Alex Henery is in a fight with Cody Parkey for the Eagles placekicking job. (Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports)
While some NFL players may be on cruise control to stay healthy in this final week of preseason, others are going full throttle to nail down a better spot on the depth chart or just to keep their name on the active roster.
With the so-called final cut to 53 active players set for Saturday, 1 p.m. Eastern Time, these next few days, including Thursday’s final preseason games, are crucial to the careers of several players on each team.
In the NFC, some of the stronger teams are looking to firm up depth, such as Super Bowl champion Seattle at backup wide receiver and the San Francisco 49ers at No. 3 running back.
Others teams are still trying to solidify their starting lineup, especially the New York Giants, Arizona Cardinals and Dallas Cowboys — all are still sorting through options on the offensive line.
Correspondents covering each team for The Sports Xchange were asked to identify the key duel in this final week of preseason. Here is a closer look at each NFC team’s Battle of the Week (listed by division in alphabetical order):
DALLAS COWBOYS
–BATTLE OF THE WEEK: Left Guard.
Ron Leary has retaken the lead over Mackenzy Bernardeau for the starting spot at left guard. Bernadeau held down the spot the first two preseason games as Leary missed the first weeks of camp with strained hamstring. But the two have been splitting reps with the starters for much of the last two weeks. Leary went out first against the Dolphins last Sunday. Bernadeau was flagged for holding and gave up a sack during his time in the game.
NEW YORK GIANTS
–BATTLE OF THE WEEK: Offensive line.
The Giants’ coaching staff has played around with numerous combinations in an effort to find the best five to start the season. Given the injury suffered by left guard Geoff Schwartz, an injury that could keep him out for a while, the line took a step backwards in terms of any progress made toward a resolution.
Rookie Weston Richburg and third-year man Brandon Mosley appear to be the likely candidates to play left and right guard respectively, though don’t be surprised if the team adds a veteran off the waiver wire to shore up the interior.
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
–BATTLE OF THE WEEK: Place kicker — Alex Henery vs. Cody Parkey.
Henery, the Eagles’ kicker for the last three seasons, is in jeopardy of being released. He missed a 47-yard field-goal attempt in the Eagles’ second preseason game against the Patriots and a 31-yarder Thursday against the Steelers. The Eagles released one kicker, Carey Spears, but traded for another, rookie Parkey. Henery must kick well both in practice and the last preseason game against the Jets to keep his job.
WASHINGTON REDSKINS
–BATTLE OF THE WEEK: Reserve linebackers.
The release of veteran outside linebacker Rob Jackson as well as those of Adrian Robinson and Jeremy Kimbrough left seven candidates for the backup spots behind starters Ryan Kerrigan, Brian Orakpo, Perry Riley and Keenan Robinson.
Special teams ace Adam Hayward, top draft pick (second round) Trent Murphy, who recorded his first sack in the Aug. 23 preseason loss at Baltimore, and hard-working Will Compton, a rookie free agent in 2013 who saw action in the season finale, seem to be the leaders.
However, former Philadelphia and Kansas City starter Akeem Jordan led Washington’s tacklers with five stops against the Ravens. And Gabe Miller, who signed with the Redskins late last season and had a sack in the Aug. 18 preseason victory over Cleveland, and Everette Brown, who signed on July 28, have both made solid impressions in practices. Darryl Sharpton, who started 13 games for Houston the past two seasons, is also in the mix although he missed the past two preseason games with a sprained ankle he suffered in the summer opener against New England on Aug. 7.
Murphy, Miller and Brown are the outside backups as of now with Hayward, Compton, Jordan and Sharpton the inside reserves. No more than four of these players will still be Redskins a week from now. Murphy and Hayward seem like locks to survive the final cuts, which leaves Miller and Brown battling for one job and Compton, Jordan and Sharpton — if he can get back on the field — dueling for another.
CHICAGO BEARS
–BATTLE OF THE WEEK: Linebacker.
The Bears have continually used Shea McClellin at strong-side linebacker, but have kept getting reps for Jonathan Bostic in the starting nickel and have used D.J. Williams in the base at mike. It’s not clear if they’re going to keep all of them in these roles, or if Bostic might beat out Williams for starting middle linebacker.
Bostic has used his speed much better this year and hasn’t overrun plays as often as he did as a rookie. The coaches believe he’s eventually a player who will take Lance Briggs’ weak-side spot. For now, though, he may need to be content with playing a role in the nickel. The McClellin experiment — moving him to linebacker from end — hasn’t paid big dividends yet, but coaches and McClellin repeatedly report steady improvement in his return to playing off the line of scrimmage, which is where he played most of the time in college. His speed was thought to be an asset for blitzing, and the Bears haven’t used him much in this regard in preseason. However, he has had a tackle for loss in the run game and has shown better recognition of his lane assignment as the preseason progressed. It would appear they’ve settled on six linebackers, with Williams playing the middle and Christian Jones and Kaseem Greene in backup roles outside.
DETROIT LIONS
–BATTLE OF THE WEEK: Fullback
The Lions will employ a fullback this season, and even though Montell Owens isn’t a traditional fullback, he and Jed Collins have been competing for the job. Owens was the starter in the first two exhibitions, but Collins started Friday. Owens is the superior special teams player, but Collins is familiar with the offense after spending the past four seasons in New Orleans with new offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi. With Owens suffering a head injury Friday, Collins likely has a distinct lead if only one of them makes the roster.
GREEN BAY PACKERS
–BATTLE OF THE WEEK: Backup outside linebackers.
Even though all-stars Clay Matthews and new 34-year-old Packer Julius Peppers are entrenched as the starters, the understudies at the position still stand to be involved on game day this season. General manager Ted Thompson, with input from head coach Mike McCarthy and defensive coordinator Dom Capers, has some tough decisions this week before setting the 53-man roster by Saturday for the start of the season.
Holdovers Nick Perry and Mike Neal, both high draft picks by the team in recent years (first and second round, respectively), are next in line on the depth chart. However, a bold move by Thompson to jettison one of those players wouldn’t be surprising – particularly with Perry, who has underachieved in an injury-marred first two years in the league.
Green Bay has some intriguing younger prospects at the position that would warrant a couple roster spots. Candidates include second-year holdovers Andy Mulumba and Nate Palmer and playmaking undrafted rookie Jayrone Elliott, who has a co-league-high four sacks in three preseason games. The Packers also invested a fourth-round draft pick this year in Carl Bradford, who seems ticketed to transition to inside linebacker at some point.
MINNESOTA VIKINGS
–BATTLE OF THE WEEK: No. 3 cornerback.
In today’s NFL, this basically is a starting position. That’s particularly true for a Vikings team that plays a combined six games a year against quarterbacks Aaron Rodgers, Jay Cutler and Matthew Stafford. The Vikings have two strong corners in rising star Xavier Rhodes and savvy young veteran Captain Munnerlyn. But they’re struggling mightily to find a reliable No. 3. They want it to be Josh Robinson, but a prolonged hamstring injury and a sloppy 42-yard pass interference penalty in the third preseason game is testing the coaching staff’s patience. Rookie seventh-round pick Jabari Price was the best newcomer in camp, but an arm injury sidelined him all of last week and in the third preseason game.
At this point, punt returner and scrappy little backup corner Marcus Sherels is the best and most healthy option as the nickel back. Sherels is a fighter who competes hard, but physically he’s too easily overmatched, especially in the NFC North. At this point, look for Price or Robinson to win the job unless the team goes outside the organization and brings another cornerback in. Shaun Prater, who had an interception late in Saturday’s game, is a long shot at this point.
ATLANTA FALCONS
–BATTLE OF THE WEEK: Backup linebacker.
Rookie linebacker Prince Shembo is close to landing the key backup linebacker spot after a fine showing against the Titans. He could be pushing Joplo Bartu for a starting role. Shembo, a fourth-round pick from Notre Dame, played some with the first-team defense along side Paul Worrilow. Shembo played 30 snaps and finished with six tackles against the Titans.
“I thought he looked very good out there,” Smith said. “I still think that we have our two starters in Paul (Worrilow) and Joplo (Bartu), but we needed to get Prince some work with Paul and we also have to get Prince some work with Joplo.”
CAROLINA PANTHERS
–BATTLE OF THE WEEK: Linebacker — A.J. Klein vs. Chase Blackburn.
Klein took over as the second starting outside linebacker after a back injury forced Blackburn out starting Aug. 13. But the 10-year veteran returned to practice Sunday, and Klein struggled in Friday’s preseason game against the Patriots.
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
–BATTLE OF THE WEEK: Kicker — Shayne Graham vs. Derek Dimke.
Sean Payton indicated Monday that this one will come down to the wire after both have been solid in preseason. Graham has nailed all four of his field-goal attempts and Dimke is 2-of-2. Graham is 4-of-5 on extra points with the miss being one of the experimental 33-yard kicks, while Dimke is perfect on all four of his PATs. Payton said both kickers will get extensive work on Tuesday in what may be a kick-off for the job and that he hopes to see both get plenty of opportunities in Thursday night’s exhibition finale to determine the winner.
TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS
–BATTLE OF THE WEEK: Defensive line — Defensive end/tackle Da’Quan Bowers vs. DE Larry English.
Bowers has missed the past two preseason games with a groin injury. English was signed after being released by the Chargers in July. English was the 16th overall pick in 2009. He played outside linebacker in the Chargers’ 3-4 scheme but will be a 4-3 defensive end for the Bucs.
“We’ve noticed him,” coach Lovie Smith said after the game. “Last week in practice, we thought he took steps each day. We have good competition with a few players for some of those last positions on our team.”
English had two sacks in Saturday’s 24-14 win over the Bills.
ARIZONA CARDINALS
–BATTLE OF THE WEEK: Left guard.
Ted Larsen has moved from center to left guard, where he is starting ahead of Jonathan Cooper. Cooper replaced Lyle Sendlein at center when Sendlein was hurt and did an acceptable job. With Cooper hobbled with a turf toe, Earl Watford got a chance to earn the job. He was not ready for it, apparently, so coaches have moved Larsen over. Larsen could start there until Cooper returns to health. The seventh overall pick in 2013, Cooper likely will become the regular starter when he recovers enough to practice regularly.
ST. LOUIS RAMS
–BATTLE OF THE WEEK: Cornerback.
No, it is not rookie defensive end Michael Sam vs. versatile defensive lineman and undrafted rookie Ethan Westbrooks. They are battling for one of the last spots on the roster.
The duel for starting cornerback is more important.
With Trumaine Johnson expected to miss anywhere from two to four games, the question is who will start opposite Janoris Jenkins and who will be first off the bench in the nickel. Brandon McGee appears to have the edge to start, with rookie Lamarcus Joyner challenging him in the slot and possibly seeing some time on the edge. However, McGee has missed the last two games and remained out of practice Monday. In addition, rookies E.J. Gaines, Greg Reid and Marcus Roberson will likely see a lot of time in the preseason finale.
SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS
–BATTLE OF THE WEEK: No. 3 running back.
After the 49ers lost Kendall Hunter for the season with an ACL and with Marcus Lattimore to the Reserve/NFI list, Alfonso Smith and Glenn Winston remain in the hunt for the final running back spot. It is unclear if the 49ers will keep three or four running backs.
Winston had a breakout performance against the San Diego Chargers Sunday, rushing for 58 yards on eight carries and a touchdown. Smith hasn’t been as effective in the running game, but has been a contributor on special teams where he has a history dating back to his four seasons with the Arizona Cardinals.
Winston was kicked out of the Michigan State program in 2009 after two separate jail sentences stemming from alleged fights. He went on to play at Northwood University in 2013, rushing for 175 times for 717 yards and nine touchdowns. At 6’2″ and 220 pounds, Winston is the physical back the 49ers typically covet, and appears to have some upside as a runner. But it remains to be seen if he can play special teams and earn a spot on the roster.
SEATTLE SEAHAWKS
–BATTLE OF THE WEEK: Backup wide receiver/
The fight for the final one or two receiver spots remains uncertain as the Seahawks head into the final week of the preseason. Four seem locks at receiver — Percy Harvin, Doug Baldwin, Jermaine Kearse and 2014 second-rounder Paul Richardson. The team also won’t cut fourth-round pick Kevin Norwood, though he has not played in the preseason due to a foot issue that required surgery. It’s unclear what his status will be.
Fighting for the other one or two spots appear to be veterans Ricardo Lockette, Bryan Walters and Phil Bates. Lockette has emerged as a special teams demon since returning to Seattle last season, which might secure him a spot. Walters also had a good game against San Diego two weeks ago as a kickoff and punt returner, but missed the Chicago game with bruised ribs. He should be back this week and another good outing could also make him a tough one to cut. Bates was an early camp standout but has not produced much in games.
–Frank Cooney, founder and publisher of The Sports Xchange and NFLDraftScout.com, covered the NFL and the draft since the 1960s and is a selector for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
