Tavon Austin did not provide the degree of immediate impact the Rams were hoping for when they chose him eighth overall last year. In an AP story, Austin was bluntly honest about why he didn’t play as fast as he’s capable: he struggled with the complexities of his first NFL playbook. “I didn’t really know what was going on,” Austin said. “Everything looked like Spanish and sounded like Spanish to me.”
Here’s some NFC links:
- Giants running back David Wilson, recovered from neck surgery, announced on Twitter that he’s been cleared for full-contact action.
- Bears safety Chris Conte faces a training-camp battle for a starting position, but it’s unknown if he’s physically ready for the beginning of camp, writes the Chicago Tribune’s Rich Campbell. Conte had shoulder surgery in late March, at which time the team said he would need four to five months to recover.
- Bears second-year right tackle Jordan Mills has hired Drew Rosenhaus as his contract adviser, according to Yahoo Sports reporter and legal analyst Rand Getlin.
- Buccaneers free agent acquisition Evan Dietrich-Smith has just one year as a full-time starter under his belt, but “the Bucs see him as an anchor on their offensive line,” says ESPN’s Pat Yasinkas in a post listing the team’s top five newcomers. “At 28, Dietrich-Smith may be just entering his prime.”
- Jeremy Ross was a pleasant surprise for the Lions last season, especially on special teams, says MLive.com’s Kyle Meinke. With him and Ryan Broyles expected to have spots on the roster behind Calvin Johnson and Golden Tate, that leaves fifth-rounder T.J. Jones, Corey Fuller and veterans Kris Durham and Kevin Ogletree battling for one or two spots.
- This season is make-or-break for Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett, writes ESPNDallas.com’s Todd Archer.