FanHouse 2008 Training Camp Battles

Training camp is finally here and FanHouse breaks down the most important position battles heading into the season, team by team.

Under Bill Parcells, the Miami Dolphins are trying to get younger and build from the ground up. There are battles going on everywhere. However, the most impactful (with the most attention) will be the starting quarterback ... where there are three Dolphins fighting for the job.

The candidates are John Beck, Josh McCown and Chad Henne.

Of the three, Henne is the longest shot. He has the least experience and is looked at more as a long(er) term project. He would have to impress mightily to win the job when the season starts, though he may have his shot later in the season.

So, it really breaks down to Beck and McCown. Beck was looked at as the future when he was drafted in the 2nd round last year. Well, that was under a different regime and before Beck looked shaky last season. Still, if Miami is really trying to develop for the future, Beck seems to be a no-brainer*. He seems to have the coaching staff leaning his way and spending a lot of time working with him.

Josh McCown is the most experienced, albeit, not as exciting. The team knows what it will get out of McCown but also knows that he isn't the long term answer at the position. McCown could win the job just because they want a steady presence in the huddle and running the offense which will help further develop everyone else.

Training camp is finally here and FanHouse breaks down the most important position battles heading into the season, team by team

I know it sounds a bit dumb to say that a team's biggest position battle in training camp is at punter. But for the 2008 Washington Redskins, it is true. The team knows who is starting pretty much everywhere -- aside from one safety spot where it isn't as much of a competition as a platoon.

So kicker it is.

Derrick Frost has been the Skins' punter for the past three seasons. He's not a bad player ... but he hasn't been that good, either. Inconsistency isn't a good thing when punting is involved since field position is always an important part of the game. Frost finished in the bottom third in net average.

The Redskins, either really looking for a replacement or just trying to light a fire under Frost's keester, drafted Durant Brooks in the 6th round of this April's draft. Brooks, from Georgia Tech, holds many school and conference records and won the Ray Guy Award -- the award for college's best kicker. He's also outstanding at pinning the ball inside the opponent's red-zone.

The Redskins are a running team with a stout defense. They are also installing a new passing attack, a new defensive coordinator and are still working with a young quarterback. Having a kicker put you in bad positions can make a difference in a game.

Frost has been put on notice. Let the battle begin!