NFL Lockout: John Fox and 5 Coaches Who Especially Need Their Players in Camp

The NFL lockout is holding up a lot of things: free agent signings, trades, undrafted rookie signings and — most importantly — training camp. 

It is June. The summer heat is on, and players should be well into mini-camps by now. Routes need to be run, passes need to be thrown and plays need to be reviewed. 

Of all the factors that training camp builds on for the season, none is more critical for players and teams than building relationships between players — old and new — and coaches.

Here are six teams that are in especially uneasy, unfamiliar situations that need the bonding and unifying experience that is training camp. 

6. Tony Sparano, Miami Dolphins

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EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - DECEMBER 12: Head coach of the Miami Dolphins, Tony Sparano on the sideline against the New York Jets at New Meadowlands Stadium on December 12, 2010 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Nick Laham/Getty Images)

Tony Sparano and the Miami Dolphins have major issues that need to be addressed. 

First-round draft pick Mike Pouncey, the center out of the University of Florida, needs to develop a relationship with whomever he will be snapping the ball to if the Fins want him to be effective on the offensive line.

There lies another question: who will be the Dolphins quarterback? Chad Henne is the only signed QB worthy of starting, yet he has fought injuries and been unimpressive.

The Dolphins will most likely look to trade for a veteran QB on the market. Some options are Kyle Orton, Vince Young and Carson Palmer. 

Another issue for the Dolphins is that both of their running backs, Ricky Williams and Ronnie Brown, are free agents. 

Tony Sparano's tenure in Miami has not been without controversy (the Jim Harbaugh secret interview incident), and after going a forgettable 7-9 last season, Miami needs to be coached as a unit to utilize their talent. 

5. Ron Rivera, Carolina Panthers

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SAN DIEGO, CA - NOVEMBER 23: Defensive Coordinator Ron Rivera of the San Diego Chargers looks on against the Indianapolis Colts during their NFL Game at Qualcomm Stadium on November 23, 2008 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Donald Miralle/Getty Image

Ron Rivera and the Carolina Panthers will have all eyes on one person this season: Heisman trophy winner Cam Newton. 

After a terrible 2-14 season last year, the Panthers will look to improve after drafting Newton with the 1st overall pick of the 2011 NFL Draft. 

Newton has the ability to win, which he showed as he led Auburn over Oregon in the 2011 BCS title game, yet he needs to develop a relationship with his offensive line and his receivers if wants to have any success in Carolina. 

The former defensive coordinator of the San Diego Chargers, Rivera is considered one of the best defensive schemers in the league. He has a daunting task in front of him; Carolina's defense is absolutely awful. Rivera needs to get to camp and coach these guys on how to be a functional defensive unit. 

4. Marvin Lewis, Cincinnati Bengals

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CINCINNATI, OH - DECEMBER 19: Head coach Marvin Lewis of the Cincinnati Bengals leaves the field after his teams win over the Cleveland Browns at Paul Brown Stadium on December 19, 2010 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)

Marvin Lewis has been on the hot seat for what seems like forever yet, once again, he retained his head coaching job with the Cincinnati Bengals this offseason. 

Cincinnati may be experiencing more turnover this season than any team in the league. Veteran quarterback Carson Palmer has been explicit in his requests to be traded. He has stated that if he is not traded, he will retire. 

It also looks like the wide receiver Chad Ochocinco will be traded, as he too has tired of playing in Cincinnati. 

Lewis needs to establish the Bengals as a force to be reckoned with once again, because as it stands, his two most notable veteran players don't want to play for him. He needs to win back his respect and maintain discipline for the good of the Bengals season and for the security of his job. 

3. Gary Kubiak, Houston Texans

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HOUSTON, TX - DECEMBER 13: Head coach Gary Kubiak yells at the officials in the fourth quarter during a football game against the Baltimore Ravens at Reliant Stadium on December 13, 2010 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images)

Like Marvin Lewis, Gary Kubiak is another coach who managed to keep his job this offseason despite another disappointing season with the Houston Texans.

Offensively, the Texans are one of the best teams in the league. Matt Schaub is as good of a passer as they come, and he throws to possibly the best wide receiver in the league in Andre Johnson. Running back Arian Foster had a breakout season last year, coming out of nowhere to win the rushing title. 

Defensively, the Texans are in an entirely different boat. Houston ranked in the bottom 10 of nearly every defensive category last season and gave up a whopping 26.7 points/game. 

Fittingly, the Texans focused on defense in the draft, drafting two great defensive lineman with its first two picks in Wisconsin's J.J. Watt and Arizona's Brooks Reed. 

Kubiak needs to get to camp with Watt, Reed, and the other defensive talent on Houston to build a defense that won't allow so many points, thereby allowing Houston's dynamic offense to finally lead them to the playoffs. 

2. Rex Ryan, New York Jets

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PITTSBURGH, PA - JANUARY 23: Head coach Rex Ryan of the New York Jets reacts during their 2011 AFC Championship game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Heinz Field on January 23, 2011 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Nick Laham/Getty Images)

Rex Ryan has done fantastic in his two with the New York Jets: two AFC Championship Game appearances in as many years. 

After appearing on HBO's Hard Knocks during last year's training camp, Ryan became known as a big personality, and the Jets became a team in the media spotlight. 

As with most public figures in the media's eye, the Jets had their fair share of controversies last season. From the playoff feud between Ryan and Patriots coach Bill Belichick and the incident with female reporter Ines Sainz, the public has the perception that neither Ryan nor the Jets are mature or disciplined. 

Ryan needs to take the Jets to camp, without cameras this time, and fine-tune this team to be mature and polite, himself included. 

1. John Fox, Denver Broncos

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ENGLEWOOD, CO - JANUARY 14: Denver Broncos head coach John Fox addresses the media at Dove Valley on January 14, 2011 in Englewood, Colorado. Fox was named the 14th head coach in Broncos history yesterday after spending the last nine seasons as head coac

John Fox is the new head man in Denver, and he has the daunting task of bringing the Denver Broncos back to relevance. 

Denver is not an untalented team by any stretch of the imagination, yet they were extremely disappointing last season, going 4-12. To make matters worse, ex-head coach Josh McDaniels was caught illegally videotaping the practice of the San Francisco 49ers before a game versus them and was subsequently fired by Denver with four games remaining in the season. 

Fox is known as a defensive coach, and that is where Denver needs to improve the most. They drafted Texas A&M linebacker Von Miller with the 2nd pick in the draft, and he should prove an excellent pass-rusher for the Broncos. 

Aside from rebuilding the Denver defense, Fox will be heavily scrutinized for how high profile quarterback Tim Tebow performs. Often criticized (prematurely) for not being a conventional NFL quarterback, Fox will need to coach Tebow so that they together can silence the critics.