OTAs officially started last week, but they didn't really ramp up until Monday. Now that most of the NFL has started practicing, what have we learned?
- The Giants could be without Hakeem Nicks in Week 1 following foot surgery. But they are pros at dealing with injuries.
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- The Dolphins know when they want to decide their quarterback battle. The Titans do not. (The Browns are just pretending to have a battle at all.)
- Miami owner Steven Ross sees Matt Moore as the favorite to start in Miami, which has David Garrard fired up. For now, Ryan Tannehill is third in line for snaps.
- The Seahawks are taking this three-way quarterback competition seriously. Matt Flynn gets a day. Tarvaris Jackson gets a day. Rookie Russell Wilson gets a day. Flynn got the $10 million guaranteed, but he's not going to get the snaps that he needs to prepare for the season at this rate.
- Kellen Winslow is a Seahawk. Just don't expect him to make a huge impact. There's a reason he was traded for a conditional seventh-round pick.
- Lions wide receiver Titus Youngsucker punched a teammate last week, and he's not allowed to go to Lions OTAs this week. Just don't call it a suspension.
- There is a ten-year labor agreement, but there is no labor peace on the horizon. The league and NFLPA continue to battle on multiple fronts, including ones we didn't see coming.
- Right or wrong, the 49ers are really convinced the old Randy Moss is back. Really.
- Chad Ochocinco had a rough week off the field and on it.
- Perhaps the most noteworthy thing about OTAs are the guys who aren't able to practice. LaRon Landry, Jon Beason, Jamaal Charles, Andre Johnson, Rashard MendenhallThomas Davis, Morris Claiborne, Brian Urlacher, Beanie Wells, and Rob Gronkowski are all out for OTA season. Johnny Knox may not come back this season at all.
- Beason may be hurt, but he'd also top our list of guys we'd want in our corner after his defense of teammate Cam Newton.(Even if we agree with Alex Smith's criticism of total passing yards as a stat.)
- It's the time of year for players to try new places on the field. Even big stars like Mario Williams and Clay Matthews are changing places.
- Jonathan Vilma was in the news for something offensive, and it wasn't bounty-related. (Well, the bounty stuff hasn't gone away either.)
- If Tebow-Sanchez is this crazy after one practice, we can't wait for September. Neither can Sanchez's agent. Or LoLo Jones.
- Billy Cundiff is trying to forget about the AFC Championship, but those meddlesome Patriots painters won't let him.
- Paul Kruger will be asked to replace Terrell Suggs. No sweat.
- The Steelers are trying to keep Ben Roethlisberger in the pocket. That's going to put more pressure than ever on Todd Haley.
And that's the week that was. We may even try this exercise again next week. Unless no one reads this or we get too lazy.
