Tag: minicamp

10 biggest OTAs and minicamp standouts for Patriots

Who stood out the most for the Patriots during the spring practices?

The New England Patriots have finished up the last of their spring practices and will be taking the next few weeks off before returning in late July for training camp.

Even though the players weren’t in pads, things clearly got competitive on the practice field. Just ask Anfernee Jennings, Christian Barmore and Cole Strange, who were all involved in a brief dust-up during organized team activities.

We didn’t get a full course meal, but we were able to feast on enough appetizers to know this team is ready for training camp. The defense could be a real juggernaut in 2023, and the additional playmakers, particularly the rookies, could play a major role right out of the gates.

Meanwhile, the offense has shown real strides in the spring practices. This is no longer the predicted train wreck unit is was last year around this time.

Here are the 10 biggest standouts during the spring practices for the Patriots:

Chargers 53-man roster projection updated post-minicamp

With the Chargers’ spring offseason process in the rearview, there’s a clearer picture of what the 53-man roster could look like.

As minicamp has come and gone, there remains just a little over a month until Chargers’ training camp despite not having an exact date yet. With the draft and the spring offseason process in the rearview, there’s a slightly clearer picture now of what the 53-man roster could look like.

It wouldn’t surprise me if there were still some signings to be made for the Chargers between now and the date for final cuts. But basing it off of the roster now, here’s my best guess:

Quarterbacks (3): Justin Herbert, Easton Stick, Max Duggan

Three quarterbacks, pretty simple. Tom Telesco has kept three in eight of his ten seasons as general manager. Investing a Day 3 pick into TCU’s Max Duggan only clarified his intentions. While it’s not the savviest roster-building decision, in my opinion, it’s how they operate.

The NFL’s new emergency quarterback rule prompted by the 2023 NFC Championship game only increases the odds of keeping three.

Running backs (3): Austin Ekeler, Joshua Kelley, Isaiah Spiller

If the running backs on the roster are the same after August, the Chargers will keep three. Larry Rountree III currently would be their lead practice squad back that also functions as a special teamer on certain game days.

However, don’t be shocked if the Chargers add another body into the fold. The team added Sony Michel late in the game last offs they’re not quite getting what they want out of Isaiah Spiller early on in training camp, bolstering the running back room in free agency is possible.

Fullbacks (1): Zander Horvath

There’s no competition for Zander Horvath this year, not even a friendly Gabe Nabers visit to camp. Pencil him in.

Wide receivers (6): Keenan Allen, Mike Williams, Quentin Johnston, Joshua Palmer, Jalen Guyton, Derius Davis

On paper, this is the group. The only hesitation here is the health of Jalen Guyton. It wouldn’t be a shocker if he started the season on PUP while recovering from his ACL injury late last September. Guyton was amongst a group of players working with the trainers at minicamp last week.

If Guyton starts the season on PUP, they probably go with five. Otherwise, he has to be rostered.

Tight ends (3): Gerald Everett, Donald Parham Jr., Tre’ McKitty

A free-agent addition here is even more likely than it is with the running back group in my opinion. The Chargers still need a tried and true blocker with some good quality depth on the market. If they do sign someone like Geoff Swaim or Kyle Rudolph, they’ll probably go with four here.

Offensive linemen (9): Rashawn Slater, Zion Johnson, Corey Linsley, Jamaree Salyer, Trey Pipkins, Jordan McFadden, Will Clapp, Brenden Jaimes, Foster Sarell

Five starters from left to right plus their four backups.

Defensive linemen (6): Sebastian Joseph-Day, Austin Johnson, Morgan Fox, Otito Ogbonnia, Scott Matlock, Nick Williams

Season-ending injuries from 2022 seem to be a bit of a theme for crafting this year’s roster and the defensive line room is no different. Otito Ogbonnia and Austin Johnson both suffered knee injuries down the stretch last year. Will both be ready in September after getting hurt last November?

Jerrod Clark and Christopher Hinton would be in prime position to get spots on the 53-man roster if Johnson and/or Ogbonnia could not go early on. Alternatively, the Chargers could also add through free agency here or post-cuts waiver wire here.

EDGE (4): Joey Bosa, Khalil Mack, Tuli Tuipulotu, Chris Rumph II

Second-round pick Tuli Tuipulotu effectively replaces Kyle Van Noy as EDGE 3 here. Chris Rumph II remains at EDGE 4 as he hopes to take a bigger step forward this season. As per usual, the unit hinges on the health of Joey Bosa.

Linebackers (5): Eric Kendricks, Kenneth Murray, Daiyan Henley, Nick Niemann, Amen Ogbongbemiga

The newly acquired Eric Kendricks leads the group as Kenneth Murray probably starts off as his running mate in a contract year. Can newly-drafted Daiyan Henley give Murray some competition there? Nick Niemann and Amen Ogbongbemiga remain on the roster as core special teamers.

Cornerbacks (6): J.C. Jackson, Michael Davis, Asante Samuel Jr., Ja’Sir Taylor, Deane Leonard, Kemon Hall

The Chargers have gone with six cornerbacks to start the season in each of Brandon Staley’s first two seasons. The need to keep six here in my mind is only intensified by the uncertainty around J.C. Jackson. There are still a lot of different possible outcomes for Jackson in terms of when he starts the season. The early optimism would suggest Week 1, but missing a few games wouldn’t be surprising.

As the sixth corner, Kemon Hall starts the season as a core special teamer who could be bumped to CB5 if Jackson is not quite ready yet.

Safeties (4): Derwin James, Alohi Gilman, JT Woods, Raheem Layne

For now, Derwin James and Alohi Gilman is your safety tandem. James spoke glowingly about Gilman during minicamp this week. 2022 third-round selection JT Woods obviously makes the roster and Raheem Layne played quality special teams snaps under Ryan Ficken last season.

ST specialists (3): Cameron Dicker, JK Scott, Josh Harris

It comes down to Cameron Dicker vs. Dustin Hopkins for the kicking job. For now, I’ll take the Chargers rolling with Dicker as the hot hand until we see the two kickers square off in the preseason.

Brandon Staley not letting externalities affect Chargers’ preparation for 2023

Brandon Staley responded when asked about the lofty expectations placed on the Chargers ahead of the 2023 season.

The Chargers are entering put-up-or-shut-up territory in Brandon Staley’s third season as the team’s head coach.

The team has plenty of talent on its roster, but in a highly-competitive conference, they will have to defy the odds to bring Los Angeles a Super Bowl title in 2023.

For all the talk in the media about what the Chargers might (or might not) be capable of, though, Staley said that he is drowning out as much of the noise as possible.

Asked about the weight of the lofty expectations placed on his team, who some consider being championship contenders, Staley made it clear that externalities will not be considered as Los Angeles prepares for the new season.

I know the team that we have. The players that were talked about in that way last year, they’re still all on our team. We’ve added even more pieces. We are confident in who we are and we’re just confident in the work that’s ahead and that we have the guys that are capable of doing it. We’re excited to get to training camp. But I love coaching this group. I know this group is really good.

These comments came just as the team was wrapping up their mandatory minicamp and off-season program. With training camp ahead of them, the Chargers will have to wait until July to start proving themselves worthy of the pre-season hype.

Time will tell if Los Angeles can rise to the top in 2023, but if Staley is to be believed, he certainly doesn’t care what anyone outside of the Chargers’ organization has to think.

Derek Carr and Chris Olave shining in minicamp is a good sign for Saints

Derek Carr and Chris Olave shining in minicamp is a good sign for the Saints. Their young star WR is quickly getting up to speed with a new QB | @southexclusives

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There were highlight players for the New Orleans Saints, but Chris Olave and Derek Carr seemed to be the most consistent standouts. That’s a good thing. 

If you asked who had the most eyes on them going into minicamp, Derek Carr would have been one of, if not, the first name listed. He’s a new quarterback for a team that feels like they’re a quarterback away from being a true quality team. His performance is imperative to the Saints success in 2023.That process starts in the offseason. 

Of course, there was no pass rush, but it was deeper than how his passes look. They did look good, though. It was the leadership Carr showed that stood out more than anything else. His presence was commanding and he was constantly working with his targets on things like ball placement.

Chris Olave was held out of the last day of minicamp with Achilles inflammation, but he made some of the biggest plays during minicamp prior to that. His biggest play was a deep catch over Alontae Taylor. Olave came into camp slightly heavier than we saw last year, which benefited him on contested catches like the pass against Taylor. Simply put, Olave has stolen the show this offseason.

You trust your defense to remain stout for another season, so the eyes naturally turn to the offense. With Carr and Olave standing out together, it creates optimism for a dangerous duo in the season. If the chemistry can carry over to the season, everything at this time must carry that preface, the Saints offense will be more explosive than it’s been since 2019. That was the last time the Saints had a true quarterback-wide receiver tandem. If minicamp is any sign, that drought ends this year.

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Broncos coach Sean Payton careful to not write off players too quickly

Sean Payton is careful to not judge a player too quickly in the spring because pads coming on in the summer can change everything.

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Denver Broncos boss Sean Payton has 15 years of head coach experience and one lesson he’s learned during that time is to not write off a player too quickly.

The Broncos recently wrapped up organized team activities and mandatory minicamp, which are light, non-padded practices held in the spring. Payton has learned to not judge a player too harshly this time of year.

“You’re always guarded,” Payton said on June 1. “I’ll give you an example. We drafted in the seventh round of player — Marques Colston — in that first ’06 draft. He was a compensatory seven, so towards the end of the draft. During this period of time, he was a little overweight. Not a lot, but as a receiver, he was having back spasms.

“Meanwhile, we had a sixth-round pick at receiver, too, who was the Biletnikoff [Award winner], and he was magnificent out here. Then training camp came and all of a sudden, we began to see a little different player in Marques. He began to pick things up and by the time we got to the start of the regular season, he was our starting ‘X’ [receiver]. You just want to be cautious not to judge too quickly or evaluate too quickly. You’re working on their improvement.” 

Colston didn’t look great early in his first NFL offseason, but he went on to become a Super Bowl champion with the Saints and he now ranks No. 1 in franchise history for receptions (711), receiving yards (9,759) and receiving touchdowns (72).

After an underwhelming spring, pads changed everything in the summer.

“That’s kind of been my experience with not just the receivers, but with a lot of these positions,” Payton said. “The pads sometimes can define a player. There will be a couple of guys here that we’re watching and then when training camp begins, all of a sudden, the profile changes, because we’re now in full pads. It’s hard to be in these drills defensively with your assignment, your alignment and your technique. When the pads come on, you get a better feel for your team. That’s important, too.” 

Payton also noted that coaches have to do a good job to make sure players understand schemes and concepts so they can be fairly evaluated on the field.

“I don’t want to say hold judgment, but patience and making sure — the No. 1 thing is, ‘Does he know what to do?’” Payton said. “The worst thing we can do as a coach is confuse a player and then he’s playing at percent speed because he’s uncertain. That hinders the evaluation. Now ultimately, they have to get it and sometimes it’s not for everyone [if] it’s just too much. But they’re picking it up. I’m pleased with that. It’s gone well so far.”

After wrapping up spring practices last week, up next for the Broncos is training camp, which begins in late July. The pads will come on at camp — and that’s when the real evaluation begins.

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Chargers QB Justin Herbert on rookie Quentin Johnston: ‘He’s a playmaker’

Justin Herbert seems to be impressed by Quentin Johnston early on.

Perhaps no rookie receiver in the 2023 draft class found themselves in a more enviable position than Chargers wide receiver Quentin Johnston.

Johnston has both one of the league’s best young quarterbacks in Justin Herbert, his collegiate signal caller Max Duggan, and a fellow receiver Derius Davis from his alma mater on the roster with him.

Still, nothing is guaranteed and, yet unproven, Johnston will have to prove the team right for drafting him with a first-round pick in April. Nonetheless, early indications of his success are positive, with Herbert heaping praise on Johnston.

“He’s a playmaker. He’s going to make a lot of plays for us,” Herbert told the media. “He showed up and we knew early that we got a special guy out there. He’s done a great job of picking up the offense so far. He’s young, but he’s going to be something special. It’s been fun to watch him so far.”

While he will be stuck behind veterans Mike Williams and Keenan Allen on Los Angeles’ depth chart, Johnston is sure to make his presence felt in training camp and the preseason as he acclimates to life in the NFL.

Johnston should provide a spark to Los Angeles’ offense early in the 2023 season as he is a deep threat with the speed to stretch the field and can outpace defenders in the open field with great explosiveness, wiggle and strength.

With some rest and preparation over the next month of dead time during the last stage of the offseason, Johnston could position himself to be Herbert’s top target when the regular season starts in September.

Predicting the New Orleans Saints’ 53-man roster, practice squad after minicamp

Predicting the New Orleans Saints’ 53-man roster and practice squad after minicamp, highlighting position battles to watch over the summer:

We’re off to the long lull between New Orleans Saints spring practices and the start of training camp in late July, with the team having put a pin in their three-day mandatory minicamp last week and little action remaining on the NFL’s offseason calendar. Players and coaches will be away from the team facility for the rest of June and much of July, though front office personnel will have plenty of time to mull over their options for improving the roster going into training camp.

It’s a good time to stop and take a look around the Saints’ depth chart and reassess which players have the best shot at making the team during September roster cuts. Here are our latest predictions now that we’ve had time to see the team in practice and gauge the state of the Saints, looking for guidance on last year’s Week 1 roster:

Rookie return man Malik Flowers among surprising Saints roster cuts

Undrafted rookie return man Malik Flowers among surprising Saints roster cuts after minicamp: | @crissy_froyd

It’s always tough to see young players stumble as they chase their NFL dreams, but that’s an unfortunate part of the business. And the New Orleans Saints let go of several players after veteran free agents tried out during minicamp this week, including an undrafted rookie with a lot of fans. These players will hit the waiver wire and be pursuing their careers elsewhere: