Most people in the Charlotte area — and those who get the Interwebs — were probably checking their vision when they opened the Charlotte Observer this morning. In the paper, Panthers center Ryan Kalil took out an ad making a Super Bowl guarantee. Seriously. For the team that went 6-10 last year, even with superstar QB Cam Newton, it’s a bold statement. Well, it’s bold for any team. So, I just finished up watching the Panthers work out and interestingly, they didn’t mind. Actually, they embraced Kalil’s thoughts. “You can’t put the carriage before the horse,” linebacker Jon Beason told me. “But I love it. I’ve been saying that for a while now. The first step to reality is kinda […]

And we’re off! Training Camp 2012 has begun… kinda. I’m in Charlotte getting ready to head over to the stadium to watch QB Cam Newton throw with a group of young receivers. They have a three-day mini-camp before camp actually begins at Wofford College, and that’s in Charlotte today. That’s where I’ll be. You’ll be able to watch portions of this practice on NFL Network, and I’ll be on bright and early to talk about it. There will be a bunch of guys you won’t recognize, but you’ll notice the dude who was named NFL rookie of the year. He’s doing his part to help everyone get acclimated to him by showing up at this passing camp and getting to […]

Shaun O’Hara and Willie McGinest discuss who is under more pressure in 2012 Tony Romo of the Cowboys defense.

Shaun O’Hara and Willie McGinest discuss how the new CBA rules against two-a-day practices could influence rookies’ development.

NFL AM’s Steve Wyche and Mark Kriegel debate which Manning will have the better 2012 season.

Drew Brees sat down at the podium today and uttered a completely classic line. The Saints QB has a way of offering brilliant nonchalance, and this was another example. “The offseason went by fast,” Brees told reporters. “A lot of crazy stuff happened obviously, but here we are — first day of training camp.” That’s one way to sum it up. Brees got a new contract, the Saints lost their coach and a bunch of other key parts to a bounty scandal, and that was only two of the crazy things that happened. The easy thing for the Saints would be to say that they are who they are and that the events haven’t changed them. That’s kind of the […]

Jamaal Charles and Peyton Hillis are expected to split carries 2012, but that’s a good sign for Charles’ fantasy football potential.

Last week, we spoke with Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt about his quarterback battle during training camp. It was something he sounded like he was really looking forward to. While there was a post containing some comments from him, I wanted to do a separate one on the QB situation… since it’s so interesting. It’s Kevin Kolb vs. John Skelton. How will it break down? “Well, I think you evaluate a lot of things,” Whisenhunt told me. “How they handle it, what’s going on in the spring, OTAs and mini-camp. It’s hard when you don’t have the pads on, you don’t have the live action to get a true evaluation. Coming into camp, the evaluations are going to heat up. We’ll see […]

Former New York Giants center Shaun O’Hara gives his No. 1 obstacle to a Philadelphia Eagles dynasty.

Miami Dolphins center Mike Pouncey discusses who he might be snapping to and helping Reggie Bush lead the NFL in rushing.

NFL AM’s Steve Wyche and Mark Kriegel discuss how the Saints will start the season without head coach Sean Payton.

First, there was the Wildcat. Then, spread offenses. The college game has long proven a feeder ground for concepts that break into the NFL. But what’s next? For that question, I asked several who work in or work closely to the college game — Ohio State coach Urban Meyer, South Florida’s Skip Holtz, and analyst Doug Flutie. Their answers were all the same. As Meyer expertly put it, “Utilizing the quarterbacks as something more than just hand the ball off and throw it.“ Yup, the mobile QB era in the NFL is alive and well, and it’s only going to grow. Robert Griffin III (right) is this year’s addition. Cam Newton and Tim Tebow have also shown what worked in […]

Will the trade that sent Louis Murphy to the Carolina Panthers improve his fantasy value?

The Denver Broncos have Mile High hopes for the duo of Jacob Tamme and Joel Dreessen. With Peyton Manning at the helm, can they mimic the success of the Patriots?

In his last week before training camp, Bills QB Ryan Fitzpatrick hung around in Lake Tahoe for the celebrity golf tournament. We were there, as you probably read. The former Harvard star finished tied for 60th in the tournament, which isn’t great. But hey, his mind is on football. Speaking of that, Fitzpatrick was already excited to get to Pittsford, N.Y. for camp. With good reason. It was a busy offseason for the Bills, who signed pass-rusher Mario Williams in a massive steal. It’s not the only reason he’s amped to get started. And he’s also not the only one who feels that way. “It’s been really exciting just for the city of Buffalo in general,” Fitzpatrick told me recently. “The […]