 31-27 on Friday night. ...Skelton entered the game after Oakland fumbled the ball away at its 23. He completed 3 of 3 passes for 23 yards. Kolb was 3 of 3 for 22 yards in Arizona's opening touchdown drive but was sacked in the end zone for a safety on the Cardinals' next possession. He completed 3 of 6 passes and was sacked three times. HC Ken Whisenhunt said of the quarterback situation, 'We didn't get a lot of plays with John, so it's hard to say. ..." Arizona Republic staffer Kent Somers disagreed, however, advising readers the might have finally found themselves a starting quarterback, at least for Week 1 of the regular season. Somers added: "They might also have confirmation they have a dynamic backup (for now?) running back. ..." Ryan Williams made his preseason debut and it was impressive. He gained 25 yards on five carries, including a 15-yard gain and a touchdown. "I can't even lie, I was so nervous," said Williams, who missed last year due to a knee injury. "I felt like I was 6 years old again playing Pop Warner. I haven't had this feeling in a long time." It wasn't all pretty, however, which is expected in the preseason. And the QB? After opening crisply, Kolb struggled. Skelton didn't do anything spectacular, but the offense responded with him behind center. Again. That Skelton played only one series, leads Somers to believe that Whisenhunt might have a firm idea of whom might start Sept. 9 against Seattle. And it's not the guy the team has paid $19 million in just more than a year. ... Arguments can be made for and against both quarterbacks. But there is no doubt the Cardinals have played better with Skelton leading them. ... (Get complete game stats HERE)

8/17 As AZCardinals.com's Darren Urban notes, assuming Ryan Williams finally plays against Raiders tonight, and all indications are that he will, it will be 364 days since he ruptured his patella tendon in Green Bay. It will also be his first game at University of Phoenix Stadium, since the Cards began with a pair of road preseason games last year. ... Beanie Wells returned to the practice field this week, and will likely go through pre-game warmup, but he isn't likely to play until next week against the Titans. According to Xtra 910 Radio's Mike Jurecki, Wells is sporting a "huge" knee brace. ... Meanwhile, this game will obviously be important to Kevin Kolb. A poor showing doesn’t necessarily eliminate him from being a starter -- at least, HC Ken Whisenhunt hasn’t said that -- but it’s hard to think, with time running out, that this is crucial.

8/16 Wide receiver Michael Floyd is fourth on the depth chart, but look for him to play an important role in certain situations. Floyd and Larry Fitzgerald lined up as the outside receivers in a four-receiver set. That puts a lot of pressure on a secondary. That said, it still seems most likely Floyd will begin the season as No. 4 with the Sports Xchange among those who look for him to move up as the season progresses. ... Quarterback Ryan Lindley has shown flashes of ability in the preseason games. Lindley ran the two-minute drill well last week, completing four consecutive passes to lead the Cardinals to a field goal at the end of the half. But he struggled in the base offense, completing just 2 of 7 passes in the second half. ... And finally: WR LaRon Byrd, a rookie free agent from Miami, continues to take advantage of every opportunity he's given. Byrd caught three passes for 33 yards against the Chiefs, all coming in the final possession before halftime. Byrd (6-4, 220 pounds) is similar in size to Fitzgerald and Floyd. He's caught the ball well, and his blocking has been decent. Byrd is contending for a spot on the roster as the fifth or sixth receiver. The key for him will be if he can contribute on special teams. That's not an easy thing to do for a tall receiver who isn't accustomed to those duties. Byrd is competing with DeMarco Sampson, who is in his second year, and Stephen Williams, who is in his third, for a roster spot. Byrd hasn't been flawless. He ran the wrong route early in the Chiefs game, resulting in an incompletion.

8/15 As previously noted, Seattle quarterback Tavaris Jackson supposedly will be available via trade soon. In assessing whether the Cardinals will show interest, Arizona Republic staffer Kent Somers wrote: "I don't see it. I think it's questionable if Jackson is better than what the Cardinals have already. Do you give up assets for Seattle's third QB? Plus, I don't see teams in the same division trading. I've been surprised before but I don't see this happening. ..." We'll see how it plays out. We tend to agree, though. There's obviously a universe of difference between going after free-agent Peyton Manning this offseason and cutting a deal for Jackson.

8/15 As SI.com's Jim Trotter noted on Tuesday, with their quarterbacks struggling, the Cardinals figure to lean on their running game and defense. While not particularly sexy, the strategy was good enough to get the divisional rival 49ers to the NFC Championship Game last season. However ... the running backs are only slightly smaller question marks than the quarterbacks. Beanie Wells, coming off knee surgery, looked tentative during practice. And Ryan Williams, who opened eyes in training camp last year before tearing his patellar tendon in the preseason, has yet to play in a real game. Wells told Trotter he felt rusty after returning to practice, but added he's eager to carry the load if asked. HC Ken Whisenhunt said any fears he may have had about Wells' durability were answered last year, when the former Ohio State star fought through injuries to start 14 games and rush for 1,047 yards. It was the first time since entering the league in 2009 that he started more than two games.

8/15 As Profootballtalk.com's Josh Alper noted last night, a report calling John Skelton the favorite for the Cardinals starting quarterback job caught HC Ken Whisenhunt’s attention on Tuesday. ... Whisenhunt said that he saw Adam Schefter of ESPN report that placed Skelton ahead of Kevin Kolb and told reporters that he didn’t put much weight on things said anonymously. According to Whisenhunt, there hasn’t been any change to the way the Cardinals are running their quarterback competition. “We’re sticking to what we said, which is sticking with the process and let it play itself out,” Whisenhunt said, via Darren Urban of the team’s website. “I haven’t gotten into thinking about favorites and longshots. ...” In case you haven't been following along, neither QB has impressed. But Kolb has struggled mightily. He’s completed just 2-of-9 passes and has not looked comfortable in the pocket in either appearance. Kolb will start on Friday against the Raiders and CBSSports.com's Jason La Canfora is reporting that over the next two weeks Kolb will be given every chance to win the starting job. But we still believe Schefter's reporting -- if for no other reason than it makes sense; Skelton has just been better. ... Also of interest: RB LaRod Stephens-Howling is nursing a sore groin and missed practice yesterday. Whisenhunt told Urban there’s no reason to push it and turn it into a two- or three-week injury. Stephens-Howling said he hoped to return to practice in the next couple of days.

8/14 Following up on the previous item. ... The Cardinals announced this week that Kevin Kolb would start the team's third preseason game and HC Ken Whisenhunt admitted he found both his quarterbacks, Kolb and John Skelton, inability to pull the trigger "frustrating." As NFL.com's Gregg Rosenthal suggested, Kolb figured to be under a lot of pressure. Now He'll feel more. According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Skelton now is considered the favorite to start in Arizona. According to Rosenthal, "Skelton hasn't lit the world on fire, but Kolb's struggles to maintain composure in the pocket continue to haunt him." He's also battled a minor rib injury. ... Stay tuned. It's not over yet.

8/14 According to Arizona Republic staffer Kent Somers, as the Cardinals begin their fourth week of training camp, the competition between quarterbacks John Skelton and Kevin Kolb remains as tight as it was a month ago. Somers added, "That's not good news for the Cardinals because the situation is unsettled for the worst possible reason: Neither player has distinguished himself." Kolb is dealing the same issues as he did in 2011, his first season with the team. As Somers outlined them, Kolb looks uncomfortable in the pocket, and his mobility is both a blessing and a curse. He runs sometimes when he doesn't have to, or shouldn't. Too often, he runs himself into trouble. And the questions about his durability remain legitimate. He suffered bruised muscles in the rib area on the sixth offensive play of the first preseason game and was questionable entering Friday night's game against the Chiefs. Kolb played, but just long enough to throw five passes. Other issues are out of his hands: His pass protection hasn't been good in the two preseason games. That's of no comfort to a quarterback who already appears antsy. Kolb has completed just 2 of 9 for 25 yards with one interception this preseason His quarterback rating is 0.0. Skelton has been marginally better: completing 7 of 12 for 67 yards and one interception. He's benefited from better protection that Kolb, but maybe Skelton's patience in the pocket plays a part of that. He doesn't leave it at the first sign of trouble. According to Somers, Skelton's biggest issue is the same as it was last year: seeing the open receiver and accuracy. ... HC Ken Whisenhunt didn't name names, but after the loss to the Chiefs, he noted that open receivers were never given a chance to make catches. "We had some one-on-one matchups with receivers down the field tonight and we didn't get to them," Whisenhunt said. "We didn't throw them. Those are things that are frustrating. ..." Meanwhile, if one quarterback has edged ahead of the other, Whisenhunt isn't saying. And Somers advised readers it's not clear to anyone who has watched practices and games. Whisenhunt said on Saturday that it's not time to panic. But as Somers pointed out, there is a difference between panic and alarm. And the Cardinals should be alarmed. And Fantasy owners interested in Larry Fitzgerald should be hoping for improvement from at least one of them.

8/13 According to AZCardinals.com staffer Darren Urban, after two games missed, RB Ryan Williams should get his first preseason action against the Raiders Friday night, HC Ken Whisenhunt said today. As previously noted, TE Jeff King officially came off the PUP list with his quad injury, and Whisenhunt said he will be treated conservatively like Beanie Wells has been. King said the more realistic return to game action for him would be in Tennessee a week from Thursday. ... Meanwhile, the game is a possibility for Wells as well, but Whisenhunt said he wants to see Wells in a padded practice and how he reacts. Wells sounded like he felt the same. “I don’t know if it’s this week,” Wells said, but “I went through warmups last week and it felt great to be out there just preparing for a game. ..." Wells added, “I definitely need preseason. Maybe one game, maybe two games, but I definitely need it. ... Also: Urban reports that Whisenhunt reiterated the starters will play a lot Friday. “As of now there’s no reason to save anybody.” Whiz said he told young players there is no guarantee they will play. “I’m not going to be crazy, but I’m not concerned with the number of snaps this week."

8/13 According to reports out of Arizona, TE Jeff King (quad) has been taken off PUP list. He'll join the rotation with Todd Heap and promising receiving prospect Rob Housler. ... Meanwhile, SI.com's Peter King advised readers this morning that rookie Ryan Lindley, the sixth-round QB from San Diego State, isn't far behind incumbents Kevin Kolb and John Skelton. King added: "Don't see him playing anything but a cameo this year, though, barring the other two stinking up the place." The latter of which seems like a distinct possibility.

8/11 The Cardinals have once again signed Reagan Maui’a, after a neck injury suffered by fullback Jared Crank in the Hall of Fame game sidelined him indefinitely. According to AZCardinals.com staffer Darren Urban, that makes seven times Maui’a has signed with the Cards all told, starting in 2009. Maui’a played in 15 games in 2010 and three games last season for the Cards, having spent training camp with the team for all or part of 2009, 2010 and 2011.

8/11 According to the Associated Press, little was decided in the battle between John Skelton and Kevin Kolb for Arizona's starting quarterback job during Friday night's 27-17 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. But William Powell, a second-year running back from Kansas State, had a big game, rushing for 92 yards on nine carries. He scored the Cardinals' first touchdown on a 2-yard run on fourth down after exploding for 67 yards a moment before. ... Skelton started and was 3 for 6 for 35 yards and one interception. With the Cardinals trailing 17-0, Kolb replaced Skelton early in the second quarter. With the exception of Pro Bowl receiver Larry Fitzgerald, Kolb got to work with the first-team offense as he attempted to redeem himself from his brief, six-play, 1-of-4 passing outing in the preseason opener. Kolb's first pass attempt against the Chiefs was dropped by DeMarco Sampson, but the two did connect for a 21-yard gain two plays later. Kolb also was sacked for a 6-yard loss and was flushed out of the pocket and forced to throw the ball away on a third-and-10. Four of Kolb's five pass attempts fell incomplete before he gave way to sixth-round draft pick Ryan Lindley late in the first half. Lindley, the likely third quarterback, completed all four attempts working behind the first-team line late in the first half. He drove the Cardinals to a field goal. ... (Get complete game stats HERE)

8/10 While it appears Kevin Kolb will be available to play against the Chiefs tonight, this will be John Skelton’s first start and AZCardinals.com's Darren Urban suggests "that’s a big deal." Per Urban, Skelton hasn’t had the greatest of first-quarter showings. He looked steady in his 94-yard touchdown drive last week. As Urban summed up: "That’d be huge if he could do that again."

8/09 As Kevin Kolb and John Skelton jockey for the top spot on the depth chart in Arizona, HC Ken Whisenhunt says there’s no clock ticking on an outcome. “I don’t think we have a timetable on that,” Whisenhunt told NFL Network. “It’s something we have to evaluate over a course of time in this preseason. We have to give them enough reps in similar situations so that we can evaluate it. We’re gonna let it go over the next couple of games and see where we are. ...” In other words, as Profootballtalk.com's Mike Florio suggests, while there's no official deadline, the Cardinals will have a pretty good idea of the winner of the competition after the third preseason game -- unless they plan to use their starting offense in the final preseason game. All that said, we tend to agree with Florio's believe that the guy who wins the Week 1 assignment also could become the first guy most likely to be benched. Based on what we've seen of both men to date, it seems likely that both will start regular season games. Unless one of them suddenly gets a lot better.

8/09 Coaches and quarterback Kevin Kolb likely will meet several times over the next couple of days to decide if he is going to play Friday night against the Chiefs. HC Ken Whisenhunt has expressed confidence that Kolb, who took part in 11-on-11 drills Wednesday, will be sufficiently recovered from bruises to muscles in the rib area to play. Kolb wants to play, too, especially since his appearance last Sunday was abbreviated and disappointing. Or as Kolb said today with a little smile, "I want to play, obviously. I had a non-favorable experience last time I was out there. ..." As Arizona Republic beat writer Kent Somers suggests, It's not an easy decision. Kolb needs game action more than anything else. He didn't play long enough last Sunday to get much out of the experience. He's also trying to hold off John Skelton for the starting job. It's hard to win a job while on the sideline, especially if Skelton plays well. But Somers notes that Kolb also has pain when he runs full speed. The downside risk to playing is that he could suffer a setback if his mobility is limited. And after all, there are three more preseason games after this one. ... Meanwhile, RB Ryan Williams still isn’t sure if he will play. But he did say that working through his sore knee at practice isn’t just working through the knee itself. According to AZCardinals.com staffer Darren Urban, the normal compensation an athlete makes with the rest of his body has impacted Williams too. “My core is weak, my knee is weak, my back is weak, so it’s one of those things,” the second-year man said. “I go in the weight room and do extra every day. Wake up earlier than everybody, basically stay in the weight room longer. I just want to be good for the season. ...” Which lends further credence to our belief the Cardinals will continue to take a cautious approach this summer.

8/08 Following up on a previous item. ... Beanie Wells turned 24 Tuesday and his present was a return to the practice field. The running back, who has been rehabbing from January right knee surgery, was activated from the PUT list and took part in the Cardinals’ morning walkthrough. "All in the same day, heck yeah,” Wells said. “It’s a great birthday gift.” Wells, who gained more than 1,000 yards last season despite playing through the knee problem, will wear a knee brace that he says “helps.” According to AZCardinals.com staffer Darren Urban, there is little question this will probably be a slow week, however. Wells said he is planning on making a game return Aug. 17 against Oakland, so Friday night’s game won’t be in the plans. Wells also said he expects to be limited this week, although he said it might have been different had the Cards not been going against the Chiefs. "We’ll see,” HC Ken Whisenhunt said. “We are working him back in. It was important he gets back into the flow of the walkthroughs. That’s why he is off of PUP now. But we’re going to be conservative. ...” According to Urban, Wells can deal with that. He was happy just to be a part of the team again, getting a couple of handoffs -- even in a walkthrough -- and making a cut or two. His first “carry” ended with Wells intentionally showing a burst as he got to the line, a move that didn’t go unnoticed by teammates as they “oohed” at the move.

8/08 Following up on a previous item. ... According to Pro Football Weekly, one new wrinkle worth keeping an eye on in the Cardinals’ offense is an intriguing four-WR package featuring Larry Fitzgerald and rookie Michael Floyd on the outside and Andre Roberts and Early Doucet in the slot. Daily team observers also tell PFW that offensive coordinator Mike Miller appears to be a bit more vocal on the practice field so far this offseason.

8/07 QB Kevin Kolb, who left Sunday’s game with a bruised muscle in the chest, took part in Tuesday's walkthrough and was encouraged at being able to throw. But much like Beanie Wells, who was activated from the PUP list this morning, Kolb was to be held out of team drills against the Chiefs later in the day. “We’ll progress from there, hopefully,” Kolb said. ... HC Ken Whisenhunt said he still anticipates Kolb being able to play against the Chiefs. Kolb wouldn’t mind that, since his rough start against the Saints was forgettable. “Obviously I’m not pleased with the way it started,” Kolb said. “That’s obvious. It didn’t feel like a game for me, four plays later getting banged up and I was out. I am looking forward to getting back out there and getting the rhythm of the game. ..." Meanwhile, AZCardinals.com staffer Darren Urban reports that Whisenhunt is taking the rotating practices at starting quarterback and applying it to the games. So after Kolb started the opener, John Skelton will start Friday night against the Chiefs.

8/07 According to Arizona Republic staffer Kent Somers, Beanie Wells participated in Tuesday morning's walkthrough. Somers notes that means Wells has been activated from the active/PUP list. Wells is still recovering from knee surgery performed in January. If that's not worrisome enough in and of itself, the fact we still don't know what kind of procedure he underwent certainly makes it more so. Remember: When the procedure was first reported, Wells and the Cardinals maintain the former first-round pick would be on the field for OTAs and mini-camp. Although he's off the PUP, it's still safe to assume Wells will be brought along slowly. He could make his pre-season debut until the team's Aug. 17 game against Oakland but nothing is etched in stone.

8/07 Kevin Kolb's first pass was intercepted, and he suffered a bruised rib muscle and diaphragm on his fourth attempt and did not return to the team's 17-10 loss to the Saints in Sunday night's Hall of Fame game. HC Ken Whisenhunt said the injury didn't appear serious and that it was possible Kolb would practice this week. Kolb missed seven games last season with a foot injury and a concussion, and as Arizona Republic staffer Kent Somers suggests, his rib injury adds to the perception that he either is unlucky, brittle or both. Kolb's only completion came on his fourth, and last, attempt. ... John Skelton took over, and the Cardinals drove 90 yards for a touchdown on his first full possession in the game. Skelton looked comfortable and poised under pressure, completing 3 of 4 passes. Overall, he was 4 of 6 for 32 yards. Given Kolb's injury, the Cardinals were conservative with Skelton. He left the game after the touchdown, and Rich Bartel took over.

8/07 First-round pick Michael Floyd worked exclusively with the second team in the Hall of Fame Game. According to NFL.com, it's a little too early to assume he'll remain the No. 4 receiver heading into the season, but that's the most likely scenario. HC Ken Whisenhunt works his guys along slowly.

8/07 There are a handful of key competitions will be following in coming weeks. The QB battle is obviously among them. Kevin Kolb is considered the favorite, but NFL.com's Bucky Brooks advised readers late last week that Kolb's inability to consistently direct the offense to scoring drives in early workouts has left the door open for John Skelton to make a run at the job. Brooks describes Skelton as being an "improvisational playmaker with a flair for the dramatic." That translates into a guy more willing to throw the ball down the field. And when Larry Fitzgerald is among the available targets, a willingness to pull the trigger is going to lead to some big plays. ... At running back, neither Beanie Wells nor Ryan Williams opened camp at full speed. Wells was on the PUP (and is slated to come off this week). Williams has been working -- and looking good -- despite being held out of Sunday night's Hall of Fame game. We get the sense that Williams, coming off a torn patellar tendon that cost him his rookie season is gaining momentum (showing great speed, quickness and agility in initial practice sessions) while Wells, who won't say the specific nature of the injury or detail what exactly was surgically repaired back in January, still needs to demonstrate he's healthy. Remember: Williams is a capable receiving threat out of the backfield. Brooks believes Williams has the hands and route-running skills to catch 50-plus passes in the Cardinals' scheme. Wells is not that guy. ... Rookie Michael Floyd opens the summer as fourth man on the WR depth chart (behind starters Fitzgerald and Andre Roberts and No. 3 man Early Doucet, but coaches are raving about the youngster's ability to contribute in the passing game. Although he has not earned the starting nod at this point, Brooks reports that Floyd is a fixture on the outside in the Cardinals' four-receiver sets, giving opponents the unenviable task of matching up with two big receivers (Fitzgerald and Floyd) in spread formations. ... One last guy to get on the radar here: SI.com's Peter King wouldn't be surprised if, after Fitzgerald, the Cardinal with the best receiving numbers will be TE Rob Housler. HC Ken Whisenhunt loves him. ... In addition to Wells (knee), TE Jeff King (quad) opened camp on PUP; RB Javarris James (abductor muscle) is also missing time. 9/04 Sean Jensen of the Chicago Sun Times reports (via the Redzone.org) that former Bears running back Chester Taylor has agreed to terms with the Arizona Cardinals, according to a source.

9/02 The Cardinals have released Ben Graham, the team’s punter since December 2008, and 24 others to get down to the NFL’s 53-man roster limit. Graham’s release means the punting chores will go to Dave Zastudil, a 10-year NFL veteran. ... Among the others cut are quarterback Brodie Croyle, linebacker Will Davis, defensive end Kenny Iwebema, cornerback Fred Bennett, center Ben Claxton, running back William Powell, safety Matt Ware, fullback Reagan Maui’a and wide receiver Isaiah Williams. In addition, the Cardinals placed wide receiver Sean Jeffcoat and guard Floyd “Pork Chop” Womack on injured reserve with shoulder injuries. ... The coaching staff chose to keep five tight ends. HC Ken Whisenhunt promised more player moves soon. “The one thing I’ll say about the 53-man roster is that it’s written in pencil right now,” he said Friday. “This will not be the same 53-man roster that we go in to play against Carolina next week.” He said with each team cutting their rosters from 80 to 53 this weekend, “you just feel like that there’s going to be a number of players to look at. Maybe somebody can help you improve your team.” Whisenhunt said the only Cardinals’ position “that’s pretty much safe is the quarterback.” Among the areas likely to be addressed is running back. With the season-ending knee injury to rookie Ryan Williams, the Cardinals have three on their roster—Beanie Wells, LaRod Stephens-Howling and Alfonso Smith. Smith, on the practice squad as a rookie last year, has been slowed by a hamstring injury in the preseason.

9/02 Rich Bartel completed 12 of 16 passes for 216 yards and two touchdowns in the first half for the Cardinals (2-2). Jay Feely kicked field goals of 37, 25, 52 and 34 yards and the Cardinals came up with a 26-7 win over the Denver Broncos in the teams’ final preseason game on Thursday night. ... The Cardinals outgained Denver 254-46 while building a 20-0 halftime lead. Arizona’s first unit played one series with Kevin Kolb completing 1 of 2 passes for 3 yards. ... Bartel, expected to open the season as Kolb’s backup in part because John Skelton is sidelined with a high ankle sprain, completed 7 of his first 8 passes for 155 yards and two first-quarter touchdowns. ... The first TD came on a short pass over the middle to LaRod Stephens-Howling, who dashed in for the score on a 19-yard play. The next time Arizona had the ball, Bartel found Chansi Stuckey wide open for a 48-yard touchdown. “It doesn’t matter that it’s preseason or anything, you still have to go out and make plays and execute the offense,” Bartel said. ... Brodie Croyle, the former Kansas City backup signed when Skelton and Max Hall were injured, played the entire second half in his first game action for Arizona. He completed 10 of 16 for 104 yards. ... Stephens-Howling caught a touchdown pass for the second straight game. “I love it. I love being a part of helping out the offense,” he said. “Having a bigger role in the offense now, it feels good. ...” Tight end Jim Dray, battling Stephen Spach for a spot on the Cardinals’ 53-man roster, left the game in the first half with a left pectoral strain. ... Arizona opens its regular season Sept. 11 at home against Carolina. ... (Get complete game stats HERE)

9/01 TE Todd Heap hasn’t been a huge part of the offense in the preseason, but Arizona Republic beat writer Kent Somers (via the Sporting News) reports that should change once the regular starts. ... Per Somers, coaches know they have a reliable receiver and a great red zone threat in Heap. They don’t need to see it in preseason. More importantly, they need opponents to see it in preseason. Somers went on to note that Heap has performed well in practice, although he missed the second preseason game with a sprained thumb. He played last week, however, and blocked better than expected. With Heap and Jeff King, the Cardinals have two veteran tight ends with different sets of skills. While Heap is an accomplished receiver, King is an excellent blocker.

8/31 According to Associated Press sports writer Bob Baum, HC Ken Whisenhunt is full of praise for running back Beanie Wells’ performance in preseason games and in training camp. Whisenhunt said Wells, elevated to the unquestioned No. 1 at his position with the trade of Tim Hightower, is running the fast, powerful way he did late in his rookie season two years ago. “Confidence in this game is a big part of it,” Whisenhunt said after practice Tuesday. “He’s running with a lot of confidence. You know he believes he can make plays. I remember the end of his rookie year he was running the same way. He was making some of those runs. That’s what gets you so excited about Beanie. Part of it is he’s healthy, part of it is he is more confident. ...” The coach also said Wells has worked hard to improve his pass blocking, long a weakness in the former Ohio State star’s game. It’s a necessary step in becoming an all-around back in the NFL. ... This preseason, Wells has 129 yards rushing in 27 attempts, an average of 4.8 yards per carry. When the first unit played well into the third quarter of Saturday night’s 34-31 loss to San Diego, Wells gained 63 yards in 10 carries, averaging 6.3 per attempt. “I’ve just been healthy this year,” Wells said. “It’s just a matter of being healthy and confident. ...” And the Cardinals have to be hoping he stays that way. Depth is an issue. LaRod Stephens-Howling, who stands just 5-7, is a specialist who can be very effective on some plays but is no power back. Besides, he is the kickoff returner and a critical part of other special teams. Alfonso Smith, third on the depth chart, was on the practice squad last year and was unable to get any carries against San Diego after injuring a hamstring. The Cardinals re-signed undrafted rookie William Powell after releasing him earlier and will look at players released by other teams to possibly add a more experienced back in the coming day. ... Given that, Whisenhunt said Wells, quarterback Kevin Kolb and the rest of the first unit will get “a little bit of work” in Thursday night’s preseason finale at home against Denver. Arizona opens its regular season Sept. 11 at home against the Carolina Panthers.

8/29 The Cardinals placed CB Greg Toler — who tore his ACL on a non-contact play Saturday against the Chargers — and RB Ryan Williams on injured reserve. WR Max Komar (knee) was waived-injured. With the Komar situation, that takes one potential candidate out of the mix as the Cards try to find six wideouts to keep. Also released: FB Charles Ali and WR Daiveun Curry-Chapman.

8/27 The chemistry that Kevin Kolb and Larry Fitzgerald keep talking about was on full display early Saturday night. It wasn’t enough for the win but it probably made Fantasy owners plenty happy as they connected on an 80-yard play for the quarterback’s first touchdown pass with his new team in a 34-31 loss to the San Diego Chargers. ... Kolb was 11 of 20 for 205 yards with no interceptions. He completed 9 of 12 after starting the game 2 for 8. Fitzgerald caught three passes for 108 yards. Arizona’s top draft pick Patrick Peterson intercepted a Philip Rivers’ pass and returned it 34 yards for a touchdown and Andre Roberts scored on a 34-yard reverse for the Cardinals before the backups took over. ... Arizona led 24-20 when the starters’ night ended. ... Beanie Wells had 63 yards on 10 attempts for the Cardinals. ... As Associated Press sports writer Bob Baum noted, he Cardinals struck for two big touchdown plays in a span of 2 minutes, 38 seconds in the first quarter. First, Kolb lofted a long pass up the middle that Fitzgerald gathered in before outrunning defenders to the end zone. It was the longest TD catch for Fitzgerald as a pro, although it doesn’t count as a career best because it came in a preseason game. Kolb hadn’t directed a touchdown drive, let alone thrown a scoring pass, in his first two preseason games since being acquired by Arizona in a trade with Philadelphia. “That was the first of many, hopefully,” Kolb said of the big play. “It was a no-huddle, a call on the line. We have been working on it and that is the kind of stuff we want to get to, where we can communicate things once we get up there and see what the defense is giving us. ...” Peterson, meanwhile, Peterson stepped in front of Antonio Gates to pick off Rivers’ pass and zigged his way past would-be tacklers put the Cardinals up 17-3 with 2:14 left in the opening period. ... Arizona turned to deception for its next score. After Kolb completed passes of 19, 12 and 9 yards, Roberts took a pitch from Wells on a reverse and raced 34 yards for the score to make it 24-10. Rich Bartel threw 6 yards to LaRod Stephens-Howling for a touchdown to give Arizona a 31-20 lead. Bartel and William Powell botched a handoff and San Diego’s Darryl Gamble picked up the ball and scored from 1 yard to cut it to 31-27. ... (Get complete game stats HERE)

8/27 According to Arizona Republic staffer Kent Somers (via the Sporting News), the Cardinals still appear content with the wide receivers they have behind Larry Fitzgerald, although the group has little experience. Second-year player Andre Roberts likely will start opposite Fitzgerald and move into the slot in some multi-receiver packages. Per Somers, Roberts is quick and very fast and has overcome the struggles that he had catching the ball a year. It's questionable, however, how many passes he will catch this season because the club has other weapons. Tight end Todd Heap will be a major factor, if healthy, as will receiver Early Doucet. Stephen Williams could line up outside in multi-receiver sets.

8/26 As Arizona Republic staffer Kent Somers reminded readers, the Cardinals gave up a bounty in trade for Kevin Kolb and signed him to a 5-year extension. Somers added that's a gamble on a quarterback who has seven career starts. The good news? It's only preseason, but so far, so good. Somers reports that Kolb has been everything coaches hoped. His physical skills are obvious, but he's also picked up the offensive system quickly, and his teammates like him. Keeping him healthy is paramount. ... Also worth noting: Somers reports that no one had a better training camp than Larry Fitzgerald, who averaged about three stunning catches a week in Flagstaff, and he and Kolb appear to already have some chemistry.

8/25 According to Arizona Republic beat writer Kent Somers (via the Sporting News) Kevin Kolb will play into the third quarter of Saturday’s preseason game against the Chargers. While Kolb has played well this preseason, the offense as a whole has looked sloppy at times. Kolb has thrown the ball well, but Somers reports the QB needs to improve from an operational standpoint: Getting out of the huddle, making calls at the line, avoiding delay of game penalties. Somers further noted that Kolb also has shown a tendency to lock on receiver Larry Fitzgerald. While most Fantasy owners can certainly imagine worse things, the return of TE Todd Heap from a thumb injury should help him avoid that.

8/24 Following up on the previous item. ... The Arizona Cardinals waived QB Max Hall and officially signed quarterback Brodie Croyle according to Adam Schefter of ESPN (via the Redzone.org).

8/24 According to Arizona Republic staffer Bob McManaman, Alfonso Smith knows the familiar names of the free-agent running backs still looking for NFL work. Clinton Portis. Correll Buckhalter. Laurence Maroney. Beanie Wells may not have as much to lose as Smith, but he knows they're out there, too. LenDale White. Tiki Barber. Kevin Smith. ... McManaman went on to suggest the Cardinals will be adding one of those players -- or someone like them -- in due course after losing rookie Ryan Williams to a season-ending leg injury. ... HC Ken Whisenhunt reiterated on Monday there is no immediate rush to sign a new running back, but whoever it is, he will likely be asked to complement Wells, the starter, and prove he is better than Smith, who has moved up the depth chart. So what type of back are the Cardinals eyeing? "One that can do a little bit of everything," Whisenhunt told McManaman. "Obviously, someone that can help on third down, but be a good first- or second-down back. But it's not something we're just going to do overnight. We're going to do some research and try and get the right fit. There may be a player on another team right now that will become available at some point. ..." For the time being, the Cardinals re-signed William Powell, an undrafted free agent from Kansas State whom they cut on Aug. 2. Powell, though, is more likely just an extra training-camp body. The Cardinals have their sights set on someone with more upside and experience, but Whisenhunt won't say who. ... Meanwhile, as a second-year pro out of Kentucky, nothing has come easy for Smith. He wasn't drafted. He's had to earn an honest look from NFL teams. The Cardinals just might give him a permanent one this season. After Williams went down with a torn patellar tendon, Smith carried 12 times against the Packers for 39 yards and scored a touchdown as his replacement. "He looks great. He's always looked great to me," Kevin Kolb said. "I know the team loves him. He's a hard worker, a quiet guy. But he sticks his nose in there when he needs to do and does all the things that are asked. He's obviously somebody we look toward for that position and we have great confidence in him." The 6-1, 208-pound Smith knows he won't unseat Wells, who ran for 44 yards on 11 carries against the Packers. Wells will be asked to carry the bulk of the load in what has turned into a possible make-or-break season for the former Ohio State star and first-round pick. But Smith could be a suitable complement. Stay tuned.

8/23 According to Arizona Republic staffer Kent Somers, HC Ken Whisenhunt didn't confirm the expected signing of QB Brodie Croyle. But sources have told Somers it will happen, pending Croyle passing a physical. John Skelton has a high ankle sprain and is going to miss some time. Max Hall suffered a subluxation of his left shoulder (a dislocation) and is scheduled to see doctors. That leaves the team with two healthy QBs, Kevin Kolb and Rich Bartel. Croyle played in Kansas City under former Cardinals OC Todd Haley, so that will help in learning Arizona's system. ... For what it's worth, Whisenhunt plans to keep three QBs on the 53- man roster. He learned from 2007 when he kept two, Matt Leinart and Kurt Warner, then had to scramble when both were hurt. That led to Tim Rattay playing on very little notice. Not all three QBs will be active every week, however. The NFL no longer requires coaches to declare an emergency third QB before games. ... Also of interest: RB Ryan Williams surgery went as planned. Doctors also repaired a minor meniscus problem, Whisenhunt said. That won't impact the timetable on his rehab, which is 6 to 8 months or so.

8/23 Following up on previous items. ... Rookie RB Ryan Williams suffered a ruptured patellar tendon in his right knee on Friday night and is expected to undergo surgery early this week, HC Ken Whisenhunt said. Arizona Republic staffer Kent Somers was able to reach Dr. Daniel Kharrazi, orthopedic surgeon at the Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic in Los Angeles, to briefly explain the surgery and the rehab timeframe Williams faces. "The surgery itself is not very difficult," Dr. Kharrazi said. "You basically reconstruct the mechanism that allows you to extend your leg when you run. When the tendon ruptures, it gets a little frayed. You clean up the tendon, drill holes through the patella, or the kneecap, and reattach the tendon." The hard part comes after surgery. The leg is immobilized in a brace for a month. After the tendon has healed, usually a total of six to eight weeks after surgery, then the patient can begin rehab, Dr. Kharrazi told Somers. "The No. 1 thing is, when you are in a brace for that long, you have a lot of quadriceps atrophy. That's what takes two to three months." So a patient is looking at "five to six months" between surgery and the time he can return to the level of his previous activity. If all goes well, Williams should be able to return to action in 2012 with no problem, Dr. Kharrazi said. "I don't think he'll miss a beat," he said. ... There you have it Dynasty owners. All is not lost.

8/20 Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that Arizona will sign Larry Fitzgerald to a record eight-year, $120 million contract that includes close to $50 million guaranteed. The deal makes Fitzgerald the highest-paid wide receiver in the NFL, and may very well keep the 27-year-old Fitzgerald in Arizona for the rest of his career. As Profootballtalk.com's Michael David Smith notes, since joining the Cardinals as the third overall pick in the 2004 NFL draft, Fitzgerald has established himself as one of the best offensive playmakers in football. With this deal and the Cardinals’ trade and new contract for Kevin Kolb, it’s clear that Arizona believes it’s going to have one of the best pass-catch combinations in football for years to come.

8/20 According to Darren Urban of the Cardinals’ official website, Ryan Williams has a ruptured patellar tendon, which was suffered on Friday night against the Packers. He will have surgery to repair the injury, and he is out for the season. Nothing we didn't expect. Just confirmed.

8/20 Following up on the ongoing story. ... With RB Ryan Williams likely out for the season, Arizona Republic staffer Kent Somers believes the Cardinals decision to trade Tim Hightower to the Redskins again will be questioned. At least the timing of it. ... Williams likely suffered a ruptured patellar tendon in his right knee Friday. Tests will confirm, but it appears he's headed for surgery and a long rehabilitation period. ... As Somers noted, there already has been a lot of second-guessing, via Twitter, about trading Hightower. And the timing of the deal was interesting. No one was surprised that Hightower was traded, but Somers expected it to happen later in camp. With Hightower gone, the Cardinals have only four backs in camp. Now it's three. And that counts LaRod Stephens-Howling, who at 5-7 and 185 pounds is not going to replace Beanie Wells should something happen to him. ... Fortunately, coaches are pleased with the development of Alfonso Smith, who was on the practice squad last year. But the team likely will add a back in the coming days. As Somers added, the options aren't attractive. With rosters at 90, most backs are already in camp. You can find flaws in all the ones available, from Clinton Portis to Julius Jones to Tiki Barber to LenDale White to Laurence Maroney. ... Also of interest: Rookie TE Rob Housler is playing well. Per Somers, Housler is a real threat in the passing game, and his understanding of the offense is unusual, according to HC Ken Whisenhunt. Interesting the coach would say so Remember, a recent report suggested Housler was struggling to pick up the scheme. ... And finally. ... QB John Skelton has a sprained right ankle. It's not believed to be serious.

8/19 Following up on the ongoing story. ... HC Ken Whisenhunt said the right knee injury rookie RB Ryan Williams suffered in Friday night's loss to the Packers is likely a ruptured patella tendon. The diagnosis must be officially confirmed, but Williams will be out for the season. ... As AZCardinals.com staffer Darren Urban notes, it’s a hard blow for this offense, especially the way Williams had been flashing his talent. The whole team gathered around him when he was carted from the field, something fellow back Beanie Wells said was because of how the whole team has gotten to like such a good kid. And now his season is over before it really started. ... As Profootballtalk.com noted, the Cardinals traded Tim Hightower early in camp, so they are now rather thin at the position. Whisenhunt said the team will look into adding a running back, but Alfonso Smith -- who spent part of last season on the practice squad -- has shown some flashes, including Friday night, and is a candidate to replace Williams. Special teamer LaRod Stephens-Howling may play more on third downs.

8/19 As Associated Press sports writer Chris Jenkins noted, it was a rough night for Cardinals rookie RB Ryan Williams, who was carted off the field after a right knee injury early in the third quarter of Fridasy night's 28-20 loss to the Green Bay Packers. ... A Packers player appeared to land awkwardly on the right leg of Williams, a second-round pick out of Virginia Tech. We'll have more shortly, but initial reports indicated a ruptured patellar tendon that will end Williams' season. ... Kevin Kolb was 6 for 11 for 80 yards but the rest of the Cardinals offense didn’t look ready for the regular season. Arizona was called for nine penalties in the first half, including several sloppy mistakes on offense. Backup quarterback John Skelton sprained his right ankle, bringing Richard Bartel into the game. Bartel threw a 7-yard touchdown pass to Stephen Williams and Alfonso Smith added a 1-yard touchdown run to give the Cardinals the lead in the third quarter. ... Kolb, who arrived in a high-profile trade with Philadelphia, is still working to master a new offense. “I felt a lot more comfortable,” Kolb said. “I thought our tempo was great, and obviously we moved the ball whenever we wanted to. We just have to get better in the red zone and cut down on some of the penalties. ...” The Packers knocked Kolb out of the game in last year’s regular season opener, opening the door for Michael Vick to take over as the starter in Philadelphia—and, ultimately, for Kolb to be traded to the Cardinals. ... Larry Fitzgerald made an impressive one-handed catch in the first half, pulling the ball into his shoulderpads with his right hand as he was falling down. ... But the big news is Williams' injury. Stay tuned. More coming shortly. ... (Get complete game stats HERE)

8/19 Rookie RB Ryan Williams was injured in the third quarter of tonight's game with the Cardinals and the initial reports don't sound positive. Williams, who was holding right knee immediately after being hurt, was taken from the field on a cart. Arizona Republic staffer Kent Somers tweeted: "Doesn't look good. Head in his hands. Whole team out on the field." Stay tuned. More as further details come to light.

8/19 According to Xtra910 Sports Radio staffer Mike Jurecki, TE Todd Heap isn't expected to play tomorrow night against the Packers due to the thumb injury he suffered against Oakland last week. Heap did practice all week and if it we’re regular season game he would play. According to Jurecki, the Cards want to make sure his thumb is completely healthy. His absence this weekend gives third-round pick Rob Housler an opportunity to get some more reps; per Jurecki, the rookie's "head is spinning" learning the Cards' playbook.

8/19 According to SI.com's Jim Trotter, rookie RB Ryan Williams has turned heads with his speed, balance and cutting ability. Seemingly once each practice he makes a run or move that causes teammates to look at each other with arched eyebrows. The Cardinals traded veteran Tim Hightower to Washington presumably because they believe Williams is capable of backing up Beanie Wells. Trotter went on to suggest a key to Williams' playing time could be how quickly he excels in pass protection. Running backs in Arizona's sub packages have to be spot on reading blitzes and knowing where the pressure is coming from. The staff says Williams asks all the right questions and has the ability -- and desire -- to fill that role. But he's yet to prove himself in that capacity; Wells has.

8/18 Following up on a previous item. ... Larry Fitzgerald's contract expires at the end of the season, but the sides are discussing a new deal that would keep him around for at least another six years. Fitzgerald, who has a "no franchise" clause in his current deal, has put a self-imposed deadline of Sept. 4 -- the final day of the preseason -- for getting something done. After that, he says he won't discuss an extension until after the season. How close are the sides? "Closer than we were last week," Fitzgerald told SI.com's Jim Trotter. How far are they from reaching an agreement? "Not too far away," he added. Trotter's gut feeling: "My gut feeling: An extension will be finalized before Fitzgerald's stated deadline."

8/18 In an item published by the Sporting News, Arizona Republic staffer Kent Somers advised readers that Kevin Kolb is the most mobile QB the team has had in HC Ken Whisenhunt’s five seasons, and that should help in critical situations. ... Somers went on to explain the Cardinals have become accustomed to have stationary quarterbacks such as Kurt Warner and Derek Anderson, so Kolb’s running ability is a nice change, especially for offensive linemen. ... Kolb ran 15 yards for a first down in the preseason opener. While coaches don’t want him running often, the threat of him running could help on third downs. Last year, the Cardinals were last in the NFL in converting third downs at 27.8 percent.

8/17 As Arizona Republic staffer Kent Somers framed it: "The Cardinals' receiving corps is comprised of Larry Fitzgerald and a bunch of guys whose family members probably won't take them until the late rounds of their fantasy drafts. ..." Fitzgerald has 613 career receptions. The next seven receivers on the depth chart have 204, and Chansi Stuckey has half those. Fitzgerald has 65 touchdowns. Total for everyone else: nine, led by Stuckey's five. ... So it's no wonder the Cardinals' No. 2 receiver position has drawn so much interest this summer. Despite being linked to various free agents and potential trades, Somers reports the coaches like the talent they have at the position. They think Andre Roberts, in his second season, is ready to step into the starting role. They believe Early Doucet is a playmaker, provided he can stay healthy -- which he hasn't been able to do in three NFL seasons. Stephen Williams, a second-year pro, has size, speed and skills. Stuckey has some experience. Isaiah Williams has been impressive in training camp. DeMarco Sampson looks like a real find in the seventh round. And Max Komar made the team last year as an undrafted rookie. ... What coaches don't have, however, is proof any of the above players can take pressure off Fitzgerald. Still, they believe Roberts is fast enough to stretch the field, and a healthy Doucet gives them a physical dimension at the position. ... Roberts is expected to start, but the No. 2 receiver role could change often within a game. In some formations and on some plays, it might be Doucet. Or Stuckey. Or Stephen Williams. The additions of Todd Heap, Rob Housler and Jeff King give the Cardinals pass-receiving threats they have rarely had at tight end. That should help Fitzgerald, too. "I've always been the kind of guy who approached it like I'm going to work with what I got and be satisfied with what I have," QB Kevin Kolb told Somers. "I'm not going to say we need something else. Andre blew right past one of their (Raiders) starting corners, and I didn't hit him on it. So he's got plenty of speed. If that's what we go into the season with, then we'll make it work and we'll be fine. ..." We agree. And Roberts and Stephen Williams could just emerge as legitimate Fantasy contributors if Kolb can indeed make it work.

8/16 According to Pro Football Weekly, in one fell swoop, TE went from being arguably the weakest position to the strongest position. Newcomers Todd Heap, a local product who offers a receiving dimension at the position that has been lacking for a long time, and Jeff King, a quality blocker, join third-round rookie Rob Housler and serviceable second-year pro Jim Dray. Housler is regarded by many as a younger version of Heap.

8/15 According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, WR Larry Fitzgerald's deal includes a clause that prevents the Cardinals from slapping their franchise tag on him after this season. This means that if Fitzgerald is not signed to an extension before his contract expires at the end of this season, he would have the ability to leave Arizona in the off-season, without any restrictions. The "no-franchise-tag" clause was included in the four-year, $40 million contract extension that Fitzgerald signed in March 2008. Not only does Fitzgerald's contract include a no-franchise-tag clause, but it also contains a version of a no-trade clause. ... With this as a backdrop, Fitzgerald and the Cardinals already have been discussing a new contract extension. But unless Fitzgerald is comfortable with the deal and with Arizona, he would have the option of walking away from it and the franchise, a prospect the Cardinals want to, and are trying to, avoid. ... According to Schefter, Fitzgerald would prefer to remain in Arizona, where he is said to enjoy playing for HC Ken Whisenhunt. He is pleased with the Cardinals' aggressive approach in landing a new QB, Kevin Kolb. And despite his leverage, those close to Fitzgerald insist he wants to negotiate a fair deal, nothing more. But if the two sides struggle to get it done this summer, Fitzgerald could be faced with the career-shaping decision of committing to Arizona or testing the free-agent market after this season. ... A related note: In an item published in his MMQB column this morning, SI.com's Peter King included a "Larry Fitzgerald Warning Dept." The concern? Per King, Kolb, playing for Philadelphia last year, completed 30.8 percent of his throws that traveled at least 20 yards downfield. ... That doesn't compare favorably with the 40.4 percent Derek Anderson hit with Arizona last season.

8/13 HC Ken Whisenhunt told reporters after Thursday night's win over the Raiders that RB Beanie Wells made a couple of nice runs, including the 15-yarder that he bounced outside and the 5-yard gain he made on first down at the Raiders 8. On that play, TE Todd Heap shifted to the wrong side, leaving a defender unblocked. Wells avoided him by cutting back. ... Wells also did a good job picking up the blitz, Whisenhunt said. The fact that Whisenhunt singled Wells out for his pass protection is interesting. It's usually something that takes some time to pick up; perhaps an indication that Wells still remains well ahead of rookie Ryan Williams, who served as the team's third back Thursday night, behind Wells and LaRod Stephens-Howling.

8/12 According to XTRA910 Radio's Mike Jurecki, X-rays on TE Todd Heap were negative and his injury is being labeled as a sprained thumb. Jurecki added that Heap shouldn't miss any practice time.

8/12 According to Arizona Republic staffer Kent Somers, HC Ken Whisenhunt knows there is a perception that his team needs to acquire a No. 2 receiver to replace Steve Breaston, now with Kansas City. But he doesn't see it as the gaping hole in the lineup that others do. Whisenhunt has been pleased with the development of Andre Roberts, who started Thursday night in the preseason opener against the Raiders. Early Doucet has looked good in camp, and the team signed veteran Chansi Stuckey in free agency. DeMarco Sampson, a seventh-round draft pick, has been one of the more-impressive rookies in camp. "Everybody wants to talk about the Number 2 receiver but we really don't get caught up in a Number 2," Whisenhunt said. "We run so many different packages where we involved three receivers, even four receivers, and there are a lot of times where we'll tailor specific packages to fit the individual strengths of the receiver." If the depth chart doesn't change, different receivers could fill that role depending upon the game plan, Whisenhunt said. ... Also: TE Todd Heap suffered a sprained left thumb and left for the locker room in the second quarter. He did not return. There was no immediate word on the severity of the injury.

8/11 According to Associated Press sports writer Josh Dubow, Kevin Kolb found new favorite target Larry Fitzgerald twice in his Arizona debut but was unable to get his offense on the scoreboard in two drives before the Cardinals rallied to beat the Oakland Raiders 24-18 in their exhibition opener Thursday night. ... Arizona’s other three QBs all threw touchdown passes, including a 28-yarder from Max Hall to Isaiah Williams with 39 seconds left for the win. ... Kolb was unable to practice right away because he signed a new contract, giving him only five practices before his exhibition debut. Still, he completed four of seven passes for 68 yards and also scrambled for 19 yards. “He operated the offense and he knew what he was doing,” HC Ken Whisenhunt said. “He made some good reads and made some good throws. For it to be this early in the process with him, I am very excited about that.” Kolb targeted Fitzgerald on four of his seven throws. He struggled on the first drive against Oakland’s first-team defense, with his only completion going for no gain to Early Doucet. But when the Raiders brought mostly reserves for the second drive, Kolb got the Cardinals moving. He completed an 8-yard pass to newly-acquired TE Todd Heap on the first play. Kolb then went deep to Fitzgerald, who outmaneuvered rookie Demarcus Van Dyke for a 43-yard catch. “That’s his specialty right? The guy had him beat, I gave him a shot at it anyway, and he squeezed it and made a great play,” Kolb said. “That’s why I am glad he is in red and white.” Two plays later, Fitzgerald beat second-year pro Walter McFadden for a 17-yard gain on a stop route. The Cardinals them moved the ball down to the 1 but Beanie Wells was stopped for no gain on consecutive runs but Oakland’s defensive line, costing Arizona a chance at points. ... The Cardinals got on the board in the final minute of the half on an 18-yard touchdown pass from John Skelton to Stephen Williams that gave them a 7-6 lead. Skelton also drove Arizona to a field goal on the opening drive of the second half. Third-stringer Richard Bartel threw an 8-yard score to TE Rob Housler in the third quarter for the Cardinals. ... Wells ran for 22 yards on six carries; rookie Ryan Williams had 21 on four carries. Williams added 23 yards on one reception. ... (Get complete game stats HERE)

8/11 According to the Sporting News, QB Kevin Kolb had three passes intercepted in the team’s scrimmage last weekend, but he also made several good throws. Kolb showed great mobility and seems to have a good grasp on the offense, despite his limited number of practices. Kolb is expected to play in the preseason opener at Oakland tonight.

8/10 In an item published Tuesday, ESPN's Mike Sando asked who is the No. 2 receiver? The team considered adding Braylon Edwards in free agency, but they weren't interested enough to close the deal, particularly for a player with off-field issues. There is currently some buzz suggesting an interest in Buffalo's Lee Evans, but Andre Roberts and Early Doucet are the favorites to fill the No. 2 void opposite Larry Fitzgerald that was created when Steve Breaston signed with Kansas City. The team is also expecting free-agent newcomer Todd Heap to provide a receiving option at TE that has not existed previously under HC Ken Whisenhunt in Arizona. Still, the Cardinals lack proven depth at wideout behind Fitzgerald. Durability is a concern for Doucet. Roberts showed promise as a rookie last season, but is he ready to contribute for a full season? Worth noting: Whisenhunt told Arizona Republic staffer Kent Somers the actual No. 2 designation isn’t all that important anyway. The Cardinals run a lot of multi-receiver sets and have different plays for different players. There really isn’t a true No. 2 designation, the coach said. ... Still, we have an eye on Roberts as a potential deep sleeper come draft day. He's quick and showed last season that he has the speed to make big plays. He dropped too many passes early in the year but Somers notes that Roberts has continued to get better in that area.

8/09 According to NFL.com's Pat Kirwan, when veteran receivers and assistant coaches tell you to keep your eye on a rookie when you get to camp there's a reason. And that's what Kirwan heard about DeMarco Sampson, the team's seventh-round draft pick. Per Kirwan, Sampson is a big, strong receiver who has a chance to make this team. He looked good driving off the line of scrimmage and getting into the vertical game.

8/09 XTRA Sports 910’s Mike Jurecki has learned according to a source that the Cardinals are showing interest in WR Lee Evans, who is said to be on the trade block.

8/09 According to ESPN's Mike Sando, Beanie Wells still projects as the starting RB heading into the season even though rookie second-round choice Ryan Williams has impressed. As Sando suggested, "Every negative play from Wells invites skepticism regarding his ability to meet expectations as a 2009 first-round draft choice." That was the case when Wells fumbled during the first full-contact goal-line session of camp. Wells bounced back with energized runs the following day, though, and he knows the offense better than Williams at this point. ... Still, Sando believes Williams looks like the better pure runner. Where Wells is more of a downhill runner with straight-line tendencies, Sando notes that Williams has shown he can cut effortlessly, even at high speed. ... Bottom line? Wells still gets first shot at the starting job; as long as he produces Williams will be relegated to a secondary role.

8/09 Former Eagle Kevin Kolb has joined the team and began practicing last Thursday and immediately drew rave reviews. ... HC Ken Whisenhunt has made it clear that Beanie Wells gets first shot at the No. 1 RB spot with Ryan Williams the only real threat to that status (Tim Hightower was traded to Washington). Wells is said to be in great shape and claims to feel "far more" explosive than ever. We'll see. ... Larry Fitzgerald is locked in as the WR1 with Andre Roberts (stock rising) the most likely No. 2 man -- although Early Doucet is pushing. Stephen Williams and Max Komar provide the depth. ... The arrival of veteran Todd Heap and rookie Rob Housler give Kolb and the offense a pair of legitimate receiving threats at TE. ... PK Jay Feely has no real competition for his job. 8/15 Special Sunday Update: WR Larry Fitzgerald told Arizona Republic staffer Kent Somers that an MRI performed on Fitzgerald's knee brought good news. Per Fitzgerald, it's a knee sprain (MCL) and he'll be conservative with it for a few weeks. Somers suggests a pre-season shutdown. Sounds reasonable enough.

8/15 Special Sunday Upate: Following up on the previous item. ... Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic reports that WR Larry Fitzgerald is undergoing an MRI. The team hopes it's only a slight sprain. ... Stay tuned. We'll continue to follow up as needed.

8/14 Special Saturday Update: As Profootballtalk.com reported it, Matt Leinart dropped back, getting rare good protection on Saturday night. He locked in on WR Larry Fitzgerald, stared him down some more and then led Fitzgerald over the middle for a 16-yard gain. Fitzgerald went up for the ball and took a big hit to the knee. As usual, he held on the ball. ... Per PFT's Greg Rosenthal, Fitzgerald got up gingerly without incident, but was later seen icing his knees on the sideline and did not return. Arizona Republic staffer Kent Somers reports that Fitzgerald seems to be moving well on sideline.

8/13 RB Beanie Wells has not missed practice time because of bruised ribs suffered in Monday's practice. According to the Arizona Republic, that earned him kudos from HC Ken Whisenhunt. "I was proud of Beanie," Whisenhunt said. "I know he was sore. I think when you're a player working like he's working to get as many reps as he can, that's an important thing. I'm glad to see Beanie take that course of action. ..." Also: TEs Dominique Byrd (hamstring) and Ben Patrick (knee) are unlikely to play Saturday because of injuries.

8/12 As Arizona Republic staffer Kent Somers suggested this morning, to outside observers, especially those Fantasy team owners who have drafted RB Beanie Wells, it might seem strange that Tim Hightower continues to start for the Cardinals. It's not so weird to HC Ken Whisenhunt, or to anyone who knows how Whisenhunt operates. As Somers put it, Hightower embodies everything Whisenhunt wants from his players. "Tim is versatile, he's tough, and he runs well with the ball," Whisenhunt said. "And we have a lot more information about Tim in different situations than we do with Beanie. The way we've set things up with our team, Beanie's got to earn that. Beanie's working hard to try to do that. That's what you want. ..." And that's fine. Hightower starting by no means precludes Wells from being a Fantasy force as he demonstrated late last season.

8/11 According to the Arizona Republic, undrafted rookie WR Stephen Williams continued to dazzle the crowds watching practices, making several more impressive catches Monday. "He's a playmaker now, huh?" QB Matt Leinart said. "Stephen's doing really well. He's making a name for himself. ..." Fellow WR Steve Breaston, who will be asked to replace Anquan Boldin this season alongside Larry Fitzgerald, said Williams is providing great competition for the likes of rookie Andre Roberts and second-year man Onrea Jones. "That's something we receivers have always had, good healthy competition," Breaston said. "When I got here, we had 'Q,' Larry and 'BJ' (Bryant Johnson) and it's no different this year." That's what you like at a position because whoever does win the job, they've earned it."

8/10 According to CBSSports.com, even though HC Ken Whisenhunt thought RB Beanie Wells (ribs) might be limited in practice Tuesday afternoon, Wells has been involved in everything, including 11-on-11 contact drills. Nobody has hit Wells. According to Arizona Republic staffer Kent Somers, Wells "looks fast."

8/10 According to CBSSports.com, HC Ken Whisenhunt said RB Beanie Wells (ribs) texted him Monday night that he wanted to practice on Tuesday. Whisenhunt added that Wells is sore and has some edema (swelling of soft tissues) after a hit delivered Monday afternoon by SS Hamza Abdullah. Wells was expected to be limited Tuesday in practice. Whisenhunt has not determined whether Wells will play Saturday against the Texans. ... For what it's worth, Whisenhunt said he had no problem with the hit Abdullah delivered on Wells. The coach noted that a few plays earlier, Wells had lowered his shoulder and drilled a DB.

8/10 According to CBSSports.com, RB Beanie Wells sustained a rib injury when he was hit by SS Hamza Abdullah in 11-on-11 drills Monday afternoon. The good news came later in the night. According to the National Football Post, a CT scan revealed that Wells is only sore. "He just got hit on the ribs, and that's football," HC Ken Whisenhunt told Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com. So, NFP staffer Brad Biggs reports, Wells should be ready to roll in a few days.

8/10 HC Ken Whisenhunt has been pleased with what he's seen from new PK Jay Feely. "He's shown me nothing other than my expectations -- maybe even a bit more," Whisenhunt said Monday. "Business-like, very good guy that understands what he has to do. Very tough-minded. I don't think situations are going to bother him."

8/10 Just as TE Anthony Becht (back) returned to practice Monday morning, CBSSports.com reports that TE Dominique Byrd went down with a hamstring injury and is day-to-day. The Cards also expected rookie TE Jim Dray (quad) to practice Monday afternoon -- his first practice since camp opened. ... Amid all the injuries to TEs in this camp, HC Ken Whisenhunt found a positive. "We've gotten to see a healthy Stephen Spach," he said of the oft-injured TE with the nasty streak. "He's really looked good. ..." Also: The Cards waived injured FB Charles Ali (hamstring) and re-signed fullback FB Reagan Maui'a on Monday. Maui'a (6-0, 265) rejoins the Cardinals after being released July 30.

8/10 According to Arizona Republic staffer Kent Somers, Max Hall appears to have the edge over John Skelton for the No. 3 QB job. Hall moved the offense when he played Saturday and it's obvious he played against top-caliber competition in college. Per Somers, Skelton has further to go.

8/10 For now, Tim Hightower continues running with the No. 1 offense, but Chris "Beanie" Wells has gotten reps with the starters. According to AZCardinals.com staffer Darren Urban, it truly feels like a split situation, which is probably how it will be during the season (although Urban is sure Wells will end up with more carries). ... Wells led the Cardinals in rushing last season with 793 yards on 176 carries, a 4.5-yard average. More is expected this season -- even if Hightower remains the starter. As Arizona Republic staffer Kent Somers reminded readers, in the final 10 games of last season, including two in the playoffs, Wells had 47 more carries than Hightower.

8/10 According to the Arizona Republic, QB Matt Leinart had played well in the three practices before Saturday's scrimmage. He struggled Saturday and Republic staffer Kent Somers suggests that Leinart can't afford to keep missing on deep passes to Larry Fitzgerald and Steve Breaston. Somers conceded, however, it's hard to draw too many definitive judgments based on Saturday because the protection was poor. ... Also: Somers joins the list of those praising WR Stephen Williams. Per Somers, "The undrafted rookie from Toledo has size (6-5) and speed. Even better, he appears willing to make difficult catches over the middle. Preseason games will tell us a lot more about him."

8/07 Special Saturday Upate: According to the Associated Press, WR Early Doucet sat out Saturday mornings practice with an abdominal injury. HC Ken Whisenhunt said the move was just precautionary and that he expected Doucet to return to practice soon. The team is off Sunday and will resume training camp Monday. Doucet is expected to be the No. 3 receiver behind Larry Fitzgerald and Steve Breaston. ... Doucet has a history of injuries in his first couple of years in the NFL. He missed time as a rookie with a hamstring injury and then battled a groin injury later in the season. Last season, he missed some time with a rib injury.

8/06 According to Arizona Republic beat writer Kent Somers, RB LaRod Stephens-Howling was impressive in Friday morning's practice, making nice catches and runs as the team worked on its red-zone package. HC Ken Whisenhunt said earlier this week that Stephens-Howling would play a larger role in the offense this year. And he's being counted upon as on of the club's best special teamers. ... "With Sean Morey not being with us, you have a void in the special teams, and that's going to be up to him to step into that role," Whisenhunt said. "I think we'll be certainly pleased with that."

8/06 According got AZCardinals.com staffer Darren Urban, the Cardinals' quest to find a fourth WR behind Larry Fitzgerald, Steve Breaston and Early Doucet should get very interesting in the preseason. ... Third-round pick Andre Roberts has the draft status to have a shot and he has bounced back with two solid days after a rough start to the week. Holdover Onrea Jones was the standout over the offseason. Undrafted rookie Stephen Williams, at 6-5, has shown enough impressive flashes to make people wonder why he wasn't drafted. "It's hard to judge until we get into a game," HC Ken Whisenhunt said. ... But if you had to handicap the WR depth chart Thursday, CBSSports.com suggested the likely order: Fitzgerald, Breaston, Doucet, Jones, Williams and Roberts.

8/06 There's no doubt the Cardinals will be a more balanced offense this year. Former starting QB Kurt Warner was most comfortable in spread formations and empty backfields, but HC Ken Whisenhunt is expected to be more traditional early in the season until Matt Leinart shows he can handle having games in his hands. That being the case, SI.com's Jim Trotter is looking for the running game to excel behind a reconfigured line. Second-year pro Beanie Wells told Trotter he expects to at least double his rookie stats of 793 yards and seven touchdowns and third-year back Tim Hightower is determined not to give up his job after starting 23 of 32 games in his career.

8/05 According to FOXSports.com's Adam Caplan, the MRI results on TE Ben Patrick's injured knee showed no damage to ACL or PCL. The team isn't yet sure about a timetable for his return, however.

8/05 According to CBSSports.com, the initial diagnosis on TE Ben Patrick is a left knee sprain. He'll have an MRI Thursday. Patrick was injured on a crossing route Wednesday night when CB Greg Toler fell on top of him.

8/05 TE Ben Patrick injured his left knee during an often-intense practice Wednesday night. CB Greg Toler jumped on Patrick from behind just as the tight end caught a short pass over the middle. Patrick had to be helped off the field but later was able to put some weight on the knee as he limped along the sideline. According to the Associated Press, general manager Rod Graves said the injury might not be as serious as it first appeared but that wouldn't be determined until further examination. ... Stay tuned.

8/05 According to the Sports Xchange, WR Steve Breaston made some great catches in the team's first practice of training camp -- his first in replacing Anquan Boldin in the starting lineup. He should give the team an explosive threat at that spot. And as Associated Press sports writer Bob Baum pointed out, that will surprise many. After all, Breaston came out of college with pro scouts believing he was a kick and punt returner, at best. Baum went on to remind readers there were questions about his ability as a receiver, and he fell to the fifth round of the 2007 draft. After 132 receptions for more than 1,700 yards the last two seasons, nobody is wondering about that anymore. Now he says he just has to prove he can do it over a 16-game season.

8/04 According to Arizona Republic staff writer Kent Somers, HC Ken Whisenhunt envisions a larger role for running back LaRod Stephens-Howling this year, but we probably won't get a preview of it in the preseason. Stephens-Howling will be a bigger part of the game plan each week, Whisenhunt said. He doesn't want to show too much of that in the preseason. ... Meanwhile, Whisenhunt is pleased so far with the performance of FBs Nehemiah Broughton and Charles Ali. TE Dominique Byrd also is working some in a fullback/H-back role.

8/04 According to AZCardinals.com, Matt Leinart said he’d like to get a little more work in preseason games than maybe a starter normally would. “I know you want to see a lot of guys get work but I think I fit in that mold.” Whisenhunt said he hasn’t made any decision on that, noting Derek Anderson needs to get some reps with the starters too, just because both quarterbacks need to be ready. “Let’s be clear,” HC Ken Whisenhunt said. “My expectation is Matt is the guy.”

8/03 According to CBSSports.com, WR Steve Breaston was limited in practice this morning because of a sore groin. HC Ken Whisenhunt called Breaston's minimal reps a "precautionary measure. ..." Also according to CBS, Whisenhunt was asked about RB Beanie Wells' improvement in pass protection. “He still has a little bit in the sub-protection area to work on," the coach said. "But that’s why we have camp. It’s not something you can pick up looking at a book. You need reps.”

8/03  Initial Issues: The Matt Leinart Era begins. ... Assuming, of course, Leinart is up to the task. But as Arizona Republic staffer Kent Somers reminded readers last week, Leinart will have to play terribly in the preseason to lose his job as Kurt Warner's replacement. Derek Anderson is the backup, and like Leinart, he has been inconsistent through his career. ... But entering his fourth season in HC Ken Whisenhunt's offense, so inexperience is no longer an excuse for failure. Somers went on to suggest, even though a mediocre preseason likely won't cost Leinart the starting job, but it will do nothing to inspire the confidence of his teammates. ... Bottom line? The Cardinals don't have many alternatives. Anderson, a free agent signee from the Browns, has a great arm, but he struggles with accuracy at times. The No. 3 job is up for grabs between rookies John Skelton, a fifth-round pick, and Max Hall, a free agent.

9/02 With most starters watching from the sideline, the Falcons and Jaguars took a last look at players vying for open roster spots. According to the Associated Press, no one really stood out on either team. ... The teams exposed just a few starters to the preseason finale and the Falcons converted just one of their first nine third-down plays. Chris Redman started at QB in place of Matt Ryan and completed 15 of 22 passes for 142 yards. ... (Get complete game stats HERE)

9/02 On Sirius NFL Radio last night, Gil Brandt announced that he’s selecting QB Matt Ryan to win the NFL’s MVP award. “I think he’s going to be a big factor in the success of that team,” Brandt said on the Late Hits show. Brandt, the longtime former personnel man with the Dallas Cowboys, said he had to write a piece for NFL.com and in the article he picking Ryan.

9/01 According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, WR Michael Jenkins, who injured his shoulder on Aug. 6, was doing light work at practice Tuesday, and HC Mike Smith said the timetable for his recovery of four to six weeks is looking on target. "I think he's on track," Smith said. "You guys may have noticed, Mike was catching the ball, throwing the ball. I think that time frame we mentioned when the injury first occurred, I think we're still on schedule for that. ..." As Journal-Constitution staffer Jeff Haws noted, the team never has disclosed the extent of Jenkins' injury. If he misses six weeks, that potentially would have him ready for the Falcons' second game, at home against Arizona on Sept. 19.

8/31 As the Atlanta Journal-Constitution noted Monday, the reserves will get to play a lot in Thursday's exhibition closer against Jackson. And Journal-Constitution staffer D. Orlando Ledbetter believes one of the most interesting battles will be at backup RB. The Falcons probably don't have the luxury of keeping two FBs so Dan Klecko will need to have a good special teams day. Also, RBs Dimitri Nance and Antone Smith are in a fight for the last running back spot.

8/27 As Yahoo! Sports' Jason Cole suggested this morning, Michael Turner has essentially done the one-hit-wonder routine. He gained 1,699 yards and scored 17 touchdowns in the 2008 season after the Falcons signed him as a free agent. Turner helped lead the Falcons and rookie QB Matt Ryan to the playoffs that season. But last year, Turner’s production dropped almost in half as he gained 871 yards and scored 10 touchdowns. He was limited to 11 games because of an ankle injury. According to Cole, Turner said last season’s downfall was about more than an injury. After his strong 2008, during which he carried a league-high 376 times in the regular season, Turner needed some serious rest. “We made the playoffs and then I played in the Pro Bowl and all that was cool,” Turner said. “Then I got home and I was just beat up. I needed to just rest, and I just went into a cave and didn’t come out." But he didn’t come out until it was too late. “I thought I’d just rest, but I was off too long, I got sloppy with my eating, the whole thing,” he told Cole. “By the time I got to training camp, I wasn’t in good shape at all. It wasn’t so much the weight, but my body fat was up. All of camp, I’m trying to catch up. I’m trying to get in football shape while I’m trying to lose weight, and I was just never right. ..." That's not the case this year. As Cole suggested, the 5-10, 244-pound Turner is a rare commodity, a big man who can run like a guy 30 or 40 pounds lighter. Before he got to Atlanta, he had compiled three runs of 70 yards or longer in only 228 carries. But such talent comes with thoroughbred qualities. Despite his size, Turner’s game is dependent on his ability to break away, not simply break tackles. ... Over the past three years, there have been an average of fewer than six backs to get at least 300 carries each season as more and more teams go to the two-back system. From 2000 to 2006, the average was nearly 10 backs a year with at least 300 carries, if not a few with 400. So what about Turner this year? "When you start talking about 400 carries, that’s probably too much,” HC Mike Smith told Cole. “But we definitely want to see Michael getting the big share of the carries. That’s what works for him. ...” Better still, it works for Fantasy owners too.

8/26 According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, RB Jerious Norwood will be on the field for the first time this exhibition season after sitting out the first two games and most of training camp with a hip flexor. He's listed second on the depth chart for Friday's game against the Dolphis -- behind Michael Turner and ahead of Jason Snelling, so he should see a significant number of snaps if he's able to go at full speed. ... The hip flexor is a problem Norwood has repeatedly faced during his NFL career, and his lack of durability was a factor in some questioning whether the Falcons would bring him back this season. QB Matt Ryan said getting Norwood back into the fold will be good for the offense. "I'm happy he's feeling well; he's worked hard during training camp," Ryan said. "Hopefully, we can keep him healthy this week and he can get some of that live speed back."

8/25 The Falcons originally announced that WR Kerry Meier would go on injured reserve, but rookies can't be placed on the list before the 53-man roster has been decided. The Falcons don't have to cut down to 53 players until Sept. 4. “That’s why we haven’t made that move,” HC Mike Smith told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “Some of you all are asking, ‘Are you going to make a move at wide receiver?’ Well, there’s not a roster spot to do it because of the rules of the league. Once [Meier officially goes on IR], there’s the possibility that could [happen].”

8/24 According to SI.com's Peter King, with WR Michael Jenkins an injury question as camp winds down, slot receiver Harry Douglas should be the Falcons' second-most-productive receiver.

8/21 Special Saturday Update: The Falcons' fifth-round pick Kerry Meier, who was off to a great start in training camp, suffered a knee injury against New England on Thursday night and will miss the 2010 season, the team confirmed Friday. According to Atlanta Journal-Constitution staffer D. Orlando Ledbetter, Brian Finneran and Eric Weems have been splitting first-team reps in Michael Jenkins (shoulder) absence. Meier was leading the next group of receivers fighting for a roster spot. Also, undrafted free agents Ryan Wolfe and Brandyn Harvey have looked good in camp. Then there’s Andy Strickland, Tim Buckley and Troy Bergeron, who caught a touchdown pass in the 28-10 loss to New England.

8/20 As the Atlanta Journal-Constitution noted this morning, there been talk in the offseason of Michael Turner catching more passes out of the backfield, and that has proved to be the case early in the preseason. After never having a season with more than six catches, he caught two Thursday and has three in two games. None has taken him far -- he has a total of 15 yards on the catches -- but seeing him effectively catch the ball has to be reason for optimism for the Falcons' passing game. ... Also: Journal-Constitution staffer Jeff Haws suggests just getting onto the field had to be a relief for Harry Douglas. The Falcons WR hadn't played in a game -- exhibition or otherwise -- since the playoff game against Arizona on Jan. 3, 2009. He missed all of last season after tearing his ACL on the sixth day of training camp last year. He caught his first pass late in the first half, from John Parker Wilson on the Falcons' fourth series. He was held for no gain on the play.

8/19 Atlanta has plenty of weapons on offense, but upgrading the defense is considered the key to challenging Super Bowl champion New Orleans in the NFC South. That showed in Thursday night's 28-10 loss to the Patriots. ... As Associated Press sports writer Paul Newberry reported, Matt Ryan and the Atlanta offense looked good on the opening possession, picking up three first downs before the drive stalled. Matt Bryant came on to kick a 46-yard field goal that gave the Falcons a short-lived lead. Ryan directed another solid drive before his night was done. Three more first downs again sent the Falcons into New England territory, but this time Bryant pushed a 47-yard attempt wide of the right upright. ... Ryan was 8 of 13 for 76 yards before giving way to John Parker Wilson, who played the rest of the game. The third-stringer accounted for Atlanta’s only TD on a late 19-yard pass to Troy Bergeron after most of the crowd had headed for home. ... (Get complete game stats HERE)

8/18 Asked by FOXSports.com's Alex Marvez if he intends to play beyond 2010, TE Tony Gonzalez said there is roughly a "50-50" chance he will step away once his 14th season ends. "It is year to year," Gonzalez said after a Monday practice at the Falcons' headquarters. "I could play another three or four years. I know I could. ... There's a lot of different factors. Yeah, I'd probably come back but you never know. I'm going to wait. ..." Marvez suggested that Gonzalez's outlook could hinge on something that has eluded both him and the franchise he now plays for: a Super Bowl victory. "That's the only thing driving me right now," said Gonzalez, who hasn't even won a playoff game since entering the league in 1997 with the Chiefs. ... In the meantime, Gonzalez, whose contract runs through 2011, is expected to play an even bigger role in that quest than last season, when he caught 83 passes for 867 yards and six touchdowns. While those numbers ranked second on the Falcons behind wide receiver Roddy White, Gonzalez finished 2009 with career-lows in receiving average (10.4 yards) and longest catch (27 yards). As Marvez explained, Gonzalez was asked to play a larger role as a run-blocker and used more on shorter routes than in Kansas City, where Gonzalez compiled most of the statistics that leave him just one catch short of becoming the first NFL tight end with 1,000 career receptions. This year, OC Mike Mularkey has tweaked his scheme to feature Gonzalez on more routes that will get him into open space. Good news for those hoping for a little more from Gonzo in what might be his final campaign.

8/18 Following up on a previous item. ... As Atlanta Journal-Constitution staffer D. Orlando Ledbetter reported it, Harry Douglas flashed down the field on a go route. Chris Redman's pass was a little high, and Douglas left his feet not knowing if his surgically repaired left knee would hold up. He caught the would-be touchdown pass in a drill against the New England Patriots on Tuesday and landed awkwardly. He quickly got up and made his way back up the field. ... "I know one thing, it was a big confidence boost for me," Douglas said. "I had to jump up and catch it and then come down. It was a big confidence builder for me, going up and catching the ball." Douglas missed all of last season after suffering a torn ACL early in training camp. He hasn't played since the wild-card playoff game against Arizona on Jan. 3, 2009. He's scheduled to play Thursday night against the Patriots at the Georgia Dome. With starting WR Michael Jenkins out four to six weeks (as of Aug. 8) with a shoulder injury, Douglas' return to action should be a major boost to the passing attack. "I think that was good for his confidence," Matt Ryan said. "He knows that he's feeling better and that he can still make the plays that he used to make two years ago." As a rookie, Douglas was a triple threat for the Falcons. He scored touchdowns rushing, receiving and on a punt return. He caught 23 passes for 320 yards and had 12 rushes for 69 yards. The team seems to have very high expectations this year.8/17 According to CBSSports.com, HC Mike Smith said RB Jerious Norwood (hip flexor) is on track to play in the third preseason game against Miami. Norwood told reporters he's been battling this hip flexor injury for 10 months. "Hopefully we have the problem fixed now so I can put on the pads and play ball," Norwood said. ... Smith realizes what Norwood brings to the Falcons when healthy: "We can line him up at different spots and create mismatches," the coach explained. "He's a guy we want to get back and be a part of this offense. ..." Also: WR Harry Douglas passed his first test with his repaired ACL. In man coverage against the Patriots, Douglas came down with a jump ball. Douglas is expected to play Thursday night against New England.

8/17 According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, WR Harry Douglas is expected to make his pre-season debut against the Patriots this Thursday. Douglas is returning from a torn ACL suffered last summer. His workload has been increasing in practices since training camp began. Expected to be the team's No. 3 WR, Douglas could be busier than expected early on depending on Michael Jenkins return from a shoulder injury. It's still not clear if Jenkins will be available Week 1. ... Also: RB Jerious Norwood (hip) returned to practice Monday.

9/01 Denver traded OT Ty Sambrailo traded to Atlanta for a 2018 fifth-round pick, a source tells NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.

8/31  Matt Simms, third on Atlanta's depth chart, completed 11 of 15 passes for 195 yards in the Falcons exhibition closing 13-7 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. ... Alek Torgersen replaced Simms midway through the fourth quarter. Rookie S Quincy Mauger needed help leaving the field after suffering an apparent knee injury in the third quarter. He was escorted to the locker room a few minutes after leaving the game. ... The Falcons open regular season at Chicago on Sept. 10. ... Get complete stats for the game HERE.

8/30 As most quarterbacks with looming contract negotiations, Matt Ryan was happy to see Matthew Stafford cash in this week. Even if not for his own boat being lifted by the rising tide, Ryan said he was happy for his buddy. “I’m happy for Matthew,” Ryan told D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “Obviously, he’s played really well and on a high level for a long time. I’m happy for him. It’s well-deserved.” Ryan, coming off an MVP season, can say the same of his play. As Profootballtalk.com's Darin Gantt suggests, combined with the natural effects of timing, Ryan’s would seemingly eclipse the $27 million average Stafford established as the new bar for quarterbacks. Ryan has two years left on his deal, at a (relatively) cheap $15.75 million in 2017 and $19.25 million in 2018. The Falcons have acknowledged that an extension’s something they’re looking at, likely before next season. "And," as Gantt summed up, "when that happens, Stafford will be able to be happy for his pal, whom he helped get even richer."

8/29 According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, HC Dan Quinn said RB Devonta Freeman has been fully cleared from his concussion to return to practice.

8/28 Devonta Freeman, who is in the NFL’s concussion protocol, is set to return to practice on Monday, head coach Dan Quinn said on Sunday. “Devonta Freeman, you’ll see back,” Quinn said a day after an exhibition game loss to the Cardinals. “He’ll return to play (Monday) in some individual (drills). So, that part is good from an injury standpoint.” Freeman is the final stages of the league’s five-step concussion protocol. He left practice Aug. 13 and has not practiced since. “He’s still going through the protocol and part of that is returning to practice,” Quinn said. “He’ll do some individual work…. He’ll start the return to play process with us beginning (on Monday).” The Falcons’ exhibition finale is scheduled for Thursday at home against the Jaguars and Quinn has already declared Freeman out for the game.

8/26 As ESPN.com's Vaughn McClure reported, the Atlanta Falcons opened the $1.5 billion Mercedes-Benz Stadium with a 24-14 loss to the Arizona Cardinals. Defensive linemen Jack Crawford and Takk McKinley were the stars of the game for the Falcons with intense pressure. But the offense fell flat in the stadium unveiling. Matt Ryan's pass on the Falcons' first play was intercepted by Tyrann Mathieu. ... Julio Jones saw his first game action since March foot surgery but was targeted just once and didn't have a catch. He has made a full recovery from offseason foot surgery and was targeted on a long pass from Ryan in the first quarter. Ryan couldn't connect on the deep balls like he wanted but was happy to get Jones and Taylor Gabriel back on the field. Ryan, sharp in limited playing time in the first two preseason games for the Falcons (0-3), completed only 4 of 11 passes for 36 yards. Palmer completed 8 of 13 passes for 86 yards and a touchdown. ... Rookie RB Brian Hill, competing with Terron Ward for a backup spot, left in the third quarter with an ankle injury. Backup OT Kevin Graf also suffered an ankle injury. ... RB Devonta Freeman (concussion protocol) did not play. He was on the field but not in uniform for pregame drills. ... Get complete stats for the game HERE.

8/25 According to ESPN.com's Vaughn McClure, Julio Jones will get "a few" reps in Saturday's exhibition against the Cardinals. Jones, who had foot surgery in March, did not play in the first two exhibitions.

8/25 According to AJC.com's D. Orlando Ledbetter, rookie RB Brian Hill hasn’t shown much in two games. He has 24 yards rushing on 16 carries. Hill finished his runs stronger against the Steelers and played hard. He also must show that he can handle special-teams duties. “He’s giving really good effort,” special-teams coordinator Keith Armstrong said. “I can’t say enough about his effort. He’s a smart kid. He’s very detailed. He’s trying to do it the right way. Every week, these young guys are getting a little bit better. ..." Meanwhile, WR Marvin Hall dropped a potential touchdown pass on a nice throw from backup quarterback Matt Simms against the Steelers. He has been targeted eight times and caught just two passes. He looks like an NFL player, but this is his third stop. “Marvin Hall did a good job (at gunner) last week, and Reggie Davis had a nice release last week,” Armstrong said. “There are two young guys who ended up showing up, and it was against the Steelers good group, so that’s always good.” The fact we're discussing the special teams work of both are indicative of their tenuous grip on roster spots.

8/23 According to AJC.com's D. Orlando Ledbetter, HC Dan Quinn just finished up his press conference before the team takes the field on Wednesday. He said running back Devonta Freeman is getting closer to returning and that he’s running at full speed. However, he will not play against the Cardinals Saturday. “He has a visit with the independent part of the protocol coming up here soon,” Quinn said. “He won’t play in this ball game. He won’t practice today. He’s back up to full speed running. But it’s soon that he’ll be back to full speed in practice. But you won’t see him suited up this weekend. ..." Sounds like those of us counting on Freeman as our RB1 can expect him to be ready when it counts come Week 1.

8/22 According to AJC.com's D. Orlando Ledbetter, HC Dan Quinn said RB Devonta Freeman is in the final stages of the concussion protocol. Don't expect him to play this week, however. Meanwhile, Quinn will “consider” playing All-Pro wide receiver Julio Jones against Arizona at Saturday. Jones is recovering from foot surgery and has not played in the two previous exhibition games. “He had a good week last week and did a bunch in the pre-game,” Quinn said Tuesday. “If he looks good and wants to get some (action) in this week and keeps progressing like he has, that would be something that we would be consider.” Jones announced himself fully recovered from offseason foot surgery on Monday, Aug. 14. “I’m in shape. I’m ready to go,” Jones said. Still, Jones did not play against Pittsburgh. We'll see if that changes this weekend.

8/20 Matt Ryan led the Falcons to a touchdown in his only series in Sunday's 17-13 exhibition loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. ... In two series during the preseason, Ryan, the 2016 NFL's Most Valuable Player and Offensive Player of the Year, has gone 6 of 8 for 88 yards with a touchdown and a 123.6 passer rating. ... Tevin Coleman got the start at running back for the Falcons with Devonta Freeman previously ruled out with a concussion. But the Falcons' primary backfield focus was the competition for the third running back spot. Terron Ward, who ran for 48 yards against Miami, was strong again Sunday. He finished with nine carries for 37 yards and a touchdown. Ward ran for 151 yards in five games last season. Fifth-round pick Brian Hill rushed for 14 yards on seven carries. The former Wyoming product player also struggled in the team's first preseason game against Miami, gaining 10 yards on nine carries. Ryan completed 4-of-6 passes for 57 yards. And key to the drives was pass protection from backs Coleman and Ward. ... As previously noted, this game is expected to be a determining factor in who wins the RB3 job here. ... Julio Jones was held out for the second straight preseason game following offseason foot surgery. Jones, who has reported no problems in his recovery, has been limited in training camp. The two-time All-Pro caught 136 passes in 2015, second-most in NFL history, and finished with 1,409 receiving yards last season. Freeman (concussion) was previously ruled out in what coach Dan Quinn described as a precaution. Quinn previously said the injury is not expected to be a long-term issue. Freeman, the league's highest-paid running back, has rushed for 1,000 yards in back-to-back seasons. He caught a 15-yard touchdown pass in the Falcon's first preseason game. ... Get complete stats for the game HERE.

8/18 According to ESPN.com's Vaughn McClure, HC Dan Quinn said Julio Jones will be out Sunday when the Falcons take on the Steelers. The coach is still undecided on Taylor Gabriel, who has been nursing a leg injury.

8/18 Rookie running back Brian Hill is still adjusting to the speed of the NFL as he tries to win a backup job with the Falcons. As the Associated Press reports, the problem is there isn't much time in the preseason for Hill to make that adjustment. Hill and Terron Ward are considered the favorites to win a backup job behind Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman. Freeman, who left last Sunday's practice with concussion symptoms, won't play in this Sunday's preseason game at Pittsburgh. HC Dan Quinn said Wednesday he expects Freeman, to be cleared from the concussion protocol "the next couple days." Hill, a fifth-round pick from Wyoming, was too tentative in last week's preseason opener at Miami, when he ran for only 10 yards on nine carries. But Hill impressed Quinn on special teams against Miami. Ward, who ran for 48 yards, was better at finishing runs. The Falcons want their running backs to be decisive and headed up the field after one cut. There is no room in the team's blocking schemes for what Quinn called the "stutter" in Hill's runs against the Dolphins. Hill must show a more aggressive style in Sunday's game at Pittsburgh or risk falling behind Ward and possibly others. So now, Hill (6-1, 219) needs a bounce-back game to show he can be a complement to Freeman and Coleman, who is expected to start against the Steelers, but the emphasis will be the competition for the No. 3 job.

8/17 As AJC.com's Michael Cunningham reminded readers, the record-breaking Falcons offense of 2016 pushed aside memories of the sputtering Falcons offense of 2015. Matt Ryan followed what might have been his worst season with his first league MVP campaign. OC Kyle Shanahan went from oft-criticized play-caller to prime head-coach candidate. The Falcons said they were so much better on offense in 2016 because they better meshed in Year 2 of what was a significantly different system. The Falcons have a new coordinator again in 2017, but the difference is that Steve Sarkisian is sticking with many of the same principles and philosophies that Shanahan installed in 2015, and all of the player personnel are suited for the scheme. Those factors are making for an easier transition to a new coordinator, Ryan said Wednesday. “It kind of reminds me of transitioning from Mike Mularkey to Dirk Koetter, where it was the same offense really for me,” Ryan said, referencing Shananan’s two predecessors as offensive coordinator. “Same terminology, and it was kind of the coordinator adjusting to the group of guys that are here. From a player’s standpoint, certainly there’s a lot of continuity and it makes it a lot easier, the learning curve.” Cunningham explained whereas Shanahan introduced the outside-zone run scheme to the Falcons, Sarkisian is adopting that basic approach for his offense. It took Ryan time to be more comfortable with the steady diet of bootleg play-action passes that Shanahan favored, but Ryan mastered them last season. The Falcons played at a fast pace in 2016, and Sarkisian wants to do the same. That would be fine with fantasy owners. In 2016 the Falcons scored the seventh-most points in NFL history (540, tied with the 2000 Rams). Ryan and wide receiver Julio Jones were named to the AP All-Pro team, and those two plus center Alex Mack and running back Devonta Freeman were voted to the Pro Bowl. But expect some new wrinkles. In past jobs Sarkisian favored perimeter screens, with the quarterback having the option to check out of runs for them. They didn't run many of those under Shanahan. Still, it’s the things that will remain the same under Sarkisian that suggest the Falcons will keep rolling on offense without much trouble. And that's a positive.

8/16 HC Dan Quinn said he believes running back Devonta Freeman will finish the NFL-mandated concussion protocol over “the next couple of days” before returning to practice. “I don’t have an update as of yet, but I’m thinking that would be soon,” Quinn said Wednesday. “It’s not going to be a long-term issue.” Freeman was forced to leave Sunday’s practice and was placed in the protocol Monday. The protocol is a five-step return-to-play process that starts once a player has been diagnosed with a concussion. Freeman will not play when the Falcons face the Steelers in an exhibition game Sunday in Pittsburgh. Freeman had a 15-yard touchdown reception during the 23-20 exhibition loss at Miami on Thursday.

8/16 Devonta Freeman is sidelined with a concussion at the moment and that injury may have led the team to make an addition to their backfield on Wednesday. HC Dan Quinn announced that the team has signed Jhurell Pressley as a free agent. B.J. Daniels, who has flopped between quarterback and wide receiver over the course of his career and was listed as a wideout in Atlanta, was waived/injured to free up a roster spot. ... According to Profootballtalk.com, Pressley signed with the Vikings as an undrafted rookie last year and scored a pair of touchdowns in the team’s final preseason game. He didn’t make the club, though, and had a brief stint in Green Bay after being claimed on waivers that didn’t feature any regular season action. Pressley later made his way to the Falcons’ practice squad and now he’s back for another shot at sticking on a 53-man roster.

8/14 According to AJC.com's D. Orlando Ledbetter, the Falcons increased practice time for wide receiver Julio Jones on Sunday. The All-Pro wide receiver is recovering from offseason foot surgery. He had been working for five plays or under in the team’s 11-on-11 drills. Jones did not play in the exhibition opener against the Dolphins and is not expected to play until the third exhibition game. “It was great for us and the team, getting (Julio) back in,” Falcons coach Dan Quinn said. “He put the work in on the rehab front. He looked fast. He looked explosive. He was somewhere the six to eight (play range). We’ll go a few more than that.” The Falcons are being careful with Jones before they cut him loose. “They way, the style and intensity with which he practice with, it was good to have him back in the mix today, especially in the red zone,” Quinn said.

8/14 According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, RB Devonta Freeman is in the concussion protocol and won’t play in Sunday’s preseason game. ... We'll follow up as needed.

8/13 According to Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com, Devonta Freeman had to leave practice early and get an IV after having heat-related issues. It’s the second time during camp he’s had to leave practice early.

“He had some heat stuff that he dealt with from the first practice and again today,” HC Dan Quinn said. “I didn’t get a chance to go in and see him yet, but I’ll find out.” While the temperature may have been “only” 90, the humidity pushed the heat index over 100, and as Profootballtalk.com suggests, it’s hard for a lot of people to exert themselves when the air is practically steam.

8/11 According to Associated Press sports writer Steven Wine, now the NFL's highest-paid running back, Devonta Freeman looked the part in a brief appearance Thursday night, scoring on a 15-yard reception from Matt Ryan as the Atlanta Falcons lost to the Miami Dolphins 23-20. ... Freeman, who agreed to terms Wednesday on a $41.25 million, five-year contract extension, scored to cap the Falcons' first preseason possession. New offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian’s unit drove 36 yards for the touchdown after a 39-yard punt return by newcomer Andre Roberts. ... The Falcons, who blew a 28-3 advantage against New England in last season's Super Bowl, this time let a 20-10 fourth-quarter lead get away. Starters for both teams saw little or no action. Ryan played one series and went 3 for 3, hitting three receivers for 32 yards. His touchdown pass came on fourth and 1, when he faked a handoff to Freeman, who then circled out of the backfield to make the catch in the flat and score untouched. According to ESPN.com's Vaughn McClure, Ryan was in "midseason form." Ryan showed good footwork on misdirection plays, and his linemen stood up strong. But the Falcons were on their third quarterback before the first quarter ended. Matt Bryant, who's entering his 16th season, missed a 47-yard field goal attempt for Atlanta, while second-year pro Mike Meyer made kicks of 30 and 53 yards. Also according to McClure, Terron Ward took a step ahead in the No.3 running back race with a nifty 26-yard run, a 3-yard touchdown and a nice blitz pickup. And finally. ... First-round draft pick Takkarist McKinley and receivers Julio Jones and Taylor Gabriel sat out. HC Dan Quinn hopes to get Jones (foot surgery) and Gabriel (lower leg) back into action going into next week. ... Get complete stats for the game HERE.

8/9 According to the Sports Xchange, HC Dan Quinn was impressed by the offensive line in camp on Sunday morning, especially in how it performed in the run game. "I was looking for a real intent in the run game and I saw a few of those take place where there was some good room for (Devonta Freeman) especially on a couple runs," Quinn said. "I thought they did a good job in the last camp of blocking and screening the offensive line. ..." For what it's worth, Quinn said running backs Brian Hill and Terron Ward caught his attention for the running back spot during the drills as well.

8/9 As NFL Network's Mike Silver first reported, the Falcons and two-time Pro Bowl running back Devonta Freeman have agreed to a five-year contract extension that makes him the NFL's highest-paid running back. It includes $41.25 million in new money. The Falcons subsequently confirmed the news. ... The former Florida State standout will take home an annual average of $8.25 million over the life of the deal. That's more than any other running back, pending Le’Veon Bell's anticipated acceptance of a one-year, $12.1-million offer from the Pittsburgh Steelers. (The Steelers used their franchise tag on Bell, but he has thus far declined to sign and remains away from training camp.) Freeman has scored 27 touchdowns over the past two seasons. During that time, he also pumped out 127 receptions to accompany back-to-back 1,000-yard rushing seasons. Freeman will continue to serve as the lead back in a tandem backfield along with Tevin Coleman. Last season the two proved to be extremely dangerous and extremely productive. Coleman and Freeman combined to amass 2,502 yards from scrimmage. They rushed for 1,599 yards and 19 touchdowns. They also caught 85 passes for 883 yards and five touchdowns. Heading into this year's fantasy drafts, Freeman is going to be the more expensive of the two, but that doesn't mean he won't meet value.

8/9 According to NFL Network's Mike Silver, Devonta Freeman and the Falcons have agreed to a five-year contract extension that makes him the NFL's highest-paid running back. Freeman will reportedly make $41.25 million over the life of his new five-year extension. ... We’ll follow up as further details come to light.

8/9 The Falcons are passing the baton at tight end from Jacob Tamme to Austin Hooper, a second-year player. The Falcons elected not to re-sign Tamme, in part because of Hooper's promise. With Levine Toilolo and Joshua Perkins, the tight-end group was productive in 2016, catching 10 touchdowns passes: Tamme (three), Hooper (three), Toilolo (two), Perkins one) and D.J. Tialavea (one). In the playoffs, Hooper caught six passes for 65 yards and one touchdown. Toilolo caught three passes for 31 yards. Toilolo will remain a key cog in the run game and in pass protection, but expect Hooper to be a greater factor as a receiver.

8/8 HC Dan Quinn told reporters that wideouts Julio Jones (toe) and Taylor Gabriel (leg) will not play on Thursday against the Dolphins.

What we know: The Falcons were the most prolific scoring offense in the league last season. Matt Ryan was the NFL's Offensive MVP after tossing touchdown passes to 13 different players. The backfield is loaded with Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman both capable of delivering high-end fantasy production. The receiving corps, led by Julio Jones, Mohamed Sanu and Taylor Gabriel, create problems for opposing defensive coordinators. Austin Hooper is a breakout candidate and tight end. So we know this offense is loaded.

What we think: The high-end production will continue despite the departure of offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan. His replacement, Steve Sarkisian, is expected to run the same scheme with just a few new wrinkles. We think those wrinkles will be positive (one stated goal is getting Jones more involved in the red-zone offense). But we're not 100 percent sure. It's something to watch.

Initial Issues/Injuries Of Interest: Jones, who underwent off-season surgery to remove a bunion from his foot, is easing himself back into work. There's no reason to believe he won't be good to go come Week 1 at this point. ... WR Devin Fuller is out for the season with a torn ACL. 9/05 Julio Jones is going to ease into the week, but should be ready by Sunday. Via the team’s official website, HC Dan Quinn said that both his star wideout and running back Terron Ward would be limited in practice today, but should be full participants Wednesday. Jones has been bothered by an ankle injury since the Week 3 preseason game against the Dolphins in Orlando. But full participation Wednesday would be a good sign for Sunday’s game against the Buccaneers.

9/04 A day after being waived by the Browns, wide receiver Taylor Gabriel was claimed by the Falcons. As Profootballtalk.com notes, in Atlanta Gabriel is reunited with offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan, under whom he played in 2014 as an undrafted rookie. Gabriel could end up getting a chance to handle return duties for the Falcons. Gabriel, who’s just 5-foot-8, has played in 29 games over his two NFL seasons and has caught 64 passes. He returned four kickoffs as a rookie.

9/02 The Falcons have begun the process of trimming their roster to the 53-man limit by releasing OLB Max Starr, K Shayne Graham, OT Bryce Harris, DE Nordly Capi, OT Laurence Gipson, DE Malliciah Goodman, DT Cory Johnson, CB Devonte Johnson, S Damian Parms, OL Collin Rahrig, WR Corey Washington and LB Matt Wells. That leaves the team with nine more moves to make in advance of Saturday's 4 p.m. ET deadline.

9/02 Matt Bryant will keep his job as Falcons' kicker. Veteran Shayne Graham will be released, a source tells NFL Network's Mike Garafolo.

9/02 He didn't play Thursday night in the Falcons' 17-15 win over the Jaguars, but Julio Jones' mere presence on the field during pregame warm-ups was a good sign for the Falcons heading into the regular season. As ESPN.com's Vaughn McClure reminded readers, Jones injured an ankle during last week's third preseason game against Miami in Orlando. He was nowhere to be seen during practice Sunday through Tuesday, so Thursday was his first time back in front of the public eye since the injury. Vaughn went on to report that Jones went through a light workout with the other receivers, fielding passes from Matt Ryan and testing his ability to turn, pivot and accelerate up the field. He did it at half speed, but told HC Dan Quinn that he was encouraged. "He looked good today," Quinn said of Jones. "He had confidence in it. He jumped some and landed on it, felt good. For him to come to me and say he was very excited about how he felt, and still have another three days of treatment to get better, he is very, very encouraged. And I am, too. ..." Quinn said Jones will "certainly be close" to full practice come Monday as the Falcons start preparation for the Sept. 11 season opener against Tampa Bay at the Georgia Dome.

9/02 Terron Ward ran for two touchdowns, possibly clinching his roster spot, and the Falcons beat the Jaguars 17-15 on Thursday night in each team's final preseason game. ... Ward missed the last two games with an ankle sprain but returned just in time to show he can be the team's third running back, behind Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman. He ran for 62 yards on 22 carries. ... Matt Ryan handed off to Freeman on Atlanta's first play. Both jogged off the field after Freeman's 3-yard gain, ending possibly the shortest stints of their careers. A few Falcons starters had only slightly more playing time. ... Matt Schaub, who played behind Ryan, completed his only attempt for 5 yards for Atlanta before Matt Simms played the remainder of the game. Simms completed 16 of 23 passes for 217 yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions. The Falcons finished the preseason with a 3-1. ... According to the Associated Press, it was a tough night for Austin Hooper, the third-round pick from Stanford who had another pass off his hands intercepted in the first quarter. Hooper also drew a penalty as an ineligible man downfield on a punt. Hooper, the top backup to starter Jacob Tamme, is one of five tight ends on the roster. He could fall behind D.J. Tialavea on the depth chart. The other tight ends are Levine Toilolo and Joshua Perkins. ... Special teams coach Keith Armstrong said it would be a kicking competition between veterans Matt Bryant and Shayne Graham, with Bryant slowed by muscle tightness this preseason. Well, Bryant returned to the lineup Thursday night and made a 27-yard field goal along with two extra points. Graham missed a 32-yard field goal wide left in the third quarter. His attempt was pushed back five yards following a delay-of-game penalty. Still, the Falcons expect both kickers to be 100 percent under 40 yards. Bryant, who kicked well in practice leading up to the game, should get the nod. ... FB Will Ratelle, re-signed on Wednesday, needed help leaving the field with an ankle injury following his 15-yard catch in the second quarter. ... S Robenson Therezie (hand) DT Joey Mbu (hand) were listed as questionable after leaving in the third quarter. ... You can get complete statistics for this game HERE.

8/29 The Falcons made the following cuts to get their roster down to the 75-man limit in advance of Tuesday's deadline: S Sergio Brown, OL Michael Huey, RB Gus Johnson, WR Jordan Leslie, TE Arthur Lynch, LB Ivan McLennan, QB Sean Renfree, CB Ryan White, DL Brandon Williams.

8/28 Julio Jones (ankle) did not participate during Sunday's practice, the team announced. The injury doesn't seem to be serious but a cautious approach is understandable. We'll continue to follow up as needed.

8/26 Rookie safety Keanu Neal said after Thursday’s game that he thought he would be ready to play in the regular season opener after hurting his knee against the Dolphins. An MRI said otherwise, however. According to multiple reports, the test determined that Neal suffered damage to the knee that will require arthroscopic surgery. Neal is scheduled to have the surgery on Monday. He is expected to miss 3-4 weeks, which will keep him from playing in the team’s Week One home game against the Buccaneers at the very least. The Falcons travel to Oakland and New Orleans for their next two games before returning home to host the Panthers. As Profootballtalk.com notes, Kemal Ishmael and Robenson Therezie are the second-string safeties on the Falcons depth chart behind Neal and Ricardo Allen.

8/26 Quarterback Matt Ryan took a step back from his showing last week against Cleveland during Thursday night's 17-6 loss to the Miami Dalphins. ... Ryan completed 12 of 22 passes for 129 yards, no touchdowns and one interception. In his only trip into the red zone in two full quarters, Ryan threw an interception in the middle of the end zone to Dolphins safety Reshad Jones after moving the offense to the Miami 8 in the second quarter. According to ESPN.com's Vaughn McClure, a veteran NFL scout summed up Matt Ryan's showing Thursday night with a few simple words. "Matt looked bad," the scout said. "No poise." To put it simply, Ryan still looks uncomfortable in Year 2 of Kyle Shanahan's offense despite professing otherwise. His best throw Thursday was a 36-yard hookup with speedy Aldrick Robinson down the right sideline. ... The Falcons couldn't get much going and wide receiver Julio Jones left in the second quarter with an ankle injury. Jones appeared to get banged up after bumping into Dolphins cornerback Bobby McCain while trying to field a Ryan deep ball. Jones limped to the sideline immediately after the play, which drew a 44-yard pass interference penalty on McCain. Jones received medical attention, then appeared to lobby HC Dan Quinn for a return to the game. ... Receiver Mohamed Sanu had two catches for 19 yards on three targets during the first three quarters, while Justin Hardy had just one catch for 11 yards in four targets as the two compete for the No. 2 receiver spot. According to McClure, Hardy made a nice grab near the sideline before exiting with the ankle injury. The play was ruled out of bounds, but it certainly looked like Hardy came up with the catch, although the call wasn't challenged. The point is, Hardy can make a tough catch. Just give him the opportunity. ... Backup Matt Schau went 10-for-11 passing for 109 yards on Thursday. Also on the injury front. ... First-round draft pick Keanu Neal exited before Jones with what was called a knee injury. The strong safety was hurt late in the first quarter after missing an attempted tackle of Dolphins running back Arian Foster. He remained on the ground for a moment and appeared to favor his right leg. He then was helped off the field by several members of the athletic-performance staff. Neal was checked out on the bench briefly, then exited to the locker room under his own power. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported late Thursday night that Neal was telling teammates he believes he’ll be OK and ready to play in the season opener vs. the Buccaneers. The also Falcons saw defensive end Adrian Clayborn leave because of a shoulder injury. The team already was down one defensive end with Dwight Freeney (shoulder) not making the trip. ... You can get complete statistics for this game HERE.

8/25 With first-round rookie safety Keanu Neal already being evaluated for a knee injury, starting receiver Julio Jones has an ankle injury. The only good news is that he hasn’t gone to the locker room, which suggests it’s not serious. Defensive end Adrian Clayborn has been taken to the locker room for X-rays on his shoulder. Which sounds a lot more ominous than the Jones injury.

8/25 According to ESPN.com's Vaughn McClure, "Julio Jones is, of course, the non-QB MVP of the Falcons. In fact, Jones is the MVP of the Falcons, period, as the best player on the team. ..." A reasonable argument. Jones had the second-highest single-season receiving total in NFL history last year with 1,871 receiving yards. His combination of size, speed and athleticism is unmatched at the receiver position.

8/24 The Falcons will head to Orlando to play the Miami Dolphins in a preseason game on Thursday looking for both the offense and defense to perform better in the red zone. "We've had six red-zone trips and scored (touchdowns) on half of them," HC Dan Quinn said. "We want that number to be up. Defensively, we've let them down there three times and they've scored twice. That's an area of emphasis for us heading into the game. Can we play better red-zone ball?" In 2015, Quinn's first as a head coach, the Falcons ranked 17th in offensive red-zone percentage (54.7) and tied for 26th in defensive red-zone percentage (62.2). The red zone is the area of the field inside the 20-yard lines but, more specifically, Quinn said he wants to see better execution in what the Falcons call the "deep red zone," inside the 12-yard line. "Some of the (receiver) routes change because of the field position," Quinn said Tuesday. "That's the biggest thing is the awareness of how to play based on how long the field is now. It was a good session for us this week." We'll see if that carries over to the game tomorrow night.

8/24 According to ESPN.com's Vaughn McClure, second-year back Tevin Coleman could be a breakout star for the Falcons even as the complement to Pro Bowler Devonta Freeman. McClure explained that coaches love Coleman's big-play potential as a guy capable of taking it to the house with every touch. Coleman, who began last season as the starter, averaged 4.5 yards per carry last season. The Falcons also hope to utilize Coleman's explosive speed in the return game as a kickoff returner. He just needs to stay healthy and avoid fumbles.

8/23 Matt Ryan turned in a strong showing and was sharp and crisp with his passes in the team's second exhibition game. Ryan was 0-for-4 in the exhibition opener and had just two three-and-outs. The offense fluently moved the ball against the Cleveland Browns and Ryan spread passes around to his top weapons, including the newly acquired wide receiver Mohamed Sanu. Ryan was pleased with the play of Sanu, who ran with power after his catches. "I thought he did a nice job of making plays after the ball was in his hands," Ryan said. "He was fighting for every yard that he could get. There was one on a little short route to the right that he caught and battled for another 5 or 6 yards after contact. Obviously, he had the long one up the middle. I think he's a talented guy. I think he's a strong guy and he did a nice job for us tonight." In addition to getting Sanu involved, running back Devonta Freeman added a red-zone touchdown run. "That's what Devonta brings to the table," Ryan said. "He did that all last year for us. He's elusive after he gets the ball in his hands. It's tough for those first guys to bring him down because he's so smooth with the ball in his hands. He did a nice job. I thought our offensive line did a great job the entire night. Those were the guys who really got it going for us." Julio Jones is looking forward to playing more in the third exhibition game against Miami in Orlando on Thursday. "We have to keep building," Jones said. "We have to take from this game. We have some corrections that we have to clean up. But other that than, we just have to keep moving forward. Just working off each other and feeding off of each other." Ryan plans to keep the offense in high gear against the Dolphins in the all-important third exhibition game. "The third week is usually your dress rehearsal for what the season is going to be like," Ryan said. "We'll have an opportunity to practice during the week the way that we will during the regular season. We'll game plan for the first time this year. It will be a good dry run."

8/20 The Falcons announced they signed Shayne Graham Saturday, releasing undrafted rookie kicker Nick Rose to make room for him. Graham was with the Falcons last year as well, when he came in the replace an injured Matt Bryant. Bryant has been sidelined lately with some muscle tightness. As Profootballtalk.com notes, Graham has also done two tours of duty with the Saints, and was a Panther earlier in his career. He’s also played for the Seahawks, Bills, Bengals, Ravens (twice), Giants, Patriots, Washington, Cowboys, Dolphins, Texans, Browns and Steelers.

8/19 According to ESPN.com's Vaughn McClure, Devonta Freeman was down on himself after last week's preseason opener against the Redskins, hanging his head in the Falcons' locker room while wondering how he dropped what could have been a touchdown. Freeman was eager to atone for the mistake. He did so Thursday night with a 19-yard touchdown run against the Cleveland Browns, capping a nine-play, 71-yard initial drive for the first-team offense. Freeman made a nice cut and made a defender or two miss while his offensive line did a solid job blocking. ... In general, the offense flowed a lot more smoothly than it did last week, when Matt Ryan couldn't complete a pass and the first-teamers couldn't manager better than two three-and-outs in limited work. Thursday -- an eventual 24-13 Falcons victory -- was more of the type of flow expected from an offense Ryan said should be capable of scoring 30 points per game. Freeman was a big part of it with four rushes for 42 yards and that score. It's momentum the Falcons want to take into next Thursday night's matchup against Miami in Orlando -- the preseason game where the starters see their most extensive playing time. ... Ryan rebounded from last week's 0 for 4 showing by completing 6-of-11 passes for 78 yards. He got the ball out quickly and his throws were on point, including one on the run to Julio Jones down the field. Backup Matt Schaub missed on his first two passes then completed eight passes in a row and directed a scoring drive. Matt Simms entered after Schaub rather than Sean Renfree, although Renfree has been third up in the rotation. Simms threw a dart on a touchdown pass to rookie Devin Fuller, but Simms also lost a fumble after taking a sack. Renfree came in for the final four minutes. Receiver Mohamed Sanu had a nice catch and run over the middle for a 32-yard gain. ... Also according to McClure, undrafted rookie running back Brandon Wilds continues to impress. He made folks missed, tip-toed the sideline, then leaped in the air for a 32-yard touchdown run -- his second touchdown run in as many weeks. Wilds has a legitimate shot to land the No. 3 running back spot behind Freeman and Tevin Coleman, especially with third-stringer Terron Ward (ankle) sidelined by injury. But Wilds has to carve out a niche on special teams. Johnson and Cyrus Gray aren't out of the picture yet, either. ... According to the Associated Press, PK Nick Rose handled all of the team's kicking duties because of injuries. PK Matt Bryant didn't play because of tightness, according to the team. P Matt Bosher left the game with a chest injury after taking a big hit from LB Tank Carder covering a kick. DE/LB Vic Beasley (shoulder), Ward and S Kemal Ishmael (shoulder) were also out.

8/16 While Matt Ryan struggled over two series, backup quarterback Matt Schaub put on a passing clinic in the exhibition opener against Washington laste Thursday. Ryan did not move the ball against Washington as he had two three-and-outs and was 0-for-4 passing before he left the game and was replaced by Schaub. The first-team offense, which included key free-agent signees center Alex Mack and wide receiver Mohamed Sanu, was in some tough spots. "Obviously tough field position to start with, we've got to do a better job of being able to punch that and change the field position," Ryan said of the opening drive, which started at Atlanta's 2-yard line. "It's a great learning experience for us and something we can improve on as we get into practice next week." As the Sports Xchange suggests, Mack's debut went well. "I thought our offensive line did a nice job," Ryan said. "We've got to make some plays on the outside to keep those drives going and that's something we can improve on, but I think our guys up front did a nice job. ..." Ryan was undaunted by the performance. "Just got to get back out there and keep working, that was our first opportunity to go out and do it live," Ryan said. "We weren't as good as we wanted to be, but we've got a long way to go and a lot of time to improve."

8/12 Making a successful return to his first NFL home, Matt Schaub passed for 179 yards, leading three scoring drives, and the Falcons beat the Redskins 23-17 on Thursday night. ... Schaub began his career with the Falcons as Michael Vick's backup from 2004-06. He played seven seasons as Houston's starter and the past two years with Baltimore and Oakland. Schaub, 35, played most of the first half and solidified his status as Matt Ryan's top backup. After Matt Ryan was 0 for 4 and could not manage a first down on two possessions, Schaub moved the offense by finding Aldrick Robinson for long passes of 47 and 68 yards. Schaub completed 10 of 15 passes for 179 yards, giving Atlanta a 13-3 halftime lead. Ryan threw a short pass to Julio Jones too low, then fired too high to Jones on another. And coming into the game, Ryan had stressed the importance of a fast start to help jumpstart the offense in preparation for the regular season. Sean Renfree and Matt Simms followed Schaub in the rotation. ... According to ESPN.com's Vaughn McClure, Robinson deserves a closer look in multiple-receiver packages after running circles around his former team. Robinson, a new speedy deep threat for Ryan, caught three passes for 118 yards, including a 68-yarder that set up a touchdown and a 47-yarder that set up a field goal. Robinson's blazing speed had Redskins cornerback Quinton Dunbar spinning in all directions. Robinson certainly helped Schaub pad his stats. ... Rookie J.D. McKissic returned a kickoff 101 yards for a touchdown to open the second half. McKissic could use special teams to help him earn a roster spot at receiver. He had a 14-yard punt return in the fourth quarter after his big kickoff return. ... RB Brandon Wilds had nine carries for 25 yards, including a 1-yard scoring run. According to the Associated Press, S Kemal Ishmael left with a shoulder injury. There was no immediate update on the severity of the injury. ... Rookie S Keanu Neal (trunk), TE Levine Toilolo (hand) and RB Terron Ward (ankle) were held out.

8/11 According to the Sports Xchange, TE Levine Toilolo, who was the No. 2 tight end last season, is listed as the third tight end behind Jacob Tamme and rookie Austin Hooper. He has a hand injury. ... Hooper is a player worth watching this month.

8/10 Following up on the previous item. ... QB Matt Ryan is expected to play just one series in the exhibition opener against Washington on Thursday. In addition, RB Tevin Coleman returned to practice after missing two days with a minor foot injury. TE Levine Toilolo (right hand) returned to practice after missing one day. RB Terron Ward (ankle) missed the past two practices while recovering from his injury. HC Dan Quinn said Ward was "day to day. ... And finally: The Falcons on Wednesday announced the signing of veteran running back Cyrus Gray. A sixth-round pick of the Chiefs in 2012, Gray played in 35 games for the Chiefs from 2012-14 as a backup running back and special teams player. The Chiefs released Gray in June 2015 and he was out of football last season. He signed a futures contract with the Broncos in January but was cut in late July.

8/10 Julio Jones has eased into training camp and is gearing up toward the regular season. Jones, coming off a 136-catch 2015 season which tied for a league-high with Pittsburgh's Antonio Brown, will likely see some action in the preseason opener at home Thursday night against Washington's Josh Norman, who tried to start a feud with Jones when he played for the Panthers. Jones doesn't take a meek approach to the exhibition season. "It definitely gets you ready," Jones said. "You know, you've been out here, you've been hitting on each other, banging on each other the whole camp out here in pads. It's just good to see a different face and go against different people and just see where your game is at. ..." Jones is the Falcons' No. 1 wide receiver. The second position is being contested by Mohamed Sanu and Justin Hardy. Aldrick Robinson appears to be the fourth receiver. ... One last note: While Jones piled up yards and catches last season, the Sports Xchange notes, he only had eight touchdowns and was taken away in the red zone. The Falcons have spent a great deal of time working on their red-zone offense in training camp. In addition, Jones believes that QB Matt Ryan looks more comfortable in the second year running OC Kyle Shanahan's offense. We'll be watching for signs that's indeed the case in coming weeks.

8/09 Julio Jones had 1,871 receiving yards last year and along with Pittsburgh's Antonio Brown is seen as a player with a shot at reaching the 2,000-receiving yard mark. He discussed the possibility on Sirius XM NFL Radio with Alex Marvez and Gil Brandt Monday. “It’s definitely difficult to even think about doing,” Jones said. “My thing is, when I go [into] games, for me, personally, I don’t think about 2,000 yards. I had 1,800 yards last year, but I wasn’t even thinking about it. Everyone was like, ‘Oh, man, you’re so close, you’re so close. Are you trying to get it? Are you trying to get it?’ I’m like, ‘I’m trying to go out here and get a W, I’m trying to win the game.’ But I think it’s possible, though. I definitely think it’s possible, but it depends on the defense, if they’re going to let that guy beat them that day. ...” As Profootballtalk.com suggests, unlike Brown, Jones had his starting quarterback in the lineup for all 16 games last season. Despite Jones’ heroics, it wasn’t Matt Ryan’s best season and the Falcons have more offensive questions across the board than the Steelers. Ryan’s showing optimism about what the unit can do, though, and making good on those hopes would likely lead to another monster year for Jones.

8/09 The Falcons' offense is primed for a major campaign in 2016. Atlanta returns one of the top receivers in the NFL in Julio Jones, added wideout Mohamed Sanu, has a potent backfield with Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman, an underrated offensive line, and Matt Ryan, a franchise quarterback. Ryan believes Atlanta's dynamic offense could score 30 points per game this upcoming season. "Absolutely," Ryan said as camp opened. "There's no question. I feel like we have a really good receiving corps. We've got great running backs. We've got a really good offensive line; tight ends across the board. Of course we can. ..." While Ryan's optimism is certainly welcome, it remains to be seen how realistic it is. Last season, Atlanta finished a middling 21st with 21.2 points per game. The Panthers (31.2) and Cardinals (30.6) were the only two teams to breach the 30-point mark. As NFL.com suggests, the Falcons certainly have the weapons to be one of the most improved offenses in the NFL, assuming Jones and Freeman remain healthy. The key will be Ryan, who has suffered bouts of enigmatic play throughout his career. If Ryan has a career year at 31, the Falcons could nudge close to that 30-point mark. ... According to the team's official web site, the Falcons want to get Coleman more involved as a pass catcher this season. Jones was pulled out of the closing portion of the first training camp practice because of an unspecified "tweak," according to HC Dan Quinn. "We just held him out," Quinn said. "He had a little tweak, so we decided to hold him out. He could have come back in today and was asking me to, but I decided not." That extended through the first weekend of practice with Jones eventually returning to work a week ago. He's had no issues since. ... A few final notes here: The Falcons released return man Devin Hester last month. Coleman is the leading candidate to replace Hester as the kickoff returner. Quinn said Nick Williams, second-year pro Justin Hardy and rookie Devin Fuller are punt return candidates. ... The team signed Lance Moore late last week, but the veteran announced his retirement on Monday. 9/05 The Falcons took their roster to 52 Saturday, leaving a space open for future additions. Notable among their cuts was tight end Tony Moeaki, and they also reached an injury settlement with running back Antone Smith. Smith suffered a hamstring injury late in the preseason, but had been replaced by a group including Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman as the Falcons remade their backfield. They also placed fullback Collin Mooney on injured reserve, and waived wide receiver Carlton Mitchell. Running back Jerome Smith and tight end D.J. Tialavea were waived-injured.

9/05 According to WSBTV's Zach Klein, the Falcons working on injury settlement with RB Antone Smith. If nothing is agreed, Smith will be placed on IR. "Bottom line," according to Klein, "he's done playing for Falcons."

9/04 As previously noted, the Falcons have released veteran quarterback Rex Grossman. The Falcons signed him just over a week ago, so he clearly didn’t have a chance to establish himself there. That leaves just Sean Renfree behind starter Matt Ryan, as D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that they’re also cutting T.J. Yates.

9/04 According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Falcons have released QB Rex Grossman.

9/04 The Titans traded OG Andy Levitre to the Atlanta Falcons in exchange for a sixth-round draft pick and a future conditional pick, the team announced Friday. According to NFL.com, he should fit much more comfortably in Atlanta with OC Kyle Shanahan in an offense that relies less on big-body thudding and more on placement and technique.

9/04 Sean Renfree threw a touchdown pass and led another scoring drive to overshadow the preseason debut of Rex Grossman as the Falcons held off the Ravens 20-19 on Thursday night in their final preseason game. ... Renfree made the most of his final bid to open the season as Matt Ryan's backup. He completed 10 of 15 passes for 75 yards, including a 25-yard touchdown pass to Carlton Mitchell. The 35-year-old Grossman, who signed with Atlanta last week, was 4 of 9 for 41 yards. ... Tevin Coleman flashed his big-play potential with eight rushes for 56 yards. Coleman had six rushes for 52 yards in the first quarter alone, including a nifty, 26-yard burst. Coleman averaged 7.0 yards per carry. The Falcons managed just 1.9 yards per carry as a team through the first three preseason games. Devonta Freeman, Atlanta's starting running back when training camp opened, missed all four preseason games with a hamstring injury. Will Coleman challenge for the starting job? As ESPN.com's Vaughn McClure suggested, that remains unclear. But once Freeman is fully healthy, it could make for a pretty potent running back duo -- with some explosive burst from Antone Smith sprinkled in, too. ... Ryan and wide receiver Julio Jones were on the field for only one play -- the first handoff to Coleman. ... Rookie receiver Justin Hardy had a 70-yard punt return in the second quarter. He took a hit at the beginning but stayed on his feet and almost broke loose for a touchdown. He's unlikely to challenge Devin Hester for the primary return duties, but it's good insurance, particularly with Hester currently dealing with turf toe. ... (Get complete game stats HERE)

9/03 According to ESPN.com's Vaughn McClure, the backup quarterback situation is worth watching as the Falcons prepare for their preseason finale against the Ravens. With Matt Ryan unlikely to play and T.J. Yates getting his extended look last week in Miami, Sean Renfree and veteran Rex Grossman will get a chance to show they belong on the roster. Grossman has the experience and knowledge the Falcons need behind Ryan, while Renfree could end up on the practice squad.

9/03 The Falcons, who appear set to rest running back Devonta Freeman until the regular season, don’t seem overly concerned about the rushing attack. “It’s so close (to breaking loose),” center Joe Hawley said. “The combo blocks are such a team-work thing. We have to work well together. If it’s not one guy one play, it’s the next guy. It’s just hard to get everybody on the same page.” The Falcons are averaging 1.9 yards per carry. They have rushed 77 times for 150 yards and four touchdowns. “On a lot of those plays we are just one block away,” Hawley said. “A guy is too tight on his angle or he’s too loose. A guy is getting up field and getting penetration.” While Freeman is likely out, rookie running back Tevin Coleman is set to play against the Baltimore Ravens. ... Meanwhile, appearing on Wednesday's edition of the FootballDiehards on SiriusXM Fantasy Sports Radio, AJC.com's D. Orlando Ledbetter told listeners that Freeman will be the Week 1 starter and should enjoy an 80/20 split (with Coleman getting the smaller share) -- at least to open the season.

9/02 Antone Smith (hamstring) participated in portions of practice for the first time since suffering his injury in the exhibition season opener against Tennessee on Aug. 14. TE Tony Moeaki, who left the Miami game with an ankle injury, did not practice.

9/01 According to AJC.com's D. Orlando Ledbetter, Devonta Freeman, who’s battling back from a hamstring injury suffered on Aug. 6, had his most active day in practice on Monday. “That was encouraging for us,” HC Dan Quinn said. “To see him go and move. We’ll take it to the next step (on Tuesday.)” Ledbetter added it’s not clear if the Falcons will try to get him some action in the final exhibition game against the Ravens at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Georgia Dome. They may elected to just sit Freeman and have him ready for the season-opener against the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday, Sept. 14 at the Georgia Dome. “He caught it well out of the backfield,” Quinn said. “He ran it well today. Limited reps, but it was awesome to see him.” According to Ledbetter, Quinn was clearly excited when discussing Freeman. Quinn clearly believes that Freeman can be a key cog in the offense, which has struggled to run the ball in the three exhibition games. “He is a guy who has juice,” Quinn said. “When you feel somebody on the field, he’s got that kind of explosion and ability. It was great to have him out there.”

8/31 The Falcons began trimming their roster on Sunday; among those gone are: WR Marquez Clark, RB Michael Ford and WR John Harris.

8/30 Matt Ryan was sacked three times in four series during Saturday night's 13-9 exhibition loss to the Dolphins in Miami. As Associated Press sports writer Steven Wine reported, the Falcons (1-2) ran 15 plays against Miami's first-team defense, netting 33 yards passing and minus-1 rushing. Ryan had a perfect 158.3 passer rating in each of the first two games, but against Miami he settled for 3 for 7 for 49 yards, including a 28-yard completion to Leonard Hankerson. As ESPN.com's Vaughn McClure noted, the starters faced a tough task against Ndamukong Suh, Cameron Wake and the Dolphins' defensive front, but that's shouldn't be an excuse for guys being thrown around like rag dolls. The effort has to be better going into the regular season or else the Falcons better go find some offensive line help. Ryan can't be running for his life. ... T.J. Yates, battling for the backup job behind Ryan, went 18 for 28 for 187 yards. Tevin Coleman, who started after missing the first two games with a hamstring injury, started and carried four times for 2 yards. HC Dan Quinn said Devonta Freeman was close to making his comeback from a hamstring strain, but Freeman sat out the game, meaning he's unlikely to play at all this preseason. But the obvious goal here is to have Freeman at full strength for the Sept. 14 season opener against Philadelphia. ... Falcons backup tight end Tony Moeaki was sidelined with a thigh injury, and backup tackle Tyler Polumbus hurt his knee. ... And finally: According to McClure, owner Arthur Blank greeted Julio Jones pregame and hugged his wide receiver after Jones was rewarded with a five-year extension reportedly worth $71.25 million, with $47.5 million. The moment was well played. ... (Get complete game stats HERE)

8/29 Following up on the previous item. ... According to ESPN's Chris Mortensen, Julio Jones will receive $47.5 million guaranteed and $71.25 million over five years. With QB Matt Ryan and Jones now locked up for the long term, the Falcons can focus on other aspects of their team. The passing attack is set.

8/29 According to SI.com's Peter King, the Falcons have reached a five-year agreement with Julio Jones on a contract extension. According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, today was the team's self-imposed deadline to get the deal done. ... Stay tuned. More to come on this.

8/29 If the question is "who is Atlanta's most dangerous red-zone weapon," ESPN.com's Vaughn McClure believes the answer should be Julio Jones, every single time. However, Jones scored a pedestrian-like six touchdowns last season, and he's sure to draw added intention in scoring situations. That being the case, McClure advised readers to watch out for tight end Jacob Tamme emerging as a legitimate red zone target if quarterback Matt Ryan doesn't want to force the ball to Jones. Nine of Tamme's 10 career touchdowns have come in the red zone. Ryan could spread it around to numerous targets, but Jones is the first option through the air. On the ground, Devonta Freeman will be the go-to guy in short-yardage situations. Steven Jackson held that role last year, but the new coaching staff got rid of Jackson. Freeman views himself as an every-down back, while rookie Tevin Coleman and veteran Antone Smith are speedy, big-play threats. Although Freeman's only rushing touchdown as a rookie last season was a 31-yard sprint against New Orleans, he should get plenty of opportunities to punch it into the end zone this year.

8/28 As ESPN.com's Vaughn McClure notes, no one figured Leonard Hankerson would emerge as a fantasy target based on his career numbers in four seasons with the Redskins. Hankerson has just six touchdowns in 31 career games (123 targets). Injuries have hampered his progress, but a healthy Hankerson has a legit chance to be a secondary threat behind Julio Jones. McClure added that Hankerson already showed he could be a scoring target with a 2-yard touchdown reception from Matt Ryan in a preseason matchup against the Jets.

8/28 Following up on the previous item. ... HC Dan Quinn said rookie running back Tevin Coleman is expected to play in the third preseason game at Miami on Saturday coming off a hamstring injury. Coleman suffered the injury during the first week of training camp while running a route. He missed the first two preseason games while nursing the injury, as did Devonta Freeman, who was nursing a hamstring strain of his own. Coleman and Freeman are battling for the starting job. "At this point, it looks like Tevin is a little closer than Devonta, just from the week of practice," Quinn said, via ESPN.com's Vaughn McClure, following Thursday's practice. "I'm anxious for (Coleman) to get in. And I know he's anxious." Quinn went on to say only a last-minute setback would keep Coleman from playing. "I'm anticipating him being ready to rock," Quinn said. ... Also: Quinn previously announced that newly signed quarterback Rex Grossman will not play against Miami after officially joining the team Wednesday. Grossman, who got in extra work following practice, plans to play in the final preseason game next Thurday against Baltimore.

8/27 According to ESPN.com's Vaughn McClure, HC Dan Quinn said Tevin Coleman is expected to play Saturday. It will be Coleman's first pre-season action. He's been missing time with a strained hamstring as has Devonta Freeman. Quinn said Freeman still a question and not as ready as Coleman.

8/27 The Falcons insist that Roddy White, who will have elbow surgery on Monday, will be ready for the season. They believe that White, the team's all-time leading receptions leader, will take the field on Monday Night Football against the Philadelphia Eagles in his familiar role opposite Julio Jones. However, the Falcons, who have revamped the unit over the offseason, have some new weapons if White is not able to answer the ball. After letting wide receiver Harry Douglas leave in a salary-cap move, the Falcons signed former Redskins receiver Leonard Hankerson and drafted Justin Hardy in the fourth-round out of East Carolina. Both had had strong games against the New York Jets and could fill the No. 2 and No. 3 spots if White has a setback along the way. Hankerson has caught four passes for 27 yards and a touchdown over two exhibition games. Hardy leads the team with seven catches for 94 yards, including a 31-yard gain. Also, Nick Williams has turned some heads at wide receiver for the Falcons. Bottom line? As the Sports Xchange suggests, the Falcons are positioned nicely to replace White in the near future and perhaps down the road.

8/26 Rex Grossman visited with the Falcons on Tuesday and Profootballtalk.com reports the veteran QB agreed to a one-year deal with the team. The Falcons will add Grossman to the mix vying to be the backup to Matt Ryan come the start of the regular season. T.J. Yates and Sean Renfree have been competing for the job this summer, although one of them could be on the way out with Grossman coming on board. Grossman hasn’t played in a regular season game since 2011, when he started 13 games for the Redskins, but he has a long relationship with Falcons offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan and the Falcons wouldn’t be signing him if they were convinced that the right guys were already on the roster. The Falcons released RB Evan Royster.

8/26 According to ESPN.com's Vaughn McClure, owner Arthur Blank said there is no single factor delaying contract negotiations between the Falcons and star receiver Julio Jones. Blank already made clear his intent to make Jones a "lifer" and sign the two-time Pro Bowl selection to a lucrative, long-term deal. Jones is in the final year of his contract and is scheduled to make $10.176 million this season. His agent, Jimmy Sexton, is in the midst of negotiations. "There's no hold up at all," Blank told Vaughn on Monday. "It's just the process that you have to go through. It's a bit of a dance. He's got a very good agent with experience. We have a great relationship with [Sexton]. That [agency] has signed the last two big receiver contracts done in the league. We're committed to Julio, who is committed to us. We're getting close to where we need to be." Sexton also is the same agent who negotiated a six-year, $114 million contract for Dolphins defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, a contract that included just under $60 million guaranteed. It wouldn't be a surprise to see Sexton at least attempt to secure close to $50 million in guaranteed money for Jones after Cowboys receiver Dez Bryant received $45 million guaranteed. Detroit's Calvin Johnson ($43.75 million), and Denver's Demaryius Thomas ($43.5 million) all surpassed $40 million in guaranteed money, while the Colts' T.Y. Hilton ($39 million) came close with his new deal. ... McClure notes that Jones continues to take a professional approach to the situation, leaving the contract details up to Sexton while he focuses on football.

8/25 As ESPN.com's Vaughn McClure reminded readers, in last year's third and most important preseason game, Roddy White played 43 snaps in a 24-17 loss to Tennessee. Minor arthroscopic surgery on his right elbow Monday will keep White from playing in this year's third preseason game Saturday at Miami, meaning there will be more opportunities for emerging No. 2 receiver Leonard Hankerson. But a couple of young receivers should also get extended looks against the Dolphins and in practice with White out of the lineup a few weeks. HC Dan Quinn acknowledged both rookie Justin Hardy and Falcons newcomer Nick Williams as players who could see more extensive work. Hardy, the team's fourth-round draft pick out of East Carolina, is sure to be on the 53-man roster. Williams, formerly with the Washington Redskins, appeared to be a longshot until he started flashing throughout training camp and in the first two preseason games. Hardy and Williams are tied for the team lead with seven catches each through the first two preseason games. Hardy has 94 receiving yards; Williams 79. Also, Hardy has a total of 70 offensive snaps through two preseason games; 52 snaps for Williams. And both have been used in the return game, with Williams returning a team-high four kickoffs for an average 25.3 yards. If Williams continues to perform at a high level, it could create an interesting decision for Quinn and his staff. Six receivers should be locks for the 53-man roster with Julio Jones, White, Hankerson, return specialist Devin Hester, special teams ace Eric Weems, and Hardy. Williams, who played under OC Kyle Shanahan in Washington, might entice the coaches to keep seven receivers.

8/25 Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com reports (via Profootballtalk.com) that Rex Grossman is taking a physical and working out for the Falcons on Tuesday. Grossman’s name surfaced when the Jets were looking for help after Geno Smith’s broken jaw and he said at the time that he needed a little time to get over a sprained foot before he’d be able to play. Grossman and Falcons offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan worked together in Washington and Cleveland. That gives Grossman familiarity with the offensive scheme and, based on comments earlier this summer, his arrival would make Shanahan a happy fella. The backup quarterback battle between T.J. Yates and Sean Renfree has failed to create many sparks in Atlanta this summer. A veteran presence could help. We'll follow up as needed.

8/24 HC Dan Quinn has decisions to make with his top two running backs, Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman, coming off hamstring strains. Both missed the first two preseason games, and the Falcons haven't really gotten their running game going with the new outside zone blocking scheme. Surely Quinn and the coaches want to see how the scheme functions with Freeman and Coleman running in it. It's something we'll be watching for as this wee's game draws nearer.

8/23 HC Dan Quinn announced Sunday that Roddy White will undergo minor surgery to clean out loose particles in his elbow. Quinn fully expects White to be ready for the regular-season opener versus the Eagles. White missed the Falcons' Friday night loss to the New York Jets after his elbow swelled up. As NFL.com's Chris Wesseling suggests, the concern for Atlanta is that age and injuries are catching up to a four-time Pro Bowl receiver who turns 34 in November. White has battled a litany of injuries since his 2013 season was ravaged by ankle, hamstring and shoulder issues. He had to have his knee drained prior to minicamp in June and was planning to do so again during the 2015 season. Although White is still a reliable pass catcher, he had trouble separating from coverage and failed to force a single missed tackle after the catch, per Pro Football Focus, on 122 targets last season. That's a shocking loss of playmaking ability for an aging wideout. As impressive as Leonard Hankerson has been in reuniting with coordinator Kyle Shanahan this summer, Wesseling believes White could find himself fading to third in Matt Ryan's pecking order this season.

8/23 According to ESPN.com's Vaughn McClure, HC Dan Quinn said Roddy White will have minor right elbow surgery but will be back for Week 1. We'll follow up as further details come to light.

8/22 According to Associated Press sports writer Dennis Waszak Jr., Matt Ryan was sharp for the second straight preseason game, leading Atlanta to touchdowns in both of his series in the Falcons' 30-22 loss to the New York Jets on Friday night. ... Ryan finished 4 of 5 for 75 yards, including a 60-yard completion to fullback Collin Mooney, and a 2-yard touchdown toss to Leonard Hankerson. Rookie Terron Ward also had a 4-yard touchdown run for the Falcons (1-1) who carved up the Jets' touted starting defense. Ward had 5 yards on six carries. Ryan was 6 of 6 with a TD pass to Julio Jones in his one series with the starters last week against Tennessee. ... The Jets went three-and-out on their next possession, and Devin Hester returned Ryan Quigley's punt 59 yards to the New York 4. Three plays later, Ryan found a wide-open Hankerson for a 2-yard score. ... According to ESPN.com's Vaughn McClure, Hankerson continues to make you wonder why he wasn't more of a threat while a member of the Redskins. Hankerson ran a nice crossing route on the touchdown reception. Hankerson had three catches for 15 yards in limited duty. He makes catches look routine in practice. And Hankerson said the devastating left knee injury he suffered two seasons ago is no longer an issue. ... Also according to McClure, the battle for the backup spot behind Ryan continues to be up in the air. T.J. Yates came in after Ryan, but Yates proceeded to rotate series with Sean Renfree. Yates had a poor throw that led to an interception, and he was sacked for a safety as a result of poor blocking. He then responded with a long drive later. Renfree didn't do anything spectacular. Yates finished 8-of-15 for 78 yards; Renfree 10-of-14 for 94 yards. So, the battle will continue on, unless the Falcons decide to sign a veteran. Michael Ford had a 1-yard TD run for the Falcons and Yates converted a 2-point conversion on a pass to Levine Toilolo early in the fourth quarter to cap the scoring. ... The Falcons didn't lose any of their first-teamers during the game, but it was a little surprising to see veteran wide receiver Roddy White miss the game with what the team called an elbow injury. White practiced during the week and didn't seem to have any issues, although his reps were limited. The initial word was the injury wasn't anything serious. White, who entered training camp nursing an ailing left knee, likely would prefer to rest now and preserve himself for the regular season. RB Evan Royster got shaken up late in the game. The Falcons played without RBs Devonta Freeman, Tevin Coleman and Antone Smith, who continue to recover from hamstring strains. ... Hester, who had been bothered by turf toe and missed the first preseason game, showed he still has it at the age of 32 with that 59-yard return. He enters his 10th NFL season as the NFL's all-time record holder with 20 career return scores. He looks destined to add to the total this season. ... (Get complete game stats HERE)

8/21 According AJC.com's D. Orlando Ledbetter, the Falcons spent a major portion of practice working in the red-zone Thursday. “That’s what we were trying to feature today,” HC Dan Quinn said. “More situation work. There is always a time for that.” Heading into tonight's game against the Jets, the plan is for the starters to play longer than they did last week. Most of the starters just played 10 snaps in the 31-24 victory over the Titans. “Everyone will play a little bit longer, especially members who are competing to be on the first unit,” Quinn said. “We’ll extend their playing time. Whether if it’s longer or shorter will be based on the position really.” As for the rushing attack, Quinn doesn’t care who starts, he wants to see some improvement. The Falcons running backs rushed 30 times for 69 yards against the Titans. Top backs Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman aren’t expected to play. “Whoever is in, the No. 1 thing is coming off the ball, how good could our combination blocks get from the tight end and tackle, the guard and center and the man blocks,” Quinn said. “For the running backs, can they hit it one gap at a time and make their cuts. That’s really the thing we’ve been preaching. Whether if you’ve been in here for a day or if you’ve been in here the whole offseason, execute the system.”

8/21 As ESPN.com's Vaughn McClure reminded readers, Leonard Hankerson was signed as a free agent primarily because of his familiarity with OC Kyle Shanahan's scheme from Washington. According to McClure, Hankerson made plays that make you wonder why he wasn't more productive with the Redskins. Then again, he had a serious knee injury in 2013 that stunted his growth. If Hankerson continues to shine on Sundays like he did in practice, then the Falcons might be unstoppable in the passing game.

8/20 Following up on the previous item. ... Just having them back at practice marks progress, and HC Dan Quinn told reporters Thursday he won’t rule out having either Devonta Freeman or Tevin Coleman -- or maybe both -- in the backfield for Friday night’s preseason game vs. the Jets. Freeman played in all 16 games as a rookie, rushing 65 times for 248 yards and a touchdown. Coleman, a third-round rookie for whom the team has high hopes, was injured Aug. 5. Freeman was injured the next day. Both returned to practice earlier this week. Meanwhile, Profootballtalk.com's Zac Jackson notes those injuries to those two and Antone Smith have opened the door for third-year pro Michael Ford and undrafted rookie Terron Ward to get more opportunities in camp.

8/20 Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman continued their rehabilitation from hamstring strains on Wednesday, but their availability for Friday's game remains in doubt. HC Dan Quinn said he wants to measure their levels of soreness during the next day to see if they are ready for full action. Both players received limited 11-on-11 reps Wednesday. Antone Smith sat out his third consecutive day coming off a hamstring injury.

8/20 According to ESPN.com's Vaughn McClure, Levine Toilolo has made it look easy with an impressive training camp. Then in last Friday's 31-24 preseason win over Tennessee, he made the most of his opportunities with three catches for 36 yards. TEs coach Wade Harman, who was the Falcons' assistant offensive line coach last season, notices a remarkable difference in Toilolo's play. "I think he's got a little more confidence going," Harman said. "I know he lost some confidence last year on a couple of balls in there. I know he spent a lot of time in the offseason just working on his hands and just being confident that he can do it. I think it's him just having a little more confidence in himself and his ability." The Falcons obviously weren't content with what they had at tight end, which is why they signed established pass-catcher Jacob Tamme along with pass-blocker Tony Moeaki. It left Toilolo as the third tight end in certain sets during practice, but it didn't mean he would be squeezed out of the tight end picture completely. In fact, HC Dan Quinn singled out Toilolo for his blocking during one training camp practice. Then the 6-8, 265-pound Toilolo started to make every catch within reach, earning notice from the coaches, players and fans alike. Harman believes there's a place for Toilolo in Kyle Shanahan's offense even despite the additions of Tamme and Moeaki. "No question: You can't have enough good tight ends," Harman said. "As a tight ends coach, you love as many as you can to get out there on the field. If we can get in 13 personnel (1 back, 3 tight ends, 1 receiver) -- get all of them out there, if you can. If they're multifaceted and have that ability to do different things, and if you can get them on the field and they can run block and catch passes, they give you a lot of versatility. ..." Meanwhile, although they've had very strong camps, both wide receiver Leonard Hankerson and Toilolo had noticeable drops Wednesday.

8/19 According to ESPN's Dianna Marie Russini, Matt Flynn's signing with the Jets came after Rex Grossman turned them down; Russini is told there is interest in Grossman from the Falcons. For now, Sean Renfree continues to work with the second-team offense behind Matt Ryan, with T.J. Yates third up. Renfree and Yates have rotated at times during camp, and this week's setup likely indicates the rotation for Friday's game against the Giants.

8/18 According to ESPN.com's Vaughn McClure, wide receiver Leonard Hankerson continues to impress with his flawless route running and ability to catch with ease. If he remains healthy, Hankerson should be a real asset for quarterback Matt Ryan. Remember: Hankerson is as up to speed on Kyle Shanahan's offense as anybody on the roster after playing under the coordinator in Washington.

8/17 According to AJC.com's D. Orlando Ledbetter, Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman, who are both recovering from hamstring injujries, are back at practice and in full pads on Monday. Although Terron Ward ran with the first team today, Freeman and Coleman can now continue their competition for the top running back spot. Running back Antone Smith (hamstring) was not dressed for practice.

8/16 As Devonta Freeman, Tevin Coleman and Antone Smith recover from hamstring injuries, the Falcons signed another running back to add depth at the position. According to ESPN.com's Vaughn McClure, Evan Royster, formerly a sixth-round draft pick of the Redskins, was added to the mix. Royster, 27, played under Falcons OC Kyle Shanahan when Shanahan held the same title with the Redskins. The Washington Post reported a lack of speed as the reason Royster didn't last in Washington. McClure went on to note the Falcons seem confident about Freeman, Coleman and even Smith being ready for the regular season. The hamstring strains Freeman and Coleman suffered during the first week of training camp were two-week injuries, at minimum. Neither played in Friday's exhibition opener against the Titans, although both suited up for pregame warmups and participated in individual drills. Freeman injured his right hamstring, while Coleman's is unclear. Smith injured his hamstring on a 1-yard touchdown run in Friday's 31-24 win over the Titans. With the roster move made Sunday, the Falcons now have a running back rotation of undrafted rookie Terron Ward, second-year player Jerome Smith, recently signed Michael Ford and Royster. That seems likely to be the foursome for Friday's preseason game in New York against the Jets.

8/15 As ESPN.com's Vaughn McClure framed it, the question for the Falcons now, once they return to the practice field, is how many healthy running backs will they have on the roster? Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman missed the exhibition opener against the Titans with hamstring strains. Then the third guy on the depth chart, Antone Smith, suffered a hamstring injury in the game. If all three are sidelined next week, Terron Ward, Jerome Smith and Michael Ford will have to split the running back reps in practice. Smith was the team’s leading rusher with 17 yards on eight carries before he suffered the injury. “Tone did a terrific job over the last seven,” HC Dan Quinn said. “Hopefully, that one can come back quicker. We are anticipating seeing Devonta and Tevin getting back into the action. Hopefully, if they can progress through the week, we’ll have a better update later. They are working really hard. They are getting close.” Freeman and Coleman dressed for the game and went through warm-ups. “It was by design,” Quinn said. “It was part of their rehab. ... There is a real proces of getting ready to perform and we wanted them to go through that.”

8/15 As ESPN.com's Vaughn McClure understated, "Matt Ryan and Julio Jones haven't missed a beat despite working in a new offense. ..." The Atlanta Falcons' quarterback-receiver combination worked to perfection during Friday night's 31-24 exhibition win over the Titans. Ryan completed all four of his passes to Jones, including a 13-yard touchdown connection, as he completed 6-of-6 passes for 86 yards in one series of work. Jones had 61 receiving yards, including a 26-yard pickup. ... According to McClure, one play in particular illustrated how Ryan and Jones might elevate their games to another level in coordinator Kyle Shanahan's offense. Ryan made a hard, play-action fake to running back Antone Smith then fired a pass over the middle to Jones on first-and-10 from the Titans' 30. The 16-yard play put the Falcons in the red zone and set up Ryan's touchdown toss to Jones. McClure added: "Ryan to Jones for a touchdown should be a common theme throughout the season if teams neglect to give Jones added attention. ..." Meanwhile, No. 2 QB T.J. Yates had his ups and downs in the first half and absorbed a sack. Yates' lone interception, however, appeared to be a result of miscommunication by rookie receiver Justin Hardy, who got an earful from receivers coach Terry Robiskie on the sideline. There were some bad snap exchanges between Yates and the centers, but Mike Person and Peter Konz were to blame. Sean Renfree spelled Yates and immediately guided the Falcons on a 16-play, 86-yard touchdown drive. He showed great poise in the pocket. Maybe Renfree will put a little heat on Yates as the preseason progresses. ... The last thing the Falcons needed was to see another running back go down. That's exactly what happened at the end of the first half when a hamstring injury knocked Antone Smith from the game. Smith suffered the injury after sprinting out wide right to score on a 1-yard touchdown run. The Falcons already are without their top two running backs -- Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman -- as a result of hamstring strains. Such injuries typically take two weeks to recover from, so it will be interesting to watch the Falcons' running back situation for next week's game against the New York Jets. Smith's hamstring injury just emphasized how important it is for the Falcons to preserve their top running backs for the regular season. It wouldn't be a surprise to see Freeman, Coleman and Antone Smith rest the next few weeks as Terron Ward, Jerome Smith and Michael Ford get the work in the backfield. ... The ankle/toe injury that kept return man Devin Hester from playing Friday will be worth monitoring. ... (Get complete game stats HERE)

8/14 According to ESPN.com's Vaughn McClure, Devonta Freeman should have a breakout year for the Falcons despite the arrival of rookie Tevin Coleman as a competitor in the backfield. Freeman will get his share of carries as the starter, and offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan said Freeman also has a chance to thrive as a pass-catcher. Freeman could develop into a red zone target with his receiving skills, creating mismatches against linebackers. Both Freeman and Coleman are currently nursing tender hamstrings. Neither will play in tonight's exhibition opener.

8/13 According to the Sports Xchange, TEs Jacob Tamme and Tony Moeaki, who were signed in free agency, have moved ahead of Levine Toilolo, who was the starter last season. Tamme was listed as the No. 1 tight end on the team's depth chart followed by Moeaki and Toilolo. The Falcons also have Mickey Shuler and D.J. Tialavea on the roster. Toilolo is having a strong camp and showing better hands after dropping several passes last season

8/12 >Running backs Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman remained sidelined by hamstring strains. According to ESPN.com's Vaughn McClure, both players ran through variety of drills on a side field, and Coleman appeared to be quicker and more fluid with his motions than Freeman. The strains suffered by Freeman and Coleman last week are expected to be two-week injuries, at minimum. Meanwhile, running back Antone Smith ran with the starting offense late in the practice, likely an indication of what to expect in Friday's exhibition. Jerome Smith was second up with undrafted rookie Terron Ward, who played with the starters the last few days, third in the rotation. ... Also, wide receiver/kick returner Devin Hester returned to practice after sitting out two days with a toe/ankle issue. He did not participate much.

8/11 Over the weekend, owner Arthur Blank said that he wanted wide receiver Julio Jones to spend his entire career with the Falcons and that he had every reason to "be positive and be enthusiastic" about agreeing to a contract that helps Jones reach that goal. Jones plans to let agent Jimmy Sexton continue to handle the specifics of the contract talks while he takes care of things on the field, but he left no doubt about where he wants things to wind up. "We're on the same page," Jones said, via ESPN.com. "I want to be a Falcon for life. I guess he made it clear yesterday that they're obviously working toward that. All I can control is what I do out here on this field and stay consistent." As Profootballtalk.com's Josh Alper pointed out, the contracts signed by Dez Bryant and Demaryius Thomas last month provide a ballpark for contract talks with Jones, although differences in age, production and the lack of a looming deadline because of the franchise tag ensure that things will play out differently. As long as both sides are in lockstep when it comes to Jones remaining in Atlanta, though, there's not much chance he'll be anywhere else in the near future.

8/11 With Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman both unlikely to play in Friday's preseason opener against Tennessee at the Georgia Dome, Antone Smith becomes the starting running back. ... A broken leg ended Smith's season in Week 11 last year. The seven-year veteran will get plenty of snaps to show what he can do in Kyle Shanahan's scheme. Though he spent most of his first six seasons on special teams, Smith had some highlights at running back last year, averaging 6.3 yards a carry on 23 attempts and catching touchdown passes that covered 54, 74 and 41 yards.

8/11 While there aren't many questions with the passing attack -- we're all familiar with Kyle Shanahan's history as a coordinator and the talent on hand in that aspect of the game, there are questions at running back. Will second-year man Devonta Freeman earn the bulk of the carries? Or will it be newcomer Tevin Coleman? It’s hard to overlook the history of success for rookie running backs in Shanahan offenses, so Coleman has to be of some interest -- if he proves to be a fit for the Falcons’ zone-blocking scheme. Coleman cranked up his game from the middle of his sophomore season through his junior campaign, averaging 142.6 rushing yards per game over the final 21 games of his college career. He set the IU single-season rushing record with 2,036 yards last fall, reaching the mark while posting 228 yards against eventual national champion Ohio State. Coleman also rushed for 307 yards against Rutgers and finished second in the nation, averaging 169.7 yards per game. He also caught 25 passes as a junior. Still, with Freeman on board, fantasy owners will need to keep an eye on this situation throughout training camp before committing high-end draft capital on Coleman. Adding to the intrigue, both have missed times with hamstring injuries in the past week and both could miss another two weeks. ... Also worth noting: Watching Julio Jones perform this offseason and through six training camp practices simply made Shanahan develop even more respect for Jones' explosive ability. "Just physically. ... I mean, I loved Julio coming out of college [and] I've always known how talented he is,' Shanahan said. "Just to be around a guy who is as explosive as he is but who can still break down and cut and attack the football and see the ball. ... And his toughness. The guy doesn't take a play off. He's physically tough and mentally tough. He's very fun to coach. And he makes you a better coach." So far in training camp, ESPN.com's Vaughn McClure reports that Jones he has made dynamic catches look routine while improving the play of cornerbacks Desmond Trufant and Robert Alford. Meanwhile, Roddy White is still slated for the No. 2 role opposite Jones, but Leonard Hankerson is pushing for playing time. Hankerson, who worked under Shanahan in Washington, has stood out throughout the offseason and training camp, obviously using his knowledge of Shanahan's scheme to his advantage.

8/29 Earlier it was reported the Atlanta Falcons released linebacker Pat Angerer, fullback Maurice Hagans and linebacker Yawn Smallwood. Now, according to the Redzone.org, they also have waived defensive end Nosa Eguae, cornerback Jordan Mabin, wide receiver Freddie Martino, safety Kimario McFadden, tight end Jacob Pedersen, offensive lineman Adam Replogle, defensive tackle Donte Rumph, offensive tackle Pat McQuistan, and running back Josh Vaughan.

8/29 Linebacker Pat Angerer’s once-promising NFL career could be over after he was released by the Falcons on Friday, D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports. He was in the first round of cuts made by the team, which also released linebacker Yawin Smallwood and fullback Maurice Hagens. The Falcons were at 75 players after completed the exhibition season with a 2-2 record and have to reach the league-mandated 53-man roster by 4 p.m. on Saturday.

8/29 According to Associated Press sports writer Mark Long, T.J. Yates made a strong case to be Atlanta's backup quarterback Thursday night. Yates threw for 243 yards and two touchdowns in a 24-14 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars in both teams' preseason finale. ... Yates had shown little in the team's first three exhibitions, completing 39.4 percent of his passes, with no touchdowns and two interceptions. Second-year player Sean Renfree posted better numbers and seemingly had an edge in the competition to be Matt Ryan's backup. But Yates shined against the Jaguars. His highlight throw was a 67-yard touchdown strike to Freddie Martino in the second quarter, a deep ball that put Atlanta up 21-7. His other TD came on a swing pass to Antone Smith, who broke several tackles during the 66-yard catch and run. Yates completed 15 of 20 passes and was sacked twice. Renfree was 9-of-12 passing for 62 yards. ... According to ESPN.com's Vaughn McClure, with roster cuts due by Saturday afternoon, the Falcons now have a dilemma. There's always a chance they could keep three quarterbacks on the roster. Whatever happens, the Falcons seem highly unlikely to cut ties with Yates after his strong showing. And if Ryan ever were to go down in a regular-season game, the Falcons might have more faith in a player with a playoff win to his credit, such as Yates, rather than turning to Renfree. ... Ryan didn't play, spending the game on the sideline with running back Steven Jackson and receivers Roddy White, Julio Jones and Harry Douglas. Defensive lineman Jonathan Babineaux also got the night off. ... Also according to McClure, the wide receiver battle between undrafted rookies Bernard Reedy and Geraldo Boldewijn never materialized. Boldewijn was in street clothes nursing a hamstring injury, meaning he'll likely end up on the practice squad, if anything else. As for Reedy, most of his opportunities Thursday came on returns, but he was unable to break loose for a big gain. Reedy is not a lock for the 53-man roster, but he's an intriguing prospect. Martino, the guy who made the big touchdown catch, was likely auditioning for another team. ... (Get complete game stats HERE)

8/28 According to ESPN Stats & Information, Matt Ryan was pressured on 203 dropbacks last season, 20 more than any other quarterback. From 2009 to 2012, he was pressured an average of just 113 times per season.

8/26 Following up on the previous item. ... Steven Jackson, who injured his left hamstring at the beginning of training camp, returned to practice Monday for the first time since the injury. "Felt good out there today," Jackson said. "It's always exciting to be on the field with your teammates. Quite different than when you're on the side rehabbing by yourself. But to be in the mix of things with my teammates, it felt pretty good." According to ESPN.com's Vaughn McClure, Jackson had his helmet on as the team began individual drills. HC Mike Smith said from the beginning that Jackson would be ready for the Sept. 7 opener against the New Orleans Saints. Smith also didn't rule out the possibility of Jackson playing in the final exhibition game Thursday night at Jacksonville. Starters typically don't play much in that game. Jackson injured his right hamstring in Week 2 of last season and missed four games. This time, he injured his left hamstring during a July 28 practice.

8/25 According to AtlantaFalcons.com's Jay Adams, RB Steven Jackson has returned to practice today. Jackson has missed the bulk of August with an injured hamstring but he's expected to be ready to play Week 1.

8/24 The Falcons waived or released QB Jeff Mathews, S Tyrell Johnson, DL Theo Agnew, LB Darin Drakeford, S Devonta Glover-Wright, WR Julian Jones, RB Jerome Smith, LB Brendan Daley, WR Tramaine Thompson, TE Brian Wozniak and LB Walker May. Atlanta has trimmed its roster to the 75-player limit required by Tuesday afternoon.

8/24 Devonta Freeman's explosive running skills and good hands have been on display throughout the preseason, but he has barely been on the field with the Falcons' starters. Even with Steven Jackson still injured, Freeman was clearly third on the depth chart Saturday behind Jacquizz Rodgers and Antone Smith. Rodgers had 13 first half touches; Freeman had none. Freeman caught four passes in the second half of last night's game against the Titans and NFL.com expects him to pass Smith on the depth chart shortly. But Rodgers isn't going anywhere, whether fantasy leaguers like it or not. Freeman is only going to be a part of a rotation if he's lucky, like a lot of rookie running backs out there.

8/24 According to ESPN.com's Vaughn McClure, there should be no doubt about Julio Jones' right foot now. ... The star receiver, back in action following last year's season-ending foot surgery, broke two tackles on a 52-yard scoring catch-and-run during Saturday's 24-17 preseason loss to the Tennessee Titans. Jones took the pass, made a quick spin, then utilized a tremendous block from Harry Douglas and exploded all the way to the end zone. Jones' practice workload just increased recently following a cautious start to training camp. The plan all along was to have him at his best for the Sept. 7 season opener against the New Orleans Saints. McClure added, "If Saturday was any indication, the rest of the league better watch out. ..." According to Associated Press sports writer Charles Odum, Ryan was sharp, spreading his passes around as he completed 18 of 23 passes for 224 yards and two touchdowns. Through three preseason games, his numbers: 28-of-37 for 314 yards, two touchdowns, no interceptions and a QB rating of 118.5. ... Devin Hester, who didn't have a catch last season with the Chicago Bears, was a big part of the offense. Hester caught four passes for 56 yards, including a 31-yard touchdown to end Atlanta's opening possession. Hester also showed why he was brought to Atlanta. He had a 47-yard kickoff return that helped set up Ryan's touchdown connection with Jones. ... Jones had two catches for 63 yards, but he was a problem for the Titans' secondary even when he wasn't making catches. He drew two pass interference penalties and drew another flag that was declined because he caught the ball even though cornerback Tommie Campbell was on his back. ... Ryan, who was replaced by T.J. Yates in third quarter, got solid protection from his starting offensive line. The pocket was clean, for the most part, as new left tackle Jake Matthews won most of his battles. Even new right tackle Lamar Holmes held his own. Veteran Eric Weems, who signed a one-year deal to return to Atlanta on Friday, was active on special teams. He played on the coverage units and even spelled Hester as a return man. Weems went 28 yards on his first kickoff return. Since Dimitroff said in a radio interview he anticipated big special teams contributions from Weems and Courtney Roby, one would expect both to be on the 53-man roster. ... Steven Jackson (hamstring), Gabe Carimi (ankle) and Mickey Shuler (concussion) all were in street clothes. ... Sean Renfree looks to be the backup quarterback after a nice drive at the end of the game, although he couldn't punch it into the end zone. He completed 5 of 7 passes for 59 yards. Yates might be the odd man out. ... (Get complete game stats HERE)

8/23 Tonight's game against the Titans will be an opportunity to see how rookie Jake Matthews handles his first game as the team's left tackle following Sam Baker's season-ending knee injury. According to ESPN.com's Vaughn McClure, Matthews shouldn't have much problem with the transition from right tackle after playing left tackle last season in college, but it might take time to get back into a ryhthm. Since the starters are expected to play into the third quarter, Matthews should get plenty of work. The Falcons and Titans already had a joint practice, and Matthews had quite a battle on the right side against Titans defensive end Derrick Morgan. Keep an eye at right tackle, too, with Lamar Holmes and Ryan Schraeder trying to prove they belong in the starting lineup. Both have been shaky this preseason, and Holmes struggled as a starter last year.

8/22 Shooting hoops with retired former teammate Tony Gonzalez is how the 6-8 Levine Toilolo spent one of his days back home in Southern California this summer. "We were on the same team,’’ Toilolo said of the pickup games. But they didn't just play basketball. "I went by Tony’s house and just got to talk to him,’’ Toilolo said. "He just asked me if I’m getting in my routine with some of the drills he showed me last year as far as getting in and out of my break, focusing on catching the ball. And then, he just talked to me about how something that was big to him was how big the mental part was. He even recommended a book for me to read: Malcolm Gladwell’s 'Outliers. ...'" As ESPN.com's Vaughn McClure notes, the Falcons aren’t asking Toilolo to duplicate Gonzalez’s football success, but it certainly doesn’t hurt for Toilolo to pattern his daily approach after one of the greatest. And there's no doubt his size should be an asset for quarterback Matt Ryan, particularly in the red zone. Last season, as Gonzalez finished tied for fifth in the league with seven red zone touchdowns, two of Toilolo’s 11 catches went for red zone scores. And the red zone already has been an area of emphasis for the Falcons after a rough start there this preseason. Meanwhile, part of the maturation process for Toilolo in his second season is becoming a more reliable target and improving his blocking. It’s been interesting to watch him remain after practice regularly to put in extra work on the Jugs machine. Ryan appreciates Toilolo’s desire to improve and his willingness to learn from Gonzalez. "I think it’s a really positive thing for Levine,’’ Ryan said. "Tony’s got a wealth of knowledge for Levine to pick at. Levine’s smart. He’s taking advantage of that." Again, it won't make him Gonzalez, but it won't hurt.

8/21 WR Drew Davis, who underwent foot surgery after mini-camp in June, will begin the season on the physically unable to perform list, HC Mike Smith told ESPN.com. Davis' injury initially was supposed to sideline him for six weeks, but the timetable changed. Now, he'll be forced to miss the first six weeks of the regular season. With Davis out to start the season, one of the undrafted rookie receivers could stick on the 53-man roster. Speedster Bernard Reedy is a top candidate. Julio Jones, Roddy White, Harry Douglas and Devin Hester comprise the primary group of receivers. Veteran Courtney Roby should make the team based on what the Falcons believe he brings on special teams. Reedy has impressed since the offseason with his blazing speed and ability to be a long-ball threat.

8/21 According to ESPN.com's Vaughn McClure, Julio Jones, who admitted having a mental hurdle to overcome following a second right foot surgery last year, said Wednesday the doctors reassured him his foot is fully healed, and he will increase his practice schedule. Jones saw his first game action since Oct. 7 of last year during the team's 32-7 preseason loss at Houston last Saturday. He played 19 snaps and caught two passes for 20 yards while being targeted four times. "It was good, man, just being back out there on the field,' Jones said. "I'm still a little rusty, but that's what preseason is for -- to get back on the same page with Matt Ryan and making those plays.' After sitting out the offseason, Jones had been on a day-on, day-off schedule when training camp began. He should get plenty of work during Saturday's third exhibition against the Tennessee Titans, which is a dress rehearsal for the regular season. ... Meanwhile, in his review of the third episode of HBO's Hard Knocks, NFL.com's Gregg Rosenthal wrote the following: "Julio Jones' explosion and dominance throughout practices is hypnotic whether he's facing his teammates or the Texans. He moves differently than everyone else."

8/20 Following up on an ongoing story. ... Steven Jackson has increased his rehabilitation and conditioning work with team trainers and could return to practice soon, HC Mike Smith said today. Jackson, the projected starter, has been out since suffering a right hamstring injury during practice on July 29. Smith said Jackson remains on track to be ready for the season opener on Sept. 7. “We are encouraged by what he has done over on that side with athletic performance,” Smith said. Smith said it’s still not clear when Jackson would return to practice. Veteran running back Jacquizz Rodgers has started both exhibition games. Rookie Devonta Freeman, a fourth-round pick, is the leading rusher in exhibition games with 81 yards on 16 carries.

8/20 As the Atlanta Falcons returned to practice Tuesday, top receiver Julio Jones was a spectator. According to ESPN.com's Vaughn McClure, it was his scheduled day off after a day on, but HC Mike Smith said Jones is set to return to a normal practice routine after being limited throughout training camp. "We're going to start increasing all of these guys as we get closer to the opening game of the regular season; the Saints game," Smith said. "It's important for us to have all of our guys ready to go that are going to play and have to go out and play 60 snaps. That's not possible if you're not practicing every day. So you're going to see, over the next 10 days, a change in our team in terms of the routine of who's practicing and who's not. ... The prescription has changed in terms of the number of reps [with] the guys and the days that they'll be working."

8/19 According to the Sports Xchange, Matt Ryan is completing 71.4 percent of his passes this month, connecting on 10 of 14 attempts for 90 yards with an 88.4 passer rating in two games. He was three for seven for 37 yards against Houston.

8/18 According to ESPN.com's Vaughn McClure, Steven Jackson appears almost ready to return from a hamstring injury, so it doesn't look like anything will linger like last season.

8/18 The Falcons are ripping the training wheels off Jake Matthews. The team shifted the rookie offensive lineman from right tackle to left during Monday's practice, according to D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The move was expected after Sam Baker suffered a season-ending knee injury over the weekend. As NFL.com notes, the original plan was to ease in Matthews on the right side, but Baker's injury has jolted the timeline for May's No. 6 overall pick. With Matthews now guarding quarterback Matt Ryan's blind side, the Falcons on Monday used Lamar Holmes on the O-line's right edge. It's a relatively new position for Matthews, who played most of his Texas A&M career at right tackle before switching to the left in 2013 to replace Luke Joeckel.

8/17 According to CBSSports.com's Larry Hartstein, rookie running back Devonta Freeman was the third back used by the Falcons in Saturday's preseason loss to the Texans. Just like in the preseason opener, Freeman came in after Jacquizz Rodgers and Antone Smith. But Freeman played well for the second straight week, gaining 31 yards on six carries (5.2 ypc) and catching his only target for 11 yards. Starter Steven Jackson (hamstring) sat out for the second straight week.

8/17 According to multiple reports, starting LT Sam Baker tore his right patellar tendon during the game against the Texans. If that diagnosis is confirmed, Baker will likely miss the entire 2014 season. That could mean that first-round pick Jake Matthews moves to the left side of the line after getting pencilled in at right tackle for his rookie season. It was where he was ticketed to end up at some point and it is the position he played at Texas A&M, so the transition shouldn’t be a terribly difficult one. “I don’t want to speculate in terms of what we would do,” HC Mike Smith said on Saturday night. “We’d have a number of options. Again, our number one goal would be to put the five best offensive linemen out there. We obviously know that he’s one of the five best because he’s a starter. Is he our best left tackle? Is he our best option? That’s something we’ll have to determine if we have to address that.”

8/17 According to ESPN.com's Vaughn McClure, the return of wide receiver Julio Jones for the first time since last year's season-ending foot fracture was overshadowed by yet another key injury to an Atlanta Falcons' starter. Left tackle Sam Baker went down with a right knee injury in the second quarter of Atlanta's 32-7 preseason loss to the Houston Texans. He had to be carted off the field. Baker, who missed 12 games last season with a left knee injury, grimaced as he was unable to put any pressure on his leg. As McClure suggested, the last thing the Falcons needed was an injury along the offensive line, but guys like Lamar Holmes and Ryan Schraeder might get a chance to prove their value over the next two preseason games. ... Jones, however, looked fine in his first action since last October coming off foot surgery. He caught a pass over the middle on the second play of the game for a six-yard gain. Jones played four series and caught two passes for 20 yards while being targeted four times. He caught a deep ball down the right sideline but couldn't get both feet down in what would have been a long gain. Matt Ryan completed 3 of 7 passes for 37 yards with a passer rating of 59.8 and a long throw of 17 yards to Roddy White. He was sacked once. ... The first-team offense struggled on third down, and J.J. Watt wasn't even on the field for the Texans. When Ryan was in the game, the Falcons went 0 for 4 in such scenarios, including Ryan being sacked by Texans rookie Jadeveon Clowney on one play after Clowney beat Baker. Twice, Ryan couldn't connect with Jones on third down although Jones did catch the one ball mentioned above but couldn't get his feet in. ... Devin Hester showed his value as a receiver when he caught a quick screen in the second quarter and danced his way to a 12-yard touchdown off a pass from backup Sean Renfree. Remember, Hester did not play offense as a member of the Chicago Bears last season. He still has his quickness and breakaway speed at the age of 31. ... Rookie Devonta Freeman continues to show flashes of his great potential. He broke tackles and showed great vision on what appeared to be a 23-yard touchdown run midway through the fourth quarter. Unfortunately, the play was called back following a holding penalty. Freeman also showed some tenacity when it came to blocking in pass protection. ... Quarterback T.J. Yates didn't help his chances of securing a backup role. Yates almost got his first pass picked off. Then, he stared down his receiver and threw a pick-six. Yates threw yet another interception with just over 5 minutes remaining in the game. Renfree looks like a much better option behind Ryan. ... (Get complete game stats HERE)

8/16 According to ESPN.com's Vaughn McClure, HC Mike Smith emphasized all week the importance of being more efficient in the red zone after the Falcons scored just one touchdown in four red-zone trips last week. It's unclear how long the starters will be in tonight's game against the Texans, but Matt Ryan seems content with the rhythm he has with his receivers right now. So it wouldn't be a shock to see him take a few shots in the end zone, especially if Julio Jones gets some action, as expected. The line has to block better in any goal-line situation, too. Jacquizz Rodgers essentially scored on his own last week. ... Also according to McClure, if there's no clear-cut favorite between T.J. Yates and Sean Renfree for the backup role at this point, then one of them has a chance to establish a little separation. Last week, Yates was the first to enter the game behind Ryan. This week, Smith said not to read too much into which backup enters the game first. Yates, who was traded to Atlanta from Houston, seems likely to be more comfortable playing in familiar surroundings. But he's still getting familiar with the playbook and the inexperienced receivers he has to work alongside. Renfree is a sharp guy and has had his moments in practice. Smith wants the No. 2 situation resolved by the third preseason game.

8/15 The running back position in Atlanta remains of great interest to fantasy owners. Starter Steven Jackson remains sidelined with a hamstring injury but is expected back for the opener. Jacquizz Rodgers stepped into the No. 1 role, but coaches are high on fourth-round draft pick Devonta Freeman. But as ESPN.com's Vaughn McClure notes, speedy Antone Smith looked the best of the backs in the preseason opener. If anything, the Falcons have enough capable guys to keep Jackson fresher and possibly allow him to be more of a goal-line threat.

8/14 Julio Jones told ESPN's injury expert, Stephania Bell, that he expects to play against the Texans Saturday. The star wideout, coming off last year's foot surgery, is looking to get a series of work.

8/14 RB Antone Smith had two big plays nullified by injury during the Falcons' preseason opening loss to the Miami Dolphins, but HC Mike Smith see the backup running back seeing increased touches in certain offensive packages. One of the issues is Antone Smith is also very valuable on the special teams units. "He continues to warrant having touches, and we'll continue to use him in the backfield and as a special teams player because up until this year his main value has been as a special teams player," Mike Smith said. "I believe he's one of the top special teams players in the league, but he's gotten an opportunity to touch the ball on the offensive side, and he's taken advantage of those opportunities." On Smith's 34-yard catch-and-run in the first quarter, Falcons veteran wide receiver Harry Douglas was lined up illegally. A holding penalty on right tackle Jake Matthews canceled out Smith's 76-yard run in the second quarter. "I mean, it is frustrating, but we know it is the first preseason game for a lot of people out there, so a lot of stuff is changing, so we expect a lot of penalties," Antone Smith said. But as the Sports Xchange notes, those plays still created a buzz. "Both of those plays got called back but he showed the explosiveness that he has and the speed," quarterback Matt Ryan said. "He can change a game on any given play. That was fun to watch." Before last season Smith had just one carry in his previous three seasons with the Falcons. Steven Jackson and Devonta Freeman are still the players of interest at this position in Atlanta, but should injuries crop up Smith and Jacquizz Rodgers could climb onto the radar.

8/13 As ESPN.com's Vaughn McClure suggested this morning, you can't overstate how much Julio Jones means to Atlanta's offense. The Falcons sorely missed his big-play ability last season as opposing defenses had it easy. With Jones back and looking fully healthy coming off a second foot surgery, the Falcons have their explosion back. McClure added that Jones put on 10 pounds of muscle and still has his breakaway speed. Where he really might thrive more than ever is the red zone, given that Ryan no longer has Tony Gonzalez as his security blanket. Also expect Jones to draw his share of defensive holding penalties against outmatched cornerbacks.

8/12 According to ESPN.com's Vaughn McClure, rookie running back Devonta Freeman was on the field for the start of Monday's practice but exited early and didn't return. The initial word was the heat got to Freeman, although HC Mike Smith declined to go in detail about Freeman's status. After practice as Smith met the media, Freeman walked around and greeted a few people and didn't have any protective gear on any part of his body. "I don't think it's anything serious," Smith said. If the heat indeed got to Freeman, it might be worth monitoring because the Falcons are set to have joint practices against the Texans in scorching Houston starting Wednesday morning. ... Meanwhile, McClure notes that starter Steven Jackson performed some agility drills on a side field for the first time since suffering a left hamstring injury on July 28. Jackson did not perform any sprinting exercises. Smith said all along he expects Jackson to be fully healthy for the Sept. 7 season opener against the New Orleans Saints. With Jackson still sidelined and Freeman exiting early Monday, Jacquizz Rodgers remained as the primary running back with Antone Smith also getting a few first-team reps. ... And finally: Julio Jones participated in his second consecutive practice and caught a few balls. The Falcons had Sunday off, so he technically had a day of rest in between practices. It's the same schedule he's been on throughout camp and it won't change just yet. "I know we're going to go every other day," Smith said of Jones' status, "but the workload is going to be different then it was in the first two weeks."

8/11 In assessing potential breakout rookies, NFL.com's Daniel Jeremiah included Devonta Freeman on his list. Jeremiah explained: "Freeman is an undersized back (5-8, 206 pounds), but he runs very hard and has outstanding short-area quickness and burst. He's also a valuable asset on throwing downs, as he's a natural pass catcher who can make defenders miss in space. Freeman will play a major role in the Falcons' offense. ..." We agree. In fact, given Steven Jackson's recent injury history, we won't be surprised if Freeman ends up playing the featured role at some point.

8/10 According to ESPN.com's Vaughn McClure, there seemed to be a little added emphasis on red zone work Saturday. At one point, quarterback Matt Ryan targeted Julio Jones on three of four red zone attempts, with Jones hauling in two touchdowns. Smith wasn't happy with the team's red zone showing against the Dolphins, with just one touchdown scored in four attempts. But Jones didn't play in the game. "We knew we needed to get red zone work right after the first preseason game, simply because you don't ever know how many snaps you're going to get in a game," Smith said. "On average, we're going to get two series down there in the red zone. ... And that's something that we've got to be much better at. ..." Also worth noting: Wide receiver Roddy White was given the day off and didn't make an appearance until after practice. White was supposed to play just eight snaps against the Dolphins but ended up playing 18 due to a long initial drive by the first-team offense. But the day off was scheduled ahead of time, Smith said. "We've got a prescription for a lot of our players in terms of the number of reps they're going to do," Smith said. "This was Roddy's day." White had four catches for 27 yards in the game.

8/09 Following up on the previous item. ... The Falcons first-string running back, Steven Jackson, missed the preseason opener while nursing a hamstring injury, and Jacquizz Rodgers, who started in place of Jackson, struggled. But the Falcons liked what they saw of backup running backs Devonta Freeman and Antone Smith. As Profootballtalk.com's Michael David Smith notes, Freeman entered the game in the second quarter and had outstanding numbers, finishing with 50 yards on 10 carries, while also adding a 57-yard catch. Smith spent some time playing with the first-string offense, and although his numbers didn’t look impressive, he had two big plays (a 34-yard catch and a 76-yard touchdown run) called back by penalties. HC Mike Smith liked what he saw. “Antone had some very explosive plays,” Smith said. “Antone’s a guy that can do some things when we get the ball in his hands. I would imagine we would want to make sure to help him get some touches, put him in an advantageous situation, but I was very impressed with him. I was impressed with Devonta Freeman, in terms of how he ran the ball for the most part. We did some positive things.” Matt Ryan was impressed. “There were two things that I was really excited about tonight,” Ryan said after the game. “One was Devonta Freeman. He played extremely well, watching from the sideline. Then, there was Antone Smith. Both of those plays got called back but he showed the explosiveness that he has and the speed that he can change a game on any given play. It was fun to watch.” As Smith suggested, "It may have been less fun for Jackson and Rodgers, who may have been watching their backups earn the opportunity to take carries away from them when the regular season starts."

8/09 According to Associated Press sports writer Charles Odum, Matt Ryan showed how starting quarterbacks should handle preseason openers. He had only one possession but completed every pass attempt on a long touchdown drive. He then turned the game over to backups who never found the end zone. After the strong opening drive by Ryan, Sean Renfree led two field-goal drives in the second half and the Falcons held off the Dolphins 16-10 on Friday night in the preseason opener for both teams. Matt Bryant closed the first half with a 21-yard field goal and Sergio Castillo added field goals of 21 and 34 yards in the second half for Atlanta. ... Ryan was strong, completing each of his seven attempts for 53 yards on Atlanta's opening drive. Jacquizz Rodgers capped the drive with a 2-yard scoring run. Rodgers started as Steven Jackson is recovering from a left hamstring injury. Ryan completed passes of 17 yards to Harry Douglas and 5 and 12 yards to Roddy White on the drive. "We were able to run the ball pretty effectively, and when we did have the opportunity to throw, we were able to move the chains," Ryan said. "We were able to overcome a couple of penalties, we were able to keep going, and punch the ball into the end zone. It's exactly what you want for your first drive of the year." The QB said connecting with White was "like riding a bike with him. ..." T.J. Yates, the favorite to win the job as Ryan's top backup, looked poised in Atlanta's two-minute offense to set up Bryant's field goal. Yates completed 7 of 16 passes for 123 yards. Yates is competing with Renfree, who led field-goal drives in the third and fourth quarters. Renfree, a second-year player from Duke, completed 6 of 15 passes for 108 yards. Rookie running back Devonta Freeman had 10 carries for 50 yards and one catch for 57 yards. Another rookie, Bernard Reedy, caught two passes for 61 yards. ... In addition to Jackson, Julio Jones was held out, as expected. ... (Get complete game stats HERE)

8/08 According to Atlanta Journal-Constitution staff writer Michael Cunningham, OC Dirk Koetter said it’s “too early to say” if rookie Devonta Freeman can carry the load as a featured running back but Koetter likes his potential. "Devonta is coming along fine,” Koetter said Thursday. “He runs hard, is eager, is willing, does not back down from anything. He can catch the ball, strong hands, fast. He’s got all of the qualities. It’s just he’s a rookie in the NFL and he’s going to go through some growing pains.” Freeman will get plenty of chances to earn playing time with veteran Steven Jackson out for at least the rest of training camp with a left hamstring injury. Jackson, 31, missed four games because of a right hamstring injury. The rookie will have to prove he can be a reliable pass blocker. The report on Freeman coming out of college was that he was good in that area but Koetter said he’s been just “OK” so far in pass protection with the Falcons. Of great interest, we're hearing a lot about Freeman and very little about Jacquizz Rodgers.

8/07 After Roddy White promised that he and Julio Jones would regain the title as the NFL's top wideout duo, Jones this week went a step farther. "There ain't no telling," Jones told FOXSports.com's Alex Marvez. "Me and Rod -- 1,500, 2,000 (yards). ... You never know what we can do out there." As NFL.com suggests, it's far from an outrageous notion in Atlanta's pass-happy offense, especially with Jones all the way back from last year's season-ending foot surgery. ... Jones reportedly has been "spectacular" in camp, while a healthy White proved he still had it down the stretch last year by averaging 8.6 receptions and 100.4 yards over Atlanta's final five games. With Tony Gonzalez's enormously productive "F" tight end role all but eliminated from the offense, the Falcons are a candidate to lead the NFL in three-receiver sets and the notion that both Jones and White could have top-10 fantasy seasons is well within the realm of possibility.

8/06 According to ESPN.com's Vaughn McClure, HC Mike Smith said the coaches will soon decide about Julio Jones' status for Friday's preseason opener at home against the Dolphins. Jones, coming off foot surgery, has practiced every other day since the beginning of training camp. He last played in a live game Oct. 7 against the New York Jets, when he fractured his right foot for a second time. "I'm not going to talk about snaps and the number of snaps," Smith said of Friday's exhibition. "We want to go through and evaluate as many guys as we can. The majority of the time (today) in our staff meetings will be talking about play time. And again, that's always changing based on the number of healthy bodies that we have. And we will be making a determination on who's going to play and how much in (today's) meeting. ..." At the start of camp, Smith said the team would re-evaluate Jones' practice plan after a week. "No, we haven't done it yet," Smith said. "It will probably be after the first preseason game before we make an evaluation in terms of his workload. But I think he's handled everything that we've asked him to do up to this point in time. He hasn't missed any of the snaps that we've talked about him taking. ..." Jones said he feels 100 percent and stronger than last year coming off the surgery. He has added 10 pounds of muscle and McClure reports he doesn't appear to have lost any speed. The Falcons are off Tuesday, meaning Smith is unlikely to update Jones' status until after Wednesday's practice.

8/05 When Devin Hester signed a three-year contract with the Falcons in March, the assumption was that he would be limited to kick returns -- just as he was in 2013 with the Chicago Bears. A week into training camp, Falcons wide receivers are painting a different picture. "The thing that people don't understand," Julio Jones told TheMMQB.com's Peter King, "is that for us, he's not just going to be a returner. We've seen it out here. He can help us as a receiver, and he is helping us." Whereas the Lovie Smith-era Bears were obsessed with turning Hester into an every-down receiver, it sounds like the Falcons envision the return star as more of a decoy. "What Devin is going to do for us is exercise the field," Roddy White explained. "Make the defense cover every corner of the field. ..." We'll see. Jones, White and Harry Douglas are locked in as the top three receivers and OC Dirk Koetter has rarely made use of four-wide sets in Atlanta. As NFL.com's Chris Wesseling wrote, "In other words, skepticism is advised."

8/05 The Falcons are bringing Julio Jones back slowly after his second foot surgery, but when he's been on the field during training camp the receiver has looked like his dominant self. ESPN.com's Vaughn McClure reported that Jones looked explosive a week ago Sunday in his most extensive practice session. McClure wrote that Jones didn't have problems cutting, was "stopping on a dime" and displayed no apparent effects of the surgery. As NFL.com notes, when healthy, Jones is a transformative piece for the Falcons' offense. Now that Tony Gonzalez is retired, Jones represents the team's one weapon that defenses must scheme to slow down. According to McClure, Jones was "spectacular and in sync with Matt Ryan" during Sunday's session. Not having to dust the cobwebs off their chemistry is a big positive early in training camp, especially considering the Falcons will continue to hold Jones out of some practices with the goal being a healthy Jones come Week 1. ... Steven Jackson suffered a right hamstring injury a week ago Monday. "Steven injured his hamstring," HC Mike Smith said. "We kept him out. We don't think it's going to be real significant. He will be ready for the first game." Ready for the first game? If Smith was trying to be intentionally vague, mission accomplished. The Falcons play the Saints on Sept. 7. ... For what it's worth, the coach pointed out that it was not the hamstring that Jackson injured last season, when he suffered an injury to his left hamstring in the second game of the season. That injury helped end Jackson's streak of eight consecutive 1,000-yard rushing seasons. The Falcons are counting on Jackson to bounce back and carry the rushing attack this season. But if he doesn't? Behind Jackson, the Falcons have Jacquizz Rodgers and fourth-round rookie Devonta Freeman. Antone Smith, who flashed in spot duty last season, is also available. We like Freeman, especially if Jackson's injury lingers. We'll be watching for more. 8/31 Following up on the ongoing story. ... Atlanta Journal-Constitution staff writer D. Orlando Ledbetter notes that receiver Roddy White (ankle) was in attendance at the exhibition game Thursday, but didn't come out to the sideline. Kicker Matt Bryant (back) was also held out because of injury. Both are expected to be available for the season opener against the New Orleans Saints on Sept. 8. "I think all of those guys are on schedule to get back with us and be playing this week," HC Mike Smith said. "That's what we are anticipating at this point in time. We'll have our official, we are out of the preseason, we'll start our official regular season with Wednesday, Thursday and Friday updates in terms of what the NFL requires us to do in regards to our injury report."

8/30 The Falcons today announced that they have waived LB Brian Banks, G Theo Goins, DT Neal Huynh, CB Terrence Johnson, S Charles Mitchell, DT Micanor Regis, T Alec Savoie, LB Pat Schiller, K Jeremy Shelley, CB Peyton Thompson, and RB Ronnie Wingo. The Falcons also placed QB Sean Renfree and TE Andrew Szczerba on injured reserve.

8/30 According to Associated Press sports writer Charles Odum, for an Atlanta team that won 13 games last season with a spot in the NFC championship game, the first priority was keeping key players healthy for the regular season. HC Mike Smith held out almost all his starters in Thursday night's 20-16 loss to the Jaguars. So he managed a postgame smile despite his team's 0-4 record in the games that don't count. 'Our mindset this year more than anything was to try to get to that game No. 1 as healthy as possible,' Smith said. 'We've done a pretty good job of doing that.' Smith said his starters who have missed time with injuries this preseason, including receiver Roddy White (sprained ankle), cornerback Asante Samuel (thigh) and kicker Matt Bryant (back), 'are on schedule' to return next week as the Falcons prepare for the opening game at New Orleans. Most Falcons regulars, including quarterback Matt Ryan, didn't even wear shoulder pads under their jerseys as their watched from the sideline. ... Josh Vaughn, trying to win a job as Steven Jackson's backup, had a 65-yard touchdown run for the Falcons, who finished their second winless preseason in three years. The Falcons also were 0-4 in the 2011 preseason before making the playoffs with a 10-6 record. Atlanta won only one preseason game last year before winning the NFC South with a 13-3 mark. ... Dominique Davis has spent the preseason as Ryan's backup, but the Falcons could scan final roster cuts this weekend and add another quarterback. Teams must trim rosters to 53 players by Saturday. ... (Get complete game stats HERE)

8/29 According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, HC Mike Smith said that a radio report stating that wide receiver Roddy White suffered a more serious injury (high ankle) sprain was not accurate. He contended that White will be available for the season opener.

8/29 The Falcons didn't waste any time getting tight end Tony Gonzalez back involved in the offense during last week's game against Tennessee. On the second play, Matt Ryan threw a pass to Gonzalez for a 7-yard gain. After a unique offseason where was allowed to stay home with his family, Gonzalez made his exhibition season debut before entering his 17th season in the NFL. "Personally, I felt good," Gonzalez said. "I felt fine. There is room for improvement, there always is. I've only been back for four days or whatever." Gonzalez will continue to work on his conditioning. "I'm improving my wind," he said. "I wasn't winded, but I can get better. I can explode (better) off the line of scrimmage. I like where I'm at, at this point after missing all of that time." Gonzalez wasn't pleased with the offense stalling and settling for field goals against the Titans, who won 27-16. "We've got another week of practice and then we can get ready for the Saints," Gonzalez said. Gonzalez, who won't play this week, was happy that Ryan called his number so early in the game. "I've been happy with my progress since I've been back," Gonzalez said. "I can take a little pride knowing that I wanted to do that. I took care of myself for those weeks that I wasn't here. I was preparing myself for when I got back here." Gonzalez finished with two catches for 21 yards. He was only targeted two times. We aren't necessarily expecting a slow start, but we wouldn't be too concerned if Gonzo takes a game or two to hit stride. Better a strong finish than fast start.

8/28 Following up on the previous item. ... GM Thomas Dimitroff told reporters today that the team is "hoping" Roddy White will be available for the season opener against the Saintson 9.8. White has been nursing a tender ankle; HC Mike Smith previously said he expected White to be ready Week 1. This one is worth watching.

8/28 According to the Associated Press, HC Mike Smith isn't terribly concerned that his offensive line had some big leaks in a preseason loss at Tennessee. Smith is confident those problems will be corrected before Atlanta opens the season at New Orleans in 13 days. "You know there's going to matchups that you like and matchups you're going to be concerned about," Smith said Monday. "And with those matchups you're concerned about, it's a coach's job to put people in position where they can be successful." The Falcons will use a vanilla approach when Jacksonville visits the Georgia Dome in both teams' preseason finale on Thursday. Offensive stars such as quarterback Matt Ryan, tight end Tony Gonzalez and running back Steven Jackson are unlikely to play, but Smith will follow his customary protocol for a preseason finale with the first-team offensive line -- even if they won't take many snaps. Atlanta's bigger focus is fixing what's needed before the Saints game plan is installed next week. Against Tennessee, Ryan was sacked five times. But Smith stopped well short of citing individuals who struggled, particularly when asked about right tackle Lamar Holmes, a first-year starter who played in just one game last season. One bright spot was Jackson's average of 4.3 yards per carry on 12 attempts -- so it's not like the outlook is bleak; it just needs to improve. ... Also: The coach indicated that Atlanta's list of injured of front-line players -- including receiver Roddy White and kicker Matt Bryant -- should be healthy before the Falcons visit New Orleans.

8/25 The Falcons released 11 players as teams get to the 75-man roster limit before Tuesday’s deadline. Among those released: Tight end Tim Biere, fullback DeVonte Campbell, tight end Colin Cloherty, quarterback Seth Doege and running back Donald Russell.

8/25 As ESPN.com's Pat Yasinskas noted, the Falcons frequently get talked about as a Super Bowl team. They didn't look anything like that Saturday night. The first-team offense couldn't finish drives and the first-team defense had more than its share of breakdowns in a 27-16 loss to the Titans. Atlanta fell to 0-3 for the preseason. The record doesn't mean much, but the way the Falcons lost is a cause for concern. At least in the first two preseason games, there were plenty of bright spots. In this one, there weren't many. The Falcons trailed 20-6 by the time the starters were all out of the game and things didn't get much better when the reserves came in. This wasn't the kind of showing you would expect from a good team in its third preseason game. One thing is certain: The concerns about the starting offensive line aren't going to go away. Quarterback Matt Ryan was sacked five times. ... Ryan had Tony Gonzalez back after the veteran tight end reported to the Falcons this week. But a Tennessee defense without four starters got to Ryan repeatedly, including three times on third downs. Julio Jones was thrown at eight times with Roddy White resting an injured ankle, and dropped a couple while also drawing an offensive pass interference penalty. Atlanta wound up settling for four field goal attempts by Jeremy Shelley, and he missed a 46-yarder wide right. 'A couple things stick out to me,' Ryan said. 'Production in the red zone we've got to do better and improve on in the next two weeks. And overall execution needs to be better across the board. We just need to play better than we did tonight. ...' HC Mike Smith said his Falcons didn't play up to their standards, but he trusts his players to be ready for the season opener Sept. 8 at New Orleans. "'We have a whole lot of work to do over the next 14 days,' Smith said. 'Many of the mistakes that we made are correctable. ...' One positive? Fullback Bradie Ewing, who has missed some time with an injury, got the start and it's pretty obvious he's going to be a force as the lead blocker for Steven Jackson. ... (Get complete game stats HERE)

8/21 After missing the majority of training camp to spend time with his family, Tony Gonzalez is back with the team and prepared to play the final season of his storied career with a team he knows can go all the way. Despite missing practices and two preseason games, Gonzalez was back at it and participated in team activities on Sunday and Tuesday. According to AtlantaFalcons.com staffer Daniela Duron, watching Gonzalez at practice, it was as if he had been there all along - mainly because, in a way, he was. As previously noted, although the tight end was in California watching his son, Nikko, play football, he took the time every day to practice in the morning and then watch film from that day's practice on an iPad at night. Gonzalez, who got some extra work in with the rest of the tight ends after practice was over Tuesday, admitted that felt good but was still a little rusty because "there's nothing like playing the game." Despite this, he's confident that his experience will help him to soon get used to being back out on the field. We are too. Our current rankings reflect that fact.

8/17 After getting some time off from training camp, Tony Gonzalez is ready to get to work. Gonzalez told Jay Glazer of FOXSports that he is getting ready to leave for the airport to fly to Atlanta today and plans to be at work with his teammates on Sunday. He also plans to play in the Falcons’ third preseason game, next Saturday against the Titans, which is typically the game when teams try to get as many of their starters on the field as possible. “It’s time for me to get back there,” Gonzalez told Glazer. “I need to get some work with Matt [Ryan] and the offense. I’m excited. ... " The 37-year-old Gonzalez decided against retiring in part because the Falcons told him they’d be flexible with his schedule and allow him to spend more time with his family during the offseason. As Profootballtalk.com's Michael David Smith notes, Gonzalez, who led the Falcons with 93 catches last season, has always been dedicated to health and fitness and is expected to show up in Atlanta in excellent shape.

8/16 One week after Steven Jackson sputtered for just eight yards on five carries against the Bengals, he came to life against Baltimore's defense, galloping for 42 yards on eight attempts. "Having success tonight is great for our confidence," Jackson said after the game, per the team's official site. "We feel we have the potential to run the ball well every week. The key is to keep getting better. Every preseason game presents a different challenge and a chance to improve." According to NFL.com, the Falcons were intentional about establishing the run early. HC Mike Smith said his offense did "a nice job of running the ball in the first half," but questions linger about Atlanta's reshuffled offensive line -- and Jackson. Per NFL.com, Jackson "still packs a punch." He was effective Thursday grinding between the tackles. But Jackson struggles getting to the edges. The Falcons fed him a steady diet of inside runs, because that's what S-Jax gives you at this stage in his career. Don't plan to see him employed on sweeps; Jackson lacks the lateral agility to pile up those yards in 2013. Making matters worse, the Falcons have issues blocking to the edges. On Thursday, with Tony Gonzalez watching from the sideline, backup tight ends Chase Coffman and Levin Toilolo lost too many matchups with Ravens defenders. Gonzalez will offer more, but it's still an area in need of improvement.

8/16 Following up on a previous item. ... Roddy White suffered an ankle injury in last night's game against the Ravens and the team has yet to offer an update on his status. ."I have not had a chance to speak in depth with Roddy," HC Mike Smith said after the game. "We made a decision that Roddy was not going to come back in the ball game. When we have (more) information on that we'll give it to you. But until we get more information, I don't want to speak to it." White is scheduled to undergo an MRI today. ... In the meantime, USA Today's Mike Garafolo advised his Twitter followers that White has a low ankle sprain. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport also reports the injury isn't serious -- but that White will miss some preseason time.

8/16 According to Associated Press sports writer David Ginsburg, if the main objective is to get ready for the regular season, the Falcons almost certainly derived far more satisfaction from Thursday night's preseason game - even though the Ravens pulled out a 27-23 victory. ... Matt Ryan threw for 97 yards and a touchdown in four series, and the Falcons bottled up Baltimore's starting offense in the first half before the Ravens' backups rallied with a 20-point fourth quarter. Atlanta's starters bounced back nicely from an opening 34-10 loss to Cincinnati one week earlier. Under Ryan's direction, the Falcons pierced Baltimore for 11 first downs in 16 1/2 minutes and built a 20-7 lead at halftime. It was 23-7 before Baltimore scored 20 fourth-quarter points, including a 78-yard punt return by Asa Jackson with 6:18 remaining. Ryan went 8 for 15 and threw an 8-yard touchdown pass to Julio Jones. Steven Jackson had 42 yards rushing on eight carries against a unit that has seven new starters on defense. Atlanta had its way with Baltimore's defense, even though receiver Roddy White hurt his ankle in the first quarter and did not return. In the first quarter, the Falcons ran 21 plays compared to seven for Baltimore and built a 10-1 advantage in first downs. A field goal by Jeremy Shelley and a 2-yard run by Jacquizz Rodgers made it 20-7. ... As ESPN.com's Pat Yasinskas noted, the Falcons still are going to be a pass-first team, but one of their goals this offseason was to improve the running game. That's why the Falcons let Michael Turner go and brought in Jackson. He doesn't have to get 25 carries a game, but Jackson at least gives the Falcons the threat of a running game and that means some balance for the offense -- and less time on the field for the defense. ... After a rocky performance in the preseason opener last week, backup quarterback Dominique Davis had an outstanding performance in relief of Ryan. Davis completed eight of 10 passes for 98 yards. That showing might be enough to convince the Falcons they don't need to search for a veteran backup. ... Tight end Tony Gonzalez was scratched because he's participating in only portions of training camp as part of his agreement to postpone his retirement. ... (Get complete game stats HERE)

8/15 Roddy White left during the first quarter of tonight's game against the Ravens after sustaining an ankle injury in the second quarter. The Falcons announced White's return as questionable. According to NFL.com, the injury appeared to occur when White got his feet tangled in the corner of the end zone. He immediately hopped up to complain about a potential pass interference call -- perhaps a sign that the injury is not serious. For what it's worth, NFL.com's Chris Wesseling suggests if the ensuing series was any indication, Julio Jones' numbers will go through the roof if White ever misses significant time due to injury. Jones hauled in the final three passes, including an 8-yard touchdown, on a seven-play scoring drive.

8/15 Among the objectives the Falcons have in mind heading into tonight's game against the Ravens in Baltimore, are getting Julio Jones some action, getting a longer look at the first-team offense and getting the running game unleased. ... As Atlanta Journal-Constitution staffer D. Orlando Ledbetter notes, Jones didn’t play in the opener as a precautionary measure. He had some tight hamstrings and was held back for a week. He was eased back into the action. Meanwhile, the key starters played just 14 snaps last week against the Bengals. Ledbetter reports that HC Mike Smith will extend the snap count to 20 to 25 plays against the Ravens. ... And finally, new running back Steven Jackson had 8 yards on five carries in the opener and got stuffed on a third-and-2. The Falcons want to run the ball better against the Ravens. “It’s going to depend on how Baltimore is going to defend us,” Smith said. “They have a very good defense; I took a quick look at their game against Tampa Bay in the first preseason game with their (first-string) in there. They were playing with a lot of energy; they’re still a very good defense.”

8/14 According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the Falcons have put tight end Tony Gonzalez through a virtual training camp using technology to get the job done. ... Gonzalez was on hand for the first two days of camp, but has been on family leave since. He made some commitments to his family before he decided to return for a 17th season and he wanted to uphold them. HC Mike Smith is fine with the arrangement and stated that he didn’t want to give daily Gonzalez updates, although Gonzalez is expected back soon. According to AJC.com's D. Orlando Ledbetter, the players know that Gonzalez works harder than most of them and don't seem to question his absence. TE coach Chris Scelfo has been talking almost nightly to Gonzalez. “We’ve been in communications with him quite a bit with the technology that we have today, its state-of-the-art,” Scelfo said. “We’ll get him up to speed. We are using the iPad and we speak just about every night. ..." Safe to say Gonzalez will be up to speed mentally upon return. And despite the lack of on-field work, we suspect conditioning won't be an issue either.

8/13 Falcons running back coach Gerald Brown was not pleased with how the team ran the ball against the Bengals. So according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the coach has three goals for when the Falcons face the defending Super Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens Thursday night: 1. "Like we did in the first game, I want to protect the football. We didn't put the ball on the ground (against the Bengals). 2. "We've got to protect our passer. We picked up blitzes well. We were solid in blitz pickups against Cincinnati. 3."Our message, not only to the running backs, but to the team, is that we have to be more efficient running the football. We have to make plays in the run game." Steven Jackson would undoubtedly suggest he's on board with that message and that a little help from the fellows up front would be appreciated. Jackson had five carries and gained only 8 yards rushing behind some porous blocking in the exhibition opener. He also caught one pass for no gain. The Falcons are hoping that Jackson provide a significant boost to the offense, but clearly have to get their offensive line in order first.

8/12 Following up on the ongoing story. ... After working on a limited basis on Saturday, Julio Jones was back at full speed on Sunday. “Yes he was. Julio was back in full participation," HC Mike Smith said. "He’s been limited through this early part of the week, didn’t participate in the game. We anticipate that he’ll be full participation and be ready to go for the rest of the preseason.” Jones was nursing a tender hamstring up until this weekend. It will be interesting to see if the star wideout gets some snaps in Baltimore Thursday night when the Falcons take on the Ravens.

8/11 Following up on previous items. ... When the Falcons opted to hold out Julio Jones from their preseason openers, the implication was the star wideout would have played had it been a regular-season game. Saturday brought confirmation of that fact. Jones returned from his hamstring injury to practice with the Falcons after missing less than a week. Jones had been tearing up training camp prior to the injury. "Julio was out running some routes," HC Mike Smith said. "He did some work. He didn't take a full load. I would imagine in the next day or two he'll probably be back to full participation," Smith said.

8/09 Steven Jackson was provided little running room by the Falcons' depleted offensive line in a 34-10 preseason loss to the Bengals in Atlanta on Thursday night. ... As Associated Press sports writer Charles Odum noted, the first preseason game highlighted the Falcons' concerns about their rebuilt offensive line. Jackson found little blocking as he had five carries for only 8 yards. Atlanta lost projected starting right tackle Mike Johnson, likely for the season, when he dislocated his left ankle and broke his left leg in Tuesday's practice. Lamar Holmes, a second-year player who appeared in only one game in 2012, moved up as the starting right tackle. Undrafted rookie Ryan Schraeder played behind Holmes. The Falcons released right tackle Tyson Clabo after the 2012 season and longtime starting center Todd McClure retired. ... The Falcons had a fast start. Matt Ryan was 3 for 3 for 52 yards on Atlanta's opening drive, his first with Jackson at running back. Jackson, the former Rams standout, was signed to replace Michael Turner. On the first play of the game, Jackson ran straight ahead, found no room and cut right for 4 yards. It was his longest run of the night. ... Harry Douglas turned a screen pass from Ryan into a 42-yard gain, but the drive stalled when Geno Atkins stuffed Jackson on third-and-2 run from the 16, forcing the Falcons to settle for Matt Bryant's 37-yard field goal. Ryan remained in the game for two more series. He completed 6 of 9 passes for 89 yards. ... Dominique Davis, mostly ineffective after replacing Ryan in the first half, led a third-quarter touchdown drive capped by his 8-yard pass to Jason Snelling. Davis hit 8 of 19 for 78 yards with one touchdown and one interception. ... (Get complete game stats HERE)

8/08 Tony Gonzalez likely won't rejoin his teammates at training camp for another 7-10 days. On Wednesday, HC Mike Smith revealed the team's plan for Gonzalez to FoxSportsSouth.com, saying the veteran tight end would play in the final two preseason games but also will have enough time to get ready for the 2013 campaign. The coach, however, declined to give a hard-target date for the player's return. Smith believes Gonzalez would need at least a week to get ready for the third preseason game. For that week, the Falcons typically game-plan for that contest, while having their healthy regulars play well into the third quarter. Atlanta's third preseason game is Aug. 24 against Tennessee (in Nashville), meaning Gonzalez should return sometime around Aug. 17. He left training camp after the July 26 practice to make good on a previous family commitment. In all, Gonzalez will miss about three weeks of camp. In Gonzalez's place during training camp, Chase Coffman and rookie Levine Toilolo are getting the bulk of the reps.

8/08 Last season, backup running back Jacquizz Rodgers held down the kick returner position. While he didn’t return any for touchdowns, he was solid in the role, offering gains when he could and always taking care of ball. HC Mike Smith said on Thursday that he thinks Rodgers will fill that role again this season. Smith added that rookie corner Robert Alford would most likely be returning punts and kicks against the Bengals.

8/07 Followikng up on a previous item. .. Starting RT Mike Johnson dislocated and fractured his ankle and is expected to miss rest of season.

8/07 Over the offseason, there was a pool of veteran quarterbacks available. Some of the other veteran quarterbacks who were on the open market over the offseason included Matt Hasselbeck, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Jason Campbell, Chase Daniel, Matt Cassel and John Skelton. The Falcons passed, which essentially means Dominique Davis will be Matt Ryan's backup for the second season. Davis has yet to play in a regular-season game, but showed during a scrimmage session last Friday that he's comfortable with running the offense. According to the Sports Xchange, Davis led the offense on an 11-play drive that went 57 yards before stalling out with a "sack" (defenders were not allowed to hit the quarterbacks). The Falcons played the drive at a fast tempo with Davis unofficially completing four of four pass attempts for 41 yards. "He has very good command of (the offense)," HC Mike Smith said. "He's been here for two years. I thought he did a nice job (Friday) getting into some plays at the line of scrimmage. That was something we wanted to do based on the looks the defensive staff presented to him. 'Dom' is very athletic and he's learning from a very good mentor in Matt Ryan."

8/06 Rght tackle Mike Johnson, who was listed No. 1 on the team’s depth chart, suffered an apparent left leg injury and was carted off the practice field on Tuesday. According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Johnson was injured on the first play of the 9-on-7 inside run drills on the second day of practice between the Falcons and the Cincinnati Bengals. He left the team's facilities in an ambulance. Johnson was the leading candidate to replace Tyson Clabo at right tackle. Lamar Holmes, a second year player from Southern Mississippi, is the No. 2 right tackle. The Falcons released Clabo over the offseason.

8/06 Following up on the previous item. ... According to the team's official web site, Julio Jones was running routes and catching passes during today's practice, something he wasn’t doing at practice yesterday. He won't play against the Bengals Thursday but the fact he's on the field is a good sign.

8/06 According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, receiver Julio Jones, who was limited in practice on Monday, did participate in the walk-through. He will not play on Thursday night. "Julio Jones has had tightness in his hamstrings and we will keep him out of the game on Thursday," HC Mike Smith said. "It is a precautionary move."

8/06 Tony Gonzalez is absent from training camp. After spending the first three days of camp with the team for the start of the 2013 campaign, Gonzalez left the team to return home. He's expected to miss the Falcons' preseason opener against the Cincinnati Bengals and will play in the final two preseason games according to HC Mike Smith. Gonzalez is attending to family commitments including the start of his son's first tackle football season. So should we be worried about chemistry with Matt Ryan? No according to Ryan. ... "This will be year five together and at that point you have a lot of chemistry, a lot of time spent together, a lot of reps under our belt," Ryan said in an interview with Sirius XM NFL Radio. "We actually worked together a bit this summer too. I was out in California for a little while to try and get some of that work done with him that we would be missing at this time. ..." The Falcons agreed to give Gonzo time off in training camp when the start TE agreed to return for another season instead of retiring. And as Profootballtalk.com suggested, "With his vast experience and several years together with Ryan, there seems to be little concern Gonzalez will be able to jump right back in when he returns."

8/06 According to the Sports Xchange, the unexpected star of the first week of training camp was Martel Moore, an undrafted rookie from Northern Illinois. The rookie wideout has won some of his battles in the one-on-one passing drills early in training camp. "I've got to take it one day at a time," Moore said. "I have to make the most of any opportunity that I do get. Any group that I go with, the ones, twos or threes, I have to make the most of my opportunities, blocking or catching the ball." Moore, 6-0 and 183 pounds, is running his routes fluidly and making great cuts. "I still have to get better and I'm learning for Roddy (White), Harry (Douglas) and Julio (Jones) every day, said Moore. ... Moore ran the 40-yard dash in 4.56 and 4.57 seconds March 12 at Northern Illinois' Pro Day, according to NFL.com's Gil Brandt. He also had an impressive 35-inch vertical jump.

8/06 The big news out of training camp so far surrounds Julio Jones, who appears to be ready to move up to the elite level after flirting with it his first two seasons as a pro. According to NFL.com, the 6-3, 220-pounder is running patterns like he's less than six feet tall, with improved body control. Matt Ryan told reporters that Jones finally has mastered the finer points of playing wide receiver at the game's highest level. "Man, he just continues to get better," Ryan said. "He's coming into his third year. I think he's really starting to come into his own in terms of his confidence and understanding what we are doing offensively." By all accounts, Jones has been toying with Falcons cornerbacks, leading national and local observers to conclude that he's the most impressive player in camp. "He looks stronger at the ball," HC Mike Smith said, "and to me, there's going to be so many tightly thrown balls, the coverage is such where you gotta be strong at the ball. That's something where that stood out to me. ..." Given Jones' dominant 11-catch, 182-yard, 2-TD performance in the NFC Championship Game, he's already high on fantasy nation's radar. But if the glowing reports continue throughout August, it's going to get very expensive to have him on your roster. ... According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, veteran running back Steven Jackson still has a good jump-cut step and "he even looks explosive at half speed. ..." Jackson, who was signed as a free agent, has rushed for 10,135 yards and has posted eight consecutive 1,000-yard seasons. He's also a pass-catching threat out of the backfield and has 407 career catches. OC Dirk Koetter said Jackson will make the entire offense better because of his versatility. We agree. 8/31 The Falcons announced the following players were released as they met tonight's deadline for reaching the 53-man roster limit: LB Spencer Adkins, TE LaMark Brown, LB Rico Council, FB Mike Cox, WR Drew Davis, CB Dominique Franks, OL Andrew Jackson, OL Bryce Harris, LB Jerrell Harris, OL Tyler Horn, WR Marcus Jackson, CB Marty Markett, WR Kerry Meier, RB Dimitri Nance, DT Conrad Obi, DT Micanor Regis, WR James Rodgers, LB Pat Schiller, CB Peyton Thompson, DB Suaesi Tuimaunei, LS Joe Zelenka.

8/29 According to Atlanta Journal-Constitution staffer Chris Vivlamore, the Falcons no longer consider Jacquizz Rodgers a change-of-pace running back. They may have drafted the 5-6 Rodgers last season to give opposing defenses a different look from Michael Turner. According to HC Mike Smith, Rodgers is an every-down running back. And one the team wants to the get the ball to more often. “Jacquizz is a player that we’ve got to get him some touches,” Smith said after Tuesday’s practice. “We found out very early once we got him here that he is not a change-of-pace back. He’s a guy who can do all the things that you ask a running back to do. You go out and perform and when he’s had his opportunities, he’s done a nice job. It is obvious that we need to try to get him the football. Again, it’s tough a chore sometimes based on how teams are trying to defend us and the guys we have on offense. ...” This is not the first time Smith has made that claim. The Falcons are looking to decrease the load on Turner. Jason Snelling, who is out with a lower right leg injury, and Rodgers figure to get some of those carries. In three exhibition games, Rodgers has 61 yards on 17 carries with a touchdown. He led the Falcons in rushing in two of the three games.

8/28 According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, QB Luke McCown has signed with the Falcons. Atlanta released QB Chris Redman.

8/27 In case you're wondering about his rise in the Staff Rankings Matrix, we'll remind you again that Matt Ryan is playing pretty well this preseason. In fact, Ryan completed 18 of 26 passes for 220 yards against the Dolphins to help the Falcons snap their seven-game exhibition season losing streak. Ryan, who may play just a series or not at all against Jacksonville on Thursday, is having a spectacular exhibition season. He's completed 45 of 60 passes (75 percent) for 549 yards, three touchdowns, an interception and has a passer rating of 111. ... Meanwhile, Julio Jones had four catches for 90 yards against the Dolphins. He has 13 catches for 240 yards and one touchdown during the exhibition season. Roddy White had a spectacular 20-yard touchdown catch against the Dolphins. ... This passing attack is going to be difficult to slow down.

8/26 The Falcons today announced that they have waived quarterback John Parker Wilson and placed defensive tackle Corey Peters on the reserve/non-football injury list. The Falcons roster now sits at 75 players as part of the NFL’s mandatory roster cut down. Atlanta will have to trim its roster to 53 players by August 31 and may establish an eight-player practice squad beginning on September 1.

8/25 According to Profootballtalk.com, the Falcons got down to the 75-player limit on Saturday by putting T Will Svitek on injured reserve, waiving TE Chase Coffman, LB Max Gruder, K Erik Folk, RB Richard Medlin, FB Lee Meisner, DE Louis Nzegwu, WR Kenny Stafford and TE Aron White and reaching injury settlements with DT Elisha Joseph and CB Darrin Walls.

8/25 ESPN.com's Pat Yasinskas believes we got a pretty good glimpse Friday night of what the Falcons' offense is going to look like with Dirk Koetter as the coordinator in a 23-6 preseason victory against the Miami Dolphins. ... The starters got their most extensive playing time of the summer. Yasinskas added: "It's fair to say, the Falcons showed signs of everything they've talked about for months. ..." Yasinskas went on to explain that coaches aren't completely putting RB Michael Turner on the shelf, but the Falcons look like a team that's intent on relying more on the passing game than it has in recent seasons. In the time the first-team offense was in the game (the starters didn't return after a touchdown drive with 6:48 left in the third quarter), the Falcons (1-2) had 249 yards of total offense -- 204 of those coming through the air and 45 on the ground. Turner carried 10 times for 35 yards and Jacquizz Rodgers had four carries for 4 yards. As they've promised, the Falcons took more shots downfield in the passing game. Matt Ryan completed 18 of 26 passes for 220 yards and the highlight of his night was a third-quarter touchdown pass to Roddy White. The 20-yard pass was perfectly thrown into the corner of the end zone and White made the catch despite strong coverage. Ryan also hit Julio Jones on a 49-yard pass in the first half. Turner and Rodgers didn't get a lot of opportunities on the ground, but both were involved in the passing game. Turner, who isn't known as a big receiving threat, had three catches for 36 yards and Rodgers had one catch for 18 yards. ... (Get complete game stats HERE)

8/24 Matt Ryan completed his first 11 passes in last Thursday's 24-19 loss to the Bengals, including all nine first-quarter attempts. Ryan's 27 completions this exhibition season have been thrown to nine different receivers: Julio Jones (9 receptions), Roddy White (8), Michael Turner (3), Tony Gonzalez (2), Mike Cox (1), Jacquizz Rodgers (1), Michael Palmer (1), Harry Douglas (1) and Lousaka Polite (1). ... On a second-quarter drive against the Bengals, the Falcons never had a third down in a nine-play, 88-yard drive that resulted in a 2-yard touchdown pass to Polite. Ryan was 7-for-8 for 74 yards. The only miss was a deep pass intended for Jones that snapped Ryan's streak of 11 straight completions. Ryan was 18 of 21 for 174 yards against the Bengals in nearly two quarters of action. It will be very interesting to see if Ryan and the passing attack can keep their roll going against the Dolphins tonight.

8/23 Following up on the ongoing story. ... According to NFL Network insider Albert Breer, there's a perception, league-wide, that Michael Turner is about to "lose it" in the wake of the heavy workload he's carried in recent seasons (Turner is also 30 years old). In discussing veteran running backs in general with NFL talent evaluators, all with extensive scouting backgrounds, one sign that a power back is slowing down is a decreased ability or willingness to "get the extra yard" through fight and leg-drive. That's apparently among the shortcomings that lead to the evaluation of Turner, who will share carries to a greater degree than ever this year with the smaller, speedier Jacquizz Rodgers.

8/23 The Falcons have stockpiled an arsenal of aerial weapons. Matt Ryan has the likes of Tony Gonzalez, Roddy White, Julio Jones and Harry Douglas at his disposal. He has made good use of them after two exhibition games throwing for 329 yards, fifth best in the NFL’s preseason, and two touchdowns in limited action. But Atlanta Journal-Constitution staffer Chris Vivlamore on Wednesday joined the ranks of observers advising against overlooking Michael Turner. Although the running back has just 14 yards on eight carries in exhibition games against the Ravens and Bengals, Turner and coaches insist there is no reason to panic. It’s the preseason, they said. “It’s just a matter of getting reps,” Turner said Tuesday. “It’s just a glorified practice. You just want to get out there, get the looks and make the corrections from the game tape like you do for any other practice. You still want to look sharp and crisp out there and hopefully we’ll clean all that up this week.” The Falcons play the Dolphins Friday. They rushed 21 times for 71 yards against the Ravens and 18 times for 81 yards against the Bengals, including Turner’s three carries for minus-3 yards. The question, however, is whether Turner will get the kind of carries he needs to excel? The Falcons plan to cut the 30-year-old Turner’s carries this season and go with a more pass-heavy attack. “You know you are not going to get it five or six times in a row and just pound it all the way down the field,” Turner said. “It’s kind of an adjustment because we are getting used to having these established weapons. Is it run first? Is it pass first? Really it’s score first. That’s what it is. Start fast and control the tempo. We are fortunate enough to be able to run it or pass it. ..." Turner will share some of the rushing attack with Jacquizz Rodgers, entering his second season and first with a true offseason. Turner said Rodgers is getting more comfortable in the offense and there will be times when either he or the coaches will call for the switch to the much smaller change-of-pace back. While nobody expects Rodgers to be busier on a consistent basis, it still seems likely that will happen on occasion. And when it does, Turner's totals will reflect it.

8/22 Although the Falcons have made plenty of noise about limiting Michael Turner’s workload, ESPN.com's Pat Yasinskas reported that HC Mike Smith reiterated Tuesday that Turner will remain an integral part of the offense and remains the No. 1 back. Forget the conspiracy theories on this one. The Falcons mean what they’re saying. Turner still is going to be their top running back, but the days of giving him more than 300 carries in a season are over. Per Yasinskas, Jacquizz Rodgers will get increased carries, but he’s not going to get nearly as many as Turner. That said, from a Fantasy perspective, that doesn't mean Rodgers isn't a solid value. We still expect his receiving skills to keep him in the mix enough to satisfy PPR owners. And don't overlook his return job in leagues that include that production.

8/21 The Falcons had the league's 10th-ranked offense in 2011 and averaged more than 25 points per game, but Yahoo! Sports' Michael Silver reminded readers today that they still seemed oddly out of sync at key times. One persistent criticism of former OC Mike Mularkey was that Atlanta tended to look better using a no-huddle attack, with Matt Ryan calling the plays, than when it ran a conventional attack. Ryan's comfort level in the no-huddle has certainly been hammered home to new OC Dirk Koetter -- "I think everybody's kind of told him, including myself," Ryan says, laughing -- which means it will still be employed liberally. And when Koetter calls the plays, look for the Falcons to take more chances than they did in 2011. "He's more aggressive," Roddy White said, comparing Koetter to Mularkey. "He's not gun-shy whatsoever. He will have no bullets left in the chamber at the end of the game, I can tell you that. He has so much confidence in all of us as playmakers - he just dials 'em up and he expects us to make plays. ..." Meanwhile, Silver further confirmed what we've been hearing all along: Julio Jones, who caught 54 passes for 959 yards and eight touchdowns as a rookie -- despite missing considerable time with an injured hamstring -- is being counted on for much more in 2012. "I think the guy can catch 80 sleepwalking," said WRs coach Terry Robiskie. "We'll have some new wrinkles, a couple of things designed to get it in Julio's hands faster, so he can get it and go." Robiskie believes that Jones, who stands 6-3 and weighs 220, needs to play faster than he did as a rookie. "I've told him, 'Quit break-dancing,'" Robiskie says. "He just needs to get off the ball and go, and not do much thinking. Julio is a massive man. When he runs, it's like being at a morning workout with horses in Kentucky - you can literally close your eyes and hear him running with power. He needs to stop thinking and start running as soon as the ball is snapped." With secondaries forced to choose between sliding toward one side or the other, somebody should be running free much of the time. For that reason, Ryan envisions Jones joining White among the NFL's receiving leaders in 2012 - and into what should be a scary future together. We do, too. In fact, some members of the staff expect more than that (see our current Staff Rankings Matrix).

8/21 According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, OC Dirk Koetter and quarterback Matt Ryan have been pleased with the pass protection through the first two exhibition games. The offensive line’s pass protection is a major concern entering 2012 after they gave up 26 sacks and 84 quarterback hits last season. “It was definitely better this week in the second game,” Koetter said. “We’ve called over 60 pass plays. We had some pressures and some hurries, but I thought our chips with our [running] backs was really good. ...” The Falcons have given up four sacks, all by the reserves. They also gave up five quarterback hits against Baltimore and four against Cincinnati. Ryan has not been sacked when the first-unit has been on the field. “I think two games into [the exhibition season] I haven’t been hit yet,” Ryan said. “I keep telling them ‘Keep that up and it’s going to be fun year.’”

8/20 According to ESPN.com's Pat Yasinskas, Michael Turner looks a step slow and no longer seems like a great fit in the Atlanta offense. Yasinskas concedes Turner is one of those guys who needs carries to wear down a defense and really be effective. But the Falcons have insisted that Turner’s carries will be limited this season and it appears they'll follow through. That being the case, Yasinskas isn't convinced Turner can have as big an impact if he’s not getting the carries. ... Also: According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, wide receiver Kevin Cone suffered a concussion in Saturday’s practice. ... Wide receiver Kerry Meier (leg) and running back Jason Snelling (lower right leg) continued to work with trainers. Snelling has missed the first two preseason games.

8/19 The Falcons’ rushing attack has been anemic in the first two exhibition games, but Atlanta Journal-Constitution beat man D. Orlando Ledbetter reports that OC Dirk Koetter is not worried. In case you missed it, the Falcons rushed 21 times for 71 yards against the Ravens and 18 times for 81 yards against the Bengals. “To be honest, I never worry about the running game in preseason,” Koetter said after the Saturday walk-through pracgtice. “I just don’t see why you want to plow it up in there and get your backs beat up. We know that Michael Turner can run the football. ...” The Falcons did try to get Turner a little work against the Bengals, but fullback Mike Cox had a tough day lead-blocking. “We are trying to get guys evaluated,” Koetter said. “I don’t think we forgot how to run the ball overnight.”

8/18 After a poor showing against the Ravens, the kickoff return unit played better against Cincinnati. Jacquizz and James Rodgers split the return duties. Jacquizz had three kickoff returns for 57 yards. James had 1 for 18. “We were not happy with the way that we returned kicks last week,” HC Mike Smith told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “We did a good job this week. It was good to see that. ...” Meanwhile, Jacquizz Rodgers led the Falcons in rushing against the Bengals with four carries for 24 yards, including a 16-yard gain. He also caught three passes, including a 22-yarder. “Quizz is someone that we feel is a three down back,” Smith said. “He can come in a do the things that a three-down back does. He’s is not just a change of pace back.” This is not the first time Smith has made this point. We suggest you listen to him.

8/17 Matt Ryan directed a pair of scoring drives before Cincinnati's reserves held on for a 24-19 preseason victory over Atlanta on Thursday night. The second- and third-string players for Atlanta struggled in the second half for the second straight week. ... But Ryan, who completed his first 11 attempts, finished 18 of 21 for 174 yards and one touchdown, a 2-yard screen to reserve fullback Lousaka Polite in the second quarter. Spreading out the offense and connecting with nine different receivers, Ryan completed passes of at least 20 yards to Roddy White, Tony Gonzalez, Julio Jones and Michael Palmer. ... Michael Turner had three carries for minus-3 yards. Turner's best gain was an 8-yard completion on a screen pass. ... The Falcons’ starting offense was on the field for 27 plays in the first half. They played 21 plays in the exhibition opener against Baltimore on Aug. 9. Chris Redman took over for Ryan, directing a nine-play drive that ended with Matt Bryant's 22-yard field goal and gave the Falcons a 13-10 halftime lead. ... But Ryan and the direction of the passing attack would be the big story here. As NFL.com's Greg Rosenthal notes, Ryan's numbers in the team's new up-tempo offense through two preseason game: 27-for-34 for 329 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. He looks very smooth in the new system. Everything is pointing to a big year for Ryan and Jones. And others. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution notes that Ryan’s 27 completions this exhibition season have been thrown to nine different receivers: Jones (9 receptions), White (8), Turner (3), Gonzalez (2), Mike Cox (1), Jacquizz Rodgers (1), Palmer (1), Harry Douglas (1) and Polite (1). (Get complete game stats HERE)

8/16 According to Atlanta Journal-Constitution beat writer D. Orlando Ledbetter, Drew Davis and Kevin Cone, the speedster from Georgia Tech, are in a heated battle for perhaps the last wide receiver spot on the roster. Roddy White, Julio Jones, Harry Douglas and Kerry Meier have the top four spots. The Falcons could go with six receivers, but mostly like are going to keep five on the 53-man roster and special teams play will be the deciding factor. “It’s going to be interesting to see how that competition goes,” HC Mike Smith said. “That’s one that most people are not talking about. ...” Also: QBs Chris Redman, John Parker Wilson and Dominique Davis are in a battle for one or possibly two roster spots. There will be an odd man out in this high profile game of musical chairs. Redman will get more playing time against the Bengals. Wilson had his moments against the Ravens and Davis is having a strong camp. “Red has been around a long time,” quarterbacks coach Glenn Thomas said. “He knows defenses and what looks he will see. He just has to continue to improve and get the ball to where it is supposed to be. Having some carryover with the offense has helped him with Dirk [Koetter] coming in. ...”

8/16 According to Atlanta Journal-Constitution beat writer D. Orlando Ledbetter, the Falcons’ offense is making some not-so-subtle changes under new OC Dirk Koetter. One of the major changes has been the implementation of the three-wide receiver set or “11” personnel -- one back and one tight end -- as a primary formation. “That three-wide receiver set, one tight end and one back has been good for us in the past,” QB Matt Ryan said. “We’ve got talented guys to fill out those positions. It will probably be something that we use.” Wide receiver Roddy White has called for more use of more three-wide-receiver sets. The coaches obliged in the exhibition opener. When the third wide receiver, Harry Douglas, couldn’t play because of a rib injury, they inserted Kerry Meier and stayed with the formation. Douglas has recovered and is set to play against the Bengals tonight at the Georgia Dome. When the Falcons go with three wide receivers, the odd position out is the fullback. Ryan was effective, completing nine of 13 passes for 155 yards against the Ravens, mostly from 11 personnel. ... We'll be watching for more of it tonight.

8/16 As Associated Press sports writer George Henry noted this week, for the first time in his eight-year career, Roddy White is no longer the Falcons' undisputed best player at his position, not with Julio Jones entering his second season. If White's numbers are down this year, so be it. "I told them earlier in the season that I don't want to be the most targeted receiver in the NFL," White said Tuesday. "We've got a lot of good playmakers, and we've got to spread the ball around. We've got to get everybody involved in the game plan." White promises he won't be upset if Jones, last year's No. 6 overall draft pick, catches more passes and scores more touchdowns for the Falcons. ... Of course, White led the NFC in catches for the second consecutive season last year and became the eighth receiver to catch at least 80 passes for 1,000 yards receiving for five consecutive years. But White might not have posted big numbers if Jones, the league's No. 6 overall draft pick last year, hadn't missed three-plus games with hamstring injuries. In last week's preseason loss to Baltimore, Matt Ryan targeted Jones seven times and White five times. Jones caught six passes for 109 yards, including a one-handed grab for a touchdown, and White had three catches for 46 yards. Now that No. 3 receiver Harry Douglas has returned from a rib injury, White might have fewer chances tonight night when the Falcons host Cincinnati. ... Though Jones' size and speed could make him more of a deep threat, HC Mike Smith still considers White to be the team's top target. "He's our No. 1 receiver, and you've got to try to defend him first and foremost," Smith said. "And then certain weeks they're going to try to stop somebody else, and Roddy's going to get his opportunities." We still like Jones as the leading weapon, but White's current value is awesome.

8/15 While he is fine with his carries being slightly limited, Michael Turner still wants to shoulder his load of the offense. As the Sports Xchange reminded readers, Turner has averaged 20.1 carries a game for four seasons with the Falcons. A cutdown to 18 carries a game would be manageable. A cutdown to 10 carries a game, would lead to a major objection with the new offense that's being installed in training camp. In the exhibition opener, a 31-17 loss to the Ravens, the Falcons threw 43 passes and ran the ball just 21 times for 71 yards. Turner had five carries for 17 yards. Jacquizz Rodgers had nine carries for 33 yards. "I'll just see what happens," Turner said. "Ten carries a game; I don't think I'll be that effective like that. But you know, I'm going to make the most of my opportunities like I always have. ..." We'll have to see how that works out, but early indications aren't good for Turner. Just a little over a week into training camp, the Falcons have spent more time on their passing attack. In one recent 18-play session, they threw 12 passes and had six run plays. In another 18-play session, they threw 13 passes and had five run plays. That said, the Falcons are 22-3 when Turner runs for more than 100 yards. They are 4-6 when quarterback Matt Ryan passes for more than 300 yards. In a passing league, they've won by running the football. And that's a big reason Turner has accounted for more than 1,450 yards in offense in three of the past four seasons. And it's worth noting the Falcons said they were going to try to reduce his carries last season, but he ended up with 301, second in the league. Still, the writing does seem to be on the wall: Atlanta's offense is going to run through Ryan and receiver Julio Jones if all goes according to plan. If so, the plan to reduce Turner's touches is going to succeed this time around.

8/14 Following up on the previous item. ... After visiting the Falcons training camp, SI.com's Peter King wrote: "Handcuffs are off Matt Ryan. He'll have the ability to throw for some ridiculous numbers (5,000 yards is very realistic) with new coordinator Dirk Koetter sending Julio Jones flying deep. ..." If you don't believe King, we recommend watching the first few series of last week's game against the Ravens. As ESPN.com's Pat Yasinskas noted, the quarterback and receiver were spectacular in the preseason opener. They played only a quarter, but put up big numbers and showed explosiveness. If they can continue that into the regular season, the two are going to be unstoppable and Koetter is going to look like a genius. We'd bet on it.

8/13 As NFL.com's Kevin Patra suggested, if you listen to every NFL head coach and general manager you’d believe there were 30 top 10 quarterbacks in the league. This week GM Thomas Dimitroff is stumping for his signal-caller, Matt Ryan. “In my mind there is no question he is a top 10 quarterback in this league,” Dimitroff said Monday morning on “NFL AM.” Patra pointed out the fact that NFL players aren't on board with Dimitroff. There were 13 quarterbacks on the “NFL Networks Top 100 Players of 2012,” voted by the players. Ryan didn’t make the cut. But to hear Dimitroff tell it, there is no doubt Ryan will make the leap this season. “This is a team game. We all know that Matt’s his harshest critic and he’s always working on getting better,” Dimitroff said. “There is no one out there that works as hard as him or harder than he does and I know the expectations are high in this building, they are high outside, they are high from the owner as well as myself and Mike Smith and he is the kind of guy that is going to take that head on. ...” We'll go ahead and suggest that after watching Ryan's performance in the pre-season opener against the Ravens, he looks very much like a guy ready to raise his level of play.

8/12 According to CBSSports.com's Knox Bardeen (via AtlantaFieldReport.com), the Falcons initial depth chart listed Harry Douglas as the starting punt returner with the lead kickoff returning duties going to Jacquizz Rodgers. Douglas starting at punt returner isn’t much of a shock after his previous success at the position. Douglas’ returning skills are evident and it makes complete sense to have him starting there after the departure of Eric Weems. While Weems will be missed, the Falcons shouldn’t miss a beat with Douglas taking the reins. This is a position that should stay the same throughout the season, barring injury. With Douglas doing the punt returning, the Falcons can plug Rodgers in on kickoff return which not only gives Rodgers another opportunity to showcase his talents, but it allows Douglas to get a breather so he isn’t constantly in the game. With Michael Turner still handling the majority of the running game, Rodgers should be fresh and ready to go.

8/11 According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the Falcons signed two players Saturday adding FB Lousaka Polite and TE Chase Coffman to the roster. Rookie FB Bradie Ewing was officially placed on injured reserve. ... Polite spent three seasons with the Cowboys. He has also played with the Bears, Dolphins and most recently the Patriots, who released him in March. For his career, Polite has 95 carries for 296 yards and one touchdown. Coffman was a third-round draft pick (No. 98 overall) by the Bengals in 2009. He had a season-ending ankle injury his rookie season and stayed with the Bengals on their practice squad until 2011. He spent last season with the Buccaneers. He was waived on Aug. 6.

8/10 Matt Ryan led two touchdown drives, including a scoring pass to Julio Jones, to give the Falcons an early lead they couldn't hold and the Ravens ultimately prevailed in Thursday night's 31-17 loss. Ryan completed 9 of 13 passes for 155 yards, one touchdown and one interception. He was 5 for 5 for 71 yards, including the 7-yard touchdown pass to Jones, on the opening drive for Atlanta. 'I thought the first couple of drives, especially the first drive, we got out to a good rhythm,' Ryan said. 'We were in the no-huddle in the first series, and it was good for us to work that package. ...' Jones had six catches for 109 yards and a touchdown. Each starting quarterback left the game in the second quarter. ... Ryan, operating in first-year OC Dirk Koetter's attack, had completions of 13 yards to Roddy White, 26 yards to Jones, 19 yards to Jones and 6 yards to Jones on consecutive plays on Atlanta's opening drive. After Michael Turner ran for 3 yards to the Ravens 7, Ryan went back to Jones for the touchdown pass. Atlanta backup Chris Redman couldn't move the offense as he completed only 1 of 6 passes for 8 yards. John Parker Wilson was 8 of 13 passing for 69 yards. ... Rookie FB Bradie Ewing, a fifth-round draft pick competing with Mike Cox to replace former Pro Bowler Ovie Mughelli, left the game with a severe knee injury. He left the field on golf cart. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution suggested that Ewing, depending on the severity of the injury, could be lost for the season. In addition to Ewing, the Falcons also played without wide receiver Harry Douglas, who suffered a rib injury in the controlled practice with the Titans on Monday. ... (Get complete game stats HERE)

8/09 Julio Jones is different. According to Atlanta Journal-Constitution staff writer Jeff Shultz, Jones is not different just because of his rare combination of size, strength and speed for a wide receiver, or because he possesses the ability to be one of the premier players in the NFL. He's different because he's humble. Jones doesn’t set goals. He doesn’t write numbers down on a piece of paper and put them in the top desk drawer to check after the season. He doesn’t even think, “I want to be the greatest wide receiver in NFL history.” His career objectives are simpler. “When it’s over,” he said, “I just want to look back and think, ‘I left everything on the field.’” Asked about his 54-catch, 959-yard, eight-TD rookie season (a campaign in which he missed three full games and part of others), Jones said only, “I was all right.” On a scale of 1 to 10? “Maybe five or six.”And how do he feel now? “I’m a 10. I feel 100 percent. I know the playbook. Matt [Ryan] and I are on the same page. I have high expectations, not only for myself but for the organization. ...” Fantasy owners share those expectations. So far, he's looked more than ready to deliver. According to Shultz, no defender can stay with Jones in practice. When one is close, Jones goes up to make the catch anyway. Given all the glowing reviews Jones is getting we're very eager to see where he stands with our own eyes tonight when the Falcons take on the Ravens.

8/08 The Falcons wide receiver tandem of Roddy White and Julio Jones was a top pair at the position in the NFL last season. So what can we expect this year? "The sky is the limit,” according to Jones. But how high is the sky? As Atlanta Journal-Constitution staffer Chris Vivlamore reminded readers, the White-Jones duo was fifth in yards by wideouts in the NFL last season. They combined for 2,255 receiving yards. They trailed only the Giants’ Victor Cruz and Hakeem Nicks (2,728 yards), the Lions’ Calvin Johnson and Nate Burleson (2,438), the Steelers’ Mike Wallace and Antonio Brown (2,301) and the Patriots’ Wes Welker and Deion Branch (2,271). White had 100 receptions for 1,296 yards (eighth in the NFL) and eight touchdowns last season. In his rookie season, Jones had 54 receptions for 959 yards (24th in the NFL) and eight touchdowns despite missing three games and most of two others with hamstring issues. The fact that they play together is one reason for their success. “It just helps all of us,” White said of the opposition having to scheme against two threats. But neither is ready to rest on their laurels. Each knows there are areas for improvement. In seven seasons White has 530 receptions for 7,374 yards and 45 touchdowns. He made the Pro Bowl three straight seasons (2008-10) and was a first-team All Pro in 2010 when he led the NFL with 115 receptions. Yet he quickly pointed out that he led the league in drops last season. Jones had a broken left foot at the scouting combine before the draft. When they NFL finally opened for business he was rushed to learn the playbook and all that goes with being a professional football player. Jones was then plagued by hamstring problems and missed most or all of five games in seven weeks in October and November. “I don’t think I did that great last year,” Jones said. “I started coming on at the end because me and Matt [Ryan] started getting our timing down. I feel real good with the offense now. ...” We're eager to see how the offense looks with the more vertical attack they plan to employ this season.

8/07 According to the Sports Xchange, the battle between rookie Bradie Ewing and veteran Mike Cox is heating up. The Falcons elected to release Pro-Bowl FB Ovie Mughelli during the offseason and selected Ewing in the fifth round of the draft. Cox was signed to a two-year contract last season and played for the team down the stretch. With Mughelli injured last season, the Falcons struggled in some high-publicized short-yardage situations. It doesn't appear that Ewing or Cox can provide the same type of sledge-hammer blocker that Mughelli was known for. However, Ewing is also a solid pass catcher out of the backfield. It's unlikely that the Falcons will carry two fullbacks on the 53-man roster.

8/07 The departure of OC Mike Mularkey and arrival of replacement Dirk Koetter mean that for the first time in Matt Ryan’s NFL career he faces a major fundamental change in how the Falcons will operate on offense. As Atlanta Journal-Constitution staffer D. Orlando Ledbetter, some of the major differences in the passing attack will be more vertical routes with an emphasis on getting the ball to receivers on the move with more screens also being on tap. All in all, the new scheme adds to the Fantasy momentum already building behind Ryan. It will also take full advantage of the presence of rising star Julio Jones and proven veterans Roddy White and Tony Gonzalez. Jones has been especially impressive early in camp. So what is his ceiling? "I think he can be one of the very best in the league, for sure," Ryan said. "His talent is off the charts. His speed and burst and power is as good as anybody's. I think his understanding of defenses is continuing to improve. I think that, as he gets better with that, there's no telling how good he can be. ..." While they will throw more, the Falcons aren't going to suddenly just abandon the running game. Michael Turner is powerful and can help open things up for the passing game (even if he won't contribute much). The Falcons just don't want to wear him out. They've used Jason Snelling at times to give Turner some rest, and Snelling will be involved again this season. But Jacquizz Rodgers is the guy who needs to be on your Fantasy radar -- something that becomes even more obvious when you listen to HC Mike Smith. "One of the things that stood out to me more than anything is his ability to pass protect," the coach said of Rodgers last week. "A lot of times, your change-of-pace back, you've got to get him the ball and not ask him to be a part of the protection. I don't think that's the case with Jacquizz. I think Jacquizz is an all-around back that can play on all three downs. ..." As ESPN.com's Pat Yasinskas translated from coachspeak: "The Falcons aren't looking for Rodgers to be what Jerious Norwood once was. They want him to be more like what Warrick Dunn once was. ..." The Falcons head into their second week of camp in good health although Snelling has been slowed by an unspecified lower leg injury.9/03 According to Profootballtalk.com, the Falcons waived QB John Parker Wilson as they trimmed their roster to the 53-man limit. Also cut: center Brett Romberg, safety Rafael Bush, wide receiver Kevin Cone, wide receiver Drew Davis, guard Andrew Jackson, LB Robert James, defense end Emmanuel Stephens, and tackle Jose Valdez. The team also reached an injury settlement with tight end Ryan Winterswyk.

9/02 The Atlanta Falcons included three veteran defensive players — end Chauncey Davis, tackle Trey Lewis and linebacker Coy Wire—among 17 roster cuts on Friday. The cuts came one day after the Falcons completed an 0-4 preseason with a 21-7 loss to Baltimore. The Falcons waived running back Gartrell Johnson, a fourth-round pick by San Diego in 2009. Johnson had 10 carries for 36 yards with Atlanta last season. According to the Associated Press, local players released were fullback Lucas Cox of Georgia Tech and defensive end Kiante Tripp of Georgia. The team also waived two players who spent time on Atlanta’s practice squad last season, receiver Brandyn Harvey and linebacker Bear Woods. Also waived were centers Paul Fenaroli and Ryan McMahon, tight end Marquez Branson, defensive end Tom McCarthy, cornerback Kamaal McIlwain, and safeties Rafael Priest, Matt Hansen and Suaesi Tuimaunei.

9/02 With several key starters watching in street clothes, the Falcons final tune-up for the regular season resulted in a 21-7 loss to the Ravens Thursday night. It dropped the Falcons to 0-4 during the preseason. ... As the Atlanta Journal-Constitution noted, this one wasn’t pretty. ... The Falcons first venture of more than seven yards into Ravens territory didn’t come until 9:29 remained in the third quarter when running back Antone Smith ran 46 yards for a touchdown. It capped a five-play, 97-yard drive on the Falcons first possession of the second half. Smith also had carries for 6 and 16 yards on the drive, which was aided by a 15-yard horse collar tackle penalty against the Ravens. Prior to the touchdown drive, the Falcons had several offensive miscues in the first half. Quarterback Chris Redman was sacked twice in the first quarter. The first sack came on the Falcons’ opening drive when they had advanced to the Ravens’ 43-yard line. It was their deepest venture on the other side of the 50-yard line until Smith’s touchdown run. Redman fumbled on the play and it was recovered by the Ravens. The second sack of Redman was initially ruled a fumble and recovery by the Ravens, but overturned on a challenge. Redman was relieved by John Parker Wilson on the second drive of the second quarter. Wilson who threw an interception deep in Falcons territory that led to a 32-yard Ravens field goal with 1:05 remaining in the half. Wilson had his second interception returned 65 yards for a touchdown by Chykie Brown with 1:59 remaining in the third quarter. It gave the Ravens a 10-7 Ravens lead. He nearly threw another pick-six on the next drive but the Ravens defender dropped the ball. Wilson also fumbled deep in Falcons territory, which was recovered by the Ravens, with less than three minutes left. It led to a Damien Berry 5-yard touchdown run on the ensuing play. In all, the Falcons had four turnovers, two fumbles and two interceptions, that led to 18 of the Ravens’ 21 points. ... Matt Bryant missed a 54-yard field goal in the fourth quarter, snapping his streak of 23 straight dating back to last season. He had made his eight previous exhibition attempts. ... Smith, on the bubble to make the team, rushed for 114 yards on 11 carries. He accounted for 61 percent of the Falcons total yards on the ground. ... The Falcons did not dress Matt Ryan, Roddy White, Michael Turner, Tony Gonzalez, Tyson Clabo, John Abraham and Jonathan Babineaux. Starting cornerback Dunta Robinson (hamstring) was also out. The Falcons open the regular season on Sept. 11 at the Bears. ... (Get complete game stats HERE)

9/01 According to the Sports Xchange, WR Julio Jones turned some heads at Heinz Field when he zoomed past Pittsburgh's star safety Troy Polamalu, but dropped the pass in the end zone. "I looked early and put my head down, trying to make up some ground," Jones said. "I just looked too late when I got to the end zone. That's no excuse. I still have to make that play. ..." Meanwhile, in the regular-season dress rehearsal, Roddy White was in fine form. He caught eight passes for 101 yards and a touchdown in just two quarters of action. With White getting open, the Falcons converted 7 of 15 (58 percent) third downs in the first half. He appears primed for another big season after leading the league with a franchise-record 115 catches last season. ... White, Jones, Harry Douglas and Tony Gonzalez are all going to make life a little easier for Matt Ryan -- and much, much harder for opposing defenses.

8/27 As Associated Press sports writer Will Graves suggested, Matt Ryan squeezed an entire game’s worth of action into two quarters of Saturday night's 34-16 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, completing 22 of 42 for 210 yards with a touchdown and an interception against a banged-up Pittsburgh secondary missing starting cornerbacks Bryant McFadden and Ike Taylor. Pittsburgh’s defense, which harassed Philadelphia’s Michael Vick into three picks in the same game, wasn’t quite so dominant trying to contain Atlanta’s versatile and high-powered offense. ... The Falcons spread the field to minimize the Steelers’ vaunted pass rush and Ryan tested Pittsburgh reserve cornerbacks Keenan Lewis and William Gay, who had trouble keeping up with one of the league’s best receiving corps. Roddy White finished with eight receptions for 101 yards and a touchdown, Rookie Julio Jones hauled in five passes for 59 yards and had a potential 49-yard touchdown pass slip through his fingers. Harry Douglas added three catches for 31 yards and veteran tight end Tony Gonzalez caught for passes for 26 yards while engaging in an entertaining battle with Pittsburgh LB Lawrence Timmons. ... The Falcons rolled up 17 first downs in the half -- but Pittsburgh’s defense dug in when it mattered in an entertaining half that is easily the closest both teams have come to mimicking the regular season. By then the starters on both sides already had their shoulder pads off, including defensive end Ray Edwards, who failed to make a tackle in his first preseason game after the Falcons lured him away from Minnesota. ... (Get complete game stats HERE)

8/25 According to the Sports Xchange, when the Falcons elected not to re-sign veteran Brian Finneran and get younger in the wide receiver meeting room, they basically handed the leadership keys over to All-Pro wide receiver Roddy White. Now, White, who struggled early in his career, is the leader of the group and is trying to lead them, including prized draft pick Julio Jones. "Roddy has done a great job," Falcons coach Mike Smith said. "He is the elder statesman of our wide receiver group. ..." The Xchange went on to suggest Jones enters his first NFL season as one of the most hyped players in recent memory and that's fine with White, who led the league in receptions with 115 last season and posted his fourth consecutive 1,000-yard season. It's safe to say anything that keeps opponents from focusing on him works in White's favor. In fact, White said he was OK with not having a ball thrown his way in the exhibition opener against Miami; it was time to get Jones and the other receivers involved. "It's looking all good for him," White said of Jones. "As long as he keeps coming out here and getting better every day, and keeps his head in the playbook, he'll be just fine. ..." Last season, White led the team in receptions in nine games and was tied with Tony Gonzalez for the most catches in three other games. With Jones, White expects a wider distribution of the passes. "There are going to be a lot of mismatches," White said. "The player with the best mismatch is probably where we are going to go with the ball. ... You can't double-team all of us. At some point, somebody is going to get man-to-man coverage and that person has to win. ..." The biggest question for Fantasy owners isn't whether the Falcons can put points on the board; it's whether they can get enough touchdowns to keep owners with White, Jones, Gonzalez, Harry Douglas and Michael Turner happy. We're pretty sure Matt Ryan owners will be.

8/24 Following up on the previous item. ... Like a lot of NFL teams, the Falcons can be pretty tight-lipped about injuries. But as ESPN's Pat Yasinskas noted, sometimes the full truth comes out after the fact. Indeed, Michael Turner admitted this week that he was bothered by a groin injury almost all of last season. Turner still rushed for 1,371 yards and 12 touchdowns, but said he first suffered the injury in Week 2 against Arizona. ‘It got to the point where I was use to running like that,’’ Turner said. "I needed a special wrap every week to help me run, but it is what it is. It is football. Everybody is not 100 percent. That’s not the plan. I just take it is as that and wait until the offseason to get it fixed. ...’’ Turner hasn’t been able to match his numbers from 2008 when he ran for 1,699 yards and 17 touchdowns, but he doesn’t pay attention when people suggest he’s slowing down. ‘You can’t listen to what everyone says about you,’’ Turner said. ‘Everybody doesn’t know the truth. ...” Turner said he’s healthy now and feels fresh. He might even get a little bit of a lighter load this year. The Falcons already had Jason Snelling as Turner’s primary backup. But they drafted Jacquizz Rodgers, who looks like he could be used as a change-of-pace back. “He’s a little guy that packs a lot of punch. He can get the tough yardage. He’s not a guy who takes the ball and bounces away. He’s been a very patient runner and he doesn’t just run through a hole that gets closed up very quick. He sets up his blocks well and he’s going to be a good kid.”

8/23 After a pair of impressive exhibition outings for the offense, Atlanta Journal-Constitution staffer D. Orlando Ledbetter offered some interesting observations. ... Per Ledbetter, rookie Julio Jones and a reinvigorated Harry Douglas should provide more explosive plays. With all the talk about creating move explosive plays - gains of 20 yards or more -- HC Mike Smith has inspired a new statistic. Let's just call it the "EPR, the "explosive play ratio." The Falcons want to win the EPR by having more 20-yard gains than the opponent. Smith insists that the explosive play ratio is nearly as important as the turnover ratio. All five of the Falcons' explosive plays in the preseason have come from Douglas, who had 76-yard touchdown against Jacksonville, and Jones. "Harry has had a very strong camp for us," Smith said. ... Ledbetter also believes Michael Turner is ready for another big year. He went out in the second game against Arizona last season with a groin injury. It nagged him all season long, but he still managed to rush for over 1,300 yards. Turner had offseason surgery and is running strong. While Jacksonville held him to 14 yards on seven carries, he shot out of the backfield like a rocket against Miami. ... And finally, Ledbetter is convinced that Matt Ryan is ready to take the next step. According to OC Mike Mularkey said that Ryan is able to see the entire field and usually corrects his own mistakes before Mularkey even gets to point them out. Ryan has an arsenal of weapons at his disposal that should make the Falcons' offense unpredictable and tough to stop.

8/22 In addition to WR Harry Douglas, HC Mike Smith singled rookie RB Jacquizz Rodgers for praise after Friday's loss to the Jaguars. According to Atlanta Journal-Constitution staffer D. Orlando Ledbetter, Rodgers is starting to pick up the offense. Per Ledbetter, "[Rodgers is] playing much faster. He was zipping around the field and beating linebackers on his pass routes during the seven-on-seven passing session" during Sunday's practice.

8/20 Playing a bit of catchup here. ... The Falcons released TE Justin Peelle with an injury settlement earlier this week. Peelle was released to make room for Reggie Kelly. The Falcons never disclosed Peelle's injury; since he was released with the settlement rather than being placed on IR, Peelle could resurface with another team.

8/19 While Matt Ryan’s receiving corps had trouble holding onto his passes, Harry Douglas turned a short crossing route into a 76-yard touchdown in the second quarter as Ryan finished 7 of 15 for 116 yards in Friday night's 15-13 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. ... Ryan played the entire first half as Atlanta built a 10-3 lead. Michael Turner ran seven times for 14 yards, and Roddy White had a 13-yard reception. Douglas caught two passes for 87 yards. Ryan led the Falcons to a field goal on the team’s opening drive. ... The Falcons played without DT Corey Peters (knee), CB Dunta Robinson (hamstring), C Todd McClure (rest) and newly signed TE Reggie Kelly. DE Ray Edwards, one of the team’s top free agent acquisitions, sat out for the second consecutive game. ... DE Lawrence Sidbury left the game with an ankle injury, but it didn’t appear serious. ... (Get complete game stats HERE)

8/18 Asked by NFL Network insider Steve Wyche a few weeks back which of his teammates is lying in the weeds, set to breakout, Matt Ryan replied without hesitation: "Harry Douglas. ..." The slot wide receiver came into the league with Ryan in 2008 but a major knee injury that resulted in a lost 2009 season and slow recovery in 2010 hasn't allowed him to keep pace with Ryan's ascent. Although Douglas has just 45 receptions in the two seasons he's played, the potential for big things is there. Now that Douglas's healthy, he's due. And since Ryan will be the one controlling whether Douglas will be getting opportunities, it would be unwise to doubt the QB's prediction. "Being healthy, I'm happy I can go out and play and not think about anything," said Douglas, who had a 20-yard touchdown catch in Atlanta's loss to Miami in last Friday's preseason opener. "Having Julio [Jones] on one side, Roddy [White] on the other, Tony [Gonzalez] on the inside and Michael Turner in the backfield and Matt at quarterback, is a big positive for me." Still, there are only so many balls to go around. White (115 catches in 2010) and Gonzalez (70 receptions) are receiving options one and two. The rookie Jones, who's already assumed the No. 2 wideout role and was showcased against the Dolphins, is going to be force fed the ball because of his explosiveness. Turner is the bell-cow rusher whose success sets up the play-action game. Then comes Douglas. ... But as Wyche explained, the 6-foot, 183-pounder is the shifty slot receiver with the speed to get downfield and the elusiveness to be a tough cover for nickel backs and safeties in the intermediate range. He rarely will draw double coverage, not because he's unworthy, but because White, Jones and Gonzalez will be priorities. "The play-calling is going to be aggressive," White said. "We're going to try and get the ball down the field and get some explosive plays. We're going to try to look for a lot of mismatches. Wherever those mismatches are, that's where we're going. A lot of times, it's going to be Harry and he's going to have to dominate games. That's going to help all of us."

8/17 Following up on a previous item. ... TE Reggie Kelly, who was a second-round pick of the Falcons in 1999 but left in 2003, is back with the team after signing Tuesday. According to Atlanta Journal-Constitution staffer D. Orlando Ledbetter (via the Sporting News), the Falcons needed to bolster the tight end position after Justin Peelle suffered a knee injury against Miami. The extent of Peelle’s injury has not been fully disclosed. The Falcons, in the market for a veteran blocking tight end, also worked out veteran Anthony Becht recently. Kelly (6-4, 256) developed into a solid blocking tight end while playing in Cincinnati from 2003 to 2010. ... The Falcons have some young tight ends but apparently wanted an experienced player with Peelle’s status unclear. ... Kelly, who caught 10 passes for 42 yards last season, hasn’t had a touchdown catch since 2006 and has only five in his career.

8/17 According to the Sports Xchange, HC Mike Smith likes what he sees from his revved up offense. ... The Falcons were one of the top teams in the league when it came to sustaining long scoring drives. But when they got into a shootout with Green Bay in the divisional round of the playoffs, they couldn't keep up. Against the Dolphins, the starting offense ripped off three plays of 20 yards or more and scored touchdowns on two of three possessions. ... Smith was glad to see his new weapon, Julio Jones, get off to a new start. "Julio got indoctrinated into what the NFL is about," Smith said. "In terms of the plays that he made, they were outstanding. I think all three touches were for first downs. He showed some skills that we saw when he was playing at the University of Alabama. ... I really thought Julio did some good things. ..." Matt Ryan had a nice first outing. "I thought that Matt played well," Smith said. "He executed the offense. I think he had over a 122 passer rating. You like that. Six out of 10 for 90 yards. He moved the ball around and got it to where it needed to be. We got the work that we needed to get done with that group. ..." Definitely a promising start -- the kind Fantasy owners were hoping for.

8/16 Although his current ADP says otherwise, Michael Turner since 2008, has 39 rushing touchdowns, which ranks second in the NFL behind Minnesota's Adrian Peterson's 40. It's worth keeping in mind when you're looking for value and Turner slips into Round 3 in PPR drafts.

8/16 According to FOXSports.com's Alex Marvez, veteran TE Reggie Kelly has agreed to contract terms with Falcons. Kelly is a blocking specialist who won't be a consistent contributor as a receiver.

8/16 Add Pro Football Weekly to the list of those impressed with the Falcons starting wideouts. As PFW put it: "Pairing first-round rookie Julio Jones with All-Pro Roddy White gives the Falcons one of the league's top WR tandems, and it should help the team's passing game reach new heights."

8/14 As National Football Post columnist Dan Pompei wrote this morning: "Julio Jones wants it. Bad. ..." Pompei went on to note the first round pick had to be told to stop diving for passes in training camp practices because his coaches feared he might hurt himself. “I’m a competitor, see ball, get ball,” he told me. “I’ve been trying to work on calming down. If a ball is out of reach or if I have to dive to catch it, just let it go. ...” Also of interest: According to AtlantaFalcons.com staffer Jay Adams, QB John Parker Wilson, who was knocked out of Friday's win over the Dolphins, is in the Falcons concussion protocol. He's likely out for this week's game against the Jaguars.

8/12 Atlanta rookie receiver Julio Jones, quarterback Matt Ryan and running back Michael Turner contributed on first-quarter scoring drives that gave the Falcons a 17-0 lead but the reserves weren't able to hold the lead and the Miami Dolphins beat the Falcons 28-23 in Friday's exhibition opener for both teams. ... Ryan completed just one of his first passes against Miami’s defensive starters. Still, the Atlanta QB threw one TD pass and didn’t have an interception. Ryan finished 6 of 10 for 90 yards. ... Atlanta, which went 13-3 last year to earn the NFC’s No. 1 seed, will visit Jacksonville for a preseason game next week. ... With Ryan and Atlanta’s other offensive starters out of the game, Third-string quarterback John Parker Wilson took charge of the offense and oversaw a six-play drive that ended with Matt Bryant’s 27-yard field goal and a 17-0 lead. Wilson, who completed 12 of 19 passes for 111 yards and one interception, was knocked out of the game with an undisclosed injury midway through the third and had to be escorted off the field. Adam Froman, a rookie from Louisville, played the rest of the game at quarterback for Atlanta, ending the game with an interception deep in Miami territory. ... For the record, Turner scored on a two-yard run and Ryan hit Harry Douglas with a 20-yard TD pass. ... (Get complete game stats HERE)

8/12 As ESPN's Pat Yasinskas notes, reports from teammates and coaches have been glowing so far about a guy the Falcons traded up to No. 6 overall to get. Julio Jones looks the part in practice when he’s running deep and there’s never been much doubt about his physical ability. But receiver is a position where rookies often are slow to develop. Time will tell with Jones. But teammates and coaches said they’ve been extremely pleased with how Jones has picked up the playbook. QB Matt Ryan raved about how Jones has been so quick to pick up what he needs to do when the defense blitzes and the offense needs to adjust. Although Jones might be ready for a huge role, don’t count on the Falcons opening up their entire playbook in the preseason. Jones already has shown signs in practice that he might be special. As Yasinskas suggests, the Falcons might be wise to wait until the regular season to show the rest of the league just how special he is.

8/11 A lot of people seem surprised that the Falcons didn’t do anything at TE because Tony Gonzalez is nearing the end of his career. But maybe the team knew what it was doing. According to ESPN's Pat Yasinskas, second-year pro Michael Palmer is having a very nice camp and is showing more pass-catching skills than he did as a rookie. His role could increase.

8/10 In an article published by the Sporting News, Atlanta Journal-Constitution beat writer D. Orlando Ledbetter advised readers the next step in the maturation process for QB Matt Ryan is to improve in the intermediate-to-deep passing category this season. Ledbetter went on to remind readers that in 2010, the Falcons didn’t ask Ryan to throw deep often, and he struggled in that area at times -- particularly from 21 to 30 yards. In that range, Ryan completed only 6 of 29 passes (20.7 percent) for 143 yards, two touchdowns, two interceptions and a passer rating of 41.9, according to STATS. Ledbetter notes that Ryan was better on longer-range passes, especially with his ability to avoid interceptions. On passes thrown from 31 to 40 yards, Ryan completed 3 of 11 (27.3 percent) for 132 yards, one touchdown and a passer rating of 107.4, which was sixth in the league. On passes of 41 yards or more, Ryan completed 1 of 5 (20 percent) for 45 yards and one touchdown. ... With a speedy receiving unit that now includes impressive rookie Julio Jones to complement Pro Bowler Roddy White and Harry Douglas, Ledbetter reports the Falcons hope to alleviate double-teams against White and keep defenses from stacking the box against RB Michael Turner. The end result? Ledbetter believes Ryan’s deep ball numbers could double in many categories this season.

8/09 The Falcons released their initial depth chart in advance of their exhibition opener and there were no real surprises. Matt Ryan, Michael Turner, Roddy White, Tony Gonzalez and Ovie Mughelli all retain their starting jobs from last year. Worth noting, however: Rookie WR Julio Jones is already installed as the starter opposite White. Not surprising but still of interest. Harry Douglas is listed behind Jones with Kerry Meier behind White. ... Also worth noting: Rookie RB Jacquizz Rodgers currently sits at No. 5 behind Turner, Jason Snelling, Gartrell Johnson and Antone Smith.

8/09 While the Falcons will remain a run-first offense, Matt Ryan, Roddy White and Tony Gonzalez (who recently said he could play three more seasons if he wanted) should all benefit from the addition of rookie WR Julio Jones, who has been very impressive in early training camp workouts. Even if Jones is slow to develop into a productive weapon, he will keep opposing defenses from focusing their attention on White. ... Michael Turner is said to be fully recovered from off-season groin surgery. But the fact he is coming off surgery at all makes him worth watching this month. The return of Jason Snelling gives the team a viable alternative while speedy rookie Jacquizz Rodgers could be the change-of-pace back that Jerious Norwood (now with the Rams) never became. Rodgers has been drawing very good reviews early in camp. ... WR Harry Douglas, a full year removed from ACL surgery, claims he finally at 100 percent this summer. WR Kerry Meir is also practicing fully in his return last season's torn ACL in training camp. ... WR/KR Eric Weems had a knee surgery this offseason; the procedure was believed to be minor. ... PK Matt Bryant re-signed this offseason and doesn't appear to have any real competition for his job. 8/13 According to Associated Press sports writer George Henry, Matt Ryan, whose final month of ’09 was affected by a turf toe injury, can check off a couple of pre-season goals. The Falcons QB watched with delight Friday night as holes opened for RB Michael Turner on Atlanta’s opening drive. He ran efficient no-huddle formations on the second drive and avoided direct hits on both possessions in a 20-10 victory over Kansas City. “It felt good to finally go in a game-type atmosphere with the game speed and pass rush and everything like that,” Ryan said. ... Ryan lacked solid protection in the preseason opener as he connected on a pair of third-and-long completions to TE Tony Gonzalez, for 16 and 12 yards. He otherwise went 1 of 4 for 6 yards. ... Turner, a 2008 Pro Bowl selection trying to come back from an ankle injury last year, gained 29 yards on four carries. “We kind of wanted to go out there and set the tone early,” Turner said. “I thought we had a couple of big runs. I thought the O-line had a great push at the beginning. We just didn’t come up with a touchdown. ...” LB Curtis Lofton, the heart of Atlanta’s defense, limped off the field before halftime, but Falcons officials said he only had a leg cramp. ... “Yeah, no concerns at all,” Lofton said. “If this had been the regular season, I would’ve never come out. ...” Review complete game stats HERE.

8/13 Add FOXSports.com's Adam Caplan to the list of those with an eye on rookie WR Kerry Meier. While some have pegged the fifth-round pick as just a slot receiver, Caplan believes Meier could be more than that if given the chance based on his skill set. With starting WR Michael Jenkins out until at least early in the regular season, Meier could get into the rotation sooner rather than later. With WR Harry Douglas (knee) and Jenkins (shoulder) both sitting out tonight, we should get get ample opportunity to see what the buzz surrounding Meier is all about.

8/12 According to CBSSports.com, WR Harry Douglas (ACL) saw his workload increase Thursday morning but will not play Friday against Kansas City. HC Mike Smith said the plan for Douglas is to "possibly play next week" with limited snaps against New England. ... Fantasy owners shouldn't dismiss the Douglas' potential in this offense -- especially with the timetable for Michael Jenkins' return from an injured shoulder still vague.

8/11 According to the Sports Xchange, PK Matt Bryant and Steven Hauschka made all of their field goals in last weekend's intrasquad scrimmage, hitting from 33, 38, 43 and 48 yards. Bryant got his 48 yard field goal attempt off in 1.15 seconds and Hauschka got his off in 1.39 seconds.

8/11 With RB Jerious Norwood missing most of the first week of training camp with a hip flexor, the Falcons are getting a long look at their young backs. According to the Sports Xchange, Antone Smith, who was with four teams last season and ended the season on the Falcons' practice squad, and Dimitri Nance, an undrafted rookie free agent, look good early in camp. Smith scored on a screen pass that covered 40-yards in the intrasquad scrimmage. Asked about Smith's emergence in camp, FB Ovie Mughelli said: "He has almost as much speed as Jerious, and having that leverage as part of his height, he's able to get underneath people and explode through the line. ..." Nance run hard in traffic when he got some carries. Norwood has been plague with injuries throughout his career.

8/10 WR Harry Douglas, who is coming back from a knee injury, has been ruled out for the pre-season opener against Kansas City. HC Mike Smith is optimistic Douglas can play later in the preseason. ... Meanwhile, ESPN.com's Pat Yasinskas reports that Douglas didn’t take part Tuesday morning and starting WR Michael Jenkins is out for four to six weeks with a shoulder injury. That paved the way for veteran WR Brian Finneran to get a lot of work with the first team. This is situation obviously in flux with Douglas expected to keep getting more work as the preseason goes on. Rookie Kerry Meier also is getting lots of work and has responded well. But Finneran’s experience allows the first-team offense to get work done without a lot of disruption. He knows the system and, as a run blocker, is a reasonable facsimile of Jenkins. ... In a related note: According to Atlanta Journal-Consitution staffer D. Orlando Ledbetter, QB Matt Ryan isn't sure Jenkins will be ready for the opener. "From my understanding, he'll be back and ready to go at some point early in the season," Ryan said of Jenkins. ... And finally: RB Jerious Norwood (hip flexor) appears to be running extremely well under the supervision of the training staff.

8/10 In the team's joint practice with Jacksonville, PK Matt Bryant got off five field goal attempts in live action against the Jaguars' field goal block unit. Bryant made his attempts from 33, 38, 43 and 48 yards. His 53-yard attempt hit the left upright and bounced back into the playing field.

8/10 It's been more than a year since WR Harry Douglas tore his anterior cruciate ligament. In an interview with ESPN.com's Pat Yasinskas, Douglas he's fine physically. More importantly, Yasinskas reports that Douglas looked to be completely fine on the field and back to where he was before the injury. ... Yasinskas further notes the Falcons are quietly excited by rookie WR Kerry Meier. One team official, who has been at every practice, told Yasinskas he has yet to see Meier drop a pass.

8/10 HC Mike Smith talked after Monday morning’s joint practice with the Jaguars and the main topic was the shoulder injury to WR Michael Jenkins, which happened when Jenkins landed awkwardly on his shoulder in Friday night’s team scrimmage. Smith wouldn’t elaborate on the exact nature of the injury, but was adamant a report that surgery would be required was inaccurate. Smith said rest and rehabilitation should heal Jenkins’ shoulder. Smith stayed with the time frame of four to six weeks that the team first announced Sunday night. Smith said that should mean more first-team opportunities for Harry Douglas and Eric Weems when the Falcons open their pre-season schedule at home Friday night with Kansas City. Smith also said rookie Kerry Meier probably will move higher in the rotation. ... As ESPN.com's Pat Yasinskas notes, the time frame the Falcons are providing puts Jenkins’ estimated return somewhere close to the regular-season opener with Pittsburgh. The Falcons aren’t going to get more specific than that because they need to see how Jenkins responds to surgery. But fellow starting receiver Roddy White told Yasinskas he expects Jenkins to be back for the start of the season.

8/07 Special Sunday Upate: According to CBSSports.com, the Falcons announced WR Michael Jenkins will miss the next four to six weeks with a shoulder injury he sustained during Friday night's scrimmage.

8/07 Special Saturday Upate: WR Michael Jenkins appeared to injure a shoulder during a team scrimmage on Friday night. "I don't know the extent of it, but I think we'll know first thing in the morning," HC Mike Smith said. "We're encouraged by what we saw on the sideline there. ..." More as further details are released.

8/06 According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, HC Mike Smith is not concerned with RB Jerious Norwood's long-term status. Norwood, who was held out of practice again today, suffered a hip flexor injury and has been running on the side with the trainers. "We know what Jerious is capable of doing," Smith said.

8/05 Asked by the Atlanta Journal-Consitution for an offensive player who has stood out so far in training camp, QB Matt Ryan replied: "One of the good guys to see back is WR Harry Douglas. He has looked really good and really healthy. I’ve been impressed with his work ethic during the off season and that has continued throughout training camp."

8/05 According to the Sports Xchange, Michael Turner was the "player of the week" for the Falcons. The Xchange explained: "Turner has reduced his body fat several percentage points and appears much quicker and light on his feet. He appears to be hitting holes at a high rate of speed. ..." Their view jibes with that of multiple observers, all of whom have commented on Turner's level of conditioning in very positive terms.

8/04 According to CBSSports.com, RB Jerious Norwood (hip flexor) was on the field for Wednesday's afternoon practice, but was not not dressed in pads. WR Harry Douglas, on the other hand, participated in full-team drills for the first time in training camp. Douglas appears to be well on his way to returning from last summer's torn ACL and could emerge as a solid sleeper as Atlanta's No. 3 WR. ... Also: Rookie WR Kerry Meier continues to adjust well on tough passes, catching most balls near him. With Meier's performance, could this be the beginning of the end for veteran WR Brian Finneran? The veteran suffered back spasms early in camp and now he's in a battle to retain his spot as the No. 4 receiver in the roster.

8/04 As previously noted, it appears that WR Harry Douglas is set to be cleared for a full practice. His activity has been steadily increasing, and he took part in his first full contact Tuesday. While he's catching some punts, Atlanta Journal-Constitution staffer D. Orlando Ledbetter reports that Douglas is concentrating on receiver chores first. "You have to crawl before you can walk," said Douglas, who was the team's punt returner in 2008. "I have to do all of the little things right, being a receiver. ..." Douglas, assuming his surgically-repaired knee holds up, is expected to serve as the team's third receiver this fall.

8/03 According to CBSSports.com, RB Jerious Norwood (hip flexor) was held out of practice again Tuesday morning. HC Mike Smith told reporters that Norwood will miss a practice game scheduled for Friday night. WR Harry Douglas, returning from a torn ACL, will also miss Friday night's game, but Smith said Douglas is seeing more practice time. ... Also: WR Troy Bergeron missed Tuesday morning's practice with a swollen calf and was kept in the training room where he could keep his leg elevated.

8/03 According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, RB Jerious Norwood missed Monday morning’s practice with a hip flexor injury. Norwood suffered a hip flexor last season, but HC Mike Smith said it was not the same injury, but was in the same “general” area. With Norwood out of action, Jason Snelling, Antone Smith and Dimitri Nance will get more repetitions. ... In other injury news, WR Brian Finneran was back on the field running for the training staff. He’s bouncing back from back spasms. Wide receiver Harry Douglas, who’s battling back from a torn anterior cruciate ligament, was able to take part in the first padded practice. Douglas is on schedule to fully participate in practice by the end of the week.

8/03 Initial Issues: After an injury-marred 2009 season, Michael Turner has spent a great deal of time in the training room re-sculpting his body and decreasing his body fat. According to Atlanta Journal-Constitution staffer D. Orlando Ledbetter, Turner appears to be much faster running to the edge and busting through the holes at the line of scrimmage. "I'm feeling great," Turner said. "I'm just trying to get that pop back, that explosiveness that I was getting in the middle of last year. This year I want to start off with it. ..." Now Turner is determined to prove that the 1,699-yard season in 2008 was not a fluke. ... And after head coach Mike Smith spent most of the offseason talking about cutting back on Turner's workload, Ledbetter reports the are now looking to expand Turner's game and get him more involved in the passing attack. He has only 22 career receptions, but he wants to be more of a threat coming out of the backfield. From a Fantasy perspective, that would be helpful if Smith makes good on this threat to spread some of the rushing load around more. After rushing 376 times in 2008, Turner was on pace for another season of 300 or more carries in 2009. If he can catch passes, that would make him a viable option on third downs.

9/06 According to the National Football Post's Aaron Wilson, with WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh joining the team this morning, WR Mark Clayton is on the trading block. If they can't trade him, the current plan is to release him.

9/06 According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, T.J. Houshmandzadeh reached an agreement with the Ravens on a one-year, $855,000 contract. The Ravens get a bargain because of Houshmandzadeh's $7 million guaranteed deal with Seattle. The Seahawks will make up the difference. ... Suddenly, the Ravens seem to have a surplus of possession receivers with Anquan Boldin and Derrick Mason already in the starting lineup. ... Stay tuned. It will be interesting to see how the rotation shakes out.

9/04 According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Ravens have waived QB Troy Smith, RB Curtis Steele and WR Demetrius Williams.

9/03 There were no field goal attempts by kickers Shayne Graham and Billy Cundiff against the Rams Thursday evening. According to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post, Cundiff appears to have a slight edge as the Ravens contemplate who should win the job. “They've had a month to gather information, stats, make their decisions whether there's reputation, history involved or just straight out numbers,” Graham said . “Who knows? My job is to kick. Their job is to coach and make decisions, so it's in their hands now." HC John Harbaugh didn't declare a winner, or a leader in the kicking competition. "I don't know if we've seen enough to make a clear determination, because they've both done so well," he said. "Either way we go, it'll be a good decision. I'm quite certain whichever way we don't go, he'll be kicking for a team the next day. ..." Stay tuned. Decision coming tomorrow.

9/03 NFL Network reported the Ravens will place six-time Pro Bowl S Ed Reed on the physically unable to perform list, which mean he will miss at least the first six games. Reed underwent reconstructive hip surgery in early May. He likely will be replaced in the lineup by third-year S Tom Zbikowski, who started four games in his first two seasons.

9/02 The Ravens held out all of their starters, plus backup QB Marc Bulger in his return to St. Louis after getting released by the Rams in April, denying fans a shot to either cheer or boo a player who was the starter from 2003-09. ... As the Associated Press notes, their production suffered, especially in the first quarter when they were outgained 157-19 with one first down and gave up two touchdowns in a 27-21 loss to the Rams. ... Third-string QB Troy Smith went the distance for the Ravens, who missed a chance to go unbeaten for the second straight preseason to end a seven-game winning streak. Smith was 18-for-38 for 237 yards with two interceptions and was the Ravens' top rusher with 56 yards on seven carries, scoring on a pair of short runs in the second half. ... (Get complete game stats HERE)

9/01 In speaking to Baltimore Sun staffer Mike Preston on Monday, GM Ozzie Newsome made it perfectly clear that the Ravens were interested in trading to upgrade their entire football team, not just at CB (the Ravens acquired CB Josh Wilson from the Seahawks in exchange for a conditional fifth-round draft pick Tuesday). ... While Newsome wouldn't go into specifics, Preston believes the Ravens could use more depth on the offensive line at the guard and tackle positions. According to Preston, the Ravens might also want to pick up a FB. He went on to suggest if they trade backup RB Willis McGahee, or starting RB Ray Rice gets injured, that leaves fullback Le'Ron McClain as the starting FB and probably doubling as the No. 2 RB.

8/31 According to Baltimore Sun staffer Ken Murray, Bill Cundiff isn't sure what to make of his preseason battle with Shayne Graham. Preseason and training camp numbers give a slight edge to Cundiff, who might also have an edge in leg strength. But Graham, 32, is a proven commodity, the fourth-most accurate kicker in NFL history (85.2 percent) after nine seasons, all with the Cincinnati Bengals. And as Murray noted, Cundiff, 30, has been a career vagabond. The Ravens are his ninth NFL team. For that reason alone, Graham was perceived as the favorite going into training camp. ... Now, however, it would surprise no one if Cundiff is awarded the job after Thursday's final dress rehearsal in St. Louis against the Rams. Even after Cundiff hammered three kickoffs into the end zone and smacked a chip-shot field goal in a 24-10 win over the New York Giants, special teams coordinator Jerry Rosburg was noncommittal. "We expected it to be close," Rosburg said. "And it's all that we expected. We have two very good NFL kickers. They've both performed very well all the way through training camp." Cundiff is 3-for-3 in the preseason, hitting from 26, 42 and 25 yards. Graham is 2-for-3, good from 32 and 24 yards, and missing from 50. ... How close is this competition? In training camp workouts when reporters were permitted to watch, Murray reports that Cundiff hit 82 of 96 attempts, a success rate of 85.4 percent. Graham converted 83 of 103 attempts, or 80.5 percent. If there is separation between the two, it would appear to be on kickoffs with Cundiff holding a clear edge.

8/31 Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post reports the Ravens have placed inside linebacker and special-teams ace Brendon Ayanbadeo and RB Matt Lawrence on the reserve physically unable to perform list. That means both players will miss at least the first six weeks of the regular season. Lawrence is coming off a torn ACL suffered last season.

8/31 According to Carroll County Times staffer Aaron Wilson, Willis McGahee was aware that he wasn't going to play during the Ravens' 24-10 win over the New York Giants, but it wasn't because the organization was protecting him for a rumored trade. ... Per Wilson, McGahee, who has been the subject of unconfirmed trade speculation about cornerbacks like the Denver Broncos' Andre Goodman, was informed before the game by RBs coach Wilbert Montgomery that the team was going to use other backs. Team officials said that the lack of playing time isn't a precursor to the trade and was done so other backs could be evaluated. "Coach told me what was going on, so I knew what was happening," McGahee said. "I wasn't worried about it. I'm good ..." Wilson went on to remind readers the Ravens did the same thing with Pro Bowl RB Ray Rice during the first preseason game against the Carolina Panthers.

8/31 As the Baltimore Sun suggested, just when you thought you could count out WR Demetrius Williams, he might be back on the Ravens' roster yet again. Donte' Stallworth's broken foot (see previous item and Previous Weeks' News Updates) means the Ravens will need a No. 4 wide receiver for at least the first two months of the regular season. The top candidates are Williams, Marcus Smith and rookie David Reed. Per the Sun, it looked like Williams' days were numbered when he sat out the third preseason game with a sprained ankle. But Williams would be the most experienced fall-back option as a wide receiver.

8/31 As the Baltimore Sun reported, Donte' Stallworth apparently didn't waste any time undergoing surgery on his broken foot. Via his Twitter account, the WR wrote that he was scheduled to undergo surgery to insert a screw into his foot. "Thanks for all your prayers & well wishes," Stallworth wrote. "It's helping me escape melancholy. Please keep me in your prayers, having surgery today. ..." HC John Harbaugh clarified that Stallworth suffered the injury while playing on offense, not during one of his three punt returns. "He said he knew right away," Harbaugh said. "He was running a nine route, a streak route and said he made a move outside to get around the corner. Planted on his foot and just felt it pop. He wasn't sure how serious it was, but he suspected it."

8/31 Joe Flacco threw for 229 yards and two touchdowns for the pass-happy Baltimore Ravens, whose no-huddle offense befuddled the New York Giants in a 24-10 preseason victory Saturday night. ... As Associated Press sports writer David Ginsburg reported, Flacco completed 21 of 34 passes before leaving after one series in the third quarter. Last year, he threw as many as 34 passes only seven times for a team that relied heavily on the run. Going without a huddle and often throwing on first down, the Ravens scored 17 points over three straight possessions in the first half and coasted to their seventh consecutive preseason win.The third-year quarterback connected with five different receivers -- throwing touchdowns to newcomer Anquan Boldin and old hand Todd Heap -- and ran for a team-high 16 yards. "We had a good tempo going tonight, we got in a groove and we were able to march the ball down the field," Flacco said. "I really feel good about the how we were doing things. ..." The Ravens passed 32 times in the first half, ran only 11 times and amassed 17 first downs and 243 yards. ... WR Donte' Stallworth broke his foot and will probably be sidelined for two months. HC John Harbaugh said Stallworth will have a screw placed in the foot. Harbaugh said he hopes to have Stallworth back on the field around the time the team has its bye week Oct. 31. ... WR Mark Clayton, who left the game with a minor concussion, tightens his grip on the No. 3 spot with Stallworth injured. (Get complete game stats HERE)

8/28 Special Saturday Update: HC John Harbaugh announced after Saturday night's win over the Giants that WR Donte' Stallworth suffered a broken foot in the game. Harbaugh told reporters the injury is not season-ending, but it will clearly cost Stallworth significant time. It should also be noted that Mark Clayton had been getting more work as the third WR anyhow. Now the deal is sealed. Adjust your rankings accordingly.

8/27 As the Baltimore Sun pointed out this morning, Donte’ Stallworth has received most of the attention since joining the Ravens, but Mark Clayton is working as the team’s No. 3 wide receiver. It’ll be interesting to see if the depth chart remains the same after the last two preseason games. We'll be watching.

8/26 According to the Sports Xchange, Shayne Graham still remains the front-runner in the team's PK battle, but Billy Cundiff is making the competition close. Cundiff hit both of his field goals in the second preseason game (from 26 and 42 yards). Graham made his only attempt, a 24-yarder. ... HC John Harbaugh has suggested this one will go down to the final pre-season game.

8/25 Willis McGahee finished the 2009 season with career-lows for carries (109) and yards (554) but a career-best 5.1 yards a carry average and 12 rushing touchdowns, one shy of his career high. He showed flashes of the past toward the end of last season, when he rushed for a career-high 167 yards and three touchdowns in Oakland. As a result, RBs coach Wilbert Montgomery is hesitant to label McGahee as Ray Rice's backup. "We look at it as if we've got two good running backs, and Willis comes out here to practice every day as if he's the starting running back," Montgomery said. "It's not like there's a one and then there's a two. ... Willis is practicing every day as if he's the starter and not as a backup, and we as coaches see Willis as a starter and not as a backup." But as Baltimore Sun staffer Don Markus notes, McGahee is realistic enough to know that his increased role during training camp and the first preseason game as a pass catcher could simply be HC John Harbaugh and OC Cam Cameron wanting to keep the 23-year-old Rice fresh and injury-free. It could also be the Ravens showcasing McGahee for a trade that could bring them a starting cornerback. Whatever the case, McGahee, who will $3.6 million this year, has no delusions about his place on the depth chart. "If Ray's got the hot hand, he's going to be the [featured] back," McGahee told Markus. ... That said, McGahee understands that other teams might still envision him carrying the load, and admits that "I treat every game as an audition." While he might be giving a prospective employer something to ponder, he is not politicking his way out of Baltimore.

8/24 According to the Baltimore Sun, TE Todd Heap confirmed that he did undergo at least one X-ray and maybe two during the Ravens' 23-3 victory over the Washington Redskins Saturday night. But that's about all the tight end would say in the team's locker room. "Nope, nothing serious," said Heap, who had nothing visibly taped or wrapped. "It's all good." Asked if the examination was precautionary in nature, he said, "Yeah, just precautionary. Just wanted to make sure that it was good. But I was fine with it before I went to the X-ray, and they just wanted to make sure that it was good." Asked to clarify what "it" is, Heap replied, "You can ask them." HC John Harbaugh didn't shed much light on the situation either. "I don't know anything else right now," he told the Sun. ... Heap said he doubted that he would miss any practice time this week or Saturday's preseason game against the New York Giants. "I'll be good to go," he said.

8/24 As Associated Press sports writer Joseph White suggested, nothing livens up a pre-season game like a fake punt, especially if it works. Ravens third-year S Haruki Nakamura took a direct snap on fourth-and-6 and juked his way 51 yards -- all the way to the 1 -- in the second quarter to set up the only touchdown scored (a Willis McGahee one-yard run) by either first-team offense in Saturday night’s 23-3 win over the Washington Redskins. ... The Ravens’ first-team defense looked in its usual solid form for the most part, except when it allowed three big third-down conversions on the game’s opening drive. CB Fabian Washington, playing his first game since tearing a ligament in his left knee last season, ended the drive by breaking up a pass at the goal line, forcing the Redskins to settle for a field goal. ... Joe Flacco went 9 for 16 passes for 72 yards for the Ravens (2-0). Ray Rice ran for 17 yards, but dropped the ball on two of his three carries -- one of the fumbles was technically credited to Flacco, and the Ravens recovered both. Two other promising drives were stopped by mistakes: a false start on left tackle Michael Oher, and a fumble by Donte’ Stallworth. ... There wasn’t much solved in the Ravens’ kickers’ battle. Billy Cundiff made his two field-goal attempts, from 26 and 42 yards. Shayne Graham made his only attempt, a 24-yarder. ... (Get complete game stats HERE)

8/20 According to the Baltimore Sun, WR Mark Clayton and rookie TE Ed Dickson sat out Thursday morning’s practice, but their ailments are not considered serious. Clayton said he is dealing with a sore ankle, but didn’t anticipate that it would keep him from Saturday night’s preseason contest at the Washington Redskins. “Yeah, it’ll be fine,” he said. ... Dickson said he hurt his groin during special teams practice Wednesday afternoon, but was told by HC John Harbaugh to rest Thursday.

8/19 Following up on an ongoing storyline. ... Baltimore Sun staffer Mike Preston reports the Ravens have received some phone calls from teams interested in possibly trading for RB Willis McGahee. ... Preston went on to suggest, however, that before the Ravens make the move, they might consider who will be their RB on goal line and short yardage situations, and do they have a backup to Ray Rice who can also be a homerun hitter and score from anywhere on the field? Preston added that McGahee has played extremely well in training camp, and reported in excellent shape. His attitude has been outstanding. If McGahee gets traded, the Ravens will probably use Le'Ron McClain as Rice's backup. Preston points out, however, the problem with McClain is ball security.

8/18 According to the Baltimore Sun, FB Le’Ron McClain was held out of Wednesday morning’s practice after developing what he called “a little back tightness.” McClain, who had also practiced on Sunday with his upper right thigh wrapped told reporters he wanted to practice today but coaches told him to rest. “I’m practicing tomorrow,” he said. “That’s my goal. I hate missing practice. So I’ve got to get back out here.” And what about his availability for Saturday night’s preseason game at the Washington Redskins? “No question,” McClain said. “I’ve got to play against the Redskins.”

8/18 According to Baltimore Sun staffer Mike Preston, TE Todd Heap has had a strong training camp, and Tuesday was one of his better days as he made several nice catches, twice going up and snatching balls over defenders. Per Preston, the key for Heap this season will be the development of the Ravens two young offensive tackles. Preston went on to explain that for the past two seasons, Heap has had to stay in and help chip block with the tackles on defensive ends and outside linebackers. If the tackles can handle those players in one-on-one situations, this will free Heap up to get more involved in the passing game, especially plays in the deep middle where the Ravens need to make significant progress.

8/17 Rookie TE Ed Dickson caught two passes for 26 yards during his NFL debut Thursday night in a 17-12 win over the Carolina Panthers. "I thought Ed has looked good," HC John Harbaugh said. "He did a lot of good things. A lot of things he needs to work on, both offensively and special teams, but it was a good start for Ed. ..." The Ravens' third-round draft pick was the first TE into the game as a substitute for two-time Pro Bowler Todd Heap. At this point, Dickson ranks ahead of fellow impressive rookie Dennis Pitta on the depth chart. Dickson is expected to eventually emerge as Heap's successor down the road. In fact, Wilson believes Dickson has the potential to become one of the Ravens' top offensive players in the future. ... In the meantime, the Ravens employed a three-TE set against Carolina with Heap, Dickson and Pitta all in the game at the same time. Running such an alignment would have been pretty much impossible last season when Heap played virtually every snap with L.J. Smith almost constantly hurt.

8/17 On paper, Billy Cundiff might have taken the lead over Shayne Graham in the race to be the Ravens' primary PK. But according to Baltimore Sun staffer Edward Lee, that's not the way Cundiff views it. Cundiff converted two extra points in the team's 17-12 win over the Panthers last Thursday night, and two of his three kickoffs resulted in touchbacks. Meanwhile, Graham missed one of his two field-goal attempts that night. Still, Cundiff said he can't take solace in Thursday night's outcome. "There's a lot of things going on behind the scenes," Cundiff said. "So for me, I'm not thinking about where I stand. I'm just trying to think about what I'm going to do when I'm on the field and let the rest take care of itself." Graham converted a 32-yard field goal, but he pushed a 50-yard try wide right with 1:11 left before halftime. After the game, Graham said he overcalculated the strength of a wind blowing right to left inside M&T Bank Stadium. ... On Saturday, Graham succeeded on attempts of 20, 35, 45, 49 and 50 yards. Cundiff knocked through field goals of 20, 35, 44 (twice) and 45 yards, but his 50-yard attempt strayed left. Like Cundiff, HC John Harbaugh declined to handicap the competition. "I think it's too early to say," he said. "They've both done well. I think Shayne's kick in the game was a tough one. He wants to make that kick, but it was a tough kick."

9/01 The Ravens have released QB Thad Lewis, TE Larry Donnell. The Ravens also waived RB Lorenzo Taliaferro.

9/01 The Ravens got a better look at what first-round draft choice Marlon Humphrey can do when he's healthy. They had to like what they saw. Humphrey, drafted 16th overall out of Alabama last spring, forced a fumble, broke up a pass and made four tackles, and Baltimore beat the New Orleans Saints 14-13 in the preseason finale for both clubs Thursday night. ... Humphrey had missed two of the Ravens' first three preseason games and practice time in his first training camp because of apparently minor undisclosed injuries. But the cornerback appears like he's ready to contribute as a rookie to an already impressive-looking Baltimore defense. He created a turnover with a heavy hit that dislodged the ball from Saints running back Daniel Lasco. Linebacker Patrick Onwuasor recovered. ... QB Ryan Mallett completed three of eight passes in three offensive series, but his final throw was a touchdown strike over the middle to Chris Moore in tight coverage on fourth down. Bobby Rainey added a touchdown on a 2-yard end run to make it 14-0. That capped a 66-yard drive led by reserve QB Thaddeus Lewis, who completed four passes and had a first-down scramble during the series. But Lewis' performance was marred by a fumble when he was sacked. ... Get complete stats for the game HERE.

8/30 RB Danny Woodhead (hamstring) has missed more than a week of practice after being injured in the second preseason game against the Miami Dolphins. However, the Ravens hope he will be ready for the regular-season opener.

8/29 According to ESPN.com's Jamison Hensley, HC John Harbaugh is "very optimistic" that wide receiver Breshad Perriman will play in the Sept. 10 opener. Perriman has been sidelined since Aug. 1 with a hamstring injury. "That's barring any kind of setback," Harbaugh said Tuesday.

8/29 HC John Harbaugh guaranteed that quarterback Joe Flacco would be ready to go in time for the season opener on September 10 and the quarterback has taken a step toward fulfilling that promise. Harbaugh said Tuesday that Flacco has resumed throwing after an extended layoff due to a back issue that cropped up earlier this summer. Flacco initially said he hoped to be out of action for a week, but he has not practiced or played in any preseason games while waiting for the go-ahead to resume work. As Profootballtalk.com notes, Flacco is not practicing with the team yet, but that should be the next step in getting ready for the Week 1 game against the Bengals. Ryan Mallett has filled in for Flacco as the starter during training camp and the preseason. His performances did little to create confidence about the Ravens’ chances should Flacco miss time in the regular season, so Harbaugh’s announcement will likely be greeted with sighs of relief in Baltimore.

8/28 Ravens HC John Harbaugh is getting a little breathing room on his deal. With a contract originally set to expire after the 2018 season, Harbaugh got his pact extended a year, the Ravens announced Monday. Harbaugh has been the team's head coach since 2008, going 85-59 (.590) in the regular season and 10-5 in the playoffs with a Super Bowl win in 2012 over his brother, John, and the San Francisco 49ers. This is a welcome extension for Harbaugh, who has had to oversee the aging of Baltimore's once-heralded defense and a rash of injuries over the past five seasons. The former special teams coordinator took over for Brian Billick just six years after Billick led the team to a win in Super Bowl XXXV. He is the third head coach in franchise history, alongside Billick and the late Ted Marchibroda.

8/28 The Ravens announced on Monday that linebacker Albert McClellan will miss the entire year after tearing his ACL. McClellan was injured during a practice last week. McClellan has spent the last six years with the Ravens and made 11 starts while appearing in all 16 games last season. He had 55 tackles and a sack in those games. He’s also played a key role on special teams for Baltimore over the years. With Zach Orr retired, McClellan’s injury means the Ravens will need to replace two linebackers who saw over 1,500 snaps on defense last year. C.J. Mosley and Kamalei Correa are slated to start at inside linebacker for the Ravens this year with Patrick Onwuasor and Brennan Beyer back from last year as depth options.

8/27 According to ESPN.com's Jamison Hensley, HC John Harbaugh refused to say when Joe Flacco will return to practice, but he reiterated that the injured quarterback will start the Sept. 10 season opener at the Cincinnati Bengals. "He will be back for the Bengals game, I promise you that," Harbaugh said after Saturday's 13-9 preseason victory over the Bills. Flacco has yet to practice since informing the team of his back injury the day before the start of training camp. Doctors told Flacco and the Ravens that he would need a week of rest, but the former Super Bowl MVP has been sidelined for 30 days. In an Aug. 11 news release, the Ravens announced Flacco would not play in the preseason but indicated "the plan" was for Flacco to be the starting quarterback in the opener. Harbaugh was first asked if Flacco would return to practice Sunday. "No," Harbaugh said. "He's on schedule, though, I'll say that." Will Flacco return this week? "I'm not going to stand up here and answer that question every single day," Harbaugh said. "He will be back for the Bengals game, I promise you that." As Hensley reminded readers, Ryan Mallett has struggled in Flacco's absence, completing 28 of 50 (56 percent) for 229 yards. He has thrown one touchdown and two interceptions for a 57.8 passer rating.

8/26 Though starting quarterback Joe Flacco has yet to take a snap at camp this summer, the Ravens (3-0) have relied heavily on their retooled defense to win and they did so again in Saturday night's 13-9 victory over the Buffalo Bills. Baltimore has allowed only two touchdowns in three games — none by the starting unit — and now stands one victory short of completing a second straight unbeaten preseason. Baltimore, which entered the game with the No. 1 defense in the preseason, isn't expected to play its starters in the preseason finale Thursday at New Orleans. Overall, the Ravens' starting defense forced punts on all nine drives this preseason, giving up a total of 74 yards against the Washington Redskins, Miami Dolphins and Bills. The farthest an offense drove on Baltimore's starters was the Ravens' 44-yard line. ... Ryan Mallett, who's been starting in place of Flacco for Baltimore, went 6 for 10 for 58 yards in less than a half. He threw the ball better in this preseason game, but he still failed to consistently move the ball down the field. ... As previously noted, the Ravens held their breath for a while until Justin Tucker, the most accurate kicker in NFL history, cleared the concussion protocol. Tucker put himself at risk in the first quarter, when he attempted to make a tackle on a kickoff that followed his 40-yard field goal. This came one week after Tucker received flak from teammates for trying to return a fumble off a kickoff for a touchdown. ... According to ESPN.com's Jamison Hensley, it's looking like Michael Campanaro will hold on to the punt returner job. He averaged 10.8 yards on four returns, including a runback of 17 yards. Campanaro's path became clearer when undrafted rookie Tim White suffered a season-ending thumb injury. Keenan Reynolds is behind Campanaro on the depth chart. ... Undrafted free agent RB Taquan Mizzell, out of Virginia, made an impression with six catches for 54 yards and a touchdown. He also had six carries for 14 yards. ... The Ravens remain short-handed this preseason as injuries kept out 16 percent of their roster. Baltimore was without Flacco, left tackle Ronnie Stanley (undisclosed), running back Danny Woodhead (hamstring) and wide receiver Breshad Perriman (hamstring) were among those held out. TE Maxx Williams (offseason knee surgery) was likely held out as a precautionary measure. ... Get complete stats for the game HERE.

8/26 Following up on a previous item. ... PK Justin Tucker was cleared after initially being placed in the concussion protocol.

8/26 PK Justin Tucker is in the concussion protocol after taking a blow to the head while making a tackle in tonight's game against the Bills.

8/23 According to ESPN.com's Jamison Hensley, OC Marty Mornhinweg didn't offer much clarity Wednesday when asked about quarterback Joe Flacco's return date to practice. "I think I know," Mornhinweg said. "At least, Joe thinks he knows when this will happen. So that way, I think I know. So, we think we know. Look it, if it's before that or a little bit before -- it probably not going to be much before -- or a little bit after, we'll adjust the plan. As long he's back in a reasonable amount of time to prepare, I think we'll just be fine there. ..." Flacco hasn't practiced since the start of training camp because of a back issue. Two weeks ago, the Ravens announced that Flacco wouldn't play in the preseason but indicated "the plan" is for the 32-year-old quarterback to start the Sept. 10 regular-season opener. HC John Harbaugh ruled out Flacco from practicing this week, which means the earliest Flacco would return is Aug. 27. That would give him two weeks to prepare for the regular-season opener in Cincinnati. In case you've missed it, with Flacco sidelined, Ryan Mallett has struggled in his two preseason starts. He's completed 55 percent of his throws (22 of 40) for 171 yards, throwing one touchdown and two interceptions. His passer rating is 53.2, which ranks 93rd among quarterbacks this preseason.

8/23 Danny Woodhead is a new addition to the Ravens injury list. Woodhead played against the Dolphins last week, running once for two yards and failing to catch any of the three passes that Ryan Mallett threw in his direction, but Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun reports that he’s dealing with a hamstring injury. The Ravens are back on the field Saturday, but it seems unlikely that they’d play Woodhead with any risk of aggravating the injury and putting his status for the regular season in greater risk. If he does sit, it will likely mean the end of Woodhead’s preseason action as there will be a quick turnaround to a fourth preseason game that is typically reserved for players with less roster security. As Profootballtalk.com notes, Baltimore lost Kenneth Dixon for the season due to a knee injury, leaving Terrance West, Javorius Allen, Taquan Mizzell and Bobby Rainey as the healthy backs for the Ravens at the moment.

8/22 The Ravens will play the Buffalo Bills on Saturday night in what figures to be the last preseason action for their starters and even some of their top reserves. HC John Harbaugh traditionally doesn’t play his starters in the fourth and final preseason game. In two weeks, team officials will have to cut the roster from 90 to 53. According to Baltimore Sun staffer Jeff Zrebiec, there are players who have clear raised their stock in recent weeks. First on Zrebiec's list is Javorius Allen, who the reporter considers the Ravens’ most effective back throughout training camp and the preseason. He’s running decisively and showing good vision. It is possible the Ravens will add a running back before the regular season, but Allen has proved worthy of an offensive role. In addition, while other receivers have gotten hurt or not produced much in games or practices, Michael Campanaro leads Ravens receivers with five catches and is second with 45 receiving yards. He also remains the team’s top punt returner. While the injury concerns are understandable, Campanaro has a skill set the Ravens need, and he’s outplayed the other No. 4 and 5 receiver candidates. ... On the other hand, while Zrebiec doesn't believe Ryan Mallett has played as poorly in the preseason games as some have suggested. However, he also believes Mallett hasn’t been nearly good enough to have much confidence in the offense if starter Joe Flacco isn’t ready to start the regular season. Harbaugh has showed plenty of patience and defended Mallett, who could reward that faith by playing well Saturday night. Others coming up short so far are WRs Chris Moore and Keenan Reynolds as well as RBs Bobby Rainey and Lorenzo Taliaferro, who has struggled with the transition from tailback to fullback.

8/21 Joe Flacco hasn't stood on the field and watched one practice since being sidelined with a back injury. Flacco hasn't been on the sideline for any of the preseason games either. "Top-secret, baby! Top-secret," wide receiver Mike Wallace said. "We can’t give you any glimpses of Joe. When he comes back, you all are going to see. He has gained like 30 pounds of muscle, he is running like a 4.5 [40-yard dash] now. He is like Weapon X. He is under wraps right now, but when he comes back, it is going to be crazy. ..." As the Associated Press noted, Flacco hasn't practiced in this year's training camp because of the back issue. After HC John Harbaugh ruled out Flacco from practicing, the earliest Flacco would return is Aug. 27, which would give him two weeks to prepare for the regular-season opener in Cincinnati, set for Sept. 10. The Ravens, though, haven't announced definitively when Flacco will come back. At the start of camp, doctors told Flacco and the Ravens that he would need about a week of rest for his back issue to subside. The 32-year-old now will miss at least four weeks of practice. Still, Wallace believes the offense will have enough time to get in sync with Flacco. "Joe is a vet. He has been 10 years in the game," Wallace said. "He has won Super Bowls, he has been in every situation. He might need to knock a little rust off, but hopefully we can knock that out in those days of practice before Week 1. I think once we get into the game all it will take is a couple plays and then you feel like you are in the game. It is like, ‘OK, let’s go.’ But, he is a vet. He will be fine."

8/19 According to Baltimore Sun staffer Jeff Zrebiec, third-year tight end Maxx Williams persevered through the first couple of weeks of training camp with a noticeable limp, a result of the serious surgery that he had on his knee last year. He was bigger and stronger, which was evident in his blocking, and he caught most of the balls thrown in his direction. However, when it came time to run past a defender or gain separation, Williams struggled to do it. That wasn’t the case in the Ravens’ 31-7 victory over the Dolphins on Thursday night. Williams, the 2015 second-round draft pick who is trying to solidify a role on offense, made the longest play of the night with a 40-yard catch-and-run of a Josh Woodrum pass in the third quarter. Williams easily could have been taken down for only a minimal gain, but he shed a tackle attempt by Deon Lacey and then raced past a few more Dolphins defenders before being taken down at the Miami 14-yard line. “He’s a sneaky athlete. You want to think that he’s not athletic and all of a sudden he starts running people over and breaking tackles,” HC John Harbaugh said. “That’s what we’ve been looking for from him since we drafted him. That was really fun to watch.” Williams, who is competing with Larry Donnell and Vince Mayle for the No.3 tight end spot, caught two balls for 48 yards Thursday.

8/18 Following up on the previous item. ... HC John Harbaugh continued his bland approval of backup quarterback Ryan Mallett following the Baltimore Ravens' 31-7 victory over the Miami Dolphins on Thursday. Last week, Harbaugh cited "winning football" in a preseason game to praise Mallett. This week the Ravens coach pointed out missing three offensive linemen when discussing the quarterback's 13-for-22, 113 yards, one touchdown and two interception performance. "I thought he did good," Harbaugh said of Mallett, via the Baltimore Sun. "He got out of trouble a few times, he made a few throws. I think we'll just keep working to build off that. He was under pressure more than we'd like early on and I thought he handled it well, didn't make mistakes. He played good, solid football. We're not totally together up front right now and I think he's doing OK given the circumstances." Harbaugh's comments echoed Mallett, who said he played better than last week. All that said -- and even with all the caveats regarding Mallett (didn't play with starting receivers last week, missed offensive linemen this week), he has yet to look like a viable starter at any point during the preseason, completing 22 of 40 passes for 171 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions and a 53.2 passer rating in two games. Remember: The team continues with the expectation Joe Flacco will play in the Sept. 10 season opener against the Bengals. If he doesn’t practice in the next week, Flacco will have no more than two weeks of practice time in preparation.

8/18 Ryan Mallett threw for 113 yards and a touchdown, Josh Woodrum ran for two more scores and the Ravens beat the Dolphins 31-7 on Thursday night in the second preseason game for both teams. Starting quarterback Joe Flacco isn't expected to play until Week 1 of the regular season because of back woes, and Mallett played the entire first half. Mallett completed 13 of 22 passes, getting intercepted twice — both on passes intended for Quincy Adeboyejo. The first pick was by Xavier Howard on a ball lofted down the left sideline and overthrow, the other coming when Cordrea Tankersley ripped the ball out of Adeboyejo's hands after he had to reach back to make a catch on a quick slant. According to ESPN.com's Jamison Hensley, Mallett's biggest problems are putting touch on throws and stringing good passes together. On some plays, he steps up in the pocket to convert a third down with a pass to tight end Benjamin Watson and rolls out to find Mike Wallace downfield. Then, there are the times when he throws over the head of Danny Woodhead on a simple screen pass and overthrows Adeboyejo for an interception. Even his throw to a wide-open Larry Donnell wasn't easy. Donnell had to go to the ground to catch the 1-yard touchdown. ... Woodrum completed eight of 10 passes for 110 yards. ... The Ravens (2-0) indicated last week that the plan is for Flacco to start the regular season after not playing in the preseason. "We have a time frame with that," HC John Harbaugh said Thursday night. "I don't think that time frame is this week yet. So we will stick with the plan on that. I think it's a straightforward date that the doctors and the back specialists have given us. So we're going to stick with that." Under that timetable, the earliest Flacco would practice is Aug. 27, which would give him two weeks to get ready for the regular-season opener in Cincinnati, set for Sept. 10. The Ravens, though, haven't announced definitively when Flacco will come back. ... Also according to Hensley, the second preseason game was the best that Ravens tight end Maxx Williams looked all summer. The former second-round pick made two catches for 48 yards, and he showed some elusiveness on that 40-yard reception. In training camp, he never appeared to be 100 percent after coming back from a knee injury. ... Kicker Justin Tucker is automatic from 50 yards or more. Tucker connected on a 52-yarder for the Ravens' first points of the night. He also made a 59-yarder in Baltimore's preseason-opening win over Washington, and was 10 for 10 on tries from 50 yards or more last season. Tucker also recovered a fumble on a misplayed kickoff return, one of Miami's many special-teams issues. ... Get complete stats for the game HERE.

8/15 Breshad Perriman has been missing time and it’s not clear when he is going to be back. Perriman hurt his hamstring and HC John Harbaugh gave an update on his status on Tuesday. “He’s a long-term hamstring guy in terms of when he did it,” Harbaugh said, via Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com. “It’s a pretty good hamstring that he had. He’s making progress. Everything is on schedule. They’re happy with the way he’s progressing. That’s what I know.” Harbaugh said that Perriman hasn’t been ruled out of preseason action, but this Thursday’s game against the Dolphins doesn’t seem like a realistic return date given where things stand right now. Perriman, a 2015 first-round pick, caught 33 passes in 16 games last season after missing his entire rookie year with a knee injury.

8/14 The Ravens announced they have waived QB Dustin Vaughan and signed free agent QB Thaddeus Lewis.

8/11 The Ravens announced the team now has a more definitive timeframe for Joe Flacco’s return. The 10th-year QB has been re-examined, and his progress from a back issue is good. He will return to practice in the preseason, but he is not expected to play in these games. The plan is for Flacco to be the starting quarterback against Cincinnati in the regular season opener on Sept. 10. ... In addition, rookie WR/RS Tim White (Arizona State) injured his thumb in last night’s game against Washington. Repair will require surgery, and White is expected to miss the season. Also: G/T Alex Lewis aggravated his shoulder, and it has not responded to treatment. Lewis will have surgery next week and will miss the 2017 season.

8/11 As NFL.com's Kevin Patra noted, to the average preseason spectator, Ryan Mallett appeared to struggle leading the Ravens' offense Thursday night. HC John Harbaugh begs to differ. "I thought he played winning football. He played good football, just what we asked him to do," Harbaugh said after the 23-3 victory over the Redskins. ... As previously noted, Mallett finished with 9-of-18 passing for 58 yards and a 57.2 passer rating. And according to Patra, the QB's first three passes were a microcosm of his career: He lined a bullet through the hands of running back Terrance West, who was standing about two yards away. He then underthrew receiver Michael Campanaro down the field on third-and-2. On the next drive, his throw on third-and-7 landed between two receivers, so it was either an overthrow or underthrow, depending on your bend. Patra went on to suggest that Harbaugh's assessment of Mallett came from a desire not to stoke flames about bringing in Colin Kaepernick to be the backup in case Joe Flacco's back injury flares up again -- flames, we should note, that Harbaugh started. ... Meanwhile, it's fair to note Mallett didn't have a full complement of receivers with Mike Wallace, Jeremy Maclin and Breshad Perriman sitting. Top tight end Benjamin Watson also was on the sideline. Running back Danny Woodhead didn't play. And three offensive linemen (Marshal Yanda, Alex Lewis and Austin Howard) had the night off. Still, with plenty of time to throw, Mallett's inconsistencies in the pocket show he hasn't grown from the struggles that sunk his career in previous stops. Patra summed up: "Harbaugh better hope Flacco's back gets healthy and stays that way for the entire season, or his offense is going to struggle mightily with Mallett at the helm."

8/11 Ryan Mallett struggled in place of injured quarterback Joe Flacco, throwing for only 58 yards while playing the entire first half, and the Baltimore Ravens beat the Washington Redskins 23-3 on Thursday night in a sloppy preseason opener. ... The Ravens scored 13 points while Mallett was in the game, including a 2-yard touchdown run by Terrance West following two costly penalties by the Redskins: pass interference for 23 yards on a third-and-8 and an illegal formation on a field goal try that hit the left upright. The biggest play of the first half was the last one: Justin Tucker kicked a 59-yard field goal for a 13-0 lead. Flacco has yet to take a snap this summer because of a bad back. That left Mallett to run the first-team offense; he went 9 for 18 and was sacked once. ... In his defense, Mallett was operating behind a makeshift line and without his top three receivers. Besides Flacco, the Ravens offense was without OLs Marshal Yanda, Alex Lewis and Austin Howard; WRs Jeremy Maclin, Mike Wallace and Breshad Perriman; TE Benjamin Watson; and RB Danny Woodhead. But Mallett didn't give the Ravens any reason to lose interest in adding free agent quarterback Colin Kaepernick. According to ESPN.com's Jamison Hensley, there is still no definitive timetable for Flacco, who has yet to practice in training camp (which is now two weeks old). ... Justin Tucker alleviated any concerns with a 59-yard field goal to end the first half (remember, 64 yards is the longest in NFL history). It's not been a perfect summer for the All-Pro kicker, who missed a handful of kicks in training camp and hit the upright on a 43-yard attempt in the opener (it was negated by a penalty). ... Get complete stats for the game HERE.

8/10 The Ravens have a deep class of receivers that have been impressive throughout training camp, despite the absence of starting quarterback Joe Flacco, who has been out with a back injury. According to the Sports Xchange, Mike Wallace has been the most impressive player among that group and has been consistent catching the ball. Jeremy Maclin, who was signed on June 12, looks like he will be a major boost to this unit and has made several receptions deep downfield. Breshad Perriman, the team's first-round draft pick in 2015, has missed time because of a hamstring injury, but is expected to be ready for the regular season. ... Other players who have been impressive are Chris Matthews, who has caught several passes across the middle, and Quincy Adeboyejo, a rookie free agent from Mississippi who has beaten several veterans for long gains. Michael Campanaro, who came off the PUP list last week, also managed several nice grabs in traffic. If Campanaro can stay healthy, he can be an impact player as a receiver and on special teams.

8/9 According to the Sports Xchange, TE Benjamin Watson has not been hampered by the torn Achilles that ended his 2016 season. Watson has consistently come down with receptions and even hauled in a diving touchdown pass from Ryan Mallett. Watson is fighting for the starting role with Nick Boyle, a third-year player from Delaware.

8/9 According to Baltimore Sun staffer Jeff Zrebiec, the team’s pursuit of free agent quarterback Colin Kaepernick seems to have slowed if not stopped altogether. Ryan Mallett has settled in after a rocky start to training camp. And with long-time starter Joe Flacco remaining sidelined with a back injury -- and no indication that his return to the field is imminent -- Mallett continues to get valuable repetitions with the first team. Following Monday’s workout, HC John Harbaugh said Mallett will start and play “pretty extensively” in Thursday’s preseason opener against the Washington Redskins. “How much that ends up being probably will be determined,” Harbaugh said. “We’ll have a plan, but during the game, I’ll probably have to get a sense of that and how I feel about it. But yes, it’s an opportunity for Ryan to get ready. ..." Mallett has been highly-scrutinized since the first day of training camp after it was revealed a day earlier that Flacco wouldn’t be ready to go because of a back injury. Harbaugh’s acknowledgment that the Ravens were looking into adding Kaepernick put further attention on Mallett’s play, which was erratic and mistake-prone through the first week of camp. During the team’s second camp practice, Mallett was intercepted five times and after the fifth one, he threw his white towel in the air as if it was a penalty flag. There’s been no outward display of frustration since and there have also been fewer interceptions for Mallett, who is making much better decisions. ... Meanwhile, Harbaugh continues to insist that he’s not concerned about Flacco’s absence. “This is his 10th year now. He knows football. Every play we are running, he has run before numerous times, so that part of it is not a problem,” Harbaugh said. Still, it feels odd for the Ravens to be preparing for a season and not have Flacco out on the field. Nobody around the team could even remember the last time Flacco missed a single training camp practice before this year. Currently, he’s missed 10 and counting. "Of course, we’re missing Joe Flacco,” running back Terrance West said. “But it’s all about the next man up in this league.”

What we know: Change is the offseason theme in Baltimore. For fantasy owners, the additions of Danny Woodhead and Jeremy Maclin will help cover the losses of Steve Smith (retirement), Dennis Pitta (injury), Kamar Aiken (free agency) and Kyle Juszczyk (free agency).

What we think: Joe Flacco set a franchise record for passing yards in a season with 4,317 -- the first time he'd broken 4,000 in his nine-year career. Yet he was woefully inconsistent while attempting a career-high 672 passes -- 58 more than his previous high in 2013. It's possible Flacco -- with an offense looking to make a more concerted effort to run the ball in order to take some pressure off their QB -- can be more efficient and productive this year. But that rushing attack must do more. In that vein, while Woodhead's anticipated role might not change, but Terrance West has a clear path to the early-down work in the wake of Kenneth Dixon's season-ending knee injury.

Initial Issues/Injuries Of Interest: In addition to Dixon's season-ending knee injury and Pitta's likely career-ending hip injury, the Ravens have deal with a seemingly endless series of injuries this month. First and foremost, Flacco has missed time with a sore back. Initial reports sparked speculation that the back problem is worse than believed. So far, it's not. That said, there's no timetable for Flacco's return. ... TE Crockett Gillmore suffered a season-ending knee injury in practice the first week of camp. He was waived with an injury designation. Meanwhile, the Ravens are playing it safe with Breshad Perriman. The wide receiver has missed time with a tweaked hamstring. Recently signed tight end Larry Donnell suffered a finger/hand injury, according to the team, but there is no word on its severity. 9/05 RB Justin Forsett has agreed to re-sign with Ravens. According to CBSSports.com's Jason La Canfora, the move will become official prior to their start of Tuesday's practice.

9/04 Word out of Baltimore after the cut to 53 players was that kick returner Devin Hester might be joining the Ravens in the coming days. Sunday morning brings word that he’s on his way. According to multiple reports, Hester has agreed to a one-year deal with the team. ... Meanwhile, after his release on Saturday, multiple reports have emerged calling Justin Forsett’s return to Baltimore possible; Profootballtalk.com has learned that Forsett’s return is "likely. ..." We'll be watching for more on that.

9/03 Termination of Justin Forsett’s contract just 18 months after he signed a three-year, $9 million extension with the team, was a huge surprise today. ... Forsett, 30, struggled in the preseason, gaining just 11 yards on seven carries, and not playing in two of the four games. However, there was no indication that his roster spot was ever in jeopardy. With rookie Kenneth Dixon expected to miss a few games, the team’s only healthy backs are former Towson standout Terrance West and second-year pro Buck Allen. But the Baltimore Sun and ESPN.com both suggest the team could bring back Forsett before their Sept. 11 regular-season opener against the Buffalo Bills. Even Forsett appeared to have some fun with the situation on Twitter, writing, “The plot thickens. ...” We'll be watching for more.

9/03 As previously noted, in their most surprising move on the way to 53 players, the Ravens parted ways with running back Justin Forsett. Terrance West, Buck Allen and fourth-round pick Kenneth Dixon remain on the roster at running back, although Dixon is currently sidelined with a knee injury. Meanwhile, in addition to Forsett, the team cut wide receivers Jeremy Butler and sixth-round pick Keenan Reynolds ands placed wideouts Michael Campanaro and Chris Matthews on injured reserve. That leaves five receivers on their initial 53-man roster. Tackle De’Ondre Wesley was also placed on injured reserve while cornerback Carrington Byndom was waived/injured. Guard Vladimir Ducasse and quarterback Josh Johnson were released. Linebacker Arthur Brown, a 2013 second-round pick, and safety Terrence Brooks, a 2014 third-round pick, were waived along with linebacker Brennen Beyer, tight end Daniel Brown, tackle Blaine Clausell, defensive tackle Kapron Lewis-Moore, running back Stephen Houston, linebacker Victor Ochi, linebacker Patrick Onwausor, center Matt Skura and defensive back Julian Wilson.

9/03 According to Baltimore Sun staffer Jeff Zrebiec. Justin Forsett's release is the biggest of the day. It leaves Terrance West as the team's lead back. For what it's worth, Zrebiec notes that Forsett didn't do much in the preseason. He was held out of two games and started and got just a few carries in the others. There is some speculation the Broncos will be interested in Forsett.

9/03 Surprise cut of day: Ravens released RB Justin Forsett, league source tells ESPN's Adam Schefter.

9/02 As ESPN.com's Jamison Hensley reported, receiver Breshad Perriman quickly made up for missed time. In the Ravens' preseason finale, Perriman made a solid first impression by making two catches for 25 yards in a little less than one half of work. More importantly, he showed no effects from two knee injuries during his four series in New Orleans and he looks like he will make an impact in the passing game. "It went real well," Perriman said. "I got a lot to work on. I had no doubt in my mind that I was going to get it done. ..." After not playing in a game since the Ravens drafted him in the first round 16 months ago, Perriman was targeted on the first two plays from scrimmage and he didn't disappoint. On the first snap, Perriman caught a 9-yard pass from Ryan Mallett on a simple hitch route against backup New Orleans Saints cornerback Ken Crawley. He quickly turned upfield and it took two Saints to get him to the ground. On the second play, Perriman got open by physically shaking off press coverage from starting cornerback PJ Williams and then showed good hands by catching a Mallett pass that sailed behind him. That completion went for 16 yards, the second-longest pass to a Ravens wide receiver on Thursday. "I didn't expect that to happen," Perriman said of the first two passes coming his way. "God willing, it did happen. That really gave me a boost." The Ravens threw two more passes in Perriman's direction but none resulted in a completion. He didn't shield a defender on a skinny post (which ended with a deflection), and he had a third-down pass go off his hands on another attempt. "I was very nervous before the game," Perriman said. "But once I got to the stadium, everything went away. I just went out there and had fun." Perriman's only lament was not showing off his downfield speed. He didn't have a pass thrown over 20 yards to him. ... Meanwhile, Joe Flacco didn't play the preseason finale for the seventh straight year. Mallett was 8-of-12 for 65 yards (80.2 rating) in three series. Josh Johnson finished off an impressive preseason with efficient passing and a 2-yard touchdown run. Johnson finished 18-of-24 for 181 yards. It would still be surprising to see the Ravens go with Johnson over Mallett as Flacco's backup. ... Also according to Fowler, sometimes, the preseason finale is just as much about who isn't playing. The Ravens sat Justin Forsett and Terrance West, which probably indicates they are Baltimore's top two backs. Buck Allen, who started the last six games last season, is the No. 3 back by default. Rookie Kenneth Dixon is expected to be out four weeks with a sprained knee. Allen had another up-and-down game, finishing with 8 yards rushing on three carries (2.7-yard average) and 29 yards receiving on four receptions. ... The Ravens open up the regular season against the Buffalo Bills at M&T Bank Stadium on Sept. 11. Baltimore has lost its past three season openers. The Ravens' last Week 1 victory was in 2012. ... You can get complete statistics for this game HERE.

8/30  The Ravens placed RB Lorenzo Taliaferro (foot) on PUP, so he's out the first 6 games of the season.

8/29 The Ravens’ depth at tight end took a major hit when Benjamin Watson was lost for the season with a torn Achilles. But they’re getting closer to getting some of it back. HC John Harbaugh told reporters that tight ends Dennis Pitta and Maxx Williams would be back before the regular season opener. Pitta’s been out since breaking his finger Aug. 1 in a practice fight with a teammate. Of course, that’s just the latest injury Pitta’s trying to come back from, as he’s played three games the last two seasons because of hip problems. Williams has been out with an undisclosed injury. As Profootballtalk.com notes, with Pitta on the shelf and most of their receivers of note recovering from something, it’s been hard for Joe Flacco to build up much of what you’d call timing with his targets in the preseason. But he and Pitta have played together enough that it shouldn’t be a long-term problem.

8/29 The Ravens placed a pair of players on injured reserve, as they made a series of transactions to get to the 75-man limit before Tuesday’s deadline. Moving tight end Benjamin Watson (torn Achilles) and cornerback Kyle Arrington (concussion) cleared the first two spots. The name of the group of released players is veteran inside linebacker Kavell Conner, who spent six years in the league with the Colts and Chargers. They also waived guard Jarell Broxton, defensive tackle Trevon Coley, wide receiver Dobson Collins, center Anthony Fabiano, wide receiver Chuck Jacobs, quarterback Jerrod Johnson, outside linebacker Mario Ojemudia and wide receiver Darius White. The Ravens still have four moves to make.

8/28 According to ESPN.com's Adam Schefter, rookie RB Kenneth Dixon is expected to miss four weeks with an MCL tear that will not require surgery. ... We'll follow up as further details come to light.

8/28 Following up on the previous item. ... As if TE Ben Watson's Achilles injury wasn't painful enough, the Ravens suffered another injury Saturday night in their third preseason game. Promising rookie running back Kenneth Dixon left the game in the second quarter with a knee sprain and did not return. “Does not look like an overly serious injury," HC John Harbaugh said. "We’ll see tomorrow with the MRI, but there’s some optimism there.” Dixon was trying to push forward on a goal-line carry when Lions defensive tackle and former Raven Haloti Ngata hit his lower leg. Dixon crumbled to the turf and was in obvious pain as trainers ran out to meet him. The rookie fourth-round pick left the game with a trainer supporting his weight undereach arm. Dixon led the Ravens in rushing after their first two preseason games and led the team again in the third preseason game as he had six rushes for 41 yards. After Forsett, Dixon was the first running back off the bench, before Terrance West and Buck Allen.

8/27 Joe Flacco went 11 for 16 for 94 yards in his first action since November, but the Ravens lost TE Benjamin Watson to a season-ending injury during a 30-9 preseason victory over the Detroit Lions on Saturday night. ... Coming off surgery to repair ligaments in his left knee, Flacco played in two series spanning the first quarter. He took the Ravens (3-0) to a field goal in their opening possession and ended his performance by misfiring on a fourth-down pass from the Detroit 43. Linebacker Terrell Suggs also returned for the Ravens, participating in his first game since tearing his Achilles tendon in the season opener last year. He made two tackles. ... The Ravens signed Watson as a free agent in March, hoping he would become one of Flacco's prime option this season. That plan ended when the 35-year-old tore his right Achilles tendon on the game's first play. Watson appeared to trip while running a pattern and slumped to the turf. He was helped off the field. In the second quarter, promising rookie running back Kenneth Dixon was stacked up on the goal line and left with a sprained knee. He came in with a team-high 66 yards rushing and added 41 more on six carries. Beset by injuries while going 5-11 last season, the Ravens hoped this season would be different. But their lengthy injury list includes three tight ends: Watson, Dennis Pitta and Maxx Williams. In addition, Nick Boyle will miss the first 10 weeks for violating the league's drug policy. ... With Watson out, Flacco turned his attention toward wide receiver Mike Wallace, signed as a free agent during the offseason. Wallace was targeted six times, catching three for 37 yards. The Ravens pulled away in this one with a 17-point second quarter, fueled by the efficient play of backup quarterback Ryan Mallett and aided by an interception by Anthony Levine late in the half. ... With Dixon out, Terrance West appears poised to be the backup behind Justin Forsett. He gained 43 yards rushing compared to 15 for Javorius Allen, who didn't get an offensive snap until there was three minutes left in the first half. ... Wide receiver Jeremy Butler, who entered the game tied for the NFL preseason lead in catches, scored a touchdown for the second consecutive week. He made a nice diving, 25-yard catch in the end zone. ... You can get complete statistics for this game HERE.

8/27 TE Ben Watson has suffered a torn Achilles tendon in tonight's game against the Lions. The Ravens announced the injury. Watson will miss the rest of the season. Crockett Gillmore, Maxx Williams and Dennis Pitta, who is currently sidelined by a broken finger, are next men up.

8/26 The Ravens are going to put Joe Flacco on the field Saturday night against the Lions, but most of their other recovering-from-injury stars are going to get the night off. Via Edward Lee of the Baltimore Sun, veteran wide receiver Steve Smith has already been ruled out by HC John Harbaugh, while WR Breshad Perriman and outside linebackers Terrell Suggs and Elvis Dumervil are unlikely to play either. "He’s not playing in this game – at least that I know of,” Harbaugh said of Smith. “We’ll see. Maybe he’ll be on the side.” Smith’s coming back from a torn Achilles, and Perriman was just activated from the physically unable to perform list Monday. As far as the outside linebackers, Harbaugh said Suggs was “fine,” but they’re expected to keep him and Dumervil (activated from the PUP Monday) out anyway, while they look at young pass-rushers Albert McClellan, Matthew Judon and Kamalei Correa.

8/25 As ESPN.com's Jamison Hensley notes, halfway through the preseason, the Ravens have yet to make any decisions on how they're handling their crowded running-back group. Will the Ravens go with a running back by committee? Will they rely on a featured back? Or will they simply go with the hot runner from week to week? "The next couple of weeks will give us a better idea," OC Marc Trestman said. Justin Forsett remains atop the depth chart because no one has really separated himself yet. None of the Ravens' running backs is averaging more than 4.1 yards per carry. Forsett managed 11 yards on five carries in one forgettable game. Buck Allen has nearly as many yards receiving (19) as he does rushing (20). Terrance West has scored two touchdowns, but he hasn't broken a run longer than nine yards. And Kenneth Dixon has 47 yards on 15 carries (3.1-yard average) when you remove his 19-yard run. The end result could be Forsett gets the start, Allen and Dixon become third-down backs, and West turns into the power back in the red zone. But the Ravens are still trying to figure out their plan going forward. Hensley reminded readers the history of Trestman says he's flexible when it comes to running backs. During the times when Trestman has been the play-caller, he's relied on one back (Charlie Garner in Oakland and Matt Forte in Chicago) and he has been comfortable splitting up the carries (Earnest Byner and Kevin Mack in Cleveland and Michael Pittman and Thomas Jones in Arizona). Hensley went on to suggest this is looking more like the Ravens' situation in 2008, coach John Harbaugh's first season. Le'Ron McClain, Ray Rice and Willis McGahee all took turns getting the ball in what became a successful combination for the Ravens but a frustrating one for fantasy football owners. They totaled 142.9 yards rushing per game collectively, but no one averaged more than 57 yards per game individually. By the end of the 2016 season, the division of carries could be similar with Forsett, Allen, West and Dixon.

8/24 Breshad Perriman gets it. After losing his entire rookie season to a torn PCL, there are those skeptical about his ability to contribute. Should he make it to the team's season-opening game against the Bills on Sept. 11, it will represent a mountainous climb back into the starting lineup -- one that the Ravens will no doubt appreciate. "(I'm) very eager," Perriman told the team's official site. "It's coming real soon. I know it will be worth the wait." He added: "I don't have any doubt in my mind that I won't be ready. I'm attacking it right now like I will be ready, and I think I will." Perriman feels like he's just as fast as the player Baltimore drafted a year ago. He feels like he can make sharp cuts and accelerate. He's looking forward to spending those long, late hours with Joe Flacco building that unconscious football bond that all great receivers and quarterbacks have. But as NFL.com suggests, we should all be most interested in seeing him get some game reps. HC John Harbaugh wouldn't rule out playing on Saturday against the Lions. More than a practice, that would be a sight for sore eyes in Baltimore.

8/24 In predicting a 2016 breakout player for the Ravens, ESPN.com's Jamison Hensley chose Maxx Williams. ... The highest drafted tight end from a year ago, Williams is looking to carry over last year's strong finish into his second season. He set the Ravens' rookie tight end record with 32 catches for 268 yards receiving and one touchdown. The challenge for Williams is a crowded tight end group that includes Benjamin Watson, Dennis Pitta and Crockett Gillmore. But Williams was having a very good camp before suffering an undisclosed injury. Williams will make an impact in the passing game if he can stay healthy.

8/23 Joe Flacco avoided the physically unable to perform list to open camp and his surgically-repaired knee hasn’t had any setbacks during practices, which leaves one big box to check on his comeback from a torn ACL. Flacco hasn’t played in either of the team’s first two preseason games, but said on Tuesday that he will be on the field against the Lions this Saturday. Flacco expects to play the same amount he’d typically play during the team’s third preseason outing, “It’s not super important to go out and play a game just because I need to play a game. You need to get back out there, you need to get your mind used to getting ready for a game,” Flacco said on Mad Dog Sports Radio with Adam Schein (via Profootballtalk.com). “And then, yeah, I need to get over that last hurdle, which is going out there and being a live target for guys to hit and see how I react to it. ..." As PFT notes, Saturday’s game will be Flacco’s first with wide receiver Mike Wallace in the lineup and the Ravens hope that their connection helps fuel better production through the air than they had before and after Flacco got hurt last year.

8/23 Breshad Perriman participated in his first practice in over two months on Tuesday, and it didn't take long for the 2015 first-round pick to take his first shot of the year. "Who is the new guy," linebacker Terrell Suggs said when spotting Perriman. "Can he play?" Perriman, the No. 26 overall player taken a year ago, was on the field for the first time since partially tearing the anterior cruciate ligament on June 9. Not wearing a brace on that left knee, he showed little effects from the knee injury in running routes and making cuts. Though he wasn't running at full speed, ESPN.com's Jamison Hensley reports he showed no hesitation in any of the drills. It did appear that Perriman had a slight limp when he was walking in between drills. Hensley added that during the media viewing portion of practice, Perriman only participated in individual drills. He ran routes and cut around cones for about 20 minutes while the rest of the team worked on special teams. Perriman later caught passes in the red zone from all four quarterbacks, including Joe Flacco. There were a couple of times when Perriman caught the ball with one hand.The next challenge for Perriman is to get into football shape, according to HC John Harbaugh. It's unknown whether Perriman will play in Saturday's preseason game.

8/23 TE Crockett Gillmore returned to practice this week after missing time with an injured hamstring. Gillmore is battling Benjamin Watson for the starting role. Gillmore also underwent offseason shoulder surgery. "You know Crockett's ability, so he will play a role that befits his talent and his skill set," HC John Harbaugh said. "I think exactly what guys do is going to be based on what guys do. That's going to play itself out in terms of how they play throughout the preseason and even into the season. It's good to have options. As we say, 'It's a good problem to have.' I'm looking forward to seeing how that plays out. We're planning on utilizing all of those guys."

8/22 TE Dennis Pitta has a fractured finger. It was revealed on MRI. Team is concerned he could do further damage if he plays right now, HC John Harbaugh said.

8/22 HC John Harbaugh told reporters this morning that WR Breshad Perriman (ACL) is off PUP list. He passed his physical. Now we'll be watching to see how quickly Perriman can get up to speed.

8/21 The Ravens hoped their secondary would be much improved this season. After the Ravens' 19-18 preseason win over the Colts in Indianapolis on Saturday, there's still a question mark looming over the defensive backfield. The Ravens made it too easy for Colts quarterback Andrew Luck, who was 8-for-8 for 71 yards in his first game action in nine months. As ESPN.com's Jamison Hensley notes, in the first two preseason games, starting quarterbacks (Luck and Cam Newton) have combined to go 13-of-14 for 107 yards. The Ravens struggled to get off the field, and some of the blame goes to a nonexistent pass rush without Terrell Suggs and Elvis Dumervil. Baltimore allowed the Colts to convert 4-of-6 third downs, including a third-and-11 on a pass against Wright. ... Meanwhile, Joe Flacco didn't play for a second straight preseason game, but he is expected to make his debut in the third preseason game next Saturday. Backup Ryan Mallett was efficient for the second straight game, completing 6-of-8 passes for 47 yards and a touchdown (128.6 rating). Josh Johnson, the No. 3 quarterback, put together a poised two-minute drill, driving the Ravens 79 yards down the field and capping it with a 12-yard touchdown to Jeremy Butler. ... The Ravens' deep running back group has failed to break any long runs. Justin Forsett, Buck Allen, Kenneth Dixon, and West all averaged fewer than 3.6 yards per carry. No one had a run longer than nine yards against an Indianapolis defense that ranked No. 25 against the run in 2015. ... Rookie receiver Chris Moore missed most of training camp with a foot injury, but he made up for the missed time. Moore caught three passes for 20 yards in a two-minute drill just before halftime. ... Tight end Darren Waller (sprained jaw) left in the third quarter and didn't return. Running back Terrance West jammed his finger and missed a few snaps in the third quarter. ... The punt return job appears to be Michael Campanaro's spot to lose. He was the only Ravens player to return a punt, running it back 19 yards. Campanaro also secured a fair catch, which is a step forward for a Baltimore team that has watched its returners drop too many punts this training camp.

8/18 As NFL.com's Dan Hanzus framed it: "What does it mean to be elite? How does one become elite? How does one stay elite? Are there tiers to elite?" Hanzus went on to remind readers these are the types of questions that have followed around Joe Flacco for his entire career. At some point, people became obsessed with wondering if Flacco had reached this mythical level of production. Then he played out of his mind on a run to the Super Bowl and his eliteness was affirmed. Now, three years after that Super Bowl glory and coming off a serious knee injury, the question persists: Is Flacco elite? Flacco hasn't missed a rep in practice at training camp, but recently acknowledged his knee isn't 100 percent following surgery to repair a torn ACL. Ravens tight end Crockett Gillmore was asked Wednesday whether he can see a difference in Flacco before and after the injury. "He's still elite, if that's what your question is," Gillmore told the Baltimore Sun.

8/18 After his first practice of the year, Steve Smith made it known that he no longer wants to be questioned about his age. Smith, the NFL's oldest receiver, wants to prove he can still play at the age of 37. "I'm sick of you all saying, 'How can you depend on a 37-year-old to play this game after a ruptured Achilles?'" Smith said after Thursday's practice. "We're going to see." Smith was activated off the physically unable to perform list Thursday, and he took the field for the first time since tearing his right Achilles tendon nine months ago. According to ESPN.com's Jamison Hensley, Smith showed no signs of favoring his Achilles while running routes at half speed in what was a walk-through for Saturday's preseason game against the Indianapolis Colts. He isn't expected to play in any preseason games this year. HC John Harbaugh said he was excited to see Smith but wasn't surprised to see him on the field. "I would say he was going maybe a little stir-crazy in that training room," Harbaugh said. "I think he wanted to get out on the field and get going again." Smith, who announced his retirement during last year's training camp, would say only that this was his last year "contractually." He declined to answer whether his 16th season would be his final one. Even if this is his final season, Smith doesn't want a farewell tour. "I'm not in this business to make friends," Smith said. "The bully is back. Vacation is over for the DBs."

8/17 According to ESPN.com's Jamison Hensley, training camp has been filled with highlight plays by Joe Flacco and Mike Wallace. Over the course of three weeks, Flacco has connected with Wallace over the middle for first downs and in the red zone for scores. So, why have Flacco and Wallace hit it off so quickly? During an appearance with the FootballDiehards on SiriusXM Fantasy Sports Radio, BaltimoreRavens.com's Sara Ellison told listeners it's because Flacco clearly trusts Wallace to be where he's supposed to be in his routes, when he's supposed to be there. ... Remember: Baltimore signed Wallace in free agency because his speed complemented Flacco's strong arm. But he has been more than a one-trick pony. Wallace has caught passes on fade routes in the end zone. He has pulled in tough catches on back-shoulder throws. He has been a frequent target on underneath routes. "Mike is awesome," Flacco said. "I think he is going to be a really big hit for us." As Hensley suggests, the Ravens might need to rely on Wallace more than expected. Leading receiver Steve Smith (Achilles) and 2015 first-round pick Breshad Perriman are both on the physically unable to perform list, and there are only 25 days left until the season opener against the Buffalo Bills. With Smith and Perriman sidelined, Flacco has thrown a lot of passes in Wallace's direction and he hasn't disappointed. Where Wallace has made the most improvement with the Ravens is his reliability. Last season, Wallace's 5.6 percent drop rate with the Vikings was the 17th highest among NFL wide receivers. He finished with more drops (four) than touchdown catches (two). So far, that hasn't been the case since he joined Flacco and the Ravens. Meanwhile, Wallace has gained added appreciation for Flacco after 15 training camp practices. "Back from afar, I knew he was good," Wallace said. "But he's a guy you have to be on the team with to know how exactly good he is."

8/17 Steve Smith’s comeback from a torn Achilles can now begin in earnest. According to Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun, the veteraqn wide receiver has passed his physical and will be activated from the physically unable to perform list, and could practice as soon as Monday. As Profootballtalk.com notes, that would be plenty soon enough for the 37-year-old Smith, who has never hidden his distaste for the preseason.

8/17 According to ESPN.com's Jamison Hensley, Joe Flacco's training camp has gone as well as expected considering he is eight months removed from getting two ligaments surgically repaired in his left knee. Flacco is moving around well and has even scrambled for a first down on occasion. He also hasn't missed a snap in practice. But Flacco wants everyone to know he hasn't completely recovered from the knee injury yet. "My knee is not 100 percent, but it feels great," Flacco said. "I don't think about it when I'm out there. It's not perfect. I can feel it standing here right now a little bit. It's not totally normal. But, as far as going out there and operating on the field, running around and doing things, I don't pay attention to it." Flacco, who sat out the preseason opener, said he hasn't talked to HC John Harbaugh about the plan for Saturday's preseason game at Indianapolis. In previous years, Flacco would typically play a couple of series in the second preseason game. But Hensley notes the Ravens could be wary of the risk of exposing Flacco to more hits in the preseason, as well as playing him on an artificial surface at Lucas Oil Stadium. For what it's worth, Flacco said it wouldn't worry him if his only action of this year's preseason is in the third game.

8/16 According to ESPN.com's Jamison Hensley, HC John Harbaugh said he has no update on WR Breshad Perriman (partially torn ACL). He acknowledged that this is the time when Perriman should be back. Perriman is running but there is no set date on his return.

8/16 According to ESPN.com, WR Chris Moore (foot) returned to practice on Tuesday. WR Chris Matthews, TEs Maxx Williams, Dennis Pitta and Daniel Brown were not practicing. Four players remain on PUP: Steve Smith, Elvis Dumervil, Breshad Perriman and Lorenzo Taliaferro.

8/15 HC John Harbaugh said last week that Terrell Suggs was the closest of his injured stars to return to the field. On Monday, he got his wish. The team's defensive stalwart hit the practice field for the first time all preseason. Suggs injured his Achilles in the first game of the 2015 season. As NFL.com suggests, the Ravens might have one of the most talented PUP lists in NFL history, with Elvis Dumervil, Steve Smith Sr. and Breshad Perriman also nursing injuries. Getting Suggs back is a great step in the right direction.

8/13 As NFL.com notes, all offseason we've been hearing the ceaseless praise for the Ravens' backfield. The impressive performances in padless practices carried over to the first preseason game. "Our backs were dynamic," HC John Harbaugh said Thursday night. "All the backs that played, played well." With presumptive starter Justin Forsett sitting, Buck Allen got the start against the Panthers, who own one of the fiercest front sevens in the NFL. Allen got stuffed on his first two carries and ended up with just six yards on six totes, but added a 19-yard touchdown reception. Terrance West was clearly the more impressive back. The moment he entered the game, the Ravens began moving downhill. West's stats weren't all that impressive -- nine carries for 25 yards (a YPC lowered by two rushes from the 1-yard line), one catch for seven yards and two touchdowns -- but his one-cut speed and tackle-breaking prowess were clearly on display. Watching the preseason isn't about stats, it's about identifying traits that can carry over to the regular season when the real hitting starts. West's showing Thursday suggests he should push Forsett for carries. Another player to keep an eye on is Kenneth Dixon. The rookie led the Ravens with 44 yards on nine carries, including a team-high 19-yard burst. Dixon displayed shiftiness in space, acceleration on the second level and a willingness to take on contact.

8/12 As ESPN.com's Jamison Hensley framed it, "If Thursday's preseason opening 22-19 win over the Panthers is any indication, the Ravens are going to have to go with a running back by committee. ..." With the Ravens resting starter Justin Forsett, the other running backs took turns making impact plays. Terrance West showed power in the red zone with two touchdowns, including a leaping score on fourth-and-goal from the 1-yard line. Javorius Allen was elusive in the open field, turning a short pass into a big gain for a 19-yard touchdown. And rookie Kenneth Dixon was explosive in bursting through a huge hole for a 19-yard gain. HC John Harbaugh stressed he wanted to see playmakers in the preseason, and the running backs didn't disappoint. ... The Ravens played it safe and sat Joe Flacco in the opener. There's a chance Baltimore could rest him in the second game as well. Backup Ryan Mallett shook off a drop by tight end Darren Waller in the red zone -- which led to an interception -- and completed 11 of his last 12 passes of the first half for 91 yards. He ran for a first down on third-and-7 and didn't force anything downfield, taking what the defense gave him. ... Reserve cornerback Kyle Arrington left the game late in the third quarter to undergo the concussion protocol. Rookie CB Tavon Young also hurt his left knee in fourth quarter. But there were 14 players held out because of injury: Flacco (knee), wide receivers Michael Campanaro (undisclosed), Chris Moore (lower left leg) and Chris Matthews (undisclosed), cornerback Maurice Canady (undisclosed), tight ends Crockett Gillmore (hamstring) and Dennis Pitta (finger), defensive end Bronson Kaufusi (ankle), defensive tackle Timmy Jernigan (rib) and five players on PUP (Terrell Suggs, Steve Smith Sr., Elvis Dumervil, Breshad Perriman and Lorenzo Taliaferro).

8/11 Even though Ravens wide receiver Kamar Aiken is coming off the best season of his career, he is not taking anything for granted. When fellow receiver Steve Smith went down with a season-ending torn Achilles last season, Aiken became the focal point of the offense and responded by setting career highs for receptions (75), receiving yards (944) and touchdown catches (five). Aiken was consistent throughout the season and also tied a franchise record by catching at least five passes in nine straight games. Still, he knows he has to battle other talented receivers to remain an integral part of the offense. "I just take it day-by-day. If you look at where I've come from, it has been a steady progress, Aiken said. "I don't listen to too much noise, or anything else that is going on outside. I definitely have a chip (on my shoulder). I'm going to have a chip every year, whether it is this year or next year. That is just how I am, personally. ..." According to the Sports Xchange, HC John Harbaugh has lauded Aiken's work ethic. The four-year veteran should remain a valuable part of the offense because of his dedication to detail. "He's a guy that gets the most out of every ounce of his ability, and that's not to take away and say he's not talented because he is talented," Harbaugh said. "His gifts are strength, and then he's got all of the intangible gifts of toughness - toughness is a talent. Persistence is a talent. Overcoming adversity is a talent. This guy plays strong to the ball. He runs great routes, he's a great blocker, and just has made himself into a really good football player."

8/10 According to the Sports Xchange, WR Mike Wallace continues to show he can be a dynamic, play-making receiver this season. After failing his fitness test the first day, Wallace has shown steady improvement, catching balls downfield and beating double coverage for touchdowns. He could provide quarterback Joe Flacco with a much-needed weapon on offense. ... Meanwhile, WR/RS Michael Campanaro is fighting for a roster spot, but has been hampered by minor injuries. Campanaro has appeared in just eight games over the past two seasons. He will need to stay on the field to make the team.

8/09 As noted in a previous item, the buzziest name at Ravens camp this past week has been Terrance West. But Baltimore still employs veteran Justin Forsett, who was listed Monday as the team's No. 1 back just two years after racking for 1,266 yards and eight touchdowns at a league-best 5.4 yards per carry. Last season ended in disaster with Forsett breaking his arm, but HC John Harbaugh said the 30-year-old runner looks ready to rumble again. "Justin is quietly having an excellent camp. "He looks to me like he did two years ago," Harbaugh said Monday, per the team's official website. "I see the same running back we had two years ago, in terms of his speed, his explosiveness, his vision. He really looks good. I know there's a lot of talk about the other guys, but he's playing really well." NFL.com went on to suggest, pecking order aside, the emergence of West is a plus for Baltimore's depth. Second-year back Buck Allen and fourth-round rookie Kenneth Dixon have also played well for this crowded house, but Ravens running backs coach Thomas Hammock urged people not to sleep on Forsett. "Sometimes the media has their people that they like, their biases, which is fine," Hammock said. "Justin has had a great camp."

8/09 According to the Sports Xchange, on the first day of the Ravens' full-squad training camp practice, Joe Flacco ran smoothly onto the field, zipped passes to his receivers and confidently took full control of the offense. In short, Flacco appeared perfectly healthy after offseason knee surgery. Flacco, however, has not played a game since Nov. 22 when he walked off the turf at M&T Bank Stadium against the St. Louis Rams with a torn ACL and MCL. He spent the next eight months making sure he was ready for the start of this year's camp. And he met the objective. Next objective: Avoid setbacks. ... The Ravens placed six players, many of them regulars and notable names, on the active-physically unable to perform list to open camp. Among them, WRs Steve Smith(Achilles) and Breshad Perriman (knee), LBs Terrell Suggs and Elvis Dumervil, RB Lorenzo Taliaferro (foot) and CB Jumal Rolle. ... Dennis Pitta, who avoided the PUP list, subsequently sprained a finger, an injury that will cost him some time. Rookie RB Kenneth Dixon injured his left knee during the first full-team training camp practice. HC John Harbaugh said the injury appeared to be minor. Crockett Gillmore has been slowed by a hamstring injury. Rookie WR Chris Moore opened the second week of camp in a walking boot after drawing strong review early. ... Mike Wallace did not practice on the first day of training camp because he failed his conditioning test. He passed the test and began practicing a day later and subsequently ran with the first-team offense. ... Meanwhile, although Terrance West is still No. 3 on the Ravens' depth chart, ESPN.com's Jamison Hensley is the latest to report that West has been the No. 1 playmaker for the offense so far this training camp. He's hitting holes, making cuts to elude tackles and producing big gains consistently. According to Hensley, with each passing training camp practice, West looks more like the potential filled third-round pick from 2014 and not a back who has bounced around three teams in the past three seasons. HC John Harbaugh hasn't officially named a starting running back this year, and it seems like the team is taking a wait-and-see approach in the backfield. This is the deepest running back group in Ravens' history (even after the team waived Trent Richardson), and Baltimore could either go with the hot hand from week to week or stick with one back if someone clearly steps up. Almost one full week into camp, Justin Forsett and Buck Allen are taking the reps with the first two teams, which doesn't come as a surprise. Forsett has led Baltimore in rushing the past two years, and Allen started the final six games of last season. Both have been solid in training camp. But West has put himself in the conversation with his impressive start to camp. With Forsett, rookie Kenneth Dixon and Allen drawing more interest in most fantasy drafts, West is a player to get on the radar. ... And finally, according to the MMMQB's Peter King, after watching one practice, last Monday night in the Ravens stadium, he would draft Ben Watson as a tight end if he were trying to win a fantasy league. "Not as the best tight end," King added, "but as a top-five tight end. Healthy, he'll catch 70 balls. ..." In a related note, Maxx Williams left practice early Monday. Williams suffered a noncontact injury. Harbaugh initially indicated Williams' injury wasn't serious. 9/05 The Ravens announced the following players were released as they met tonight's deadline for reaching the 53-man roster limit: WR Jeremy Butler, RB Terrence Magee, RB Fitzgerald Toussaint, FB Kiero Small, TE Konrad Reuland and QB Bryn Renner.

9/05 As ESPN.com's Jamison Henlsey notes, it's been 37 days since rookie WR Breshad Perriman fell on his right knee and he still remains sidelined. So, when will Perriman return? A posterior cruciate ligament sprain can take six to eight weeks to recover. Under that timetable, the earliest Perriman would start practicing is after the season opener. It could take an additional couple of weeks. Of course, this is speculative because the Ravens aren't giving an exact timetable. But Hensley believes no one should be surprised if Perriman misses the first couple of games and comes back sometime in October.

9/04 The Ravens have announced the first of the moves they’ll have to make over the next two days in order to reach the 53-man limit. Among the players dropped from the roster was wide receiver Tom Nelson, who caught five passes for 57 yards in the preseason. The Ravens also waived wide receiver Daniel Brown, leaving them with seven wideouts on the roster at the moment.

9/04 According to ESPN.com's Jamison Hensley, receiver Marlon Brown let everyone know that he's still on the Baltimore Ravens. ... In what has been a quiet summer, Brown caught three passes for 64 yards in the Ravens' 20-19 preseason finale loss at the Falcons. He showed his big-play ability by beating rookie second-round pick Jalen Collins on a 42-yard catch from quarterback Matt Schaub. Brown, who missed a huge chunk of training camp with back and hamstring injuries, entered this game with only 36 yards receiving this preseason. He is expected to be the Ravens' No. 3 receiver, and he's going to be relied upon more given the injury to first-round pick Breshad Perriman. ... Joe Flacco didn't play in his seventh straight preseason finale. In one quarter of work, Schaub completed all seven passes for 88 yards. More importantly, Schaub didn't complete any passes to the Falcons. Third-string Bryn Renner looks like he's headed to the practice squad. He was erratic. ... Also according to Hensley, the Ravens have to have some concern about who's backing up Justin Forsett. With Lorenzo Taliaferro sidelined with a knee injury, rookie fourth-round pick Buck Allen has failed to impress. He managed 10 yards on six carries (longest run was five yards). Undrafted rookie Terrence Magee didn't fare much better with 37 yards on nine attempts. There will be some veteran running backs cut over the weekend. The Ravens' top two rookies -- Perriman (knee) and tight end Maxx Williams (undisclosed) didn't play. ... The Ravens open the regular season Sept. 13 at the Denver Broncos. ... (Get complete game stats HERE)

9/02 WR Breshad Perriman missed his third straight preseason game with knee injury that he suffered on the first day of training camp. There is no timetable for his return, but at this point, it's conceivable he could miss the season opener. According to the Sports Xchange, Perriman did catch a few passes from WR coach Bobby Engram prior to the game against the Redskins. "It's just slower healing than they expected," HC John Harbaugh said about Perriman's injury.

9/01 According to ESPN.com's Jamison Hensley, the Ravens are counting on tight end Maxx Williams to be available for the Sept. 13 season opener at Denver even though he's been wearing a red, non-contact jersey over the past week. "He's got an issue that we just can't get him banged around," HC John Harbaugh said Tuesday. "He's practicing, so he should be there for Denver. We just want to protect him from the bumps." Williams, the first tight end drafted this year, missed Saturday's preseason game and isn't expected to suit up for Thursday's preseason finale. He's been sidelined a handful of days this summer because of an eye injury and a heat-related issue. The Ravens are taking a cautious approach with Williams because he's a little behind the curve physically. He's extremely young at the NFL level (only turned 21 in April), and he'll need to put on more weight to handle more of a workload in the future. The key is getting Williams healthy by the start of the regular season, given their situation at tight end. Crockett Gillmore is the starting tight end, but third-string tight end Nick Boyle is known more for being a blocker. Hensley added, with Dennis Pitta on the physically unable to perform list, Williams is the best pass-catching tight end on the roster. He's an explosive playmaker and he has great hands. Williams is third on the Ravens this preseason with five catches for 61 yards. His 22-yard catch was Baltimore's fourth-longest pass play of the preseason.

9/01 The Ravens are down to a 75-man roster and tight end Dennis Pitta isn’t one of them. According to Profootballtalk.com, Pitta has been placed on the regular season physically unable to perform list Tuesday as he continues to try for a comeback from last year’s dislocated and fractured hip. It’s the second time that Pitta has suffered the injury and may not play again, but the Ravens have no reason to move on at this point with $4 million in guaranteed money coming Pitta’s way this year. The Ravens also placed tight end Allen Reisner on injured reserve.

8/31 According to Profootballtalk.com, the Ravens waived eight players Monday in anticipation of Tuesday’s NFL deadline for cutting rosters to 75. Wide receivers Aldrick Robinson, Trent Steelman and DeAndre Carter were among the players let go. Robinson is a veteran of 36 NFL games, all with the Redskins. All 32 teams close the preseason Thursday and must be at the regular-season roster size of 53 by Saturday.

8/30 The Ravens' starters were solid and their backups struggled mightily in a 31-13 loss to the Redskins Saturday night. ... Quarterback Joe Flacco led the Ravens to scores on three of their four drives, and the defense's biggest mistake was giving up a fluke touchdown off a deflected pass. The Ravens were head 13-7 when the starters exited. According to ESPN.com's Jamison Hensley, the lasting image, though, is the scrum between the teams after wide receiver Kamar Aiken was driven head-first into the turf. That led to Ravens coach John Harbaugh shouting at Redskins coach Jay Gruden and the ejection of wide receiver Steve Smith. After reaching the Baltimore sideline, Smith bowed in the direction of the officiating crew. The 36-year-old is retiring after this season, and he might not have been so cordial had this been a regular-season game. In this case, however, Smith had no problem walking away after catching four passes for 95 yards and a touchdown. ...The Ravens (1-2) started quickly, using a 63-yard pass from Flacco to Smith to go up 7-0 with less than two minutes elapsed. Smith's longest catch in the first two preseason games gained six yards. ... Flacco played into the second quarter. He finished 8 for 13 for 137 yards and a touchdown in what was likely his final tuneup before the regular-season opener at Denver. ... (Get complete game stats HERE)

8/29 Justin Forsett scored seven red zone touchdowns for the Ravens last year, but ESPN.com's Jamison Hensley reports it looks like the Ravens want to get Lorenzo Taliaferro more involved in this area. Taliaferro has eight carries in the red zone this preseason. Appearing with the FootballDiehards on SiriusXM Fantasy Sports Radio on Friday, CSNMidAtlantic.com's Clifton Brown said the same. It makes sense because Taliaferro is the bigger back. But Taliaferro injured his knee in the second preseason game, so his health is worth monitoring.

8/29 According to ESPN.com's Jamison Hensley, the trendy pick for a breakout player in Baltimore is Maxx Williams, the second-round pick who was the first tight end taken in the draft. But Crockett Gillmore is the starting tight end and he’ll be on the field much more than Williams. Gillmore is known more for his blocking, but he came on as a receiver toward the end of the 2014 season. Joe Flacco likes throwing to his tight ends, whether it’s Todd Heap, Dennis Pitta or Owen Daniels. Gillmore has a good shot at being the Ravens’ best sleeper pick.

8/28 Wide receiver Steve Smith was targeted 18 times in the red zone last season, six more targets than anyone else on the Ravens in 2014. That was Smith's first season with Joe Flacco. According to ESPN.com's Jamison Hensley, it's not a stretch to think that could increase with another year together. Plus, the second-most targeted Ravens (Torrey Smith and Owen Daniels) left in free agency and first-round draft pick Breshad Perriman's recovery from a knee injury is taking longer than expected and there's still no timetable for his return.

8/28 Following up on a previous item. ... As BaltimoreRavens.com's Ryan Mink noted, with Breshad Perriman’s rehabilitation taking longer than expected and his Week 1 status unknown, there is a temporary and immediate need to find other methods to go deep. It’s a part of the Ravens offense, especially given Joe Flacco’s big arm, that they don’t want to lose. OC Marc Trestman said the Ravens will still go deep. They’ll just have to do it in other ways. “Our guys are fast enough,” Trestman said. “I think when you talk about Breshad, you’re talking about another click in speed there.” The Ravens’ longest passing play in their preseason opener was a 45-yard catch and run by Michael Campanaro, but that was more a byproduct of him getting wide open with a nice crossing route and throw by Matt Schaub. The Ravens’ deepest passing plays in Philadelphia were a 21-yard pass to Marlon Brown and 28-yard touchdown pass to undrafted rookie Daniel Brown down the right sideline. Both Browns are tall targets at over 6-5, so they create the big play with their size. “It’s [about] how we do it and how we scheme it and approach it,” Trestman said. As Trestman pointed out, the Ravens have been working on hitting the deep pass, and they found a good amount of success while practicing against the Eagles secondary. Flacco took a deep shot to Kamar Aiken on the Ravens’ first drive of the Philadelphia preseason game but Aiken was double covered and the pass was deflected and intercepted in the end zone. Aiken saw it as a missed opportunity to show he can make deep plays.“I want to prove it real bad, but I try not to get caught up in that,” Aiken said. “If anybody knows me, I ran deep balls in college. That’s all I did. It’s nothing new. We’ve been working on it out here, and when the time comes, I’ll make them.”

8/27 According to the team's official Twitter feed, HC John Harbaugh said that he doesn't have a timetable on when WR Breshad Perriman will return. Perriman has missed the entirety of training camp with a knee injury that's said to a PCL issue. We'll have a more in-depth look at this early tomorrow morning.

8/27 Following up on a previous item. ... Buck Allen sees his opportunity to step into the Ravens' No. 2 running back spot as a chance to gain his team's trust. Allen, who is expected to fill in for the injured Lorenzo Taliaferro, has apparently made an impression in training camp and in the first two preseason games. In fact, starting running back Justin Forsett said Allen reminds him of a former teammate. "He kind of reminds me a lot of Arian Foster with his stride length, decision-making and his cutting," said Forsett, who played with Foster at Houston in 2012. With Taliaferro sidelined for multiple weeks with a sprained knee, Allen will have time to live up to such high praise. He might end up being the primary backup to Forsett early in the regular season. As ESPN.com's Jamison Hensley reports, Allen has shown good patience, vision and hands this summer. He leads the Ravens in the preseason with 54 yards on 17 carries, although his 3.2 yards per carry needs to improve. But Allen is a dual threat out of the backfield, which is one of the reasons why he intrigued the Ravens. The ability for running backs to catch the ball is essential in offensive coordinator Marc Trestman's scheme. Allen was the only player in the country last season to record 13 games of at least 100 yards from scrimmage.

8/26 The Ravens announced last week that tight end Dennis Pitta will remain on the physically unable to perform list and will miss at least the first six games of the regular season. Beyond that, no one knows what the future holds for Pitta. Not even his closest friend on the team. "I really can't answer that question because I just don't know," quarterback Joe Flacco said in a question-and-answer session with season-ticket holders. "Dennis is a very good friend of mine, and I think he's a good football player. You'd better believe that I hope to see him out there at some point." As ESPN.com's Jamison Hensley notes, Pitta has not been cleared by doctors to practice after undergoing his second hip surgery in as many seasons. There are no guarantees that Pitta will play this season or ever again. Crockett Gillmore is expected to begin the season as the starting tight end, and the Ravens braced for the loss of Pitta by drafting Maxx Williams in the second round and Nick Boyle in the fifth round this year. Those three tight ends have combined for 12 catches and 119 yards receiving in two preseason games.

8/25 Following up on a previous item. ... Lorenzo Taliaferro is out "for a few weeks" after spraining his knee in Saturday's preseason loss in Philadelphia, HC John Harbaugh said Monday. The injury to Taliaferro, the Ravens' No. 2 running back, leaves Baltimore with inexperienced backups behind starter Justin Forsett. Buck Allen, a rookie fourth-round pick, will likely become the Ravens' No. 2 back and could serve that role early in the regular season. According to ESPN.com's Jamison Hensley, Taliaferro looked leaner and more elusive this summer, dropping eight pounds since the end of last season. He had taken most of the short yardage and red zone carries for the first-team offense. That leaves the Ravens with three tailbacks behind Justin Forsett: Allen, Fitzgerald Toussaint and Terrence Magee. Those three backups have a combined three NFL carries. Allen is known more for his pass catching coming out of USC. He is the Ravens' leading rusher after two preseason games with 54 yards on 17 carries. ... Also worth noting, Breshad Perriman (knee) remains sidelined this week. It's getting hard to imagine him being an immediate contributor when the regular season begins.

8/24 According to ESPN.com's Jamison Hensley, RB Lorenzo Taliaferro has an MCL injury and will be out "a few weeks" HC John Harbaugh said. Rookie Buck Allen is the next man up behind Justin Forsett while Taliaferro is sidelined. We'll follow up as further details come to light.

8/23 Joe Flacco threw interceptions on his first two drives and the rest of the Ravens (1-1) didn't fare much better against a team they practiced with the previous three days in a 40-17 loss to the Eagles in Philadelphia Saturday night. ... Flacco followed up an efficient opener with a forgettable performance, finishing 3 of 7 for 23 yards in three series. Walter Thurmond picked his deep pass that was tipped by cornerback Nolan Carroll. Byron Maxwell then grabbed Flacco's overthrown pass to set up a short scoring drive. ... Flacco was playing behind a makeshift offensive line that lost three linemen in the first half -- Hurst, left tackle Eugene Monroe (hand) and right tackle De'Ondre Wesley (leg) -- after holding out six linemen for the game. For what it's worth, Matt Schaub didn't fare much better. The Ravens' top two quarterbacks combined to go 15 of 27 for 152 yards with no touchdowns, two interceptions and two sacks. Bryn Renner threw two touchdowns in the fourth quarter. ... As ESPN.com's Jamison Hensley put it: "As good as the Ravens looked in the preseason opener, they were just as awful in the second preseason game. It was a complete breakdown in every phase of the game. ..." The starting offense totaled 69 yards and no points, and the first-team defense allowed 14 first downs and 17 points. The only bright spot was how the Ravens ran the ball early. Beyond that, it was tough to play any worse. Officials threw the flag at the Ravens 13 times in the first half. Nine were accepted for 82 yards. ... WR Breshad Perriman (first round) missed his second preseason game with a sprained knee. ... TE Maxx Williams caught three passes for 25 yards. ... WR Darren Waller (sixth round) scored the Ravens' first touchdown, a seven-yard one on a quick throw and run. ... Undrafted rookie DeAndre Carter mishandled a kickoff for the second straight week. ... Justin Tucker had to convert a 48-yard extra point in the fourth quarter, capping a night of challenges for the Ravens in Philadelphia. ... (Get complete game stats HERE)

8/22 Baltimore travels to Philadelphia to play its second preseason game tonight. Typically, HC John Harbaugh would play his starters for two quarters, but given the fact that the Ravens are without two starting offensive linemen (right tackle Rick Wagner and left guard Kelechi Osemele), ESPN.com's Jamison Hensley suspects Harbaugh might be leery about exposing quarterback Joe Flacco to too many hits. Which isn't all that bad. Matt Schaub certainly needs the work.

8/21 It's long looked like Marlon Brown is a lock for one of the wide receiver spots for the Ravens. But now, Baltimore Sun staffer Jeff Zrebiec no longer considers that a certainty. ... Zrebiec explained, Brown, to no fault of his own, missed most of the first couple of weeks of training camp with back and hamstring injuries. But since his return, he hasn’t looked right. He isn’t getting a ton of reps and he’s been extremely tentative, failing to get much separation on defensive backs. Even though the injuries have a lot to do with it, Brown may be playing himself onto the roster bubble, especially if Michael Campanaro stays healthy and Jeremy Butler and Darren Waller have good preseasons. Two weeks ago, Zrebiec would have predicted with some confidence that the Ravens’ regular-season roster would include seven receivers: Steve Smith, Kamar Aiken, Brown, Campanaro, Breshad Perriman, Waller and Jeremy Butler. Now, he's not so sure. Also according to Zrebiec, it’s way too early to evaluate the Ravens’ 2015 draft, but who would have thought that the wide receiver that they picked in the sixth round (Waller) would be one of the top performers of training camp while the one that they took in the first (Perriman) would barely be on the field? Or the tight end selected in the fifth round and touted as a blocker (Nick Boyle) would make far more plays in the passing game than the tight end taken in the second round (Maxx Williams)? Zrebiec stressed it’s training camp, so not worth drawing too many conclusions but it’s interesting how things have played out so far.

8/21 Eagles HC Chip Kelly made it clear where he feels Joe Flacco ranks among NFL quarterbacks. "I think he’s one of the elite quarterbacks in this league," Kelly said Thursday before the second day of joint practices between the Ravens and Eagles. As ESPN.com's Jamison Hensley notes, Flacco's status has been a long and heated debate. He has won the most games (78), including playoffs, of any starting quarterback since 2008, when Flacco entered the league. But he has never thrown for 4,000 yards or 30 touchdowns in a season. "He’s got a big-time arm," Kelly said. "He’s a big human being. It’s tough to bring him down. He’s also just so poised when he plays back there. You talk about when guys really got it, the game has slowed down for them. He’s such a good decision-maker. He’s an unbelievable clutch player. You look at him in all the situations he’s been in, he always seems to have poise and nothing seems to rattle him." Kelly compared going against Flacco to the last two seasons, when the Eagles had joint practices against Tom Brady and the New England Patriots. He also said he was excited to see the preseason schedule, which included games against Andrew Luck, Flacco and Aaron Rodgers. "You’re talking about three of the top quarterbacks in this league," Kelly said.

8/20 According to ESPN.com's Jamison Hensley, Breshad Perriman, who is watching from sideline with a brace on right knee, has a sprained PCL. He hasn't practiced since July 30 with what has previously been an unspecified knee injury. Now we know why the absence has been this lengthy. We'll be following up.

8/20 According to ESPN.com's Jamison Hensley, Marc Trestman plans to clall plays from the sideline. Said the first-year Ravens OC: "I think it allows me to have direct communication with [QB] Joe [Flacco]. We've got good expertise up in the box for things that we need, and to be with the guys for just immediate communication with adjustments and getting things done [is important]." Trestman has called plays from the sideline and coaches' box as a coordinator for the Cleveland Browns, San Francisco 49ers, Arizona Cardinals and Oakland Raiders. "As I said before, [it’s about] whatever John [Harbaugh] wants," Trestman said. "I don’t have a strong opinion either way."

8/19 As previously noted, the results of Breshad Perriman's magnetic resonance imaging revealed no additional concerns to his injured right knee, HC John Harbaugh said Tuesday. As ESPN.com's Jamison Hensley reminded readers, Perriman, the Ravens' first-round pick, missed the last 13 practices of training camp after injuring his knee on the first day. The Ravens thought their rookie wide receiver would return within days, but he hasn't been on the field since July 30. Harbaugh indicated there is "a little bit of swelling" and described the injury as a sprained knee. There is still no timetable on Perriman's return. "We’re just going to keep working on it," Harbaugh said. With Perriman out, Kamar Aiken has been running with the first team. Marlon Brown also figures into the mix as the team's No. 2 receiver. "It’s not a challenge not having Breshad; that’s not really the issue," OC Marc Trestman said. "We’re disappointed for him, No. 1, that he can’t be out there to work, and there’s nothing we can do [about] it. So, we have to turn it into a positive, and the guys do so by understanding they have a great opportunity here to have another rep, another opportunity."

8/18 The Ravens are giving TE Dennis Pitta as much time as he needs to see if he can return from breaking and dislocating his hip for a second straight year. Pitta opened up training camp on the physically unable to perform list, leaving him ineligible to practice with the team and he’ll remain ineligible to practice for the first six weeks of the regular season as well. HC John Harbaugh said on Tuesday that Pitta will not be on the 53-man roster and the rules for the regular season version of the PUP list mandate a six-week stay before a player can return to practice. Harbaugh said that the hope is that Pitta will be able to play by the middle of the season. Nothing is certain, however. ... Crockett Gilmore and second-round pick Maxx Williams are in line for playing time at tight end with Pitta still out of the picture.

8/18 Following up on a previous item. ... Bleacher Report's Jascon Cole, citing an unnamed source, said MRI results for rookie WR Breshad Perriman were "normal." Perriman has missed the last two weeks with a unspecified knee injury that is apparently just slow to heal. Cole adds that Perriman should be back in a week or so.

8/18 Rookie Breshad Perriman missed his 12th straight practice Monday morning, following an off-day on Sunday. He injured his knee during the Ravens’ first full training camp practice on July 30. Technically, Tuesday is the Ravens’ last training camp practice. At first, it didn’t seem Perriman’s injury was serious, as HC John Harbaugh’s initial estimation -- after speaking with team trainers -- was that that receiver would return in a day or two due to a bruised knee. More than two weeks later, Harbaugh was asked Saturday for an update on Perriman’s progress. “He has a whatever they want to call it with his knee situation,” Harbaugh said. As the team's official web site suggests, the good news is, there hasn’t been any more serious injury revealed, unlike Bears rookie first-round receiver Kevin White, who apparently had shin splints but now will require surgery for a stress fracture. “[Perriman] will be back sometime here in training camp, hopefully soon,” Harbaugh said. The Ravens will travel to Philadelphia Tuesday night to begin practice there on Wednesday. Their next game is slated for Saturday, Aug. 22. Without Perriman on the field, the Ravens offense lacks an explosive over-the-top receiving threat. Baltimore wants to get him back on the field as soon as possible because he will be a big part of the offense this year.

8/17 According to Baltimore Sun staffer Mike Preston, in the first true test of the season, the Ravens passed thanks to a dominant offensive line and a running game that featured three solid running backs. Preston went on to suggest we might want to get used to that. ... The Ravens have one of the most productive QBs in the postseason in Joe Flacco, but they have only one proven receiver in Steve Smith. At this point of his career, Smith is basically a possession receiver, and so are others such as Kamar Aiken and Marlon Brown. The one potential game-breaker, Breshad Perriman, is an unproven rookie and hasn't practiced since the first day of training camp. "So," Preston wrote, "the Ravens have to run, run and run some more. They were able to do that Thursday night against the New Orleans Saints, and that's encouraging. ..." Not only was the first offensive line dominant, but so was the second group, as the Ravens rushed for 89 yards in the first half. Meanwhile, starting RB Justin Forsett is proven, having rushed for 1,266 yards on 235 carries in 2014. Lorenzo Taliaferro was productive as a rookie last season, gaining 292 yards on 68 carries, but he was put on the injured-reserve list Dec. 16 after playing in 13 games. Buck Allen is a rookie, a fourth-round NFL draft pick who appeared to be more comfortable catching passes out of the backfield than running the ball. But all three turned in solid efforts Thursday night, especially Taliaferro, who had 36 yards on 12 carries in the first half. There isn't a speedster among the trio who is going to break off a 70- or 80-yard run, but all three are consistent and will get their share of yards. The team also has Kyle Juszczyk, who can be used as a fullback or as an H-back because of his soft hands.

8/16 Breshad Perriman still is expected to return before the start of the regular season, HC John Harbaugh said Saturday. Perriman, the No. 26 overall pick, has not practiced since injuring his knee on the first day of training camp (July 30). He has missed 11 straight practices and the preseason opener. "He’ll be back some time here in training camp, hopefully soon," Harbaugh said. "I hate that he’s missing it. I hate that he’s not out here. I’ve got a knot in the pit of my stomach in some ways about it. In other ways, I know it’s out of our control and I put it in God’s hands. Let him take care of it. To me, that’s the best strategy right there." According to ESPN.com's Jamison Hensley, Perriman wasn't the only receiver missing from Saturday's practice. The Ravens also were without Kamar Aiken (undisclosed) and Marlon Brown (back, hamstring), both of whom are among Baltimore's top four wide receivers. The injuries increased the first-team reps for Michael Campanaro, Jeremy Butler and Darren Waller. There has never been a definitive timetable for Perriman, who was drafted to replace Torrey Smith as the Ravens' deep threat. Harbaugh initially was told by the team's medical staff that Perriman might only miss a day with a bruised knee. Since that time, the Ravens acknowledged that the injury also involves a strained tendon. "It’s not something that’s going to keep him out for a long period of time, they tell me," Harbaugh said.

8/15 As ESPN.com's Jamison Hensley suggests, all of the concerns about Matt Schaub were temporarily squelched on his best throw of the summer. In his first preseason drive with the Ravens, Schaub stepped up in the pocket and delivered a 45-yard touchdown strike to Michael Campanaro. For someone who didn't show much arm strength in the first 10 practices of training camp, Schaub hit a wide-open Campanaro right on target with a throw that traveled 32 yards in the air. Schaub led the Ravens on scores in his first three drives and finished 11 of 18 for 134 yards. He could've had another touchdown pass if TE Maxx Williams held onto the ball in the end zone. It was a tough catch to make, but Schaub put it in the only spot he could given where the two defenders were converging. ... Schaub, who signed a one-year, $2 million deal with the Ravens, is trying to get himself back on track. He was benched in Houston in 2013, and he was beaten out by rookie second-round pick Derek Carr in Oakland in 2014. In his first outing with the Ravens, he showed more more promise and playmaking ability than he did in camp.

8/14 Joe Flacco and backup quarterback Matt Schaub directed first-quarter touchdown drives, and the Baltimore Ravens beat the New Orleans Saints 30-27 Thursday night in a preseason opener. ... Flacco stuck around for just one series: a 16-play, 80-yard march in which he completed five of six passes for 33 yards and ran for 17 yards. The drive lasted more than eight minutes and ended with a 1-yard, fourth-down run by Lorenzo Taliaferro. Schaub took over and threw a 45-yard scoring pass to Michael Campanaro. The 34-year-old Schaub, a two-time Pro Bowler, is poised to replace the departed Tyrod Taylor behind Flacco. Playing through the third quarter, Schaub went 11 for 18 for 134 yards with an interception. The Ravens scored on each of their first four drives, using the two early touchdowns and a pair of field goals by Justin Tucker to go up 20-7. According to Associated Press sports writer David Ginsberg, Flacco set the tone. "It was a great way for us to start the game, to have a good, solid drive with everybody in there," the eighth-year quarterback said. "You feel like everything you've been doing during training camp is paying off." According to ESPN.com's Jamison Hensley, this year's rookies offered a mixed bag in this one. WR Breshad Perriman (first round) didn't play because of a knee injury. ... TE Maxx Williams (second round) couldn't pull in a tough catch in the end zone from Schaub but he showed effort on a 22-yard catch to convert fourth down-and-20 in the fourth quarter. ... RB Buck Allen (fourth round), who is known for his ability to catch the ball out of the backfield, dropped the only pass thrown his way. Reserve TE Allen Reisner (ankle) was hurt on a kickoff in the second quarter. ... (Get complete game stats HERE)

8/13 With the exception of veteran Steve Smith, the Ravens have a lot of young talent at wide receiver. Injuries to first round pick Breshad Perriman and third-year player Marlon Brown have created an opportunity for some of these younger players to make an impact. ... According to the Sports Xchange, Kamar Aiken has taken the most advantage by performing well enough to take over the second spot on the depth chart. Michael Campanaro, a second-year player out of Wake Forest who has battled injuries, has also played well and the Ravens have confidence in him, as long as he can stay on the field. Darren Waller, a sixth-round pick out of Georgia Tech, is one of the surprises of camp. He has an exceptional size at 6-6, 238 pounds and has shown the ability to come down with several balls. Jeremy Butler spent last season on injured reserve, but has also rebounded with a solid camp. Former Redskins receiver Aldrick Robinson, who has caught 30 passes for 608 yards and five touchdowns in his three-year career, and DeAndre Carter, who entered camp as an undrafted free agent, have also been solid. Also in the mix are Daniel Brown, Tom Nelson and Trent Steelman. This leaves the Ravens with some difficult decisions. Smith, Aiken, Perriman, Brown and Campanaro should make the final roster, barring injuries. That means the rest of those players are fighting for the final two or three remaining spots. Tonight's preseason game against New Orleans should help make the situation a bit clearer.

8/13 According to the Sports Xchange, Justin Forsett has carried his strong performance last season into training camp. Forsett reported in supreme physical shape and has impressed coaches with his burst and knowledge of the playbook. There is no question he will enter the season as the starting running back with Lorenzo Taliaferro, Javorius Allen and Fitzgerald Toussaint fighting for the backup spot. Forsett had a breakout season in 2014, earning career highs in carries (235), rushing yards (1,266) and touchdowns (8). He also caught 44 passes for 263 yards and made the Pro Bowl. Forsett was also an effective blocker a skill not lost on HC John Harbaugh. His performance earned him a three-year $9 million deal with the team. "Justin Forsett is the starter," Harbaugh said. "He competes with himself and everybody else to be the best he can be. And the (other) guys have done a great job."

8/13 TE Maxx Williams fully participated in practice on Aug. 10. Williams missed three previous workouts after he was poked in the eye during a drill Aug. 6. Williams, the Ravens' second-round from Minnesota, is second on the depth chart behind second-year player Crockett Gillmore.

8/12 According to ESPN.com's Jamison Hensley, for Matt Schaub, the first 10 practices of Ravens training camp have resembled his last two forgettable seasons. There have been poor decisions, interceptions and frustration. Onlooking fans have grumbled in the stands, and a teammate has even heckled. It seems like the only ones not worried about Schaub's play are the Ravens' coaches and the backup quarterback himself. "I thought I've had a good camp," Schaub said. Whatever the case, Schaub will get plenty of opportunities to play against someone other than the Ravens' challenging defense over the next four weeks. He will receive the most playing time of any Ravens quarterback during the preseason, which begins with Thursday's preseason opener against the Saints. QBs coach Marty Mornhinweg said there's no concern if Schaub was pushed into the starting role, something a Ravens backup hasn't had to do since 2007. "He had the one [tough year] in Houston, and then last year in Oakland, things didn't go quite the way [he hoped]," Mornhinweg said. "He's a very good quarterback, he has an awful lot of strengths, he's very consistent and he knows much of this offense already. He's just an excellent leader. In fact, I'd be excited for him to get to play in these preseason games and see exactly where he's at." From 2009 to 2012, Schaub ranked in the top 10 in passing yards (sixth), touchdowns (ninth) and passer rating (No. 8). He led the Texans to AFC South titles in 2011 and 2012. But in 2013, his last season in Houston, Schaub had interceptions returned for touchdowns in four straight games, an unwanted NFL record. Last season, after getting beat out by Derek Carr in Oakland, he threw 10 passes -- five went to his receivers and two landed in the hands of the defense (one was returned for a touchdown). Schaub, 34, was cut by the Raiders on March 16 and was signed by the Ravens to a one-year deal with $2 million guaranteed two weeks later. The biggest question with Schaub is his arm strength. He has had problem throwing outside the numbers and deep downfield. We'll all get a better feel for that over the rest of the month -- and hopefully we don't see him again.

8/12 According to ESPN.com's Jamison Hensley, the Ravens will have a walkthrough Wednesday in preparation for their preseason opener against the New Orleans Saints. HC John Harbaugh said it will be the usual plan for starters, which typically means a couple of series. Backup quarterback Matt Schaub, who has struggled in camp, will play a majority of Thursday's game.

8/12 Steve Smith will walk away from the game after this season. But don't expect him to go soft during a 2015 campaign that will act as his personal farewell tour. In fact, Smith plans to take his game to reckless new levels in his 15th and final season. "It will be a farewell tour for me but let me be very clear: I will wound, damage and puncture a lot of people on my way out," Smith said Tuesday on The Rich Eisen Show. Smith wasn't done. "Let me tell you something: I'm playing with house money," he said. "You know what's dangerous when you're playing with house money? You don't have no regard. I'm all in with your money. You know what they say when you're playing with other people's money: you just be reckless, you do stupid things with it. That's what I'm going to do."As a follow, Eisen asked, "So you're particularly dangerous this year, is what you're saying, Steve?" "Yes, sir," Smith replied. "Put the women and children to bed. It's not going to be a good night." Fantasy owners would like to believe it will be a full season of Smith doing damage, but that wasn't the case last year when he faded down the stretch.

8/11 Following up on the ongoing story. ... WR Breshad Perriman (knee) is missing his 10th straight practice. He hasn't suited up since the first day of camp (July 30).

8/11 According to the Baltimore Sun, nothing has changed for Dennis Pitta, who remains on the physically unable to perform list. Pitta comes out for the practices in shorts and a T-shirt and takes part in position meetings. However, he still hasn't been cleared to play and it remains a possibility that fracturing and dislocating his hip in back-to-back years will ultimately force the tight end into early retirement. Pitta regularly meets with doctors, but the Ravens have said on numerous occasions that it's too early to tell if he'll be able to play in 2015 and beyond. ... Meanwhile, Rookie TE Maxx Williams, the team's second-round pick, left last Thursday's practice early after he was poked in the eye. He was sidelined for Friday's workout and he tried to go Sunday, but only was able to do the individual drills before heading back to the locker room. It's impossible to predict how long an eye injury will linger, so Williams' status for Thursday's exhibition opener is unclear.

8/11 OC Marc Trestman said over the weekend that the team isn't worried about Breshad Perriman falling behind this summer. The rookie wideout has yet to practice due to a sore knee. "He's a smart young man. He's not going to get behind learning the offense," Trestman said, via ESPN.com. "Obviously, he doesn't have the opportunity to develop his skill set on the grass, but we can't do anything about that. We'll work hard with Bobby [Engram, wide receivers coach] and our coaches to get him ready as quickly as we can and put him in a position where he can compete. When that time comes, we'll get started." The team hasn't made any decision about whether he'll play in Thursday's preseason opener. HC John Harbaugh said that he hopes Perriman practices in advance of Thursday, although he said he won't rule him out if he doesn't because "it's just a matter of how the injury is. ..." Marlon Brown has also missed time with injuries in camp, leaving the team short on receivers expected to play roles in their offense this season. As of now, though, that's not causing much concern in Baltimore.

8/11 Steve Smith announced Monday he plans to retire at the end of the season. Speaking at a news conference, Smith, 36, said he "feels like it's time" to call it quits on his soon-to-be 15-year NFL career. If it's the end, I feel like it's the best place for it to end," Smith said. Smith joined the Ravens last year after playing 13 seasons with the Carolina Panthers.The five-time Pro Bowler has racked up 13,262 career receiving yards and 73 career touchdowns. HC John Harbaugh described Smith as "tough as nails," but emphasized he wouldn't try to convince him to play another year. "You don't try to talk someone out of retirement," Harbaugh said. "He's earned the right to make that decision. He's an amazing athlete. ... He's one of the most fun players that I've had the chance to coach." He's also been among the most consistent fantasy producers at his position over the last 12 seasons. He faded after a strong start last season; it'll be interesting to see what he can deliver in his swan song.

8/11 Marc Trestman is known for his pass-happy playbook, and the Ravens are defined by a rugged running game under HC John Harbaugh. So, what will the Ravens' offense look like in 2015? Three days into training camp, Trestman insisted there will be no change in the offense's personality even though there is a change at play-caller. "Ravens football starts with the running game, and that doesn't mean you're not going to throw the ball," Trestman said. "But the emphasis here is we want to be a great running football team and we have the players to do that. So that's where we start." As ESPN.com's Jamison Hensley notes, this would differ from Trestman's track record. He's known as the "quarterback whisperer" who turned Josh McCown into an effective passer in Chicago. His offenses feature quick, efficient passes and lots of throws to running backs. Playing power football hasn't been his reputation. In Trestman's 12 years as a head coach or offensive coordinator in the NFL, his offenses have ranked in the top half of rushing attempts per game only twice. He's only had one season where his running game has finished higher than 16th. Still, Trestman said it's "an overblown perception" that he wants to throw the ball all the time. Nonetheless, fantasy owners in PPR leagues should have high hopes for Justin Forsett's catch total. In fact, Hensley recently expressed the belief there's a chance that Forsett's reception total of 44 last season could possibly double this season. ... Rookie WR Breshad Perriman (knee) has not practiced since July 30 and Kamar Aiken has been working alongside Steve Smith in the starting rotation with the rookie sidelined. During a recent appearance with the FootballDiehards on SiriusXM Fantasy Sports Radio, CSNBaltimore's Clifton Brown advised listeners that Perriman can still move back up into the rotation based solely on his physical attributes. Perriman has size and speed to spare. But he does need polish; the sooner he's back the better. Harbaugh has characterized him as day to day. ... Marlon Brown underwent an MRI on his back last week and should return next week.

8/30 Ray Rice is suspended for the first two games of the regular season and Bernard Pierce didn't make the trip to New Orleans for the final preseason game because of a concussion. So if Pierce is unable to play in the season opener, who would start at running back for the Baltimore Ravens? Veteran journeyman Justin Forsett, who hasn't made a start since 2010, could be the one to step up. Of the Ravens' 24 healthy scratches in the preseason finale, 18 are projected to be starters. According to ESPN.com's Jamison Hensley, the fact that Forsett didn't play as well could suggest the Ravens wanted to keep him healthy for the opener. The Ravens might trust Forsett to handle the starting role because he's more experienced than rookie Lorenzo Taliaferro and is more familiar with Gary Kubiak's offense after playing in Houston in 2012. But Forsett wouldn't be asked to carry the entire rushing load. He only had six carries all of last season, and the Ravens would probably split carries with Taliaferro, who led the team with 243 yards rushing this preseason. None of this speculation will matter if Pierce is able to suit up for the Sept. 7 season opener against the Cincinnati Bengals. Even though Pierce has been banged up throughout his career, he has never missed a game in his two seasons.

8/29 According to Associated Press sports writer Brett Martel, kicker Justin Tucker was among the few Ravens regulars who did not get the night off for the final exhibition game. His performance was also one of the reasons the Ravens finished the preseason with a perfect record. Tucker hit five field goals of distances ranging from 24 to 45 yards, and the Ravens beat the New Orleans Saints 22-13 on Thursday night. ... Baltimore (4-0) found the end zone only once on Tyrod Taylor's 8-yard pass to Deonte Thompson, but that was enough against the Saints (3-1). Taylor started for the Ravens, completing 10 of 17 passes for 105 yards, a TD and an interception. Quarterback Joe Flacco did not take a snap. Running back Ray Rice also did not play. Taylor played the entire first half, leading four scoring drives, and Baltimore led 16-13 at halftime. Keith Wenning took over under center in the second half, going 8 of 13 for 117 yards. The Ravens gained 214 yards on the ground, with Fitzgerald Toussaint rushing for 103 yards and Lorenzo Taliaferro 88. Baltimore outgained New Orleans in total yards 436-190. ... According to ESPN.com's Jamison Hensley, it's going to be hard to keep Thompson off the 53-man roster after he scored a touchdown in his third straight game. Rookie seventh-round pick Michael Campanaro, who had 153 total yards, and Kamar Aiken, who led the Ravens with 57 yards receiving, also are in the mix at wide receiver. ... (Get complete game stats HERE)

8/28 According to ESPN Stats & Information, Joe Flacco has started 96 of a possible 96 games since his rookie season in 2008. According to Elias Sports Bureau, that's the second-longest starts streak by a QB to begin his career since the merger. Flacco trails Peyton Manning (208).

8/26 According to ESPN.com's Jamison Hensley, the Ravens still see tight end Owen Daniels being a part of the team this season despite his lingering leg fatigue, HC John Harbaugh said Monday. "I don't anticipate it affecting his status," Harbaugh said. As previously noted, Daniels returned to practice Monday after missing the past two preseason games and participated in position drills. Harbaugh reiterated that Daniels doesn't have a tear or pull but there is swelling in his legs. "He's not right, or we would've played him," Harbaugh said. "We also felt like he had so many reps in this offense [that the Ravens felt] let's take a week or week and a half and let him get fully recovered." The plan is to pace Daniels throughout the week. Harbaugh said he expects Daniels to have a full practice by the end of the week, which would indicate he'll be ready for the season opener on Sept. 7. Daniels is expected to be the Ravens' No. 2 tight end behind Dennis Pitta. He is one of the few Ravens who has previous experience in Gary Kubiak's offense. "I would be surprised if he doesn't practice on Friday fully," Harbaugh said.

8/25 Following up on the previous item. ... According to ESPN.com's Jamison Hensley, it's now official: RB Bernard Pierce has a mild concussion. He has two full weeks before the regular season opener to gain clearance to play.

8/25 Following up on a previous item. ... Bernard Pierce made an early exit from Saturday night’s game against the Redskins after taking a blow to the head from Redskins safety Brandon Meriweather, but it doesn’t sound like he’s going to be out of the lineup for a long time. According to Profootballtalk.com's Josh Alper, Pierce tweeted on Sunday that he’s “fine” after undergoing evaluation for a concussion after the hit. It’s not clear whether or not Pierce was officially diagnosed with a concussion, which would mean he has to progress through the league’s protocol before returning to action, but he has two weeks before the start of the regular season to get cleared if that was the doctor’s finding. With Pierce out of the lineup, the Ravens turned to Justin Forsett and Lorenzo Taliaferro at running back with the first team. Ray Rice was dressed and went through warmups, but never saw the field as the Ravens opted to stick with players who won’t be suspended for the first two games of the regular season. Pierce has 21 carries for 89 yards and a touchdown in three preseason outings, although he lost three yards on his four carries against Washington. If healthy, he'll have a chance at securing the lead role in the two games Rice misses. ... Also worth noting: Owen Daniels has returned to practice after missing time to rest his sore legs.

8/25 The Ravens announced (via Profootballtalk.com) the released 15 players Monday, including safety Omar Brown and wide receiver LaQuan Williams. They waived eight other players, including outside linebacker Nicholas DiMarco, punter Richie Leone, tackle David Mims, cornerbacks Marrio Norman and Deji Olaytoye, linebacker Austin Spitler, wide receiver Mike Willie and running back Cierre Wood. They also waived-injured fullback Shaun Chapas and tackle Brent Van Sloten, and placed defensive end Kapron Lewis-Moore, guard Will Rackley and defensive end Brent Urban on injured reserve. Those moves get them down to the 75-player limit a day ahead of the league’s deadline.

8/24 Baltimore offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak loves H-back Kyle Juszczyk, a fourth-round draft pick out of Harvard in 2013. Juszczyk hauled in five passes for 53 yards in just one half of action with the first-team offense. This prompted NFL.com to suggest they'll be surprised if Owen Daniels, currently battling leg soreness, has a bigger role than Juszczyk this season.

8/24 According to ESPN.com's Jamison Hensley, wide receiver Steve Smith's best game of the preseason propelled the Baltimore Ravens to a 23-17 win over the Washington Redskins at M&T Bank Stadium on Saturday night. ... After being quiet in the first two preseason games, Smith caught six passes for 80 yards and a touchdown. His diving 24-yard touchdown catch with 25 seconds left in the first half broke a 3-3 tie, and the Ravens (3-0) never relinquished the lead. Smith's determination was evident on his 30-yard catch in the first quarter. He essentially broke out of four tackles to turn a short pass into a big gain. "I am getting more comfortable with the offense," Smith said. "Last week I really didn't play well. I didn't line up well, and my assignments were off. Today was a great opportunity to show that I can be an asset instead of the liability I was last week. ..." As Associated Press sports writer David Ginsburg noted, Flacco outdid Robert Griffin III. Flacco went 16 for 23 for 180 yards, including that 24-yard touchdown throw to Smith with 25 seconds left in the second quarter. Operating in first-year offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak's up-tempo attack, Flacco is 29 for 45 for 345 yards and no interceptions in three exhibition games. At this point, he's prepared to skip next week's preseason finale and move ahead to the regular-season opener against Cincinnati. 'This is my seventh year. I'm ready,' Flacco said. 'Everybody is ready for real live games. Get out there and go. ...' Bernard Pierce left in the first quarter to be examined for a concussion after being tackled in the backfield by a blitzing Brandon Meriweather. Pierce did not return and finished with minus-3 yards on four carries. He is expected to start the first two regular-season games while Ray Rice serves a suspension for domestic violence. The period ended with Ravens rookie running back Lorenzo Taliaferro being stopped for no gain on a fourth-and-1 from the Washington 11. 'We have to be able to convert those,' Flacco said. ... Besides Pierce, the Ravens had no significant injuries. 'I'm sure there will be some bumps and bruises that we'll look at,' HC John Harbaugh said. ... (Get complete game stats HERE)

8/23 Bernard Pierce going through concussion protocol to see if he suffered one in tonight's game against the Redskins. Remember, the team will be without Ray Rice the first two games. ... We'll be following up.

8/23 According to ESPN.com's Jamison Hensley, one of the impressive parts of training camp was the instant connection between quarterback Joe Flacco and his new receiver Steve Smith. It seemed like every day Smith made at least one catch that caught your attention. That chemistry hasn't carried over into the two preseason games. Smith has two catches for 17 yards. Last week in Dallas, Smith dropped a third-down pass and ran the wrong depth on a route, which led to an incompletion. In what will be the last preseason action for both Flacco and Smith, it's important for them to gain some rhythm heading into the regular season when the Ravens take on the Redskins tonight.

8/22 As Baltimore Sun staffer Aaron Wilson notes, veteran wide receiver Steve Smith is expected to inject toughness and productivity into the Ravens' offense. The five-time Pro Bowl wide receiver is also providing confidence, predicting that the Ravens will be difficult for opposing defenses to game-plan against considering the amount of options new OC Gary Kubiak has to choose from. That includes Smith and fellow wideouts Torrey Smith, Jacoby Jones and Marlon Brown, tight ends Dennis Pitta and Owen Daniels, running backs Ray Rice and Bernard Pierce and fullback Kyle Juszczyk. Through two preseason games, the Ravens have scored 60 points, gained 717 total yards of offense and generated 47 first downs. "With the weapons we have, I think [opponents] will have to pick their poison," Steve Smith said recently. "This guy may have a lot of catches and a lot of yards, and the other guys may not. And then the next week, a team is going to focus on shutting down that guy and then another guy. I think that benefits us. You can never have too many horses in the stable. When you have that opportunity, it makes it a lot easier on the offensive coordinator." In addition, NFL.com believes Joe Flacco's strengths align beautifully with Kubiak's system.

8/21 According to the Baltimore Sun, TE Owen Daniels is still out with leg soreness and isn't expected to play against the Redskins Saturday. It's safe to say Daniels has been among the team's biggest offensive disappointments this summer. Dennis Pitta remains a high-end fantasy prospect, however.

8/21 Under new offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak, the Ravens have a different mindset and plan to be a run-first team again, according to ESPN.com's Jamison Hensley. The revamped offensive line has pushed defenders off the line, and running backs Ray Rice and Bernard Pierce "are lighter, and as a result, more explosive," Hensley noted. Baltimore leads the NFL with 194 rushing yards in the preseason, 69 more than any other team.

8/20 After catching 65 passes for 1,128 yards and four touchdowns last season, Torrey Smith anticipates a versatile role that incorporates his ability to run deep routes as well as short-to-intermediate patterns. Smith is the Ravens' career leader with an average of 17.2-yards per reception and the all-time franchise leader with 37 receptions of 25 yards or longer. “It’s always a little bit of everything," Smith said. "I think that even since I’ve been here it’s not like they have been sending me on ‘nine’ routes every play. It’s definitely built, as you can tell, timing-wise, and trying to get you the ball and let you work in space, which I love because I can get the ball quick. It’s a lot of room, and I feel like I can trust my speed to create some big plays.” According to Baltimore Sun staffer Aaron Wilson, the timing between Joe Flacco and Smith as well as the other wide receivers appears to be improving. “It’s good," Flacco said. "It’s all about running the route the way the offense is built to and me taking my drop and getting the ball out. Everybody really should look the same. That’s kind of what we’re working towards.”

8/19 In examining Ravens whose stock is falling, ESPN.com's Jamison Hensley pointed to Owen Daniels. The 31-year-old tight end was among the disappointments in training camp. Daniels lacked explosion and failed to get separation from linebackers. He made only one catch in the preseason opener for six yards. Now, Daniels missed the final two days of camp and didn't play in the second preseason opener because the Ravens wanted to "rest his legs." This is troubling when you consider he broke his leg last season.

8/18 In assessing Ravens whose stock is rising, ESPN.com's Jamison Hensley included Bernard Pierce. According to Hensley, Pierce looked like an NFL starting running back when he replaced the soon-to-be suspended Ray Rice with the first-team offense in Dallas. Pierce ran with power and decisiveness, hitting lanes that weren't there a season ago. In two preseason games, Pierce has 92 yards on 17 carries, a 5.4-yard average that appears gaudy when compared to his 2.9-yard average in 2013. The impressive part has been his consistency. Nearly half of his 17 carries have produced runs longer than 4 yards. ... Meanwhile, Rice was doing individual drills after injuring his shoulder in Dallas.

8/17 According to Associated Press sports writer Schulyer Dixon, Baltimore's defense and special teams made three scoring drives from Joe Flacco an afterthought. Deonte Thompson returned a kickoff 108 yards for a score and Flacco had a scoring toss and the Ravens beat the Cowboys 37-30 on Saturday night. The Ravens (2-0) also got a 26-yard fumble return for a touchdown when Courtney Upshaw picked up a botched handoff from Tony Romo and stayed on his feet while Romo tried to drag him down by his jersey. ... Baltimore led 14-7 before Flacco took the field for the first time late in the first quarter. He threw a 19-yard scoring pass to Torrey Smith for a 24-10 lead late in the first half. Flacco had a rougher start than in Baltimore's win over San Francisco in the exhibition opener, when he led an 80-yard scoring drive on his only possession. But he finished 9 of 14 for 133 yards and is 4-for-4 in getting points with first-year offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak's version of the West Coast offense. After a drive to the first of three field goals from Justin Tucker , Flacco's only touchdown drive was kept alive by a roughing-the-passer penalty on a third-down incompletion. The Ravens scored two plays later after Flacco's longest pass of the night -- a 38-yard to Jacoby Jones -- and Smith's over-the-shoulder catch in the end zone despite tight coverage from rookie cornerback Terrance Mitchell. Ray Rice played only the second series for Baltimore and had two carries for 21 yards, including an 18-yarder. He left the game with an injured shoulder. ... Bernard Pierce rushed for 55 yards on just seven carries. The second-year man entered halftime with just 25 yards but returned to the field on the first drive of the second half and ripped off a 30-yard run in his last touch of the night. He didn't haul in his only target in the passing game. As CBSSports.com suggested Pierce is looking at a large workload over the team's first two regular-season games with Rice out, and his playing time upon the return of Rice will likely depend on what he does in those two games. In a related note, rookie running back Lorenzo Taliaferro led the team in rushing Saturday, gaining 59 yards on 16 carries and adding one catch for 10 yards. Taliaferro was the team's primary rushing threat in the second half, and he delivered a three-yard touchdown on the first drive after halftime. According to CBSSports.com's R.J. White, after leading all rookie backs in rushing yards last week, it's possible Taliaferro has begun to carve out a solid role for himself once regular-season hits. ... (Get complete game stats HERE)

8/16 Ray Rice went to the locker room during Baltimore's preseason game against the Dallas Cowboys so that the training staff could look at his shoulder. X-rays came up negative, the team announced.

8/16 The Ravens and Cowboys face off in each team’s second preseason game in Texas tonight and the efficiency of quarterback Joe Flacco will be worth watching. As ESPN.com's Jamison Hensley notes, in the season opener last week, Flacco looked like a quarterback who had been in new offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak's system for years. He was decisive and precise on his intermediate throws, only throwing one incompletion on five pass attempts. Flacco has never been known as a high-percentage passer. The last time he completed over 60 percent of his passes was 2010. The expectations for Flacco are just as heightened in the second preseason game, especially with him throwing against the NFL's third-worst pass defense last season. The Cowboys allowed an average of 287 yards passing per game. Flacco is expected to play more than one quarter but not a full half.

8/15 As ESPN.com's Jamison Hensley suggests, there's no skill-position battle for the Ravens right now, but there could be one by the middle of September. That's when running back Ray Rice comes off his two-game suspension. The one-cut style of backup Bernard Pierce seems to be a more natural fit to Gary Kubiak stretch running scheme. If Pierce has a fast start, the Ravens may have a decision to make by Week 3.

8/14 Owen Daniels isn't injured, according to HC John Harbaugh. But the tight end may not play in Saturday's preseason game at the Cowboys. "We decided to rest his legs a little bit," Harbaugh said after Thursday's practice. "He'd been going pretty hard. Whether he'll play in a game, we'll just decide and see how he feels. But there is no injury involved." According to ESPN.com's Jamison Hensley, this is the second straight day that Daniels has missed. He participated in the walk-through Thursday but he sat out the practice. Daniels has lacked explosion in training camp, and he was stripped twice on the first day of full contact. With Daniels out, rookie third-round pick Crockett Gillmore has received increased playing time.

8/14 The Ravens should be better than last season, when they finished near the bottom of the NFL. How much better? Not even the Ravens themselves know after one preseason game. But Pro Football Focus has made a projection, pegging the Ravens offense as the 24th-best in the league right now. This is what PFF had to say about the Ravens offense: "The Ravens may have addressed some of the issues on their offensive line. ... But there are still plenty of questions for the offense. As good as Joe Flacco can be when he's at the top of his game, we continue to see a very inconsistent level of play from him week to week. ..." Meanwhile, ESPN.com's Jamison Hensley believes what the Ravens did this offseason merits at least No. 24. The Ravens signed wide receiver Steve Smith and traded for center Jeremy Zuttah. Plus, tight end Dennis Pitta and left guard Kelechi Osemele are healthy this season. The biggest addition, though, was hiring Gary Kubiak as offensive coordinator. He has a proven track record of producing productive offenses during his time with the Texans. Under Kubiak, the Texans ranked in the top 10 in offense in six of his past eight seasons. We'll see how that translates to Baltimore, but the Ravens' exhibition opener against the 49ers was promising.

8/13 According to the Sports Xchange, wide receiver Kamar Aiken is quietly making his move as he tries to climb the depth chart. Aiken caught a team-high four passes for 46 yards in reserve duty. Aiken, who was on the Ravens' practice squad last season, is big and fast. He's drawn praise recently from HC John Harbaugh and is competing for the sixth and final wide receiver roster spot.

8/12 According to ESPN.com's Jamison Hensley, training camp has presented a fine line for running back Lorenzo Taliaferro. Coaches are telling him to explode through the holes, but he also hears about how they don't want to see players on the ground, which increases the chances of injuries. So, when the rookie fourth-round pick got his chance to go full speed, he wasn't going to disappoint. Taliaferro showed off his bruising style of running by gaining 71 yards rushing on 13 carries (5.5-average) in Thursday's preseason opener against the San Francisco 49ers last week. That not only led all rookie running backs last week, but it was also the third-highest rushing total in the league. Only the New York Giants' Rashad Jennings (85 yards) and New Orleans' Mark Ingram (83 yards) had more. ... The Ravens will be without suspended running back Ray Rice for the first two games of the season. While Bernard Pierce is expected to fill in as the starter, Taliaferro is competing against journeyman Justin Forsett (29 yards rushing on seven carries) for the backup role. At 6 feet, 226 pounds, Taliaferro can move a pile when driving forward. But he often carries the ball in an upright running style, something that will likely change after taking a few more hits. At this point, it's not clear whether he can extend his opportunity to contribute beyond that two-game window that Rice will be absent. But Dynasty owners shouldn't hesitate to grab him when the time comes.

8/11 According to ESPN.com's Jamison Hensley, Dennis Pitta missed his second straight practice with what HC John Harbaugh described as a "little ankle sprain." Pitta did individual drills for about 30 minutes before being told to sit out the rest of practice.

8/11 According to ESPN.com's Jamison Hensley, the Ravens' roster seems to be shaking out quickly. The team is set at QB with Joe Flacco as the starter and Tyrod Taylor as the backup. ... Halfbacks Ray Rice and Bernard Pierce and fullback Kyle Juszczyk are locks to make the team. Rookie halfback Lorenzo Taliaferro is a near certainty as well, especially after the rookie fourth-round pick led the team in rushing in the preseason opener. Rice has been suspended for the first two games of the season, which allows the Ravens to carry Justin Forsett -- at least through those games. ... Torrey Smith, Steve Smith, Marlon Brown and Jacoby Jones are going to make the roster. Kamar Aiken continues to build a strong case for making the team. Slot receiver Michael Campanaro, a seventh-round pick, has shown flashes but can't stay healthy. Putting him on injured reserve at the end of the preseason is a possibility. At TE, there are no major decisions. ... The Ravens' top three tight ends -- Dennis Pitta, Owen Daniels and Crockett Gilmore -- are guaranteed to make the team, barring injury. Pitta, though, is clearly the No. 1 tight end. Daniels hasn't been sharp in training camp.

8/10 According to ESPN.com's Jamison Hensley, Joe Flacco carried the momentum from a great season opener with a sharp session during Saturday's joint practice with the 49ers. He continually found holes in the San Francisco 49ers zone, dropping in passes to his receivers. His best pass was a 50-yard completion to wide receiver Marlon Brown after Flacco rolled to his left and threw off his back foot.

8/09 As ESPN's John Clayton noted, new OC Gary Kubiak has Joe Flacco doing things he's never done since coming into the league in 2008. Flacco's rolling out. He's working on a few more three- and five-step drops. He hit tight end Dennis Pitta with a 14-yard screen pass, something he never did before. Kubiak has expanded the use of the Ravens' weapons. Past offensive coordinators used a fullback to block. On Thursday night, the Ravens used new starting fullback Kyle Juszczyk as a pass-catcher, getting him for a 17-yard completion. Flacco took his first possession 80 yards in 10 plays for a touchdown drive, which earned him the chance to end his day of work. He completed four of five passes for 52 yards.

8/08 As Associated Press sports writer David Ginsburg suggested, if the Ravens' performance in their preseason opener served as a sneak preview for the regular season, then Gary Kubiak's new offensive scheme could be a smash hit. ... Joe Flacco produced an 80-yard touchdown drive in his only series, and the Ravens amassed 386 yards in offense en route to a 23-3 victory over the San Francisco 49ers on Thursday night. Each team played its starting unit for one series before the backups took over. Flacco made himself right at home in Kubiak's variation of the West Coast offense, going 4 for 5 for 52 yards during a 10-play scoring drive. 'Ten plays in a new offense, that doesn't happen very often,' wide receiver Steve Smith said. 'We were high tempo, high paced, so that went well.' Kubiak, the former head coach of the Houston Texans, replaced offensive coordinator Jim Caldwell, now Detroit's head coach. 'The execution by the offense on our first drive was what we like to see,' John Harbaugh said. 'Our technique and assignments were sharp. It was good, fundamentally sound football.' Four different receivers caught passes from Flacco, the former Super Bowl MVP: Dennis Pitta for 14 yards, Jacoby Jones for 12, Kyle Juszczyk for 17 and Smith for 9. ... Ray Rice ran three times for 17 yards after receiving a warm ovation from the home crowd during pregame introductions. Rice has been suspended by the NFL for the opening two regular season games after being arrested for domestic violence in February. A year ago, the Ravens averaged a meager 3.1 yards per carry. In this game, they totaled 237 yards rushing on 48 tries, a 4.9 average. Bernard Pierce will probably start while Rice is serving his suspension. Pierce ran for 37 yards, including a 2-yard touchdown run to end Baltimore's opening drive. Kubiak's offense is different for the running backs, too, and Pierce appears to have made the adjustment. 'It's definitely a one-cut system,' he said. 'It's not that complicated to run. ..." That said, ESPN.com's Jamison Hensley believes the running backs should expect to do a lot of ball-security drills. Pierce and Justin Forsett both fumbled in the first half. While Pierce recovered his, Forsett lost his to the 49ers. ... Flacco's replacement, Tyrod Taylor, completed 13 of 21 passes for 116 yards and a touchdown. He also ran for 59 yards on five carries. Justin Tucker kicked three field goals for Baltimore, including a 55-yarder that made it 16-3 late in the third quarter. ... (Get complete game stats HERE)