Monday Morning Digest: Jay Cutler-Dolphins Marriage Destined to Disappoint

These are the dog days of training camp, when practices drag on, injuries mount and signing Jay Cutler to replace Ryan Tannehill actually starts to sound like a great idea.

From the Hall of Fame Game and ceremonies to weekend team scrimmages, there was plenty of NFL action this week that didn't involve Smokin' Jay storming South Beach, and this week's Digest has it all covered:

• Paxton Lynch versus Trevor Siemian: The quarterback competition no one wants to win.

• Holdouts, from Le'Veon Bell to Aaron Donald: Which team is most likely to sacrifice the season to save some money?

• Rookie buzz: August is the time to anoint the next Jerry Rice and/or Terrell Davis. We've got your tickets for the rookie sleeper hype train.

• Cowboys Hall of Fame Game debriefing: Find out if it's time to throw away that Taco Charlton jersey and buy a Rico Gathers jersey.

So don't let camp doldrums get you down. Come inside this week's Digest, cool off, and get ready for next week's preseason action!

Dolphins and Jay Cutler: Match Made in Heaven or Dangerous Liaison?

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Jay Cutler and the Miami Dolphins: Never have a player and franchise who mean so little to so many attracted so much attention.

When Ryan Tannehill suffered a serious knee injury in a midweek practice, the Dolphins (coached by former Cutler handler Adam Gase) began passing notes under the desk to Cutler, who was initially slated for a role in the Fox broadcast booth. After some hand-wringing, the Dolphins and Cutler agreed to a one-year, $10 million contract that could be worth $13 million with incentives, per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.

Here's a breakdown of a relationship that has all the makings of an unholy matrimony.

Why did the Cutler negotiations take all weekend?

Cutler was reportedly unsure whether he is still capable of giving an NFL team the signature Cutler commitment level. You know, roughly 80 percent.

(Yes, the Smokin' Jay perception of Cutler is a punchline caricature to some degree. But you don't get a five-year reputation for not caring by being the guy who cares most of all.)

What does Cutler bring to the Dolphins?

Tremendous pure passing talent. A degree of dedication normally associated with a substitute teacher earning extra cash until his ska band breaks big. Cutler's relationships with many coaches sound like divorce court depositions, but he seems to like Gase and knows his system.

Can Cutler push the Dolphins past the Patriots?

Could 1985 Joe Montana push the Dolphins past the Patriots?

What were the Dolphins' alternatives?

Matt Moore looked sharp in some late-season 2016 starts, appeared to get KO'd by the Steelers in the playoffs, but practically climbed off a gurney to return and finished the game. Moore is an adequate spot starter, but counting on him for 16 games of playoff-caliber quarterbacking would admittedly be a stretch. Third-stringer Brandon Doughty is a pesky try-hard with a hinky delivery who maxes out as a poor man's Chase Daniel.

What about Colin Kaepernick?

The anti-Kap movement likes to claim that signing Kaepernick would be a franchise-crippling distraction, so Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti obligingly turned the team's Kaepernick overtures into a week-long William Shatner Performs Hamlet melodrama, ensuring that everyone was as distracted as possible so the self-fulfilling prophecy could fulfill itself. From the Gase-Cutler relationship to owner Stephen Ross' work with RISE, the Dolphins happily used some of the several Get Out of Kaepernick Controversy Free cards at their disposal.

Was this the right move?

The Dolphins are stacked at the skill positions, have plenty of talent on the offensive line and a potentially great front seven. It's a playoff-caliber roster, and Cutler should win a bunch of games with this supporting cast.

That said, Cutler just spent four full seasons disappointing the Bears at premium prices. What happens when the quarterback who always acted like an expensive mercenary is actually hired as an expensive mercenary?

Maybe we'll be writing Cutler redemption stories before the Super Bowl in February. It's more likely that Cutler will do a few things Moore cannot do and many of the things Cutler often does, including throw silly interceptions and visibly go through the motions when the chips are down.

That's what's so ridiculous about this signing. If the Dolphins get exactly what they paid for, they are guaranteed to regret it.

Player Spotlight: Paxton Lynch and Trevor Siemian, Broncos

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Camp Story So Far

Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports reported Paxton Lynch has not won a single practice in his battle with Trevor Siemian. The 2015 seventh-round pick has been "more steady than spectacular," whereas Lynch's "bad days have been exponentially worse." 

If anything, Lynch lost ground in Saturday's scrimmage. He threw an interception to Chris Harris and misfired on several throws. Siemian was not much better (here's the Denver Post account of their work) but at least led the first-team offense on a brief drive.

"Very solid for both guys," Broncos coach Vance Joseph said after the practice. Maybe he was watching the secondary the whole time.

What It Means

The worst-case scenario for the Broncos (short of a double injury) is for neither Lynch nor Siemian to seize the starting job. There is a real danger that is what will happen.

Starting the season with Siemian will feel too much like going to the prom with a platonic friend. But the team was looking for both broad development and evidence of a killer instinct from Lynch. He's shown signs of being a decent quarterback, but not the Elway-like mega-talent he is supposed to become.

For you completionists: Chad Kelly has not seen any meaningful action and is not expected to play this year. Third-stringer Kyle Sloter threw the only touchdown of the scrimmage; he's a size-speed-arm prospect worth a practice squad stash.

Bottom Line

Despite his struggles, Lynch still has the inside track because Denver used a first-round pick to select him. Thursday's preseason matchup with the Bears will tell us more. If either quarterback simply wins by default, the Broncos 2017 season is likely to be a repeat of 2016.

Team Spotlight: Dallas Cowboys

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Camp Story So Far

After a start of camp that played out like Season 3 of Fargo, most of the weird true crime podcast fodder is now in the rearview mirror. But the Cowboys backups didn't impress in Thursday night's 20-18 win over the Cardinals, particularly on defense, where a mix of rookie prospects and projected starters/role players made Blaine Gabbert look like Kurt Warner in the first half.

Storylines to Watch

Elliott Suspension of Damocles. Jerry Jones sounds confident that Ezekiel Elliott will not be suspended for violating the league's personal conduct policy. Meanwhile, the NFL's discipline office has gone spooky quiet the way it often does before handing down a truly inexplicable punishment.

Taco Blues Day. Taco Charlton didn't get pushed around against the Cardinals, but he didn't look poised for a 12-sack rookie season, either. Rookie pass-rushers often need a lot of time to adjust to the quality of NFL blocking, but the Cowboys need an instant-impact pass-rusher, and no one else on the roster or on the Hall of Fame Game field really fit that description.

Offense Reloaded: Basketball-project tight end and Jason Witten heir-apparent Rico Gathers introduced himself to the greater football world with a Hall of Fame Game touchdown. Brice Butler also made a case for himself by catching a pair of Kellen Moore's wind-up-and-let-'er-rip "deep" balls. The Cowboys look loaded at the skill positions, and we haven't even seen the debut of Cole Beasley and Ryan Switzer as the Slot Wonder Twins yet.

Bottom Line

Until Roger Goodell finishes consulting with soothsayers and hands down an Elliott verdict, it's difficult to chisel the Cowboys in as legitimate Super Bowl favorites. The apparent lack of depth and playmaking capacity on defense is also a yellow flag.

Still, the Cowboys have pivoted away from the worst of the July madness. This is a playoff-caliber roster when the drama isn't drowning out the football. The quieter Cowboys camp becomes in the weeks to come, the better.

Player Spotlight: Tyreek Hill, All-Purpose Weapon, Kansas City Chiefs

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Camp Story So Far

Hill, last year's come-from-nowhere human-highlight factory, has been the talk of Chiefs training camp. Every day brings another tale of a miraculous reception or two.

It's no surprise that a pure speed-and-quickness phenom like Hill can tear the field up in 7-on-7s or when defenders aren't tackling. So let's check in with B.J. Kissel of the Chiefs official website to learn if Hill is doing more than just juking teammates who are going at half speed.

"He’s not just showing speed, but an ability to track the ball in the air, manipulate and use his body to shield defenders, and the hands to catch anything near him," Kissel wrote. Yes, team websites have a habit of making every undrafted rookie sound like Randy Moss. But every other report from Chiefs camp sounds like a version of that quote with some "whoas" added.

What It Means

A speedy returns-reverses-screens type of big-play specialist must either develop a more rounded game or become another Percy Harvin or Tavon Austin: the guy who can't shake loose because the whole defense is waiting for him to take the screen or reverse.

Hill is poised to become a much more complete player this season. The Chiefs need him to be more rounded, because, as usual, they are woefully short on quality conventional wide receivers.

Bottom Line

Hill is generating MVP-caliber chatter. Anyone who's watched even one 2016 highlight montage should not be surprised.

Team Spotlight: Tennessee Titans

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Camp Story So Far

Everyone's favorite playoff "sleepers"—because a team with a famous young quarterback that finished 9-7 last year is such an edgy, under-the-radar selection—have enjoyed mostly good news at the start of camp. Marcus Mariota is showing no ill effects from the broken leg that ended his 2016 season, according to Jason Wolf of the Tennessean; he even ran for a touchdown during Saturday night's scrimmage. Veteran receiver Eric Decker looks healthy and spry. And a rebuilt secondary appears ready to keep the Titans from losing any more 43-35 shootouts.

Stories to Watch

Corey Davis Injury: Davis was off to a hot start at camp before suffering a hamstring injury late in the week. Davis (listed as week to week right now) is an important puzzle piece for the Titans, yet the team is in surprisingly good shape without him. Decker, left at the curb by the Jets before free agency, has been a reclamation revelation. Rookie Taywan Taylor has impressed as a slot weapon, according to multiple reports. Steady Rishard Matthews is more natural as a second or third option than the go-to guy he was forced to be last year.

Alpha Dogs: That's how Logan Ryan described the new secondary—including himself, safety Johnathan Cyprien, rookie Adoree' Jackson (who enjoyed some big returns in Saturday's scrimmage) and others—at the start of camp. "I’m trying to fit in with the guys and have fun with these guys, but really it’s a kill or be killed mentality," Logan told reporters.

So far, the alpha dog of the alpha dogs has been second-year safety Kevin Byard, who has stepped into a leadership role in the secondary and earned some gushing camp notices. Byard's emergence should provide the Titans with just the right balance of youth, experience, depth and flexibility—plus the "killer instinct" that did not exist last year—to match up against AFC contenders.

Bottom Line

The Titans have an identity, personality, a healthy potential franchise quarterback and, most impressively, depth at just about every position. Even if you filter out the "Everything Is Awesome" sunniness of early-camp reviews, it sounds like they are built to take that big next step so many are expecting.

Rookie Buzz Digest

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Love rookie sleepers? Here are five mid-to-late-round picks earning raves in camp who could earn roles come September. Perfect for fantasy keeper leagues or just to upgrade your water cooler know-it-all status.

De'Angelo Henderson, Running Back, Broncos

Devontae Booker is on the PUP list, and both C.J. Anderson and Jamaal Charles have racked up the health insurance premiums in recent years. Meanwhile, the 5'7" Henderson is bowling over defenders like Aqib Talib in practice. Broncos rookie running backs have come from nowhere to make an impact many times in the past. What, too soon for the Terrell Davis comparison? Aw, come on...

Marlon Mack, Running Back, Colts

Mack looked a little like LeSean McCoy at South Florida and could finally give the Colts a big-play changeup for Frank Gore. "He jumps off the tape," Chuck Pagano said this week. "He's popping out there." If Mack is prompting coherent thoughts from Pagano, he must be good.

Adam Shaheen, Tight End, Bears

The D-II touchdown machine (26 touchdowns in his final two seasons for the mighty Ashland Eagles) has been wowing observers with his red-zone leaps and one-handed catches, wrote ESPN.com's Jeff Dickerson. The Bears need playmakers, so Shaheen has the potential to be more this year than just scout-team Jimmy Graham.

Trent Taylor, Wide Receiver, 49ers

The 5'8" fifth-round pick has been nicknamed "Toe Tap" by teammate Aldrick Robinson. Taylor gets so much love on my Twitter feed that he should break all of Jerry Rice's franchise records by mid-October. Hype inflation aside, Taylor looks great by all accounts and is in good position to contribute right away as a slot receiver.

Jamaal Williams, Running Back, Packers

ESPN.com's Rob Demovsky reports that Williams is seeing first-team reps and drawing positive reviews for his rushing, receiving and (most notably) pass protection, a skill starter Ty Montgomery never mastered in his transition from receiver to running back. Williams is just enough of a "project" (he was suspended at BYU for doing stuff that would barely ruffle the censors at Disney XD) to satisfy the Packers' need to find an over-complicated solution for every simple problem.

Contentious Contract Situation Digest

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A quick rundown of holdouts and other contract news:

• Le'Veon Bell is working out with a footwork coach in South Florida and shows no sign of being eager to return to Steelers camp. Bell's presence is critical to the Steelers' Super Bowl hopes, which would give most running backs additional leverage. But Bell must know who he is trying to bargain with: If any franchise is willing to sacrifice a season in the name of its established, long-term fiscal policy, it's the Pittsburgh Steelers.

• Raiders left tackle Donald Penn is training with Hall of Famers Jackie Slater and Orlando Pace in Southern California. The Raiders have been doling out big contracts lately, but Penn is 34 and in the final year of a two-year deal. The Raiders are wise to be hard-liners here; with big deals for players like Khalil Mack and Amari Cooper on the horizon, they cannot over-commit to aging veterans. Look for them to win this game of chicken: Penn knows that a great season blocking for Derek Carr could lead to one last hefty contract.

• Texans left tackle Duane Brown is holding out, but the Texans have apparently adopted the "NEW PHONE WHO DIS" method to negotiating extensions with veterans who have more than one year left on their contracts. Look for Brown, who is slated to earn $9.5 million this season, to relent when the Texans return from their West Virginia training camp. That way, he can show up at headquarters and everyone can pretend nothing really happened.

• Aaron Donald's holdout from the Rams is a tricky situation. Donald is grossly underpaid, but a new contract would open a Pandora's Box for former first-round picks playing under the current four-years-plus-an-option rookie contract structure. The Rams likely will hold firm, despite the fact that Donald is their best player and they have the long-range cap room (though they are tight this year) to give him a Ndamukong Suh-sized deal. Sometimes, you have to root for the opening of Pandora's Box.

• The Vikings signed defensive tackle Linval Joseph and cornerback Xavier Rhodes to lucrative contract extensions in the last eight days. Smart franchises lock up young core players before they reach free agency; it's not sexy, but it's a fiscally sound strategy that reduces the risk of holdouts like the ones outlined above. The Vikings may not be sure what their offense will look like, but their defense will remain playoff-caliber for years to come.

Memorable Camp Moments Digest

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As training camp drags on, the monotonous drills blur together, leaving just a handful of memorable, occasionally meaningful, often regrettable moments. Monday Morning Digest reviews the sights and sounds of the final week before preseason games begin.

Jaguars Camp: Sheldon Day gets juked by a tackling dummy.

That dummy was so elusive that it's now getting reps at slot receiver. Good thing that didn't happen at Ravens camp: Day would have injured himself and two teammates.

Eagles Camp: Fletcher Cox and Jason Peters "compete" as "punt returners."

Making hulking linemen field punts is a fun camp morale builder. Let's hope Doug Pederson doesn't take things too far by lining Darren Sproles up at nose tackle.

Panthers Camp: Christian McCaffrey highlight-sticks Luke Kuechly

The sweet moves opened offensive coordinator Mike Shula's mind to a new universe of strategic possibilities like he was staring at the obelisk from 2001: A Space Odyssey. Pupils dilated with wondrous euphoria, Shula whispered "draw play."

Browns Camp: Myles Garrett blows past Joe Thomas

Browns fans: The Browns successfully drafted a great pass-rusher! Rest of NFL: It was a screen pass. Thomas' assignment was to let Garrett rush past him. Browns fans: The Browns successfully executed a screen pass!

Broncos Camp: Brandon McManus hits 73-yard field goal

The organization celebrated McManus’ accomplishment by adding three years to John Elway’s contract extension.

Bengals camp: Vontaze Burfict tackles Gio Bernard low; fisticuffs ensue

In the old TV show Lost in Space, a family of space explorers travels the galaxy with the obviously evil-and-creepy Dr. Smith, who double-crosses them every week and, and despite oozing a Mr. Stranger Danger vibe, is constantly left alone with little Will Robinson. Even the youngest Lost in Space viewers began to wonder why the Robinsons didn’t just toss Dr. Smith out of an airlock and make their lives easier.

Burfict is the Dr. Smith of the Bengals. DANGER! DANGER, GIO BERNARD!

Seahawks Camp: Frank Clark kicked out of practice for punching teammate

Clark is basically the gritty Netflix reboot version of Dr. Smith.

Redskins Camp: Kirk Cousins raps Hamilton lyrics during warm-ups.

Ironic, since by not signing him to a long-term deal, the Redskins are going out of their way to waste their shot.

Pessimism Digest

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Training camp is a time for optimism for most of the NFL but not all of it. Here are the NFL's hot spots of pessimism, listed in ascending order of despair.

Los Angeles Chargers

The voodoo injury curse followed them from San Diego to Los Angeles, claiming the team's top two draft picks (receiver Mike Williams and offensive lineman Forrest Lamp). Meanwhile, Philip Rivers was forced to miss LaDainian Tomlinson's Hall of Fame induction so he could lead the team in a meet-and-greet fan-night practice at the team's glorified coffee house of a stadium, according to a report by Alex Marvez of the Sporting News. It's never a good idea to treat your quarterback like an old rock star forced to play a benefit concert because he got caught with a dime bag at the airport.

Cleveland Browns

DeShone Kizer went 7-of-14 for 46 yards and a dropped interception against the second-team defense in an intrasquad scrimmage. Still, after playing well in practice (or, at least better than the Browns' other options), he's expected to earn starter's reps this week, reported Cleveland.com's Mary Kay Cabot. But Browns fans aren't that worried. They are like parents attending a middle school play: They don't expect greatness, just a few smiles and a vague sense of hope.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Defenders missing tackling dummies. Long snappers tearing ACLs. Blake Bortles throwing five interceptions in a practice. Granted, reports on Bortles have gotten better since that five-pick public meltdown. The Jaguars may never be a great team, but they are the Picassos of lowering expectations.

Indianapolis Colts

Every Colts practice consists of cornerbacks fighting wide receivers while Chuck Pagano mutters about "toughness" and Andrew Luck watches in a T-shirt.

New York Jets

The biggest Jets story last week was first-round pick Jamal Adams literally talking about his own death. That's next-level pessimism, even by Jets standards.

Baltimore Ravens

If a movie had a body count as high as Ravens training camp, it would be rated NC-17.

The Last Word

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LaDainian Tomlinson's passionate Saturday night speech about slavery, equality, immigration and unity was the most inspiring moment in the history of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Tomlinson's message was powerful. The fact that he chose to send that message is a reminder that speaking your mind is an act of patriotism and that sports are not mere entertainment but a powerful agent of social change. The fact that he needed to send that message proves just how important and necessary social change remains for our nation.

Tomlinson "stayed in his lane." Good citizenship and faith in America's highest ideals are in his lane, and all of our lanes.

Saying any more would be gilding the lily. Quoting a snippet or two would detract from the power of his testimony. Tomlinson said it all. Just watch and let him have the last word.