Tag: competition

Russell Wilson looks healthy enough, but what’s the real story?

Is Russell Wilson’s calf injury as bad as Pittsburgh is making it out to be? Or, is this dramatized and only the tip of proverbial iceberg?

‘To Russ, or not to Russ, that is the question’ (Shakespeare, maybe?)

What on earth is going on with Russell Wilson’s calf injury? It appeared that Wilson was simply being held out of the Steelers’ regular-season debut for precautionary reasons, but missed the next three Weeks straight. Even though Justin Fields looked deflated through the first two weeks of the season, Wilson continued to nurse his injury while the latter earned the team’s trust with consecutive elite performances in Weeks 3 and 4.

Russell Wilson isn’t the only player with an “injury” designation that has fans scratching their heads, as many also ponder why WR Roman Wilson hasn’t played either:

Could this be some sort of PR stunt for the Steelers QB, in which the team provides Wilson with an alternative option to avoid facing the humiliation of losing the quarterback battle to Fields?

We may never find out exactly what is happening with the pair of injured Wilsons in Pittsburgh, but Mike Tomlin sure loves to keep his cards close to the vest.

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Dennis Allen keeping decision at strong safety ‘close to the vest’

Signs point to Will Harris as your starting strong safety next to Tyrann Mathieu, but Dennis Allen won’t confirm or deny:

When the New Orleans Saints waived Johnathan Abram, it seemed pretty safe to assume that Will Harris had won the starting strong safety role next to Tyrann Mathieu. Don’t look to Dennis Allen, however, to confirm or deny your suspicions. After roster cuts on Tuesday, Allen declined to answer what the plans were at that position.

He does make it clear the Saints do have the answer, but prefer to keep it to themselves at the time. Allen told reporters, “I know we know what we’re doing. I’m not going to make any declarations.” Heading into game week, Allen feels it’s best to “keep decisions like close to the vest” and hopes the media can appreciate that.

So for right now, all you have is your assumptions. Harris and Abram seemed to be clearly ahead of Jordan Howden. With Abram not on the 53-mann roster at the moment, that only leaves one viable option. Harris has impressed as training camp went on and earned his way into starting preseason games.

Dennis Allen may not confirm it, but all signs point to Will Harris starting at strong safety versus the Panthers.

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Will Harris elbows his way into Saints’ competition at safety

The New Orleans Saints started Will Harris opposite Tyrann Mathieu on Sunday. Here’s an update on their search for a starting safety:

The New Orleans Saints’ strong safety battle was believed to be between Johnathan Abram and Jordan Howden. At one point that may have been true, but it would be irresponsible to not insert Will Harris into the conversation after Sunday’s game with the San Francisco 49ers. Harris got the nod ahead of both players when the starting defense took the field.

With Dennis Allen’s lack of commitment to any player, this shouldn’t come as a surprise that players could make a late push to start next to Tyrann Mathieu.

There’s an argument to be made that Harris should be considered the frontrunner. He started the second preseason game, an honor that previously belonged to Abram the week before. Reports from camp have been that Harris was in the mix, and that was on full display on Sunday.

Howden looks to be firmly in last place, and he always felt like the odd man out. Howden is best suited to line up deep downfield, but that’s  a role manned by Mathieu. Howden played at free safety next to Abram with the second unit, a clear display of where he stands in the pecking order at strong safety.

Howden’s missed tackle against Joshua Dobbs at the goal line was the exact mistake he couldn’t afford to make. It was a miscue in tackling and physicality. These are two traits Allen specified he is looking for from the position.

With one preseason game to go, Harris and Abram seem to be the most likely starters. It’ll be interesting to see who gets the nod against the Tennessee Titans next Sunday. All of this uncertainty makes missing out on Justin Simmons sting just a little bit more.

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Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener should switch roles vs. 49ers

The New Orleans Saints backup QB battle continues vs. the 49ers. Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener should be in line for a role-reversal:

Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener are embroiled in the New Orleans Saints’ most compelling training camp battle. The battle is the epitome of iron sharpening iron, and it heats up the closer we get to the regular season.

Backup quarterback battles don’t typically see as much attention, but the Saints are a special case. Derek Carr is the starting quarterback, but the battle feels like more than just being the backup. The feeling is Haener and Rattler are fighting to be the top choice for the heir apparent.

As quarterbacks, there can only be one on the field at a time. Last week, Haener entered the game immediately after Carr then Rattler handled the entire second half. The exact time on the field will be impacted by the first team’s usage, but in general, Rattler and Haener should switch roles against the 49ers.

This is typically the case in quarterback battles, so if it doesn’t happen, it should be taken as a sign Haener has the edge over Rattler.

The thought process is allow Rattler and Haener showcase their abilities with the same supporting cast. The only way for that to be possible is for them to alternate in the pecking order. Can Haener elevate the third-string offennse? Can Rattler make more plays on  the second team? It’s worth trying them out to see. Next week will be the final part of the evaluation. Who’s starting between the two young quarterbacks will be telling.

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Saints’ safety battle next to Tyrann Mathieu remains wide open

Dennis Allen is still waiting for Johnathan Abram or Jordan Howden to jump up and claim the starting job next to Tyrann Mathieu at safety:

Johnathan Abram and Jordan Howden are in a tight battle for starting at  safety next to Tyrann Mathieu. But in Dennis Allen’s eyes, neither one of them have jumped up and taken that position as a starter yet at New Orleans Saints training camp.

Want a sign of how tight this race is? Howden was the leader on the unofficial depth chart, but Abram walked out with the starting unit versus the Arizona Cardinals in their first preseason game.

“I haven’t seen anything from any one of those safeties yet where someone has just jumped out at me and said ‘This is my job,'” Allen said Wednesday.

It’s not a full indictment of the position. Allen likes what he’s seen from the safeties, but the way he puts it, no one has “taken the bull by the horns and said ‘This is my job.'”

So what is Allen looking for out of the position? He wants a player that make plays, has production, and displays physicality. When asked about Howden’s lessened playing time at the end of his rookie year, Allen pointed to those three things as areas he needed to improve on.

Allen views this as a position that’s in a place to rack up interceptions, pass breakups and tackles because of how they use their defense. At its peak, this position should be a playmaker. That’s why they worked to recruit Justin Simmons last week, and why they’re waiting to see what move he makes on his free agency tour.

This is likely why the team has continued its pursuit for Justin Simmons this offseason. Simmons could put Mathieu in this role, and he’d check every box.

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Jake Haener is rising to the occasion in Saints’ QB2 battle

He may not get as many headlines, but Jake Haener has performed well this training camp and in the Saints’ preseason opener:

Spencer Rattler is a New Orleans Saints fan favorite, and it’s led to Jake Haener flying under the radar. The Saints’ preseason matchup with the Arizona Cardinals was a perfect example of this. By the end of the night, the talk around the battle focused on Rattler’s touchdown run and game-winning drive.

Haener’s 58-yard bomb to A.T. Perry at the end of the first half was a highlight that faded to the background in conversation. That’s partially because Rattler was the last quarterback to see the field, and people tend to talk about what they saw most recently. The sentiment isn’t isolated to the game.

Haener has performed well throughout practice but maybe hasn’t had the same splash plays. The second year quarterback has been steady throughout practice and that translated into the first preseason game.

When Haener entered the game, you saw the offense begin to get the quarterback moving. He rolled out after a play action fake and lofted a pass to rookie tight end Dallin Holker. The defender’s placement made it a tougher throw, but it’s a simple play.

Jake Haener went 9 for 13 with 107 passing yards. This included multiple smart plays and one explosive play. Haener may not receive as many headlines, but there’s a reason the battle between him and Rattler is tightly contested.

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Wisconsin HC Luke Fickell discusses significant update to Badgers quarterback competition

Wisconsin HC Luke Fickell discusses significant update to Badgers quarterback competition

Wisconsin head coach Luke Fickell avoided naming veteran transfer Tyler Van Dyke the Badgers’ prohibitive starting quarterback on Sunday evening when he met with the media.

His comments came after the team finished its satellite camp at UW-Platteville, as it now prepares to return to campus in Madison for the final two weeks of preparation before beginning the season on Aug. 30.

Related: Full previews for every Wisconsin football position group entering 2024 season

Fickell’s comments also came after Sunday’s practice saw a notable development in the ongoing quarterback competition between Van Dyke and redshirt sophomore Braedyn Locke: Van Dyke handled all of the reps with the first-team offense.

Fickell had previously noted that the position’s depth chart would become clear through camp reps, as opposed to him outwardly announcing a starter. Connecting those pieces together, Van Dyke appears to have emerged as the Badgers clear starter entering the season.

Wisconsin’s head coach, however, carefully avoided calling the race.

“I just said as we head back to campus, the human element is what starts to creep in to everybody’s program,” Fickell said. “As you get closer to games, you start to solidify who’s in what spot. That’s the tough thing. At some point in time we will have a ‘1’ quarterback and a ‘1b.'”

Fickell went on to note that the Badgers have “two really good, really capable quarterbacks.” Again, avoiding officially naming a starter despite the practice reps leaning toward the veteran.

Van Dyke taking the Badgers’ first offensive snap of the season would be no surprise. The former ACC Rookie of the Year has three years of starting experience, 30 starts, 7,469 career passing yards and 54 career touchdown passes.

While his 2023 season at Miami was a struggle, the Badgers prioritized him in the transfer portal this winter. Adding an established veteran in today’s age of college football usually means that player starts Week 1, while the younger recruits in the room continue to develop.

All indications are that will be the case with the Badgers in Week 1, whether or not Fickell officially calls the race before that date.

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Training camp spotlight: Spencer Rattler vs. Jake Haener

With Jameis Winston now a Cleveland Brown, will Jake Haener or Spencer Rattler replace him as Derek Carr’s primary backup with the Saints?

The New Orleans Saints let Jameis Winston walk in free agency and now have to decide whether to replace him with Jake Haener or Spencer Rattler.

Derek Carr is the clear-cut starter at quarterback, but who is going to back him up? He had to leave two games last year. with injuries You hope that doesn’t happen again, but it’s important to be prepared.

Regardless of whether it’s Haener or Rattler, the Saints’ backup quarterback will be inexperienced. Haener was drafted last year, and Rattler is an incoming rookie. Neither man has ever suited up to play a regular season game in the NFL.

Haener has the edge of going through a full training camp and preseason last summer, and he’s been putting in the work this offseason to learn from that experience. That slight gap was shown during minicamp and organized team activities. He appeared to be the sharper quarterback in the early portions of the offseason.

If either of these men have to start a game, they’ll be the first Saints starting quarterback to be drafted by the team in over 20 years, excluding Ian Book, who started one game due to COVID-19 absences and injuries. Crazy times.

The battle won’t conclude until at least the end of the preseason. Carr may only appear in one game for a single drive or two, as he did last year, leaving two more games for each quarterback to take an entire half. If this the route New Orleans takes, Rattler and Haener should both start a game a piece. We’ll see what the plan is in the weeks ahead.

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Kingsley Suamataia explains biggest challenge of Chiefs’ training camp

#Chiefs OL Kingsley Suamataia told reporters about the biggest challenge he has faced at training camp.

Kansas City Chiefs’ quarterbacks and rookies reported to training camp on Tuesday, as the team looks to defend their back-to-back Super Bowl titles.

Suamataia, when asked about which aspect of training camp he expects to be the most challenging, made it clear that one thing stood out from the rest.

“I would say the playbook. That really – you know, all of us – we’re all talented guys,” Suamataia said. “I mean, that’s why you’re in the league [and] in the NFL, but it’s who’s going to put that foot forward and dive into the playbook more and really know the offense inside and out. I would say that would be the biggest [challenge].”

As the starting left tackle spot remains unclaimed at training camp, Suamataia’s ability to learn Andy Reid’s offense could make or break his bid to top Kansas City’s depth chart as a rookie. Keeping Patrick Mahomes upright is the most important job for the offensive line.

Nick Saldiveri leads Saints’ left guard battle heading into training camp

Nick Saldiveri handled most first team reps at left guard and will look to cement his place in the starting lineup at Saints training camp:

The New Orleans Saints offensive line was arguably the position filled with the most uncertainty this offseason. Some clarity has been gained after minicamp and organized team activities, but there will be three battles fought along that unit in training camp.

Nick Saldiveri seems to be in the lead to start at left guard and complete the interior unit along with Erik McCoy and Cesar Ruiz, the only returning starters. New Orleans traded up to draft Saldiveri in the first pick of Day 3 of the 2023 draft. A year later, Andrus Peat and James Hurst are out of the picture leaving the starting left guard position vacant.

Walking out of minicamp, Saldiveri appeared to be first in line to fill that vacancy. In the second open OTA practice, he took all the first team reps. That continued until he exited with a hamstring or groin injury during minicamp that isn’t expected to sideline him through the summer. This points to him being in the lead in the battle.

Saldiveri will have to firmly clinch the starting role once pads are put on and preseason starts. He’s battling with Shane Lemieux, who he was originally splitting first team reps with. Oli Udoh will join the competition upon his return from an injury, and Lucas Patrick completes the group. The left guard position has a lot of contenders, and Nick Saldiveri stands at the top heading into training camp.

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