A feature we're working on here for Monday's issue is a good one, looking at the biggest vacancies around the league and identify how teams have worked to replace their former starters at those spots and whether their plans are coming through as expected through the early part of camp.

You can imagine some of the big ones — Giants running back (Tiki), Raiders receiver (Randy), and Titans cornerback (Pacman), for example.

So let's take that a step further and check out some of the other battles that didn't make our top 10 for this issue:

Want to see a sick catch? Check out Courtney Roby in Tennessee, grabbing a Vince Young pass behind a defender's back. Roby is one of a glut of relatively unheralded wideouts trying to replace Drew Bennett and Bobby Wade as Nos. 1 and 2 in Nash-vegas.

Replacing Randy McMichael in Miami might be a multi-player affair, writes Greg Bedard, and this competition took an interesting twist with the signing of Courtney Anderson. But insiders say that David Martin could be the starter there on Opening Day.

Though Redskins OLT Chris Samuels likely is out only a month with a strained MCL, relatively unknown OT Stephon Heyer, an undrafted free agent from Maryland, is getting the first crack at replacing him. The team won't be shifting Todd Wade, who's starting at left guard right now, and it isn't using Taylor Whitley or Jason Fabini — two more known quantities — there.

A.D. is a relative term, it appears.

Just got off the phone with a source up in Minnesota who said that Vikings RB Adrian Peterson -- the man whose nickname in college was "All Day" despite a series of injuries following his magical freshman season -- just tweaked a hip (not a hamstring, as I originally was told) this morning. He was working with a trainer on the sideline, but by the way Peterson was moving, the source estimated it would be about 4-5 days before the team lets him practice again.

Offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell told the media Peterson had a hip pointer and is listed as day-to-day. 

The Vikings' first preseason game is a week from tomorrow, at home against the Rams.

Chester Taylor, Peterson's backfield mate, gave the team a scare Monday when he was carried off the field with an arm injury, but it turned out to be a deep bruise, nothing more. He's pretty much fine. The Vikings also have depth at running back with Mewelde Moore. 

So I just got off the phone with Champ Bailey, who graciously took some time to talk about a feature I am working on for down the road, and he had some interesting things to say about his fallen teammate Darrent Williams, new bookend Dré Bly and new coordinator Jim Bates. I'll share part of it here with you today ...

On Darrent:

"The thing about Darrent ... you lose a guy like that, all you can remember was what he meant to us. He was always a guy that was smiling, he played hard, worked hard -- he was everything you wanted in a teammate. Everybody got along with him. That's what makes it so tough, the way he left us. It was a tragic situation, but we're coping with it. We pay tribute to him any way we can. ... We definitely miss him."

On Bly:

"He has fit in very well. He's a guy who is going to make plays. I know quarterbacks tend to shy away from me, but they are not going to be able to do that too much with Dré on the other side. He can make some plays and make quarterbacks think."

On getting more balls thrown to Bly's side:

"Oh yeah, definitely. He's happy about it just as well because he'll get a lot more. This is probably the first time he's had a corner on the other side that's as good as he is. So it feels good to know that we're both going to get some action, regardless of who we play."

On Bates:

"He definitely brings an aggressive style. I love that. I am a man-to-man guy; I want to be out there on that island. He gives me the opportunity to do that. And he definitely holds everyone accountable, which is the main thing we needed around here."

I have a posting that I'll put up in the morning, but I am off the next couple of days, so I will check back in sometime Monday. Thanks for checking us out.

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Here’s a few random pieces I have culled that have not fit in anywhere else, plus a few other pieces from this morning:

Most interesting conspiracy theory: John Mullin writes that Rex Grossman says he didn’t loaf on Kelvin Hayden’s game-changing interception in the Super Bowl — but that was something that had been whispered among writers and fans throughout the offseason. Interesting.

Most overused phrase: “Aging veteran.” What player — or what person, for that matter — is not aging? A newborn five minutes out the womb is aging. I’d like to know their secret if you can find someone who has halted the aging process.

Oddest special-teams experiment: The Cowboys called on punters Mat McBriar, who has one of the strongest legs in the league, and Sam Paulescu to bang some punts as high as they could with the aim being hitting the Alamodome scoreboard, which is 110 feet from the ground. Why? The idea was to test how high punts go so that the Cowboys, who are building a new stadium, can find out how high to hang their new scoreboard. Can you imagine what Wade Phillips would have to say to the media if McBriar, his Pro Bowl punter, strained a hamstring doing that?

Most interesting coaching maneuver: The Jets, who are all about trickery and deception under Eric Mangini, have a new wrinkle: Tom Rock writes they apparently are going to let Chad Pennington call some of his own plays in an effort to make them harder to scout and gameplan for. Novel idea, eh?

Most interesting coaching trend: Don’t call Rod Marinelli and Brad Childress softies, but it appears that the two second-year head coaches are taking it easier on their respective teams in their second training camps. Sources in both cities say that the head coaches are eschewing the two-a-days that include pads for both sessions, especially given the heat wave going on, even in Minnesota.

Marinelli changed his mind the other day, switching from a two-hour practice in full pads to a 40-minute walkthrough with shorts and no helmets. This is a departure from last year, when Miranelli laid down the law with several Draconian measures — two padded practices a day in the heat, practicing in the rain and also flying cross country out to Oakland on a game day, no less, to weed out the soft guys from the rest of the group.

Childress, like Marinelli, is dialing it back in Year Two. Not only has he opened doors for the media that appeared closed last season, he’s doing the same for his players, who to a man say that they feel their coach is more approachable this year. They also feel like the practices are more tolerable and realistic, leaving them fresher and stronger at this point of camp.

This just came across from the Bears a minute ago:

NFL SUSPENDS OBAFEMI AYANBADEJO FOUR GAMES

LAKE FOREST, IL — The National Football League informed the Chicago Bears that fullback Obafemi Ayanbadejo has been suspended without pay for the team’s first four regular-season games of 2007 for violating the NFL Policy on Anabolic Steroids and Related Substances.

Ayanbadejo’s suspension begins on Saturday, September 1.  He is eligible to return to the Bears’ active roster on Monday, October 1 following the team’s September 30 game against the Detroit Lions.
Ayanbadejo is eligible to participate in all preseason practices and games.
 

A couple of thoughts that didn’t make it into my “Hard Knocks” column following Wednesday’s intriguing premiere ...

It was very interesting watching the Larry Johnson-Carl Peterson dynamic. Boiled down: Johnson is holding out, and Peterson is disappointed Johnson is not in camp. But this is far more complex than that. You could see it in the interviews. The men clearly have very good respect for each other.

When I talked to Peterson about a feature last season looking back at the unique Larry Johnson-Troy Polamalu Draft Day deal (I’d post a link here, but it was in the magazine only), Peterson explained the personal relationship between him and Johnson, and it was clear that he had very few of these with players. He talked in the show about building relationships with first-round picks, and Johnson is one of his guys. Peterson talked then-coach Dick Vermeil out of wanting to draft a defensive end, Tyler Brayton, who now is just another guy in the NFL.

Johnson, of course, is special. And so is the relationship between Peterson and the running back. You could even hear Peterson explaining how he hoped that their different rapport and respect could be the difference in settling this matter. It was very personal and revealing.

Also, while watching it, I thought about Tony Gonzalez, who most certainly will be considered strongly for the Hall of Fame when his career is cover (and should get in, in my opinion). But you have to wonder how he's looking at his future with the Chiefs. He's signed up, most likely for the duration of his career, to remain in Kansas City. But the immediate future is very much in the air. You've got a young QB or a journeyman to choose from, a rebuilt O-line, some less-than-proven wideouts and questions on defense. Tony of course will act professionally, as he has most of his career, but he might be a little leery of his chances of ever winning a Super Bowl. We'll see. 

A quick aside:

I only got to see a little of Lions-Bengals last night, but Calvin Johnson looked very good. He had two balls thrown his way that I saw, and he caught both and made nice plays. He’s going to be the rare rookie wideout who flourishes. That offense is going to be fun to watch. And good for Johnson, by the way, for calling out ESPN for putting him on their “Cantonized” 50 Future Hall of Famers list. That’s such a joke. He has not played a single snap of consequence in the NFL yet! ESPN should have made a list of 25 future HOFers who have played five years in the league. That I might have lent credence to. And it’s a good thing Johnson paid no merit to it also. He’s got a good head on his shoulders, it appears.

A quick programming note:

I did a Q&A with Dolphins RB Ronnie Brown yesterday afternoon that I will start to transcribe and will post here this afternoon. I got delayed last night and couldn’t get to it. He talks about the new offense, working with Cam Cameron and some other interesting Dolphins tidbits from camp.

This is a critical season Dolphins RB Ronnie Brown. His first two were respectable, and they included some big performances — 132 yards rushing as a rookie against the Panthers, and 157 against the Bears and two big games against the Jets last season. But injuries and inconsistencies have slowed the former No. 2 overall pick, making this a good proving ground under first-year head coach Cam Cameron.

One difference that Brown has noticed with himself this offseason has been his training. He got back to working with EAS supplements, a product he first tried before the draft coming out of Auburn, and he swears by the sports-nutrition brand. Brown took a few minutes to talk to PFW about Cameron’s style versus that of Nick Saban, Brown’s weight issues, his upcoming trip to London and whether sports-nutrition products taste as bad as they used to.

How has camp gone so far? Brutal or routine?

RB: It’s been pretty tough, but it has slacked off a little bit. It’s not as hard as it was. I think that’s just a product of getting in shape, (I‘m) kind of getting used to it.

Were there indications in the offseason program that Coach Cameron was going to run a much different ship than Nick Saban?

RB: Pretty much, but just going over the minicamps and OTAs, the way were formed a relationship as far as everyone getting to know each other, I think we all kind of knew what was going to be expected when we got to camp and what we were going to be asked to do.

So what is the biggest single difference between last year and this one?

RB: As far as the expectations, everyone wants to win. But the main difference that’s noticeable, now we have an offensive-minded guy with a lot of emphasis on that side of the ball. That’s new for us.

You have to be excited, having watched that San Diego offense the past few seasons, knowing what it accomplished. It’s a running back-friendly offense, clearly — LT or no LT.

RB: I think for myself, I think it has been added responsibility in the passing game. Being able to move around and do different things in different situations, trying to create those mismatches. It doesn’t hurt. You get in this system, you are able to move the ball around, and I think the guys we have on offense, we are very capable of doing that. It’s going to be helpful.

Are you motioning into or out of the backfield much? Are you lining up in different places – out wide or in the slot, offset, anything like that?

RB: A lot of different things like that, yeah. That’s what I am most excited about. As Cam and I get to know each other, know my strengths and weaknesses, we’ll figure out what we can do to move around and help the offense. It’s a great situation and something that I enjoy.

What have you seen with the QBs so far? Trent Green appears to be settling in, and Cleo Lemon has gotten some first-team reps …

RB: You can just tell how mature they are and how each day is something new, and the maturity level is growing each day. You just get more comfortable the more you play with a quarterback. I just think it’s a continuous progression for them as they get better and more in tune with the offense. They are learning and I think that’s the main thing for all of us: try to learn something new every day, soak it up, learn the offense as much as possible.

You know, with Trent, he’s an older guy who has been in the league for a while, so you can tell by his swagger, the way he carries himself, we need a little of that. He has really picked things up well. Everyone is getting better, though, so I think we’re headed in the right direction.

The changes aren’t at quarterback only. You have a new fullback, you have changes on the O-line. How is the comfort level with the other people around you?

RB: Yeah, I think so. That’s the advantage of camp: getting in and learning the way people work, how they do things. Being able to create that chemistry that you need on this level and being able to go into practice with these guys, whoever they are, and being able to work through the tough times, too. Getting everyone on the same page — that’s going to be a huge help (in camp).

And Lorenzo Booker, what have you seen from him so far?

RB: He’s doing a great job. During the minicamps, I was very surprised at how well he was learning and doing things. He was still able to learn everything and still play fast. That’s a big thing. They ask a lot of him. But right now, he’s ahead of where a rookie should be. He’s great on protections and catching the ball, and obviously, he’s one of those smaller, quicker guys who can make guys miss and be elusive. I look forward to having him back there and see the things he’s capable of.

Ted Ginn — everyone’s waiting for him to break out and make those big plays. Has he had one of those “whoa” plays yet in practice?

RB: A couple of times. You see him out there, he’s trying to get the offense down, where he’s supposed to be, all the little intricacies of being a receiver, that sort of thing. But then, a couple of times, you just see him take off. It’s exciting to see him take off and just see him run and watch that speed take over.

I heard you are back there on kickoff returns with Ted, too.

RB: I have done a couple of reps there. It’s the first time in my career doing it. I don’t know how much of it I’ll be doing, but it’s exciting that the coaches want to maybe get the ball in my hands an extra time or two.

Weight has been a storyline with you. I know 230 pounds was kind of the magic number for you. Where are you now? And is that where you feel best?

RB: I don’t know. I think, in certain situations, that’s overemphasized a little bit. I have been pretty much in the vicinity of 235 for a while, and right now I am around 233. I guess it just depends. Right now, I am trying to get myself in the best shape as possible coming into the season, whether that be losing more body fat or what. From that extent, if I get to a certain body fat (percentage). I think I am around 11 right now, so if I can get to single-digits, I think that might be the more important number. Right now, I feel pretty good. Physically, I feel I can do the things they ask me to.

How would you describe your first two seasons? Is there frustration despite the fact that you have had some good performances?

RB: Not really, you know? The things I have been through these first two seasons, they are a learning process. You try to come out and learn as much as possible and not make the same mistakes the second time around or the next time you face some situation. It’s a continuous learning process for me. I have learned a lot over the last few seasons as far as being a professional athlete and being a running back on this level and the things that you need to do. I recognize that and realize I have a long way to go if I want to be successful. I try to learn as much, but at the same time I am focused on what I need to do and I am just open to the challenge. I think the sky’s the limit if I can stay healthy.

If you’re healthy, do you have any bets with your former Auburn teammates, Cadillac Williams and (for one year) Brandon Jacobs about who will rush for the most yards this season? You are all three starting now …

RB: (laughs) No, no bets. We all pretty much stay in contact, even though Cadillac and I talk a little more than Brandon and I do. Coming from the same school, we all do like to motivate each other. You want to see the other guys do well, but at the same time, we’re playing against each other. We play Cadillac in a few weeks in the preseason, and Brandon Jacobs, we play them in London. We obviously want to win, speaking for everyone, but you also want to handle your business and hopefully get more (yards) than the other guy.

Have you been to London?

RB: No, I haven’t.

Are you excited? Or maybe worried that the trip might throw things off in the middle of the season? I know that’s a long way off …

RB: I think it’s going to be a new experience. I am excited about that part of it. But at the same time, you never know how your body is going to feel around Week Seven or Eight. (laughs) You’re tired, and you have that long flight … you want to come out in one piece. But I think it’s going to be exciting to be over in London and play an NFL game and have that opportunity.

What has been your experience working with the EAS products?

RB: I started with them a couple years ago, in my rookie year, and I had never taken any kinds of supplements, any nutrition stuff. So I was training out at API, getting ready for the Combine, and they had a couple of different products, and I was able to go out and have a good training sessions and a good showing at the Combine, so I started realizing the effect they can have. We formed a great relationship with EAS. The biggest key with them is that everything is safe and NFL-certified. None of it appears on the NFL’s banned substance list. So you can feel comfortable taking it and also see the effects it has on you.

I can imagine you’d be pretty nervous to take something that might get you suspended, but I would be more worried about the way the bars and shakes taste. Are they decent? I remember the garbage I took when I was in high school — forget about it.

RB: (laughs) The Myoplex stuff is pretty good. A lot of guys drinks the other stuff, and then they see me or the other guys, and we’re not complaining about the taste, so pretty soon we are converting them. They are saying, ‘Hey, let me have one of those Myoplex shakes instead.’ They don’t taste too bad at all.

I turn the blog over to Harvey "Mr. Steeler" Aronson, whom we profiled in an earlier entry:

"Many fans are opposed to "Steely McBeam." So much so that I wrote a petition requesting Dan Rooney to not use the mascot. I had posted a form on my web site (www.steelershotline.com) for other fans to add their names and comments and the response was so overwhelming in favor of getting rid of the mascot I had to disable the form. You can read their responses on my web site and they will be sent to Dan Rooney and the front office tomorrow."

Steely McBeam ... just the name is so sad. We'll watch to see how long this garbage lasts. I think of the old-fashioned franchises in sports, like my beloved Celtics, who hired team dancers for the first time ever, which directly led to Red Auerbach's demise, I believe. (OK, maybe not, but it's hard not to think it didn't really really bother him.) 

Speaking of the Steelers, I just got off the phone with CB Ike Taylor a few hours ago. He told me that he and his teammates have intentionally avoided reading what the media is saying about the Steelers' chances. "We know what we expect of ourselves," Taylor said, "and we know that the other teams we play are quite aware of us. That's all we care about."

Taylor also said that Mike Tomlin, the first time the two spoke after he got the job, challenged Taylor to put last season behind him and know that he'll get a fair crack in training camp to win the job. So far, Tomlin has proved to be prophetic. Taylor again is starting and beginning to show the swagger he did in 2005, when he picked a pass off in the Super Bowl and generally had a great season.

"I am back, I feel good," Taylor said. "I want to be the best at my job, like Champ Bailey. He's the hottest thing going. I have always worked hard, and I think I can get to Champ's level if I keep going."

In case you haven't read Keith Bulluck's comments on the Patriots, here they are in a nutshell: He didn't like the way the Patriots, especially WR Reche Caldwell, celebrated following their Week 17 win over the Titans last season, and Bulluck plans to, ahem, be aware of who is in the game and deliver his response in person if a certain receiver happens to cross his path.

Here's the exchange between the New England media and Patriots head coach Bill Belichick from his press conference today on the matter:

Q: I don't know if you saw what Keith Bullock had to say in the Tennessee papers today, but do you worry about those types of situations and fights breaking out during the game?
 
BB: Well, we’re going to concentrate on what we have to do.  That’s really where our emphasis is.
 
Q: Do you have any concerns about the safety of your players more than any other preseason game?
 
BB: We’re going to concentrate on what we have to do.

Uh, thanks, coach. Anyway, a vanilla preseason game probably still remains a vanilla game, but there is at least something to watch for.

And really, Bulluck is out of line. Even if Caldwell was curisng Bulluck's mother's name, there's no call for anyone to say they are going head-hunting. Bulluck, an eight-year vet who just turned 30, should know that. And assuming Caldwell was out of line, he too should be called out. Perhaps his dropping a sure TD a few weeks later vs. Indianapolis was his just desserts.

Either way, I am curious to see if anything of consequence happens in the game.