By Nick Shook
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Training camp is quickly approaching, which means it’s time to preview the most exciting part of the summer. With camps opening later this month, Jeremy Bergman, Herbie Teope, Nick Shook and Marc Sessler are examining the key issues for each team in this division-by-division series. Here’s the NFC West camp primer:

Arizona Cardinals

Training camp report dates: rookies (July 22) and veterans (July 27).

Location: University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.

Most important position battle: Quarterback. Cardinals head coach Steve Wilks had said Sam Bradford is his starter, but he’s also left the door open to competition, and Arizona got what I consider to be a steal in Josh Rosen with the 10th overall pick of this year’s draft. Deemed the most pro-ready quarterback in the 2018 class, Rosen is expected to acclimate quicker than most at the position, and he could come in handy if Bradford can’t stay healthy. Bradford doesn’t have the best track record in that department, and while few are expecting Rosen to win the job out of camp, the team will be able to gauge his readinessfor starting duty based on how he transitions to the pro game in camp. If it’s a closer race than expected, that would bode well for the Cardinals, in case they need to turn to Rosen earlier than they anticipated. Continue reading →

By Nick Shook
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Godspeed might be captained by someone who made his name in a sport other than football, but they shouldn’t be taken lightly.

Four-time Olympic gold medalist Michael Johnson‘s squad proved as much Sunday, romping to a 38-12 win over former NBA Slam Dunk Contest champion Nate Robinson’s Holdat team. Continue reading →

By Nick Shook
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Mike DeMarteleire had a man open down the sideline.

Had he driven the ball down the field when he threw it, he’d likely have a long completion, if not a touchdown. Instead, it was intercepted.

The Code Red quarterback learned that lesson again, but this time, it came with a dose of finality. DeMarteleire’s final interception, made by The Money Team’s Anthony Webb with less than two minutes remaining sealed his team’s fate, as Code Red fell to The Money Team, 14-13, in American Flag Football League semifinal action Sunday at Fifth Third Bank Stadium in Kennesaw, Georgia. Continue reading →

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Michael Vick’s headlining run with the American Flag Football League is over after one tournament game.

The quarterback’s Roadrunners squad fell to Ocho, 26-13, in the second half of Saturday night’s doubleheader action at Fifth Third Bank Stadium in Kennesaw, Georgia. Continue reading →

By Nick Shook
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If you came to Kennesaw, Georgia, or NFL Network looking for thrills, you got them on Saturday.

Fighting Cancer defeated Primetime, 35-14, in Saturday night’s first half of an AFFL semifinals doubleheader at Fifth Third Bank Stadium in Kennesaw, Georgia.

A stunning touchdown as time expired in the first half tied the contest and permanently swung the momentum in favor of Fighting Cancer. Quarterback Darrell “Housh” Doucette engineered a frantic drive in the final minute, putting Fighting Cancer 20 yards from paydirt with just enough time for one more play. Doucette received the snap, dropped and heaved a prayer of a pass to receiver Charles Carmouche, who made an incredible grab, dragging both feet just inside the boundary of the end zone to tie the game up at 14-14 heading into the break. Continue reading →

By Nick Shook
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One third of the Atlanta Falcons‘ new, tantalizing trio of receivers just put his pen to paper.

First-round selection Calvin Ridley signed his rookie contract Thursday, the team announced. The agency representing Ridley, SportsTrust Advisors first tweeted Ridley agreed to his deal Wednesday. Continue reading →

By Nick Shook
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For the first time in, well, quite some time, the Jacksonville Jaguars are entering a season with significant expectations.

Much of the responsibility of handling and attempting to live up to those expectations falls on the shoulders of quarterback Blake Bortles, and by relation, offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett. If you recall Jacksonville’s postseason run in early 2018, Hackett drew plenty of praise for his artful schemes that maximized Bortles’ production (relatively speaking) while also minimizing his potential mistakes. The result was beautiful — that is, until Jacksonville needed Bortles to rally it back late against New England. Continue reading →

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Philip Rivers isn’t getting any younger, but make no mistake: The 2018 Los Angeles Chargers are his team.

The quarterback’s coach said as much with the draft 10 days away and a crop of signal-callers available for selecting.

“Philip, he’s still playing like a young man,” Chargers head coach Anthony Lynn said, per Chargers.com. “This is going to be his squad. If we bring in another quarterback, it’s definitely a guy we feel like can sit for a couple of years and play behind Philip and learn, and maybe be the future.” Continue reading →

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Dez Bryant hasn’t been the player he was when he signed a lucrative contract with the Dallas Cowboysin 2015. As a result, he’s no longer a Cowboy.

One of the greatest Cowboys to ever play the position shed some light on it during an appearance on NFL Up To The Minute on Monday, referrring to Bryant’s comments about how he felt some people inside the locker room wanted him gone. Continue reading →

By Nick Shook
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If Brandon Scherff was unsure of how his employers felt about him, that’s likely no longer the case.

The Washington Redskins picked up Scherff’s fifth-year option on Monday, the team announced, more than a year before he’ll play his fifth professional season. The deadline to pick up such options on players selected in Scherff’s draft class (2015) is May 2. Continue reading →