Training Camp Day 1 Recap

For this year's training camp, I'm going to put up daily recap posts after all the camp reports have been published by the beat writers. But instead of listing everything and anything I deem interesting or important, I'm going to make a list of players I feel are trending negatively and positively based on their performances during camp. I'll then include a short list of other newsworthy items from the day.

So here goes for Day 1:

Trending Positively

• G Shawn Murphy - With Donald Thomas still injured, Tony Sparano declared the starting RG spot Murphy's to lose. Even if Murphy doesn't eventually win the starting job, just showing the ability to be a promising backup will be a tremendous improvement over last year. Remember, the team traded up in the fourth round to take this guy, so he has got to produce something. At least for the moment, he's on the right path.
• WR Greg Camarillo - Greg seems to be on the Ronnie Brown path of returning from a serious knee injury far faster than anyone expected. He's practicing at full speed with no brace. We should all keep our expectations for him down, however, since no matter how he says he feels or how he looks, no player returns to 100% effectiveness after that kind of injury until at least a year has gone by. Ronnie Brown may have looked and played fine last season, but even he has admitted that the knee wasn't fully better until this offseason.
  

Trending Negatively

• LB Cameron Wake - The only positive thing I've heard all offseason about Wake is that he runs fast on kickoff coverage. Hooray!? Seriously, he needs to start showing some pass rush abilities if he wants to make this team.
• CB Eric Green - Another guy who I have yet to hear anything positive about. In fact, the only thing I saw all offseason long and now in training camp about Green is that he gets toasted repeatedly by almost every WR on the roster. I don't understand how he is still lining up with the starting unit, and furthermore, I don't understand how some people think he deserves a roster spot over Jason Allen and Nate Jones.
  

Other Notes:
- G Donald Thomas did bungee work on the side and participated in some individual drills. The team is taking it slow with his recovery from a torn pectoral.
- G J.D. Quinn (he of the three prior DUI arrests) was thankfully cut and TE Jared Bronson was placed on the reserve/did not report list in order to make room for the signings of Pat White and Chris Clemons.
- G Andy Alleman's back injury is better and he is practicing as the second-team LG and third-team center. He's a solid, valuable backup to have around. Joe Berger is the backup center.
- TE David Martin's sports hernia is also better, and he is practicing.
- LB Matt Roth was placed on the PUP list due to a lingering groin issue that has plagued him seemingly for his entire career. He played with the injury all last season and had surgery on it in March, but it is bothering him again.