Photo Credit: Kim Klement/ USA TODAY Sports
Atlanta Falcons: The Falcons have started off training camp on a sick note literally since some of the coaching staff and players have caught a stomach bug that sidelined them. Atlanta’s new coaching staff which includes HC Dan Quinn, DC Richard Smith, and OC Kyle Shanahan looks to be a welcoming change for them and hopefully will lead to more success.
Right now, QB Matt Ryan seems to be adjusting well to Shanahan’s new scheme and with the high-pressure situations Ryan has been put under during camp, it looks like he could finally get back to his 2012 former glory. While most of the Falcons rookies have been progressing along steadily, right now most of them are out sick including first-round pick Vic Beasley, fifth-round pick Justin Hardy and third-round pick Tevin Coleman along with Devonta Freeman. The injuries of Freeman and Coleman water down the chances of the Falcons having a good running back, but they make up for it with good wide receivers.
Devin Hester, Julio Jones, and Roddy White bring plenty of talent in terms of wide receivers in case they end up with a less than stellar running back. The defensive line is looking promising especially with S Ricardo Allen and DE Adrian Clayborn. Allen is looking to make a comeback and so far, he looks like he could end up on the starting lineup since his transition from CB to S has brought on tremendous results. Clayborn is a pick up from the Buccaneers and his camp has been glorious. Clayborn has been praised continuously for his athleticism and his explosive presence on the field.
Carolina Panthers: The superstars of Carolina’s camp so far are injuries. OT Jonathan Martin decided to retire after a back injury, DT Kawann Short will be out for an undisclosed amount of time along with DT Star Lotulelei probably missing the beginning of the season due to a stress reaction and another retirement announcement by CB Chris Houston and WR Stephen Hill’s season-ending ACL tear.
With the injury round-up out of the way, it looks like Cam Newton is having a really good camp so far with 8 out of 10 passes completed and with a new wide receiver to take under his wing. With the success of Kelvin Benjamin last year, Newton hopes to repeat that same success with rookie Devin Funchess. Funchess is a second-round pick from Michigan and has been praised for his size, playing style and his ability to take directions from Benjamin and Newton who both praised his work ethic.
Another Panthers rookie really making an impact is RB Cameron Artis-Payne who is able to weave his way out of tough situations instead of just relying on his speed which FB Mike Tolbert described as a “special skill set”. Even though the Panthers have lost some of their strong defensive players, the addition of CB Charles Tillman and S Kurt Coleman bring depth to the defensive line who have players like Luke Kuechly and Thomas Davis. Tillman brings his “peanut punch” which causes him to get fumbles and interceptions whenever he uses it and it seems to be working with a recorded 42 fumbles in his career so far. Coleman is a pick-up from the Chiefs, but it looks like he is adjusting well to being a Panther with more than his fair share of interceptions during camp so far.
New Orleans Saints: It looks like the Saints are having a tough time at camp so far. Their first-round pick, T Andrus Peat is not living up to expectations by any means, but QB Garrett Grayson has had a few moments of glory. The offensive line is really being saved by their running backs, Mark Ingram and Khiry Robinson who both have had successful runs during camp and the scrimmage.
Wide receiver Willie Snead is a new addition to the Saints offense, but already his presence is being felt since he has been making good plays and was even able to make a touchdown catch. With the offense playing fairly poor, it seems like the defense has stepped up their game and camp is theirs for the taking. Two of the Saints draft picks, LBs Stephone Anthony and Hau’oli Kikaha finally had the chance to play with the first-teamers with positive results, maybe signifying their chances at starting roles.
The trade that sent Jimmy Graham to the Seahawks and gave the Saints Max Unger seems to have paid off. Unger has been positively excellent at leaving the pocket clean for Brees and with the other centers on the roster, Unger is certainly a step in the right direction for the struggling offensive line.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: With the first draft pick of the 2015 NFL draft, the Buccaneers selected QB Jameis Winston. Ever since those words were uttered, everyone has been watching and waiting to see how he would fare in the big leagues. So far, it looks like Winston is adjusting rather well, making smart choices in getting rid of the ball and has thrown a surprisingly low number of interceptions.
The offense is looking really impressive even without including Winston with wide receiver Kenny Bell, a target of a lot of passes due to his quick feet, WR Mike Evans with a stellar catch from Winston and RB Doug Martin who has been showing much-needed improvement which has led to him most likely ending up the starter.
The defense is certainly not missing a beat though either. Cornerback Leonard Johnson has been picking off a few interceptions and LB Bruce Carter stonewalled a lot of the running plays. The defense has picked up a lot of interceptions and turnover so far which is certainly good practice for them and good practice for when Winston is in an actual game. Right now, Winston and the Bucs don’t look too bad, but with a 2-14 season behind them, they sure have some catching up to do.
