Training Camp Report: QB Edition, August 11
The New York Jets are in the market to add a free-agent QB to their depth chart, as Geno Smith has been ruled out for 6-10 weeks for a broken jaw sustained after a locker-room incident. According to reports, linebacker IK Enemkpali sucker-punched Smith after Smith stuck a finger in Enemkpali’s face.
The injury elevates Ryan Fitzpatrick to #1 on the depth chart for now, with rookie Bryce Petty as the #2.
Training camp fights are nothing new, and are fairly common occurrences in the heat of the summer, especially with many fringe players trying to make an impression in front of coaches. It is fairly out of the ordinary to see two starters involved in a scrap, however, much less a starting QB. Yet, that is precisely what happened down in Spartanburg, South Carolina on Monday, as the Carolina Panthers ran first-team drills, and a Cam Newton pass was intercepted by CB Josh Norman.
Aftermath of Cam Newton and Josh Norman tussle pic.twitter.com/J7Pzm5fAJl
— Black & Blue Review (@BlackBlueReview) August 10, 2015
After getting separated, practice resumed, and Newton was quick to downplay reports of simmering bitterness between him and Gordon. Head coach Ron Rivera was similarly unconcerned:
“It’s really that time of year. Guys get into training camp and it’s usually (practice) nine or 10 and that’s kind of what happened. You really don’t expect it to be your quarterback. But the thing I try to take away from it, and you try to look for the positive in it, is hey, he stood up for himself, the other guy stood up for himself. I know it’s the quarterback but we treat everybody the same.
“I wasn’t pleased about the fight. I wasn’t pleased about who was in the fight but again I understand it. Again, I think the thing that a lot of the guys took from it was he’s just like any of us. He’s willing to fight.”
Though perhaps one of the least glamorous QB duels in training camp, the question of who will start under center for the Buffalo Bills this season is still one that could carry a lot of implications beyond Orchard Park. The hiring of Rex Ryan, several personnel moves, and upgrades around the AFC East could make this division one of the strongest in the league this season.
With the first preseason game coming up, Ryan announced to the media today that Matt Cassel will be the starter, with Tyrod Taylor and former first-round pick E.J. Manuel following on the depth chart. All 3 will figure to see action this week.
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Tampa Bay Buccaneers center Evan Smith has no shortage of praise for QB Jameis Winston. Speaking to Yahoo Sports, Smith had this to say about the rookie signal-caller:
“I’ve only been around two other quarterbacks. I played with one who was really good. He reminds me of a very young version of him.”
“Jameis hasn’t taken a snap yet in this league,” Smith conceded, before explaining his view. “When I first got to Green Bay, you could see the talent there, you could see Aaron was starting to take off as a superstar. You can tell Jameis has that potential.”
“You see it with the brains, [and] you definitely see the arm talent. That’s one thing that will jump off the film at you. He obviously has a baseball background, and he knows how to throw it. But the anticipation on his throws is something that really wows you. Sometimes we watch film and say, ‘Wow that was a really good throw.'”
Yes, Smith was comparing Winston to that Aaron, the reigning league MVP.
With Matt Flynn struggling to recover from a hamstring injury and the ongoing wrangling over Tom Brady‘s suspension, the New England Patriots released Flynn and signed Ryan Lindley as a backup.
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While Lindley actually has a very recent playoff appearance under his belt, it was a best-forgotten experience for him, as he was battered by the Panthers’ defense into a 44.3 rating for the game in the Wild Card round loss last season. At best, Lindley will be an insurance policy for Jimmy Garoppolo until Brady’s return.
The number of converts to Catholicism may be high among the Philadelphia Eagles fanbase if a petition to Pope Francis leads to a successful season and, more importantly, an injury-free campaign for Sam Bradford.
Bradford had an enthusiastic response when asked about this on local news:
“I haven’t seen that. I was told about it before I talked to you guys. If I got to meet the Pope, I think that would be pretty cool. If he wanted to bless my knee, then I’m all for it.”