Camp Battles

[Jamaican'Skin]

Washington
Walt Harris vs. Carlos Rogers, cornerback


This is a battle for the job Fred Smoot vacated when he moved on to Minnesota. Harris, a nickel back in 2004, is the early favorite for several reasons: He knows the Redskins system, he's experienced and Rogers isn't healthy. Not yet anyway. The first-round draft pick has a stress fracture in his right foot, is in a walking boot and won't be ready to rejoin practice until Aug. 1. That puts him behind Harris for the season opener. But safety Sean Taylor didn't open last season as the starter either, and look what happened there. Rogers was drafted first for a reason: He has a raft of talent, and the Redskins envision him as a starter. Look for him to crack the lineup soon.

Edge: Rogers.

Opening-day starter: Give me Harris because his competition is hobbled, but expect to make a change there -- with Rogers the choice -- by midseason.

Mark Simoneau vs. Keith Adams, weakside linebacker

Simoneau was the Eagles' middle linebacker, but his tenure ended last year when Jeremiah Trotter returned to the club. Now Simoneau's fighting for the outside job he held last season until he was sidelined with injuries ... which is when Adams stepped in. Adams not only played well during the playoffs, but he had a terrific spring. He's fast and fits the scheme perfectly. Plus, he's more physical than Simoneau, who seemed uncomfortable on the outside and who spent this spring recovering from ankle surgery. There's great depth at this position, with second-round pick Matt McCoy another possibility.

Edge: Adams.

Opening-day starter: Adams. The Eagles reached the Super Bowl with him here last year, and nothing happened between then and now to make you believe he'll take a step backward.


N.Y. Giants
Mike Cloud vs. Derrick Ward vs. Brandon Jacobs, running back

The search is on for a backup to starter Tiki Barber, and you'd think Cloud would have the edge because of his experience. But the smart money here is on Jacobs because the club was so unimpressed with what it had last year, it felt compelled to make a move -- drafting Jacobs in the fourth round. Jacobs is huge -- 6-4, 256 pounds -- and seems perfect for the role Ron Dayne couldn't fill. The Giants wanted someone to grind out the tough yards, and Dayne failed that audition. The proof: New York was 13-for-27 with third-and-1 situations a year ago. This guy could be the answer, and if he is the Giants can thank Auburn. Jacobs starred at Southern Illinois only after getting squeezed out at Auburn by Ronnie Brown and Cadillac Williams.

Edge: Jacobs.

Opening-day starter: I'll tilt toward Jacobs because he's big, strong and has a future.


Dallas
Keith Davis vs. Lynn Scott vs. Izell Reese, free safety

Let's face it, Davis should be the choice here -- but he's the team's best special-teams performer, and coach Bill Parcells is reluctant to tinker with that unit by starting one of its top guys. Davis should wind up the starter because he's superior to the competition. Scott made some starts last year, but he's limited. The Cowboys hope rookie Justin Beriault can work out, but Scott and Reese are the backups for now. My guess: Look for the club to try to convert someone from cornerback to safety to make this position a legitimate battle. If Davis is the starter, that means someone else must replace him on special teams. And while Reese has the experience, the Cowboys hope that Beriault -- a sure tackler -- will fill the void. Edge: Davis.

Opening-day starter: Davis. He's the best the Cowboys have here