Early Winners and Losers of Training Camp

No matter how far along we are in NFL training camp, there are bound to be winners and losers. 

Players can begin to lose their starting jobs or start creeping up depth charts from the first practice. Each year, we have a handful of these types of players who stand out from the rest of the pack.

Today, we will take a look at who is standing out in a good way and who just can't seem to do anything right through the early portion of training camp.

Winner: Geno Smith, QB, New York Jets

We all knew Geno Smith had a legitimate chance this year to win the starting quarterback job for the New York Jets. However, few situations are as tricky as the one head coach Rex Ryan and the Jets have with incumbent starter Mark Sanchez.

That hasn't stopped Smith from playing very well to start training camp, though. He's easily been the most impressive quarterback for the Jets so far. In fact, he's been so impressive that he'll get snaps with the first team in this week's preseason game, according to Rotoworld. 

A strong performance this week against the Detroit Lions could push Smith even closer to becoming the Week 1 starter in New York. There's no doubt he's been one of the biggest winners in training camp so far.

Losers: Injuries

The biggest loser of this offseason has been injuries. For some reason, it seems there have been more season-ending injuries this year than any other in recent memory.

To make matters worse, we're losing some big-name players for the entire 2013 season. Wide receiver Jeremy Maclin, tight end Dennis Pitta, wide receiver Danario Alexander, outside linebacker Melvin Ingram and offensive tackle Bryan Bulaga will all miss this upcoming season because of injuries.

It's really quite a shame there have been so many injuries, as they make the game less enjoyable to watch. All we can do is hope there are no more major injuries for the rest of training camp.

Winner: Rookie Wide Receivers

Due to a mix of injuries and other issues, rookie wide receivers are getting quite the chance to step up.

Keenan Allen of the San Diego Chargers figures to have a bigger role due to the season-ending injury of Danario Alexander. The New England Patriots are throwing a bevy of rookie wide receivers onto the field early due to issues with their receiving corps.

In Buffalo, rookie receiver Robert Woods is continuing to impress. There's also the rookie duo of Tavon Austin and Stedman Bailey, who should see plenty of opportunities for the St. Louis Rams.

All in all, the 2013 season could see many rookie receivers make big impacts for their respective teams.

Loser: Kevin Kolb, QB, Buffalo Bills

When the Buffalo Bills drafted quarterback EJ Manuel in the first round, there was quite a bit of speculation that Kevin Kolb would start this year while Manuel developed his game.

However, that simply hasn't been the case in Buffalo. Kolb was taking the majority of snaps with the first team when training camp started, but that isn't happening anymore, reportedly because he has been struggling against the blitz, according to Joe Buscaglia of WGR 550 Sports Radio.

Furthermore, Kolb is now dealing with a knee injury that is "day to day," according to Mark Gaughan of The Buffalo News. Making matters even worse for Kolb is the fact that Manuel has been extremely impressive throughout camp for the Bills, per Tim Graham of The Buffalo News.

All signs point to Kolb being forced to the bench in his first year in Buffalo.

Winner: Jamie Collins, OLB, New England Patriots

The New England Patriots have proved to be one of the best drafting teams in the NFL by getting top talent outside of the first round of the draft. This year appears to be no different, as linebacker Jamie Collins already looks like a stud.

He's quickly moved up the depth chart and is already playing with the first team in 11-on-11 drills, according to Mike Giardi of CSNNE.com. Collins is an extremely athletic player who should be able to make an instant impact as a pass-rusher for the Patriots.

As long as he continues to impress throughout training camp, he should have little difficulty finding himself on the field early and often to start his NFL career.

Loser: Aaron Rodgers, QB, Green Bay Packers

If I were Aaron Rodgers, I'd be just a little concerned about my team's overall health for the 2013 season.

The loss of offensive tackle Bryan Bulaga to an ACL injury will certainly hurt the offensive line for the Green Bay Packers. They'll now be forced to put together a makeshift offensive line for the season.

On top of losing Bulaga, Rodgers also lost one of his top receivers for the rest of training camp. Jordy Nelson had an operation on his knee that will force him to sit out for the next four to six weeks, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.

Luckily, Rodgers is the best quarterback in the league, and he had an incredible season last year despite getting sacked 51 times and dealing with multiple injuries to his receiving corps. But I'm sure he'd like to have a healthy offense to lead, which is what ultimately makes him a loser right now.

Winner: Brandon Boykin, CB, Philadelphia Eagles

Entering his second season in the league, cornerback Brandon Boykin was hoping to build off a rather surprising rookie year in 2012.

Not only is he doing that, but he also continues to exceed all expectations. He's been the most impressive cornerback in camp so far for the Philadelphia Eagles, according to Reuben Frank of CSNPhilly.com.

With both Nnamdi Asomugha and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie leaving this offseason, Boykin has a legitimate chance to jump into the starting lineup. As long as he continues to play like he has been, that shouldn't be a problem at all.

Loser: Mike Wallace, WR, Miami Dolphins

The biggest issue with bringing in big-name free agents is how quickly they establish chemistry with teammates. This is even more important when that big-name free agent is a receiver.

Unfortunately for receiver Mike Wallace, he's struggled so far to find that chemistry with second-year quarterback Ryan Tannehill. Jeff Darlington of NFL Network reports their chemistry has been a little slow to develop (h/t Rotoworld).

The Miami Dolphins were expecting Wallace to be the key to making the offense more explosive. Slow chemistry is the last thing they wanted to hear.

If Wallace and Tannehill can't begin improving together quickly, the signing of Wallace could end up being one of the worst this offseason.

Winner: Michael Vick, QB, Philadelphia Eagles

For a moment, it seemed like quarterback Michael Vick was going to be finding himself on the bench for the Philadelphia Eagles. Despite seeming like the perfect fit in head coach Chip Kelly's offense, Vick had trouble separating himself early on from his competition.

Well, that isn't the case anymore. Vick has looked so good in training camp recently that he was named the starter for the Eagles' first preseason game. Fox Sports analyst Jay Glazer has even reported Vick already has the starting job for the regular season in the bag.

After looking like a potential loser very early on in training camp, Vick has become quite the winner over the past few days.

Loser: Jonathan Martin, OT, Miami Dolphins

When offensive tackle Jake Long left the Miami Dolphins for the St. Louis Rams this offseason, all eyes turned to second-year tackle Jonathan Martin. Everyone wanted to know if he would be a capable replacement.

Unfortunately, it doesn't seem like that will be the case. Martin has struggled throughout camp, getting consistently dominated by defensive end Olivier Vernon. He also had his fair share of struggles in the Hall of Fame Game against the Dallas Cowboys last Sunday.

So much of quarterback Ryan Tannehill's development this year depends on the play of his offensive line. If Martin can't get his act together quickly, it could be a long year in Miami.

Winner: Cincinnati Bengals

While most teams have been ravaged by injuries and off-field issues throughout training camp, the Cincinnati Bengals have quietly gone about their business.

The end result of their productive offseason is that they look like legitimate Super Bowl contenders right now. The defense should once again be extremely stout thanks to players like defensive tackle Geno Atkins.

On the other side of the ball, the Bengals could field one of the most explosive offenses in the league. From wide receivers A.J. Green and Mohamed Sanu to tight ends Jermaine Gresham and Tyler Eifert, quarterback Andy Dalton has a bevy of options in the passing game.

In fact, early reports from Joe Reedy at the Cincinnati Enquirer are that Eifert is becoming one of Dalton's favorite targets despite only being a rookie. Throw in the fact that fellow rookie Giovani Bernard is constantly praised by his coaches, and you have the potential for great things offensively in Cincinnati.

As long as the Bengals continue to stay healthy and out of trouble, they'll continue to be the big winners of training camp.

Loser: Tyler Wilson, QB, Oakland Raiders

So, what the heck happened to rookie quarterback Tyler Wilson? It seemed like everyone was pegging him as a legitimate contender to start for the Oakland Raiders this year before training camp.

However, now that camp is in full swing, Wilson has seen his name drop rapidly down the depth chart. Not only has Terrelle Pryor passed Wilson, but undrafted free agent Matt McGloin is also ahead of the former Arkansas quarterback.

This is obviously terrible news for Oakland, as it spent a fourth-round pick on Wilson this year. While there is certainly time for him to turn things around, he's definitely on the losing side of things right now.