Robert Griffin III has a few things to work on, but things are trending up overall.
Washington Redskins tackle Trent Williams should have made my list of veterans making noise early in camp. Numerous reports suggest he's on the cusp of a breakout season. Washington’s line is banged up right now, but performed much better than expected last season.
RG3's rare skills prompts change
Robert Griffin III has galvanized the Redskins' fan base and inspired the team to adjust its playbook, but he also has plenty of room to grow, Daniel Jeremiah says. **More ...**
Also good for Griffin: Saints cornerback Jabari Greer underwent hernia surgery. The New Orleans Saints' thin secondary could be undermanned in Week 1.
Finally, Daniel Jeremiah wrote a cool piece on how Griffin's presence has changed the Redskins offense. It's always a plus when you can use the term "easy heat."
Position Battling
- Bilal Powell might pass Joe McKnight for third down duties for the New York Jets. Powell even gets some first-team and could even wind up splitting carries this year if Shonn Greene continues to play like Shonn Greene.
- Ryan Tannehilltook first team snaps` for the first time in training camp. He remains a sizable underdog to start for the Miami Dolphins in Week 1. The preseason will decide this battle, but David Garrard may have the very small early edge.
- From ESPN.com’s Paul Kuharsky says Chad Henne has been "average at best" in camp and hasn’t been any better than Blaine Gabbert.
- It was a Matt Flynn day at the Seattle Seahawks camp. Russell Wilson gets his turn tomorrow. Pete Carroll has been true to his word, diving up snaps evenly among his three competing quarterbacks.
Sorry, Bill
The Lombardi/Belichick Trophy is never going to happen. If another coach’s name was going on the trophy, we’d roll with one of Belichick’s heroes Paul Brown. Among all-time NFL coaches, my Mount Rushmore would be Lombardi, Brown, Bill Walsh, and Belichick.
A Bad Day For ...
The Cleveland Browns are understandably excited for the change in ownership despite all the questions it brings. It was not a good day for rookie quarterback Brandon Weeden. The 28-year-old rookie essentially has a one-year tryout for the new Browns regime. A new coach and general manager are likely. They usually want their own quarterback, unless Weeden performs too well this year to be denied.
Cincinnati's true No. 2
There is understandable concern in Cincinnati about the lack of a No. 2 wideout. The Brandon Tate vs. Armond Binns vs. Mohamed Sanu vs. Marvin Jones battle which is captivating America isn't a great sign for Andy Dalton.
Still, Bengals.com points out that the Cincinnati Bengals' true No. 2 receiver plays tight end. Offensive coordinator Jay Gruden expects Jermaine Gresham to have a bigger role this year. CBS Sports' Pete Prisco believes Gresham will be a breakout candidate.
I've always been a huge fan of Gresham because he is a massive player with fantastic hands. He’s not going to get the big plays of a player like Rob Gronkowski and Jimmy Graham, but Gresham could score double digit touchdowns with a high volume of catches.
On the agenda
Marc Sessler is in Canton all weekend covering Hall of Fame festivities. I’m going to try to take care of my 10-month old daughter Ellis and write all day for the first time ever. Wish me luck. (And expect lots of posts with words "like 11ssldfk" mixed in.)