The good news is that the producers didn’t overdo the eye candy thing and did a good job drawing the viewers in with some good story lines.

The biggest focus of the first episode was on the quarterbacks both on and off the field. Tannehill was one of the last high picks to sign and missed the first couple of days of camp and we got a sliver of some of the behind the scenes back and forth that led up to his arrival. Not much, but just enough to let you know there were issues. As always, no matter what, the show must go on.

That “show” not being “Hard Knocks” but the production that is the NFL. First-year coach Regis Joe Philbin comes across as a calm, soft-spoken, even-tempered man. He’s as much the anti-Rex (Ryan) as a coach could be and still have the same qualities you need in a Head Coach. He’s reserved while Ryan is grandiose. It would appear he’s the type of coach the organization really needs – a steady, if new, hand steering the ship after an off-season of tumult.

The thing that stood out the most to me about the camp is that Philbin has both the first and second teams on the field at the same time, facing opposite directions. When one team finishes a play, the other one runs theirs while the original team gets lined up again. It’s the fastest-paced camp of any NFL team and in the hottest and most humid environment imaginable. Clearly, the Miami Dolphins are going to have a drastically changed look on the offensive side of the ball.

We also learned that Tannehill came into camp his first day and looked like he didn’t miss those first practices. Even Coach Philbin was wowed on the sidelines while he watched the prized rookie taking snaps. Without seeing an entire play (the camera shots were too tight and focused for that), the apparent feeling is that they truly have three quarterbacks that could start on opening day.

The past few seasons have seen Dolphins quarterbacks getting injured so it has to make the fans feel good that they at least now have some good depth at the position and the viewers were treated to the moment where coach Philbin informed the quarterbacks group that David Garrard was atop the depth chart after the first scrimmage. Tannehill shouldn’t be at all surprised that he’s 3rd on the depth chart, but Matt Moore has to feel a bit unloved, given his 6-3 record as a starter last season.

New coaches, new players, and a clean slate.

Chad Johnson looks to be on the road to being a more disciplined guy, although he’s hit a couple of minor bumps along the way. One scene showed Philbin chatting with Johnson on the sideline at practice, discussing Johnson’s use of profanity at the previous press conference. He’s not your father’s coach, Philbin isn’t…in the old days, a coach would get in your face and scream. Philbin treats his players like adults, calmly discussing his position but being firm at the same time. To his credit, Johnson accepted it in kind. Then, on the player’s day off, he vowed to get arrested as he left the facility. Joking, of course, but that’s his personality.

A few other things of interest:

Left tackle Jake Long showed his leadership during the camp, asserting himself and telling the group of offensive linemen when they’ve messed up or what they need to work on. He’s clearly their leader.

You haven’t lived until you’ve seen a shirtless 350 pound nose tackle, Paul Soliai, doing his impression of a hair stylist on a few of the rookies. Then again, that may be one of those things they haven’t yet invented “The Brain Scrubber” for – to forget what you’ve just seen. It was somewhat reminiscent of the late Bubba Smith the florist in the old Police Academy movies…some things just don’t seem right.

Mar 3, 2009; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Zac Efron at NBA game between the Memphis Grizzlies and Los Angeles Lakers at the Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-US PRESSWIRE

We got to see the reality behind the feel-good story of Zac Efron’s presence. He’s the accountant-turned-tight end with blazing speed. What the media doesn’t report is that, according to his position coach, he is “a complete liability in both run blocking and pass protection.” While I’d be surprised at this point if he wasn’t, since he last put on a football uniform in high school. But as Philbin pointed out on the show, you just “can’t go out on the street and find an athlete of his caliber. You just can’t.” They knew he’d be a project and he’s turning out to be exactly that, but he works hard, does what he’s told, and it appears as if the coaches and front office are going to have some patience with him. It’s possible he could wind up on the practice squad while he hones his blocking, but they like everything else about him.

I’m sure it doesn’t hurt for “Hard Knocks” that he’s also got a very hot significant other. It’s show biz.

Weeden, the team’s second first-round draft pick this year, should greatly benefit from being on the field with their first first-round selection, Trent Richardson, selected at #3 overall.

Weeden’s abilities aside, Richardson’s presence would have helped McCoy or any other QB they put out there. Richardson has been touted, correctly I think, as the best RB prospect since Adrian Peterson. While that remains to be seen, it does mean that enemy defenses will be forced to honor the threat, and that translates into better opportunities for Weeden in the play-action passing game as well as helping to keep things balanced offensively in general. A young QB’s best friend is a great left tackle, and that’s the ONE thing the Browns already have in Joe Thomas. A strong running game is a close second.

Dec 24, 2011; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers receiver Mike Wallace (17) attempts to get away from St. Louis Rams safety James Butler (37) during the first quarter at Heinz Field. Mandatory credit: Vincent Pugliese- US PRESSWIRE

In other news, Mike Wallace and the Pittsburgh Steelers remain at an impasse. The restricted free agent has yet to sign his tender, in the area of $2.75 million non-guaranteed for 2012, and wants a long-term guaranteed deal. Steelers’ GM Kevin Colbert said “Mike knows where things stand. The next step for him really is to report and to sign his tender, and until that happens, there won’t be anything else. And if that happens, nobody knows where it will go from there. So that’s where it is and has been, and hopefully it comes to an end sooner rather than later because it will be good for us, but it will also be good for Mike.”

The Steelers signed fellow WR Antonio Brown to a 5-year $42 million dollar contract but only about $8 million is guaranteed, so it’s not the chops-buster that many fans seem to think it is for Wallace. It’s no secret that Wallace is one of the league’s best downfield threats – if not the biggest of all these days. He just doesn’t get caught from behind and one would have to think Big Ben has been lobbying behind the scenes for somehow signing him, but if so, they’ve kept everything within the organization and private…just as it should be.

This looks similar in some ways to the now-resolved Chicago Bears/Matt Forte situation. Forte was an RFA as well, but knew at some point he would have to sign with his team. As an extreme measure, Wallace could possibly sit out until week 10, when he MUST report or lose a year of accrual towards becoming an unrestricted free agent. Vincent Jackson did that in 2010.

The Steelers have made it clear that they don’t wish to trade Wallace and have a first-round tender on him – meaning if another team signs him, the Steelers will receive a first-round pick in the 2013 draft from the signing team and league rules is where the $2.75 million figure comes from.

The Seattle Seahawks signed 38 year old shameless self-promoter Terrell Owens, which says a lot about how Pete Carroll feels about the wideouts he’s got now. All of them have some issues – Sidney Rice can’t stay healthy, Braylon Edwards is a career underachiever, and Mike Williams has shown flashes of the talent that made him a top-ten pick of the Detroit Lions during that run where the Lions were legally obligated to draft WRs with their top picks. Consistency is Williams’ Achilles Heel.

One notable remaining free agent is Plaxico Burress. It’s interesting that Carroll signed the 38 yr old Terrell Owens over 37 yr old Burress, but Plexiglass is reportedly asking for too much money…especially for someone who has been out of the league for several years. Owens himself couldn’t find a team last year and is the NFL’s second all-time receiver in most categories behind the apparently un-catchable records of a fellow from a small college in Mississippi named Jerry Rice. Fans sometimes mix up his college state with the name of the QB Rice used to hook up with TO school the rest of the NFL. Just remember “Joe Mississippi” is what you say only to delay yourself from rushing the passer in flag football. Montana was the man…Matt Flynn’s prowess has yet to be resolved. Terrell Owens and Jerry Rice were once teammates ages ago in San Francisco when Montana’s successor and a Hall of Famer himself, southpaw signal-caller Steve Young, was under center.

Lastly, there was a much-ballyhooed scrum at the Jets’ scrimmage yesterday afternoon. What wasn’t widely mentioned was that there were actually several. While fights break out in training camp between a couple of people pretty much every year with every team, the fact there was more than one on Monday doesn’t speak well for Rex Ryan’s control over his team. One fight is going to make a coach angry, and Ryan let them know of his disapproval. Therefore, others decided to fight.

Rex screamed at the team: “Save it for Cincy – WE’RE ALL WE’VE GOT!” The Jets and Bengals play Friday night.

Dec. 14, 2008; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers linebacker Thomas Davis (58) celebrates sacking Denver Broncos quarterback Jay Cutler (6) in the Panthers 30-10 victory against the Broncos at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-US PRESSWIRE

Earlier in the week, Davis, who is a Georgia native, was asked a few questions at the Athens Country Club in Athens, GA. He was there as a featured guest and speaker on behalf of the Touchdown Club.

From what I gather, it was an interview at the event, conducted by a journalist for the local Athens Banner-Herald and Thomas Davis. (A link is below for the entire question and answer with Thomas Davis)http://onlineathens.com/sports/college-sports/2012-04-10/5-questions-panthers-lb-former-uga-player-thomas-davis

The 29 year old Davis is attempting something that has yet to be seen in the NFL(in regards to coming back from three straight significant ACL injuries), and was asked “How do you think the knee will hold up?”.

Not only did he feel confident enough to say he would play all 19 games, which would include a grueling playoff push, but the Panther Linebacker also Rex Ryan’d us and went with a Super Bowl prediction.

“I am looking forward to playing the full 19 game season and winning the Super Bowl”

Thomas Davis

Really?

Well, Im not going to expand on the rest of the interview but only this one quote because this is the only part being talked about, and will continue to get talked about and even perhaps made bigger than it should be!

Now is this off-season motivation for NFC South and Carolina opponents heading into the season, maybe. More than that, I know it will add to the pressure Thomas Davis alone will feel throughout the season to not only stay healthy, but contribute in a way that sends his Panthers into the Playoffs.

Though, as of now, heading into the season(not including the draft obviously), Carolina’s defense has three key contributing starters coming back from injuries including Davis. The combination of Davis, Jon Beason,  and Ron Edwards, all returning for the start of this upcoming season will only boost the Panthers defense in a positive way. Each coming back is like adding a free agent or even a starter from the Draft, without the negative even of taking up roster space or costing the team extra money.

The more you think about the comment and really dissect the possibilities, the more it starts to sound not so unreasonable. In a few more weeks, Carolina may have a new starter or two, added via the 2012 Draft. And if that is the case, the thought of a run into at least the Playoffs for the 2012 Panthers isn’t so far fetched.

Offensively, Carolina is primed to continue to set records and run all over NFL defenses for as long as Cam Newton will lead. You add a defense that can make plays and get off the field in a timely manor, Thomas Davis won’t be the only one talking about a run to the Super Bowl.

Like this column? Don’t forget to catch my columns on http://keepingitheel.com/ too, covering everything UNC!