Knowshon Moreno, Donovan McNabb, Mike Shanahan and David Garrard enter pivotal seasons where they will be scrutinized if they do not perform at a high level.
The Eagles seemingly came out of nowhere to sign Nnamdi Asomugha as they eye a trip to the Super Bowl.
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Each NFL team is represented below, marked by a not-so-subtle nod to the general managers we focus so much of our site's attention towards and our namesake.
NFC
The Ted Thompson ? Greg A. Bedard of the Journal Sentinel: "Lenny McGill in 1994 and Matthew Dorsett in 1995 were the last two cornerbacks who were post-draft signings by the Green Bay Packers and made their opening-day roster as rookie free agents. Sam Shields, a speedy cornerback from Miami, is bidding to break that drought. "That's someone that jumped out at everybody," said coach Mike McCarthy, who walked off the Don Hutson Center discussing Shields with cornerbacks coach Joe Whitt. Shields, one of 11 undrafted players signed to free-agents contracts by the Packers, didn't return kickoffs for the 'Canes other than an 84-yard romp on a reverse against Wisconsin in the Champs Sports Bowl. But he was used to return kickoffs at the rookie orientation camp Friday. "He has exceptional speed," McCarthy said. "He looked very natural as far as catching the ball as you move forward and attacking. That did jump out to me, yes." At least one free-agent rookie has made the Packers' roster every year since Ted Thompson became general manager in 2005."
The Jerry Angelo ? Chicago Tribune: "Bears running back Matt Forte is looking forward to pairing with newly acquired Chester Taylor and working with new offensive coordinator Mike Martz's thick playbook. Asked Friday on "The Boers & Bernstein Show" on WSCR-AM 670 how he reacted when he learned the Bears had signed Taylor away from the Vikings as a free agent, Forte said, "I was excited, he's a good running back. "I was looking at how he and (Adrian Peterson) worked together in Minnesota. It's a good thing, especially in this offense, we can both be on the field at the same time. A lot of teams use running-back tandems and (it helps) prolong each other's career." Forte said he was disappointed with his performance last season, when he gained 929 yards (3.6 average) while struggling to stay healthy."
The Martin Mayhew ? Carlos Monarrez of the Detroit Free-Press: "After months of preparation and predraft hysteria, the wait finally ended today for Ndamukong Suh. The defensive tackle and No. 2 overall draft pick put on his Lions jersey and stepped onto an NFL field for the first time. ?It was a good day,? Suh said. ?I mean, got out there, happy to be back on the field. ? No more combine training. No more of those things.? Suh droownplayed any pressure he might have felt in his first official NFL practice and said he considers himself no different than any other rookie who wants to prove he belongs. ?I think we?re all equal,? he said. ?This is all of our first time being in the NFL, so we?re all on the same even plane. So we?ve got to be able to prove ourselves. I was No. 2 coming out of college. Now I?m back to ground zero, so I?ve got to build myself back up, and that?s the way I see it.? Suh said he?s eager to absorb the Lions? defensive scheme, which will require him to adapt and play the run on the way to the quarterback."
The Rick Spielman ? Judd Zulgad of the Star Tribune: "If Favre needs bone spurs cleaned up, the procedure would be no different than what he went though in 1995 and 2007, when he had surgery done on the same ankle while playing for Green Bay. Favre, who will turn 41 in October, said this latest injury happened before the Saints game and that the hits he took throughout last season simply added to the ankle pain. One thing many pointed to Friday was a feeling that Favre's decision to reveal his ankle issue might be a way to avoid the Mankato portion of training camp that will open in late July. But Childress made it clear in February that he wouldn't mind if Favre skipped that part of camp, something he did last year when he arrived in late August. "I don't have a lot of illusions about the timing of the thing," Childress said. "As I mentioned to you, way back when, there was no manual back then and he played at a high level. How much [training camp] does he need? He knows. I've got a ballpark idea of how much he needs, and obviously what he got last year was plenty." "
The Jerry Jones ? Charean Williams of the Star-Telegram: "(Dez) Bryant, who hasn?t played a game since Sept. 19, was about halfway through his first practice when he made a spectacular one-handed catch. Almost immediately, though, he dropped to his knees. He was trying to keep down his breakfast -- eggs, a biscuit and two sausage patties. ?To be honest, I was kind of excited just because I?m back doing what I love to do,? Bryant said. ?I was already expecting to bend over a little, get tired. If you seen me, you seen I was smiling, because I haven?t been through that in a long time. It was just a great feeling to get through that little hard time.? Although Bryant said he didn?t throw up, Cowboys coach Wade Phillips said Bryant did lose 9 pounds during the two-a-day practices. While displaying the skills that made him the 24th overall pick in last week?s draft, Bryant also showed he has a long way to go before opening day. His first practice had him leaning over, taking a knee and raising his hands above his head. He was out of breath and out of football shape. At one point, receivers coach Ray Sherman yelled, ?Got to get in shape.? ?He was out of shape,? Sherman said. ?He was on the circuit going to visit a lot of teams. He knows what he has to do. He even said, ?I have to go get myself in great shape,? and he will be in better shape the next time we get going.? The Cowboys can?t hide their excitement for what Bryant brings them. In 2008, Bryant caught 87 passes for 1,480 yards and 19 touchdowns at Oklahoma State. He also returned two punts for touchdowns."
The Jerry Reese ? Jenny Vrentas of the Star-Ledger: "Perry Fewell was impossible to ignore on the first day of Giants? rookie minicamp as he buzzed around the practice field, chasing players and shouting for top effort. ?Hey, that?s just normal,? said Fewell, the team?s new defensive coordinator. ?I?m excited about being here, excited about ball starting and (being) able to get out of the meeting room and coach football.? And then, he added: ?It?ll get better.? Fewell said this is his coaching style. And he also made it clear he has big plans for the Giants defense, which ranked 30th in the league in scoring defense last season, starting with being more physical."
The Howie Roseman ? Brad Wilson of the Express-Times: "LeSean McCoy would have liked a redshirt season in the NFL. The Philadelphia Eagles' second-year running back is just now starting to feel like he's physically set for the demands of the long pro season. "Coming from college and (playing right away) I didn't have a full year to bulk up," said McCoy after the first session of the Eagles' minicamp today at the NovaCare Center. "I did a little extra lifting this offseason. I want to lower my body fat and make my muscle more solid." McCoy is, at 21, still one of the youngest players on the Eagles roster. The Harrisburg native and University of Pittsburgh product said the physical toll added up in 2009."
The Bruce Allen ? Rick Maese of the Washington Post: "Many around the league thought General Manager Bruce Allen would simply handle the salary cap and keep all the trains running on time. But it's clear that Allen has a very active role in the shaping of the roster. Of those 23 new players that came from different teams, five had previously played for Allen teams and three had been drafted by him. Only two had previously played for Shanahan. (Two more were on Jim Haslett teams and one was with Kyle Shanahan in Houston.) The Redskins probably aren't done. They could use more depth on the offensive line, another safety could be added to the mix (yes, Darren Sharper makes a lot of sense), another outside linebacker would be helpful, and if coaches aren't comfortable with Devin Thomas and Malcolm Kelly, yet another wide receiver could be added."
The Jed York ? David White of the San Francisco Chronicle: "Niners offensive line coach Mike Solari yelled at/to left guard Mike Iupati a few times to kick off the three-day rookie minicamp. Hit the inside shoulder, not so narrow with the base, and so on. This doesn't mean the 17th overall draft pick got it all wrong in his pro practice debut Friday. It just shows there is a lot of learning to do for Iupati and the rookies. In this case, that starts with Solari doing a lot of teaching. When right tackle Anthony Davis got "too deep," Solari explained what an NFL pass rusher would do in response (hint: it's not good for Alex Smith). When Davis or Iupati got it right, Solari did the positive-reenforcement thing. This much is clear: If Davis and Iupati are to become Opening Day starters, they'll be hearing a lot from Solari to get them there."
The John Schneider ? : "Running back LenDale White was limited a little bit by a groin injury during Friday's minicamp practice, but he appeared to be in excellent shape. "I feel great, man," he said afteward. "A long-time coming. I've been through situations. Everybody knows my past, out of shape LenDale, this and that." Two years ago in Tennessee, there were reports White weighed as much as 260. Last year, he was down to 230. "For me to come in here in shape, 225, just feeling good, I feel great, man," White said. "Best I've felt in my career. Last year, I felt good going into camp, but this is the greatest I've felt. I didn't have to work this offseason and get no weight off. It already was off, and I just had to condition it and keep it down." He was then asked if he had the same diet? "Same diet," he said. Then he paused, realizing the question was a reference to the story from a year ago when he told a reporter the pounds started coming off after he stopped drinking tequila. White said that was an old story."
The Billy Devaney ? Turf Show Times: "Sam Bradford made his first throws for the St. Louis Rams (Friday). Temper your expectations; it was only the team's rookie minicamp. Still, having a QB with Bradford's talent make the plays that form the foundation of the Rams' playbook had to be an experience for the other guys on the field. And just how did Sam feel about his first practice? "I made a wide variety of throws today, some downfield throws, some intermediate throws, some quick throws," said Bradford. "And they all felt good. The arm feels great; it?s not tired at all. So I?m really happy with the way the shoulder feels right now."
The Rod Graves ? Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic: "Based on current projections, nine of the 22 starters could be new, including five on defense and four on offense. So even though the Cardinals have won consecutive NFC West titles, this minicamp feels like starting over in some ways. When Whisenhunt held a team meeting Friday morning, he emphasized that positive chemistry was a big part of the Cardinals' success the past two years. "We have number of new faces and I said, 'We're going to have some new leaders,' " Whisenhunt said. "I have an idea of who some of those guys are going to be, but we're going to have to have some of these guys who have been here step up, guys like Steve Breaston." "
The Mickey Loomis ? Gwen Filosa of the Times-Picayune: "The New Orleans Saints former security director sued the team Friday, accusing the Super Bowl champions of covering up the theft of prescription painkillers from the team drug locker by two "senior staff members" in 2009. Geoff Santini, a retired FBI special agent, resigned from the Saints in August. In a statement Friday, the team called his lawsuit a shakedown. "A former employee who resigned just before the 2009 regular season threatened to go public with these unfounded charges unless we agreed to pay him an exorbitant sum of money," said Greg Bensel, vice president of communications for the Saints. "We refused, and now he has gone public. We will aggressively defend these false allegations in court." "
The Thomas Dimitroff ? D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution: "Falcons head coach Mike Smith is not going to release an ?official? 2010 depth chart until training camp according to the team?s website. But now that most of the major offseason moves have been made, we?ll set up the template for them. Rookies aren?t handed anything in this early depth chart, except for rookie returner Dominique Franks, he was projected to win the kickoff and punt return jobs. Sean Weatherspoon, the first round draft pick, is listed No.2 behind both Mike Peterson and Stephen Nicholas."
The Marty Hurney ? Charles Gander of the Carolina Observer: "As draftees Jimmy Clausen, Brandon LaFell, Armatni Edwards, Eric Norwood & Co., joined forces on the field for the first time, Carolina also had a surprise appearance by veteran outside linebacker Thomas Davis. Davis suffered a torn ACL midway through last season and apparently has had a speedy recovery. He participated fully in practice. Clausen, the former Notre Dame quarterback picked in the second round, looked sharp and accurate with his throws. LaFell, a wide receiver from LSU, dropped several passes. Edwards, the former Appalachain State quarterback-turned-receiver, showed very good, soft hands, catching most everything thrown to him."
The Mark Dominik ? Bradenton Herald: "Gerald McCoy doesn?t want to become the next Warren Sapp. The third pick in the NFL draft will happily settle for making a name for himself as he tries to fill a hole that?s existed on Tampa Bay?s defensive line since Sapp left the Buccaneers six seasons ago. Sapp wants to help McCoy become a star. And not just McCoy ? Sapp also wants to reach out to Brian Price, the 303-pound tackle out of UCLA selected in the second round to play alongside the 295-pound McCoy. ?I can?t get out on the field with them. I can?t do it any more, I?m too old,? the 37-year-old Sapp said by telephone from Los Angeles, where he works for NFL Network."
AFC
The Al Davis ? Paul Gutierrez of the Sacramento Bee: "The Raiders maintained their 4-3 defense, despite speculation that they'd be switching to a 3-4, and first-round draft choice Rolando McClain played middle linebacker. "I'm used to being lined up over a guard every play, taking on the guard," McClain said. "But out here, I'm not over guard. I'm able to run, run free, make some plays without so much traffic in front of me. So, it's a little bit easier. I have a good, veteran D-line and today, especially, they did a great job keeping me free. So, I'm looking forward to playing the 4-3." "
The A.J. Smith ? Bolts From The Blue: "Chargers decided a few days before the draft that Ryan Matthews was absolutely their guy and it was really just a matter of how they were going to move up and get him. The Chargers thought Matthews would go somewhere between #20 (Texans) and their pick at #28. They tried to get closer to the #20 pick but could not find a trading partner until Miami at #12, it was higher than they thought they would have to go to get Matthews but they were comfortable with the price they had to pay to get the player. They tried not to give up the #40 pick but it was the only way to move up into a spot where they knew they could safely get Matthews. They were fortunate to have the pick otherwise they would probably not have the ammunition to move up to get Matthews."
The Scott Pioli ? Dave Hooker of Go Vols Extra: "Berry, who was selected by the Chiefs with the fifth pick in the NFL draft last week, didn't need to be reminded that Taylor went in the same No. 5 slot, in 2004. "I'm aware of that, very much aware of that," Berry said. "Man, that's pretty cool, especially the way I looked up to him, not just the way he played on the field in the NFL, but he did it since he was in college." Taylor, like Berry, was an All-American who took interest in players who dominated the game from the defensive backfield. The late Pro Bowler made plans to meet with Berry before tragedy struck. "I never met him," Berry lamented. "I talked with him before he got killed. I was very upset about that." "
The Brian Xanders ? Mike Kils of the Dnever Post: "Not to get carried away about Tim Tebow or anything, but during a pitch-and-catch drill with equipment manager Mike ?Hands? Harrington, the rookie quarterback completed 21 of 21 passes during the media viewing portion of the Broncos? first 2010 minicamp session. Tebow feigned taking the snap under center, took 3- to 5-step drops and zipped passes from 5 to 15 yards to Harrington. Tebow was utilizing the catcher-release from behind his ear hole, by the way, not the right fielder?s throwing motion he used during the Senior Bowl that generated so much criticism."
The Mike Tannenbaum ? David Wyatt of Gang Green Nation: "Joe McKnight looked good running the football. Had some issues catching and threw up on the field at one point. Rex Ryan put it down to a little anxiety etc. Kyle Wilson looked real good out there. Ryan was also impressed with try-outs, Jeff Cumberland (TE/WR), Cory Reamer (LB) who he said was a real bright guy.."
The Bill Belichick ? Albert Breer of the Boston Globe: "The rookie (Brandon Spikes) most certainly has a swagger to him, and it's easy to see how he became the defense's Tim Tebow, so to speak, at Florida. He lined up at the "Mike" position (SILB) during practice, which is how most people envisioning him ... Playing the old Ted Johnson role, and eating up blocks, to clear the way Jerod Mayo to get to the ball. Also worth noting that Dane Fletcher, a college end, repped some at the "Jack" (WILB) spot.
The Buddy Nix ? Robin DeWind of WHEC: "There are reports that the Buffalo Bills are trying to get season tickets holders to upgrade their seats into the lower bowl.The reports suggest that the Bills are losing season ticket holders in the more expensive, more attractive "lower bowl" seats. The Bills are emailing season ticket holders whose seats are in the upper deck asking them to consider "moving down." "
The Jeff Ireland ? Jeff Darlington of the Miami Herald: "(Jared) Odrick, the 28th overall pick, is already penciled in to start at defensive end, where he will replace Randy Starks, who is shifting to nose tackle."
The Ozzie Newsome ? Jamison Hensley of the Baltimore Sun: "When George Kokinis returns to football, it?ll likely be in the Ravens? personnel department. But the Ravens haven?t made any plans to announce that Kokinis is re-joining the team. There was speculation last month that Kokinis, the former general manager for the Cleveland Browns, would come back to the Ravens after the draft. Kokinis, director of pro personnel for the Ravens from 2003 to 2008, was spotted with Ravens officials at the NFL combine in Februrary. Some wonder whether Kokinis, who received an undisclosed settlement from the Browns, is in a rush to come back to the NFL."
The Kevin Colbert ? Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: "Quarterback Byron Leftwich took his turn with the first-team offense in the Steelers first minicamp practice today, and it could be a sign of coach Mike Tomlin's plans to open the season when he will be without Ben Roethlisberger. The Steelers re-acquired Leftwich in a trade with Tampa Bay before the draft, and he said not to take anything seriously yet about how the quarterbacks were used in the first minicamp practice. Dennis Dixon, however, said he believes the rotation will remain the way it was this morning with him second behind Leftwich. Charlie Batch ran third."
The Tom Heckert ? Tony Grozzi of the Plain Dealer: "Much has been made about (Colt) McCoy's height, or lack of, but when all players convene for training camp, McCoy won't be the shortest quarterback in town. At a true 6-1, he's a full two inches taller than Seneca Wallace. McCoy said he's fine with President Mike Holmgren's declaration that he wasn't drafted to play in 2010. "I asked them what my expectations should be coming into camp. They said do your best, which I've always done," he said. "I'm going to work hard and do my best in everything I do. And second of all, come in here and learn. Be the leader of your draft class. Get to know these guys, develop that leadership role and learn. First one here, last one to leave. That's exactly what I did in high school and at UT [University of Texas]. Spent a lot of time learning. I've got great coaches around me, great teammates and I'm just excited." If Holmgren's prediction comes true and McCoy doesn't play, he will relive his freshman year at Texas when he redshirted behind Vince Young. "I do see myself playing in the long term," he said. "I want to be out there. I'm a competitor. I think everyone on this team is. Ask anyone in this locker room what they want and they want to be suited up and playing. That's the goal for everybody. Right now my job is to come in and learn and do my best." McCoy has exchanged texts with at least two new teammates -- starting quarterback Jake Delhomme and kicker Phil Dawson, a Texas alum."
The Mike Brown ? Joe Reedy of the Cincinnati Enquirer: "With two receivers and a tight end among the Bengals draftees, quarterback Carson Palmer was pleased with what the team got during last week?s NFL Draft. Since the end of last season, which ended with a first-round playoff exit, the Bengals have been steadily stockpiling receivers in hopes of reviving a passing game that was a disappointing 26th in the league last year. Besides filling the most pressing need with the selection of tight end Jermaine Gresham in the first round, the Bengals also added receivers in the third and sixth rounds with Texas? Jordan Shipley and Kansas? Dez Briscoe."
The Chris Polian ? Indianapolis Star: "He?s 38, and his football playing resume is limited to holding ?numerous scout team receiving records? at John Carroll University. His talent in player evaluation, however, is unquestioned. And that?s why Chris Polian is the future of the Indianapolis Colts. And a growing part of the present. ?He truly is our general manager,? father Bill Polian, the Colts president, said two days after the recent NFL draft. ?There wasn't a decision made this weekend he didn't concur on.? After serving a dozen years in football operations leadership positions with the team, Chris Polian was given the GM title last November, and also named his father?s eventual successor."
The Gene Smith ? Vic Ketchman of Jaguars.com: "Tyson Alualu?s humble beginnings made it easy for him to accept the insult that he was a reach-pick draft choice. He made it sound as though he welcomes the rebuke. ?It was a shock to my people, my family and me. I was hoping to go late-first. I was projected as a solid second-round pick,? Alualu told reporters on Friday, a few hours after arriving in Jacksonville and ending a journey that begin at four p.m. on Thursday in Hawaii. The Jaguars? first-round draft choice is a warm and friendly man who spoke to reporters openly about his energy for the game and his love of family and faith. ?Moving from shelter to shelter, not having the finer things in life; I want to have this opportunity to give back to my family,? Alualu said.. When he was selected with the 10th overall pick, draft guru Mel Kiper immediately criticized the pick for being a reach. Smith said it wasn?t a reach according to the Jaguars? draft rankings, as Alualu was the best available player on the Jaguars? board. All of that and the flap about the Jaguars not using the pick on favorite-son Tim Tebow is in the past. What?s ahead, beginning with this weekend?s mini-camp, is about what Alualu does on the field. With the Jaguars, he?ll be a featured player, which he wasn?t at Cal. Gone are his days as a read-and-react defensive end in a 3-4 scheme. With the Jaguars, Alualu will be used as a penetrating, disruptive, three-technique defensive tackle. ?I?m definitely excited about that, not reading so much but just exploding and getting after it; penetrating and getting into to the backfield. I can?t wait to get started,? he said."
The Mike Reinfeldt ? Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean: "At first glance, rookie receiver Damian Williams looked like he was showing off on his first day in front of the Nashville media. The third-round pick out of Southern Cal caught punts one-handed time and again. Before long, Stafon Johnson and Marc Mariani jumped in and did the same. ?They asked us to do that,?? Williams explained. ?It is more about getting your feet square. Because the only way you can catch a punt one-handed is getting your feet square. It is just a good drill to work on getting underneath the ball square.?? Williams will be counted on to provide an immediate boost in the return game. Last season he averaged 14.2 yards per punt return. He returned two punts for touchdowns. He didn?t return kickoffs for the Trojans but expects to do it for the Titans."
The Rick Smith ? Nick Scurfield of HoustonTexans.com: "During the draft, (owner Bob) McNair sits in the Texans' war room directly in front of general manager Rick Smith and head coach Gary Kubiak. ?Before each pick, we have a lot of conversation in the draft room, and Rick will talk with the scouts and he?ll talk with the coaches and he?ll ask a show of hands as to who likes this candidate and who likes the other one, and then Gary Kubiak will have his input, and if I have anything to say I?ll tell them what my thoughts are,? McNair said. ?Then you sort of discuss it and the pros and cons and make a decision and move on. But it?s a very orderly process in the midst of chaos.? "
