Dallas Cowboys

"It wasn't agony every game, but there were definitely some tough games,'' Ratliff said. "Sometimes it did get inflamed where I could barely hold my daughter up. The surgery went very well. I feel good."

Add in the fact that he did mixed martial arts training in the off-season to increase his craftiness with his hands, and Ratliff is poised for a big year.

He was often forced to take painkillers after games last year, as well as shots to reduce inflammation. But that was before he had off-season surgery to have the bone spurs removed. He has noticed a huge improvement.

It limited how much he could use his hands, which is key to his success as an undersized nose tackle.

He made the Pro Bowl jerset the past two years, leading all defensive tackles in sacks with 13.5, despite playing with painful bone spurs in both elbows.

The scary part for opponents in 2010 is that Ratliff might be better than ever. He will be healthier and may be on the verge of taking his game to an even more dominant level.

"He's a nice kind of quiet," Phillips said. "He is serious-minded. But he talks football a lot. He is going to do the things that make himself and the team better. He is going to impart knowledge to help others. He is one of those guys. They are not worried about themselves. They are worried about getting the team better."

Ratliff is the one setting the tone this time. Since arriving as cheap Cowboys jersey coach in 2007, Phillips has watched Ratliff bloom on the field and in the locker room. Ratliff is still relatively quiet, but when he talks, his teammates pay attention and take him seriously.

"We are more of a team than any of the others I have been on," Ratliff said. "This team is really close. Nobody talks about the Super Bowl jersey  [in Arlington] and what we need to do to get there. Everyone knows. Everyone is just trying to work and get better so we can get to where we need to be."

Ratliff said the Cowboys have learned from their past mistakes.

A void in leadership has been a downfall of some talented Cowboys teams in recent years -- most noticeably the 2008 squad, which came into the season talking Super Bowl but failed to make the playoffs because of injuries and infighting.

"I don't care about all of that," Ratliff said. "I just come out here trying to do my job and make this team better. I'm not just trying to produce. I'm trying to keep this chemistry and unity we have intact."

Ratliff downplayed it all, saying he is focused solely on doing whatever it takes to make the Cowboys better.

"I can't say enough good things about him," coach Wade Phillips said. "He has been a real pro on and off the field. He talks to young players all the time or other players. That's what you look at as a coach."

That was just the first public evidence of his influence and growing presence on a team that has larger-than-life stars and leaders in quarterback Tony Romo, tight end Jason Witten and linebackers Ware, Bradie James and Keith Brooking.

Ratliff drew a crowd of media after practice Thursday because he stayed late to work one-on-one with rookie free-agent lineman Phil Costa.

But if the Cowboys are going to realize their Super Bowl dream and stop the trend of being a talent-laden team that can't get over the hump, it might be because of the quiet emergence of Ratliff as a leader off the field and in the locker room.

He is certainly the heart and soul of the defense, because the only thing that surpasses his talent is his work ethic and unyielding desire to succeed.

A first-team All-Pro in 2009, not only is Ratliff the best at his position in the NFL but he might arguably be the Cowboys' best player.

Now, the Cowboys don't know what they would do without him.

He was moved back and forth from end to nose tackle.

When nose tackle Jay Ratliff came to Dallas as an unknown, seventh-round pick in the much-ballyhooed 2005 draft class that featured first-round picks DeMarcus Ware jersey and Marcus Spears, the Cowboys didn't know what to do with him.

Charger stars such as Rodney Harrison

The No. 2 tight end over the last four years has been Brandon Manumaleuna. However, the big-bodied blocker signed with the Chicago Bears this offseason. His role will now be filled by seven-year veteran Kris Wilson and newcomer Randy McMichael.

Wilson assumes Manumaleuna's mantle as the best blocking tight end on the roster. A former fullback, Wilson (6-foot-2, 245 pounds) will spend some time lined up in the backfield, serving as Philip Rivers' personal protector in obvious passing situations.

Wilson has shown he can make an impact as a receiver, as well. Last season, he scored a touchdown in San Diego's dramatic come-from-behind win over the New York Giants. He also found the end zone in the Chargers' playoff loss to the New York Jets.

Sharing snaps with Wilson will be Randy McMichael. A prolific receiver, Phillip Rivers  caught at least 34 passes in seven of his eight seasons, the lone exception coming two years ago when he missed 12 games with a foot injury. He caught at least 60 balls every year from 2004 to 2006 and should help the Chargers present some dangerous two-tight end sets.

If there was any question about how much the Chargers value Antonio Gates, it was answered emphatically when the team signed him to a five-year, $36 million deal that makes him the highest paid tight end in the NFL.

Gates is coming off one of his finest seasons, catching 79 balls for a career-high 1,157 yards and eight TDs. The asterisk, of course, is that Gates' huge receiving stats coincided with Vincent Jackson's breakout season. One of the reasons Gates was so successful was that No. 83 was able to draw defenders outside of the hashes and deep down the field, giving Gates more room to operate.

With Jackson out for at least three games and likely more, the dynamic will change. Will Gates' numbers decline because of the extra attention? Or will they increase now that he is the unquestioned No. 1 weapon on offense?

Regardless, Gates has averaged over 972 yards and nine touchdowns over the last six seasons, so it's safe

Earlier this month, New York Jets running back LaDainian Tomlinson said he was not offended by the comments made by Philip Rivers and Antonio Gates, his former mates in San Diego.

Now he has told the Los Angeles Times that upon further review he is sort of offended.

"I thought they were my guys," said Tomlinson who believed the team made a decision to build around Rivers. "People always say, and my family has said it to me, that you know who your real friends are when you're at your lowest point and you don't have a job or whatever. And guys, they said what they felt, whether they were taking shots at me or really just saying what they felt needed to be said."

Tomlinson, 31, left San Diego after putting up Hall of Fame numbers but Rivers said "maybe it was a little bit of relief. Maybe it's a feeling of, 'I can do a little more without wondering what he thinks.' "

Gates said "sometimes you would get the sense that people felt bigger than the team. Not to say it was an issue, but we know it's not an issue for sure now."

Tomlinson was not offended by the team Darren Sproles unloading him saying he had seen the same thing happen to former Charger stars such as Rodney Harrison, Junior Seau and Drew Brees. He puts the blame on general manager A.J. Smith.

"It was a business thing. It would be hurtful if that organization didn't have a track record of doing that," the running back said. "That would be hurtful. But when you've seen it time and time again with guys that you've played with, and you see them leave town and you wonder why.

With Peppers and Urlacher spearheading a talented cast that includes Tommie Harris and Lance Briggs

Last season Adams led Bears defensive linemen with 42 tackles while also establishing career highs with two fumble recoveries and seven tackles-for-loss. Despite that production, it seems that he once again must prove himself this summer in training camp to earn playing time.

"That's basically what you've got to do every year in this job," said Adams, who signed with the Bears in 2007 after spending his first four seasons with the San Francisco 49ers. "I must be doing something right; this is year eight for me. But you can't really get too comfortable. You've just got to keep grinding."

Adams hopes to maintain his starting job, but that isn't his most pressing goal.

"I've never been to the playoffs my whole career, so I want to get to the playoffs and win the Super Bowl," he said. "However we get there, I'm not going to complain about anything. I'm just going to be who I am as a player and as a man ands just try to contribute to the team.

"It really doesn't matter. I would like to [start], but coaches coach and players play. I just try to keep everything simple, just like at nose guard: 'I got the A gap.' Just keep it simple. That's my motto."

Hustle up: Known for his non-stop motor, Adams has spotted the same quality in Peppers, who signed with the Bears in March after compiling 81 sacks in eight seasons with the Carolina Panthers.

"He's got that tenacity, he's got that won't-quit attitude," Adams said. "He's trying to get to the ball carrier every time, whether it's a wide receiver, running back or quarterback. Whoever's got the ball, he's trying to try and get him."

Peppers hasn't had to say a whole lot to impress his new teammates.

"Usually when you're new to a team you really don't say too much, you're kind of reserved," Adams said. "But he's been going about his business and putting good film together and getting to the passer and whoever has the ball. I think he's a great addition to the team."

In great shape: Adams and Peppers aren't the only defensive linemen who've performed well in training camp. Harris has also turned heads, including some who line up right next to him.

"He looks good," said defensive end Israel Idonije. "His attitude is back to where it was. He's playing hard. You watch snap-after-snap, he's the first one off the ball, and that's what we expect of him.

"He's got to be that spark in the engine for us. Every practice Lance Briggs he's done better, and by that first game in September, we'll be in great shape."

Raising his game: Winning a training camp competition with Nick Roach for the starting strongside linebacker position is only part of the challenge facing veteran Pisa Tinoisamoa.

"Although it's Nick and I, we're kind of battling to be with [fellow linebackers] Brian [Urlacher] and Lance [Briggs]," Tinoisamoa said. "We're always looked as the other guy. Everyone knows Lance, everyone knows 'Lach. Nobody knows about us and that's kind of how Nick and I feel. We're not only competing against each other, we're trying to show that we belong with these linebackers and that we can be the best in the league."

Tinoisamoa, who has been working with the No. 1 defense the  past few days, is trying to come back from a knee injury that forced him to miss all but two games last season.

Since that season, however, the defense has quickly fallen from the ranks of the elite. Smith, who has a 52-44 regular-season mark heading into his seventh year with the Bears, is hoping that a return to prominence will end talk of his job being in jeopardy.

With that thought in mind, Smith spent the offseason retooling the defense on all levels.

First, he promoted Rod Marinelli to coordinator after Smith served as his own defensive play-caller a season ago. Although Marinelli has never been a coordinator in the NFL, the fiery leader is regarded as an outstanding teacher and motivator with a wealth of experience in the Tampa 2 system that Smith prefers.

While he won't revamp the scheme, Marinelli will introduce some Lance Briggs subtle changes that should result in better play. In addition, he is focused on developing a highly-conditioned defense that flies to the ball with reckless abandon. Turnovers often occur when multiple defenders put hits on runners, so Marinelli's emphasis on getting to the ball could help the Bears force more turnovers.

Although the installation of a new coordinator has created some of the optimism, it is the addition of several playmakers that has the defense poised to bounce back.

Julius Peppers signed a six-year deal worth $91.5 million to provide a dominant presence off the edge. He has posted 81 sacks in eight seasons and is one of the most disruptive ends in the game. While his detractors have criticized him for occasionally taking plays off, his ability to create negative plays is something the Bears desperately need.

The Bears will also benefit from the return of Brian Urlacher. The six-time Pro Bowler missed 15 games last season with a dislocated wrist. The void proved too much for the team to fill. As a fluid athlete with outstanding awareness, Urlacher has been a difference-maker, posting 37.5 sacks and 17 interceptions as a middle linebacker.

With Peppers and Urlacher spearheading a talented cast that includes Tommie Harris and Lance Briggs, the Bears have the personnel to field a defense similar to the units that helped Smith secure two NFC North titles during his tenure.

Quarterbacks Tom Brady and Brian Hoyer

Bill Belichick and the coaching staff have slowed things down in the last few days of training camp. The Patriots wrapped up their 13th practice of camp Wednesday, and the day's lone session was conducted in shorts and shells.

The Patriots have conducted five practices since Monday, with a Tom Brady light session Monday morning, a walkthrough Tuesday morning and a limited-contact practice Wednesday, when Belichick also canceled the morning practice to focus more on the teaching aspect of camp.

"We want to get mental reps, process the play before it happens and be ahead Tom Brady of the game," rookie linebacker Brandon Spikes said.

Safety Patrick Chung returned to practice after missing Tuesday night's session, but 13 other players did not participate. Wide receiver Matthew Slater, safety Bret Lockett, linebacker Gary Guyton, outside linebacker Derrick Burgess, left guard Logan Mankins, offensive lineman Nick Kaczur and defensive lineman Ty Warren were absent, while cornerback Jonathan Wilhite, running back Thomas Clayton, cornerback Terrence Johnson, defensive linemen Myron Pryor, Ron Brace and Mike Wright worked out on the sideline.

Here are a few other observations from Wednesday's session.

Target Practice
Director of player personnel Nick Caserio is scheduled to meet with the media Thursday, but that will only happen if he's still got a job. After quarterbacks Tom Brady and Brian Hoyer wrapped up a drill in which they tried to throw a football into a barrel 40 yards downfield, Caserio gave it a quick whirl, but the ball was off target and grazed by owner Robert Kraft, who had to duck for cover. The two had a good laugh afterward.

Terrible Twos
Brady and the first-team offense were having a fluent practice until they worked on the two-minute drill, which got pretty messy.Tom Brady looked irritated at the offense's inefficiency -- dropped balls, misreads and an interception thrown to safety Patrick Chung -- and the entire offense was forced to run a lap later in practice.

Highlight Grab
Undrafted rookie Buddy Farnham reeled in the catch of the day. Farnham was about 25 yards downfield when Zac Robinson tried to hit him just shy of the end zone. Farnham jumped up and had to reach back with his right arm, and the Brown product hauled in a big grab.

The Cincinnati Bengals are certainly counting on Carson Palmer to return to form

Now it's time for the fans to have fun.  Here are the two situations.  After reading them, tell me which of the two quarterbacks will experience the "exploding head" first.

A.) Carson Palmer has to lead a team with two of the prime "I need  lots of attention" players in the NFL:  Terrell Owens and Ochocinco.  Remember fans, both of these players have their own reality TV shows.  Palmer will face the pressure of keeping both of these guys smiling.  Will Palmer provide enough touches for each player?  How long until Palmer goes "Ka-Boom"?

B.) Jordan Jefferson was sacked 32 times last year.  He played behind one of the worst (ranked 105 among Football Bowl Subdivision schools last season) offensive lines in the modern world.  Will this trend continue this season?  Can the LSU offensive line protect their quarterback?  If they don't, the Tigers will look like kittens pawing at a ball of yarn.

Cast your vote.  Palmer or Jefferson?  Which one goes cuckoo first?

From 2005 through 2007, Carson Palmer was a fantasy QB stud, averaging 4000 passing yards and 27 TDs per season. But injuries robbed him of his 2008 season, while recovery and diminished aerial weapons made him a lackluster producer in 2009. This may explain why his ADP in fantasy drafts is currently 17th among quarterbacks. Behind guys like Matt Ryan, Matthew Stafford and Joe Flacco.

There is reason to believe heading into 2010 that Palmer will revert to his pre-injury form and out perform all of them, and perhaps once again put up top 10 numbers.

The Cincinnati Bengals are certainly counting on Carson Palmer to return to form. He's now had two full years to recover from the injuries that have kept him in fantasy limbo the last two seasons.

With the addition of rookies like tight end Jermaine Gresham and Jordan Shipley, he has some new quality weapons to go along with Chad Ochocinco and newly acquired grid iron diva, Terrell Owens.

The Ravens have potential replacements on their roster

 Kindle is out indefinitely with a fractured skull, with the Joe Flacco team prepared to play the season without him. Foxworth's situation is more definite, with the club's top cornerback erased for the season after tearing knee ligaments last week.

The Ravens have potential replacements on their roster. However, the top two candidates, Fabian Washington and Lardarius Webb, are returning from severe knee injuries themselves, with Washington expected to be ready for the opener and Webb an uncertainty.

Then there's All-Pro safety Ed Reed. He isn't practicing, either, as he tries to recover from offseason hip surgery. No one is sure when he returns, and that includes Reed. He could be ready for the regular-season opener. Then again, he might not.

"We'll just see how it plays out," general manager Ozzie Newsome said of the latest setbacks. "I just wish I knew where the next injury was coming from."

The Ravens have been down this road before, with the club decimated Ray Rice last season by injuries to its cornerbacks. It not only survived; it reached the playoffs for the second time in John Harbaugh's two seasons as head coach and destroyed New England ... in Foxborough, no less ... in the playoffs.

If there's a concern it's only that it's too early to start subtracting important players because of season-ending injuries. I mean, the Ravens haven't been in camp a week, and already we're wondering how they patch their secondary, what effect Kindle's injury might have on the pass rush and what becomes of Reed.

They can operate without Kindle, who figured to fill in behind starter Jarret Johnson, but Foxworth's loss is a legitimate headache -- with Baltimore scrambling to find someone, anyone, to take his place. If you're trying to catch division champion Cincinnati, you better be able to defend the pass. I don't care how you do it -- rush the passer, lock down the corners, confuse the quarterback, something -- but make the quarterback uncomfortable.

Yet the Ravens just lost a promising pass rusher and their best corner, while the Willis McGahee Bengals added pass catchers Terrell Owens and Antonio Bryant, as well as rookie tight end Jermaine Gresham, to beef up the 26th-ranked passing offense. So what? So that Bengals team beat Baltimore twice last season and didn't lose a division game.

"I know from my experiences you've got to weather storms," Newsome said. "Something happened early to us, but we can always draw on (the lesson) that we didn't pick up (tackle) Willie Anderson until the 53-man cut (in 2008), and he went on to start 11 games for us. I guess because we've been in this business (my message would be) let's worry about the season when we get around to it."

Beck is a savvy player that can be effective in the West-Coast system but his physical limitations will always hold him back. Right now the signal-callers on the Redskins roster are Rex Grossman, Colt Brennan and Richard Bartel. It is very conceivable that Beck could surpass all of the above mentioned quarterbacks on the depth chart.


"It wasn't anything odd. It happened on grass, so I can't even blame it on turf.

"I just feel like I'm letting everyone down. I know it's stupid. Everyone keeps saying you didn't do it on purpose, obviously, but you're expecting to be there to help the team - and then you're not."

Foxworth started all 16 games of the regular season last year and both of Baltimore's games in the play-offs, but now coach John Harbaugh is hoping some else in the team steps up to plug the gap.

"It's unfortunate. He wasn't touched," said Harbaugh. "Nobody's worked harder during the offseason and we were counting on him.

"I can't wait to see who steps up. I can't wait to see who that we're all talking about a month from now that stepped up to fill that spot."

With star safety Ed Reed also recovering from hip surgery, the Ravens have a depleted look to their secondary, but Foxworth has promised to help out off the field as much as he can.

Linebackers on the Green Bay Packers’ defense remains to be seen

Early on I thought it was interesting that Allen Barbre was lined up as the number 2 left guard behind Daryn Colledge. Colledge will have to compete for his job this year and perhaps that's a sign that Barbre will get first crack at unseating him. Very Talented (Barbre), but very inconsistent in the past (remember RT last season).

Jason Spitz was working at C with the #2's, and while I think the Packers feel that's his best position, he can play anywhere inside. He also took some reps at guard. His back seemed OK at practice.

Saturday's practice was the first time I've seen Bryan Bulaga work in pads and he looked good. I wouldn't say he's got ballerina feet but he's so fundamentally sound, he doesn't need them. Looks like a good pick.

I don't normally spend a lot of time watching the punters because 10 great practice kicks won't equal one shank in a preseason game, but Chris Bryan was working with the #1 Punting Unit. Probably doesn't mean a thing but he punted before Tim Masthay.

Defensively, it's Raji on the nose and Pickett at LE, just like during the off-season. Justin Harrell is currently backing up Pickett and while he's had miserable luck healthwise, he also needs to decide just how bad he wants to play. I've wondered about that in the past based on nothing more than body language. Hopefully this year will be different because the guy does have ability.

The Packers didn't do any of their real exotic stuff today but when they went nickel, Brandon Chillar replaced Hawk and Brandon Underwood was the extra DB, subbing for a DL (Pickett).

Since it's only one practice, I'm not going to get real specific about players just yet but Desmond Bishop (like he has every camp) had a big hit in team drills, as did AJ Hawk. Rookie CB Sam Shields had an INT (Flynn), as did Charles Woodson (Rodgers).

Aaron Rodgers and James Jones did team up to beat Woodson deep on another play, and that's training camp. When the offense is doing good, the defense is doing bad, and visa versa. Now if one side dominates all the time, that's not practice, that's a problem.

Whether it leads to more playing time in a crowded stable of inside linebackers on the Green Bay Packers' defense remains to be seen. If that turns out to be the case, it'd be a new experience for Bishop, who's been a fixture on special teams during his first three NFL seasons but has only started one game.

"I've kind of been doing the same thing for three years," said Bishop, who had an interception B.J. Raji during one of the 11-on-11 periods in Sunday morning's practice after making a big hit on rookie tight end Andrew Quarless the day before.

"I don't really know what's come of it, so you … just kind of get numb to it. So I just go out there and do the best that I can do and just kind of hope I get more playing time."

Bishop saw extensive time with the starting defense last preseason while Nick Barnett was recovering from knee surgery. Once the regular season got underway, though, Bishop was relegated to mostly special teams duty, where he led the Packers with 22 tackles.

He got limited action when defensive coordinator Dom Capers unveiled his "Pyscho" package, one that included five linebackers. But for the most part, Bishop watched as Barnett, A.J. Hawk and Brandon Chillar all carved out significantly more prominent roles at the position.

Asked where he thought he fit in behind Barnett and Hawk, the presumptive starters, and Chillar, who played in nickel situations last season, Bishop said, "I mean, you just said it. You just answered your question."

"But right now I'm just a core special teams guy and special teams is a big part of the team and if that's how I have to contribute, I want to contribute as much as possible. Of course I want to play defense, but special teams is my calling right now."

Make no mistake, though, Bishop would like his calling to change. He talked about watching linebackers from his draft class such as San Francisco's Patrick Willis, Carolina's Jon Beason and Indianapolis' Clint Session play major roles on their respective teams. Willis and Beason have each already made multiple Pro Bowls, while Session has established himself as a starter for the Colts over the past two seasons.

"I kind of want to get to their level," said Bishop, who was a fifth-round pick in the 2007 draft. "They've been out there and get a lot of exposure, and I know I can do what they can do, so I'm just hoping for the opportunity."

And if getting that opportunity means being traded?

"This is a business," he said. "So if the opportunity presented itself, I would definitely jump on it."

But there is a reason Green Bay would be interested in keeping Bishop beyond his value on special teams.

While Barnett is signed through 2012 and Chillar through 2013, Hawk is scheduled to be paid a base salary of $10 million in 2011 — meaning this season could very well be his last with the Packers unless he agrees to restructure his deal.

The knock on Bishop has been that, while he is capable of producing big plays, he isn't as reliable and assignment-sure as, say, Hawk. But Bishop was hopeful he was continuing to earn the trust of the coaching staff, which could lead to more time on defense.

"I feel Bishop is very involved in our football team," Packers coach Mike McCarthy said. "I think he is having another good camp. I think he is even really positioning himself to take his game to the next level. We have excellent depth. We have four very good inside linebackers.