Mini camp reports

[Savage Beatings]

The Vikings will hold open OTA dates from May 20-22. They will hold veteran mini-camp from June 6-8.

 

Reporters are allowed to watch these practices, so expect more in-depth reports, similar to the training camp reports from 2007.

[Randall]

baltimoresun.com

 

Ravens

 

Flacco looking long

 

New quarterback calmly makes first impression by going deep

 

By Don Markus

 

Sun Reporter

 

May 10, 2008

 

Joe Flacco has yet to be listed on the Ravens' depth chart, and he won't be until the start of the preseason in August. But all eyes were on the rookie quarterback from Delaware yesterday.

 

The player who Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome made two trades to select with the 18th overall pick in last month's NFL draft practiced for the first time at the team's mandatory minicamp in Owings Mills.

 

"I'm here to play football," Flacco said. "I'm a first-round draft pick, but I don't look at myself as that. I'm looking at myself as a guy whose coming in here to prove he can play quarterback in the National Football League.

 

"I am definitely going out there to prove something ... and that these coaches made the right decision. I'm going to take it day by day and hopefully get better with each of these practices."

 

As expected, Flacco made his share of mistakes, but he also demonstrated the kind of big-time arm and accuracy that helped him go from a relative small-college unknown to a first-round pick in a matter of months.

 

"I have confidence in my ability," Flacco said. "Obviously things are going to take care of itself. I've got a lot of learning to do and after being here for a day, I can see that. It's been a lot of fun so, and hopefully that will continue."

 

One throw in particular - a long completion to Mark Clayton, who beat rookie safety Tom Zbikowski - gave a small glimpse of what Newsome and director of college scouting Eric DeCosta saw in picking Flacco as the second quarterback chosen behind Boston College's Matt Ryan.

 

"A guy who's got great potential," new offensive coordinator Cam Cameron said, when asked about his first impressions of Flacco. "A guy who's got to work at it like all these guys do. But obviously there are a lot of things we love about him."

 

Said veteran wide receiver Derrick Mason, "He can throw the ball. ... The one he threw to Clayton I think was about 50 yards down the field in the air on target. The way he commanded the huddle with the team that was in there with him, I think that speaks volumes of him."

 

If there were butterflies, Flacco didn't show them, either during the two-hour workout or during the 10-minute post-practice interrogation from the media.

 

"You have to go out there and control that," Flacco said in the locker room. "You have to make it as simple as possible. You have to tell yourself that you know what you're doing; you have to go out there and execute and do the best you can."

 

Flacco is certainly in a potentially uncomfortable situation of being brought in after the sudden retirement of Steve McNair, then being thrust into competition for the starting job with Kyle Boller and Troy Smith.

 

"I don't know if we necessarily talk about that," Flacco said. "All we're doing is trying to help each other out, mostly they're trying to help me at this point. I don't know really too much about helping them because I'm the guy that needs to be taught."

 

Not that Flacco is conceding the competition to Boller, a former first-round draft pick who has had an erratic five-year career, or Smith, the former Heisman Trophy winner picked in the fifth round last year who started the final two games after McNair and Boller were hurt.

 

"I'm going to go out there and practice and prove that I am the best quarterback," Flacco said, without a hint of cockiness. "We have two great quarterbacks here, and we're all going to do what's best for the team."

 

The throw he made to Clayton didn't seem to faze Flacco, even right after he threw it.

 

"I'm just moving on to the next play," Flacco said. "The last thing I'm thinking about is the play I just completed because I know this is a new offense for me, and I'm worried about the next play and making sure I know what to do on that play."

 

If Flacco is a wide-eyed rookie in any regard, it's because he is now teammates with players he used to watch on television.

 

"It's definitely different to see a Ray Lewis come into the locker room," Flacco said. "I'll get used to that; I don't know if I am right now. It's a lot of fun to go out there and compete with those guys."

 

Has Lewis said anything to Flacco yet?

 

"He was just joking around with me, saying that he was going to get a pick off me eventually," Flacco said with a smile. "We'll see."

[BeeR]

I'm just happy these players learned the English language while at college.

racist mo fo hate-ah.

[Randall]

Ryan debuts, Brooking among many changes

By Steve Wyche | Saturday, May 10, 2008, 01:36 PM

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Flowery Branch - The Falcons just finished the first of five mini-camp practices and there were a ton of interesting developments.

 

First off, there were hundreds - if not thousands - of fans on hands for the two-hour sessions and they were into it.

 

The part of practice that drew the biggest uproar were the one-one-on passing drills, which were very heated. Backup left cornerback Brent Grimes continues to show arguably the best man coverage ball skills and it appears the coaches are devising ways to get him on the field.

 

As for people being on the field, everyone was accounted for, including safety Jimmy Williams, who missed two of the three voluntary workouts at an April mini camp. Williams, once again worked as the third team free safety behind Erik Coleman and Antoine Harris, respectively.

 

I’ve made you wait long enough. Quarterback Matt Ryan made his debut and he made it as the third-team quarterback. This veteran coaching staff is going to make him earn his stripes. So, for now, he worked behind Chris Redman and Joey Harrington and rotated with D.J. Shockley. Shockley, who spent all last season on injured reserve after tearing the ACL in his left knee, participated in all drills and looked active and fairly sharp.

 

He did not wear any type of support brace on his knee unlike Ryan, who wore a brace on his left knee. Ryan said he wears the brace as a precaution. At Boston College, the coaches required the quarterbacks to wear a brace on their plant leg so Ryan said wearing the brace was out of habit.

 

Other players who were back from injury: WR Brian Finneran, OLB Michael Boley and TB Michael Turner. OT Todd Weiner and NT Trey Lewis, both recovering from knee operations, have not been medically cleared.

 

Coach Mike Smith said there were more positions open than at any point of his nine years in the NFL and some of the competition was already being staged. Rookie LT Sam Baker worked with the second unit behind Quinn Ojinnaka. Justin Blalock returned from right tackle to his natural spot at LG. Tyson Clabo worked as the starting right tackle, the position he held down for most of last season after Weiner got injured.

 

On defense, rookie Curtis Lofton and second-year Georgia product Tony Taylor rotated at middle linebacker. Keith Brooking returned to his natural spot at weakside linebacker. Coach Mike Smith said that a lot of the positions changes are experimental, although Brooking feels far more comfortable at weakside linebacker than inside.

 

http://www.ajc.com/blogs/content/shared-bl...cons/index.html

Edited May 11, 2008 by Randall

[Randall]

Da Raiders

 

Day 2

 

Coach Lane Kiffin says his backfield competition is wide open.

 

Perhaps as a motivator for Michael Bush, who reportedly is having a good rookie camp. "To have (McFadden and Bush) along with Justin (Fargas), who is more of a classic running back, is exciting ... We’ll open the competition up and who knows? Michael Bush may be the best of the three." Bush remains a darkhorse, but he can carve out a role with a strong offseason.

 

Source: Scout.com

 

Darren McFadden-RB-Raiders May. 10 - 7:17 pm et

 

The Raiders used Darren McFadden extensively as a pass catcher during their rookie minicamp Saturday.

McFadden caught passes out of the backfield and when he was split out wide, reportedly looking very natural. It's only a rookie camp, but Michael Bush has also reportedly looked smooth. Since McFadden will likely be splitting carries, it's important for his fantasy value to catch passes.

 

Source: Oakland Tribune

Edited May 11, 2008 by Randall

[Randall]

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Receiver Mario Manningham and quarterback Andre' Woodson were sidelined by injuries Saturday during the New York Giants' minicamp for rookies and free agents.

 

A third-round draft pick from Michigan, Manningham suffered a hip flexor on his left side running a pull-up pattern early in the morning workout.

 

Manningham said the injury happened because he did not run his pattern right.

 

"It ain't nothing bad or serious," Manningham said. "If it was serious I would not be walking."

 

Woodson pulled a quad muscle in his left leg a short time later. The injury happened as the sixth-round draft pick from Kentucky was scrambling to his left during an 11-on-11 drill.

 

"I don't know what happened," Woodson said. "I'm kind of disappointed I'm not out there for my first minicamp. I just can't wait to get back out there and do some good things."

 

Woodson threw an interception on his first pass in minicamp on Friday, but he felt he improved a lot in the second workout in the afternoon.

[Randall]

The Saints

 

"But I think overall I've been encouraged with what I've seen from the class in general. The big guard from Nebraska's done a good job of stepping in, Nicks. I think when you look at Ellis, he's been a pain in the rear for a couple days now, splitting some double teams and getting in the backfield.

 

Porter showed some of the coverage skills that we were anticipating we'd see. And this Arrington has done a good job, the receiver we drafted late, of just handling the assignments. He's a pretty sharp kid."

[Big Score 1]

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- Rookie quarterback Matt Ryan should think of adding acting to his list of many talents. A few minutes after wrapping up his first practice as a professional and signing autographs he admitted he was, indeed, "nervous" about his first day.

 

If so, he hid it well.

 

"I didn’t see any jitters," Head Coach Mike Smith said of Ryan, the team's third-overall selection in the 2008 NFL Draft. " I know they were there and he has played in big games. Once you break that huddle, it’s all about football. It’s a 100-yard field and you go out and play.”

 

Chris Redman, who started the final four games of 2008, worked with the first-team offense, but Ryan, Joey Harrington and D.J. Shockley also took snaps with other starters from last season.

 

Now that those opening moments are over with, Ryan looks forward to focusing on improvement.

 

"It was a fun first day," he said. "It’s nice to have it under your belt at this point. I’m just excited to go in, watch the tape and get out this afternoon to do it again... When you dream about professional football, you don’t dream about practicing. You dream about playing in the game. So I never really dreamed about my first professional practice (but) it went very well.”

 

The coaching staff and Ryan's teammates were impressed with his poise. Ryan wasted little time talking with rookies and veterans on the field, offering congratulatory helmet slaps to anyone who made a nice play.

 

“I thought Matt threw the ball well out there," Smith said. " Like anybody competing in their first practice, I think he was a little nervous out there. The command of the huddle was good and I don’t think there were any bad snaps involving Matt. It’s going to be a process for him and he’ll go through it like anyone else. Sam Baker is going through the same thing as well as Curtis Lofton and Harry Douglas. All of our draft picks are going through the same thing. That first day is something they’ll always remember.”

 

 

INJURY REPORT: Several players missed the Falcons veteran mini camp last month with injuries, but most returned Saturday including Shockley and wide receiver Brian Finneran, who missed the better part of the last two seasons with back-to-back ACL tears.

 

"My legs may have been a little heavy," said Finneran, who has 15 career touchdowns (12 since joining the Falcons in 2002). I'm just easing into it but I felt pretty good in terms of football and knowing where I need to be."

 

Newly-acquired running back Michael Turner also made his practice debut.

 

“Brian got cleared for practice and of course he is wearing his knee brace out there," Smith said. " He’ll probably have to keep it on because he’s had those two surgeries on his knee. It was great to see (Turner) out there. He is going to be a great running back. He runs low to the ground and I think it will be fun watching him run the football. We’ve got some guys who have progressed and Todd Weiner has progressed in his rehab, so we are excited with where he is right now.”

Defensive tackle Trey Lewis and offensive tackle Renardo Foster also missed practice while they recover from knee ligament tears.

 

Smith said Weiner, who started at left and right tackle last season, will not practice in this round of mini camp workouts.

 

 

LINE SHUFFLE: Injuries have made for an interesting situation around the field, particularly on the offensive line.

 

That leaves some starting position up for grabs, at least in the early goings of the offseason.

 

“In my nine years, I would say that there are not nearly as many jobs that are secured compared to other teams I’ve been with," Smith said. " It’s a great opportunity for everyone and it’s a new season. We don’t have any preconceived ideas. It’s a new staff with new coaches and a new general manager. Everyone should feel pretty good about their situation in terms of being able to come in and compete.”

 

Quinn Ojinnaka worked at left tackle Saturday after spending some time last month at left guard. Second-year player Justin Blalock also went back to left guard after working at right tackle in an earlier camp. Tyson Clabo took reps at right tackle -- a position he started 11 games at last season.

 

BURNER'S BACK: Smith appeared excited to have Turner back in the lineup. But not nearly as excited as the running back himself.

 

"It felt great to finally get out there and feel part of the team," said Turner, who the team signed from San Diego on the first day of free agency. "We still have corrections to make as always, but we're taking it one day at a time."

 

Turner said the team will hold him out of some drills as he recovers from a minor shoulder injury.

 

In four seasons with the Chargers Turner averaged 5.5-yards per carry, rushed for more than 1,200 yards and six touchdowns.

 

 

FANATICAL FANS: More than 1,100 fans attended the team's Saturday morning practice, which pleased everyone performing on the field.

 

“It was very nice," Smith said. " When we made the decision to open it to the public, we didn’t know if there would be two, 200 or 2,000 people. I thought it was a great turnout, they were energetic and they got a chance to see our guys go out and compete. I think it’s important for our fans to know that we are team-oriented and we like to go out there and have fun. Everyone got a chance to see that today.”

 

“It’s pretty cool to see people wearing your jersey; I’m not going to lie to you," added Ryan. "It’s nice. I appreciate their support. Hopefully, I can play well and get some more No. 2 spamshirts in the stands.”

 

Two practices will be open to the public on Sunday. Click here for more information.

 

 

WELL-ROUNDED: Linebacker Keith Brooking started to work more at the weak-side linebacker position Saturday, but Smith said that's not a sign he'll move from middle linebacker back to his natural position.

 

“We’ve said from the beginning that we are going to cross-train all of our guys," Smith said. " We drafted Curtis (Lofton) and he can play outside linebacker as well. I know Keith's natural position and the position he’s had the most success in has been at weak-side linebacker. We wanted to go through those first three practices and he's going to work at numerous position. If you ask Keith, I would imagine he would tell you that he’s comfortable at the weak-side linebacker position.”

 

Brooking has been to five Pro Bowls in his career.