*If you're like us, you're counting down the days (3) until the opening of the Preseason on Sunday in Canton. Every team is now in camp, and NFL.com and NFL Network are your sources for the inside scoop. Every day we'll feature highlights from the television coverage and insights from our reporters in the field. Here's Thursday's batch: *
» Ram fans, we'll have exclusive live looks at practice from Earth City, Missouri, beginning at 6:30 ET on * NFL Network *.
» Contract news! The Lions extended LB DeAndre Levy after losing Ndamukong Suh:
» Injury news: DeSean Jackson lost a battle with a blocking sled and separated his shoulder. The Redskins wide receiver is expected to miss "a few weeks."
»* NFL Network * is set up Bourbonnais, Illinois, with the Bears, who are still missing rookie WR Kevin White. NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport said White's shin injury might keep him sidelined for some time: "There is no firm timetable on when Kevin will be back on the field. At this point it is too early to tell whether he'll play in any preseason games." Rapoport added that it remains a possibility White, a 2015 first-round pick, won't be ready for Week 1. Leaving him on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list to start the season remains an option.
» Rams Coach Jeff Fisher told Andrew Siciliano on NFL Network's Inside Training Camp on Thursday that the St. Louis Rams will bring along their first-round pick slowly, as Gurley recovers from an ACL tear.
» Sammy Watkins did not finish practice in Pittsford, New York, but Buffalo Bills coach Rex Ryan said afterwards he's not overly concerned about the second-year wideout.
» Cowboys coach Jason Garrett spoke to the media in Oxnard, California, and gave a small update on the ankle injury Wednesday to running back Lance Dunbar. "We don't anticipate it being bad, but we want to make sure we have all the information," Garrett said, adding Dunbar would undergo an MRI. On Darren McFadden: "He's been out on the field in cleats, moving around, and making progress." Garrett left the door open for McFadden (hamstring) to return to practice sometime soon, perhaps this weekend. He would't rule out bringing in another running back from the street. The team is off Friday, and Garrett said he'd use the time to bring in tryout players for workouts.
» NFL Media's Kimberly Jones on Bills RB LeSean McCoy: "Forget about that toe injury or whatever it actually was, he looked terrific today."
» New York Jets safety Antonio Allen went down in practice, apparently with an Achilles injury:
» Check out Jay Cutler early in practice (below). Rapoport: "I say this every year, but watching Bears QB Jay Cutler is just different. His arm is insane."Â
» NFL Media's James Palmer reported from Foxborough, Massachusetts, the morning after Jimmy Garoppolo took the lion's share of the reps at a scrimmage-style practice in front of New England Patriots season-ticket holders and fans. "Garoppolo had kind of an up-and-down evening, had some trouble with progressions, holding onto the football a little bit longer than he probably should have, and had some accuracy issues," Palmer reported, adding Garoppolo also took first team reps at the same practice last year. "A big step for Jimmy Garoppolo, but let's not read too deeply into the reps he got."
» NFL Network's Willie McGinest was inducted into the Patriots' Hall of Fame last night. On Thursday, he remained in Foxborough to evaluate Pats practice. McGinest notes new tight end Scott Chandler is seeing a lot of targets and might be a scary complement to Rob Gronkowski in the red zone as the Patriots install two-TE packages.
» Charley Casserly has been with the Carolina Panthers, and is high on rookie Devin Funchess. Casserly's sleeper from Carolina camp is fifth-round pick Cameron Artis-Payne: "Right now, to me, he's the second-best back on this roster behind a healthy Jonathan Stewart."
» Casserly spoke to linebacker Thomas Davis, the Panthers' captain: "One thing we have to do, we have to create more turnovers and do a better job around the board in creating a pass rush and getting to the quarterback," Davis said, adding that the team has looked to addition Charles Tillman. "We're trying to pick his brain, trying to get as much as we can from him (about) getting the ball out."
» The Cincinnati Bengals will have a fully padded practice at Paul Brown Stadium. "The man to watch is going to be (DT) Geno Atkins," NFL Media's Albert Breer reported. "The early returns from this year's training camp is that he's been one of the best players on the field for the Bengals." Atkins tore his anterior cruciate ligament late in 2013 and lost effectiveness last year.
» Rex is being Rex. Today the Bills' coach took a break from training camp to eat a dog biscuit for charity. "I did see this, though, there are five calories in these bad boys," Ryan said before grabbing a biscuit. "Oh that's terrific, I'm going to get one more of these ... a little dry." Rex had some words about practice: "I think it was the best practice we've had offensively the entire camp."
» Meanwhile in East Rutherford, the Giants are still looking for the best combinations on the offensive line:
» The Washington Redskins had a join practice with the Texans this morning in Maryland. Quarterback Robert Griffin III played mostly from the pocket and was brought down on one play by J.J. Watt, in addition to a couple of deflected passes. "I felt overall it was a great day for us," Griffin said. On the tipped passes: "I wish I could go through and describe to you how they blocked those balls but I can't, I don't know, they did a good job, but our job is to make that not happen."
» Panthers TE Greg Olsen told NFL Network's Tiffany Blackmon that he's working on the small things: "Everyone sees the routes, everyone sees the catches. There's so much more to playing tight end in our offense."
» The Summer of Gronk may be over, but Gronk does training camp is just beginning. He spoke with McGinest in Foxborough on Thursday and was complimentary of the Pats' new look defense: "It happens every single year. You lose guys and new guys come in. Right now our defense is bringing it, they're competing hard and they're bringing it every single day." Gronk and McGinest also spoke of a potential one-on-one matchup sometime in the future. Must see television? Maybe--we'll see you tomorrow on 'whispers.'Â
The latest Around The NFL Podcast debates whose stock is up and whose stock is down after the first week of training camp.
