NFL Training Camps: Around the league in 32 plays

How much is too much for a quarterback? How about when it costs you three other top players!!!! Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sport

New Orleans Saints:  Is Drew Brees really worth ALL of that?  Not just talking money here folks.  We’re talking Jimmy Graham, Ben Grubbs, and Kenny Stills as well.  It seems that all of Breezy’s talk about players being paid fair was more in reference to his own contract than those of his teammates.  I’ve never bought into Micky Loomis as a great general manager, and this offseason has me questioning him even more.

New York Giants:  How do the Giants handle the strangest story in the NFL?  I mean…did you ever think you would hear about an NFL player blowing a finger off with fireworks?  I always thought that was reserved for rednecks on YouTube.  But add to that the fact he was on the Franchise Tag, and it’s just a complete car wreck.  The Giants are basically stuck with Jason Pierre-Paul for better or worse right now.  Even if he can’t play this year, do you let him walk to free up the cap space?  That’s a gamble because he may (and many say will) make a comeback.  Does he sign his tender now?  That throws away what is left of his negotiating weight when there is supposedly a chance he’ll play this year.  Does he holdout while healing?  As long as he doesn’t sign the tag, he doesn’t get any of the protective status of an NFL contract.  Just a weird situation.

New York Jets:  Can Geno Smith lead this team?  There’s plenty of rhetoric and subjective talk in support of him, but have we really seen anything on the field that suggests he can be good for 16 or more games?  I can’t say I’ve seen anything other than what I saw from him in college…a guy with great physical talent, but not a good feel/understanding of the game.  Todd Bowles will have him on a short rope.

Oakland Raiders:  Los Angeles or San Antonio?  At this point, we can pretty much be sure that it won’t be Oakland.  To be honest, I won’t miss seeing games that felt like they were from the 70s every time we visited The O (don’t kid yourself, it hasn’t been The Black Hole for a few years now).  The field was every bit as bad as the team that was being put out there.  Reggie McKenzie seems to have them heading in the right direction football-wise, but if ever there was a team that could use a change of scenery, it’s the Raiders.

In his 2nd season as an NFL coach, Chip Kelly seems confident in his ability to win the NCAA Championship with his new team. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

Philadelphia Eagles:  Is Chip Kelly outsmarting the whole NFL universe, or just himself?  DeSean Jackson, Jeremy Maclin, LeSean McCoy, Evan Mathis, Trent Cole, and Nick Foles…these are the guys that didn’t make the grade in Chip Kelly’s mind.  I don’t claim to know as much about football as he does, but that doesn’t seem to make much sense in my book.  Is he reinventing the game of football, or still trying to prove the Ducks should have gotten a shot at the national title?

Pittsburgh Steelers:  Which Steelers team are we getting?  With the recent contract extension of coach Mike Tomlin, it’s clear the Steelers have faith.  However, this franchise has put out some up and down football over the past several years.  In the AFC North, things can turn at the drop of a hat, so there is little room for error.

San Diego Chargers:  Is blacking out games in Los Angeles really that much better than blacking out games in San Diego?  I’ve always agreed with Colin Cowherd on this subject…people in southern California have far too much else to do to worry about a perennial middle of the pack team.  This isn’t just my take as a Chiefs fan, I’ve lived there and seen it first hand.  San Diego may or may not have made strides this offseason.  To be honest, their best acquisition, Melvin Gordon, is still unproven at best.  And before you SD fans start going off…remember when you were extolling the greatness of Ryan Matthews?

Next: Why doesn't anyone want to be in SF?