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NFL Nation reporters assess the top storylines to watch Thursday for every team.NFC East | NFC North | NFC South | NFC West AFC East | AFC North| AFC South | AFC WestAFC EASTBuffalo BillsWith the bad news delivered Wednesday about rookie linebacker Reggie Ragland -- that he tore his ACL and is expected to miss the entire season -- the Bills will try to turn the page Thursday to Saturdays preseason opener against the Colts. While coach Rex Ryan has not yet finalized his plans for how long starters will participate in the game, the expectation is that well see little, if any, of wide receiver Sammy Watkins. Its also highly unlikely that starting left tackle Cordy Glenn or left guard Richie Incognito will play. -- Mike RodakMiami DolphinsThe Dolphins are about 24 hours away from their preseason opener against the Giants and have some key decisions to make with star players coming off injuries. Coach Adam Gase said he hasnt decided if former Pro Bowl defensive end Cameron Wake (Achilles) and wide?receiver DeVante Parker (hamstring) will play Friday. Gase, however, has made a decision to rest running back Arian Foster (Achilles) against the Giants as a precaution. -- James WalkerNew England PatriotsWhen Jimmy Garoppolo was asked if he will be starting Thursday nights preseason opener against the Saints, he responded, Your guess is as good as mine. That is the way coach Bill Belichick likes it, keeping players on their toes. ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter reported that Tom Brady wont play in the opener. Even if that changes at the last minute, as happened in 2015 when Brady wasnt expected to start a preseason game but then did, Garoppolo should get the bulk of the work. -- Mike ReissNew York JetsThe focus in Thursday nights opener against the Jaguars will be on quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, who missed the offseason due to a contract dispute. He figures to play a series or two (the Jets havent said). His goal for the offense is basic: no turnovers, no silly penalties and, hopefully, a few first downs. He wont have new running back?Matt Forte, who is out with a hamstring injury. -- Rich CiminiAFC NORTHBaltimore RavensWhen the Ravens open the preseason Thursday night against the Panthers, all eyes will be on Baltimores running back battle. Justin Forsett is atop the depth chart for now, but he probably wont get many carries. The Ravens want to see what they have in their young backs such as Buck Allen, Terrance West and Kenneth Dixon. If any of these runners break out, they could?start to close the gap on Forsett. -- Jamison HensleyCincinnati BengalsAfter a rather shoddy offensive performance in Wednesdays joint practice with the Vikings, the Bengals will be looking to showcase better play Thursday. Offensive coordinator Ken Zampese seemed displeased with the units crispness and tempo as it faced another team for the first time under his control. Although he spoke to reporters who approached him after the practice, he didnt spend even 60 seconds with them, saying the offense needed to work on everything before it practiced again. The joint workouts continue Thursday, when the teams square off for about an hour ahead of Fridays preseason opener at Paul Brown Stadium. -- Coley HarveyCleveland BrownsHow much playing time will Robert Griffin III get in Fridays preseason opener in Green Bay? Thats to be determined. Coach Hue Jackson said he would figure out playing time on Thursday or Friday. The only hint he would give is to say he wanted to see all four quarterbacks in the game. That might indicate Griffin would get one quarter, though Jackson said game situations ultimately dictate playing time. For example, if the quarter ends with the Browns in possession, Griffin would finish the drive; Jackson also might not hesitate to give Griffin an extra series or two if he feels the quarterback?needs it. -- Pat McManamonPittsburgh SteelersWith the Steelers resting several offensive starters Friday against Detroit, the stage is set for tight end Jesse James to take ownership of the starting job with Ladarius Green injured. James caught an off-balance touchdown pass from quarterback Ben Roethlisberger during Wednesdays joint practice with the Lions, and hes eager to prove hes a capable inline blocker. And dont forget about wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey in the passing game. Roethlisberger still likes throwing to him. -- Jeremy FowlerAFC SOUTHHouston TexansThe Texans will travel to Santa Clara, California, before their joint practice with the 49ers on Friday. This will be a chance for quarterback Brock Osweiler to face a defense that is not his own, and will give coach Bill OBrien the chance to see how Osweiler and his receivers fare against another team. Look for receiver DeAndre Hopkins to be heavily involved early on. -- Sarah BarshopIndianapolis ColtsThe Colts wrap up their two-week training camp at Anderson University in Indiana with an early morning practice on Thursday. Itll also be the teams last practice before their preseason opener against Buffalo on Saturday. Theyll have a walk-through at their facility Friday before flying to Buffalo. It wont be surprising if Thursdays two-hour practice is shortened because coach Chuck Pagano has routinely allowed his players to break camp early in the past if they make a long field goal or complete a challenge that the coach presents to them. -- Mike WellsJacksonville JaguarsThe Jaguars on Thursday open the preseason at the New York Jets. The offense has been focusing on starting fast during camp, and the first drive will be key. The Jaguars averaged just two points in the first quarter last season, which ranked 31st in the NFL. -- Mike DiRoccoTennessee TitansThe Titans will likely find out Thursday a bit about what coach Mike Mularkey and his staff expect to do Saturday night against the Chargers in terms of snaps. He intended to discuss things with his staff Wednesday night, but said there are some factors that could prompt them to look at starters longer in preseason work. Weve got some new receivers that (Marcus Mariota) is going to be working with, Mularkey said. You know, its a new play-caller (in Terry Robiskie), theres a lot of new [things], not just Marcus [Mariota] that you may want to see a little more. -- Paul KuharskyAFC WESTDenver BroncosThe Broncos will give Mark Sanchez the start at quarterback in the preseason opener against the Bears, and he will play a quarter. Trevor Siemian, meanwhile, will play the second quarter and rookie Paxton Lynch is scheduled to play the second half. That doesnt mean Sanchez has won the job, but he will have the starters around him in the formation -- at least briefly -- as he and Siemian will largely play alongside the second-teamers. The Broncos starters are expected to play only a handful of plays. -- Jeff LegwoldKansas City ChiefsCoach Andy Reid said the Chiefs would try to play all five of their quarterbacks in Saturdays preseason opener against the Seahawks. The focus will be on the recently signed Nick Foles, who has moved into the No. 2 role and will be the first QB off the bench in relief of starter Alex Smith. Foles indicated he wanted to improve his throwing accuracy, which has been inconsistent in practice in his first week with the Chiefs. Its not where I want to be, but I know why its not there, Foles said, referring to some technique issues that he believes resulted from an offseason when he didnt practice with his former team, the Rams. -- Adam TeicherOakland RaidersRaiders quarterback Derek Carr is approaching Friday nights exhibition opener at Arizona like a regular-season game. Whether its preseason, regular season, playoffs, Super Bowl, whatever, Carr said. Hopefully well get there, but no matter what it is, Im going to play my heart out, whether its one play or 90 plays. Anytime you put an NFL jersey on, put a helmet on, its time to go. I think that going into this one, obviously, we probably wont play a full game, but well play somewhere in between there and itll be fun. -- Paul GutierrezSan Diego ChargersA native of Little Rock, Arkansas, Chargers tight end Hunter Henry will be about a six-hour drive from his hometown when San Diego hits the road to take on the Titans this weekend. Henry said his parents, two brothers and sister will travel to Nashville to watch him play in an NFL uniform for the first time. Fellow tight end Antonio Gates has been impressed with the rookie second-round selections progress so far during training camp. His toughness, to me, is something that stands out about him, Gates said. Hes a guy that understands the game, which is rare for a guy that comes into the league. -- Eric D. WilliamsNFC EASTDallas CowboysCoach Jason Garrett opted to change up the normal practice schedule to give his players the feel for a regular-season Friday with the preseason opener coming Saturday against the Los Angeles Rams. Instead of an afternoon practice, the Cowboys will practice at 10:45 a.m. and hold a walkthrough at 5 p.m. Part of the idea is to back off a little bit to help the players physically get ready for the game. The Cowboys will operate the same way leading into their second preseason game against the Dolphins on Aug. 18. Garrett said a final decision on who will or will not play has not been made, but look for a lot of the regulars to not play. -- Todd ArcherNew York GiantsRookie wide receiver Sterling Shepard has opened eyes with the Giants this spring and summer. Even Odell Beckham Jr. has taken notice. From what the Giants star has seen, Shepard is going to be a big time player, and hes going to make an instant impact. Based on the results during training camp to date, its hard to argue. Shepard has made plays on a regular basis, including Wednesday.?But Shepard??wont be making any Thursday when the Giants wont practice prior to their preseason opener Friday against the Dolphins. -- Jordan RaananPhiladelphia EaglesWhen the?Eagles open the preseason against the Buccaneers on Thursday night, tt will be the first chance for fans to see rookie quarterback Carson Wentz. Most of the conversation, however, has been about the possible PED-related suspension of right tackle Lane Johnson. It appears Johnson will start and play roughly a quarter with the first team. It is not clear when a decision will be reached on Johnsons status for the Eagles first 10 games. -- Phil SheridanWashington RedskinsOne focal point for Washington in Thursdays preseason opener at Atlanta will be the slot corner position, where Dashaun Phillips and Kendall Fuller are battling. The Redskins have?rotated at this spot throughout training camp. Fuller has done more than Washington anticipated coming off microfracture surgery, and he has?made this the tightest competition in camp. Fuller plays with a veteran savvy. -- John KeimNFC NORTHChicago BearsBears coach John Fox will play it safe Thursday night, but?most healthy starters?can expect to see a little action in preseason game No. 1?against Denver. Typically, and it wont be exact, but in the first game, our first team will play the first quarter, Fox said. Then our second team will be on the field for the second quarter. Then the second half belongs to our third-string guys. Wide receivers Alshon Jeffery (hamstring) and Eddie Royal (concussion) and tight end Zach Miller (concussion) are unlikely to face the Broncos, but all three are inching closer to returning. -- Jeff DickersonDetroit LionsAfter two joint practices with the Steelers, the Lions are remaining in Pittsburgh for the preseason opener Friday at Heinz Field. Its not clear yet how much -- if at all -- key starters will play but figure you wont see guys such as Matthew Stafford, Haloti Ngata, Glover Quin and Ezekiel Ansah for more than a series or two, if at all. It would be surprising to see Ameer Abdullah play as well since he has worn a red non-contact jersey the entire preseason. -- Michael RothsteinGreen Bay PackersForget quarterback, the Packers might not have anyone to snap the ball. Heading into Fridays preseason game against the Browns, theres a chance the Packers might be without their top three centers. Corey Linsley (hamstring) is definitely out; he remains on the physically unable to perform list. JC Tretter (illness) didnt practice at all this week and rookie Jacob Flores (knee) dropped out this week. It leaves a pair of utility linemen --?Don Barclay and Matt Rotheram?-- as perhaps the only two centers available Friday. No wonder quarterback?Aaron Rodgers probably wont make his preseason debut this week. Offensive line coach James Campen, a former center himself, was?asked if he could get back out and play.?I play it every day in my mind, he said. -- Rob DemovskyMinnesota VikingsThe Vikings left a number of players home from their joint practices with the Bengals because coach Mike Zimmer figured theyd be able to get better injury treatment in Minnesota. Particularly with the teams linebacker group, where Eric Kendricks and Edmond Robinson have been out, the absences create opportunities for younger players like fifth-round pick Kentrell Brothers. The Vikings could also get a longer look at rookie cornerback Mackensie Alexander and second-year corner Trae Waynes with Terence Newman slowed because of a nagging injury. -- Ben GoesslingNFC SOUTHAtlanta FalconsAs the Falcons prepare for Thursday nights exhibition against the Redskins, they are likely to be without first-round pick Keanu Neal, who suffered a trunk injury in practice. Since Neal probably wont be on the field, second-round pick Deion Jones is sure to be under the spotlight at middle linebacker. Jones has gotten his share of reps in practice while competing against Paul Worrilow. And Jones continues to learn on the fly thanks to veterans such as Worrilow and Sean Weatherspoon, among others. I feel like all of them are tough on me, Jones said. They push me. They see the potential that I have, and they want to push me to that level. -- Vaughn McClureCarolina PanthersMiddle linebacker Luke Kuechly?on Tuesday got his first vet day since entering the NFL in 2012, and the team didnt practice Wednesday as it traveled to Baltimore for Thursday nights preseason opener. Kuechly wont know what to do with so much free time. Actually, he put his vet day to good use, acting as another coach. Or as Coach Ron Rivera said joking, Getting in the way. Dont look for Kuechly or most of Carolinas other stars to play past the first series or two against the Ravens as the focus is on young players. -- David NewtonNew Orleans SaintsIts a good thing Drew Brees got so much good work in against the Patriots during Tuesdays joint practice, because Wednesdays practice session was basically just a walk-through between the two teams. And Brees said he expects to play only a series or so in Thursday nights preseason opener. But lets face it, Brees doesnt need the reps. This game will be much more important for New Orleans young defense. Expect to see a ton of young cornerbacks?P.J. Williams, Ken Crawley and DeVante Harris as they try to build on their terrific training-camp starts. -- Mike TriplettTampa Bay BuccaneersThe Bucs touched down in Philadelphia early Wednesday evening in preparation for Thursday nights preseason opener against the Eagles. Still no word on whether banged-up wide receiver Vincent Jackson or running back Charles Sims will play, but coach Dirk Koetter hinted at erring on the side of caution. Aside from testing out some unproven players in the game, theyll also be testing out a new headset system for the coach and the quarterback. In Philly last year, Jameis Winston couldnt hear Koetter through most of the first two offensive series. Theyll also have defensive coordinator Mike Smith up in the coaches booth. Koetter called it good practice. -- Jenna LaineNFC WESTArizona CardinalsThe Cardinals hosted their last public practice in Arizona until Aug. 21, as they prepare for five days in San Diego. While coach Bruce Arians ruled out nine players, plus the four players on the PUP list, of this Friday nights game against Oakland, it appears the spotlight will be on quarterback?Matt Barkley, whos scheduled to play most of the game. Arians has been critical of both Barkley and fourth-string QB?Jake Coker, who are in a battle for the third spot on the roster, saying neither has what it takes to make the roster. But Friday could help one or the other separate themselves. Both have potential, Arians said. -- Josh WeinfussLos Angeles RamsThe quarterback situation remains in flux. Case Keenum will start the first preseason game of the season against the Cowboys on Saturday. He started the final four games of last season with the Rams winning three. No. 1 overall draft pick Jared Goff took his first snaps with the first team on Tuesday. Read whatever you want [into it], Fisher said. Well start [Goff] when hes ready to play. Its all about the process. Its about being patient. -- ESPN.com staffSan Francisco 49ersIt?was not a good day Wednesday for either quarterback, especially Colin Kaepernick. The Niners will need them to bounce back Thursday in anticipation of one of their best tests of the preseason Friday when the Texans come to town for a practice and Sundays game. Those are big opportunities for Blaine Gabbert and Kaepernick to begin gaining separation in the battle for the starting job. -- Nick WagonerSeattle SeahawksTight end Jimmy Graham (ruptured patellar tendon) returned to practice Wednesday, and the one area where the Seahawks want to get more from him is the red zone. Graham caught two touchdowns in 11 games last season. In his previous four years with the Saints, Graham averaged 11.5 touchdowns per season. He still has a long way to go with his rehab, but the Seahawks are planning for Graham to be a contributor on offense. We think he is a huge part of us, absolutely, offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell said. We know that we are better with him. -- Sheil Kapadia Discount Old Skool . Fred Couples, captain of the U.S. side, put it all into perspective. "We know whos in charge," he said. Cheap Vans Old Skool . -- Charline Labonte couldnt have asked for a better homecoming. http://www.cheapoldskool.com/ . -- Chicago Bears cornerback Tim Jennings was selected Monday to his second straight Pro Bowl, while guard Kyle Long made it after a solid rookie season. Cheap Old Skool Free Shipping . -- Arizona knocked off some quality opponents, rolled over a few overmatched ones and grinded out victories even when things didnt go so well. Cheap Old Skool Authentic . "Hes going to have hip surgery on Jan. 7, and hell be expected to rehabilitate for four to six months beyond that," Canucks general manager Mike Gillis said Friday in an interview.TSN and Powerade are teaming up to showcase 24 of Canadas future stars today. This week, the spotlight is on pole vaulter Shawnacy Barber. The 18-year-old from Toronto is a freshman at the University of Akron and is ranked No. 2 in the United States. Barber took home a bronze medal at the World Athletics Junior Championships in Barcelona, Spain last year, where he vaulted to a new Canadian junior record of 5.55-metres. It placed him second on the Canadian all-tiime list behind Douglas Woods 1991 performance of 5.dddddddddddd61-metres. No stranger to the pole vaulting world, Barkers father was a pole vaulter for UTEP in the 1980s and also had two stints with the Canadian National Team. Barber is a contender for Canadas team at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. Click here to see SportsCentres Powerade 24 video profile of Shawnacy Barber. Powerade 24 is brought to you by Powerade. Power Through. ' ' '