Best of Friday at NFL training camps: How are Bryce Young, Sam Howell handling pass rush?

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After a significant mile marker of the NFL preseason was reached Thursday night when the Cleveland Browns defeated the New York Jets in the Hall of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio, teams were back at it on the training camp circuit Friday.

A three-game suspension for (and apology from) Saints running back Alvin Kamara and deals for NFL veterans Cameron Jordan and Marcedes Lewis were among the buzzed-about items, while the Atlanta Falcons sustained a worrying setback when cornerback Jeff Okudah was carted off the field with an ankle injury. Meanwhile in the realm of young quarterbacks seeking to fine-tune their skills, Bryce Young of the Carolina Panthers and Sam Howell of the Washington Commanders both got a frustrating taste of what NFL life can be like with shaky pressure up front.

With the Hall of Fame game now in the rear view, NFL depth charts figure to remain in flux ahead of the league’s next preseason matchups, just six days away. One of the teams with a key decision to make is the Houston Texans, which will need an answer at center after 2022 starter Scott Quessenberry was lost to injured reserve with a knee injury sustained Thursday. Houston opens the preseason Thursday at New England.

Here’s what you need to know from camps across the league.

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Saints RB Alvin Kamara suspended three games, talks Las Vegas fight at length for the first time

Kamara’s three-game suspension was handed down Friday, the same day the running back discussed the events that led to his league discipline. He pled no contest to a misdemeanor charge of breach of peace for his involvement in a Feb. 2022 altercation in Las Vegas, and remains subject to league discipline. Kamara apologized for the incident, saying, “I was completely wrong, embarrassed the Saints, embarrassed my family, my mother, embarrassed myself, embarrassed the city and the shield, obviously I embarrassed the NFL.”

Falcons CB Jeffrey Okudah carted off with ankle injury, awaits MRI

Okudah was injured during a one-on-one drill, and was on the ground for a minute or two before a cart came to the side of the field to take him back to the locker room. While he was on the cart, a trainer was holding Okudah’s right leg. “You really never know until you get an MRI,” Falcons coach Arthur Smith said of his status after practice. Atlanta obtained Okudah from the Detroit Lions in exchange for a fifth-round draft pick in April. The No. 3 overall pick in the 2020 NFL draft by the Lions, Okudah has missed 25 of a possible 50 games due to injury over his three-year NFL career.

Saints DE Cameron Jordan getting two-year, $27.5M extension

The Saints and Jordan agreed to a two-year, $27.5 million guaranteed contract extension that ties the franchise’s all-time sacks leader to New Orleans through the 2025 season, his agents, Doug Hendrickson and CJ LaBoy, told ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Friday. The 34-year-old Jordan’s new contract offers the most guarantees and average salary in NFL history for a defensive player his age.

Free agent TE Marcedes Lewis joins Bears

The NFL draft class of 2006 plays on. Lewis, the 39-year-old veteran tight end previously with the Packers (2018-22) and Jaguars (2006-17), agreed to a one-year deal with the Chicago Bears, he told ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Friday. It would be his 18th NFL season, which would break a tie with Jason Witten and Tony Gonzalez for the most ever played at the tight end position. Lewis has played in 251 career games, which ranks fifth among active players and 52nd all-time.

Texans C Scott Quessenberry placed on IR with torn ACL, MCL

The Texans placed Quessenberry on injured reserve after he tore his ACL and MCL during Thursday’s practice. He started 16 games for the Texans last season. Candidates to replace him in the lineup include second-round rookie Juice Scruggs (Penn State), sixth-round rookie Jarrett Patterson (Notre Dame) and offseason free acquisition Michael Deiter, who started eight games at center for the Miami Dolphins in 2021.

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What our NFL Nation reporters saw and heard on Friday

Kansas City Chiefs: The Chiefs have been in training camp for two weeks, and there’s been no change on their running back depth chart. Clyde Edwards-Helaire is still the starter while Isiah Pacheco — who took the job from Edwards-Helaire at midseason last year and helped the Chiefs to the Super Bowl championship — is limited in his participation after having hand and shoulder surgeries. With every passing day that Pacheco is withheld from contact drills, it increases the chance Edwards-Helaire will be the starter in the Sept. 7 regular season opener against the Lions. “Whatever I’ve been asked to do I’ve been doing it and it’s been going pretty smooth for me,” Edwards-Helaire said. “Whenever my number is called I know I’ll be there to do my job and do what I need to do as far as being on the field as a running back.” — Adam Teicher

Tennessee Titans: Titans rookie offensive lineman Peter Skoronski continues to get a baptism by fire against veterans Jeffery Simmons and Denico Autry. Skoronski and Autry had multiple battles in one-on-ones. The rookie held his own on quite a few reps. Those battles continued into the team period where Autry bull-rushed Skoronski into the backfield on one of the reps. “I’m really fortunate to face guys like that because it forces me to elevate my game,” Skoronski said after practice. Skoronski played tackle in college, but is playing left guard in training camp. He remained at guard Friday after the team released Jamarco Jones who was taking most of the first team reps. Veteran Chris Hubbard got the first-team reps at right tackle in place of Jones. — Turron Davenport

Carolina Panthers: Rookie quarterback Bryce Young was under more pressure than normal Friday, getting sacked (unofficially) four times and pressured out of the pocket a few more times. The defense was impressive, starting with a sack by Brian Burns. Equally impressive was Young didn’t throw an interception in team drills after having five straight days with one. So he’s not forcing anything. He finished 6-for-8 passing in team drills, including a touchdown to DJ Chark Jr. in a red zone drill. Chark is becoming one of Young’s favorite targets, particularly in the red zone. But the pressure did seem to frustrate Young — who seldom shows frustration — a bit. He spiked the ball on the ground hard after one. Perhaps the fact that right tackle Taylor Moton was absent because of a vet day played a role in the protection breakdowns. — David Newton

Philadelphia Eagles: Coach Nick Sirianni has been getting after his players at camp. On Friday, it was Jalen Hurts that got an earful. After a third-down QB run came short of the first-down marker during a two-minute drill, Hurts ran off the field instead of handing the ball to the referee to save time. Sirianni made it known it was on Hurts if the clock hit zero before they were able to get off a field goal attempt. Hurts offered an inaudible reply but quickly accepted responsibility, as shown by the push-ups he knocked out on the sideline a few beats later. Attention to detail has been a sticking point for Sirianni this summer, and as this interaction showed, no one is above criticism. — Tim McManus

Washington Commanders: Washington’s offense remains a big work in progress; it can be hard to accurately assess their progress while facing a defense that should rank among the NFL’s best. The Commanders’ offensive line, with new starters at four positions, has struggled to protect quarterback Sam Howell from arguably the league’s best front. On Friday, it was more of the same as the line applied consistent pressure on Howell. It leads to frustration — indeed, after one play, right guard Sam Cosmi body slammed defensive tackle Phidarian Mathis to the ground. Cosmi later said they’re not “taking crap” from anyone. The line has done fine in the run game, but in order for Howell to succeed they must start to mesh in protection. Last year’s group allowed pressure on 32.9 percent of the snaps — only six teams were worse. The new group can’t repeat that ineptitude. — John Keim

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This article was originally published by Espn.com. Read the original article here.
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