The first week of training camp has come and gone for all 32 NFL teams. Sadly, we didn’t have a football game to watch on Sunday as the Colts-Packers exhibition was cancelled due to poor field conditions. But the first round of preseason games are almost here.
The first week of training camp was packed with position battles, injury notes and some players receiving extensions. It’s important for bettors to stay up to date with this information as it can have a huge impact on the amount of money won at sites like Betfair Casino NJ. Here are 10 takeaways from training camp so far around the NFL.
Gary Kubiak hasn’t “come close” to naming Broncos starting quarterback
The Denver Broncos’ first preseason game is four days away, and coach Gary Kubiak says he hasn’t “come close” to naming the starting quarterback, according to ESPN.com’s Jeff Legwold. Mark Sanchez, Trevor Siemian and rookie Paxton Lynch are all competing to replace Peyton Manning. Kubiak says he’s waiting to see how each quarterback performs during the preseason before making a decision.
Chargers still haven’t signed No. 3 overall pick Joey Bosa
Joey Bosa remains the only unsigned first-round selection from this year’s draft. The former Ohio State defensive end missed mandatory minicamp in June and was absent from the San Diego Chargers’ first week of training camp because of the contract dispute.
According to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, the Chargers and Bosa haven’t spoken since July 28.
From Pro Football Talk:
As it stands, the Chargers want offset language attached to Bosa’s fully-guaranteed deal, and they want to defer a large chunk of his signing bonus into March 2017. Bosa wants either no offset language or full payment of the bonus in 2016.
With the deadline for trading Bosa coming in only two days and no indication that the Chargers are considering that option, the question soon will be whether the Chargers and Bosa will get something done before the start of the regular season. If not, they’ll have until the Tuesday after Week 10 before Bosa can’t play at all in 2016.
Case Keenum, not Jared Goff, atop Rams quarterback depth chart
Case Keenum, not Jared Goff, has been named the starting quarterback for the Los Angeles Rams’ first preseason game by coach Jeff Fisher. Keenum started five games toward the end of last season, throwing for 828 yards, four touchdowns and one interception.
The Rams traded away several picks from this year’s draft and next year’s in order to move up to No. 1 to select Goff. That they would sit him all season is highly unlikely. At some point, Goff will play. But for now, the Rams are going the traditional route with their rookie quarterback.
J.J. Watt could miss Texans season-opener
J.J. Watt hasn’t missed a game in his six-year career, but offseason back surgery could force the three-time Defensive Player of the Year to miss the Houston Texans season-opener on September 11. Watt had surgery to repair a herniated disk on July 20, and his expected recovery time could take up to 10 weeks, per NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo, putting his return up against the start of the season. The All-Pro defensive end could potentially miss more games if there’s a setback in his recovery.
Cowboys searching for backup quarterback after injury to Kellen Moore
The Dallas Cowboys are in the market for a backup quarterback after losing Kellen Moore to an injury. The fifth-year pro suffered a broken leg during practice last week and will need surgery, putting his recovery time at three to four months. Other than Tony Romo, the Cowboys have two quarterbacks on their roster: Jameill Showers and Dak Prescott. Neither has thrown a pass in the NFL.
The Cowboys have reportedly shown interest in Cleveland Browns quarterback Josh McCown. They also had interest in Nick Foles before he signed with the Kansas City Chiefs. Given Romo’s durability concerns the past couple of seasons, the Cowboys need to have a backup in mind.
Ravens Joe Flacco moving well on surgically-repaired left knee
Eight months removed from surgery to have the torn ACL and MCL in his left knee repaired, Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco appears to be fully recovered, running on the knee without hesitation during practice. Flacco missed the final six games of last season, ending his streak of 137 consecutive starts. This is great news for the Ravens, who were hoping the 31-year-old’s injury wouldn’t linger into the start of next season.
Crazy Legs Joe Flacco scrambles for first down, showing no hesitation on surgically-repaired knee. https://t.co/pIywSWvQX5
— Sarah Ellison (@sgellison) August 2, 2016
Bills second-rounder Reggie Ragland suffers serious knee injury during practice
Buffalo Bills second-round pick Reggie Ragland suffered a partially torn ACL at training camp Friday, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The ESPN Insider also notes the team will get a second opinion on Monday and then determine how much time Ragland will miss.
The Bills are already without first-round pick Shaq Lawson, who had offseason shoulder surgery. Ragland’s injury is another huge blow. Buffalo signed linebackers Brandon Spikes and David Hawthorne to help compensate for the loss of the rookie.
Cardinals lock up their core
The Arizona Cardinals signed a couple of their core players to extensions last week. Safety Tyrann Mathieu agreed to a five-year, $62.5 million deal, making him the game’s highest-paid safety. The Cardinals also signed quarterback Carson Palmer and wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald each to one-year deals.
Arizona made it to the conference championship game last year, so it makes sense to keep the core of the team intact through the 2017 season. Palmer and Fitzgerald played well last year despite being past their prime, and Mathieu has established himself as one of the top defensive backs in the league. The Cardinals are going to squeeze what they can from this team and hope it leads to a Super Bowl run.
Hue Jackson “very close” to naming Browns starting quarterback
Hue Jackson won’t say it yet but Robert Griffin III looks to be the Cleveland Browns starting quarterback for the 2016 season. Griffin has looked good in training camp, taking every first-team rep with his new team.
After short-lived success in Washington, the former No. 2 overall pick is on track to revive his career, but he still needs to prove himself on game days. These preseason games will be a good test for him. The Browns had planned to have competition with Griffin, McCown and rookie Cody Kessler, but it seems like it’s Griffin’s job to lose.
Veteran free agents find new homes
Some veterans had to wait until training camp to sign with a team. Dwight Freeney landed with the Atlanta Falcons to help their lacking pass rush. James Jones was signed by the Chargers after Stevie Johnson suffered a knee injury. Longtime Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Leon Hall joined the New York Giants, and fullback John Kuhn, a favorite of Green Bay Packers fans, ended up with the New Orleans Saints.
Better late than never. We’ll see how these old pros fare with their new teams.