OFFICIAL 2009 NFL PRESEASON & TRAINING CAMP THREAD

Dolphins sign Pat White, Chris Clemons to wrap up rookie class


Omar Kelly Sun Sentinel
8:29 PM EDT, August 1, 2009

Quarterback Pat White and safety Chris Clemons finalized their rookie contracts today, which means the Miami Dolphins' entire draft class should be cleared to participate in training camp starting Sunday.

Clemons, the team's fifth-round pick, signed a four-year deal this afternoon, agent Kevin Conner said. White, the second-round pick, followed suit tonight according to his agent, Justin Schulman.

Terms of both deals were not immediately disclosed.

White and Clemons participated in team meetings earlier today, and both are expected to participate in Sunday's practice.

White is slotted as the Miami Dolphins' third quarterback and is expected to become a Wildcat specialist because of the skills he exhibited as a mobile quarterback at West Virginia.

Clemons, out of Clemson, is projected as one of the team's primary backups in the secondary.

Because these latest signings put the Dolphins over the NFL's 80-man training camp limit, two players under contract must be released by today or placed on injured reserve.

The entire team reported to camp today and were given a conditioning test and administered physicals.
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NAPA, Calif. (AP)-For most of the Oakland Raiders, the first few days of training camp under coach Tom Cable are like nothing they've been through before as football players.

Quarterbacks are forbidden to pass the ball in seven-on-seven drills. They practice barking out audibles in the corner of the field while their teammates do other drills. The whistle blows almost as soon as the ball is handed off as coaches make sure each player is in the right spot. And then the process repeats itself.

"It seemed like it was weird at first when he talked about the concept, but you go through it and it's a great concept," linebacker Isaiah Ekejiuba(notes) said. "We're doing a lot of learning, get all the mistakes out the way."

The Raiders spent Saturday participating in their third straight day of what Cable has called a "learning-intensive" approach to football, eschewing pads, contact and running actual plays in favor of drilling fundamentals in this outdoor classroom in wine country.

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Fullback Lorenzo Neal(notes) told Cable he hadn't seen anything like it in 17 years in the NFL. The approach is in stark contrast to what the Raiders' cross-bay rivals are doing under coach Mike Singletary. The 49ers opened camp Saturday with two contact practices in pads as Singletary tries to instill a physical mentality with his team.

Cable says there is plenty of time for hitting later in camp, in preseason games and the regular season. So for the first four days of his camp, he's focusing on the mental part of the game.

"When you hand them a set of pads and it's time to go do that, they get into that part of it rather easily. That's the way they're wired," Cable said. "Remember now, the NFL season starts now and it hopefully ends sometime in February for you. The human body can only take so many car crashes."

For the Raiders, those crashes won't begin until Monday, the fifth day of training camp. For now, they have one more day of drills that may look mundane but are ones Cable says are vital for the Raiders to reverse a six-year slide of losing.

In seven-on-seven passing drills, the quarterbacks drop back, survey the field as receivers run their patterns, then stop without making a pass. JaMarcus Russell(notes) pleaded with his coaches to be able to show off that strong arm of his to no avail, although defensive coordinator John Marshall did shout out at one point, "It's time for a pick."

Later in practice, the quarterbacks line up near a fence, calling signals and taking simulated snaps. They bark out audibles, hand signals and all, as quarterbacks coach Paul Hackett calls out different defensive looks.

Defenders practice their run fits, going to a particular spot to fill a gap in the defense even though no plays are being run.

Then when the team lines up for 11-on-11 drills, the quarterback takes the snap and hands off the ball, only for a whistle to blow after the blockers and defenders take just a step. That's repeated over and over again, as coaches watch footwork and other small details.

"You're really trying to get their mind into the who and the how part," Cable said. "When you throw pads on, you add that combative part of it, and that really changes everything. … You've trained them, and now it's just handling it the right way."

Cable says one benefit of the approach that he first used as a college coach at Idaho is that younger players can get more practice time as the first and second teams are on separate fields, with no fear of injuries.

The players say the back-to-basics drills have been helpful, reinforcing what they learned in offseason workouts and allowing them to get back up to speed without the risk of injury.

"I think it's great," offensive lineman Mario Henderson(notes) said. "In my opinion, at camp when you get out the first day, you sometimes are not really focused on trying to do the right things. You're just focused on going out there and trying to win the starting job. Sometimes that can be bad because you are going fast, but you're not really doing your assignments. Now we have four days where we get everything down pat so then when it comes time Monday to earn a job, it's not your assignments slowing you down."

While the players like the approach, they're also eager to put on the pads and hit each other like football players again.

"They are like, `Come on coach, let's go play,"' Cable said.
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FLAGSTAFF - Running back Beanie Wells didn't quite make it through his first practice with the Arizona Cardinals on Saturday.

He rolled his left leg in a collision with Jason Banks late in the workout and was taken off on a cart. He was smiling as he left and the team said it was looking at his left ankle. It wasn't known how serious the injury was.



We got a new "First Aid?"
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6 top 10 picks yet to sign and there's been quite afew injuries already.

I can't wait til 2pm when camp opens for the fins and all the rookies are signed
 
# 6
That's appropriate, what, with all those six-pointers he's about to get in.
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[h2]Harvin, Vikings agree on 5-year deal[/h2]
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Associated Press

MANKATO, Minn. -- First-round draft pick Percy Harvin has agreed to terms on a five-year deal with the Minnesota Vikings, and the former Florida standout is expected to be ready for Sunday afternoon practice.

Harvin missed the first two days of training camp while his agent Joel Segal negotiated a contract. Segal said his client was ready to hit the field immediately.

Coach Brad Childress has said that it was important for Harvin, the 22nd overall pick in April's draft, to get into camp as soon as possible. He'll be asked to play a variety of roles for the Vikings, including wide receiver, running back and return man.

[h4]NFC North blog[/h4]
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ESPN.com's Kevin Seifert writes about all things NFC North in his division blog.

• Blog network: NFL Nation

While many scouts and draft analysts said Harvin had top-10 talent, he slipped to the Vikings due to concerns about his durability and a failed drug test at the NFL combine.

Childress had some of the same concerns, so he flew to Florida and met personally with Harvin and his family before the draft. The coach came away impressed by his willingness to take responsibility for past mistakes and didn't hesitate to draft Harvin when the Vikings came on the clock.

The versatile playmaker is expected to complement Adrian Peterson in Minnesota's ramped-up offense. During minicamps earlier this summer, Childress and offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell began experimenting with their new toy. They lined up Harvin at receiver out wide, in the slot, and motioned him into the backfield on reverses and other running plays.

His arrival could also bring a version of the Wildcat offense to Minnesota. Harvin and Peterson in the same backfield would give the Vikings a dynamic element that's been missing since Childress took over in 2006.

Harvin also could bolster the team's mediocre return game. His quickness and ability to change directions in a heartbeat make him ideal for the job.
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Originally Posted by DLo13

...and clearly Atlanta is set on moving forward without Roddy, given their new star at the WR position...

xonk9c.jpg



#4...
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Spoiler [+]
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@++?

As in...John Parker Wilson, the QB?

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Final weekend without a football game appreciation
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And KLJ what's the deal, you ridin with us this year, or have you jump ship?
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White's weight-loss secret: Stop swilling tequila
NFL Team Page

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- Not Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig or Nutrisystem. Forget about hiring a private chef to cook healthy meals.

LenDale White lost more than 30 pounds this offseason and is in his fourth training camp with the Tennessee Titans at his slimmest weight since high school. The running back admits he wishes he understood earlier in his career the importance of being in shape.

Just how did he lose the weight? White gave up tequila.

"I really got to be honest," White said. "It wasn't a lot of major diet changes. (It was) watching what I drink. I was a big Patron consumer. ... That's what it was. I was drinking a lot, drank a lot of alcohol. I cut that out of my diet all the way. I don't drink at all. I cut the drinking, I stopped drinking for six months.

"It started falling off."

White committed to losing weight after the Titans' playoff loss to Baltimore in January, and he was as low as 229 pounds during the offseason program. The running back whose draft stock dropped him from a potential top-15 pick coming out of Southern California in 2006 to the second round had plenty of doubters about whether he could show up at camp still lean.

Despite an occasional glass of wine with dinner, White reported at 228 pounds. That won him bets from friends, family and even teammates convinced he couldn't stay out of trouble.

"I made some people upset because they thought I'd be fat coming back, so it feels good. I'm really excited about this season," he said. "It was a long time coming. I finally came into camp in shape and feel like I'm in great shape. You guys, you've seen me. It's a tremendous difference."

White has looked much faster getting through holes and upfield through the first two days of camp. The weight loss is visible just from glancing at his no-longer-pudgy face.

He credits coach Jeff Fisher with staying patient with him. White backed up Travis Henry in 2006, started 16 games and ran for 1,110 yards in 2007, and split work with Pro Bowl rookie Chris Johnson in 2008. White led the AFC with 15 touchdowns rushing and tied for third in the NFL in scoring among non-kickers.

"Your parents always say you're going to learn. You're going to say it takes a while. It took me three and a half years, but I think I caught it right on time," White said.

Maybe it's easier to acknowledge with the weight loss or a number that may rise the longer White stays trim, but the running back now admits he was as heavy as 265 pounds last season when he ran for a career-long 80-yard touchdown. He had tabbed himself as being 261 in that game against Kansas City just a couple months ago.

Teammates and bosses have noticed. White said he's heard comments from staff members as high as general manager Mike Reinfeldt and owner Bud Adams, who told him Saturday that the running back looked like he had a new body. He's also heard from teammates like defensive end Kyle Vanden Bosch, linebacker Keith Bulluck and center Kevin Mawae.

"Hopefully, he'll be able to last longer than he has in the past and go deep in the season and help us out," All-Pro left tackle Michael Roos said.

"We've still got time to see what happens, but he's looking good so far."

White's motivation can be attributed to this being a contract year. He insists he's worried about not fumbling as he did in that playoff loss and helping the Titans reach the Super Bowl, which would take care of a new deal.

"This is a new LenDale White, and I feel bad for a lot of people because they woke somebody up. I'm telling y'all they woke me up, and I'm happy they did too," he said.

Copyright 2009 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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"I really got to be honest," White said. "It wasn't a lot of major diet changes. (It was) watching what I drink. I was a big Patron consumer. ... That's what it was. I was drinking a lot, drank a lot of alcohol. I cut that out of my diet all the way. I don't drink at all. I cut the drinking, I stopped drinking for six months.


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At his weight, no telling how much dude could go through in a night...
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^ why they need rookie contract they worked they %$+ off all they life this is there cookie even if they dont work out
 
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