NFL Training Camp 2020 – Lamar Jackson Returns; Le’Veon Bell jokes about Sam Darnold

08/25/2020 Business


4:05 PM ET

  • ESPN staff

The safety of Baltimore Ravens Chuck Clark spoke for the first time since his exchange with fellow safety Earl Thomas. It has been such a big story that hardly any observant reigning MVP Lamar Jackson came back to practice after missing the past two sessions with an injured body.

Elsewhere in the NFL, the Miami Dolphins revealed their plans to allow 13,000 fans at every home game, and Le’Veon Bell revealed his plan to keep Jets QB Sam Darnold healthy.

Here’s what you need to know about camps in the league before August 24:

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Ravens’ Chuck Clark ‘Forward’ After Exchange With Earl Thomas The safety of Baltimore Ravens Chuck Clark declined to comment on last week’s exchange with Earl Thomas, which led to the seven-time Pro Bowl player being released on Sunday. Clark was punched by Thomas towards the end of Friday’s practice after the two words on the sidelines alternated over a blown cover by Thomas, sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter. “Right now, as a team and an organization, we are moving forward,” Clark said Monday in his first words since the incident.


Dolphins, University of Miami to let fans home openers; plan considered ‘risky’ The Miami Dolphins will allow up to 13,000 social distance fans to attend their home opener against Buffalo on Sept. 20, a decision that divides political leaders and makes Bills coach Sean McDermott upset. The same plan will be followed for the University of Miami football opener against UAB at the Dolphins’ stadium on Sept. Crowd size will be about 20% of the stadium’s capacity of 65,326 seats, with the restriction imposed due to the coronavirus pandemic. Groups of spectators will be 6 feet apart.


Jets Le’Veon Bell praises Sam Darnold but says QB should stay healthy, so ‘no bars’ New York Jets running back Le’Veon Bell yelled at Sam Darnold, praising the quarterback’s improved command over the playbook and huddle. After a short pause, Bell smiled. “We just have to make sure he stays healthy,” Bell said Monday with a smile on his face. “I said to him, ‘No bars.'”

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What our NFL Nation reporters saw and heard today

Reigning NFL MVP Lamar Jackson returned to the Baltimore Ravens practice after missing the previous two days with a reading injury. He was not particularly sharp and threw the ball in his first practice since Friday, but he ran well. It was noted that Jackson did not step on long runs. “He looked good,” coach John Harbaugh said. “He had a good practice. We are moving forward.” – Jamison Hensley

The practices of Dallas Cowboys are mostly silent. Music only plays during what Mike McCarthy calls the ‘television timeouts’, between sessions. In the past, music has been a constant in Jason Garrett’s practices to help players get used to what games will be and bring some energy to training. “I think there’s a place for music. I think even more than every year I’m coached in this league, this is probably a year for not very much music,” McCarthy said. “Right now it looks like we’ll be playing our first game without fans. What I’ve always done is try to keep your training environment as close to the game situation as possible. The influx of music for me, in practice you “I’ve had a purpose in the past. So if crime plays out on the road, we’ll have music in their periods for the communicative challenge and things like that.” – Todd Archer

Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints’ starting offensive Monday had by far their best performance, including two TD passes to Michael Thomas to go a perfect 2-for-2 in simulated two-minute drills at the end of the practice. Brees also completed two 40-plus-yard passes through the air to Emmanuel Sanders and Tre’Quan Smith during full-team drills, among other highlights. Brees and Sanders had their best connection on Monday, and it would have been even better if Sanders had kept to a dive catch on another downfield pass. – Mike Triplett

New York Giants coach Joe Judge continues to ride hard with his team. This time it was a 2 1/2 hour padded exercise in the 90-plus heat on Monday. Judge even advised the group and had some choice words for them (almost all explosives) prior to the last few periods. He wanted to make sure they knew the ‘speed and emphasis of the drill’ they were about to make. Afterwards, Judge said his team worked hard and finished with intensity. This is what he asks of his players in training camp. It is next level of the previous regimes, and only time will tell if it pays dividend. – Jordan Raanan

A Las Vegas Raiders official said the team switched from padded practices with viewing media to closed walkthroughs on Sunday and Monday was not related to COVID-19 concerns, despite a lab in New Jersey showing 77 “false positive” results produced which affected 11 teams, which changed practice schedule. The Raiders use, as with all other NFL teams, the same company, BioReference, for testing. But the lab where the Raiders’ samples go is in Burbank, California, and there were no reports of irregularities or problems. The Raiders will now practice on Tuesday and Wednesday, which was originally a planned day. – Paul Gutierrez

Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones set a 2020 goal to be the NFL’s defensive player of the year. “That’s something I’ve always done throughout my career is set my standards high,” Jones said. “If I’m the best player in the league, I’m obviously doing well for my team and helping my team be one of the defenders in the league.” Jones has come earlier to deliver on his high goals for preseason. He predicted in 2018 he would lead the league in sacks. He did not finish, but finished third with 15.5. – Adam Teicher

Washington quarterback Dwayne Haskins had a strong day in the two-minute drill, and came to a long touchdown pass to Terry McLaurin. Coach Ron Rivera liked how Haskins handled the drill, took what was available to start and then became more aggressive as they moved the ball. He saved their time-outs and when he got outside coverage man vs. man. McLaurin got, he shot at. “He’s in a fun job,” Rivera said. “It’s about making the right play. He made a bundle of the right plays today.” Haskins has taken all the first team rehearsals during training camp; as long as he does his job and looks good, no one will beat him. – John Keim

Denver Broncos coach Vic Fangio said after Monday’s practice that the team has had more “soft tissue” injuries over the last eight days of practice than it had in all OTAs, training camp and preseason games combined. The Broncos had 11 players missing Monday’s practice alone with several of them including wide receivers KJ Hamler, Tim Patrick and Juwann Winfree, linebacker Todd Davis and cornerbacks De’Vante Bausby and Michael Ojemudia to deal with defensive tackle Mike Purcell each holding from practice due to hamstring, groin, thigh or calf injuries. Fangio said Monday’s workout was also originally outlined as a padded practice, but he changed it to see more on a brisk walk instead. – Jeff Legwold

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