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Latest updates from NFL training camp: Chiefs already preparing for Lamar Jackson

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Aug 4, 2024, 01:20 PM ET

The NFL’s 2024 training camp is in full swing. ESPN’s NFL reporters will be found at each location throughout camp and will provide information on position battles, notable appearances from new faces, compelling quotes from coaches and players and updates on injuries and holdout situations.

We will have updates every day of camp to keep you informed on all the latest. Here’s what you need to know from camps across the league:

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What our NFL Nation reporters saw today

NFC EAST

Micah Parsons‘ elbow soreness did not seem to be an issue Saturday. The linebacker did not do one-on-one pass rush drills but was a menace in team drills, working mostly on the line of scrimmage.

It was his most active practice of training camp and was similar to last year, when he wrecked a number of practices for the offense. He had at least three would-be sacks, including one where he was unblocked because of the look the defense gave the offensive line. He was in quarterback Dak Prescott‘s face a lot.

How happy was Parsons? He urged on the crowd to cheer before a few plays. After he playfully wrestled with cornerback Trevon Diggs, lifting him over his shoulders and ”slamming” him to the ground before getting the crowd to count to three for the pin. — Todd Archer

(Last update: Aug. 3)

After a few rough days and practices, quarterback Daniel Jones and the Giants offense got back on track Thursday. Jones connected on a pair of deep balls for touchdowns, one to Malik Nabers and the other to Jalin Hyatt. The problem for Jones had been underthrowing balls deep down field at the start of camp. Offensive coordinator Mike Kafka didn’t think it had to do with Jones’ recovery from a torn ACL in his right knee last year. Instead, he attributed it to timing and familiarity.

Still, they were going to keep throwing them. It was almost as if coach Brian Daboll knew it would only be a matter of time. Practice makes perfect. He said before Thursday’s improved performance: “Time on task. Keep working on them. We’ll get ’em!”

They did on this day, leaving a much better taste in the mouths of the team’s offensive players than from earlier this week. — Jordan Raanan

(Last update: Aug. 1)

Rookie receiver Johnny Wilson has pushed his way into the competition for the No. 3 wide receiver spot. The 6-foot-6, 228-pound Florida State product has been getting work with the starters the last couple of practices. Wilson, a sixth-round pick, has drawn some targets from Jalen Hurts in the red zone, where he can use his size to his advantage. “I put in some work in the offseason with Jalen and some of the other guys, just building up those reps and that connection with everybody,” Wilson said. “It’s been great getting some of those first-team reps and I’m just trying to keep on building day in, day out.” Wilson is in the mix along with Britain Covey and veterans John Ross and Parris Campbell. Coaches have hinted in recent days that wide receiver 3 duties could be shared by multiple players, with playing time tied in part to matchups. — Tim McManus

(Last update: Aug. 4)

Washington signed defensive tackle Taylor Stallworth to provide more depth during training camp, a nod in part to how the team feels it needs to handle second-round rookie Johnny Newton. He did not practice Sunday (after being limited Friday) as he recovers from May surgery on his left foot. Coach Dan Quinn said it’s a case of “load management” as some days Newton will do more, then taper off the next. Quinn also said they want to limit the wear and tear on defensive tackle Jon Allen, entering his eighth season. Washington might need more help at right tackle as well with starter Andrew Wylie limited again Sunday due to tightness in an unspecified area. A backup, Alex Akingbulu is dealing with an unspecified injury as well. That forced the Commanders to use backup guard Mason Brooks as their No. 2 right tackle in practice Sunday. — John Keim

(Last update: Aug. 4)

NFC NORTH

Caleb Williams was perfect in the Bears’ sole 7-on-7 period Tuesday, connecting with tight end Gerald Everett, wide receiver Keenan Allen, running back D’Andre Swift and a go-ball touchdown to wideout DJ Moore, which saw the veteran wide receiver chuck up the deuces to cornerback Tyrique Stevenson who trailed him as he crossed into the end zone.

The team periods were much shakier for Williams and the first-team offense, and saw the rookie QB complete only one pass and throw an interception. Williams rebounded in the two-minute drill when he found fellow rookie Rome Odunze for a touchdown and connected with the No. 9 draft pick on a 2-point play to end practice.

“You felt a little lull in there,” coach Matt Eberflus said about the offense’s execution during 11-on-11. “The defense was running pretty hot all day. But we had a little lull in there. We’re making some big plays on offense and we’re not having any passion and playing the game the right way. So, we talked about that with those guys and then they finished right.” — Courtney Cronin

(Last update: July 30)

Friday’s practice was run in a scrimmage format, including officials, as coach Dan Campbell wanted to see players compete in a more formal setting. During the action, the offense executed some slick plays, which included WR Amon-Ra St. Brown pitching the ball to RB Jahmyr Gibbs and QB Jared Goff being targeted for a pass. Gibbs would score a couple of touchdowns in front of the fans in attendance. Kicker Jake Bates struggled, though, missing seven field goals and extra points combined.

Following practice, Aidan Hutchinson spent time with 13-year-old Max Robertson, who has Down syndrome, as part of his Hutch’s Heroes program, where he connects with children with disabilities. Hutchinson posed for photos and signed autographs as they danced and hit “The Griddy” together. Robertson, who lives in Plymouth, Michigan, was joined by his parents, Scott and Kristi, as well as his 9-year-old sister, Zoe.

“That’s what it’s all about,” Hutchinson told ESPN. “…Very inspiring.” — Eric Woodyard

(Last update: Aug. 2)

The revolving door at right tackle is about to come to an end. The next time the Packers are on the practice field, Zach Tom will be back at his familiar spot. Tom has not taken a single 11-on-11 rep in training camp while recovering from offseason surgery to repair a torn pectoral muscle. To date, he had been limited to only individual drills. In his absence, the Packers have tried Andre Dillard, Kadeem Telfort and Caleb Jones at that spot.

“It’s tough on the O-line right now,” Packers coach Matt LaFleur said.

And it has been tough for Tom to watch, especially during Saturday night’s practice inside Lambeau Field in front of 60,887 for the team’s annual Family Night.

“Tonight was probably the toughest practice to miss, just not being out there,” Tom said after the practice. “It will be nice to get back out there next week.”

LaFleur also said tight end Tucker Kraft, who suffered a similar torn pectoral this offseason, will return to individual drills next week. — Rob Demovsky

(Last update: Aug. 3)

Rookie defensive tackle Levi Drake Rodriguez got some run with the first-team defense Friday, in part because starter Jonathan Bullard was taking a veteran’s rest day. But Rodriguez, a seventh-round pick from Texas A&M-Commerce, has also caught the eye of defensive coordinator Brian Flores early in camp.

“I think he’s done a lot of good things,” Flores said Saturday. “I think he’s picked up the playbook quickly. I think he’s full of energy. I think he’s got some athletic ability. It’s still early, but we’re trying to put him in as many situations as possible to see what roles might fit him best. We’re really doing that for everybody, but the young guys especially. It’s their first training camp. You don’t really know from a capacity standpoint how much they can handle early on. So you start with a small role and then try to build on that.”

Bullard, Harrison Phillips and free agent signee Jerry Tillery had previously gotten most of the first-team defensive line reps during camp, with veterans Jonah Williams and Jaquelin Roy working with the second team. Rodriguez’s recent work isn’t necessarily a sign that he’s shot past them on the depth chart, but the interest from coaches is real. — Kevin Seifert

(Last update: Aug. 3)

NFC SOUTH

Things ramped up for the Falcons physically for the first time Friday night in an open practice in front of fans at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. That can certainly be seen as a positive given that pads went on earlier this week. But there were some perilous moments for a team that has been incredibly lucky when it comes to injuries thus far.

Quarterback Kirk Cousins got knocked down when the second-team pass rush pushed back the offensive line into him on one play. Cousins was fine. He completed the pass to tight end Kyle Pitts and got right back up. But that has to make Atlanta coaches hold their collective breath, considering Cousins is coming back from a torn Achilles.

Also Friday night, safety DeMarcco Hellams crushed wide receiver Ray-Ray McCloud III on a Cousins completion, jarring the ball loose. Wide receiver Drake London and running back Tyler Allgeier took umbrage. McCloud was fine, but that might have been a bit too violent for this juncture of the preseason. — Marc Raimondi

(Last update: Aug. 2)

Quarterback Bryce Young finished strong with an off-schedule throw that he turned into a one-yard touchdown pass to rookie right end Ja’Tavion Sanders, who made an amazing, twisting catch in tight coverage. This came after a slow start for the offense that had coach Dave Canales call the entire team together for a talk. But the concern afterward was for first-round pick Xavier Legette, who left practice with a lower leg injury. Canales said it was not related to the hamstring injury that kept the wide receiver out of the June minicamp and limited him during OTAs. More to come on that, but Legette already was off to a slow start in camp. He has been working mostly with the second-team offense behind Diontae Johnson, Adam Thielen and Jonathan Mingo, and at times Terrace Marshall Jr. His injury is something to keep an eye on. — David Newton

(Last update: Aug. 4)

Quarterback Derek Carr was sharp in 11-on-11 drills despite not having wide receiver Rashid Shaheed, who was out with a hamstring issue. Carr’s best throw of the day was a deep pass to Chris Olave for a touchdown despite pressure from both Isaiah Foskey and Payton Turner. In the next set of 11-on-11 drills, Carr had another deep completion to Olave and then followed that with a touchdown pass to running back Alvin Kamara. He also kept the ball himself in a red zone situation and ran in for a touchdown before emphatically throwing the ball into the other field in celebration.

The Saints were also missing cornerback Marshon Lattimore, linebacker Demario Davis and running back Kendre Miller, among others. Defensive end Cameron Jordan had a rest day, while defensive tackle Bryan Bresee returned to full participation. — Katherine Terrell

(Last update: Aug. 3)

Bucs starting cornerback Jamel Dean notched his second interception this week off quarterback Baker Mayfield. Dean said he has been trying to catch 50 passes a day with the Jugs machine as interceptions have been a key point of emphasis. Coach Todd Bowles said after practice, “Whatever he’s doing, he needs to keep doing it.” Dean joked of Bowles, “He gives me crap all of the time. It’s never good enough. It’s hard to make the guy proud, man.” — Jenna Laine

(Last update: Aug. 2)

NFC WEST

Running back James Conner put on a show for the fans at the Cardinals’ annual red and white practice. In 11-on-11, without tackling, he had hard run after hard run, showcasing a variety of inside and outside moves. He didn’t seem to miss a beat running behind an interior of an offensive line that has been reshaped all week after center Hjalte Froholdt went down with a left leg injury Tuesday. Since then, Arizona has used both Evan Brown and Jon Gaines II at center and Elijah Wilkinson, Isaiah Adams and Gaines at left guard. — Josh Weinfuss

(Last update: Aug. 3)

The Rams wrapped up training camp at Loyola Marymount University on Saturday and will hold a joint practice at the Los Angeles Chargers‘ facility on Sunday. But while the Rams were planning to move to their new facility in Woodland Hills next week, they are pivoting and going back to their previous facility at California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks, California.

“The most important thing was making sure that when we do move into Woodland Hills, our players have everything that they need so that it doesn’t take away from our preparation,” Rams head coach Sean McVay said.

The plan is for the move to happen when the team travels to Houston in two and half weeks for their joint practice and preseason game with the Texans. The Rams will also hold a joint practice with the Cowboys in Oxnard, California, as well as a second joint practice with the Chargers. — Sarah Barshop

(Last update: Aug. 3)

One of the big questions facing the 49ers is how they will replace Arik Armstead on the interior of the defensive line. The team traded for Maliek Collins and signed Jordan Elliott and Yetur Gross-Matos in hopes that they could adequately do the job. While all have had their moments in this camp, Saturday belonged to Elliott, who repeatedly gave the Niners’ offensive line fits. Elliott had multiple sacks in team drills and had an impressive showing in one-on-one pass-rush drills.

“Elliott is so explosive, he’s so powerful and he’s got some movement too,” defensive coordinator Nick Sorensen said.

Collins is the favorite to start inside next to Javon Hargrave but Elliott looks like he will have a prominent role this season. — Nick Wagoner

(Last update: Aug. 3)

Byron Murphy II has started to make his presence felt at Seahawks practice now that shoulder pads are on and contact is allowed.

The rookie defensive tackle chosen No. 16 overall in April’s draft has been one of the two most consistently impressive players in the one-on-one pass-rush drill, along with left tackle Charles Cross. Murphy has been displaying the ability to dominate blockers with strength or with quickness, and he did that again Saturday. In his first rep, Murphy overpowered an undrafted rookie with a bull rush, then used a fast get-off to blow past him on the next rep.

“He’s the guy that we thought he was,” coach Mike Macdonald said. “Again, let’s not crown him yet, but he’s on the way. He’s a force in there and I think the guys see it. I’m pleased with his effort. The guy brings it every day. Again, he’s a rookie. There’s things that we want to attack, but he’s a savvy football player, he knows what he’s doing out there, he’s not lost, he plays fast, plays rugged. So I think the future is bright for Mr. Murphy.” — Brady Henderson

(Last update: Aug. 3)

AFC EAST

The Bills held the team’s annual practice at the stadium and it started with quarterback Josh Allen continuing his tradition of wearing a unique Bills helmet, this time a black one with a red buffalo on it.

With running back Ty Johnson sidelined by a hamstring injury, rookie Ray Davis has stood out, including a big run toward the beginning of practice, but he did lose the ball at the end of the play. Davis has overall taken advantage of the extra opportunity with Johnson hurt. The defense, even with depth at safety remaining a concern, again had a nice practice. Nickel corner Taron Johnson made a play and picked off Allen when wide receiver Curtis Samuel failed to come down with a ball. The Bills are continuing to try a variety of wide receivers with the first-team offense, including Tyrell Shavers and KJ Hamler, and the battle for that final receiver spot will continue to be one to watch.

Both Von Miller and Matt Milano did not take part in team drills during the night practice. Offensive lineman La’el Collins did not participate as he is dealing with a knee injury and is day-to-day. Fifth-round pick Edefuan Ulofoshio left practice early with an injury. — Alaina Getzenberg

(Last update: Aug. 2)

After Saturday’s practice, Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa commented on the wobbly nature of the high-top table he stood at during his news conference. I joked with him that, after he inked a $212 million extension last week, I knew someone who could afford to get it fixed. Tagovailoa took the joke in stride and said, “So do I — where’s Tyreek?”

The comment was more foreshadowing than anyone in attendance knew at the time, as Tyreek Hill was on the precipice of agreeing to a restructured contract worth $90 million over the next three years. No new years were added to Hill’s original deal with Miami, but the increase in fully guaranteed money (now $104.6 million over the total length of the original contract) is the most for a wide receiver in NFL history.

Hill has publicly stated his desire for an upgraded contract this offseason but insisted he didn’t want to be traded or do anything that hampered Miami’s financial flexibility. So he gets a record amount of guaranteed money, while the Dolphins keep their star happy without resetting the market — a win-win.

The Dolphins now have the core of their league-leading passing attack locked in for the foreseeable future, with Hill, Tagovailoa and Jaylen Waddle each inking extensions this offseason. — Marcel Louis-Jacques

(Last update: Aug. 3)

Patriots coach Jerod Mayo had said early in training camp that the defense is almost always ahead of the offense. Before Saturday’s practice, he acknowledged he might have been guilty of a false start.

“I kind of spoke too soon,” Mayo said. “The offense, the last couple days, they’ve done well. I challenged our defense on that.”

The D seemed to answer Mayo’s challenge Saturday, intercepting two passes (safety Jaylinn Hawkins and cornerback Alex Austin) and raising its level of play from the prior two days. The offense still made its share of plays — tight end Hunter Henry and receiver K.J. Osborn were two top performers — but this was mostly a day the D answered back. — Mike Reiss

(Last update: Aug. 3)

It took eight practices, but the Jets finally got their starting offensive line on the field at the same time — a rare circumstance for this team. Right tackle Morgan Moses, who underwent pectoral surgery after the season, made his debut and took most of the starting reps, making the line whole.

Some perspective: A year ago, the starting five wasn’t together until Week 1, which will go down in infamy because of Aaron Rodgers‘ Achilles injury on the fourth snap. The lack of cohesion up front was painfully obvious.

This time, the line should be able to develop chemistry in the coming weeks, although there will be limitations. Moses, left tackle Tyron Smith and right guard Alijah Vera-Tucker have pitch counts, meaning their reps will be monitored. Still, it’s better than nothing.

For his part, Moses, 33, said he experienced “pregame jitters” before his first practice, adding that Smith calmed him down. Asked what it’s like working with Rodgers, Moses said, “He makes our IQs rise.” — Rich Cimini

(Last update: Aug. 2)

AFC NORTH

The highlight of the Ravens’ situational intrasquad scrimmage was the connection between quarterback Lamar Jackson and wide receiver Rashod Bateman. Jackson completed four passes to Bateman for 61 yards.

There have been times over the past three years when Jackson and Bateman have had miscommunications. But on the final practice of Week 2 of camp, Bateman was able to get deep for a 24-yard pass and then made a contested 24-yard grab over the middle to convert a third-and-12.

In five drives, Jackson finished 10-of-16 (62.5%) for 108 yards, delivering some big plays but struggled to finish off drives. The only touchdown for the first-team offense was a 3-yard touchdown pass from Jackson to tight end Mark Andrews.

After the fourth drive stalled on an incomplete pass to running back Justice Hill, Jackson took off his helmet and angrily threw it down while standing in the middle of the field. The NFL officials, who are visiting camp, threw a flag on Jackson. — Jamison Hensley

(Last update: Aug. 3)

On Thursday, Joe Burrow said he wanted his deep ball to be better. On Friday, Burrow threw two pretty good ones. Toward the end of practice, Burrow found WR Charlie Jones down the right sideline on a go ball. Jones withstood contact from rookie cornerback Josh Newton and made the grab. Then, Burrow found Shedrick Jackson on a scramble drill for another deep ball. Pushing the ball downfield is something the Bengals need to improve on after last season. When Burrow was at his healthiest, he was 24th in the league last year in air yards per attempt, according to ESPN Stats & Information. Cincinnati knows it has to create more opportunities for explosive passing plays. — Ben Baby

(Last update: Aug. 2)

Running back D’Onta Foreman is doing “better,” coach Kevin Stefanski said, after Foreman took a blow to the head that resulted in neck pain and led to him being immobilized and transported to a medical center for further evaluation.

Foreman rejoined the Browns late Thursday after X-rays and CT scans returned negative.

Foreman did not participate in the team’s final practice at The Greenbrier Resort in West Virginia and Stefanski did not provide a timeline for Foreman’s return to the field.

Meanwhile, quarterback Deshaun Watson had a scheduled off day to rest his throwing shoulder. Watson, who is returning from season-ending surgery, threw in the team’s first six training camp practices. Watson will throw on Sunday, Stefanski said.

And wide receiver Elijah Moore left practice early to be evaluated for a concussion.

The Browns are off Saturday and will hold their first practice at their facility in Berea, Ohio, on Sunday. — Daniel Oyefusi

(Last update: Aug. 2)

Rookie undrafted free agent Beanie Bishop Jr. continued his strong training camp with a pick-six during team drills on Saturday. It was easily one of the best defensive plays of camp. As he blitzed Justin Fields, Bishop adjusted to jump the route on a screen pass and snagged the ball for what would’ve been a sure-thing score in a game.

“When I get my hands on the ball, I try to make the most of it and go right back to defense and try to make another play,” Bishop said. “You know what I mean? So I want to get it into the end zone, so whenever I touch it, just get it, a one-man-job type deal.”

Bishop’s interception was part of a strong practice for the defense. Thomas Graham Jr. also intercepted Kyle Allen during “seven shots” for the defensive back’s second interception of camp. And the Steelers defense soundly won the padless “seven shots” drill 5-2 after being blanked 7-0 the night before during the team’s annual Friday Night Lights practice.

“He’s a guy that’s eager to learn,” safety Minkah Fitzpatrick said of Bishop. “He’s not a guy that you got to chase down to get extra work in, extra film in. … He’s trying to get better any way that he can. And when you see a guy like that, there’s the type of guy that I like to play with.” — Brooke Pryor

(Last update: Aug. 3)

AFC SOUTH

The Texans’ offense had a solid day. The unit flashed moments of what they could be with moderate gains through the air and ground. To end practice, the offense had a two-minute drill session that started at its own 25. Quarterback C.J. Stroud completed 8 of 10 passes and got the team inside the 10 with three seconds left but couldn’t punch it in. But overall, the unit marched down the field in that drill. This came after the offense sputtered for a third team period. So, to finish the day with some effectiveness is a good end to a solid day. — DJ Bien-Aime

(Last update: July 30)

Rookie pass rusher Laiatu Latu dominated at times in practice, a workout that was highlighted by a clutch sack on Anthony Richardson in a 2-minute period and another near-sack that forced an intentional grounding.

Latu has been steadily making his bid for extensive playing time on the Colts’ veteran defensive line with consistently impactful performances throughout camp. On Friday, he had an earlier play where he corralled Richardson on a read-option play as the quarterback attempted to get outside.

Latu’s presence is forcing Richardson to think twice on run plays.

“You can’t just pull the ball expecting to get outside as easily as it should be,” Richardson said. “He’s a great player, great young player and he keeps me honest.” — Stephen Holder

(Last update: Aug. 2)

Three starters along the offensive line are dealing with injuries: Left tackle Cam Robinson (shoulder), left guard Ezra Cleveland (leg) and right tackle Anton Harrison (concussion). Robinson was the only one of the three to practice on Sunday, and he was limited. Cleveland, who was injured on Saturday, did work off to the side along with backup guard/center Cooper Hodges, so none of the injuries at this point appear to be serious.

But with more than a month before the Sept. 8 season opener in Miami, center Mitch Morse prefers to have a positive outlook with the new lineup because it can only help during the season.

“Rarely are you going to have those five work together from the start of camp through the end of February or whenever your season ends,” said Morse, who signed a two-year, $10.5 million deal with the Jaguars this spring. “We have to understand that in games people might go down. There might be a switch-up of things. So, it actually is nice right now to have the confidence working with other dudes. See how they tick, see what their thought process is and vice versa.”

Injuries and suspensions resulted in the Jaguars having seven different OL combinations taking the field in 2023. Four players started multiple games at left guard, and three players started multiple games at left tackle. — Michael DiRocco

(Last update: Aug. 4)

Titans wide receiver Mason Kinsey had another good day of work. Kinsey continues to showcase his crisp route-running throughout practice. The third-year receiver especially stood out during one-on-ones. Kinsey made a couple of nice catches during team period as well. One of his catches resulted in a touchdown after he lost defensive back Gabe Jeudy-Lally in coverage. Kinsey dove into the end zone and did a salsa dance for the friends and family watching from a nearby tent. Kinsey has made a habit of celebrating. On Saturday he caught a touchdown pass and punted the ball over a fence, which drew a fake $17,000 fine letter from coach Brian Callahan. The touchdown, along with a diving catch for 30-plus yards, came on throws from Mason Rudolph. The two are developing a pretty cool connection. “Well, first off, he has a pretty cool name,” Rudolph joked after practice. — Turron Davenport

(Last update: Aug. 4)

AFC WEST

Coach Sean Payton tried to structure Saturday’s practice as close to a game situation as possible, including red zone and third-down situations to go with a full allotment of special teams. He even had the “get back” coach attempting to move players off the sideline.

“[There were] a lot of good things and a lot of things to clean up,” Payton said.

The Broncos largely escaped the affair injury free save for cornerback Levi Wallace, who is competing with Riley Moss and Damarri Mathis for the starting cornerback job opposite of Pat Surtain II. Wallace suffered a hamstring injury early on in the workout and did not participate in the bulk of the team drills. Wallace, who signed as a free agent in the offseason, was scheduled for a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) exam after practice.

“We’ll know the significance of it [later Saturday],” Payton said.

Moss and Mathis got most of the work with the starters following Wallace’s injury — Surtain was held out of most of the drills as a rest day. — Jeff Legwold

(Last update: Aug. 3)

The Chiefs began looking toward their Sept. 5 season opener against the Ravens in a portion of practice. Quarterback Chris Oladokun, playing with other reserve offensive players, mimicked Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson in a 10-play drill against the starting defense. Oladokun even wore a blue No. 8 jersey for a couple of plays before discarding it. He threw only four passes, with the other six plays being scrambles on what appeared to be designed runs, some of off play-action. Jackson was the Ravens’ leading rusher in last season’s AFC Championship Game against the Chiefs, running eight times for 54 yards. He threw for 272 yards and a touchdown, but also threw a costly interception in the end zone in the fourth quarter. — Adam Teicher

(Last update: Aug. 4)

If Gardner Minshew had an ever-so-slight lead in the Raiders’ QB competition against Aidan O’Connell entering Saturday evening’s intrasquad scrimmage, the veteran free agent might have started to put some distance in the race.

Minshew, who got the first reps with the first-team offense, threw a pair of touchdown passes, first hitting the speedy DJ Turner in the flat before Turner sprinted untouched from about midfield. Then, inside the 10-yard line, Minshew threaded the needle to Turner going across the middle of the end zone for the score. Minshew commanded the huddle well but in the two-minute drill, a quick pass to Tre Tucker went through Tucker’s hands and into the waiting arms of cornerback Jack Jones for an interception.

Meanwhile, O’Connell did not throw a TD pass but was picked off twice, once by safety Isaiah Pola-Mao and then by rookie cornerback M.J. Devonshire in the end zone on a jump ball to end the scrimmage. As Raiders owner Mark Davis said, “One day closer.” — Paul Gutierrez

(Last update: Aug. 3)

Life without Justin Herbert has been difficult for the offense but has made things easy for this defense. On Friday, practice ended with an interception for the third day in a row, and Chargers quarterbacks threw three picks, the most in a day so far in camp. The first pick came on an Easton Stick pass that was intercepted by CB Kristian Fulton, who is having a great camp.

The next was by linebacker Nick Niemann, who secured his first interception of camp off of a Max Duggan pass that was deflected by rookie CB Cam Hart. The final pick came from LB Troy Dye, intercepting Stick to end practice. On each interception, the defense ran to the end zone and celebrated with fans.

It wasn’t all bad for the offense; RB J.K. Dobbins was explosive and broke two long runs, and WR Ladd McConkey had a nice one-handed catch in 1-on-1 drills, but the defense already had the upper hand in camp. Without Herbert, its dominance has accelerated. — Kris Rhim

(Last update: Aug. 2)

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