Training camp is here in full force. We're keeping you up to date today with live coverage on NFL Network all day. On NFL.com, we'll be featuring highlights from the television coverage and notes from our reporters in the field. Here are today's whispers.
» We're only six days into Dirk Koetter's camp down in Tampa Bay, but NFL Media's Jeff Darlington, who's covered the Buccaneers extensively throughout the past year, has already noticed a difference with the new head coach at the helm.
"I just think that Dirk Koetter has injected a sense of energy, a sense of urgency," Darlington said, reporting from Bucs camp on Inside Training Camp Live on Wednesday morning. "You're seeing it out here already, these guys are thumping pads pretty good early on. I think the players that are out here do genuinely love the vibe that Koetter is bringing in here."
In January, Koetter replaced Lovie Smith, who was fired after compiling an 8-24 record in his two seasons in Tampa Bay.
» The Jacksonville Jaguars' second-round pick Myles Jack is set to run with the ones on Wednesday:
» The New England Patriots had a pretty good tight end duo in Aaron Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski a few years ago, but Bill Belichick said the group he has now may be even better than those Gronk-Hernandez ones from 2010-12, NFL Media's Courtney Fallon reported:
»New Buffalo Bills running back Reggie Bush apparently still has it:
» Even though Kellen Moorebroke his ankle on Tuesday and is likely out for an extended period of time, NFL Media's Charley Casserly wasn't sold on him as Tony Romo's backup in Dallas anyway.
"I wasn't high on Kellen Moore," Casserly said on ITC Live. "I didn't think they were going to win with Kellen Moore."
Casserly doesn't think fourth-round pickDak Prescott is the answer, either.
"I don't know if he'll ever be ready to play," Casserly said of Prescott. "I'm not as high on him as other people."
So what's Casserly's solution for the Cowboys' backup quarterback woes?
According to NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport, Casserly may just get his wish for the Cowboys.
"There is legitimate interest," Rapoport said on ITC Live. "I'm told the Cowboys -- that would be the name if they are going to bring in a backup."
» Doug Martin changed the name of his Tampa Bay Buccaneers group chat to "Super Bowl champs" recently. It wasn't because of cockiness or arrogance or some big guarantee, however.
As Jameis Winstonexplained on *ITC Live*, it's the running back's way of getting the Bucs to believe in the "law of attraction."
"The law of attraction is just speaking something into existence," the Buccaneers quarterback said. "We truly believe that here. Actually Doug Martin is the one that sent that in the group chat. He sent us a video explaining how the law of attraction works, and at the end of the message, he changed our group chat name to 'Super Bowl champs.' If you can see it, you can grab it. So we definitely see it and we're looking forward to doing our best to grab it."
» It's Tom Brady's birthday today, which could mean avocado ice cream for everybody in the Brady household tonight:
Or the celebration might just end with fans serenading him:
» Casserly made Buccaneers defensive tackle Gerald McCoygive the gameplan for stopping the NFC South's starting quarterbacks on *ITC Live*, and McCoy held nothing back in divulging the keys to stopping some of the NFL's best.
On the Saints' Drew Brees: "Drew Brees, and I can say this because we're buddies, he's 4-foot-3, so if you get push up the middle, it's hard for him to see. That's why you always see him on his tippy toes. So if you get push up the middle, it makes him have to move around a little bit."
On the Panthers' Cam Newton: "The best player in football right now. He's the best escape artist in the NFL. He's big, he's fast, he's elusive, and now he's really understanding the game? He's going to be tough to deal with. You gotta make him throw from the pocket. Once he gets moving around, that's where he's comfortable. You've got to make him sit in there and throw the ball."
On the Falcons' Matt Ryan: "Matty Ice, you have to get him off the spot. Once he gets comfortable, that's when he'll kill you. You have to get him moving around, make him get uncomfortable and throw the ball on the move."
» The New Orleans Saints appear to be happy with their second-round selectionMichael Thomas:
» Jaguars receiver Allen Robinson welcomed rookie Jalen Ramsey to the NFL on Wednesday with this goal-line shimmy for a touchdown:
Ramsey wasn't Robinson's only victim on Wednesday. Prince Amukamara took an L from the veteran wide receiver as well:
» Jaguars defensive end Dante Fowler's surgically repaired knee looks all right:
» The Baltimore Ravens cut Trent Richardson on Tuesday, but John Harbaugh isn't ready to move on from the Cleveland Browns' former first-round pick just yet.
The Ravens coach told reporters after practice on Wednesday that Richardson still could be a Raven down the road.
"Trent has an opportunity to come back in the future," Harbaugh said. "Ozzie (Newsome) had a conversation with him about that. I talked with him at length about a lot of things -- about life and his career -- but also the potential of coming back. He's definitely still on our radar."
The Ravens signed running back Stephen Houston shortly after cutting Richardson, and many assumed that could be the end of Richardson's rocky career. Yet Harbaugh was adamant on Wednesday that Richardson can still play in the NFL.
"It's amazing to me the vitriol and really the hate out there," Harbaugh said. "All he's done is come in here and work as hard as he can, but he's got a knee (injury) and we're making a roster decision. He's done nothing wrong. He's still trying very hard. He's just a young guy who is trying his best to make it in this league. And because he was a top pick, I know that it definitely comes with more scrutiny. Certainly he understands that and he handles it really well.
"He's a good person. He wants to do well. He's a hard worker and there's a possibility at some time, some way, some fashion, he could come back here or somewhere else in the league."
» NFL Media's Mike Garafolo reported on Inside Training Camp Live: Fantasy Spotlight that the Minnesota Vikings' offense could feature a more open passing attack.
"I think they're going to start doing that based on what I'm hearing," Garafolo said.
» If football doesn't go well for the Redskins this year, soccer might.
» New York Jets quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick's hair went from this at the start of camp:
To this:
» The Arizona Cardinals held a press conference Wednesday afternoon to talk about Tyrann Mathieu's new deal, and for owner Michael Bidwill, this contract extension meant a little more than most given what the defensive back has overcome to reach this point.
"We've had a lot of press conferences where we've had extensions of players that are milestones for a professional football player, but today is super special because it's just not a milestone for a football career, it's a life milestone," Bidwill said. "And this life milestone has been through a lot. All of us have challenges in our lives, but I think the story around Tyrann Mathieu is a very special one."
Mathieu also addressed the media, thanking Bidwill and the Cardinals for taking a chance on him:
