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1) There is a non-zero chance that Corey Clement will lead all of the Giants’ backers in Week 1. NFL network insider Ian Rapoport announced last week that Saquon Barkley is set to return by week 3 at the latest, which sounded like bad news wrapped in a sandwich of good news. Barkley dropping off the PUP roster on Monday is a good sign, but it indicates that the team already have serious doubts whether the star runner will be ready for the opener.
Clement, meanwhile, is said to have outperformed Devontae Booker in a camp battle to be Barkley’s main replacement.
2) Colts coach Frank Reich said it was a “fair question” to ask if rookie sixth-round quarterback Sam Ehlinger deserved a bigger role after beating nominal starter Jacob Eason in training last week, following Carson Wentz’s foot surgery.
Ehlinger has been a great story so far, but the fact that he goes through his readings faster than a sophomore Eason doesn’t bode well for the Colts’ current setup. Watching young kids for one or three preseason games makes sense, but I still expect the Colts to add another veteran quarterback to the mix before the regular season begins, given the uncertain recovery schedule of Wentz.
3) Something strange is happening with CJ Henderson, the Jaguars cornerback picked up ninth in last year’s draft. After missing the offseason and the start of training camp with injuries and then the reserve / COVID-19 roster, Henderson was out this weekend for personal issues. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler then pointed out that the Jaguars could be listening to commercial offers for Henderson. Is this the case with a new trainer (Urban Meyer) having a short fuse with the selection of a previous diet?
Henderson would certainly have a market if he were available. Whether Henderson is ultimately distributed or not, Tyson Campbell – the first of two second-round picks for the Meyer’s Jags in April – appears to be heading for a big corner role with some flexibility to play inside and out. .
4) There is nothing to worry about when it comes to Odell Beckham Jr.’s cautious return to training camp, with the Browns playing it safe in terms of OBJs not fully training every day or against live defenses. With that warning out of the way, Beckham is a key player to watch next month as he steps up his activities in hopes of playing in Week 1. He may not be ready for a full set of. shots right away.
5) At some point in training camp, a player’s absence changes from a slight preoccupation to a lack of repercussions. This timeline moves faster with recruits. That’s why I already have my doubts that Vikings first-round left tackle Christian Darrisaw and Bears second-round LT Teven Jenkins already missed too much time to start Week 1.
Depth cards are always presented after the draft as if the rookies have resolved holes in the roster. Then the August reality hits with injuries or underperformance. The Athletic’s Chad Graff believes the Vikings forward at Rashod Hill could start the opener against Darrisaw. Third-round goalie Wyatt Davis, also seen as a potential starter for a struggling Minnesota line, may also have missed too much time.
The Bears’ May release of left tackle Charles Leno Jr. was odd at the time and assumed Jenkins could take over immediately. It seems even stranger now, especially with a rookie quarterback at Justin Fields set to enter the field at some point this year. It is difficult to know how and when to sound the alarm in the event of an injury. Bears safety veteran Eddie Jackson, a big part of the team’s defense, is still on the team’s non-football injury list. The bears had 27 players unemployed in a recent practice. Twenty seven!
6) The muscle injury of Saints kicker Wil Lutz reported by Rapoport seems to take Lutz out of the start of the season. Number of potential new starters for week 1 in New Orleans is up to 11.
7) Miami Dolphins avoided extended retention with cornerback Xavien Howard adding some modest incentives to his 2021 season and securing a large chunk of his 2022 salary. This compromise was similar in some ways to how the Packers ended Aaron Rodgers’ standoff at Green Bay without really “New money” in the contract.
Howard’s arrest in December 2019 for domestic violence – on charges that were ultimately dropped when Howard’s fiancee said she did not want to prosecute – did not appear to seriously hamper his desire for an adjustment of his contract with four years remaining, but the restructuring was mostly cosmetic. Rapoport reports that the Dolphins made an “insurance” to review the deal during the offseason based on Howard’s performance and health. That leaves the option for Miami to do nothing if Howard gets injured this season or his game declines, in which case the two sides could be at odds again.
8) The Patriots may need to give Stephon Gilmore more than assurances to get him back on the court. New England’s top cornerback remains quietly on the PUP roster after a serious quadriceps injury. He received a one-year pay rise ahead of the 2020 season and a similar decision could come to him in the coming weeks.
9) 2019 Patriots first-round pick N’Keal Harry will likely always be known around Foxborough as the guy Bill Belichick drafted over AJ Brown and Deebo Samuel, two equally physical spreaders in his draft class. The improvements Harry reported during his third training camp could help him make the 2021 squad, but I still don’t see a path to a major role. Nelson Agholor, Jakobi Meyers, Jonnu Smith, Hunter Henry (except fallout from a recent shoulder injury) and James White will all be ahead of Harry in targets, with Kendrick Bourne also a factor. If anything, a strong preseason for Harry could make him more negotiable.
10) Texans third-round pick Nico Collins played well enough to make it into the starting mix in Houston. Brandin Cooks could end up playing a lot on the inside with Collins and Chris Conley on the outside. Keke Coutee also plans to sneak into the rotation.
11) The FOX broadcast of the Cowboys-Steelers Hall of Fame game gave us some context for Dak Prescott’s shoulder injury. Jay Glazer reported that Prescott’s injury was more typical of a baseball pitcher, so the team sought medical attention for the Texas Rangers. It seems less than ideal. Troy Aikman, who understands how the Cowboys PR machine works better than anyone, said this:
“The Cowboys play it down, but I think when your franchise quarterback misses the time he’s missing out on it, I tend to think it’s probably a little more important than what they led on.”
12) Josh Allen’s contract finally had more guarantees than Patrick Mahomes’ deal with the Chiefs, looking like a five-year $ 164.5 million contract before Buffalo can realistically move on. While this is riskier for the Bills in some ways, it also gives them a ton of leverage in Allen’s future renegotiations. If Allen remains a top 10 quarterback, he will be underpaid early enough in the contract. I’m a little surprised that young quarterbacks are so willing to lock in their long-term flexibility like this when the clearest path to the highest amount – with the most leverage – is a shorter contract like the Pact of Kirk Cousins or even the Prescott Accord.
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