NFC

Sporting News, The, August 23, 1999

Arizona

O-LINE WOES: The offensive line is hurting the wake of injuries and the lingering pointless holdout by first-round pick L.J. Shelton. LG Chris Dishman is having arthroscopic surgery on his right elbow and will miss four to six weeks. To compensate, Matt Joyce, who had been the first-team left tackle, is being moved into Dishman's guard spot. Joyce has played guard in the past and will be serviceable. Anthony Clement whose rookie season was wiped out by surgery on a herniated disk, moves up to the starting spot at left tackle. A key to the early-season fortunes will ride with Clement's ability to hold up. He appears to be in good shape and has been dominating in drills, but he has had some stiffness and soreness between workouts. Losing him now would be disastrous.

NOT HAPPY: QB Jake Plummer is growing increasingly cranky over the offensive line situation. He needs to know that whomever succeeds Lomas Brown at left tackle has enough reps in practice to know what he's doing. Plummer also is not happy about Dishman's situation. Dishman had surgery on the same elbow 1% years ago and says it hasn't been the same since. Exams by orthopedic surgeons found "loose bodies" in the elbow, prompting Plummer to say that the procedure should have been done two months ago, and it should have been done right the first time. --Lee Shappell

Atlanta

MOVING UP: Backup QB Danny Kanell has picked up his pace after struggling the first week. Kanell, who was drafted by the Giants when Dan Reeves was coach, has a quick release and sees the field well. He had struggled picking up Atlanta's system after spending two years in Giants coach Jim Fassel's offense. Kanell has an above-average arm and good athleticism--he was a two-time draft choice in baseball. He's an improvement over last year's backup, Steve DeBerg, who was Kanell's quarterbacks coach during his rookie season in New York in '96.... The team signed CB Rod Smith and WR J.T. Thomas to one-year contracts. Smith could stick in a secondary that has been depleted by injuries. Thomas has tremendous speed and could help as a deep threat.

DECISION TIME: Second-year TE Rod Monroe, who spent part of last season on the team's practice squad, is forcing Reeves to make a tough decision. Monroe has been one of the biggest surprises in camp. Reeves expected to keep only three tight ends, and starter O.J. Santiago and second-round choice Reggie Kelly are locks to make the roster. That leaves Monroe and sixth-year man Brian Kozlowski, who's the most versatile tight end and also plays H-back. Kozlowski, who filled in for injured starting FB Bob Christian in the final regular-season game and playoffs last season, could be in trouble.... LB Whit Marshall will see action at deep snapper, which could be his best shot at making the team. Marshall is the No. 3 strongside linebacker and is baffling Adam Schreiber, Greg Bishop and Jeff Kelly for the snapping duties. --Mark Schlabach

Carolina

SHIFTING SPOTS: Last season, LB Mike Barrow set a frachise record with 158 tackles working as an inside linebacker in Dom Capers' 3-4 base defense. Now Barrow is playing weakside linebacker in the 4-3 favored by coach George Seifert and new defensive coordinator John Marshall. Barrow will play in space more, take on fewer blockers, and that should free him to use his speed and playmaking instincts to get to the ball and make more plays than ever The coaches are counting on it.... Minor injuries to WRs Muhsin Muhammad and Rae Carruth, the projected starters, left the door open for Patrick Jeffers, Iheanyi Uwaezuoke and Donald Hayes, who has been making strides in his baffle with Jeffers and Uwaezuoke to lay claim to the No. 3 spot Hayes has made impressive catches during camp but needs to be more consistent Jeffers has not looked great, so Hayes or Uwaezuoke could nudge him out for the third spot.

BACKUP BATTLE: The decision on who backs up FB William Floyd could come down to who is more effective on special teams, Chris Hetherington or Mike Dulaney. Hetherington seems to be more athletic with better mobility.... The team signed DB Ray McElroy to help offset injuries to rookie CB Tony Booth and FS Mike Minter. McElroy is working out at free safety behind Roderick Mullen for now.... Rookie Chris Terry is pushing Norberto Davidds-Garrido at right tackle. If Terry continues to progress as expected, he will open the regular season as the starter Nate Newton isn't in decent enough shape to make a run at RG Anthony Redmon, who has been solid. --Joe Menzer

Chicago

McNOWN'S MISTAKES: Cade McNown is taking increasing reps with the first unit But despite forecasts that he might have the biggest early impact of the top five QBs drafted in '99, he is going to make mistakes and big ones. His gambling instinct is causing him to throw too often late across the middle when plays break down and to throw back across the field off scrambles. The release of Erik Kramer looks increasingly ill-advised, because the falloff from Kramer to Shane Matthews or Jim Miller is huge. If McNown is not ready for opening day, it spells trouble. Simply put, the Bears will have trouble winning early, even though the first-month schedule doesn't feature a team that had a winning record in '98, unless McNown shows flair and restraint in handling the offense.