Training Camp Thursday - Khalil Mack - Branden Oliver - Jake Schum - Joe Licata - John Kling - Steven Means - Josh Thomas - Kristjan Sokoli

Branden Oliver - San Diego

Everything that made UB fans love Branden Oliver has given him a place in the hearts of the San Diego Chargers. Now that BO is back from injury he is already working hard to get on the field this season.

Mailbag: Rookie Camp Recap and Brandon Oliver's Role | San Diego Chargers
here is a small taste of what RB Coach Ollie Wilson had to say about Oliver:

"We missed Branden because he is a consistent player.  He wears (defenses) down.  He is strong.  You see a pile and think the ball is stopped, and then you see him come out of it drive it back for a few more yards.  His lower body is really strong, and he has great balance.  When guys hit him, they think he’s down, but he’s not because he’s so strong and plays with a lot of leverage.  We missed him last year, and it’s been good to have him back out there.  He’s smart, and he’s still learning the game. He is going to have a big role for us this year."lKhaliu

Khalil Mack - Oakland

The retirement of Rob Charles Woodson has pushed Khalil Mack into taking over a "leadership role" on the Oakland Raiders defense.

Khalil Mack: Raiders defense can be as good as Broncos one day | Shutdown Corner - Yahoo Sports
SDC: Is a lot of that because you have lost two respected veterans on defense in Tuck and Woodson? Does taking that kind of role come naturally to you?

Mack: It might not come naturally, but I am doing my best to be that guy, to be like [Tuck and Woodson]. I watched them go to work. I saw how they did things, the little things, the everyday things. That’s how I need to be. I might have my own style, my own way of doing things, but I can go about my business the same way those guys did and still accomplish what I want to accomplish and help this team out.

Jake Schum - Tampa Bay

No Punting competition updates but Schum is in a heated contest to be named Tampa Bay's most attractive Male Athlete

Joe Licata - Cincinnati

ICYMI Joe beat out Matt Johnson in Cincinnati.

Cincinnati Bengals Sign Joe Licata and waive Matt Johnson - Bull Run
A weekend in Cincinnati was long enough for UB's Joe Licata to turn a tryout into a contract. The former Buffalo Bulls Quarterback displaced Matt Johnson as the fourth Bengal in camp. Licata becomes the thrid member of this past season's class to sign an NFL contract along with tight end Matt Weiser (San Diego Chargers) and lineman John Kling (Chicago Bears)

John Kling - Chicago

The bears SBNation Blog, "Windy City Grid Iron", reached out and picked David Brand's brain about their new massive lineman.

Five Questions With Bull Run about John Kling - Windy City Gridiron
Today we're talking with J. David Brand (@jdavidbrand), Manager of Bull Run, the SB Nation site that covers the University of Buffalo. You can follow them on Twitter @UBBullRun. We asked Brand some questions about Bears' undrafted free agent, offensive tackle John Kling, aka Kling Kong.

Steven Means - Philadelphia

Means is in a dog fight with Alex McCalister trying to secure the third DE spot.

Eagles' OTA practice notes: Wendell Smallwood shines | PhillyVoice
To note, rookie third-round pick Isaac Seumalo will miss a chunk of OTAs because his college (Oregon State) runs on the quarters system. • The Eagles' first-, second-, and third-team defenses looked like this:

Josh Thomas - Dallas

Dallas did not get good results out of their corners last season. There is room for a veteran like Thomas to earn a spot with a solid OTA and preseason performance.

Dallas Cowboys roster breakdown: Lots of questions on defense - Dallas Cowboys Blog- ESPN
Orlando Scandrick, Brandon Carr, Barry Church, Byron Jones, Morris Claiborne, J.J. Wilcox, Jeff Heath, Deji Olatoye, Terrance Mitchell, Josh Thomas, Anthony Brown, Kavon Frazier, Brandon McGee, Arjen Colquhoun, Jeremiah McKinnon, Rolan Milligan Cowboys cornerbacks produced two interceptions last year. That must change and the Cowboys hope the offense’s ability to score points will force the opposition to throw more and lead to more takeaways.

Kristjan Sokoli - Seattle

Sokoli is competing for two spots. He's mentioned in the race for center though I find it more likely he ends up a guard.

Brandon Browner’s Role, Dodgeball, O-Line Size and More in This Week’s Seahawks Q&A | Seattle Seahawks
ou can never rule anything out with this coaching staff, but I’d be pretty surprised if Glowinski didn’t stay at guard. For starters, the Seahawks have a lot of players already competing at center with Patrick Lewis trying to keep his starting role and Justin Britt, Joey Hunt and Kristjan Sokoli all battling to take it from him.