<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Can the Bears move the ball without Hester? July 24, 2008 6:45 PM Posted by ESPN.com's Kevin Seifert Booker Davis BOURBONNAIS, Ill. -- You don't normally think speed when you see Marty Booker running down the right sideline. And truth be told, Booker wasn't exactly open Wednesday afternoon when Chicago Bears quarterback Rex Grossman spotted him. But Booker was locked in single coverage, an alignment that dictates a throw in most offenses. A veteran of 10 NFL seasons, Booker fought off a defender with his left hand while stretching out his right. Grossman's pass settled perfectly in Booker's right palm, and he held on for a highlight-reel 40-yard reception. It was perfect execution: Grossman threw to the right receiver, while Booker used veteran wiles to keep the defender away and soft hands to make the catch. As unrealistic as it might sound, the Bears will need similar execution this season if they want to energize an offense that looks pretty bland from the outside. Once you get past the quarterback derby between Grossman and Kyle Orton, you realize that an equally pressing issue is a decided lack of playmakers at the receiver position. The unexpected holdout of Devin Hester only adds to the deficit. Aside from Booker, the Bears are hoping to scrounge at least some plays from a group that includes Mark Bradley (38 career catches), Rashied Davis (39), Brandon Lloyd (three teams in four years) and rookie Earl Bennett. Most observers expect the Bears to rely heavily on their running game this season, but they won't get very far if their receivers can't occasionally stretch the defense. "We've got to prove ourselves," Booker said. "Everybody can speculate what they want to speculate on. But we know how it is, and we know how it's going to be. It's just on us to go out there and play with a chip on our shoulders. As receivers we just need to be consistent so that our offense can be the offense we want it to be." Through two days of practice at Olivet Nazarene University, the Bears have connected on enough downfield passes -- mostly off the arm of Grossman -- to believe they have a chance to move the ball through the air this season. Thursday, Davis stepped up. He caught a pair of long touchdown passes, the first going 65 yards and the second coming when he out-jumped a defender near the goal line. With Hester holding out, coach Lovie Smith has made a point to acknowledge that his receivers have been catching the ball well this week. But it's no secret that Smith's receiving group would look decidedly more threatening with Hester on the field. Consider the case of Lloyd, who might be getting his last chance to play in the NFL. The San Francisco 49ers gave up on him in 2005 and the Washington Redskins did the same thing last season. He has 25 receptions in the past two seasons and hasn't scored a touchdown since 2005, but the Bears are giving Lloyd as good of a chance as anyone to earn a prominent role. Give Lloyd credit for being realistic about the situation. Asked if he was excited about the possibility of starting this season, he laughed and said: "I'm just excited to have a job." Chicago Bears, Marty Booker, Lovie Smith, Rex Grossman, Rashied Davis, San Francisco 49ers, Washington Redskins, Brandon Lloyd, Mark Bradley Read comments or leave a comment -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sore backs fell a pair of starters July 24, 2008 4:43 PM Posted by ESPN.com's Kevin Seifert A pair of likely starters in the NFC North were sidelined today by back injuries: Chicago Bears rookie offensive lineman Chris Williams left practice early today because of what coach Lovie Smith called "tightness" in his back. Smith added: "Hopefully it's not serious." Williams, the Bears' No. 1 draft choice, signed his contract Wednesday and participated in the Bears' opening practice. He was working with Chicago's second-team offense, but observers have figured it would be a matter of time before he took over the starting job. (For now, veteran John St. Clair is manning the position.) Minnesota Vikings defensive end Ray Edwards, expected to start at left end, will begin training camp on the physically unable to perform list because of an unspecified back injury that has bothered him for most of the summer. Vikings coach Brad Childress called the injury a "twinge." He said he was not worried about it lingering for a long period of time, but backs are always difficult to evaluate. Jayme Mitchell, a reserve who has played sparingly the past two seasons, will work with the first team when practice opens Friday. Chicago Bears, Chris Williams, Lovie Smith, John St. Clair, Ray Edwards, Minnesota Vikings, Brad Childress Read comments or leave a comment -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Interesting timing on Poppinga extension July 24, 2008 12:38 PM Posted by ESPN.com's Kevin Seifert Poppinga During their annual shareholder meeting today, the Green Bay Packers confirmed that linebacker Brady Poppinga received a contract extension this week. The timing was significant for both sides, given that Poppinga will have to fight off a challenge from newcomer Brandon Chillar to retain his role as the starting strong-side linebacker. Poppinga is the favorite for the job, but the contract agreement suggests the Packers are confident he will be a significant contributor in some way this season. Coaches could also take a look at personnel groupings that feature Poppinga as a pass-rushing defensive end. Green Bay Packers, Brady Poppinga, Brandon Chillar Read comments or leave a comment -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Packers position battles July 24, 2008 11:00 AM Posted by ESPN.com's Kevin Seifert The Green Bay Packers have a little issue at quarterback. (You might have read a word or two about it here.) Otherwise, their lineup consists mostly of returning starters. Here are a few interesting depth situations where movement could occur: Backup running back: Brandon Jackson vs. Noah Herron vs. Vernand Morency Ryan Grant emerged from this group as the unquestioned starter last season, and that's how the Packers will begin training camp -- if Grant signs a contract extension by that time. Whether he is signed or holds out, however, the Packers want to establish a pecking order behind him rather than using the committee style they opened last season with. Jackson is the clear favorite to secure that role and would be the likely starter if Grant's absence is prolonged. A second-round draft choice last season, Jackson is built low to the ground and would have success in the Packers' west-coast scheme. He has worked this offseason on improving his pass catching so that he can compete for a third-down role as well. Intensity index: Hot Long snapper: J.J. Jansen vs. Thomas Gafford Yes, you read that right. The Packers have competition at long-snapper following the retirement of Rob Davis. True story: During a trip to Packers mini-camp this summer, committed members of the Wisconsin media were charting each practice snap. The competition is wide open, at least as of now. The Packers are going to have to make some roster moves in order to fit their full draft class under the NFL's 80-man cap. But as of Thursday morning both Jansen and Gafford were still on the Packers' roster. Not many teams have the luxury of taking two long snappers to camp with them, but it clearly represents a priority for the Packers. Intensity index: Hot. (Is there any other way to describe a long-snapping competition?) Green Bay Packers, Brandon Jackson, Noah Herron, Vernand Morency, J.J. Jansen, Thomas Gafford, Rob Davis, position battles Read comments or leave a comment -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lions position battles July 24, 2008 10:40 AM Posted by ESPN.com's Kevin Seifert The Detroit Lions have their usual list of questions, the backfield tops among them: Running back: Tatum Bell vs. Kevin Smith The release of Kevin Jones has left the Lions facing a new era in their backfield. For starters, at least, it appears they'll give Bell the chance to be the primary ballcarrier in their new zone-blocking scheme. Bell had success in a similar offense while playing for Denver, and there can be a long transition for players who aren't used to running behind zone blocking. More important, Bell is determined to rebound from a disappointing 2007 season and knows he might not get a better chance in his NFL career. Smith, however, could turn out to be the Lions' long-term solution here. Coach Rod Marinelli has taken a liking to him, and Smith will get plenty of opportunities to run in the preseason. By the end of the year, a transition could take place. Intensity index: Hot Linebacker: Jordon Dizon vs. other The Lions drafted Dizon as a potential long-term answer at the position, but an unreported arrest for drunken driving landed him in hot water with the team before the first whistle of training camp. Dizon still has the confidence of coach Rod Marinelli, but it's been worth noting the team has visited and negotiated with free agent linebacker Takeo Spikes in recent days. While it's not out of the question to start a rookie linebacker, the responsible thing to do for the Lions is at least have a safety net. Spikes could be that player, or the Lions could scan the waiver wire for other possibilities as the regular season approaches. Intensity index: Mild Position battles, Detroit Lions, Tatum Bell, Kevin Smith, Rod Marinelli, Jordon Dizon, Takeo Spikes Read comments or leave a comment -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bears position battles July 24, 2008 10:20 AM Posted by ESPN.com's Kevin Seifert The Chicago Bears can't say for sure who will start at quarterback, receiver or running back. That makes for a few position battles, don't you think? No. 1 and No. 2 receiver: Devin Hester vs. Marty Booker vs. Mark Bradley vs. Brandon Lloyd The Bears bid farewell to 2007 starters Bernard Berrian and Muhsin Muhammad, leaving this position wide open for competition. They envision Hester as their top receiver, but an unexpected holdout -- not to mention his inexperience at the position -- could curtail their plans. Otherwise, the position is a completely up in the air. Booker is a trusted veteran but not exactly a game-breaker, while Bradley has had trouble staying healthy. Lloyd, meanwhile, is on his third NFL team in six years. There isn't usually much to read into this, but for those interested: On the first practice of training camp Wednesday, the Bears had Booker and Bradley working with the starters. Intensity index: Red hot Running back: Matt Forte vs. Kevin Jones vs. Adrian Peterson The Bears have all but anointed Forte as the successor to the Cedric Benson/Thomas Jones era, but Forte will still have to prove himself in training camp. He has the size and speed to be a 20-carry back in the NFL, but the Bears might ultimately choose to take it slow with him. To that end, they signed Jones to provide depth and to hedge their bets a bit. Jones is less than seven months removed from surgery to repair a torn ACL in his right knee and isn't ready to practice yet. But in a best-case scenario, he could be ready to contribute a few weeks into the regular season. Should the Bears need help before then, veteran Adrian Peterson will be available, as always. The Bears prefer to limit him to a backup role, but he is in position to bail them out if necessary. Intensity index: Hot position battles, Chicago Bears, Devin Hester, Marty Booker, Mark Bradley, Brandon Lloyd, Matt Forte, Kevin Jones, Adrian Peterson, Cedric Benson, Thomas Jones Read comments or leave a comment -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Vikings position battles July 24, 2008 10:00 AM Posted by ESPN.com's Kevin Seifert The Minnesota Vikings' starting lineup is virtually locked up, but there will be some competition for playing time in a few areas during training camp. Here are two: Tight end: Visanthe Shiancoe vs. Jim Kleinsasser Shiancoe is trying to rebound from a tough debut season with the Vikings in which he dropped three touchdown passes and never seemed comfortable in the offense. Coaches have lauded his progress and demeanor, not to mention weight loss, during the offseason. But Shiancoe will have to prove he can catch the ball consistently this summer in order to retain his role as the primary tight end. Kleinsasser is a strong veteran blocker who has rarely been asked to participate much in the passing game. But his playing time increased last season as Shiancoe struggled, and the Vikings won't be afraid to use him -- or veterans Jeff Dugan and Garrett Mills -- in place of Shiancoe if necessary. With tailback Adrian Peterson in the backfield, the tight end should be a powerful weapon in this offense, especially in play-action. Intensity index: Mild Nickel back: Marcus McCauley vs. Charles Gordon vs. Tyrell Johnson Ah, the all-important nickel battle. If this ranks in a team's top two personnel questions, you know you're in decent shape. That said, the Vikings spent plenty of time in their nickel pass defense last season as teams abandoned the run against them. There's no reason to expect anything different this season, meaning that, in reality, their nickel back will have the prominence of a starting corner. Gordon and McCauley shared the role last season, with Gordon enjoying more success. But the Vikings will be looking for ways to get Johnson -- considered a steal in the second round -- on the field. In the end, the team could create several different personnel packages and use Johnson in "big nickel" situations against opposing tight ends and slot receivers. Gordon has the best one-on-one cover ability of the three and is the favorite for the traditional nickel role. Intensity index: Hot position battles, Minnesota Vikings, Visanthe Shiancoe, Jim Kleinsasser, Jeff Dugan, Garrett Mills, Marcus McCauley, Charles Gordon, Tyrell Johnson Read comments or leave a comment</div> http://myespn.go.com/blogs/nfcnorth
