NFL teams have been holding minicamps and other offseason training activities, so let’s take a look at where former Arizona Wildcats stand as everyone gears up for the start of training camp in late July:

Mike Bell, RB, Philadelphia
Earned a Super Ring with New Orleans last season — leading the Saints in carries during the regular season (172 for 654 yards) — before signing a one-year free-agent deal with the Eagles worth $1.7 million. He is expected to back up second-year pro LeSean McCoy and be a more powerful change of pace.

Lance Briggs, LB, Chicago
The five-time Pro Bowl pick will be going for his seventh consecutive 100-tackle season as he welcomes back Brian Urlacher to the Bears’ linebacker corps this season. He’s a popular teammate and popular in the Windy City … hey, how else do you get chosen to be a judge at Chicago’s version of Playboy’s 50th Anniversary Party.

Eben Britton, OT, Jacksonville
A 2009 second-round pick, Britton started 15 games at right tackle last season and looks to be a fixture on the Jags’ offensive line, along with fellow second-year pro Eugene Monroe at left tackle.

Copeland Bryan, DE, Detroit
He was signed by the Lions last year after being cut from Buffalo at the end of training camp. He played in five games for Detroit, starting one, making five tackles, including one sack.

Antoine Cason, CB, San Diego
The Chargers traded Antonio Cromartie, so they expect Cason, who has been a nickel back, to take over as a starting cornerback. Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune blogged recently that Cason “is having an excellent offseason. He is always on the ball, is blanketing receivers, knows what he’s doing. Of course, he hasn’t been going against Vincent Jackson or Malcom Floyd (until recently) or even Legedu Naanee.” For sure, check out this great story from Acee in April, talking about how Cason spent several weeks training in Tucson with a UA assistant track coach.

Lionel Dotson, DE, Miami
Was on the Dolphins’ roster all of last season, but was mostly inactive on game days, appearing in two games. The 2008 seventh-round pick again will be fighting for a roster spot in training camp.

Nick Folk, PK, New York Jets
Folk was super in his first two seasons with the Dallas Cowboys, making 46 of 53 field goal attempts and earning Pro Bowl honors as a rookie in 2007. But he had hip surgery after the 2008 season, struggling to regain his form. The Cowboys cut him in December, and then Folk signed with the Jets in February.

Chris Gronkowski, FB, Dallas
He is versatile as a blocker and pass-catcher, willing to do the blue-collar work. Coach Wade Phillips told DallasCowboys.com, “We’ll see when we get the pads on, but he looks good so far.”

Rob Gronkowski, TE, Patriots
The second-round rookie is helping to remake the position in New England, which also drafted Florida’s Aaron Hernandez in the fourth round. While Hernandez is considered more of a pure pass-catcher, Gronkowski has all-around tight end skills and, according to Patriots.com, made the play of the day at a recent full-squad scrimmage on a pass from Tom Brady.

Chris Henry, RB, Houston
He was the 50th overall pick in the 2007, drafted by Tennessee because of his excellent workout at the scouting combine rather than his production on the field. Henry got little use in his first two years, and the Titans released him early last season. He landed with the Houston Texans, but did not have a carry. He’s competing for a roster spot this summer.

Chris Jennings, RB, Cleveland
Jennings has been a nice success story, walking-on to Arizona as a junior college transfer and becoming productive in the running and passing games. Undrafted, he was playing in the Canadian Football League last season when the Browns called, and Jennings was able to stick with the team, rushing 63 times for 220 yards. He’ll be facing a roster crunch at running back in training camp.

Michael Johnson, FS, N.Y. Giants
He won a Super Bowl ring with the Giants in the 2007 season and became a starter in 2008, but neither he nor the team’s secondary was stellar in 2009. Considering the Giants signed ex-Cardinals safety Antrel Rolle to a five-year, $37 million contract, have youngster Kenny Phillips and veteran Deon Grant, and used a third-round pick on LSU safety Chad Jones … Johnson’s days in New York might be numbered.

Spencer Larsen, FB, Denver
The former All-Pac-10 linebacker was a two-way player for his first two seasons in Denver, famously starting at fullback and at linebacker as a rookie. Now, he will be exclusively an offensive player … and you can be sure he’ll do it with a great attitude. “Football is football,” he told reporters earlier this month. “A lot of it is the same techniques. Linebackers have a different personality but to me it is all football. By doing this, I can still be a special teams member and it is something I care about.”

Brandon Manumaleuna, TE, Chicago
He’s entering his 10th NFL season, after spending five years with the St. Louis Rams and four with the San Diego Chargers. Manumaleuna, a true blocking tight end (he’s really like having another tackle on the line), signed a five-year contract with the Bears in the offseason.

Earl Mitchell, DT, Houston
Big Earl, after playing the position for only two seasons at Arizona, was a third-round pick in 2010. Coach Gary Kubiak was quoted in the Houston Chronicle as calling Mitchell an “effort player.” Kubiak added: “Earl is going to be a part of our rotation if he continues to do in pads what he did in the OTAs. He’s pushing for somebody’s job, and he makes it very competitive in that group.”

Nate Ness, DB, Miami
Ness, undrafted after the 2009 season, signed with Cleveland, then had roster stints with the New York Jets and Seattle Seahawks before landing on the Dolphins’ practice squad in October. He was active for one game.

Dennis Northcutt, WR, Detroit
He’s had a productive 10-year career, with 399 catches for 4,941 yards, and three career punt returns for touchdowns. Northcutt, who was traded from Jacksonville after the 2008 season, made 35 receptions for the Lions last season.

Syndric Steptoe, WR, Cleveland
Suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in training camp last year and appears to be on the outside looking in as the Browns head into camp this season. He caught 19 passes as a rookie in 2008.

Mike Thomas, WR, Jacksonville
The 2009 fourth-rounder overcame a hamstring injury in training camp to set a franchise rookie record with 48 catches, good for 453 yards. Thomas, who can also return punts, could be the Jags’ No. 2 receiver this season behind Mike Sims-Walker.

Vuna Tuihalamaka, LB, Indianapolis
The undrafted free agent is trying to hang on for a backup spot and a role on special teams.

Bobby Wade, WR, Washington
Wade’s most productive stretch was his two years in Minnesota, where he caught 107 passes across the 2007 and 2008 seasons. He spent last season with Kansas City before signing as a free agent with the Redskins. Washington is the fifth NFL team for Wade, who has 244 receptions in eight seasons. At last count, the Redskins had 12 receivers on the roster, so it’s no guarantee Wade will be catching passes from Donovan McNabb this season.

OTHERS

Wilrey Fontenot, CB
A seventh-round pick in 2008, Fontenot was cut by the Arizona Cardinals before the start of the 2009 season.

Antonio Pierce, LB
Undrafted after the 2000 season, Pierce developed into one of the fiercest linebackers in the NFL. He was a standout at middle linebacker for the N.Y. Giants, the defensive leader of the team that won Super Bowl XLII. But a herniated disc in his neck cut short his 2009 season, and the Giants released him in the offseason. After a nine-year NFL career, Pierce recently said he’s leaning toward retirement.

Devin Ross, CB
The undrafted rookie free agent went to minicamp with the Eagles, but he was released on Thursday.

Marcus Smith, DT
Cut by Buffalo in February, Smith is playing with the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League.

This entry was posted on Friday, June 18th, 2010 at 10:41 am and is filed under Sports. Tags for this post: Antoine Cason, Antonio Pierce, Bobby Wade, Brandon Manumaleuna, Chris Gronkowski, Chris Henry, Chris Jennings, Copeland Bryan, Dennis Northcutt, Devin Ross, Earl Mitchell, Eben Britton, Lance Briggs, Lionel Dotson, Marcus Smith, Michael Johnson, Mike Bell, Mike Thomas, Nate Ness, Nick Folk, Rob Gronkowski, Spencer Larsen, Syndric Steptoe, Vuna Tuihalamaka, Wilrey Fontenot. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.