Skip to main content
Advertising

Training Camp Buzz: Fitz impressed by Kyler Murray

The 2019 regular season is just around the corner, and NFL Network has you covered with wall-to-wall training camp coverage each day starting at 10 a.m. ET. Follow along here for some of the best sights, sounds and buzzy moments from "Inside Training Camp Live".

»In his 16-year career, receiver Larry Fitzgerald has seen a lot of offensive evolution. From journeymen like Brian Hoyer and Josh McCown to established names like Kurt Warner and Carson Palmer, Fitzgerald has had the opportunity to field passes from players all across the spectrum.

And all of those experiences lead him to 2019 where he will take on the challenge of playing with No. 1 overall pick Kyler Murray, the 20th QB Fitzgerald has played with.

He's been asked several times during the offseason about how Murray looks and, during Sunday's edition of Inside Training Camp Live, Fitz was asked once again by one of his former QBs (Warner) how Murray looks. His reply is a real eye-opener.

"I've never seen a quarterback come in so quickly and be able to command an offense," Fitzgerald told Warner. "I mean, from Day 1, he's out there checking the different plays, sliding the line, different protections, getting us in screens when blitzes are coming. His understanding of the offense is crazy.

"I think that's going to give us a great advantage, to play fast from the first preseason game all the way to the start of the regular season and giving him the keys to the car and letting him is going to be great for us."

Brace yourselves, Cards fan; the good times could start rolling real soon.

»Sam Darnold is not a talker.

That's fine, except communication is indispensable to his position. The New York Jets quarterback has thus looked to get out of his comfort zone going into Year 2 in order to ... be more comfortable.

It starts with telling his play-caller, in this instance Jets head coach Adam Gase, which plays he likes most and which ones he could do without. Darnold acknowledged during an interview on Inside Training Camp Live that he didn't always speak up last year when he didn't understand the intricacies of a given play with former OC Jeremy Bates.

Darnold said his process to absorb a new offense has been more collaborative this offseason, adding that because he now has a better idea of how to learn an offense, he's grown more confident in making plays.

"I think I'm learning from those mistakes that I really made last year in meetings and being a lot more vocal that way," Darnold said. "It starts with being comfortable, and I think I'm definitely getting there."

The next step for young franchise quarterback has been connecting with and leading his teammates. A lot of that work is also done off the field. While New York added a few key weapons this year (see: Le'Veon Bell, Jamison Crowder), the locker room is far less of a transition for Darnold than it was a year ago as a rookie out of USC. So a bigger initiative this year has involved exercising his voice.

"You got to know what makes guys click. Sometimes you got to know what lights a fire under someone," Darnold said. "Me, I like being called out in front of everyone because I want to prove to everyone that I can do it. But some guys you might want to go 1-on-1 ... because if you call them out in front of the team they might get a little shell-shocked and they might respond to it in a different way. So you just got to get to know guys."

»After a busy Sunday, New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley took the time to thank the fans as Week 1 wraps up.

»All eyes are on the quarterback competition in Washington, but few are fixed on the wide receiver room, where one under-the-radar pass-catcher is making a name for himself in the slot.

Second-year star and former Mr. Irrelevent Trey Quinn is becoming quite relevent at Redskins camp, where coach Jay Gruden has already pegged him for a starting role.

Asked on Sunday to assess the receiver position, Gruden rattled off compliments for all of his wideouts including newcomer Terry McLaurin and youngster Cam Sims, but reserved this comment of confidence for Quinn: "Trey Quinn's got the inside spot pretty much locked down."  

In his rookie season, Quinn played in three games, starting in two, and caught nine balls for 75 yards and a score. If Gruden's late-July assessment means anything, Quinn's production should increase come September.

»So, is it safe to say the Kansas City Chiefs have something great in Patrick Mahomes? The guy can provide highlights for days.

»Things are heating up in the Great Kicker Battle of Bourbonnais.

After a spring of futility, the Bears' kickers are enjoying a hot run of late. Per multiple reports, Elliott Fry and Eddy Pineiro both went 7-of-8 on Saturday and Sunday, respectively, with both booters hitting from distance.

Fry hit a 60-yard field goal on Saturday, while Pineiro hit a 63-yarder on Sunday, the latter kick inspiring chants of "Eddy!" from onlooking Bears supporters.

An Augusta-silent spring has given way to an Augusta-roaring summer in the league's most important position battle.

» Sometimes the best news is no news but not for the Dallas Cowboys as they continue to wait out Ezekiel Elliott. NFL Network reporter Jane Slater provided the latest update on the Cowboys star, who no-showed Day 1 of training camp.

» It seems almost obligatory to mention what's going on at QB when including any news about the Redskins, and Sunday was no exception.

During his appearance on Inside Training Camp Live, head coach Jay Gruden provided his latest take on the progression of first-round pick Dwyane Haskins.

"Every day he's going to get better and better. Just more comfortable with the offense," Gruden said. "It's one thing knowing what you're calling but seeing it and actually practicing it, he's getting better and better."

Gruden also spoke on whether or not he feels Haskins has demonstrated that he can compete at this level.

"I think he's proven that he can play quarterback in the NFL, it's just a matter of when and when will he be ready and that's something that we'll have to decide here over the next couple of weeks and months."

» Who said training camp has to be all walkthroughs and non-contact drills? It may not be a gameday Sunday but that's not stopping the New York Jets.

»LeSean McCoy and Frank Gore know practically all the ins and outs of camp so it makes sense that their participation would be scaled down in favor of helping rookie back Devin Singletary take in his first camp.

This article has been reproduced in a new format and may be missing content or contain faulty links. Please use the Contact Us link in our site footer to report an issue.

Related Content