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

[Greenbacks]

Clinton McDonald: Noah Spence can be '10-sack player'.

Following the 2016 NFL Draft, Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht touted No. 39 overall pick Noah Spence as "one of, if not the, best pure pass rusher" available.
Spence teamed with former Giants defensive end Robert Ayers to spearhead a swarming Tampa Bay pass rush that tagged Eagles quarterbacks with four sacks and 10 hits in the preseason opener.

On the heels of a sizzling training camp, Spence is taking on the look of a legitimate Defensive Rookie of the Year candidate.
In a Friday interview with WDAE's Tom Krasniqi, veteran defensive tackle Clinton McDonald raved, via JoeBucsFan.com, that Spence has "the capability to be a 10-sack player this season."
A first-round talent who fell to the second round due to off-field concerns, Spence was a disruptive force as a nickel rusher beating Philadelphia's left tackles in the first half of Thursday night's game.

"Noah Spence went in there on the second play, the second play of the game in our starting nickel package," said Dirk Koetter said. "Noah, like our entire D-line, affected the quarterback all night."
Earlier in the week, Koetter noted that the Buccaneers' offensive linemen had gotten used to Spence bringing "lightning off the edge" in training camp practices.

"(He's been) solid every day," Koetter added, via ESPN.com. "Every day the kid flashes. For a rookie, he hasn't hit any slump days, so to speak, where he's had an off day. Every day he flashes; he's got a nice motor, he pushes himself hard."
Outside of Pro Bowl defensive tackle Gerald McCoy and standout linebacker Lavonte David, the Bucs' front seven has been noticeably lacking in impact players over the past half-decade. With Spence and Ayers bringing the heat off the edge, this defense should show substantial improvement in 2016.

 

[Greenbacks]

Injuries: Jamaal Charles off PUP, back at Chiefs practice.

Jamaal Charles is back.
The Kansas City Chiefs announced Tuesday that the star running back is coming off the physically unable to perform list and will practice on a "limited basis."
Charles is a little less than a year removed from an ACL tear that prematurely ended his 2015 season.
This is a long time coming for the Chiefs' biggest offensive weapon. The offense functions at its optimal speed with Charles in the backfield, though they loaded up on safety nets this offseason. Charcandrick West and Spencer Ware earned contract extensions while Knile Davis and Darrin Reaves are still hanging around.

Charles likely will remain a stranger to Chiefs fans throughout the preseason. Coach Andy Reid had said previously that Charles would likely be ready for Week 1 while general manager John Dorsey said he was "optimistic" that Charles would make it to the field on Sept. 11 against the Chargers.
The Chiefs haven't wavered in talking about Charles within the Week 1 time frame, which means he could have a little bit of rehabilitation work ahead of him. At the least, Charles can knock off some of the rust in walkthrus.

Here are some other injuries we've been monitoring Tuesday:

1. The Detroit Lions removed linebacker DeAndre Levy from the active / non-football injury list. Levy was limited to just one game last season due to a preseason hip injury and a torn labrum.

2. Dallas Cowboys tight end James Hanna reportedly will undergo knee surgery and is in danger of missing the team's season opener. Hanna was placed on the PUP list at the start of training camp because of bone bruise.

 

[Greenbacks]

Adrian Peterson will play in preseason 'if he wants to'.

There comes a time when some NFL players reach a level of insurmountable fame that even the most Parcells-ian of head coaches are rendered powerless to control.
In Minnesota, that person is Adrian Peterson and his coach, Mike Zimmer, was asked when or if the star running back would be taking preseason snaps.
"If he wants to," Zimmer said, via the Star-Tribune.
He added: "Well, I'm going to sit down and talk to him about it. If he wants to play, we'll discuss what we think. If he goes in there, he's probably not going to get one pass and out. He's going to play."


According to the Tribune, Peterson has not taken the field before the regular season opener in three years and has not logged a rushing stat in the preseason in five years. While it makes perfect sense given the short lifespan at the position and the increased potential for a devastating injury, Zimmer at least seems remotely interested in seeing his offensive centerpiece against another opponent before their season opener on Sept. 11.


Peterson himself said back in May that he was 'itching' to play in the preseason, and agreed with Zimmer's assessment from 2015 that, after so much time away, Peterson could benefit from working in an exhibition game.
The problem, of course, is that it's just too easy not to. Peterson has a remarkable track record of staying healthy save for the torn ACL he suffered in 2011. He knows his body well enough to decide whether the risk of preseason football is worth taking. That is a crucial part of what makes a great player great, and what earns him the right to choose whether he works before September.

 

[Greenbacks]

The Dolphins are in full pads today in preparation for their second preseason game against the Cowboys.

 

[Greenbacks]

Dolphins LT Branden Albert (pictured) is getting a rest day today. That could mean more reps for first-round pick Laremy Tunsil.

 

[Greenbacks]

Tyrod Taylor will receive a $3.5 million roster bonus today as part of his extension signed last week. He has a fully-guaranteed $2.6M base salary this season and he received a modest $3.4M signing bonus.

 

[Greenbacks]

Dolphins rookie Laremy Tunsil is the first-team LG today to start practice, even with starting LT Branden Albert having a rest day. Interesting.

 

[Greenbacks]

Pro Bowl tight end Greg Olsen not at practice for the second straight day. Panthers coach Ron Rivera said on Monday that Olsen was experiencing back spasms that were muscle related, possibly because of the heat.

 

[Greenbacks]

For Ravens practice Tuesday, WR Chris Moore (foot) has returned and RT Rick Wagner (undisclosed) is a new absence. There are 16 players not practicing: WR Chris Matthews, TEs Maxx Williams, Dennis Pitta and Daniel Brown, G John Urschel, S Kendrick Lewis, CBs Tavon Young, Sheldon Price, Kyle Arrington and Sam Brown, DE Bronson Kaufusi, Wagner and four on PUP (Steve Smith, Elvis Dumervil, Breshad Perriman and Lorenzo Taliaferro)

 

[Greenbacks]

Interesting sight: Dolphins HOF QB Dan Marino was giving tips to WR DeVante Parker on the sidelines during a break in practice. Parker soaked in some knowledge.

 

[Greenbacks]

Dennis Kelly is a 6-foot-8, 321-pound fourth-year offensive lineman. The Eagles drafted him out of Purdue in the fifth round in 2012. He has 15 starts and 30 games played with time at right tackle (nine starts) and guard (four starts at RG, two at LG) during his NFL career in Philadelphia.

 

[Greenbacks]

The Jets swapped running backs, signing Antone Smith (Bears, Falcons) and putting Bernard Pierce (hamstring) on IR.

 

[Greenbacks]

The Titans have spent way too much time in their history waiting on receivers with potential to pan out. See Tyrone Calico, Kenny Britt, Justin Hunter and Dorial Green-Beckham. I'm surprised by the trade, but applaud the change in approach and thinking by general manager Jon Robinson.

 

[Greenbacks]

As Patriots and Bears begin 1-on-1 work, CB Malcolm Butler and WR Alshon Jeffery -- who fought Monday and were ejected from practice -- initially worked on different sides of the formation. On their first and only matchup late in the drill, Jeffery beat Butler on a deep throw down the right sideline.

 

[Greenbacks]

Jalen Ramsey, Myles Jack, Davon House back at practice for the Jaguars. Aaron Colvin (ankle), James Sample (shoulder) still out.

 

[Greenbacks]

Patriots WR Julian Edelman takes a late hit/cheap shot from Bears second-year DB Harold Jones-Quartey that knocked him to the ground after he caught a short pass. That had Bears coach John Fox coming on to the field to settle things down. Jones-Quartey was then told to head to the sideline.

 

[Greenbacks]

Brandon LaFell isn't participating in the Bengals' walkthrough today, a sign he probably won't play Thursday at Detroit. Rookie WR Cody Core is catching passes after leaving Monday's practice early with a hand injury. OT Cedric Ogbuehi, dealing with a toe injury, is absent a second straight day. Jake Fisher could be at right tackle a couple weeks.

 

[Greenbacks]

Dolphins RB Arian Foster is expected to make his 2016 debut on Friday against the Cowboys, according to Miami coach Adam Gase. Foster is returning from an Achilles injury but has practiced the past two weeks without any setbacks.

 

[Greenbacks]

Ravens QB Joe Flacco has not missed a rep and he hasn't favored it in practice. But he doesn't want to make it seem like everything is perfect. "My knee isn't 100 percent but I feel great," Flacco said.

 

[Greenbacks]