Best of Monday at NFL training camps: Trevor Lawrence struggles as defense allowed more freedom

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4:48 PM ET

  • ESPN staff

On the first Monday of 2021 NFL training camps, the Indianapolis Colts received bad news regarding a foot injury to quarterback Carson Wentz, who will miss anywhere from a month to three months after surgery.

Meanwhile, another quarterback, the top pick in the draft, got a big dose of NFL reality as the defense was allowed more freedom.

The news was less grim around the rest of the league as many teams held open practices for fans to attend, including in Green Bay, Houston, New York and Pittsburgh.

But it would be hard to beat the watch party in Tampa, as the Bucs players all gathered to see cornerback Ross Cockrell‘s sister Anna make the Olympic finals in the 400-meter hurdles.

News should be brisk on Tuesday with several teams slated for their first padded practices.

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

Jump to the best of the day:
Photos | Videos | Quotes

What our NFL Nation reporters saw today

Rough start for rookie Trevor Lawrence on the first day the Jaguars’ defense was allowed to play press coverage and go after throws. Lawrence went 1 for 6 with two interceptions and had a pass batted down at the line of scrimmage in the first 11-on-11 session. On one of the interceptions seemed to be a miscommunication because Lawrence threw deep and there was no receiver close to the ball. He rebounded in 7 on 7 and another 11-on-11 session and completed 12-of-14. “As a football player you’re not going to always have your best day.” said running back Travis Etienne Jr., Lawrence’s teammate at Clemson. “That’s why we come out here and work each and every day. It’s better to have those days now than have them later in the season.” — Michael DiRocco

Rookie cornerback Jaycee Horn continued to show why he was the eighth overall pick. He had two interceptions, giving him three in the last two practices. Horn also is, as coach Matt Rhule noted, “grabbing and holding way too much.” But Rhule’s focus Monday was more on the “really disappointing” performance of his offense in terms of interceptions, wrong routes, false starts, fumbles and missed assignments. Starting quarterback Sam Darnold had two picks. Top receiver DJ Moore had a fumble. A handful of linemen had to run laps after false starts, including two on consecutive plays. — David Newton

First-round pick Caleb Farley made his practice debut. He looked quick and out of his backpedal. Farley spent a lot of time with veteran CB Jackrabbit Jenkins during the special teams portion of practice. They worked on defending at the catch point, disrupting WR releases and more. He was posted next to DB coach Anthony Midget during team periods. Mike Vrabel joked that Farley wrote two rap songs that he and the players liked. Vrabel says his progression is coming along well. — Turron Davenport

Patriots rookie skits took place and Mac Jones’ impersonation of Cam Newton had some veterans in stitches. Jones used a suitcase as a prop and arrived dressed as Cam. “This is my fifth year in the league; that’s probably the best rookie impersonation I’ve ever seen,” LB Raekwon McMillan said. — Mike Reiss

Coordinator Eric Bieniemy was not happy with offensive execution in Monday’s practice, the first after a day off at training camp. Patrick Mahomes, who threw just one interception in the first four days at camp, threw three on Monday, all by linebackers. “Sometimes you have good days, sometimes the guys on the other side have good days,” Bieniemy said. “We did not have a very good day. … We’ll coach it up on tape and just clean it up.” — Adam Teicher

With DeVonta Smith sidelined for multiple weeks with a knee sprain, there’s opportunity for receivers lower on the depth chart to make their mark. Second-year wideout Quez Watkins took advantage Monday by hauling in a long touchdown pass from Jalen Hurts, showing off that 4.35-second 40-yard dash speed. He added another TD later in the session. Watkins, a sixth-round pick out of Southern Miss, has a chance to not only make the team but work his way into the rotation if he keeps it up. — Tim McManus

Defensive end Carl Lawson continued his torrid training camp, generating considerable pressure from the edge. The entire defensive line won the day, with John Franklin-Myers and Ronnie Blair recording “sacks” on rookie quarterback Zach Wilson. The Jets believe their defensive line could be a force once Quinnen Williams returns in a couple of weeks from his broken foot. “I expect it to be damn good,” said defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins, a former first-round pick of the Saints. — Rich Cimini

It’s way too early to overhype Jameis Winston’s performance in camp. But he had his most impressive practice session yet Monday, on a day where there was a much heavier volume of passing plays in full-team drills than the three previous practices. The highlight was a deep completion to WR Marquez Callaway, who made a great extension to snag the ball with his fingertips. But Winston was also good on a variety of throws, including two strikes to RB Alvin Kamara in team drills and 7-on-7 work. — Mike Triplett

Top NFL news of the day

Colts’ Wentz to have surgery, out 5-12 weeks
Indianapolis Colts quarterback Carson Wentz will undergo surgery Monday on his injured foot and be sidelined approximately 5 to 12 weeks, coach Frank Reich announced. Reich said it’s an old injury, possibly from high school, and a broken bone came loose in Wentz’s foot. Wentz felt a “twinge in his foot” when he rolled out and planted to throw late in last Thursday’s practice, offensive coordinator Marcus Brady said Friday. Reich said Jacob Eason will continue to receive first-ream reps in practice with Wentz sidelined.

Sources: Eagles WR Smith set to miss 2-3 weeks
Eagles rookie wide receiver DeVonta Smith is expected to miss two to three weeks with a sprained MCL, sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Monday. Smith underwent an MRI on Sunday that revealed the knee injury. The Eagles are not expressing much concern about Smith, who is listed as week to week on the team’s injury report, painting his absence from practice as precautionary.

Bucs CB pairs sister’s Games run with 3-INT day
Just before practice Monday morning, the Buccaneers gathered in a large auditorium beneath a giant screen to watch the third 400-meter hurdles semifinal. In rain-soaked heat, Anna Cockrell emerged to overtake Viktorija Tkachuk and finish in second place with a time of 54.17 seconds, clinching a spot in the final in her first Olympic Games. “She gutted it out at the end,” said Bucs cornerback Ross Cockrell, Annas brother. “My heart was pounding through my chest.” It was the same come-from-behind magic she had at the Olympic trials, where she went from fifth to third in the final turn for a personal-best 53.70. Not to be outdone, Ross Cockrell, who has bounced between cornerback and safety due to injuries to the Buccaneers’ safeties, followed with a strong practice in which he posted three interceptions.

More:

Best NFL videos

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0:49

Bears QB Nick Foles praises Colts coach Frank Reich but stresses he has yet to have been approached about a trade.

Best NFL photos

NFL quotes of the day

“The job is Jacob’s right now. He has to prove it, he knows that. Jacob’s in the driver’s seat.”

Colts coach Frank Reich on Jacob Eason

“Y’all got me crying in the village dining hall!”

Olympic hurdler Anna Cockrell after watching the Bucs watch her semifinal

“I just feel like we’re going to have guys miss games. There are so many cases going on right now. We’re going to have guys miss some games and we have to be prepared for it.”

Vikings coach Mike Zimmer on COVID

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