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AFC reports

Sporting News, The, August 30, 2004

BALTIMORE RAVENS WR Kevin Johnson has fit in with the team on the field and in the locker room. He appears to be QB Kyle Boller's favorite target after TE Todd Heap. Johnson lacks great speed but can help control a game with short and intermediate receptions and runs well after the catch. If he plays well early, Johnson could emerge as a much-needed leader for the offense.... Jarret Johnson will replace injured starting RE Marques Douglas (dislocated elbow) in the season opener. Johnson pursues well and will be a good fill-in. Douglas had been having a good camp. He has the quickness to penetrate and does a good job of coming up with big plays in short-yardage situations but lacks the bulk to be a full-time player. ON THE RISE: CB Gary Baxter doesn't get a lot of attention because he shares the secondary with two Pro Bowlers, CB Chris McAlister and SS Ed Reed, but he played at a high level last season. With McAlister holding out, the team has allowed Baxter to take more chances and be more aggressive in preseason games. Baxter is big and strong, fast enough to play press coverage and smart enough to sit in a zone. After bouncing between safety and corner for three years, Baxter will be able to focus solely on playing cornerback, which means he should be better than ever.--Mike Preston

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BUFFALO BILLS The running back battle between Travis Henry and Willis McGahee is intensifying. Henry reportedly said he wants to be traded if he isn't the starter, and there were reports that McGahee felt the same way, though he denied them. The team has no plans to move either. Depth is important at running back, which was underscored when Henry sustained a minor rib injury in the second preseason game.... LE Chris Kelsay has good quickness off the edge and has worked on counter moves against pass blockers. He has added more bulk and strength, which should help against the run. Kelsay is in a tight competition with Ryan Denney for the starting job.... In the latest offensive line shuffle, Lawrence Smith, who spent the last two years on the Ravens' practice squad, unseated Mike Pucillo at left guard. Smith has looked good pass blocking and in one-on-one matchups. PROBLEM SPOT: The Bills ranked 31st in punt returns last year and were inconsistent on kickoff returns. Antonio Brown, who held those duties most of 2003, could lose both jobs. WR Josh Reed opened the preseason as the No. 1 kickoff returner, and Terrence McGee had 85- and 34-yard kick returns in the second preseason game. CB Nate Clements has the inside track on handling punts, though the team would prefer not to use a starter there.--Allen Wilson

CINCINNATI BENGALS Three rookies--CB Madieu Williams, LB Caleb Miller and RB Chris Perry--have made rapid progress and will have an immediate impact. Williams' toughness, quickness and ball skills have made him the top backup to RCB Tory James. Miller (6-3, 225) is undersized, but he is aggressive and smart and will be a wrecking ball on special teams. He will back up MLB Nate Webster. Perry, RB Rudi Johnson's backup, is a strong inside runner and quick enough to get outside.... P Kyle Richardson is out for the season after tearing his left biceps attempting a tackle. Rookie Kyle Larson and ex-Viking Eddie Johnson will compete for the job. Larson is a better directional punter.... Levi Jones has become a dependable left tackle. Now he wants to match RT Willie Anderson as a Pro Bowl selection. Jones is a powerful run blocker and has the footwork, athleticism and strength to protect the blind side of QB Carson Palmer. SCOUTING REPORT: SS Rogers Beckett is physical and experienced. He's an ideal fit for the team's defense because he is a dangerous blitzer and a solid open-field tackler who has good size and speed. Beckett struggles in man coverage because he lacks the quickness to turn and run with fast receivers. He's best near the line, where he can get off blocks and navigate through traffic.--Chick Ludwig

CLEVELAND BROWNS The strongside linebacker spot could be a problem. Ben Taylor is instinctive and always around the ball, but he's not a punishing tackler. Chaun Thompson is faster and hits harder but is raw and hasn't shown he can handle game speed. Coach Butch Davis might play Thompson, a 2003 second-round pick, until he proves he can't handle the job.... Ss Earl Little and Robert Griffith were portrayed as run-stopping stiffs last year after Jamal Lewis and LaDainian Tomlinson ran for 700 total yards in three games against the Browns. Little and Griffith are better than given credit for, but they need to do a better job of wrapping up and finishing tackles. They shouldn't be asked to make so many plays this year, thanks to the the addition of WLB Warrick Holdman. Even incumbent starter Kevin Bentley says Holdman is better against the run. ON THE RISE: WR Frisman Jackson is undergoing an intensive grooming, partly because Quincy Morgan is in the final year of his contract but also because the team is intrigued by Jackson's potential. Though Morgan is known for his strength, CB Michael Lehan calls Jackson (6-3, 22) the most physical receiver on the team. The coaches regularly ride Jackson, a college quarterback, about his route precision, trying to get him to come out of his breaks more smoothly. Look for him to have a larger role under new coordinator Terry Robiskie. Jackson could be particularly effective on jump balls in the end zone.--Steve Doerschuk

AFC reports

Sporting News, The, August 30, 2004

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