- If you're like us, you're counting down the days (4) until the opening of the Preseason on Sunday in Canton. Every team is now in camp, and NFL.com and NFL Network are your sources for the inside scoop. Every day we'll feature highlights from the television coverage and insights from our reporters in the field. Here's Wednesday's batch: *
» Cowboys fans, * NFL Network * will have exclusive live coverage of practice in Oxnard tonight at 8 ET.
» NFL Network's Willie McGinest was inducted into the Patriots' Hall of Fame Wednesday night, signing a ceremonial contract with the team during the event. "I was in a place where it was never about the individual," McGinest told NFL Network's Lindsay Rhodes about his time with New England. "I have to get used to taking personal accolades like this, so it's a great feeling."
» Dolphins QB Ryan Tannehill joined Jeff Darlington and our resident GM Charley Casserly after morning practice in Davie, Florida. "If you look at the (receiving) group as a whole, they're really a talented group, and once we have DaVante (Parker) back they'll really be a tough group to stop," Tannehill told our crew. "We saw his natural ability in the spring, what he was able to do from day one just with his catch radius and his ability adjust to the football and win one on one matchups."
» Casserly discussed speculation former Eagles OL Evan Mathis might land in Miami and said the guard might need to lower his asking price: "Evan Mathis is not a $5 million player anymore in my opinion, and in the opinion of a lot of people, because he's unemployed right now."
» Casserly on new Dolphin Ndamukong Suh: "Worth every penny they paid him. Disruptive guy, explodes off the football, changes the energy of the entire group." Another bit on Suh: Dolphins DE Cameron Wake told our crew he and Suh have gotten off on the right foot and went to dinner together shortly after Suh signed.
» Casserly identified some high notes from Dolphins' practice (Tannehill, Suh), but was concerned OL Branden Albert, who tore his ACL and MCL in Week 10 last season, was not practicing. "They absolutely need him to make their offensive line effective. Without him, this team will struggle on offense," Casserly reported. Candidates to work in place of Albert include Billy Turner, who Casserly liked on Wednesday, as well as Dallas Thomas, Jamil Douglas and Jeff Linkenbach.
» Darlington is working from his home turf in Miami-Dade County today, but he found time to check in on a source with the Tennessee Titants. From their text conversation about QB Marcus Mariota:
» Pierre Thomas and Joe McKnight will be in Texans camp as the team tries to fill the hole left by the injured Arian Foster, per NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport. Coach Bill O'Brien confirmed that Foster suffered a groin injury, and Rapoport reported the back likely headed to half-season injured reserve.
» NFL Network's Brian Billick, who won a Super Bowl as the Ravens' head coach, is in Owings Mills, Maryland, with the team. He addressed new offensive coordinator Marc Trestman and how QB Joe Flacco will respond to yet another new system: "Joe will tell you he's kind of energized by it... the fact that it forces you to maybe prepare in a way that you wouldn't if it was the same coordinator and the same system."
» In Renton, Washington, with the Seahawks, Michael Robinson weighed in on how Lemuel JeanPierre will step in at center for Max Unger, who was traded this offseason to the Saints for TE Jimmy Graham: "He will be a great replacement for Max Unger and he must be a great replacement for Max Unger if this running game is to have the success it has had in recent years."
» TE Jimmy Graham told Robinson about his transition to Seattle. "At first it was a shock," Graham said, but he added that now he's enjoying his role in the offense. "I know when (QB Russell Wilson) rolls out I'll be the biggest thing on the field, so hopefully he'll throw it my way."
» The man formerly known as Johnny Football may have reinvented himself, but the QB competition appears to be over. Rapoport reports that Josh McCown, who has impressed as a passer and as a mentor, will almost certainly beat out Johnny Manziel. "From what I'm told McCown will start," Rapoport said.
» Chiefs DB Eric Berry, back after a diagnosis of Hodgkin's Lymphona last December, is making progress and had an interception in Tuesday's practice. He's also a giant among fans, signing autographs after every practice session.
» 49ers QB Colin Kaepernick says the team is benefiting from a "fix-it" portion of practice where they can revisit plays that broke down during the first attempt. Kaepernick is also taking plays through his helmet receiver and making the calls to players in a game-style huddle, a process he said he recommends to all the league's QBs.
» This probably qualifies as a bit of "common knowledge" rather than a "whisper," but the Bills are trying to sort out a quarterback battle of also-rans. Observe Matt Cassell, EJ Manuel, Tyrod Taylor, and Matt Simms dropping back:
» We're just getting started here at "whispers" as we work our way toward live coverage of tonight's Cowboys practice in Oxnard.
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