The Latest Buzz for Every NFL Team Heading into OTAs

The NFL's offseason training activities, better known as OTAs, don't determine Super Bowl winners, but at least we get the chance to see players and newly formed rosters on the football field. 

A few teams kicked off their OTAs on Monday, like Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos, but the overwhelming majority of the league gets going today. 

Let's take a look at the buzz surrounding each team that begins their offseason training this afternoon. 

Arizona Cardinals 

There's not a ton of Cardinals news as they hit the field in the desert, but they did sign four draft picks last week; Bobby Massie, Senio Kelemete, Ryan Lindley and Justin Bethel. Michael Floyd, Jamell Fleming and Nate Potter all remain unsigned. 

While the quarterback competition between Kevin Kolb and John Skelton will rage on throughout the spring and summer, don't forget about Lindley, the development signal-caller with future starting abilities. 

No, it's unlikely that he makes a legitimate push for the starting job this season, but AZCardinals.com looks at how the team hopes he's in the Tony Romo mold. 

Baltimore Ravens 

After Ed Reed terrified Ravens fans by saying he "wasn't 100 percent committed to playing football in 2012," Aaron Wilson quoted Reed's clarification on Twitter. 

"This is the time of year where players think through things. My goal is to play football in the years to come."

Who will fill the massive hole left by the departed Pro Bowl guard Ben Grubbs? They drafted Kelechi Osemele in the second round and Gino Gradkowski in the fourth round of this year's draft. 

Ray Rice, the team's offensive heart and soul, has still made no progress in contract talks, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. 

Carolina Panthers 

The Panthers are hoping to make a considerable stride on the defensive side of the ball in 2012. They're reportedly hoping someone beats out incumbent right cornerback Captain Munnerlyn to move the veteran into a sub-package or slot role. 

Second-year pro Brandon Hogan or rookie Josh Norman could push Munnerlyn out of a starting job. 

Will Joe Adams be a prime YAC receiver for Cam Newton this season? Bryan Strickland of Panthers.com gives an in-depth look at what could be a quick transition to the NFL for the dynamic play-maker. 

Chicago Bears 

In Chicago, everyone's fixated on the continuing contract battle between Bears management and running back Matt Forte. 

Chicago Tribune reporter Brad Biggs offers an insightful column on how a Forte signing wouldn't hurt the team's cap space. 

They've got to get that guy inked. 

Cincinnati Bengals 

This via Rotoworld:

Citing a member of the organization, (Greg) Cosell told Yahoo that the Bengals are "not comfortable" with forcing things on Dalton, and "have a few doubts" about him due to arm strength limitations. 

Today, offensive coordinator Jay Gruden set the story straight about his quarterback. (from Joe Reedy)

"I don't know where that came from and why he said it. If there were reservations about Andy Dalton there would be a lot more quarterbacks here right now. We know and he knows he has to get better. ... I have no reservations about arm strength. I think he can do it all."

Cleveland Browns 

Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal caught up with Browns GM Tom Heckert, who said the following about the team's quarterback position: 

"

The best guy’s gonna play, but we fully expect Brandon to be that guy,” Heckert told reporters Monday night before he spoke to a crowd of more than 450 people at the 33rd annual Akron Browns Backers banquet at Tangier restaurant. “Now if he’s not, and Colt plays better or Seneca, whoever — but right now that’s our goal is to have [Weeden] be the guy.

"

That makes sense. Why else would they spend a first-round pick on the guy if he wasn't going to start?

Dallas Cowboys

According to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Cowboys cornerback Mike Jenkins wants to be traded. He won't be on hand when the team starts OTAs today. 

I guess playing behind Brandon Carr and rookie Morris Claiborne isn't something the former first-round pick wants to do. 

Miami Dolphins

Brian Biggane of the Palm Beach Post got a few quotes from Dolphins owner Stephen Ross: 

"

We drafted Tannehill because we thought he’d be a great franchise quarterback. He has all the intangibles, (he’s) a great athlete. The important thing is not to have great expectations up front, and bring him along. See how it works for him. He certainly has the talent, and you don’t want to get a guy down early. We’ve seen that before. So it depends on each individual. Obviously there’s a big competition for the quarterback slot. We’re not going to rush him into it, that’s for sure.

"

With David Garrard and Matt Moore as the other quarterbacks on the roster, Miami isn't in an atrocious situation. Those two are fine stop-gap options that will keep the team steady before Tannehill is ready to take the reins of the offense. 

In the same article, Brian Hartline discussed being the team's new primary target: 

"It’s encouraging. I took it as, at first, maybe well go out and fill a hole, but then maybe they feel confident in the group we have. Myself and Davone leading that group. That’s definitely a positive toward us. It’s encouraging, it’s exciting all the same. We’re getting started."

New Orleans Saints 

It's all about Drew Brees in New Orleans—as it should be. The face of the franchise is still unsigned. While no apparent strides have been made in the contract talks, owner Tom Benson remains optimistic that a deal will get done.  

SI's Peter King, in a recent column, discusses the new line of thinking from the Saints' front office. They believe they deserve credit for taking a $10 million chance on Brees in 2006 when he was coming off shoulder surgery. 

Not exactly the greatest attempt to gain leverage, seeing that Brees hasn't missed a game in six years. 

New York Jets 

Got to start with Tim Tebow. Who else?

Jenny Vrentas of the New Jersey Star-Ledger is reporting that Tebow is strictly practicing as the team's backup quarterback and that he's not in any sub-packages or on special teams. 

Vrentas also cites that safety LaRon Landry, who was signed this offseason, was absent from the start of OTAs today. 

The training activities are voluntary, but there was no word as to why Landry wasn't at the Jets' facility. 

Philadelphia Eagles

The Philadelphia Inquirer's Eagles Blog on third-year pass rusher Brandon Graham: 

"

Graham has worked himself into top shape for what is a make-or-break season for the 2010 first round pick. He’s reportedly cut down on fat and added muscled. Publicly and privately key people within the team say they still believe in Graham and his potential. But they also acknowledge that by year three you really find out what you’ve got in a draft pick.

"

The Eagles' defensive line is stacked with edge rushers, but when he's going full bore, there's not many with more natural ability and determination than Graham. He's learned from Trent Cole over his first two seasons, but has dealt with injuries. 

From the same blog post, tight end Brent Celek will sit out the OTAs due to his recovery from surgery to repair a torn labrum and a sports hernia. 

Here's a cool look at what offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg will do with LeSean McCoy in 2012. Will he really limit his touches after an All-Pro 2011? (via Philadelphia Inquirer)

San Francisco 49ers 

Jim Harbaugh joined Kevin Lynch on KNBR radio in San Francisco and said the following about Randy Moss: (h/t SportsRadioInterviews.com)

"

And then in the classroom he sits in the front row, he soaks up the knowledge and always gives the feedback, too, which he’s more than capable of doing. He’s a coach, he’s like a coach.

"

In the same interview, Harbaugh said Michael Crabtree had the best hands he's ever seen. Hmm. A little questionable there, but we'll see how the new-look receiving corps in San Francisco fares this fall. 

Seattle Seahawks

The team traded a seventh-round pick to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in exchange for tight end Kellen Winslow.

He's been banged up over the last few seasons with the Bucs, but ESPN's Chris Sprow points out that Winslow's 437 catches since 2004 trail only Tony Gonzalez, Jason Witten and Antonio Gates among tight ends.  

The team now has seven, count them, seven tight ends on the roster. 

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