NFL Capsules - NFC: Second-string Haynesworth has full Redskins practice
ASHBURN, Va. (AP) — Albert Haynesworth returned to work as $100 million backup Monday, working at second-string nose tackle in his first full practice at this year's Washington Redskins training camp.
Haynesworth put on his No. 92 jersey and blended with his teammates, usually lining up between defensive ends Phillip Daniels and Darrion Scott as he ramps up his education in the team's new 3-4 defense. Coach Mike Shanahan lived up to his word that Haynesworth would not be plugged in immediately with the starters.
"Albert obviously has come in late," coach Mike Shanahan said, "and he's going to have to compete to win a position."
Haynesworth wasn't allowed to practice until he passed the Redskins' conditioning test, which was required by Shanahan for skipping the team's offseason workouts. Haynesworth passed the test Saturday morning, but his left knee was too sore afterward to make it through a complete practice later that day. Sunday was a day off for players.
Haynesworth had been hoping for a trade because he didn't want to play the 3-4. Teammates now say he's warming to the new scheme.
"He's a great player regardless of what defense he's in," linebacker Brian Orakpo said. "That's what he finally realizes, 3-4, 2-5, it don't really matter, he can make plays. Nobody told him to stop tackling."
During his time away from practice, Haynesworth was working individually with coaches to learn the play book.
"He knows what to do," defensive end Phillip Daniels said. "The main thing is getting out here and getting in football shape."
Shanahan said it was too early to predict when Haynesworth might move up the depth chart, or how much the two-time All-Pro might play in Friday's exhibition opener against the Buffalo Bills.
"It all depends on how he looks in practice and what kind of shape he's in," Shanahan said. "It takes a while. That's one of the reasons you do have preseason games, is to get back in football shape. Hopefully he stays in good shape, there's no setback with his knee, and we'll see what he can do in preseason games."
Redskins, Shanahan keeping injuries at bay at camp
ASHBURN, Va. (AP) — Mike Shanahan learned a valuable lesson about injuries during his Denver Broncos days, back when he decided the goal line drill would be the perfect time to crack the whip and make the guys tackle.
"I went full speed, I think, three years in a row in goal line," Shanahan said, "and I lost one guy each year. And I looked at myself and said, 'What are you trying to do with those 12 plays? What's the difference?'"
Now the coach of the Washington Redskins, Shanahan is overseeing one of the healthiest training camps in the land. NFL injuries are a dime a dozen in the heat of August — knees, ankles, sprains and strains — but a practice strategy that revolves around one long, up-tempo session early in the morning is paying dividends.
"I love this. I thank God every night, man," veteran guard Artis Hicks said. "It's human nature to try to find something to complain about, but it's very hard when you've got a great operation like this. It makes you comfortable and confident when you wake up in the morning because you say 'Hey, go out here and give it all I've got, do the best I can.' Because we know the coach is going to take care of us — he's not going to run us into the ground."
The Redskins begin practice at 8:30 a.m. and go 2½ hours. They typically wear full shoulder pads and shorts. Players are instructed to hit hard — but only above the waist. There has been no tackling, not even during the Fan Appreciation Day, when fans have traditionally treated to a live scrimmage.
And that's it for the day, as far as being physical on the field. In late afternoon, the players have a one-hour walkthrough, more of a mental exercise than anything else. Players can expend their energy during the morning session without having to worry about having anything left for a rerun in the baking late-day humidity.
"If you have to go that hard in camp, that's when the injuries occur," receiver Santana Moss said. "Most of the time when injuries happen is when someone's lagging or someone's tired. And when your mind ain't on it, that's when it happens."
Twelve days into camp, the results are promising. The Redskins have had two prominent injuries, and neither happened during a practice. Albert Haynesworth had a sore knee — the same problem he's had for several years — that kept him from taking the team's conditioning test, and receiver Malcolm Kelly arrived at camp with a sore hamstring that came from working out with quarterback Donovan McNabb in Arizona the week before.
The one serious camp injury has been a concussion suffered by backup receiver Mike Furrey, who has been out of practice for a week and isn't expected to return soon. Right tackle Jammal Brown has missed several days with a sore left hip, not surprising given that he missed all of last season with a hip injury. Left tackle Trent Williams and defensive tackle Howard Green have also missed a practice or two with minor hip ailments.
That's a short list, especially when compared to the days when a dozen or more players would be nursing some sort of injury by now. It was only two years ago that the Redskins lost two defensive linemen for the entire season on the first day of camp. Good health doesn't guarantee a division title, but it's hard to accomplish without it.
Of course, talking about a lack of injuries is like boasting about a no-hitter in the fifth inning: It's bound to jinx everything. Shanahan literally knocked on the wood of his podium while addressing the issue.
"I think if you practice at game day speed and you don't go after somebody's knees or somebody's ankles, you've got a chance to go into the first regular season game as healthy as you possibly could," Shanahan said.
The coach and players also attributed the team's health to Shanahan's emphasis on the offseason conditioning program. With the notable exception of Haynesworth, the Redskins had good attendance during the spring and came to camp in good shape.
"The whole thing was if you guys commit to me for the offseason workouts, when you come in, I don't have to run you into the ground because you're going to be in great shape," Hicks said. "I would say the vast majority bought in. So when we got here to camp, he kept his word."
Notes: The Redskins released their first depth chart of the season. Some noteworthy observations: Haynesworth is listed as second-team nose tackle, Kelly and Devin Thomas are third-string receivers, Willie Parker is fourth-string at running back — even behind youngster Ryan Torain — and Andre Carter is a starting defensive end ahead of Lorenzo Alexander, who has played with the first unit for most of camp. ... Shanahan said he hopes Kelly will return next week, essentially ruling the receiver out for this week's exhibition opener against Buffalo. The coach said he hopes Brown will practice in the next couple of days.
-- Joseph White
Giants S Kenny Phillips finally practices again
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — New York Giants safety Kenny Phillips is back at practice for the first time in almost 11 months.
The 23-year-old took part in 12 plays Monday in his first action since undergoing microfracture surgery on his left knee in September.
Phillips slipped twice during the seven-on-seven drills at the University at Albany, but he quickly got up.
"It felt great," Phillips said.
Coach Tom Coughlin intends to spoon-feed playing time to Phillips.
Phillips won't be part of the Giants' evening practice Monday night, and he'll get roughly the same numbers of plays in Tuesday's single workout.
"If we can get through a couple of days here, we'll do some more with him," Coughlin said.
Phillips got off to a great start last season, making 16 tackles and intercepting two passes in the Giants' first two games.
But doctors found patella femoral arthritis in his left knee after the second game. Surgery ended his season and started a long rehabilitation.
"Honestly, I had no doubts," Phillips said. "No doubts at all because of the trainers and the doctors. They reassured me I could make a full recovery."
Teammates got Phillips to smile once he returned to the field, yelling, "Superman's back."
"He definitely plays like Superman," fellow safety Antrel Rolle said. "I am excited to see Superman get my backside once he gets back to playing shape. I know he is in playing mode. As far as the mental game, he is on top of it 120 percent."
The only problems were the two slips, which Phillips conveniently blamed on his cleats. He promised never to wear them again.
"I wasn't thinking about my knee when I hit the ground," said Phillips, who won't play in the Giants' preseason opener against the Jets next Monday. "I was just trying to make a play."
Phillips made an excellent read on an Eli Manning pass and dived in an attempt to defend it.
"I read his hips, saw who was missing out, and I went for it, came real close," Phillips said. "Maybe next time I'll get it."
If Phillips can return and play like last season, the Giants will have one of the deepest safety groups in the league with veterans Rolle, Deon Grant and Michael Johnson. Rolle and Grant were signed as free agents to bolster a unit that was among the worst in the league after Phillips was hurt.
"It was like a kid in a candy story," Rolle said of watching Phillips. "He's been missing a game he loved for the last year, so for him to be out there, it definitely lifted my spirits up a lot and I'm sure lifted his own spirits up a lot."
Safeties coach Dave Merritt said that having Phillips back was like getting a Christmas present. His only regret was that Phillips didn't get a chance to defend a long pass.
"That's where you're really going be able to tell if he's really able to get back there to make the play, and right now I truly believe that he's going to be able to do it from what I've seen in individual (drills)," Merritt said.
Merritt said Phillips made all the right reads on his plays, including a couple of extra plays during a four-minute drill.
"He wasn't supposed to go in four-minute," said Merritt, who had to bark at Phillips to get off the field. "I may get a tongue whipping by coach Coughlin."
Grant wasn't surprised that Phillips tried to sneak in the extra work.
"They gave him like two plays a period and he said, 'Give me three,'" Grant said. "If they had given him five he would've said, 'Give me six.' K.P. is still young now so let's not forget that because that means that he's going to be extra hungry."
-- Tom Canavan
Jacobs calls for imprisoned Burress to be released
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — Free Plaxico Burress. That's the message halfback Brandon Jacobs was wearing at the New York Giants' training camp.
The big running back made a rare appearance at lunch Monday dressed in a custom T-shirt with the words "Free 17 Let Him Ball Out."
Burress, who wore jersey No. 17, made the game-winning catch in the Giants' win over the New England Patriots in the 2008 Super Bowl. He is currently serving a two-year sentence in New York after pleading guilty to attempted criminal possession of a weapon.
Jacobs said he had his T-shirt specially made.
"You won't see that anywhere unless you go and get it made just like I did," Jacobs said. "I just had it made. It only took a couple minutes, so you can get one, too."
Jacobs said he had spoken to Burress about once a week until training camp opened Aug. 1.
"I'm just hoping for the best for him and his family," Jacobs added. "Hopefully, he can get out and continue his career."
Burress applied for work release last month for the second time during his prison sentence. He originally applied for work release in November, but it was denied by the New York Department of Correctional Services because of the nature of his crime.
The program would allow him to spend some portion of his sentence at home.
If Burress were let out on work release, he would be eligible to sign with any NFL team.
Giants general manager Jerry Reese has said the team will keep its options open with Burress, who will turn 33 on Thursday.
But there is some question whether the New York Department of Correctional Services would allow him to work outside of New York.
"It would be in the discretion of the board. They take each case on an individual basis," Ben Brafman, Burress' attorney, said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press on Monday.
Commissioner Roger Goodell ruled shortly after Burress was sent to prison that his suspension would be lifted and he would be reinstated and eligible to sign with a team upon the completion of his sentence.
Burress carried a loaded handgun into a Manhattan nightclub in late November 2008. It went off and he was wounded in the leg, causing him to miss the rest of the season.
The Giants, who won the NFC East and got a first-round bye, were not the same without him and were eliminated by the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC semifinals.
New York City officials later indicted Burress. He pleaded guilty in August to attempted criminal possession of a weapon.
-- Tom Canavan
Eagles' Reid likes how Kolb learns from mistakes
BETHLEHEM, Pa. (AP) — Philadelphia Eagles coach Andy Reid likes how first-year starter Kevin Kolb learns from his mistakes at quarterback.
Reid noted that Kolb misread a coverage and threw an interception in practice Saturday, but made the correct read of the same coverage Monday and completed a pass for a modest gain.
"He threw it the other day," Reid said. "Came back today and learned from it. ... That's what he's doing. When Kevin makes a mistake, he learns from it and makes progress. That's a very important quality to have. The guys who make them over and over and over again, those guys can't play at this level. It just doesn't work for them."
Kolb struggled in a night session Thursday, as did the rest of the offense. Then Reid made the rare move Saturday of publicly criticizing his players.
He was much more satisfied with his team's work on both sides of the ball Monday.
Wide receiver DeSean Jackson, running back LeSean McCoy and running back Eldra Buckley left practice early because of heat-related problems.
Boxing workouts helped Edwards prepare for season
MANKATO, Minn. (AP) — Ray Edwards is 6-foot-5, so he always walks tall.
Even as he left the field following a sweltering practice on Monday morning, his stride was smooth and his head was held high. The upper-80s heat and thick humidity didn't faze him.
Edwards, the emerging Minnesota Vikings defensive end, spent a week of his offseason working out at a renowned boxing facility in Detroit in searing conditions he estimated at 110 degrees.
With instructor Emanuel Steward at Kronk Gym, Edwards took one of many steps to make his body more lean and get ready for the wear and tear of another full season.
"Boxing gets you light on your feet," Edwards said. "Definitely works on opening your hips and twisting well. Another career, maybe. Definitely helps your conditioning."
Frustrated by his contract situation, Edwards opted to train on his own during the offseason rather than lifting, running and practicing with his teammates at Vikings headquarters. Offered a one-year tender as a restricted free agent, Edwards waited until the deadline to sign it and skipped minicamp.
Mild-mannered defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier even teased Edwards at the first meeting of training camp about his extended absence from the team.
"I said, 'I'm looking forward to seeing you get on the field, Ray, because I don't think you're in good shape,'" Frazier said, smiling. "Everybody in the room kind of laughed, but he was in great shape."
Edwards also spent time at a mixed martial arts gym in the Twin Cities area in addition to his usual strength and conditioning program. He paid more attention to nutrition, too.
"My workouts were crazy this offseason," Edwards said, adding: "I was working out three times a day. Just trying to get better."
Edwards certainly got better last season, his third as a starter after being drafted in the fourth round out of Purdue in 2006. He had 8½ sacks, plus four more in the playoffs.
In Minnesota's divisional round win over Dallas, Edwards had three sacks, five quarterback hurries, eight tackles — including two for a loss, according to the coaching staff's film review — and a forced fumble in not much more than 30 minutes of action before hurting his knee.
"It was a great game. I just wish I could've completed it," Edwards said. "Hopefully I can just keep building on that and getting better and better."
He's been more productive late in the season, and his intent in 2010 is to find a consistent level of play. He admitted he's been distracted by personal goals and other off-the-field pursuits in the past.
The contract situation, he said, is behind him for now. Prevented from unrestricted free agency, along with dozens of other players around the league when the owners opted out of the collective bargaining agreement and triggered a salary-cap-free season, Edwards is confident he'll be rewarded in time.
"If it was my choice, of course, I'd want a new contract," Edwards said. "But it's not, so I'm not even worried about that no more. I'm just here to play ball."
Teammate Pat Williams encouraged him to block out the business side of his career as best he can.
"I was in the same predicament," Williams said. "If it's meant for you to get paid, you're going to get paid regardless."
The line of Edwards and Jared Allen and Kevin Williams and Pat Williams inside is easily one of the best, if not the best, in the NFL. This is the alpha-male position group on the team, a colorful bunch of characters that provides as much leadership as it does production. Minnesota's 48 sacks led the league last season, and Allen talked recently about a goal of 50 this year.
"I think it's a challenge to each other," he said. "We're always having contests between each other. Who is going to lead the team in tackles? Who is going to lead the team in sacks? We know if we take care of our job, the rest of it is going to take care of itself."
Edwards has been the lesser-known and less-accomplished member of the quartet, but he's on the right track to become more of a prominent player.
"I'm not living off of Jared, Pat and Kevin," Edwards said, adding: "I'm working on my own legacy."
The Vikings are just fine with that.
"His work ethic throughout the year really paid off for him at the end of the year when the other guys were beat up and tired," Frazier said. "He was really hitting his stride, reaching his peak at the right time."
-- Dave Campbell
Packers hurting after weekend scrimmage at Lambeau
GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Green Bay general manager Ted Thompson likes the perspective he gets of standing on the field when the Packers hold their annual Family Night scrimmage. He's just isn't thrilled about the unilateral nature of the event.
"I'm not a huge fan of it, I've got to be honest, just because I never like to see the Packers play the Packers," Thompson said Monday.
Thompson also doesn't like seeing his players get banged up in the preseason, and it was a banged-up Packers squad that returned to practice Monday. Fourteen players were missing from their 80-man roster because of various injuries.
"Football is a movement, contact sport, so things are going to happen," said Thompson, who played 10 years in the NFL.
Linebacker Clay Matthews, who led the team with 10 sacks as a rookie and earned a Pro Bowl spot last season, was on the team's extensive disabled list. He suffered a hamstring injury in Saturday's scrimmage at Lambeau Field and will be out at least two weeks, coach Mike McCarthy said.
Matthews said he was "fighting off a fullback" when the injury occurred.
"It was nothing. I didn't feel like I opened up wrong or decelerated too fast," he said. "I think it's just one of those freak things."
The injury is to the same left hamstring that troubled Matthews early in training camp last year and kept him out of the first three preseason games. The two-week prognosis would leave the Packers without Matthews for their opening two preseason games, Saturday at home against Cleveland and Aug. 21 at Seattle.
Matthews isn't sure if he will be able to return by the Aug. 26 exhibition against Indianapolis at Lambeau.
"I'll be doing everything in my power to get back," he said. "Whether that's the third (preseason) game, fourth game or the start of the regular season, I'll be ready."
McCarthy said he's confident Matthews will come off the injury strong and have another good season.
Matthews was training at left outside linebacker in the opening week of training camp after starter Brad Jones suffered a back injury on the first day. Jones has since returned and was one of only six linebackers the Packers had practice Monday.
Five players at the position were missing, including Matthews and inside starter Nick Barnett, who was given a day to rest his surgically repaired knees.
"It seems like every training camp you go through a position that gets stressed," McCarthy said.
The Packers also were short-handed at wide receiver.
Donald Driver, who received a two-year contract extension Friday, was out because of tightness in his right calf.
"I had to get an MRI, just to check it out. It's good. I'll be fine," said Driver, who had surgery on his knees in the offseason. He said he plans to practice Tuesday.
Fellow receiver Brett Swain took a hit to his surgically repaired knee in the scrimmage and didn't practice Monday, but McCarthy said Swain will be OK.
Jordy Nelson, another of the team's wideouts, returned to the field after being knocked out of the scrimmage with a bruised side caused by a hit from safety Charlie Peprah on a long pass completion. Though he still had soreness Monday, Nelson felt he needed to practice because of the attrition at his position.
"You don't ever want anyone getting hurt, and we're getting a couple of guys banged up," Nelson said. "It's a part of training camp. They've just got to get back as soon as possible because it's wearin' and tearin' on other people."
Notes: Also out of practice with injuries suffered in Saturday's scrimmage were rookie TE Andrew Quarless (hamstring), CB Josh Bell (foot) and undrafted LB Alex Joseph (quadriceps). McCarthy announced after practice Monday that Bryan Bulaga, the team's first-round draft pick this year, will compete for the starting job at left guard. Bulaga had been working behind veteran left tackle Chad Clifton. "It's a testament to Bryan," McCarthy said. "He's talented, he's tough, he's doing things the right way." Bulaga split first-team reps with incumbent left guard Daryn Colledge in Monday's practice. McCarthy said S Atari Bigby is expected to miss about four weeks after undergoing surgery on his troublesome left ankle Friday in North Carolina. Bigby is a returning starter, but his absence since the start of camp has allowed rookie Morgan Burnett to take all the first-team reps.
WR Burleson fitting in with new-look Lions
ALLEN PARK, Mich. (AP) — All Nate Burleson wants to do is fit in.
The Detroit Lions signed the veteran receiver in the offseason hoping he would attract some of the defensive attention that had been directed at Calvin Johnson.
But Burleson has bigger plans. Rather than just making life easier for Johnson, Burleson hopes his presence helps bring balance and explosiveness to a receiving corps that ranked 21st in the NFL last season
"I don't want to make it seem like I'm everything that Detroit's been missing," Burleson said Monday. "I think I can do some things on the outside, on the inside that will open up everybody. Obviously, if we can get Calvin more individual looks in one-on-one coverage, we're going to be an even more dangerous team."
Burleson had 63 catches for 812 yards and four touchdowns in 13 games with Seattle last season. But when he arrived in Detroit, his first priority was to establish chemistry with his fellow receivers. He listened more than he talked.
The goal? To became part of the unit rather than simply the receiver brought in to take defensive pressure off of Johnson.
So far, so good.
"He's fit in since Day 1," Johnson said. "All of the receivers are cool and laid back and everybody has their own little personality, but all of us fit. Everyone has a different attitude, but it all jells together for the betterment of the receiving corps."
Burleson's infectious personality has began to blossom. In practice, he has performed without fear, going after balls whether it meant facing off against a linebacker or a defensive back.
Burleson said that's all part of his plan to prove to his teammates he's in Detroit for all the right reasons.
"The way I've been my whole life is that you have to go and you have to grind," Burleson said. "You've got to go out there and give everything you've got. "
Lions coach Jim Schwartz said Burleson will also be in the special teams mix once the season opens. He'll limit his time on punt returns during training camp to give less experienced returners the chance to improve.
Schwartz said Burleson will get his chance at some point.
"First quarter, fourth quarter, overtime — it's going to be some time and he's going to be ready," Schwartz said.
Burleson would prefer to be used more in certain situations rather than on a regular basis. He's not afraid to step into a role if it means helping his new team win games.
"At the end of the day, it's touching the ball," Burleson said. "For me, it's another chance to get in the end zone."
Tyler: Don't sleep on Panthers' new-look D-line
SPARTANBURG, S.C. (AP) — Tank Tyler has a sense of what outsiders think of Carolina's revamped defensive line without Julius Peppers and two other starters.
"I don't read the papers, but they might say we're the worst line in the league," Tyler said Monday. "I would appreciate them saying that, because I'm always out to prove somebody wrong."
While Tyler won't have much to do with silencing skeptics wondering where all the sacks will come from now that Peppers is in Chicago, the defensive tackle will help determine if the Panthers can stop the run after Maake Kemoeatu and Damione Lewis were released in the offseason.
Tyler thinks he couldn't be in a better place. After asking for — and getting — a trade from Kansas City last season, the Fayetteville, N.C., native and N.C. State product claims he's recovered from knee surgery and ready to shine for his home state team.
"I'm feeling great," said Tyler, who on Monday was cleared to begin practicing twice a day. "I'm glad to be a part of this defense. It's a high-intensity defense. There's a lot of enthusiasm and lot of passion for defense, period."
While Charles Johnson and Everette Brown figure to split time at Peppers' old position at end, the tackle spots are far from settled. Just how many questions the Panthers have were on display on Monday morning, when the coaching staff experimented with numerous lineups.
Tyler and veteran Ed Johnson had been taking the majority of the snaps at defensive tackle with the first team. But they were shuffled off to mostly second-team work in the morning workout, with Derek Landri and Louis Leonard working with the starters.
"It's wide open because we don't have any returning starters there. There's competition there," coach John Fox. "We're learning them, they're learning us. They'll sort that out as we move forward."
Added Tyler: "Until that first snap against the Giants (in Week 1), you probably won't even know who's starting."
Tyler, though, thinks he has a good shot after an up-and-down start to his pro career.
A first-team all-Atlantic Coast Conference selection as a senior with the Wolfpack, the 6-foot-2, 306-pound Tyler was as third-round pick of the Chiefs. After playing little as a rookie, he started all 16 games in 2008, recording 41 tackles.
But the Chiefs changed coaches and switched from a 4-3 to a 3-4 defense before last season. Tyler was miscast as a nose guard and soon lost his job. He was rarely playing, and getting frustrated.
"I guess I wasn't the fit they were looking for, obviously," Tyler said. "But I felt like I played well. They were some great coaches, so all respect to them. It was just time for a change."
Tyler claimed he asked to be traded on Oct. 20. Late that night, the injury-depleted Panthers acquired him for a fifth-round pick in this year's draft.
"I was going back home," he said. "I was more than happy."
The Panthers had been going through numerous tackles since Kemoeatu went down with a ruptured Achilles' tendon on the first day of camp last year. Tyler helped in a reserve role for six games until he, too, was sidelined with a right knee injury that he said required microfracture surgery.
"It was a minor setback last year but it made me a stronger man going through that," Tyler said. "Some people feel like they're untouchable on the field. When stuff like that happens and you overcome it, you get stronger. It's something that needed to take place, maybe."
When Kemoeatu and Lewis were released, general manager Marty Hurney spoke of the depth of young talent at defensive tackle. The 25-year-old Tyler is part of a group with little experience and plenty of questions.
"Every year in training camp you have to fight for a position," Tyler said. "That's what we're all doing right now, fighting for the starting spot and fighting to make it a great defensive line when we're out there."
-- Mike Cranston
Rookie TEs trying to catch on with Rams
ST. LOUIS (AP) — Rookie tight end Michael Hoomanawanui brought his ukulele to training camp but he hasn't had much time to play it. He's too busy trying to land a job.
The big rookie talent show is Thursday night and the fifth-round draft pick from Illinois promises to be ready.
"I've played it a little bit here and there for some guys," Hoomanawanui said Monday after practice. "I'll see what I can come up with for the rookie talent show. My specialty is nothing. My problem right now is I can't sing and play at the same time. I haven't picked that up yet. I can play.
"So, I don't know. I'm going to brush up on some songs. I'll let what I do be a surprise on Thursday."
The Rams didn't draft Hoomanawanui or Fendi Onobun in the sixth round out of Houston to sing and dance. They want them to block defensive ends and linebackers as well as catch passes.
There are five tight ends in training camp. Veterans Danny Fells and Bill Bajema are the incumbents and Darcy Johnson was signed in the offseason as a free agent from the New York Giants.
Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo knows what his veterans can do. He's keeping his eye on the two rookies to see how they measure up on the field.
"The young guys are doing some good things," Spagnuolo said, but went no further.
The rookies believe they are making progress.
"It's going good; everyone knows there's a lot of competition at the tight end position," said Hoomanawanui, who wears No. 86, his old high school number. "I've got my nose in the playbook and trying to keep up with the pace. You come here with five tight ends on the roster, obviously, there's competition there."
Onobun came into camp as the least experienced tight end and is picking up the offense as fast as he can.
The 6-foot-6, 250-pound Onobun spent four years as a reserve basketball player at Arizona. He transferred to Houston, his hometown, for his first taste of organized football since the seventh grade. He made two catches for 33 yards and a touchdown, and blocked two kicks on special teams.
As a result, Onobun impressed a pair of Rams assistants at a workout. That led to him being drafted.
"It's been up and down, but I'm learning and I'm having a great time," Onobun said. "I'm taking it a step at a time, a day at a time and I'm watching the veterans and working on what I need to work on."
Onobun said he is ahead on pass catching but needs to improve his blocking.
"One thing to my advantage is my size and speed," Onobun said. "I can catch the football and run down the field. I've been able to show that pretty well but there's a lot more to the tight end position than catching the ball and stretching the field."
The 6-foot-5, 270-pound Hoomanawanui caught only 10 passes for 114 yards and no scores and missed three games because of a high ankle sprain as a senior. He sports a tattoo that reads 4-24-10.
"That's my draft date. Just a reminder," Hoomanawanui said. "If you work hard and get into the playbook, everything should fall into place."
Cardinals working with reconfigured offensive line
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (AP) — Even though Cardinals tackle Levi Brown has been in an Arizona uniform for three seasons, and guard Alan Faneca is in his first year with the team, Brown wants to get one thing straight.
"There's no doubt he's helping me. Let's not get that confused now," Brown said of playing next to the nine-time Pro-Bowler. "I'm not the one helping him. I can learn a lot from him and I know that. I'm going to try to get as much information from him as possible and pick his brain."
Brown and Faneca are part of an entirely new left side of the line for the Cardinals, and it's not the only thing that looks different about the team's front five.
Even though many of the faces on the line are the same, the configuration has changed.
Brown, the team's first-round pick in 2007, is making the move from right tackle to left tackle. Reggie Wells, who has been with the team since 2003, will move from left guard to the right side to open a spot for Faneca, who will be playing next to Brown at left guard.
Third-year pro Brandon Keith will move into the starting lineup at right tackle after the team opted not to re-sign Mike Gandy, who had been on the left side.
The only player who will start this season where he finished last year is center Lyle Sendlein.
"We have some guys doing some different things this year, but it's guys that have been around and know the system," Wells said. "At this point, it's just learning the new positions and getting used to the guys playing next to you. I think, so far, it's been going pretty well."
Faneca was brought in to help with the Cardinals' running attack, which ranked 28th in the NFL last season, gaining just 93.4 yards per game.
Arizona is expected to have a more run-oriented offense this season after losing quarterback Kurt Warner to retirement. Matt Leinart is the new starter.
"Anytime someone new comes in back there, it's different," Wells said. "The plays we run with Matt won't necessarily be the same plays we ran with Kurt. It's just another thing we have to be prepared for up front."
Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt has already seen a change in the team's run blocking in training camp and is excited to see if it translates to games.
"You've seen the number of runs that have broken out in practice, and that's usually a very good indication that our line is doing a good job in our schemes," said Whisenhunt, whose team ranked 12th in the NFL last season in passing offense. "These preseason games will be a very good way to measure how we're coming together as a unit."
Davis, Iupati to start; C Heitmann out with injury
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Mike Singletary made it official Monday morning: He already has seen enough of first-round draft picks Anthony Davis and Mike Iupati.
The San Francisco 49ers coach said the two rookies have won starting jobs along the team's offensive line just nine days into training camp.
The 49ers also will have a new starter at center after Eric Heitmann broke his left leg during practice Monday morning. Heitmann is expected to miss up to two months.
Davis, the No. 11 overall pick in the draft, will now work exclusively with the first-team offense at right tackle. Iupati, drafted six picks after Davis, has moved to first on the depth chart at left guard.
"Those guys showed us that they have the ability to step in and be able to do it," Singletary said. "If that's the case, we have to give them all the reps that we can possibly give them in order to do the job and be ready."
The 49ers this year became the third team in NFL history to draft two offensive linemen in the first round, and both will make their debuts in Sunday's preseason opener at Indianapolis.
Davis, who doesn't turn 21 until October, would become one of the youngest 49ers ever to start a regular-season opener if he remains in the lineup for San Francisco's Sept. 12 game at Seattle.
While Iupati has been running primarily with the first team since the first day of padded practices, Davis didn't move ahead of incumbent Adam Snyder until taking all the first-team reps Saturday.
"This is a confidence booster, but you've got to put everything into perspective," Davis said. "That's just the first step. That's not my main goal. I want to be the best player I can possibly be."
The 49ers experienced even more shuffling along the offensive line after David Baas moved to center in place of Heitmann, San Francisco's most effective and consistent offensive lineman in recent seasons. Heitmann fractured his left fibula while pulling out on a running play.
Heitmann has started every game at center the past three seasons. He started the first 14 games of 2006 before breaking his left tibia.
Baas, who started all 16 games last season at left guard, suffered a concussion on Aug. 2 and missed several days of practice. Iupati took his place and hasn't budged since.
Singletary said Baas will now be the top backup to Iupati and challenge veteran Tony Wragge for starting center duties. Wragge started two games at center for the 49ers after Heitmann was injured in 2006.
Baas played center as a senior at Michigan in 2004, when he was named Big Ten offensive lineman of the year.
"We just have to give Baas a chance to really see what he can do at the position," Singletary said.
Baas, who has 38 career starts at both guard positions, said he is focused on his new opportunity at center.
"I want to win just like everybody else," Baas said. "So I'm coming out here and competing, and if they want me to compete at center, that's what I'm gonna do. I can't sit here and complain about it. You have to move on, you have to be the best football player at whatever position you can, so that's what I'm doing. I just want to play."
The 49ers also conducted most of Monday's morning practice without starting left tackle Joe Staley, who left the session early because of neck spasms. Staley's status is day-to-day.
NOTES: LB Martail Burnett suffered a knee injury during the morning session and was taken to the locker room on a cart. ... WR Josh Morgan suffered a jammed neck late in practice after he was hit by safety Dashon Goldson. ... Singletary pulled the plug on Monday's morning practice at least 20 minutes early because of injuries and sloppy play. "I've been anticipating this day," Singletary said. "This is a wall day, hump day. And you've got to work your way through that wall. And we didn't handle that very well today."
