NFL Training Camp Capsules - NFC: Vikings aiming to amend not-so-special performance

MANKATO, Minn. — Brian Murphy had already worked three years for the boss, but the interview that sealed his promotion to Minnesota’s special teams coordinator was as thorough as could be.

After watching the Vikings give up an NFL-record seven touchdowns on special teams last season, well, coach Brad Childress had plenty of questions.

"I wanted him to take me through everything — from practice, improvements with drills, and improvements with personnel," Childress said between Tuesday’s practices. "How are you going to utilize personnel? How are you going to teach? Drill work that’s going to pertain to what happens here on the field, not something that looks like a great drill but doesn’t relate. I think all the way across the board, I was satisfied with the approach he was going to take and his ability to motivate and teach those guys."

Childress was adamant about seeking changes for 2009 after last year’s coordinator, Paul Ferraro, left to take a job as an assistant with the St. Louis Rams.

The coach would have been crazy not to be concentrating on a different approach.

The memory of that 48-41 defeat in Chicago when the Bears scored on a blocked punt and a fumbled punt return has not faded. Neither have the four punt returns that went for touchdowns against the Vikings, two by Reggie Bush for the New Orleans Saints in the same game and two by Will Blackmon of the Packers — once in Green Bay and once in Minnesota.

"I am confident that it’s going to be improved," Childress said. "I think that our guys throughout the offseason have spent a lot of time just on what we’re doing schematically and the understanding of what we’re trying to do. I think Murph has done a great job of putting the drill work with it and making them understand."

Murphy, who was Ferraro’s assistant over the last three years, helped Childress put the "magnifying glass" on every facet, every sequence, every cause and every effect during the offseasons.

"Have to point the laser at it and say, ‘Let’s pull it apart and see if the king doesn’t have any clothes on,"’ Childress said. "We don’t mind saying that."

Presiding over practice with his husky body and booming voice, Murphy has pushed a faster pace than Ferraro. The players have remarked about an increased attention to detail. That’s not necessarily a sign of a weakness under Ferraro; last year’s results would have dictated such an emphasis regardless of who’s in charge.

"The only way to make special teams great is to have players buy into it," Murphy said. "We do our best to teach the fundamentals to each position. We teach detail, we coach detail and demand a level of performance. When it gets down to it, it’s players that can make plays. I think they have taken great pride in it, and they know the importance of it. It has been an emphasis from the head coach on down. I see that there is a different vibe, and we need to continue to bring that along because special teams is the heart and soul of what we’re doing."

Backup safety Eric Frampton, one of the top tacklers in coverage, said he’s seen a better buy-in factor from his teammates.

"I think there’s a sense of urgency, but I also think there’s a greater sense of urgency to do things right," he said.

Starting linebackers Chad Greenway and Ben Leber have been playing bigger parts on these units during training camp. Backup Heath Farwell’s presence has also been welcomed, after missing last season because of a knee injury. Farwell was voted the Vikings’ most valuable special teams player in both 2006 and 2007.

"We’re working harder at it," Farwell said, adding: "You don’t want your phase of the game to affect the team’s chances of winning so we realize what we’ve got to work on."

The addition of Percy Harvin ought to help, too. The first-round draft pick out of Florida is in line to be the lead kickoff returner, and he could catch punts, too. Backup wide receivers Jaymar Johnson and Darius Reynaud are also getting long looks in those roles.

The unsettled quarterback position still stands out, but the impact of improvement or continued struggles of the special teams will not be insignificant.

"We’re anxious to watch our special teams play," Childress said.

Bears WRs growing with Cutler

BOURBONNAIS, Ill. — A couple of overlooked receivers are emerging as threats for the Chicago Bears and new quarterback Jay Cutler.

The Bears never pursued a veteran free agent for the position, instead hoping Cutler’s passing ability would make existing receivers better. So far, it seems to have worked — Cutler has been regularly finding Devin Aromashodu and Brandon Rideau in practice.

"Both of those guys have great size, speed and they’re making plays each day," Bears coach Lovie Smith said. "Going into camp we were going to give some of our younger receivers an opportunity to prove what they can do."

Aromashodu has been waived three times and twice has been signed by teams off practice squads, while Rideau has been cut four times, including twice by the Bears.

"There are a lot of guys who get cut out of this league because they run out of time, not because they don’t have the talent to play," Bears wide receivers coach Darryl Drake said. "Hopefully this is to our benefit that we’ve got some guys that have been around and probably weren’t quite ready to play early in their career."

Aromashodu is 6-foot-2, 201 pounds and was drafted in the seventh round by Miami in 2006 but cut. He was on the Colts’ practice squad and helped prepare the defense to face the Bears in the 2007 Super Bowl but never got a chance to move up because the Colts had Reggie Wayne and Marvin Harrison.

"I was there two years, so I definitely learned an awful lot from Marvin and from Reggie and those guys," Aromashodu said. "That experience is helping me right now.

"I had no problem sitting and learning from those guys."

He also was on practice squads with Houston and Washington before the Bears signed him to their 53-man roster off the Redskins’ practice squad last December. Aromashodu was originally drafted by Miami with a seventh-round pick the Bears traded to the Dolphins.

Now he’s playing well enough that he caught the attention of Cutler, who commented to offensive coordinator Ron Turner that he liked what he saw in Aromashodu. That led to more first-team plays for the former Auburn player.

"He’s a big target, he’s long," Cutler said. "He’s got some good top-end speed. I think D.A.’s coming along really well. He’s making some flashes out there."

While Aromashodu has seven regular-season catches and a playoff catch to his credit with Indianapolis, the 6-3, 198-pound Rideau has never made a regular-season reception.

"It’s another year in the system so I’m a little more comfortable with it," Rideau said. "I did a little bit of training in the off-season to help myself get a little bit more physically ready, and I think that’s what’s helping me out this camp."

Both players say Cutler’s arm strength has been an immense help.

"I feel like he’ll find you if you get open, and he’ll give you a chance if he believes in you," Rideau said. "So right now I guess he’s feeling like I can make a couple plays so he wants to come at me."

Smith isn’t completely sold on the situation yet. He pointed out his own defensive secondary has struggled in practice against receivers, in part, because of injuries at cornerback.

Going against Buffalo in Saturday’s preseason game will be big for the receivers.

"It’s going to be huge for the whole group — all of them," Drake said. "You’re going against other people."

NOTE: Free agent long snapper J.J. Milan signed with the Bears after regular long snapper Patrick Mannelly suffered a hip injury which isn’t regarded as serious.

’Babs’ a strict mentor for young Jerry

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — Jonathan Babineaux seized the opportunity to remind an impatient Peria Jerry about post-practice protocol in the NFL.

Jerry, hot and sweaty, was eager to leave the practice fields after a recent morning session in the Atlanta Falcons’ training camp. Babineaux shot out a sharp scolding when he heard Jerry groan about having to wait for veterans to be first in line for interviews with reporters.

"Let him wait! He’s just a rookie," Babineaux said, aiming his admonishment for Jerry’s ears.

Babineaux, relishing his new role as the veteran leader of the Falcons’ defensive line, didn’t hesitate to remind Jerry of the rules. But Jerry, the Falcons’ first-round pick, didn’t seem to mind.

Jerry says he knows Babineaux has his back.

"If it wasn’t for Babs, I’d really probably be behind," said Jerry, who is trying to win a starting job beside Babineaux at defensive tackle.

Jerry probably won’t have to wait long for his first start.

The Falcons list the former Mississippi standout beside Babineaux on their unofficial first-team defense for Saturday’s preseason game at Detroit.

"He’s doing good," Babineaux said. "He’s not making many mistakes. His head is kind of spinning a little bit, but I’ve got him under my wing and he’s going to be all right."

Still, no one has said Jerry has won the starting job.

Trey Lewis, Jason Jefferson, Thomas Johnson and Vance Walker also have won praise from coach Mike Smith.

Walker, a seventh-round pick from Georgia Tech, is the second rookie in the mix.

"I think that’s a very competitive area," Smith said Tuesday. "Peria is learning. ... We see his explosion that we saw on film.

"Thomas Johnson has done some nice things. Of course Babineaux is returning and I think has had a nice camp. Vance Walker has done some nice things as well. Jason Jefferson. I think there’s a number of guys competing for a limited number of spots."

Babineaux and defensive end John Abraham are the only established starters on the defensive line. Jamaal Anderson, a first-round pick in 2007, started 15 games last season at the other end. Chauncey Davis is listed behind Anderson.

The Falcons hope Jerry can help the team replace 345-pound Grady Jackson, who was an imposing run-stopper in the middle of last year’s defensive line.

Jerry (6-2, 294) can’t match Jackson’s size, but he says he’s not worried about the physical matchups.

"I’m good on the physical side," Jerry said with a laugh, adding he has to work harder to learn the techniques and playbook in his first training camp.

"I’m a rookie and I’m going to make mistakes but I have to learn from them," Jerry said. "The older guys above me, they are really showing me the game.

"It’s just getting everything down pat, getting all the fundamentals and technique perfect."

Anderson said Jerry "is very raw."

"He has some work to do but I think he’s going to be a heck of a player," Anderson said, who said he also has been impressed by Jerry’s explosion off the snap.

"His get-up is unbelievable," Anderson said. "I haven’t seen anyone with a get-up like that in a while."

Jerry was a first-team All-American after helping Ole Miss rank fourth in the nation in rushing defense. He had 18 tackles for loss to lead the Southeastern Conference.

Anderson said Jerry "is going to be fine" with more experience.

But can Jerry, or anyone in camp, replace the massive Jackson?

"Actually, I’m trying to figure that out myself," Anderson said. "We’re not going to have a Grady. We don’t have somebody that’s going to be able to replace a Grady Jackson, but we’re going to be fine on the defensive line."

NOTES: Smith said he and his staff will set a playing rotations for the quarterbacks, including starter Matt Ryan, and other players for the game at Detroit on Wednesday. Smith said WR Roddy White, who returned to practice on Monday after signing a new six-year contract worth about $50 million, should play on Saturday. ... More than 70 former Falcons players, including eight players from the inaugural 1966 team, attended the afternoon practice. "We want to continue to get these guys to come back, not only for them to see our players but for our players to see them," Smith said.

-- Charles Odum

Bulger expects to play a lot vs. Jets

ST. LOUIS — Starting quarterbacks usually ease into the preseason, often playing no more than a series or two in the exhibition opener.

But when the St. Louis Rams visit the Jets on Friday, Marc Bulger expects plenty of playing time — perhaps as much as three quarters.

The Rams are in their first preseason under new coach Steve Spagnuolo. They’re also learning the West Coast offense under new coordinator Pat Shurmur.

"It could be three quarters or two," Bulger said of his playing time. "It’s a new staff and we’re all still trying to get a feel for each other. Hopefully, we’ll get a couple of good drives and see how it goes."

How much playing time will be enough?

"It’s a fine line. You want to get your work in, and obviously you want to be successful," Bulger said. "You don’t want to go in and have two drives and not get anything done. At the same time, you want to be fresh going into the season because it is a long year."

Spagnuolo, trying to turn around a team that was 2-14 last season and 5-27 over the past two seasons, isn’t saying how much playing time Bulger or other starters will see against the Jets.

Bulger, sacked 75 times over the past two seasons, said he’s not worried about getting hit in the preseason opener. Spagnuolo’s training camp practices have included tackling and full pads, though defenders aren’t allowed to hit quarterbacks.

"It won’t be as big a deal, I think, for the other guys, but for the quarterbacks, it’s a good opportunity to get hit and get that initial soreness out," Bulger said.

Spagnuolo, defensive coordinator the past two seasons with the New York Giants, said he hasn’t given much thought to the fact his first game as a head coach will be in the stadium where he used to coach.

"The first instance I walk in it’ll be, ‘Yeah, I remember this place,’ but then it will be all Rams," he said.

NOTES: LB Chris Draft did not practice. He took a thumb to the throat in practice Monday. ... CB Tye Hill landed awkwardly on his right leg while defending a pass caught by WR Derek Stanley and hurt his knee. He had ice put on the swollen knee and did not return to practice. ... S Craig Dahl returned to practice for the first time since hurting his hamstring Friday.

’DRC’ looks to become consistent at cornerback

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. — Arizona cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie made plenty of big plays during his rookie year.

As he prepares for his second NFL season, the Cardinals want Rodgers-Cromartie to pay more attention to the small ones.

That means relying less on his dazzling speed and mastering techniques in practice.

When it comes to pure exhilaration, learning proper footwork doesn’t compare to the 99-yard interception return for a touchdown that Rodgers-Cromartie turned in last season.

But the coaches say an improved practice regimen will help the 23-year-old Floridian turn his potential into consistent production at one of the game’s most demanding positions.

"In order for him to take that step to the next level, which is an elite cornerback in this league, he has to do it every day on the practice field, every day that he’s working, and then it has to show up in the games," coach Ken Whisenhunt said.

As he walked off the practice field at Northern Arizona University this week, Rodgers-Cromartie nodded when told about Whisenhunt’s assessment.

"Sometimes I’m not really focused," Rodgers-Cromartie said. "That’s one of my main things I’ve got to work on is just being focused."

Rodgers-Cromartie may have fallen into some bad habits as a two-sport star at Tennessee State. Rodgers-Cromartie won the 60 meters, long jump and high jump at the Ohio Valley Conference Indoor Track Championships. (He said his best 40-yard time was 4.26 seconds during workouts for NFL scouts.)

On the football field, Rodgers-Cromartie was so dominant in college that opposing teams rarely threw passes in his direction, and his mind would wander.

"I was never, as a football player, just really tuned in coming from college," Rodgers-Cromartie said. "I really didn’t get that many balls, so sometimes I fall asleep, and it just carried over to here. I still have to work that out of my system."

Rodgers-Cromartie showed flashes of stardom during his rookie season, when the once-lowly Cardinals made an improbable run to their first Super Bowl.

Given the team’s spotty draft history, many fans shrugged when the Cardinals drafted Rodgers-Cromartie with their first-round pick (16th overall) in 2008. At 6-foot-2 and 182 pounds, he seemed a bit thin for the rugged NFL.

But the shrugs turned to cheers as Rodgers-Cromartie emerged as a playmaker late in the season.

He picked off two passes against Seattle in Week 11 and matched a franchise record with a 99-yard interception return against St. Louis in Week 14.

"I can catch it in the end zone, 1-yard line, I’m coming out," Rodgers-Cromartie said. "Whenever that ball’s in my hands, I’m looking to take it all the way."

In Week 15 against Minnesota, Rodgers-Cromartie blocked a field goal that teammate Rod Hood returned 68 yards for a score.

Rodgers-Cromartie’s four interceptions matched Tampa Bay’s Aqib Talib for most among NFL rookies.

Rodgers-Cromartie kept it up in the playoffs, picking off two more passes as the Cardinals went from a punchline to NFC champions. All told, Rodgers-Cromartie had six interceptions in 12 starts.

As he starts his second season, the coaches expect even more.

"He’s physically a very gifted football player," Whisenhunt said. "He’s made a number of great plays for us last year that helped us out tremendously, but he’s also a talent that can be as good as anybody in the league at that position if he’s willing to put in the time and the effort. And he’s been working on that in practice."

The Cardinals hope that Rodgers-Cromartie will learn from fellow cornerback Bryant McFadden, signed as a free agent during the offseason. McFadden started only 18 of 51 games with Pittsburgh in the last four years, but he has a steady approach to his job.

"(Rodgers-Cromartie) has the God-given physical tools," defensive coordinator Bill Davis said. "Now, he has to do what Bryant McFadden does, the way that ‘B-Mac’ works at it and understands his playbook and understands his technique.

"Dominique has the confidence to know he can play with NFL receivers," Davis said. "We can build off what we had last year. If he will consistently practice like he has (in training camp), if he can discipline himself to do it right, one play at a time, the sky’s the limit for that kid."

-- Andrew Bagnato

Seahawks look to competition to improve secondary

RENTON, Wash. — The Seattle Seahawks thought they had solved their issues at safety two seasons ago.

That year, free agent acquisitions Brian Russell and Deon Grant looked as though they would end the uncertainty as they became part of a defensive unit that allowed only 15 passing touchdowns all season — best in the league. But the defense as a whole regressed in 2008, and the pass defense was worst in the league.

"We didn’t play as well as we wanted to, but we’re working our tails off to make sure we get a lot of wins this year," Russell said. "We think the talent in our room and the type of secondary we are relates more to what we did in 2007. We’re a better secondary, a better defense, a better team than what we showed last year."

Part of the effort to improve includes opening up Russell’s position to competition, with Jordan Babineaux pushing Russell for playing time.

Babineaux has been a jack-of-all-trades for Seattle, playing both the safety and cornerback positions. Seattle brought in Ken Lucas in the offseason to add depth at cornerback, allowing Babineaux to focus solely on the safety position.

"We’re finally telling (Babineaux), ‘You got one position, go get it,’ rather than playing him all over the place," general manager Tim Ruskell said prior to training camp. "That’s probably been a detriment to him."

Babineaux is looking to take full advantage of the opportunity to stick at one position and earn a starting job.

"As a backup, one of the main goals is you always want to strive to be a starter — at least for me," Babineaux said. "That’s been my approach I’ve had. I have a little experience starting at both safety and corner and now the coaches are giving me the green light to compete for the starting job, it’s definitely been a goal of mine and I’m working at it every day."

Babineaux has had a knack for showing up in crucial situations for the Seahawks. In 2005, he intercepted Drew Bledsoe to set up a game winning field goal against the Dallas Cowboys. Then in the 2006 playoffs, Babineaux came up with a game-saving tackle of Tony Romo after a botched snap on a late field goal attempt.

Now Babineaux will have to show he can play every down to unseat the incumbent.

"It’s been a challenge, certainly with the new defenses and the new adjustments that we have at each position," Babineaux said. "I definitely have to put a little extra time into what I’m doing because as a player, one thing that you really hate is to be a guy that makes mistakes and I hate making mistakes."

Coach Jim Mora said it’s difficult to evaluate the safety position on practice tape alone, that it takes game situations to really get a feel for how players are faring.

"I need to see them in games when they’re seeing new looks and people are really attacking them down the field and it’s live and there are some moment of truth plays," Mora said.

That evaluation will begin in earnest on Saturday when the Seahawks open their exhibition season against the San Diego Chargers.

Singletary sticking with physical training camp

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — The key statistics for the 49ers so far in training camp: 19 practices, 18 in pads, three "nutcracker" drills and seven injuries lasting a week or longer.

So far, tight end Delanie Walker (concussion), cornerback Terall Brown (toe), linebacker Patrick Willis (foot), running back Michael Robinson (groin), guard David Baas (foot), linebacker Parys Haralson (hip flexor) and wide receiver Brandon Jones (fractured shoulder) have missed or are expected to miss a week or more of camp, with Jones out for eight weeks.

That’s led to talk in the local media about the physicality of San Francisco’s training camp. But coach Mike Singletary said no was asked if he’d consider cutting back on the physical nature in the face of mounting injuries. "Not one bit," he said.

Singletary has backed off his "nutcracker" drill, which pits two similarly sized players between blocking pads spaced three feet apart. The players are instructed to run through each other.

The drill gets so intense coaches frequently jump in after a few seconds to keep players from fighting. However, after Baas went down last week with his foot injury (he’s out indefinitely) Singletary has yet to schedule another "nutcracker."

For Singletary and his players, the constant hitting is meant to establish a mentality they hope to carry into the regular season.

"I don’t know if you acclimate," linebacker Jeff Ulbrich said. "There’s definitely a different mentality then being out here in shells (light shoulder pads). It’s demanding, you have to develop that mentality that you are going to bring it every play or you are just going to get destroyed. It establishes a survival mechanism."

Since Singletary forewarned his players about the physical nature of camp during the offseason, many players prepared for it. Running back Frank Gore turned to his strength and conditioning coach from his University of Miami days for extra training. Linebacker Takeo Spikes spent a few weeks with a mixed martial arts specialist.

"I don’t want to say I worked harder this year than I have in the past, but mentally, you have to prepare yourself for a challenge such as this," center Eric Heitmann said.

NOTES: Wide receiver Isaac Bruce was held out of practice after getting poked in the eye Tuesday. ... Rookie quarterback Nate Davis got some time in team drills and threw consecutive completions to wide receivers Dominique Zeigler and Josh Morgan. ... Zeigler made the play of the day catching a 35-yard strike from Alex Smith.