The offseason ended for six teams this week. The rest of the league will be wrapped up seven days from now. Next stop: Training camp.
Mandatory minicamps provide a window into how coaches view their depth charts, but we'd be wary of drawing too many conclusions from non-tackling practices. This is the time of year teams prefer to be out of the news. No injuries. No arrests. No drama.
For the most part, teams accomplished those goals this week. But there were still plenty of takeaways from the six mandatory minicamps and 26 teams holding OTAs. Here's what you need to know:
- Chip Kelly called Evan Mathis' bluff, officially releasing the Pro Bowl guard on Friday. Mathis essentially complained until he got booted off the team, a risky strategy. There aren't many teams out there that will be ready to give $5.5 million to a 34-year-old guard at this stage of the offseason.
- Reggie Bush is taking snaps ahead of Carlos Hyde in 49ers camp. That's something for fantasy leaguers to keep an eye on.
- Another fantasy nugget: There is concern in Detroit about Joique Bell's readiness for the season coming off knee and Achilles injuries. Rookie Ameer Abdullah has been turning heads in Bell's absence.
- Some good news for the 49ers following all their retirements. The old NaVorro Bowmanappears to be back.
- The Broncos have settled on rookie second-round pick Ty Sambrailo as their starting left tackle. All of Denver's line decisions are made with an eye on the running game. Peyton Manning is expected to be under center far more often this season, and the team is using half its practice snaps on the run game, according to NFL Media's Albert Breer. Manning is used to a 70-30 practice snap split in favor of the pass.
- The Broncos haven't been able to practice with Demaryius Thomas, one of the four unsigned franchise players around the league. NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport reported this week Thomas won't show up for training camp without a new contract.
- Adrian Peterson is not expected to get carries in the preseason, and our own Marc Sessler got the scoop from Vikings running back coach Kirby Wilson that Peterson's workload is likely to decrease.
- The Patriots signed Matt Flynn as Jimmy Garoppolo insurance this week. If Flynn steps on the field in the regular season, things have gone horribly wrong for New England.
- Brandon Spikes' return to New England was short-lived. The run-stuffing linebacker might not be able to find work because of his limited skill set.
- New England also got rid of tight end Tim Wright, who was traded to the team last season as part of the Logan Mankins deal. Now Wright can be Mankins' teammate; his old team in Tampa claimed him off waivers.
- Oakland QB Derek Carr's nagging finger injury is a thing of the past.
- Tarvaris Jacksonis back in Seattle as the most underrated backup quarterback in the league. (Ducks.)
- Corey Liuget, one of the best parts of a largely facelessChargers defense, is going to be in San Diego for a while.
- Carson Palmer looked all the way back from his torn ACL at Arizona's mandatory minicamp. He's officially "ahead of schedule." NFL Media's Alex Flanagan lauded John Brown's skills and chemistry with Palmer at practices.
- We're going to use our last nugget to point you to a great article from Chris Wesseling explaining why Jeremy Hill and the Bengals offense is better than you think.
The latest Around The NFL Podcast welcomes Jeff Darlington to discuss minicamp stories, and Conor Orr calls in for the debut of a new segment. Find more Around The NFL content on NFL NOW.
