Inside the NFC

Consistent pressure from LE Leonard Little is a given, but the Rams pass rush will go only as far as Anthony Hargrove takes it. If Hargrove can put up some sacks early in the season--and ultimately posts eight to 10 with a decent amount of quarterback pressures--opponents won't be able to focus on Little as much as they did in 2004. Hargrove has a quick first step and the athleticism and smarts to develop multiple moves. But he must learn to use his hands better and read his keys better. ... Hip surgery will sideline C Matt Birk for most of training camp, and it's not yet clear whether he will be healthy enough to start the regular season. Backup C Cory Withrow has performed well in spurts, but he can't match Birk's pulling skills. ... LE Michael Strahan (pectoral) is on target to be at full strength for training camp. The Giants' other ends don't have much experience, so the team needs Strahan to be at or near his usual level of dominance. ... Redskins RB Clinton Portis must improve on his yards-per-carry average of 3.8. The team needs to alter its attack so Portis has more opportunities to stretch the defense then cut back. But Portis also needs to use better judgment by not cutting back merely for the sake of cutting back. ... Anthony Adams (6-0, 300) lacks the ideal size for a nose tackle in the 49ers' new 3-4 scheme, but his relentless motor and athleticism make him a contender to start or at least get significant action. Veteran DT Bryant Young helped tutor Adams the past two seasons. ... WR Jerome Path0n is first in line to replace Koren Robinson, who was cut, in the Seahawks' lineup. Pathon has speed and experience, which would help make up for the loss of Robinson's explosiveness and run-after-the-catch ability. This could end up as a committee situation, with Joe Jurevicius and one or more of the team's unproven wideouts--Jerheme Urban, D.J. Hackett, Alex Bannister, Taco Wallace and Jason Willis--also getting some snaps. ... WLB Colby Bockwoldt has gained about 15 pounds of muscle and looks like a cinch to win a starting spot in the Saints' defense. Bockwoldt is smart, diligent and fast. He has impressed coaches with a no nonsense work ethic, but he is raw and inexperienced. He can be fooled by misdirection plays and play fakes. He also needs to master pursuit angles and coverage responsibilities, which take time and reps. ... Panthers DT Kris Jenkins showed up for June workouts at 355 pounds, about 20 over his ideal playing weight. Jenkins is a top run stuffer with good pass-rush skills, and he still has enough mobility with the extra weight. The big concern is his conditioning. The team wants Jenkins to play about 80 percent of the time. He is coming back from a shoulder injury, which caused him to miss most of last season.

A lean, mean practice-hogging machine

For the first time in his career, Brett Favre has hired a personal trainer, and he hopes working with that trainer will help him regain mobility. Favre looks leaner and should benefit from the increased flexibility, but when he arrives for camp he's going to need a lot of work. That's because he hasn't had to take part in a single team function since the end of the season and hasn't had to give football much thought. He typically likes to take a lot of practice snaps, and he might need more than usual to get himself ready, which isn't ideal when the club has to sort out a three-man competition among Aaron Rodgers, Craig Nall and J.T. O'Sullivan for the backup jobs.

Out in the open

The Cowboys love RB Julius Jones' ability to make defenders miss in the open field, and they want to take advantage of that by throwing to him more. Dallas would like Jones to average more than 8 yards per reception--he averaged only 6.4 on 17 catches last season--and could facilitate that by using him more on screens and outside routes that isolate him on linebackers and not simply as a safety valve.

'Runway' advisory

Bears CB Todd McMillon is nicknamed "Runway" because he has worked as a professional model. Here's another way the nickname works: Opposing receivers take off on him. McMillon, 30, is an aging veteran who lacks top speed and gives up big plays downfield. As the No. 4 corner, he could get significant playing time if the Bears lose a corner to injury. Because of his lack of burst, McMillon would be a liability if he had to play for extended stretches.

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