WR Jaron Brown turned heads this preseason with Arizona. (Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports)
After somehow being overlooked in all that micro-analysis that goes into the NFL draft, there are free-agent rookies who go to camp every year and become the surprise of summer alongside lightly regarded veterans still looking that one last chance.
And 2014 is no different, with several undrafted rookies making a splash and, more importantly, making the roster side by side with a few veterans whose chances of playing this season also seemed slim back in the spring.
Among rookies, wide receiver Corey Washington out of little Newberry College overcame the most rejection this year. He was signed and cut by the Arizona Cardinals, then went to the New York Giants and became the preseason leader in receptions (10), receiving yards (155) and touchdowns receiving (3).
Other undrafted rookies who were pleasant surprises in NFC training camps were Dallas cornerback Tyler Patmon (Oklahoma State), Green Bay outside linebacker Jayrone Ellis (Toledo) and Seattle’s Brock Coyle (Montana), a former ski racer from Bozeman, Montana who is now the backup middle linebacker for the defending Super Bowl champions.
Several veterans also took full advantage of every day they had in training camp, most notably offensive tackle Jonathan Martin, who last year was the controversial central figure in Miami’s bullying incident.
This summer he worked his way from a questionable player to the No. backup tackle for the San Francisco 49ers, in line to start this week if Anthony Davis is sidelined by an injury.
In New Orleans, running back Mark Ingram, a former first-round draftee who wasn’t offered a contract extension heading into his fifth season, had his best training camp, giving ample reason for the team to reconsider his contractual status.
Here is a closer look as the Surprises of Summer from all NFC training camps, as reported by correspondents covering each team for The Sports Xchange (teams listed in alphabetical order within each division):
NFC EAST
DALLAS COWBOYS
–SURPRISE OF SUMMER: Cornerback Tyler Patmon.
A rookie free agent from Oklahoma State, Patmon not only played well enough to make the roster, but is a possible nickel cornerback with Orlando Scandrick suspended for the first four games of the season.
Patmon opened of eyes in the preseason game against Miami with a forced fumble, an interception and an interception returned for a touchdown. He played so well that the Cowboys released disappointing cornerback B. W. Webb, a fourth-round pick of a year ago.
NEW YORK GIANTS
–SURPRISE OF SUMMER: Wide receiver Corey Washington.
Washington was originally signed this year by the Arizona Cardinals as an undrafted rookie out of little Newberry College. When the Cardinals cut him, the Giants quickly signed Washington.
At 6-4, 214 he was the biggest receiver on the Giants roster. But he began playing even bigger than his size, much as he did at Newberry, where he caught 95 passes for 1,615 yards and 22 touchdowns. He first showed his big play ability at North Charleston (S.C.) High School, where 19 of his 33 catches were for touchdowns.
He showed all of that in preseason, including a 73-yard, game-deciding touchdown against Buffalo.
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
–SURPRISE OF SUMMER: Linebacker Travis Long.
Long was a highly-regarded pass-rushing linebacker at Washington State, but tore his ACL in the next to last game of his college career. He wasn’t drafted and signed in July 2013 with the Eagles. After spending last season on the practice squad, Long had a solid 2014 training camp and preseason. He has cross-trained as both an inside and outside linebacker and is an asset on special team.
WASHINGTON REDSKINS
–SURPRISE OF SUMMER: Wide receiver Ryan Grant.
A fifth-round draft choice from Tulane, Grant has not only been steady in practice, but he led the Redskins with 14 catches for 165 yards and two touchdowns in the four preseason games. With Leonard Hankerson still sidelined following knee surgery, Grant figures to join 35-year-old Santana Moss as the leading wideouts behind starters Pierre Garcon and DeSean Jackson.
NFC NORTH
CHICAGO BEARS
–SURPRISE OF SUMMER: Offensive tackle Mike Ola.
A former CFL player, Ola didn’t even start for Montreal much of the time when Marc Trestman was head coach there. But with the Bears, Ola stepped into a crowded backup O-line picture when Jordan Mills was recovering from foot surgery and kept a hold on the starting right tackle spot through training camp and preseason.
He will give up the spot now to Mills. Ola displayed quick feet, which helped make up for a lack of arm length in his blocking on the edge. When Mills was healthy earlier in preseason, Ola showed enough at other positions to prove he can play guard or even left tackle. The Bears seem to have built up some solid depth on the offensive line with Eben Britton and now with Ola.
DETROIT LIONS
–SURPRISE OF SUMMER: Defensive end George Johnson.
When Johnson was signed in April, the Lions told him he would be a “camp body” and was needed to fill in for Jason Jones and Ziggy Ansah as they recovered from injuries.
But after leading all defensive linemen with nine tackles and 2 1/2 sacks in the preseason, Johnson made himself a lock for the 53-man roster. Johnson spent time with Tampa Bay and Minnesota since going undrafted in 2010. When the Vikings cut him last October, he was 285 pounds and felt sluggish. He came to Detroit at 260 pounds and now looks like the No. 4 defensive end entering the season.
GREEN BAY PACKERS
–SURPRISE OF SUMMER: Outside linebacker Jayrone Elliott.
The undrafted rookie was buried among the nine outside linebackers on the team’s initial depth chart after the first week of training camp. The next three weeks brought Elliott a fitting nickname of “Sack Master” from teammates and a likely spot on the season-opening roster.
The converted defensive end from Toledo finished his meteoric preseason in style with an early sack at the expense of Kansas City Chiefs regular right tackle Donald Stephenson in the Packers’ exhibition finale Thursday night. That secured the 6-foot-3, 255-pound Elliott’s No. 1 ranking in the league for sacks this preseason with five. Elliott joins a group of rookie free agents at outside linebacker who bucked the long odds in August to earn a roster spot with the team in recent years — following Frank Zombo (2010), Vic So’oto (2011), Dezman Moses (2012) and Andy Mulumba (2013).
MINNESOTA VIKINGS
–SURPRISE OF SUMMER: Wide receiver Adam Thielen.
Thielen is an example of the good that comes from spending a year on an NFL practice squad. A year ago, he was a raw Division III prospect from Minnesota State Mankato.
A year on the practice squad increased his football intelligence and reshaped his body into a stronger, faster version of what the Vikings originally saw in him. From OTAs to minicamp, training camp and the preseason, Thielen was the one player everyone talked about. He not only secured a spot on the 53-man roster as an extra receiver, he also surprised a lot of people as a quality punt returner who can back up Marcus Sherels.
NFC SOUTH
ATLANTA FALCONS
–SURPRISE OF SUMMER: Defensive end Malliciah Goodman.
The Falcons entered training camp not sure about where their pass-rush would come from. They needed one of their young defensive ends to step forward with some improved play. Goodman, a second-year player, did just that. He will be a major part of the defensive line rotation and be expected to rush the passer.
CAROLINA PANTHERS
–SURPRISE OF SUMMER: Receiver Kelvin Benjamin.
Calling a first-round draft pick a surprise would usually be a reach, but no one expected Benjamin to play as well as he did this summer.
The rookie was supposed to be raw, with suspect hands, and questionable route running ability. Instead, he was often the best player on the field, rarely dropped a pass, and ran solid routes. Benjamin quickly became quarterback Cam Newton’s No. 1 option, and the two could have a dynamic future ahead in Carolina.
But as good Benjamin was, the regular season will provide much tougher tests. He never faced much press coverage or double teams in practice or during the preseason, but the more he produces, the more defenses will scheme to take him out of a game.
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
— SURPRISE OF SUMMER: Running back Mark Ingram.
The four-year veteran is in a contract year after the Saints declined to exercise their fifth-year option on the former first-round draft pick. So in training camp and the preseason he ran like a man trying to prove he deserves a big contract.
Running with power and aggressiveness, Ingram was the team’s leading rusher with 156 yards and a 7.1 average on just 22 carries. He had a long run of 22 yards, which went for a touchdown. Ingram had eight carries for 83 yards in the preseason opener at St. Louis and looks to be the ball carrier the Saints thought they were getting when they moved up into the first round of the 2011 draft to nab the former Heisman Trophy winner.
He was plagued by injuries in his first three seasons. He could be the main man in Sean Payton’s backfield-by-committee system, but will split carries with Pierre Thomas, Khiry Robinson and Travaris Cadet.
TAMPA BAY BUCANNEERS
–SURPRISE OF SUMMER: Kicker Patrick Murray.
The Bucs made a bold move, cutting veteran Connor Barth in favor of Murray, an undrafted free agent from Fordham who won the job based on his toughness and versality. He was an All-America punter and placekicker at Fordham two years ago.
Barth was attempting to make a comeback after missing 2013 with a torn Achilles in his right (kicking) leg. Both kickers were 2-for-2 in field-goal attempts in the preseason. Murray, 23, was among the first players signed after coach Lovie Smith was hired in January. Murray said he was watching a movie — “Lone Survivor” — when he received a call from Smith on Friday informing him he won the job.
NFC WEST
ARIZONA CARDINALS
–SURPRISE OF SUMMER: Wide receiver Jaron Brown.
Brown contributed on special teams last year as a rookie, but had a breakout offseason as a pass catcher. He caught everything thrown his way and made big plays against cornerbacks Patrick Peterson and Antonio Cromartie in practice.
Brown could be the team’s third or fourth receiver, depending upon the opponent. He’s fast, physical and at 6-2, big enough to come down with contested passes.
ST. LOUIS RAMS
–SURPRISE OF SUMMER: Wide receiver Brian Quick.
There were high expectations that a light would come on for Quick in his third season, but no one knew how it would develop in training camp. While he still must prove he can be productive when the regular season begins, Quick played with much more confidence, and became a consistent downfield threat. He had five catches for 88 yards (17.6-yard average) and a touchdown in his three preseason games, while also drawing a pass-interference penalty.
SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS
–SURPRISE OF SUMMER: Offensive tackle Jonathan Martin.
When Martin came to the 49ers in the offseason, it was written off as Jim Harbaugh reaching out to a troubled young man whom he had coached in college. Then Martin was routinely knocked backward — sometimes on his back — during summer drills and it appeared only a matter of time before the coach would have cut him loose.
But Martin, who was still overcoming a bout with mono when training camp opened, demonstrating that he has potential to be a starter in the NFL. He likely will be the first man off the bench if either starting tackle — Joe Staley or Anthony Davis — is injured or needs a break. And Davis may not be ready for the season opener.
SEATTLE SEAHAWKS
–SURPRISE OF SUMMER: Linebacker Brock Coyle.
Coyle came to camp as a little-known undrafted free agent from Montana. He finished camp considered a lock to make the team as a backup middle linebacker after starting the first three preseason games in place of the injured Bobby Wagner.
Wagner is now healthy and will start. But Coyle appears to have won a spot and a role as a special teamer.
–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.
