Training Camp Chronicle: Campbell, Shockey & Pac

Just about every team has reported to training camp this year, and some players will have more challanges than the others. One of those guys could be Redskins QB Jason Campbell, who has to learn the West Coast offense on the fly under new head coach Jim Zorn. ESPN's lead blogger and NFC East correspondent Matt Mosley told SprungOnSports how Campbell would do this season:
"How will Campbell do? I think he'll love playing in Zorn's system. It's the type of offense he played in his senior season at Auburn. And I don't believe that team lost a game."
They didn't, but they also had Ronnie Brown and Caddy Williams, but the point is his familiarity with the system; it wouldn't be foreign to him like offenses in previous years.
"Zorn has worked with Campbell on taking longer strides and getting lower in the pocket. I really think it's a nice match. So yes, it's tough to learn a bunch of new systems, but you can't use that as an excuse. This is a good system for Campbell."
I'll be looking forward to seeing him a week from Sunday in the Hall of Fame Game. I delved into the Jeremy Shockey trade on Tuesday, but the Football Scientist KC Joyner spoke to me about how Shockey upgrades the Saints offense:
"Shockey's YPAs weren't that much better than Eric Johnson's but Johnson has too many durability issues. Shockey will be an improvement on that front and his YPA should go up some under Payton, as Payton will use him a lot more as a flex TE."
As I also discussed on Tuesday, Shockey will be ideally utilized in head coach Sean Payton's system and will be able to stretch the field and cause more distractions. Despite Shockey's seemingly similar yards per average than Eric Johnson's, Shockey will cause more guys to defend him which will free up guys like Marques Colston and Reggie Bush. If Shockey can keep himself together, New Orleans got themselves a major piece.
The Dallas Cowboys open camp today with numerous question marks on both sides of the ball, but there isn't a question greater than the question of CB Adam "Pacman" Jones. If Jones is reinstated by comissioner Roger Goodell, he'll compete with Anthony Henry for a starting CB spot opposite Terrance Newman and will return punts and kicks. But his greatest obstacle to once again isn't a grueling training camp or a monster WR, it's the off the field temptations led by his chief vice the strip club. ESPN's Jeremy Green thinks that Jones will not only be there, but will excel at his position:
"I think he's going to make the team. He's going to be there. I think he'll stay out of trouble. I think he finally gets it. I think he has a chance to start. Dallas is now all of a sudden deep in the secondary. He's had a great offseason. I think he has a chance to be a starting corner and an impact player."
Matt Williamson described Jones as "Big time difference maker. Can be an elite CB. Great player. That secondary is amazing." But nobody questions Pacman's ability on the field, the major issue is whether he can control himself off it. For the Training Camp Chronicle, this is SprungOnSports...