Falcons' Bijan Robinson trains with Christian McCaffrey

New York Times

5 days ago

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FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- Falcons running back Bijan Robinson is coming off the highest workload of his professional career – 304 carries and 61 catches – but his body feels as good as ever after a month of offseason work with Niners running back Christian McCaffrey, Robinson said.
Robinson, McCaffrey and Commanders wide receiver Luke McCaffrey spent much of their offseason break together in Studio City, Calif., and the most valuable thing Robinson took from the experience was McCaffrey's recovery regime, Robinson said.
'I am going to continue doing that because I felt super, super great this summer, and it was all because of how we came back and recovered our bodies,' he said.
The program consisted of pool workouts, a red light therapy bed and a newly designed hyperbaric chamber called a Stratosphere.
It was like 'we were 18,000 feet in the air, but we were in a machine,' Robinson said. 'It was like the coolest thing ever.'
Nine running backs topped 300 carries between 2015 and 2023. Only one (Derrick Henry in 2019 and 2020) had more rushing yards the following season. In the other eight seasons, the backs had an average dropoff of 695 yards the next season.
Robinson thinks he can buck that trend this year, thanks in part to his summer with McCaffrey.
'It was really cool. I got to see how he worked. He got to see how I worked and we got to put it together,' Robinson said. 'It was really cool, two guys coming together to just make each other better. He taught me a bunch of nuanced moves.' Getty Images
You want to know how Brandon Coleman, now the Washington Commanders' starting right guard, is coming along with learning the pre-snap checks next to center Tyler Biadasz, right?
No? Something else?
Sorry. There was no word of a miracle, 11th-hour compromise between the Commanders and wide receiver Terry McLaurin Tuesday morning, at least by the time general manager Adam Peters and coach Dan Quinn held their pre-training camp news conference.
There was just the cold chill of a gulf that apparently remains between the star receiver and the only team he's known since entering the league in 2019. And no sign, other than the cordial words Peters spoke of the soon-to-be 30-year-old, that this will be resolved soon, and certainly not when camp begins Wednesday.
Peters said Tuesday that he expected McLaurin to report. But McLaurin was not present for either the full team meeting or the afternoon conditioning test. So it begins.
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Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa had strong comments about his relationship with WR Tyreek Hill today.
The Bengals have been notoriously slow starters each season under Zac Taylor, so the head coach plans on playing his first-stringers more this preseason in hopes of being more prepared for Week 1. He discussed on Wednesday how QB Joe Burrow will be used in preseason games. (Getty Images)
Some receivers have to play in the slot because they lack the physicality and athleticism to win on the outside. Some have to play on the outside because they aren't quick or precise enough for the routes a slot receiver has to run. Lamb has the size and vertical ability to win on go-routes on the outside, but he's so crafty that he can run the route tree from the inside as well. According to Matt Harmon's Reception Perception, in 2023 (he hasn't published charting from Lamb's 2024 season yet), Lamb's success rate on go-balls was 60 percent. Elite outside receivers typically score in the high 60s.
When Lamb broke out with a 1,544-yard season in 2022, he started playing in the slot more than out wide, but he still plays outside almost half of his snaps. Lamb is typically tiered right below Ja'Marr Chase, Justin Jefferson and Tyreek Hill as overall receivers, but none of those three play inside as much as Lamb does. That doesn't mean they can't do what Lamb does, but Lamb's usage is more varied and this list rewards versatility. According to Pro Football Focus, last season, Lamb played 50.3 percent of his snaps in the slot and 48.1 percent out wide.
For the Cowboys, Lamb's ability to play inside and outside is vital because they depend on him to move the ball. Since 2022, the Cowboys have had an average running game and not many other weapons to throw to. They can't afford to use Lamb as a decoy; they have to find ways to get him the ball, and his versatility allows that. They even line him up in the backfield for tosses on occasion.
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CeeDee Lamb, Kyle Hamilton, George Kittle among NFL's 10 most versatile players
Colts CB Kenny Moore II just picked off QB Daniel Jones in 7-on-7.
A few minutes later, Anthony Richardson was nearly picked off by CB Alex Johnson in 7-on-7.
Interesting: Cooper DeJean is playing safety next to Reed Blankenship in base.
Vic Fangio has said this was his plan to experiment with, but we did not see DeJean at safety in OTAs — only cornerback.
Indianapolis Colts quarterback Daniel Jones is taking the first team reps to start 11-on-11.
Rookie CB Justin Walley starting opposite of Charvarius Ward. Kenny Moore II in the slot.
Eagles right guard Kenyon Green begins training camp sidelined.
He is dealing with a knee injury.
It was a pretty ho-hum pre-training camp presser on Wednesday morning, which is surely how the New York Giants want it. The biggest news to come from GM Joe Schoen and coach Brian Daboll addressing the media is that the team is fully committed to Russell Wilson as the QB1.
"These guys will be out here competing, but Russ is our starter," Daboll said.
It doesn't seem like rookie first-round pick Jaxson Dart has any chance to win the starting job in camp. Daboll and Schoen were non-committal on a timeline for when Dart could get on the field.
Meanwhile, Schoen said the expectation is All-Pro LT Andrew Thomas (foot) will be ready for the opener, but he said nothing is ever 100 percent. Thomas will start camp on PUP. Starters: Edge Trey Hendrickson, DT TJ Slaton, DT BJ Hill, Edge Myles Murphy
Backups: Joseph Ossai, Shemar Stewart (Texas A&M), Cam Sample, McKinnley Jackson, Kris Jenkins, Cedric Johnson
Outside looking in: DT Taven Bryan, DT McTelvin Agim, Isaiah Thomas, Raymond Johnson III, Howard Cross III (Notre Dame), Eric Gregory (Arkansas)
Analysis: The Bengals will be without Hendrickson (holdout), Hill (foot) and Stewart (contract) to start camp on Wednesday. That means a heavy load of reps for young players that need them, but the unknowns that have been the talking points of the last few months are hard to avoid here. There's so little proven production in this room and such a large bet placed on development, this will be fascinating to watch progress as August unfolds.
What to monitor: Kris Jenkins. Hill's absence as the Bengals take their time working him back in — you won't see much of him in camp — means a full look at Jenkins as the starter. He needs to be better than last season. The lack of any real three-technique additions was a vote of confidence for Jenkins; he needs to make good on it in a hurry.
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Bengals 53-man roster projection: Guard battles, D-line uncertainty as camp begins
The Cleveland Browns have placed quarterback Deshaun Watson on the active/physically unable to perform (PUP) list for the start of training camp.
The expected designation came Tuesday as the full squad reported for the start of camp. Watson suffered a second Achilles tear in January while rehabbing from the Achilles injury he suffered last October in a game against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Though an exact timetable for medical clearance is unknown, the Browns have long known that Watson would not be ready for the start of camp or for the start of the 2025 season. Players on the active-PUP list count against the 90-man roster during training camp and can be activated any time, but Watson's expected rehab schedule extends beyond this summer.
It's unknown if the Browns would activate Watson at any point during this season.
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Browns place QB Deshaun Watson on physically unable to perform list (Getty Images)
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Eagles general manager Howie Roseman said linebacker Nakobe Dean will begin training camp on the PUP list. Dean has been sidelined since tearing his patellar tendon in the playoffs and is expected to miss the early portion of the regular season. First-round pick Jihaad Campbell will practice fully to begin training camp, Nick Sirianni said. The rookie linebacker was limited in OTAs due to off-season labrum surgery. His return is notable. If he develops quickly, he could fill in for Dean.