Tag: minicamp

Cowboys scrap final minicamp practice, on break until training camp

Coach Mike McCarthy liked what he saw in limited sessions enough to turn Thursday into a “group dynamic event” before dismissing players.

School’s out for summer. Or for 40 days, anyway.

The Cowboys coaching staff has concluded 2021 OTAs and minicamp, even scratching the final day of practice on Thursday in favor of a “team-bonding activity,” according to Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News. Players are now free to disperse and will reconvene for training camp, which is likely to be held once again in Oxnard, California starting on or around July 20.

The Cowboys held six OTAs and two minicamp practices, well below the ten OTAs and three minicamp sessions allowed under the NFL’s current collective bargaining agreement. Head coach Mike McCarthy was pleased enough with the team’s progress that he “reprogrammed” Thursday’s practice- what would have been the team’s third- into “a group dynamic event” that was closed to media.

“We took accountability for not hitting the target virtually last year as a coaching staff,” McCarthy said on Wednesday.

“I spent most of my time comparing this year’s offseason program to prior offseason programs when you have a full slate. We’re doing a much better job,” he continued. “Our learning environment is clearly, and it had to be- there’s no choice- much better than it was this time last year. I think it’s clearly reflected on what we’re getting done on the field.”

Unlike several teams who have had numerous players skipping voluntary OTAs as per NFLPA recommendations, the Cowboys’ sessions saw nearly full attendance. Only punter Hunter Niswander sat out, as he is dealing with a family medical concern regarding his pregnant wife.

Now everyone on the team has over five weeks off before training camp. Expect to see social media posts from beaches and boats, as well as a slew of personal workout videos while the players get in some rest and relaxation- and maybe a few workout reps on their own- as they prepare for the long grind of the 2021 season.

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Cowboys News: Amari Cooper’s ankle, Dak Prescott’s shoes, Micah Parsons’ versatility

Also, the real reason behind the defense’s turnover turnaround in 2020, who shined in OTAs, and the staff cancels the final day of minicamp.

Just as Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott looks to “bury” his ankle injury, one report out of Dallas suggests that a teammate’s ankle injury may be hanging around. Thursday brought word that wide receiver Amari Cooper may miss the start of training camp as he recovers from an offseason procedure, but one team insider urges Cowboys fans not to over-react. Cooper’s progress is right on track, according to those in the building.

Elsewhere, things went smoothly enough that the coaching staff scrapped its final day of OTAs in favor of a team-building activity. Dak Prescott is about to cash a mammoth check- again- thanks to his new endorsement deal. Lots of defensive news, too: contracts are signed, draft picks are looking to impress, comeback seasons are taking shape, and unnoticed players are waiting to pounce. The real reason for the defense’s late-season turnover turnaround is revealed, and one outlet wonders if Dallas even needs anything above an average effort on that side of the ball. All that, plus who shined at minicamp, why a first-round rookie’s versatility may be bad news, and the surprising answer as to whether the O-line is actually better this year. News and Notes, coming right up.

Defense dominates offense in day 3 of Washington’s minicamp

The Washington Football Team wrapped up its three-day mandatory minicamp on Thursday and the team is now finished until training camp begins

The Washington Football Team wrapped up its three-day mandatory minicamp on Thursday, and the team is now finished until training camp begins on July 27.

There were plenty of highlights during the minicamp, some of which was quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick owning Twitter with his “back-to-school” picture on Tuesday or the cicada in his beard on Wednesday.

Things happened on the field, too.

Chase Young returned to Ashburn on Monday after missing the voluntary OTAs due to other commitments — something he communicated to the coaching staff. As soon as Young returned, he made an impact.

Over the entire three days, there was more of that with the defensive line putting pressure on Washington quarterbacks leading to many tipped balls and interceptions.

On Wednesday, rookie third-round pick Benjamin St-Juste was the star of the day, breaking up several passes, including one intended for Terry McLaurin.

On Thursday, it was Bobby McCain’s day. McCain was all over the place, picking off at least two passes during Thursday’s practice.

The quarterbacks struggled at times, but some of that is expected, with Fitzpatrick still getting acclimated and facing Washington’s ferocious defensive line.

For Washington head coach Ron Rivera, it was all about getting on the field and getting some good work in, something that did not happen in 2020.

Now, Washington will get around six weeks off before reporting for training camp on July 27. The first week of camp will be held in Richmond, and the team will then return home to Ashburn for the duration.

 

Falcons mandatory minicamp: Highlights from all three days

The Atlanta Falcons wrapped up their three-day mandatory minicamp on Thursday, and signed a tryout player, linebacker Jeff Holland.

The Atlanta Falcons wrapped up their three-day mandatory minicamp on Thursday, and signed a tryout player, linebacker Jeff Holland, to a one-year deal. The team has yet to sign a single draft pick from the 2021 class, but now that the Julio Jones trade has gone through, Atlanta has $14.8 million in salary cap space to get all nine players signed.

But let’s stop focusing so much on numbers when there are camp highlights available. Check out videos from all three days, courtesy of the Falcons’ Twitter account below.

NFL Minicamps: Two Teams Cancel, Others Under Investigation

The NFL is rarely ever dull and this offseason is no different: Two minicamps cancelled and multiple, unnamed teams under investigation!

The NFL offseason is never one that is boring. Until recently, the Cleveland Browns had an exciting one with additions to the team via free agency and the NFL draft, as well as players returning from injury.

Outside of the arrest of Callie Brownson, the biggest negative attention for the team has been related to players who did not show up for voluntary offseason team activities including those who joined Baker Mayfield in Austin, Texas.

The thought was that players should take every opportunity to be together as a team and have time with their coaches. That didn’t happen as Mayfield led many of the skill position players through workouts, on-field drills, and even some time on a boat.

The NFLPA had encouraged players to avoid OTAs this season citing beliefs that in-person work was not necessary and that it was safer to not participate. That came under scrutiny as two Denver players were lost for the season working out away from the team facility which isn’t covered in their contract.

Now comes word that two NFL teams, so far, have cancelled their mandatory minicamps. The San Francisco 49ers cut their OTAs short as well as cancelling their minicamp:

 

The Houston Texans also cancelled their minicamp despite having a new head coach and possible turnover at quarterback:

Culley canceled the team’s mandatory minicamp that had been set to start June 15 after he saw sufficient participation from the team and accomplished what he was looking to get done during the voluntary portion of organized team activities.

“We needed to make sure for at least four weeks during the offseason we had as many players here as possible,” Culley said Wednesday. “This being voluntary, to be able to learn our culture, learn our system, new defense, all of the different players we’ve had.”

Add to those two cancellations that DeMaurice Smith, head of the NFLPA, stated today that multiple teams are under investigation for violating offseason rules:

 

It will be interesting how the rest of the league handles the offseason moving forward. The growing disconnect between the NFLPA and the NFL seems to be creating tension but having two teams voluntarily cancel mandatory minicamps can only backup the NFLPA’s case.

The Cleveland Browns plan to compete for an AFC North crown, the AFC Championship, and a Super Bowl appearance this season. We will continue to monitor the happenings around the league that could impact those goals while hoping the Browns drama is kept to a minimum.

The NFL is rarely ever dull and this offseason is no different.

Chiefs HC Andy Reid impressed with LB Nick Bolton’s rookie minicamp performance

Reid praised the rookie linebacker for his toughness, intelligence, and instincts after the three-day minicamp.

The Kansas City Chiefs wrapped their three-day rookie minicamp on Sunday.

Over the course of the weekend, the players built a foundation for their time in Kansas City. Despite some changes to the format of rookie minicamp this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a number of rookies got a chance to leave their first professional impressions on the coaching staff.

Andy Reid came away impressed with what he saw from the Chiefs’ top draft choice, Missouri LB Nick Bolton. He praised him for his toughness, intelligence and instincts. He specifically noted one play that came in red-zone drills at the end of practice today.

“He had a nice interception today actually right in the red zone,” Reid said of Bolton. “He’s Tiger-tough. He’s out there battling. You have to love it. He’s got great instincts. He’s very intelligent. Did a nice job.”

With Bolton making plays in practice, it seems that he accomplished what he set out to do at the onset of minicamp. The goals that he set out for himself were to master his playbook and get better each and every day.

“Right now, I’m just trying to learn the playbook,” Bolton said on Friday. “I don’t really have a position; I’m just trying to learn as much as I can throughout the next three days and OTAs. I really don’t have a position; I’m just trying to come in every single day trying to compete and get better. Just trying to expand my knowledge of the playbook.”

There’s only so much that Coach Reid can take away from Bolton’s performance when he’s not playing in pads and hitting, but so far he’s leaving the right impression on his head coach. The type of impression that makes you excited for what’s to come in the not-so-distant future.

“Now, we’re in shorts, and he’s a linebacker,” Reid continued. “I know he probably can’t wait until we start hitting and that, but for the drills here, he sure did a nice job.”

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WATCH: Chiefs rookies in action at minicamp Day 2

Check out some videos from the second day of Kansas City Chiefs rookie minicamp.

Kansas City Chiefs rookies hit the field for the second time on Saturday, ramping things up a bit for Day 2 of rookie minicamp. Local media members were allowed to grab some shots of players in action during the open portion of practice. Below you’ll find some of the new clips of the Chiefs’ rookie class, undrafted free agents and first-year players in action.

Minicamp provides first look at Packers rookies

A look at the Packers 2021 rookies in the green and gold for the first time during minicamp.

The Green Bay Packers started rookie minicamp on Friday. The entire nine-player draft class and several undrafted free agents were in attendance, providing a first look at the rookies in the Packers’ green and gold.

Here’s a quick rundown of most of the rookies at minicamp:

CB Eric Stokes

Cornerback Eric Stokes (21) is shown during the first day of Green Bay Packers rookie minicamp Friday, May 14, 2021 in Green Bay, Wis.
Cornerback Eric Stokes (21) is shown during the first day of Green Bay Packers rookie minicamp Friday, May 14, 2021 in Green Bay, Wis.

OL Josh Myers

WR Amari Rodgers

Wide receiver Amari Rodgers (8) is shown during the first day of Green Bay Packers rookie minicamp Friday, May 14, 2021 in Green Bay, Wis.

OL Royce Newman

Offensive lineman Royce Newman (70) is shown during the first day of Green Bay Packers rookie minicamp Friday, May 14, 2021 in Green Bay, Wis.

DL Tedarrell Slaton

CB Shemar Jean-Charles

Cornerbacks Eric Stokes (21) and Shemar Jean-Charles are shown during the first day of Green Bay Packers rookie minicamp Friday, May 14, 2021 in Green Bay, Wis.

OL Cole Van Lanen

LB Isaiah McDuffie

Linebacker Isiah McDuffie (58) is shown during the first day of Green Bay Packers rookie minicamp Friday, May 14, 2021 in Green Bay, Wis.

RB Kylin Hill

Running back Kylin Hill (32) is shown during the first day of Green Bay Packers rookie minicamp Friday, May 14, 2021 in Green Bay, Wis.

DB Christian Uphoff

Safety Christian Uphoff (40) Is shown during the first day of Green Bay Packers rookie minicamp Friday, May 14, 2021 in Green Bay, Wis.

OL Jon Dietzen

Offensive lineman Jon Dietzen (61) is shown during the first day of Green Bay Packers rookie minicamp Friday, May 14, 2021 in Green Bay, Wis.

DL Jack Heflin

Defensive lineman Jack Heflin (90) Is shown during the first day of Green Bay Packers rookie minicamp Friday, May 14, 2021 in Green Bay, Wis.

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Former Jags draft pick Marqise Lee among players to tryout for 49ers

After being released by the Patriots this offseason, Marqise Lee hasn’t given up on his dreams to remain in the NFL.

Mini-camp isn’t just a process for rookies around the league to get their feet wet, but it’s also a chance for teams in the league to try out at least five veterans, too. Former Jacksonville Jaguars draft pick Marqise Lee was one of several veterans to jump on such an opportunity and took the field with the San Francisco 49ers on Friday, according to Matt Barrows of The Athletic.

Lee, 29, was selected by the Jags in the second-round of the 2014 NFL Draft (39th overall) and spent six seasons with the team. While with them, he was able to accumulate 174 receptions for 2,184 yards and eight touchdowns. However, 2019 proved to be his last season with the Jags as he was only able to garner three catches for 18 yards before ending up on injured reserve with a knee injury.

After his tenure with the Jags, Lee signed with the New England Patriots last season but ultimately ended up opting out due to the coronavirus pandemic. As a result, he never got a chance to take the field for a game with the Pats and they ultimately decided to release him before the draft this year.

With many years of experience to his name, Lee could very well find himself getting a contract to make the 49ers’ 90-man offseason roster, which would then give him a chance to compete for a regular season roster spot. So far, it appears he’s stood out, and according to Barrows, Lee caught a 15-yard pass, which was the best throw of Friday’s mini-camp session by rookie quarterback Trey Lance.