The 2023 regular season is just around the corner, and NFL Network has you covered with wall-to-wall training camp coverage each day starting at 10 a.m. ET. Follow along here for some of the best sights, sounds and moments from "Inside Training Camp Live" and around the NFL.
'DeMeco effect' taking shape in Houston
There's been a newfound excitement in Houston since the arrival of DeMeco Ryans. The Texans' rookie head coach joined Inside Training Camp Live on Monday to discuss how he's maintaining those positive vibes while putting in the rigorous work necessary to help turn around a rebuilding franchise.
"I think it's just being consistent with everything in our approach," Ryans told NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero and NFL Network's Jane Slater. "It's a positive energy each and every day. I want everybody upbeat, everybody positive with what we're doing, always encouraging our guys because there's been a lot of downtime here, and there's no need to go back and rehash the past. We're pressing forward, we're looking ahead and we want to make sure we make H-Town proud of their football team again. That's the only reason why I'm here. It's special to me. being a former player here -- I'm a Texans fan first and foremost -- and now to lead this team as the head coach, it's important to me. It's bigger than anything else by any other team, but it's about the Texans and making sure we have respect in the NFL."
Ryans is no stranger to Houston, having been a former leader on the Texans defense from 2006 to 2011. The 39-year-old recognized that while a lot of people are counting on him in this city, "there's nothing more than the pressure I put on myself each and every day" as he attempts to help revive the city through its football team. To no one's surprise, Ryans has quickly become a favorite among the players.
"I'm having a great time. I'm an energetic coach and I'm into it," he said. "I wish I can suit up again. But I live through these guys."
How many plays could he contribute these days?
"I can get you two in two plays -- all goal line," Ryans laughed.
Texans veterans bringing wisdom to young roster
DeMeco Ryans went on to announce on Inside Training Camp Live that rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud will be starting in Thursday night's preseason opener versus the Patriots.
It may be a clue into the ongoing QB competition between 2023's No. 2 overall pick and veteran Davis Mills, but whoever gets the job will have a young receiving corps that is gaining wisdom from veteran Robert Woods, according to the Texans head coach.
"Robert has been a great addition," Ryans told NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero and NFL Network's Jane Slater. "He's been very consistent each and every day into his approach, and it's great for young guys to see how a true pro approaches the game, approaches his craft each and every day. Rob has been excellent in that regard.
"We have a couple of young guys that have been playing well. Nico Collins, he makes a lot of big plays for us out here. And also Tank Dell. Tank Dell has been open a lot, so it's fun to see."
Ryans says the most consistent pass catcher thus far in camp for the QBs has been another free-agent signee this offseason, tight end Dalton Schultz.
"Dalton has been very consistent," he said. "I say he's the quarterback's best friend right now, you watch our offense and you know Dalton will give them a completion. Great hands, great preparation; I love the way he works each and every day. So happy to really add him on our team and he's been really a great addition for us. You got young quarterbacks and who can you count on? You can count on Dalton."
Pelissero reports that the Texans offense, which is being run by first-year offensive coordinator Bobby Slowick, will go through running back Dameon Pierce in 2023. Pierce, who led the Texans in scrimmage yards (939 rushing, 165 receiving) as a rookie last season, is looking slimmer at Texans camp and he's gotten his body in better condition for such a role, according to Pelissero.
As for the Texans' new-look defense, which is a big part of Ryans' undertaking in Houston, the Texans will also be relying on veteran newcomers to help shape the young starters.
"It's going to be a wide-nine front, so those defensive ends like Will Anderson (are) gonna be way out to the side and create different rush angles than you get in a lot of other schemes," Pelissero said on ITC Live. "And look at some of the pieces they've put in place; you bring in a Jimmie Ward, who him and Jalen Pitre -- a young safety who they're really excited about -- those two are kind of interchangeable with what they can do on the back end. There's still some questions in terms of the corner position. Obviously they're expecting a lot out of Derek Stingley this season, some other things still shaking out in that spot. You don't necessarily have that number one pass rusher outside of Will Anderson, who you're certainly anticipating is gonna develop into that guy eventually here when you take him with the No. 3 overall pick. But they've got some pretty good interior rushers, guys like Sheldon Rankins who can get after the passer. But DeMeco Ryans and (defensive coordinator) Matt Burke, who's got a lot of familiarity in this scheme, he comes in as the defensive coordinator, they're going to be able to create some pass-rush opportunities that maybe in the scheme Houston was playing in the past couple of years didn't exist."
Shanahan: QB Purdy's 'ready now'
Brock Purdy's quick turnaround continues to see positive updates, and it's looking more and more likely that he will be able to start Week 1 of the 2023 season.
Kyle Shanahan essentially said as much about the 49ers quarterback on Monday with NFL Network's Colleen Wolfe and Steve Mariucci on Inside Training Camp Live.
"He's gonna be ready," Shanahan said of Purdy. "He's ready now."
Purdy's well-documented rehab from UCL surgery this past March is ahead of schedule, but that hasn't kept the 49ers from sticking to the 23-year-old's recovery plan for the time being.
"There's no limitations in practice," Shanahan said. "We gave him an extra off day. I think that ends sometime next week, but we've had a program that we've planned on since June that should be over pretty soon."
San Francisco is set to practice with the Raiders this week before hitting the road to play Las Vegas in the preseason opener on Sunday, but don't expect to see Purdy hit the field just yet.
"Very little," Shanahan said on possibly playing his starters. "Usually when we go scrimmage a team, I'm much more into the scrimmage than the game. We'll see how the two practices go, but going off our history, we try to play our starters as much as we can in those two practices and then keep them out of the game."
Asked specifically about Purdy playing Sunday at his news conference later in the day, Shanahan said, "I doubt he play."
Jaguars to play starters in first preseason game
Doug Pederson isn't going to let a little success change the course of his preseason philosophy.
Joining Inside Training Camp Live on Monday, the Jaguars head coach said he anticipates his starting squad to take the field on Saturday versus the Cowboys, including quarterback Trevor Lawrence.
"I'm a big believer in the starters playing, and I really feel like they need to feel that energy that comes with starting a football game," Pederson told NFL Network's Scott Hanson and Steve Smith. "I did it last year with the guys and anticipate right now -- we're still a few days away -- but anticipate them getting maybe a series or two this weekend."
Pederson's squad has already seen plenty of live action following it's third day of a full-padded practice, which included tackling to the ground during some periods on Monday. The early activity is part of Pederson's point of emphasis of completing games in 2023 after making it to the Divisional Round last season.
"The training camp theme for me this year was living up to expectations," he said. "How do they do it, the players, how do I do it, how does the staff, the organization live up to last year's expectations or my expectations winning a championship a few years ago. And the underlying theme is we have to believe in each other, we have to care about one another, but we got to continue to put in the hard work and preparation. We have to focus on us. We can't worry about anything outside of this building, what they're saying about us, what the narrative might be. We just have to have practices like today and we got to stack those days all the time and good things are going to happen to this team."
Howell (unofficially) No. 1 QB in Washington
Washington is set to have a new starting quarterback in 2023. Who earns that title is the only question that remains, unless you're willing to trust unofficial tea leaves.
Sam Howell was listed as QB1 on the Commanders' first unofficial depth chart of the season ahead of this Friday's preseason opener in Cleveland. Veteran QB Jacoby Brissett is listed as a his backup followed by Jake Fromm.
While it's no big surprise to see Howell atop the depth chart as the incumbent QB, he's still amid a real QB competition with Brissett during training camp and Ron Rivera has yet to make a final decision on the matter.
Rivera announced Howell as the top QB going into the offseason, but clarified later that didn't guarantee he would be the starter when the season began. The 22-year-old Howell balled out in the preseason last year, and impressed in his lone start last season, completing 11 of 19 passes for 169 yards and a touchdown (one interception) and finding another score with his legs to beat the Cowboys in Week 18.
The Howell-Brissett contest will only heighten and preseason play could very well be the deciding factor. It's a preseason storyline worth keeping an eye on.
Chiefs' star disruptor remains absent
Chris Jones remains absent from Chiefs training camp amid his holdout for a new contract. Andy Reid hopes the situation gets resolved sooner rather than later in order for the Chiefs' star disruptor to be ready for Week 1.
Asked Monday for an update on Jones' status and if there's a certain amount of practice time the four-time Pro Bowler needs to be ready for the season, Reid had no news to provide but indicated that time is of the essence.
"I don't know when he'll be here," Reid said Monday, "but I tell you any work that he can get will help him, yes. It's a pretty fast game."
Jones is coming off a spectacular year that he feels warrants a pay raise. The seven-year veteran matched a career-high 15.5 sacks and earned his first All-Pro honor by adding 29 QB hits, 17 tackles for loss and two forced fumbles. Jones continued his great play into the postseason, particularly in the AFC Championship Game (2.0 sacks, five QB hits, three TFLs), and he's been an essential figure throughout the reign of the defending Super Bowl champions.
But before he laces them up for his eighth season, Jones is making his absence felt, and the 29-year-old is willing to accrue big fines to do so.
