NFL Training Camps 2015: Updates, Rumors & Analysis for August 21

We're into the heart of the second week of the preseason now, with training camps wrapping up nationwide and things getting real for all 32 NFL teams. Four played Thursday night, four more will play Friday night, 16 on Saturday, six on Sunday and two on Monday. 

And before you know it, the preseason will be half over, teams will be practicing regularly and initial cuts will loom one week from Tuesday. 

To get a feel for what happened on and off the field as the work week wrapped up at all 32 NFL facilities on Friday, here's a full recap of the news of the day, along with some commentary. 

Pro Bowl Guard Evan Mathis Will Reportedly Visit the Seattle Seahawks

Matt Rourke/Associated Press

It's hard to believe that Pro Bowl guard Evan Mathis has remained on the open market for more than 10 weeks.

Mathis may be 33 years old, but he earned the second-best grade at the guard position from Pro Football Focus last season with the Philadelphia Eagles. And he was ranked first in football at that position in both 2012 and 2013, earning a first-team All-Pro nod in the latter season. 

There were reports earlier this summer that he was in talks with the Jets and Dolphins, and agent Drew Rosenhaus originally stated that 10 teams had expressed interest. But nobody has signed Mathis, and now, as ESPN's Adam Schefter originally reported Thursday evening, Mathis has a visit lined up with the Seattle Seahawks. 

The Seahawks may be a Super Bowl favorite, but their interior offensive line isn't a strong spot. I'd much rather rely on Mathis than a dude like J.R. Sweezy or Justin Britt or Alvin Bailey, and beyond that Seattle has two rookie mid-round picks in Terry Poole and Mark Glowinski. 

Mathis would provide a nice upgrade, but the Seahawks have to watch their wallet as this type of visit could cause the Jets, Dolphins or someone else to raise the price. 

What's clear is Mathis appears to be a man in control of his immediate future. 

Robert Griffin III's Concussion Reportedly Not Severe

Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

Poor Washington Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III was physically abused Thursday night in a horrifying preseason performance against the Detroit Lions. And on the last of several big hits, Griffin suffered a concussion while attempting to recover his own fumble. 

The good news is that according to Mike Jones of the Washington Post, the concussion isn't severe and Griffin could even play in Washington's third preseason game next week against the Baltimore Ravens. 

I'm sure a lot of Redskins fans might rather see Griffin sit out that game, and the next one, regardless of his health, because without stud left tackle Trent Williams the fourth-year quarterback was assaulted by the Lions sans departed All-Pro Ndamukong Suh. 

The line was a mess on Thursday and took responsibility for that, but the reality is Griffin could be in for more beatings this year regardless of whether Williams is able to man the blind side. The rest of that line struggled last year and will now be relying on a rookie in Brandon Scherff, and Griffin has yet to prove that he can keep himself out of harm's way. 

Chip Kelly Reportedly Impressed by Tim Tebow

Mitchell Leff/Getty Images

Tim Tebow had an up-and-down preseason opener for the Philadelphia Eagles, completing six of 12 passes, taking three sacks, fumbling, but also scoring a rushing touchdown. 

Still, despite that and the fact the Eagles already have Sam Bradford, Mark Sanchez and Matt Barkley on the roster, head coach Chip Kelly is reportedly pleased with what Tebow has brought to the table and believes he's on track to make the 53-man roster. 

That according to ESPN's Dianna Russini, who reports via a team source that Tebow will make the team "if he doesn't make any major errors the rest of the preseason."

"

The source said Kelly's excitement for Tebow is getting stronger. Kelly is impressed by Tebow's running skill, and although he's not perfect, he's improved throwing the football, making him valuable with the new two-point rule and in short-yardage situations.

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The report added that Barkley is available for a trade. So if anyone's willing to give up some practice equipment, they might want to consider making an offer. 

This isn't the first time somebody has figured Tebow might possess more value now that two-point conversions are expected to become more commonplace. And it's true that Barkley possesses almost no value right now, so it wouldn't hurt to keep Tebow around as the third-string quarterback and a player who can be used in special situations. 

Even with improved mechanics, Tebow still holds onto the ball too long and makes questionable decisions. But the reality is there isn't a better spot for a so-so quarterback to be than Philadelphia. 

Just ask Nick Foles. 

Marcell Dareus: 'I Feel Like They Don't Want Me Here'

Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images

Buffalo Bills defensive tackle Marcell Dareus recorded a sack in Thursday night's preseason victory over the Cleveland Browns, but the reigning first-team All-Pro wasn't smiling after the game. 

“They’re making it hard,” said Dareus, who is entering the final year of his rookie contract, according to Tyler Dunne of the Buffalo News. “And it’s just really making me unhappy. I feel like they don’t really want me here."

Vic Carucci of the Buffalo News reported earlier this week that the team had offered the 25-year-old a new deal worth $90 million over the next seven years, but apparently that isn't satisfactory to Dareus and his agent. 

“We’re still waiting,” Dareus added. “I feel like they don’t want me here as bad as I want to be here, as bad as the fans and my team wants me here. I feel like they’re saying, ‘Whatever. You come a dime a dozen.'"

Sounds like Dareus is looking for Ndamukong Suh money, not Gerald McCoy money, which might be fair considering he's only entering his prime and is coming off a 10-sack season in which he was graded by Pro Football Focus as the best run-stopping defensive tackle in the game. 

Suh has a six-year, $114 million deal with the Miami Dolphins, while McCoy is playing under a six-year, $95 million contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. I'd suggest the two sides should split the difference, but I'm not an agent or a general manager. 

Yet. 

Josh McCown Remains Ahead of Johnny Manziel on the Browns Depth Chart

Jason Miller/Getty Images

You get the feeling the Cleveland Browns quarterback battle isn't going to end anytime soon. Because veteran Josh McCown started Sunday night but threw two interceptions and was shaky under constant pressure from the Buffalo Bills, while highly-hyped sophomore Johnny Manziel provided a spark with the team's only touchdown drive in the second half. 

McCowns's preseason statistics remain a bit stronger (aside from the fact he has two picks and Manziel has zero), but even that is a bit misleading, because Manziel saw his completion percentage plummet as he tried desperately to bring Cleveland back on its final drive Thursday night. 

Thus far this preseason, you have to give the edge to Manziel. 

And yet Browns head coach Mike Pettine won't even concede that a quarterback battle exists. 

"I'm not going to sit here and talk about trying to stir up a quarterback controversy,'' Pettine said after the game, per Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. "Josh is firmly the one.''

That means we may be robbed of getting a chance to see Manziel against defensive starters in Cleveland's third preseason game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, which is a shame. But eventually, if Manziel keeps putting the pressure on and McCown continues to look like a 36-year-old who had the second-lowest qualified passer rating in the NFL last year, the Browns will be forced to consider making a change. 

Meanwhile, McCown got X-rays on his right ring finger after the game but the results showed no structural issues, per Pro Football Talk. 

Bill O'Brien Says Texans' Quarterback Competition Is 'Even Battle'

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Houston Texans head coach Bill O'Brien will admit that his team is experiencing a quarterback battle, and as of right now he says it's a dead heat between veterans Brian Hoyer and Ryan Mallett. 

"They both have the quality of leadership; they both have the quality of intelligence," O'Brien said Thursday, per the team's official website. "So, it's an even battle. And like I said, we'll make a decision at some point. We'll go with one guy to start the season. That other guy needs to be ready to play. We played four quarterbacks last year, so you just never know but we can only play one at a time. So, we'll pick one eventually and go with that guy."

Mallett, whom many—especially if those who have been watching Hard Knocks—believe to be trailing Hoyer by a small margin, completed 10 of 11 passes in relief of Hoyer in the team's first preseason game against the San Francisco 49ers. Hoyer completed only two of four passes, but one of those was a rocket over the middle to Cecil Shorts that resulted in a 58-yard touchdown. 

Hoyer was the league's third-lowest-rated qualified passer last year in Cleveland, and even the lowly Browns didn't bring him back. So it's fair to wonder if the Texans are quietly rooting for another big performance from the physically superior Mallett when he starts against the Denver Broncos Saturday night. 

Marcus Smith Expected to Miss Multiple Weeks with Hamstring Injury

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As Bleacher Report's Zach Kruse relayed here on Thursday, Philadelphia Eagles 2014 first-round pick Marcus Smith suffered an injury to his lower body in practice. And now we have more details on Smith's status. 

According to Zach Berman and Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer, the outside linebacker has a hamstring injury that will keep him out two to three weeks. That means he's likely done for the remainder of the preseason but could be back in a Philly uniform in time for the season opener Sept. 14 against the Atlanta Falcons. 

The Eagles had better hope so, because Smith played only 74 snaps as a rookie but was apparently making strides this summer and has a chance to play a much larger role with Trent Cole gone and Travis Long out for the season with a torn ACL. 

“I’m glad it wasn’t anything major, but it’s still something that keeps him out,” defensive coordinator Bill Davis said Friday, per Berman and McLane. “It’s disappointing, probably to him more than anybody. He was really taking some growth steps and coming along, and now he’s got a setback.”

And more falls on starters Connor Barwin and Brandon Graham. 

Joseph Randle Already Back as Cowboys Worry About Levi's Stadium Turf

Brandon Wade/Associated Press

The Dallas Cowboys were fortunate enough to get running back Joseph Randle back on the practice field Friday after the 23-year-old potential replacement for DeMarco Murray aggravated an oblique injury one day prior. 

But the Cowboys didn't practice in full pads and Randle spent some time doing rehab with teammates, per Pro Football Talk, which means there's a chance he won't suit up for the team's second preseason game Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers. 

And we can probably expect Dallas to be particularly cautious for the San Francisco game, considering the turf at Levi's Stadium has been in such bad shape this summer that it has forced the team to move practice locations. 

The Cowboys admit to being concerned about it. As head coach Jason Garrett told reporters:

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Well, we’re going to go up there and we’re going to go over to the stadium once we get there before we go over to the hotel and have a little bit of a walk-through and we’ll take a peek at it. But it sounds like it has been an issue and they’re trying to address it as best they can. We’re going to play a game on Sunday afternoon, so we’ve got to figure it out. Hopefully they’ve taken care of their end of it.

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Even if the game is played as scheduled, don't be surprised if Randle's preseason debut is delayed another week. 

Steelers Rookie Senquez Golson Undergoes Shoulder Surgery

Keith Srakocic/Associated Press

The Pittsburgh Steelers are looking to rebuild their defense after breaking up with some key veterans in the offseason, but it looks as though they'll have to wait to get their rookie second-round pick into the rotation at cornerback. 

That's because head coach Mike Tomlin announced on Friday that Senquez Golson underwent shoulder surgery that morning and would be out indefinitely, with ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reporting that Golson "could be out for the season."

The Steelers aren't exactly jacked on defense these days and are hurting in the secondary, where Troy Polamalu, Ike Taylor and Brice McCain are no longer in the fray. The team did pick up underrated slot cover man Brandon Boykin late in the offseason, but news that Golson won't likely contribute at all in 2015 has to sting. 

Redskins Trade for Tight End Derek Carrier

Jeff Chiu/Associated Press

With Logan Paulsen and Niles Paul already down with season-ending injuries and Jordan Reed an injury waiting to happen, the Washington Redskins are desperate for help at tight end. 

They did something about that on Friday by trading a conditional fifth-round pick to the San Francisco 49ers in exchange for Derek Carrier, per Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee.

The surprise isn't that Washington brought in some support for Reed at the tight end position, but instead that the team didn't finally cave and sign awkwardly desperate former Pro Bowler Chris Cooley. 

But Cooley is 33 and hasn't played since 2012, while the 25-year-old Carrier earned positive blocking and overall grades from Pro Football Focus last season and caught nine of the 14 passes thrown his way. 

Probably a sensible move.