NFL training camp 2023 updates: Payton backtracks on Hackett, Burrow out ‘several weeks’
A busy first week of 2023 NFL training camp is nearly complete, and it’s been a bumpy ride for some teams.
Every team has taken the field this week in preparation for the upcoming NFL regular season — which is just six weeks away. We will have updates every day of camp to keep you informed on the latest news, coolest videos and most interesting photos.
Early on Friday, free agent running back Dalvin Cook made no secret of possibly becoming a member of the New York Jets, and NBA superstar Kevin Durant dropped in on the Washington Commanders camp for a visit. Elsewhere, Miami Dolphins cornerback Jalen Ramsey was set to undergo knee surgery that will cause him to miss at least the start of the regular season. After a worrisome calf injury to Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow on Thursday, coach Zac Taylor revealed the QB will miss multiple weeks.
Here’s a roundup of what to know from Friday camps across the league:
Joe Burrow out ‘several weeks’
Cincinnati Bengals coach Zac Taylor told reporters Friday that he expects quarterback Joe Burrow to be sidelined “several weeks” because of a calf strain. Burrow was carted off the field with the injury during Thursday’s practice. He was rolling to his right during drills when he pulled up short in what appeared to be a noncontact injury. “Joe got more days this July than he ever has in the NFL,” Taylor told reporters. “And so I feel really good about the progress we made during those July practices we had with Joe, and when he’s able to get back, we’ll be able to get in the work we need.” The Bengals open the season Sept. 10 at the Cleveland Browns.
Sean Payton walks back Hackett criticism
Denver Broncos coach Sean Payton called his scathing criticism of former Broncos coach Nathaniel Hackett “a mistake,” and said in the future “I need a little bit more filter” when asked about the team’s 2022 performance. In an interview with USA Today’s Jarrett Bell earlier this week, Payton called Hackett’s 15-game run with the Broncos “one of the worst coaching jobs in the history of the NFL” and said there were “20 dirty hands” around quarterback Russell Wilson‘s career-worst season that included just 16 touchdown passes and a league-high 55 sacks.
Derrick Henry: RBs are as ‘valuable as any other position’
Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry joined the chorus in making it clear that he isn’t happy with the way his position is being treated and floated the idea of a running back summit similar to the annual one organized by NFL tight ends. “It’s tough right now,” Henry said Friday. “We’re just trying to show that we are as valuable as any other position. They use us in commercials and all over the place. We just want our share.” Henry’s comments regarded the $10.1 million franchise tag that was placed on Saquon Barkley, Tony Pollard and Josh Jacobs, with none of the three running backs able to reach a long-term contract.
Dalvin Cook: Odds ‘pretty high’ of joining Jets
Free agent running back Dalvin Cook was in the New York area Friday and sounded optimistic about his chances of signing with the Jets. “I think [the odds] are pretty high, man,” Cook said on NFL Network’s “Good Morning Football.” “I think we’re in a position of, you know, a team that’s building something special, and I want to be part of something special as a player. I want to add to whatever they’ve got going on.” Cook, who is spending Friday on Long Island, is scheduled to visit the Jets on Sunday.
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Sources: No. 5 pick Witherspoon, Seahawks reach deal
Commanders RB Robinson ‘night and day’ from last season
Bucs’ Jensen details ‘crazy road’ after catastrophic knee injury
Saints G Trai Turner (quad) done for season
Pittsburgh Steelers: First-round pick Broderick Jones got his first rep with the first-team offensive line unit in the Steelers’ second training camp practice Friday. The lone rep came as a surprise. “You never know with coaches,” he said afterward. “They may tell you just go in. You could be in the bed up there, and they’ll tell you to go in. You’ll never know when they’re going to throw you in, so you got to always be prepared, and just have that open mind be ready and go in and perform to the best of your ability.” Jones, who replaced Dan Moore Jr. at left tackle for one rep in the second team period, said offensive line coach Pat Meyer gave him a heads up just before the drill. “I feel like each and every day I’m getting better at something,” Jones said. — Brooke Pryor
Chicago Bears: Rookie right tackle Darnell Wright revealed the reason he “crushed” his conditioning test upon reporting to training camp. Instead of doing the running workouts designated for Bears offensive linemen, Wright accidentally trained for the wide receiver conditioning test this summer. That workout contained runs of 200 yards that had to be repeated eight, nine or 10 times in 20 seconds or less. Wright estimates he lost 16 pounds from the workouts. “It definitely feels better,” the first rounder said. “It’s a little bit of an adjustment in terms of translating power still. So, I feel like I’m more powerful because I didn’t lose any muscle mass. You definitely feel a step quicker.” — Courtney Cronin
San Francisco 49ers: While quarterback Brock Purdy was sharper Friday than he was Thursday, the day once again belonged to San Francisco’s defense, a unit that was among the league’s best in 2022. New coordinator Steve Wilks has wasted little time putting his fingerprints on the defense with his hands-on coaching style. Unlike his predecessors — both of whom were linebacker coaches before being promoted — Wilks has a long history coaching defensive backs. Throughout Friday’s practice, it was normal to see Wilks run on the field after a play and show his defensive backs how he wants certain techniques done. The Niners had more offseason turnover in the secondary than any other part of the defense, but if Wilks can get that group rolling and keep things relatively the same elsewhere, there’s reason to believe the defense will have little drop-off from a year ago. — Nick Wagoner
Denver Broncos: Quarterback Russell Wilson won’t say how much weight he lost this offseason, but the “lean and mean” Wilson was on full display Friday. In the first training camp practice open to fans, a Wilson scramble out of trouble drew the biggest roar from the crowd of 3,000. Wilson pulled the ball down in one drill and scampered 70 yards as the crowd cheered. Coach Sean Payton said after the practice, Wilson’s mobility is a component he wants in the offense and that using it at the right times will be important for both Wilson and the offense. “It’s one of the things he does well in the framework of a play, when something breaks down and he flushes, a lot of times good things happen.” — Jeff Legwold
Philadelphia Eagles: Rookies Nolan Smith and Jalen Carter, both draft picks out of Georgia, are making their presence felt early in camp. Smith’s versatility was on display Friday as he generated pressure off the edge while running with the first-team defense in one sequence, then blanketed Dallas Goedert and Boston Scott in coverage on the next two plays. Carter, meanwhile, muscled his way through a double-team to disrupt a run play, and has caught the eye of some veteran offensive linemen. “Jalen Carter is very fast,” left tackle Jordan Mailata said. — Tim McManus
Kansas City Chiefs: The Chiefs were in full pads for the first time at training camp, giving them their best look yet at their new starting offensive tackles, Donovan Smith and Jawaan Taylor. The Chiefs worked on the running game and held one-on-one pass block/pass rush drills at full speed, and coach Andy Reid liked what he saw from both players. “It’s a challenge mentally and physically for them, being new and then going through the practice like this,” Reid said. “They’re not always used to that. I thought they hung in there pretty good.” Last year’s starting tackles, Orlando Brown and Andrew Wylie, departed as free agents. — Adam Teicher
New England Patriots: Why isn’t leading sacker Matthew Judon a full participant in practices? That was the first question he was asked Friday in a post-practice interview; specifically whether his lack of time on the field is related to his desire for a raise. Judon didn’t confirm or deny that his contract was at the root of him focusing more on conditioning than on-field work. “I’m happy to be here, but I’m definitely not going to talk about contracts with y’all. Y’all some snitches!” he said with a lighter touch. “Wherever that goes, it goes. The market changes every day. We’ve seen it the first day of training camp, a whole bunch of people got paid.” — Mike Reiss
Las Vegas Raiders: New quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, still recovering from left foot surgery in March, was given a predetermined day off, and his absence seemed to cast a sloppy pall on the rest of practice. Because while rookie QB Aidan O’Connell had to wait to take a lap after a mistake because veteran Brian Hoyer was still on his run for a miscue at one point, the entire defense later ran a lap in the middle of just the third practice. — Paul Gutierrez
Atlanta Falcons: Friday was by far the best day of work for quarterback Desmond Ridder. While the 7 of 13 completions may not show it, there were a couple of drops in there, and Ridder also had his best throws of camp. One was a dropped touchdown pass through double coverage in the end zone to Drake London during a red zone drill. Earlier in the same drill, Ridder threw a TD pass to KhaDarel Hodge, on an impressive out route where Ridder put the ball in a perfect spot. “I thought Des had a good day today,” Falcons head coach Arthur Smith said. “The things you appreciate about a guy like Des is he’s not afraid to take a shot and work on it.” — Michael Rothstein
Washington Commanders: Rookie corner Emmanuel Forbes, the Commanders’ first-round pick, has done a nice job early in training camp. He got beat on a deep ball by receiver Terry McLaurin on Thursday but was solid in coverage Friday. Against McLaurin, for example, he showed press man coverage only to drop right before the snap. That enabled him to play with good vision and take away a double move by McLaurin, forcing quarterback Sam Howell to throw elsewhere. Forbes has used his length and quick feet to take away throws or make them harder. When Washington uses a three-corner alignment, he and Kendall Fuller are outside with Benjamin St-Juste inside. — John Keim
Jacksonville Jaguars: It was a very good day for the tight ends, especially first-year player Gerrit Prince. He had two touchdown catches, including a diving one in the back of the end zone with CB Tre Herndon on his back. Prince spent the 2022 season on the practice squad, but the Jaguars are excited about his potential, and Prince took advantage of Evan Engram‘s absence in the spring during OTAs and minicamp. “He was the young guy last year that was kind of all over the place, adjusting and learning how to be a pro,” Engram said. ” … Every time I talked to [tight ends] coach [Richard Angulo], GP was doing better, GP was more locked in, GP was taking more advantage of the opportunity he has.” Prince is the fourth tight end behind Engram, rookie second-round pick Brenton Strange and Luke Farrell, but he’s starting to make his case to get some playing time. — Mike DiRocco
Cleveland Browns: The Browns dressed in pads for the first time but used the day to acclimate to them, as practice went less than an hour. Several veterans sat out, including DE Myles Garrett and OG Joel Bitonio. The good news is that WR Amari Cooper, after tweaking a muscle at the outset of training camp, returned to the field dressed. Cleveland is expected to hold its most extensive practice thus far on Saturday. — Jake Trotter