Training camp is in full swing across the NFL and we are officially entering the first full week of the preseason. This is a time when position battles will ramp up and take on a new form as we’ll actually get to see some of those players take part in live game reps. Before we jump too far into that layer of the summer, however, we’re going to go around the league and highlight a handful of players who are already making waves with their respective clubs and quite possibly laying the foundation for a breakout season.
The Colts rookie does seem to be making a strong push to be the team’s Week 1 starter over veteran Gardner Minshew. He’s continued to stack good days on top of one another, including a performance on Sunday when he received starting reps with the first-team offense. During 11-on-11s, Richardson made what head coach Shane Steichen called “a heck of a throw” to wideout Alex Pierce where the quarterback hit him on a backside pass off of play action.
“I thought he had a heck of a day (Sunday),” coach Shane Steichen said, via The Athletic. “He was really solid, made some big-time throws. Obviously, the two-minute drive threw a nice touchdown right there in the end zone, and then the two-point play that he ran in. It was pretty good to see.”
Dalton Kincaid flashing pass-catching ability
Buffalo’s first-round tight end is opening eyes with his play during the early days of training camp, particularly with his pass-catching and route-running ability. He’s reportedly been working with Josh Allen and the first-team offense, and the quarterback recently praised the rookie for his ability to come in and immediately contribute.
“I love [Kincaid]. He’s smart, he’s instinctive,” Allen said Thursday, via SI.com. “I feel no moment is too big for him. He understands his role in the offense.”
The Bills brass has continued to note that Dawson Knox and Kincaid will be on the field at the same time, so the first-rounder is likely looking at more of a slot role rather than the traditional tight end position.
George Pickens setting stage for legit breakout
Pickens appears to be one of the true highlight-makers of training camp this summer. On top of his ability to separate, he’s been putting together some ridiculous catches that make a breakout sophomore season a real possibility. As SteelersNow.com notes, Pickens is not only displaying a fuller route tree but is winning on those routes.
“He’s the best athlete I’ve ever played with,” Pickett told SiriusXM NFL Radio. “And now that his route tree is coming along and you’re seeing him catch different routes out there, I think it’s night and day from last year from how much he can do now and we’re moving him around. He’s a really, really smart player. He’s doing route conversions that he wasn’t seeing last year and now he’s doing it. You started to see it towards the end of last year. He’s a quick learner. It’s awesome to see and awesome to be on his team.”
Pickens had an impressive rookie season and did seem to develop a solid rapport with Kenny Pickett. With Pickett also heading into Year 2, any sort of leap in production from the young quarterback could set the stage for Pickens to ascend to an elite level.
The chemistry between Calvin Ridley and Trevor Lawrence seems to be forming quite well. As Garry Smits of the Jacksonville Florida Times-Union notes from Sunday’s full-padded practice, Ridley was able to haul in a one-handed catch from Lawrence on a sideline ball where the quarterback lofted it over safety Daniel Thomas. The duo also connected on another well-timed throw where Ridley was able to make the over-the-shoulder reception. Ridley, who is coming off a year-long suspension by the NFL, has shown nice burst and strong route-running at various points throughout Jaguars camp.
Austin Watkins pushing for spot on Browns
Fresh off his go-ahead touchdown to help lift Cleveland over the Jets in the Hall of Fame game, Austin Watkins continues to make plays at Browns training camp. The former USFL wideout has performed well, including this nifty catch from Josh Dobbs on Sunday.
Watkins went undrafted out of UAB back in 2021 and has already made plenty of stops in his professional career. He initially linked up with the 49ers (2021) and spent minimal time with the Buccaneers (2022) before jumping to the CFL with the Saskatchewan Roughriders and then the USFL. With that in mind, Watkins may simply be a great summertime story with the Browns already boasting Amari Cooper, Donovan Peoples-Jones, and Elijah Mitchell atop their wide receiver depth chart. Still, he’s making an effort to make the 53-man roster.
Cam Smith vying for starting corner job
With Jalen Ramsey sidelined, there is a starting spot up for grabs in Miami’s secondary, and rookie Cam Smith could be the man for the job. The second-rounder has received praise from his teammates and coaching staff throughout the early days of camp and has seemingly been able to break up at least one ball in every practice.
“He’s doing a tremendous job, he’s making plays,” Tyreek Hill said of Smith, via The Palm Beach Post. “He definitely has the size and intangibles of being a physical corner.”
Smith did have an injury scare but was able to participate in the team’s intrasquad scrimmage on Saturday on a limited basis.
New York’s third-round receiver has been turning heads with his performance at training camp. While he was expected to be a legit speed weapon within Brian Daboll’s offense, his route-running is much further along than what was initially thought. That sets up the possibility for Hyatt to be even more than simply a downfield threat. That said, Hyatt did say that the team GPS tracked him running 24 mph during practice. For reference, Tyreek Hill has the in-game record at 23.24 mph.
“That was definitely one of the strengths of his coming out of college, something we targeted,” offensive coordinator Mike Kafka said last week about Hyatt’s speed, via the New York Post. “He’s doing a nice job. He’s doing a nice job in the classroom, studying, prepping, making sure he’s prepared for practice. … Obviously, he’s made a couple of plays, he’s just gotta take it day by day.”
Mazi Smith living up to first-round hype
The Cowboys have themselves a force along the interior of their defensive line with the addition of first-round nose tackle Mazi Smith. He said recently that he doesn’t even like football and that he really just likes “hitting people” which should be a strong indication of just how physical he is set to be throughout the season.
With Smith attacking from the interior and the likes of Micah Parsons firing off the edge, the Cowboys could have one of the more dangerous defenses in the entire league.
The Falcons used the No. 8 overall pick to bring in Robinson and it looks like his injection into the offense is going to produce immediate results. Everyone who has seen the back take part in training camp has been wowed by his performance as both a pure runner and a pass catcher, continuing his comparisons to Giants star Saquon Barkley.
Head coach Arthur Smith said last week that he’s “pretty damn pleased” with Robinson thus far and even acknowledged the team’s plans to use him all over the offense.
“The way we use him, I think, is different than most, just philosophically with guys all over,” he said.
Go to Source
Author: Tyler Sullivan
August 7, 2023 | 1:02 pm
