NFL Pre-Season Central...Previews,Injuries,Results,Signings,Pictures,Etc,Etc.

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Training camp report date: Rookies and veterans, July 27.

Training camp location: Wofford College, Spartanburg, South Carolina.

Offseason in a nutshell: The Panthers are an interesting test case in 2016 in the scheme vs. talent debate. Theoretically, if a coaching staff did as good a job with Josh Norman as the Panthers did, they would be furious to see all of their time and effort hurled out the window. However, GM Dave Gettleman is one of the best, and his perception of value must be based on what we do not know about the players currently on Carolina's roster and what they're asked to do. We saw a similar exodus in Seattle after the Seahawks began tearing up offenses but also a moderately stable performance level week in and week out.

Player to watch: Zack Sanchez. With the increasing number of teams focusing on the slot for advantages in the passing game, starting a rookie at nickel can have disastrous consequences. But so far, Zack Sanchez has put himself in play while putting the Panthers defensive staff at ease. The versatility of linebackers Luke Kuechly and Shaq Thompson should help negate some of the inexperience, but Sanchez will be put through the fire early in camp. Gettleman showed that he's not afraid to pluck veteran talent when the current roster isn't good enough.

THREE BURNING QUESTIONS:

1. Could Stephen Hill become the ultimate reclamation project?
It was heading that way last year before a knee injury derailed a comeback, but behind the scenes, Panthers wide receivers coach Ricky Proehl has been raving about Hill's work ethic. After being discarded from the Jets -- a team that never had the offensive stability or time to invest in his raw ability -- the Panthers stashed him on their practice squad and went to work. Hill was overjoyed when he was claimed by the Panthers and despite his injury a year ago, is relentlessly positive about cracking the lineup. ESPN's David Newton floated the idea that Hill's continued progress could make Ted Ginn "expendable," and while that may be a bit of a stretch, Hill could go a long way toward adding another dimension to this powerful offense.

2. Will we see more of the younger backs?
At their core, the Panthers are a run-first football team with a starting running back who just hit 29 and has plenty of miles. We saw some nice moments from Cameron Artis-Payne and are wondering if there will be a clear effort to give him more touches this summer. Our guess is that the Panthers would also like to limit the amount of times Cam Newton calls his own number on inside dive or fake plays, and that can be solved by a dependable back end rotation.

3. Does Devin Funchess take off during training camp?
We all can agree that the light came on for 2015 second-round pick Devin Funchess toward the end of last season, which gave Carolina even higher hopes for their vertical offense in 2016, now that Kelvin Benjamin is healthy as well. It was always the dream to pair Newton with rangy receivers who have a seemingly limitless catch radius, and now they have potentially created a three-headed monster -- along with Greg Olsen -- that will be difficult to stop. But Funchess is the key here -- he can take this offense from great to unstoppable in a hurry.

Way-too-early season prediction: My "Irresponsible July Prediction" had the Panthers missing the playoffs, something no Super Bowl losing team has done since the 2006 and 2007 seasons. But the more I look at their supposed defects -- rookie starters at corner, the loss of some stabilizing veterans, a slightly more difficult schedule -- the more I think that the team is good enough to overcome them. After all, they have the best defensive line and linebacking corps in the sport. The Panthers could easily be 6-0 (Broncos, 49ers, Vikings, Falcons, Bucs, Saints) heading into a matchup with the Arizona Cardinals on Oct. 30, and the return of Kelvin Benjamin makes their offense worlds better. Missing the playoffs would take a regression by Cam Newton unlike anything we've seen in recent NFL history, and his coaches feel the No. 1 player in the league is just getting warmed up.

 

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Training camp report date: Rookies July 20, veterans July 27.

Training camp location: The Greenbrier, White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia.

Offseason in a nutshell: Though the Saints were a disaster a year ago and all signs pointed to the team playing without either Sean Payton or Drew Brees in 2016, something happened this offseason to put the rocking boat at ease. While change is sometimes healthy, Payton brought up a good point about an old message being new in a league with so much turnover. There is a sense around the team that after years of expensive free agency miscues and salary cap difficulties, there is actually a bedrock of affordable and potentially explosive talent on the roster. A 2016 second-round pick (Michael Thomas) and a 2014 first-round pick (Brandin Cooks) should be starting at wide receiver. A 2013 third-round pick (Terron Armstead) has developed into one of the five best offensive tackles in the league. First-round pick Sheldon Rankins has been advertised as Aaron Donald Part 2, and lines up next to Cameron Jordan and in front of 2015 first-round pick Stephone Anthony. Obum Gwacham is a name to watch as a situational pass rusher this year, and, on the back end of their defense, Delvin Breaux is a bright young cornerback with a tremendously high upside.

Player to watch: Defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins. Rankins, the subject of a longer piece I did on the pre-draft process back in April, reportedly lived up to the hype during minicamp and is an early favorite to stay on the field all three downs. Camp will provide more of an affirmation -- we have been led to believe that the defensive tackle will be a bully (and his college tape shows that was the case) -- but now we get to see him against Max Unger, Armstead and Andrus Peat every day in practice. For those who love a good training camp pass-rushing drill, it's time to get your popcorn ready.

THREE BURNING QUESTIONS:

1. Are the Saints still in mid-transition to a more power-based offense?
At the moment, New Orleans has three tight ends (Coby Fleener, Josh Hill and Michael Hoomanawanui) who are good enough to see the field on a consistent basis and three running backs (the Tim Hightower comeback continues!) who should earn significant carries. Last year, the offense ranked fourth in the league in plays run off the right guard (78) and eighth in plays run off the left guard (63), which suggests that we could see a more compact version of Payton's offense, even if blocking isn't Fleener's strong suit.

2. Are the Saints still on a hunt for their No. 2 wideout?
A report from NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport on Thursday suggested they were the favorites to land Anquan Boldin -- the best remaining receiver in free agency. Many have projected rookie Michael Thomas in the No. 2 role, which would make for a fascinating under-the-radar training camp battle if Boldin were to hit NOLA. Signing a vet this late in the game doesn't necessarily guarantee a roster spot, either -- just ask former Packers and Giants receiver James Jones. If New Orleans decides to hedge its bets, more entertainment for the rest of us. Regardless, Thomas is worth watching during red zone periods to see if he can deliver on his abilities as a big-bodied natural scorer.

3. Do we see any difference in Drew Brees?
Despite what was an objectively bad Saints season, Brees still nearly hit the 5,000-yard mark, passed for more than 30 touchdowns and reduced his number of interceptions from the year before. He only missed one game despite lingering rotator-cuff issues and treated us to one of the greatest offensive (and worst defensive) games in NFL history in a 52-49 win over the New York Giants. Payton told the crew on "NFL Total Access" recently that he sees absolutely no difference in Brees, which leads us to believe there won't be any special veteran vacation or treatment days this summer.

Way-too-early season prediction: We predicted a monumental divisional shakeup this offseason already (the Panthers missing the playoffs, perhaps?) and that means another team in the division needs to step up. This Saints' defensive line has the potential to be beastly under the right circumstances, and we're buying in. There are teams that surprise us every year, and wouldn't 11 wins for the Saints be a surprise?

 

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Training camp report date: Rookies: Rookies July 24, veterans July 28.

Training camp location: Napa Valley Training Complex, Napa, California.

Offseason in a nutshell: The Raiders are in the running for the dubious distinction of best offseason, which is normally terrifying for a general manager who needed to spend big on the open market to fill gaps in the starting lineup. But Oakland, like Jacksonville, stockpiled the war chest until the timing was right, and now the team has a legitimate chance of winning its division for the first time since 2002. Kelechi Osemele is in town and, more importantly, playing at his natural guard position after the Raiders wisely re-signed tackle Donald Penn. Cornerback Sean Smith is in the fold, as is versatile SAM and pass rusher Bruce Irvin, who should have the chance to do more of what he loves in this defense (rack up sacks). While the loss of Justin Tuck hurts the team's chances of being a consistent, every-down run stopper, Oakland should have enough speed to dominate games.

Player to watch: Linebacker Bruce Irvin. "Versatility" is the most consistent buzzword in the NFL, but thanks to Irvin, the Raiders can show us a tangible definition. Pairing him with Khalil Mack could be a terrifying proposition for NFL offensive coordinators. The scroll of protection audibles alone could be a mile long. Irvin was an eight-sack rookie while playing under current Raiders defensive coordinator (and former Seahawks LB coach) Ken Norton Jr. in Seattle, and now he'll be in a more rush-heavy defense. Training camp will be a great way to discover just how often the team plans on letting both Mack and Irvin loose, and whether the new guy's experience as a traditional 4-3 linebacker will give Oakland the chance to throw out some more exotic looks.

THREE BURNING QUESTIONS:

1. Who completes the all-star offensive line?
It's Menelik Watson vs. Austin Howard in a battle (at right tackle) that will decide who will cap off one of the best on-paper offensive lines in football. According to ESPN.com, Watson has the "upper hand", but either choice would give Oakland a massively thick front five that could do some serious bullying against a lighter nickel or sub front. Watson, a developmental second-rounder in 2013, appeared to be on his way to big things in 2015 before suffering a ruptured Achilles tendon in the preseason. He is certainly the higher-upside option Oakland.

2. Will Oakland develop a dependable second ground option behind Latavius Murray?
It's nearly impossible to count on a running back carrying the load in today's NFL, but Murray, who is coming off a Pro Bowl season in 2015 where he rushed for 1,066 yards and six touchdowns, doesn't seem to have many challengers on the depth chart currently. Speed back Taiwan Jones and veteran Roy Helu round out the top end of Oakland's rotation, with rookie DeAndre Washington coming from behind. Washington has drawn early comparisons to Doug Martin, but at 5-foot-8 and a notch above 200 pounds, he's more likely the team's hopeful answer as a third-down back, having caught 41 balls during his senior season at Texas Tech.

3. Does Karl Joseph get off to a fast start?
Joseph will start no matter what -- a ballhawk and brutal tackler like that doesn't waste away on special teams alone. Depending on how physical the Raiders want to be in training camp, we might not see some of his brightest attributes until the games count in September. Assuming Joseph survives the white board tedium of late July and August, we should emerge from camp with a fuller picture of how the Raiders plan on using their first-round pick and whether he'll fit into the booming Kam Chancellor role that Norton is very familiar with.

Way-too-early season prediction: It's time for this team to win double-digit games. No more excuses, no more drooling over potential. If Oakland does not win at least 10 games this year, it will be a massive disappointment that should be shouldered by the coaching staff. This team has a quarterback well above replacement level, a Pro Bowl running back, one of the best offensive lines in the NFL, arguably the second-best defensive player in football and a rotating cast of fine role players. The division is weak for the first time in half a decade and it is Oakland's to steal.

 

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Camp report date: Rookies: July 25; Veterans: July 28.

Camp location: 76 Lou Groza Blvd., Berea, Ohio.

Offseason in a nutshell: With mountains of new data available, we have expected change to hit the straight edge NFL for the last five seasons to no avail. The closest we got was the promise of Chip Kelly, whose revolutionary ideas included health and nutrition standards employed by certain Olympic athletes since the early 1990s -- which were then blown incredibly out of proportion. But the Browns give us hope. Their draft trade-back performance, while not completely out of the ordinary, was one of the closest examples we've seen of a team following the work of Cade Massey and Richard Thaler, who produced a dynamic study about the overvaluing of first-round draft picks. This team needs to get better and more efficient in a hurry and if nothing else, the 2016 training camp should be fun to watch with a bevy of young, unproven talent on the field.

Player to watch in camp: Robert Griffin III: We hate to be obvious, but this is one of the most fascinating reclamation attempts we've seen in the NFL over the past decade. For now, we'll take the reports of Griffin's underwhelming offseason with a grain of salt. Cleveland-area reporters and fans have been conditioned to expect meh over the past decade and absent of Griffin standing on his head and hurling a 90-yard touchdown pass between his legs, they were not likely to be impressed. Having seen Griffin in person late last season and having heard reports early this season about his size, strength and health, that seems to be the most important factor heading into training camp. In terms of how Griffin will be on the field when games actually count, we'll find out very early in August. Training camp is as much about bonding -- and for Griffin, developing the sort of humility that can help him gel with new teammates and leave the past behind -- as it is memorizing concepts and perfecting footwork. It is very easy to tell if things are not running smoothly over a three-hour practice.

THREE BURNING QUESTIONS:

1. Will first-round pick Corey Coleman arrive in playing shape?
Coach Hue Jackson made it clear during organized team activities that his new wide receiver needed "to get into shape." It wasn't a knock on Coleman per se, but instead a blanket statement about the quick transition all rookies need to go through in the five weeks between mandatory minicamp and the start of training camp. However, Jackson seems to have decided that Coleman will earn extra special attention over the coming months, which should be a joy to watch up close given Jackson's style. While players at some positions struggle to make the leap, we've seen wide receivers come in and be difference-makers right away. Coleman is good enough to negate some of the deficiencies the team has on offense, but will he play that way?

2. What can we expect when Emmanuel Ogbah and Carl Nassib put the pads on?
Ogbah and Nassib are the near future of Cleveland's pass rush, with Nassib checking in on some offseason lists as a sleeper candidate to win Defensive Rookie of the Year. While that is wildly premature, there is no question that his first few one-on-one battles against the likes of Joe Thomas will be tracked breathlessly. Nassib, in a way, defines the new Browns regime. According to some scouts who tracked him throughout the draft, he's a player being judged on production above body type and athletic minutiae and could help usher in a brand of toughness that this defense has not seen in quite some time.

3. Can the Hue Jackson effect take hold early?
Even during the brief Believeland renaissance under Mike Pettine there was a feeling that the wheels would soon to fall off. The team was top heavy with star players at non-skill positions and saddled under an aging mish-mosh of talent. Cleveland seems to have eradicated some of this over the past few months and has surrounded itself with perennial underdogs; recently-fired, high-upside coordinators like Pep Hamilton and Ray Horton, draft picks and free agents with something to prove, a quarterback looking to save a promising career. This is all a powerful tool in the hands of a man known to some as a master motivator. If Jackson can make it work, perhaps the turnaround doesn't take as long as we expected.

Way too early season prediction: The Browns won three games a season ago, and aren't expected to win many more this season. Doubling that total would represent a massive success in Year 1 from Jackson -- along the lines of what Jackson's mentor Marvin Lewis did in Cincinnati during his first year (quadrupled the win total, from two to eight). At the moment, assuming Robert Griffin III can get to the point where he plays replacement-level football, we count 11 winnable games on Cleveland's schedule. Our guess is the Browns win between five and seven total.

 

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This is the longest streak in NFL history.