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NFC South OTA roundup: Sean Witherspoon out for Atlanta, Luke Kuechly earns praise

2013-05-26T02:03:44Z

The Atlanta Falcons are eyeing another dominant run atop the NFC South in 2013-14, but the New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Carolina Panthers aren't necessarily sitting idly by. We take a look at some of the storylines from OTAs.

Two linebackers miss Falcons OTAs

Atlanta linebackers Sean Witherspoon and Stephen Nicholas are both out after "minor surgeries", writes James Rael. Witherspoon had arthroscopic knee surgery and Nicholas was under the knife to fix a sports hernia, but both are expected to be ready for OTAs in June or at the very least June 18 mandatory minicamp.

Sean Payton: Will Smith's adjustment to LB will be "smooth"

After nine seasons playing defensive end for the Saints, Will Smith will transition to outside linebacker as New Orleans switches to a 3-4 setup. But Sean Payton isn't concerned changing the position of a 31-year-old, citing how few differences there are between the two positions in today's NFL. Smith has been an anchor for New Orleans, spending his entire career there, playing in a Pro Bowl and a Super Bowl in his tenure.

Bucs make minor roster moves

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers don't have a whole lot going on at this point. The team is going through their OTAs, but there's not a lot of news out of them. Most of the focus is on Darrelle Revis and when he'll be healthy, but the team did recently make a move. According to Bucs Nation, they waived wide receiver Chris Denton and signed Terriun Crump, another wide receiver. Apparently, Denton failed to impress at OTAs.

Carolina's Luke Kuechly earning praise

Luke Kuechly earned Defensive Rookie of the Year honors last season, and many are hoping he continues his progression. Reports out of Cat Scratch Reader are positive after the first few days of OTAs: Kuechly is earning a lot of praise. Many considered him an odd fit for Carolina initially, but when Jon Beason went down with injury, Kuechly found playing time and was able to shine. At OTAs, he's impressing just about everyone and that can only mean good things for Carolina.

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NFC North OTA news roundup: Forte skips OTAs, Reggie Bush in the mix to return punts

2013-05-25T23:16:29Z

Home to some of the most storied franchises in the NFL, the NFC North will be a division to watch this season. The Packers are perennial title contenders and the Vikings are coming off a surprise playoff run. And on any given day, players on the Lions can draw this card. Here a look at what happened in OTAs this week:

Four Bears miss OTAs

Headed by running back Matt Forte, four Chicago Bears starters did not participate in Tuesday's workouts. Forte and cornerback Tim Jennings had prior commitments, with the former joining teammate Johnny Knox in Germany for a USO tour. Kicker Robbie Gould is still seeking medical clearance to participate in practice and saw a doctor in Dallas this week. Gould missed the final three games of last season after rupturing a tendon in his calf. The fourth player not in attendance was offensive lineman Gabe Carimi. Wide receiver Brandon Marshall attended the workouts, but did not suit up because he is still recovering from surgery on his hip.

Johnny Jolly expected at OTAs next week

After initially targeting May 23rd as the date of his return to team activities, Green Bay Packers defensive end Johnny Jolly won't actually return until next week. This week, Jolly was still undergoing court-ordered treatment for a drug problem that landed him in jail. He has now completed the program and will return to the Packers for the first time since July of 2010. The Packers drafted Jolly in the sixth round of the 2006 NFL draft.

Reggie Bush returning punts

The Detroit Lions struggled to get production on special teams last year, which is why they hotly pursued Joshua Cribbs in the offseason. But after failing to get Cribbs, the Lions are weighing their options at team workouts. Reggie Bush is among seven players getting a look, and obviously has the best resume of the bunch. Bush hasn't been a full-time return man since 2009 in New Orleans, but has four career touchdowns and returned six punts for Miami in 2012.

Nate Burleson returns

After being told he wouldn't return until July from a broken leg, Detroit Lions wide receiver Nate Burleson practiced without restrictions Wednesday. Burleson started just five games for the Lions before breaking the leg, but not before catching 27 passes for 240 yards and two touchdowns. The Nevada product has been a productive complement to Calvin Johnson since signing with the Lions in 2010, scoring 11 touchdowns in 36 career games with Detroit.

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NFC West OTA news roundup: Nnamdi practices, Cardinals look to replace Washington

2013-05-25T22:03:34Z

Home to the reigning NFC champion 49ers and incumbent Super Bowl favorite Seattle, the NFC West might be the most interesting division in football. OTAs haven't disappointed, with injuries and a suspension leading to summer workout battles.

Nnamdi Asomugha practices

The most high-profile acquisition for the 49ers defense this offseason, 31-year-old cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha saw his first action in a Niners uniform Thursday. With Tarell Brown absent from workouts, the Pro Bowler started opposite Carlos Rogers. The media reaction to his workout was positive, with the Chronicle's Kevin Lynch remarking that Nnamdi was able to "latch on to" and "muscle" receivers. The 49ers secondary got thinner when safety Dashon Goldson left for Tampa, but San Francisco has four viable corners with Asomugha on the roster.

Niners wideouts battle to replace Crabtree

Jim Harbaugh went on the radio Friday to discuss what the team is doing to replace injured wide receiver Michael Crabtree, who suffered an Achilles tear Wednesday and could miss the entire season. The coach mentioned A.J. Jenkins, Quinton Patton and Ricardo Lockette as possible replacements. As the 49ers' first-round pick in 2012, Jenkins has the highest profile, but a disappointing rookie campaign saw the Illinois product on the field for just 37 snaps while failing to register a catch.

Seahawks lose TE Anthony McCoy

Achilles injuries are all the rage for NFC West contenders. McCoy, like Crabtree, tore his Achilles and will be out six to nine months. Playing behind starting tight end Zach Miller, McCoy caught three touchdown passes in 2012. Luke Wilson will be the likely replacement, but only if he can get a break from shooting on the set of Anchorman: The Legend Continues.

Cardinals look to replace suspended Washington

After a breakout 2012 season that saw him make the Pro Bowl, Arizona linebacker Daryl Washington tested positive for marijuana. During his four-game suspension that starts Week 1, the Cardinals will need to get production from some new faces and some new old faces.

Karlos Dansby has returned after being released by the Dolphins, where he had been since 2010. The productive inside linebacker spent six seasons in red and white after being drafted by the Cardinals in 2004. The Cardinals also drafted a linebacker in the second round, taking Louisiana State's Kevin Minter. A solid training camp could have the rookie getting a look sooner than anyone expected. Arizona also acquired Jasper Brinkley, who played in every game for the Vikings the past three seasons. Brinkley recorded 63 tackles in 2012, his most productive season to date. Washington is also being investigated for a domestic incident, so four games may just be the beginning for the stud linebacker.

Jeff Fisher hates football nerds

After acquiring All-World left tackle Jake Long, the Rams moved Rodger Saffold to right tackle. Commenting on Saffold's first reps at the position, Rams head coach Jeff Fisher shot down what he feels is a common misconception. "Football's football. Responsibilities are the same," said Fisher, who also praised Saffold for his workouts. Left is right and right is left. The lesson here? Look up your own directions when Jeff Fisher invites you to a cookout.

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