New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick has been predictably vague about his plans for Tim Tebow, leading to no end of speculation about a possible pass-catching role.
Tebow has explained that he will do whatever is asked of him, which further fanned the flames of speculation about a "slash" position as a combination fullback, H-back and tight-end.
It's not going to happen, folks.
As Ben Volin of the Boston Globe explained Monday, Tebow has spent "99 percent" of his time with the Patriots learning to play quarterback in coordinator Josh McDaniels' system. The quarterback meeting room is the only one Tebow has attended. He runs the third-team offense in practices.
The only reason Tebow spends five minutes each practice with the skill-position players is so he can work on ball security as a scrambling quarterback. The Patriots aren't preparing him to play any other position, despite undying speculation to the contrary.
Fresh faces
» And then there were none. Tennessee Titans guard Chance Warmack became the last first-round pick to sign, receiving a four-year, $12.166 million contract.
» After much hemming and hawing, All-Pro fullback Vonta Leach landed back with the Baltimore Ravens on a two-year contract.
» The Houston Texans reportedly signed former Denver Broncos linebacker Joe Mays to a one-year, $1 million contract with a $285,000 signing bonus. The money suggests Mays will compete for the starting job next to Brian Cushing, as Daryl Sharpton once again is sidelined by injury.
» Veteran wide receiver Laurent Robinson worked out for the Miami Dolphins, days after Armon Binns was lost for the season with a torn ACL and MCL and Rishard Matthews went down with an undisclosed injury. The two were battling for the No. 4 receiver job. Robinson previously had worked out for the Patriots, New York Jets and Detroit Lions.
Weighty matters
» An oddly angled photo turned Eddie Lacy into "Eddie Lazy" within a span of minutes on Twitter. Lacy hardly is in ideal game shape one week into training camp, but there's no way the Green Bay Packers would let the rookie running back practice if he was severely overweight.
»Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jonathan Dwyer told NFL.com's Aditi Kinkhabwala that he lost 25 to 30 pounds by "working his butt off" during the offseason. Dwyer looked downright thin in the footage shown on NFL Network's "NFL Total Access." Per Kinkhabwala, Steelers coach Mike Tomlin hopes the backfield roles will be determined by the end of training camp, but he's willing to ride the "hot hand" again if necessary. It's worth noting that rookie Le'Veon Bellran with the first-team offense Monday.
Hype check
»Minnesota Vikings coach Leslie Frazier already is raving about "dynamic" first-rounder Cordarrelle Patterson. "If you were going to put together a receiver," Frazier said, "he would look like Cordarrelle."
»Rod Streater has been the most consistent receiver in Oakland Raiders camp. He could become the offense's go-to receiver, as his game is better suited to Matt Flynn's pop-gun arm than deep threat Denarius Moore's is.
»Robert Griffin III said speedy wide receiver Aldrick Robinson is the one player who has impressed the most early in Washington Redskins camp. "He just looked phenomenal," Griffin said. "He's definitely a guy we've got to get on the field a lot more." Robinson's game calls to mind a poor man's DeSean Jackson.
»Arizona Cardinals tight end Rob Housler has been "hard to miss" both on the field and in the locker room.
»New York Giants rookie pass rusher Damontre Moore is off to an "outstanding start," according to defensive line coach Robert Nunn.
Trainer's room
»Houston Texans coach Gary Kubiak hopes Arian Foster's strained calf is ready to go by midweek.
» The Buffalo Bills have sent pass rusher Mario Williams off campus to have his sore foot examined.
»Ben Roethlisberger told NFL Network's Solomon Wilcots that his surgically repaired knee feels "great" early in Steelers training camp.
»Cleveland Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon sat out team drills with patellar tendinitis. Although coach Rob Chudzinski downplayed the soreness, the Browns have yet to rule out an MRI.
» Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Blaine Gabbert insists he's "good" after being carted off the field with an ankle injury in Monday's practice.
»Arizona Cardinals running back Ryan Williams is going for a second opinion after his surgically repaired knee flared up Sunday.
» Hip soreness kept Dez Bryant from practice again Monday, but the Dallas Cowboys receiver was running "just fine" on the sideline. He should be back in pads within the next day or two.
» The Chicago Bears lost backup defensive lineman Turk McBride to a season-ending ruptured Achilles tendon.
» The Philadelphia Eagles lost backup linebacker Jason Phillips to a season-ending torn ACL. Phillips was battling for a roster spot as a special-teamer.
» Newly signed Jets rookie Dee Milliner said he's "100 percent back" from offseason shoulder surgery, but he won't go "full throttle" in practices right away. Coach Rex Ryan conceded the cornerback "is never going to beDarrelle Revis."
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