NFL News and Notes: Training Camps Open Edition. Peyton Manning Tops Tim Tebow

The Giants will start with a few players on the PUP list.

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The Buffalo Bills quick hit

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Here’s a quick recap of the Packers first day of training camp

Five players failed physicals and can’t practice until they pass. “They are: LBs Desmond Bishop and Frank Zombo fullback John Kuhn, tight end Andrew Quarless and T Derek Sherrod. Bishop and Kuhn are the only starters among the group.
Woodson at safety: The Packers want Woodson at a position he can make plays and strong safety appears to be it. Considering how bad the Packers’ pass defense was a season ago (ranked last a year ago), making changes in the secondary with a player like Woodson could be a boost. McCarthy: “Throughout his career he’s been a playmaker. We feel he’s a lot more valuable the closer he is to the ball. He plays the game a lot like a quarterback does from the defensive side.”

Some notes on the New England Patriots training camp

Wes Welker (says he) is fine with his contract situation

The Patriots franchised Welker in the offseason and didn’t sign him to a longterm extension before this month’s deadline, leaving plenty of uncertainty regarding the future of Tom Brady’s favorite target.

While such a situation has served as a distraction for teams and players in the past, everybody said the right thing Thursday, including Welker. The 31-year-old said that this camp is just like any other one, and that his main focus is football.

“The contract and everything else is out of my mind,” Welker said. “It’s really just go out there and focusing on playing good ball.”

The Brady-to-Gaffney connection looks like the old days

Of all the offseason additions, it was a familiar face that shined the brightest in the first day of camp.

Jabar Gaffney, who was brought back this offseason after stints in Denver and Washington, gave fans (and his quarterback) a lot to be happy about. Though he dropped an easy pass in passing drills, he made two stellar catches against defenders.

First, Gaffney beat rookie Alfonzo Dennard on a deep ball that took him to the end zone, and he later did a good job in keeping both feet in on a catch made along the sidelines. Both passes were thrown by Brady.

Here’s a look at the Denver Broncos training camp.

“In a showing that topped the past two summers of Tebowmania, a record 4,372 fans packed the viewing areas at the Broncos’ Dove Valley complex Thursday morning.

By 9:20 a.m., less than an hour into the practice, a crowd of 3,365 already had squeezed in, topping the previous non-stadium practice record of 3,103, set in Tebow’s rookie year of 2010.”

My internet connection is being difficult because of the Western New York storms, but I’ll have much more for you tomorrow.