NFL Nation reporters assess the top storylines to watch for every team on Tuesday.
AFC East | AFC North| AFC South | AFC West
NFC East | NFC North | NFC South | NFC West
NFC EAST
Dallas Cowboys
With the Cowboys not wanting to put left tackle Tyron Smith at risk in the preseason because of a stinger, second-year tackle Chaz Green has received more work with the first team than he could have imagined. Green has started the first two preseason games at left tackle and has played better with the starters than he has with the backups. He said the pace of play and expectations he feels from the other starting linemen have helped him focus. If something were to happen to Smith or right tackle Doug Free in the regular season, Green, who did not play in a game as a rookie because of hip surgery, would be the first option. Smith wants to play Thursday against the Seahawks, but the coaches might opt to be even more deliberate. Green said he expects to play left and right tackle against the Seahawks. -- Todd Archer
New York Giants
The kicking competition begins Tuesday, now that Randy Bullock has been signed. Josh Brown is suspended for the opener and now has a proven commodity alongside him as a contingency plan. Kicker has all of a sudden become a position to watch for the Giants, but they won't be the only players under the spotlight. Wide receiver Victor Cruz is expected to participate in a full practice Tuesday for the first time in more than two weeks after struggling with a groin injury. This is a crucial week for Cruz. -- Jordan Raanan
Philadelphia Eagles
New Eagles linebacker Stephen Tulloch was expected in town Monday night and should be hitting the practice field before long. Defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz knows Tulloch well, having coached him in both Detroit and Tennessee, but now must figure out how to fit him into the linebacker picture. Coach Doug Pederson said the starting middle linebacker job currently belongs to Jordan Hicks. -- Tim McManus
Washington Redskins
Left tackle Trent Williams will play for the first time this preseason on Friday against Buffalo. Williams missed the first two preseason games because of a knee issue, but he won't be blocking for running back Matt Jones, who will miss the rest of the preseason because of his sprained shoulder. Williams has harped on wanting the preseason work. "This game is big for me because I haven't had any live reps," he said. "So it will be a huge test for me." -- John Keim
NFC NORTH
Chicago Bears
The Bears, who return to practice Tuesday, have been without the services of outside linebacker Pernell McPhee the entire offseason and summer. McPhee, who underwent knee surgery after the 2015 season, is still on the physically unable to perform list, and he has not practiced since Chicago opened training camp in late July. Needless to say, the Bears are eager for McPhee (six sacks, 10 tackles for loss last year) to rejoin the defense. "The day he comes back, it's going to be like I'm opening up a Christmas present because I know what he brings to the table," veteran cornerback Tracy Porter said. "I know the guys that we have on the field, they're doing a tremendous job, and just to plug in a piece like McPhee is going to be big for us. I just can't wait for him to come back." -- Jeff Dickerson
Detroit Lions
The offensive line will be a focal point again this week, especially as the Lions starters will be playing a lot more Saturday against Baltimore than they have the rest of the preseason. That means Detroit will need continued, consistent improvement from its five starters, particularly rookie left tackle Taylor Decker. The Ohio State product has shown some promise, but there have been plays blown up on his side so far this preseason. Considering how important quarterback Matthew Stafford is to Detroit's offense, the Lions need to keep Stafford as clean as possible Saturday night. -- Michael Rothstein
Green Bay Packers
Wide receiver Jordy Nelson's return to practice -- or as he called it, "hardly even a practice" -- went off without a hitch. But that doesn't mean the Packers will increase his workload significantly right away. In fact, Nelson doesn't expect to do any live 11-on-11 work the rest of this week. "Obviously, we'll eventually build into team periods," Nelson said. "We'll see what we do this week, but I assume, just based off normal progression, that next week we'll probably get into some competitive periods." -- Rob Demovsky
Minnesota Vikings
As they hope for the return of quarterbacks Teddy Bridgewater and/or Shaun Hill to practice on Tuesday, the Vikings will be monitoring the health of the man charged with protecting their quarterback's blind side. Left tackle Matt Kalil limped off the practice field with an apparent leg injury on Sunday and did not return, which left T.J. Clemmings to get first-team work at left tackle. Kalil's injury might not be serious, but given the fact that knee problems have hampered him in previous seasons, the Vikings are hoping he's fully healthy before his fifth season, in which he'll make $11.1 million and try to prove he's worth a long-term contract following the conclusion of his rookie deal. -- Ben Goessling
NFC SOUTH
Atlanta Falcons
Outside linebacker Vic Beasley Jr. will be ready to play against the Dolphins after missing last week's preseason game against the Browns because of a sprained AC joint in his right shoulder. Beasley was limited Sunday but returned to 11-on-11 drills Monday. "We did about 12 to 15 reps, so we anticipate him being full for the game," Falcons coach Dan Quinn said of Beasley. The return of Beasley to the lineup will allow the coaches to get a closer look at the nickel pass-rush group of Beasley at left end, Derrick Shelby and Adrian Clayborn on the interior, and seven-time Pro Bowler Dwight Freeney at right end. -- Vaughn McClure
Carolina Panthers
Pro Bowl tight end Greg Olsen worked on the side Monday at practice for the first time since he developed back spasms a week ago. Coach Ron Rivera said if Olsen responds well overnight, he'll be in pads on Tuesday. That's a good sign for the Panthers, who rely heavily on the tight end. The first team didn't have a completion to the tight end in Saturday's exhibition game. Olsen and backup Ed Dickson didn't play. -- David Newton
New Orleans Saints
The most disturbing trends in the Saints' preseason so far have been their turnovers and lack of a run game. The Saints are averaging 2.4 yards per carry, not including quarterback scrambles. "Now, part of that is applying a game plan, as opposed to just your training camp offense," Saints coach Sean Payton said. "But I think that's a work in progress. It's gotta be better." One area that could lead to some improvement is moving Andrus Peat permanently to right guard for the rest of the preseason after he flip-flopped between guard and left tackle. They need him comfortable at the guard spot if he's going to secure his starting job there. -- Mike Triplett
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Rookie cornerback Vernon Hargreaves III started taking reps with the first-team defense on the outside on Monday. He had gotten reps with the ones only at nickelback, while lining up on the outside with the second-team defense. Also, a pretty cool thing happened at practice Monday: Media caught only the first 30 minutes, but I'm told that coach Dirk Koetter said if Roberto Aguayo made a field goal from more than 50 yards out, the team could leave a couple hours early. Aguayo nailed it, and everyone cheered and celebrated. That's one way to help a rookie kicker get his confidence back. -- Jenna Laine
NFC WEST
Arizona Cardinals
The Cardinals got another important player back from injury on Monday. Rookie defensive tackle Robert Nkemdiche practiced for the first time since he suffered a high-ankle sprain a few days before training camp. He went through only individual drills but said he "felt good" putting his pads on for the first time. Nkemdiche also said there's a chance that he could play in Sunday's preseason game at Houston, but he wouldn't commit either way. -- Josh Weinfuss
Los Angeles Rams
Quarterback Jared Goff needs a big week in practice and the ensuing game if he wants to be the starting quarterback for the Sept. 12 Monday Night Football opener in San Francisco. Goff struggled with the first-team offense this past Saturday, and Case Keenum has completed 10 of 12 passes. "What I've been saying since day one is we're going to be patient with him," Rams coach Jeff Fisher said of Goff. "Case is our starter. [Goff has been] progressing. He's getting better, he's learning from his mistakes, he doesn't dwell on them." -- Alden Gonzalez
San Francisco 49ers
Quarterback Colin Kaepernick made his biggest step forward in his return from shoulder fatigue on Monday, when he took part in the team's entire practice for the first time since Aug. 10. Kaepernick did all the work in individual drills, then said during an informal chat with media in the locker room that he was full-go for the parts of the workout that weren't open. Kaepernick also confirmed that he is on schedule to play this week against Green Bay and that his arm felt good after extended throwing sessions Saturday and Monday. -- Nick Wagoner
Seattle Seahawks
The Seahawks' focus with tight end Jimmy Graham continues to be to take it slow and limit the risk of a setback. "We're just trying to find ways to keep making steps, and we're very careful to do the right things," coach Pete Carroll said this week. Graham, who is trying to come back from the ruptured patellar tendon he suffered last November, is off the PUP list but has not been a full practice participant. The team is taking it day by day with Graham, and Carroll suggested recently that he could be sidelined at the start of the season. Unless Graham begins to participate in team drills soon, that seems the most likely scenario. -- Sheil Kapadia
AFC EAST
Buffalo Bills
The Bills got positive injury news at Monday's practice with the return of guard Richie Incognito, Greg Salas and Nickell Robey-Coleman. As they end training camp Tuesday, however, running back Mike Gillislee is expected to remain out with a concussion. Coach Rex Ryan surprisingly said Monday that Gillislee is "probably" the Bills' No. 2 running back, though Reggie Bush had been taking reps before him in practice and Saturday's preseason game. -- Mike Rodak
Miami Dolphins
Center Anthony Steen is the new man in the middle for the Dolphins. He is replacing Pro Bowler Mike Pouncey for at least the next couple weeks after Pouncey suffered a hip injury. Steen is a converted guard who moved to center this spring. "They told me that I looked more like a natural center," Steen said. "So then they started working me at center slowly, progressed me into it. Now I'm pretty much a full-time center." -- James Walker
New England Patriots
Quarterback Tom Brady had an excused personal absence from the team for Sunday and Monday, and all eyes will be on whether he returns Tuesday. Coach Bill Belichick said Brady will return when his situation "clears up." Belichick did not specify the reason for Brady's absence. -- Mike Reiss
New York Jets
Running back Matt Forte, who sat out the first two preseason games because of a hamstring injury, is practicing on a full-time basis and could make his Jets debut on Saturday against the Giants. If he plays, it would probably be just a cameo appearance. Forte is a key piece in the offensive puzzle, and the Jets don't want to be reckless in their approach. The objective is to have him healthy for the regular-season opener. -- Rich Cimini
AFC NORTH
Baltimore Ravens
Wide receiver Breshad Perriman was activated off the physically unable to perform list Monday after recovering from a partially torn ACL, but it's unknown when he will participate in a full practice. This is big news for the Ravens because Perriman is their only receiver with that combination of size and speed. There is uncertainty about how much of an impact Perriman can bring. The 2015 first-round pick has yet to play in a preseason or regular-season game. If he can live up to the pre-injury expectations, Perriman has a good chance to elevate the Ravens' downfield passing attack and become the team's No. 3 receiver, at the very least. -- Jamison Hensley
Cincinnati Bengals
Tight end Tyler Eifert on Monday made another step toward recovery by jogging for the first time since he had ankle surgery in May. He is still aiming for a Week 1 start, and the team is starting to look ahead to the regular season. "It's just working through that soreness and trying to push it without having a setback," Eifert said. "You just have to trust the process and do what you can to get ready." -- Katherine Terrell
Cleveland Browns
Delaying joint practices with Tampa Bay, which will take place Tuesday and Wednesday, has proven to be good timing for coach Hue Jackson and the Browns. Because the practices were later in camp than is typical, the receivers (Josh Gordon, Andrew Hawkins, Corey Coleman) had a chance to heal from injuries so they can take part in the work. "A lot of teams probably wouldn't do it on the third week, but I thought it would be best for us, and I couldn't foresee the physical injuries that we would have or anything," Jackson said. "It wasn't any magic solution. It just worked out this way." -- Pat McManamon
Pittsburgh Steelers
Le'Veon Bell might get his first live action in about 10 months Friday at New Orleans. Coach Mike Tomlin said after Monday's practice that all healthy players will play, and Bell has been a full participant in practices, despite reconstructive knee surgery in November. The trio of Bell, Ben Roethlisberger and Antonio Brown played a total of 58 snaps last year, but if Bell gets the green light, they might be together for at least 10 in New Orleans. -- Jeremy Fowler
AFC SOUTH
Houston Texans
Running back Alfred Blue returned to practice after missing time with a shoulder injury, rejoining the crowded backfield. Lamar Miller will be the starter, but coach Bill O'Brien and general manager Rick Smith will have their work cut out for them in trying to narrow down the roster while looking at Blue, Jonathan Grimes, Kenny Hilliard, Akeem Hunt and rookie fourth-round pick Tyler Ervin. -- Sarah Barshop
Indianapolis Colts
The Colts should get some help in their depleted secondary Tuesday because cornerbacks Darius Butler and Jalil Brown are expected to be back at practice. Butler (hamstring) and Brown (foot) missed last weekend's game against Baltimore. They could be the starting cornerbacks against Philadelphia on Saturday. Pro Bowl cornerback Vontae Davis is week-to-week with an ankle injury, and the other starting cornerback, Patrick Robinson, is day-to-day with a groin injury. -- Mike Wells
Jacksonville Jaguars
Coach Gus Bradley said he's hoping to see left tackle Kelvin Beachum get some team reps during practice this week. If Beachum can, and his left knee responds well to the pounding -- he's coming off ACL surgery -- there's a chance he'll be able to play Sunday against Cincinnati. Luke Joeckel is coming off the most physical game of his career, according to Bradley, and has the lead in the battle to be the starting left tackle. -- Mike DiRocco
Tennessee Titans
Starting strong safety Da'Norris Searcy has seen backup Daimion Stafford get some time with the first team. But the way coach Mike Mularkey talks about Searcy, his starting job seems secure. The coach said Searcy has been very steady and is doing good work to get people lined up as the quarterback of the defensive backfield. -- Paul Kuharsky
AFC WEST
Denver Broncos
Trevor Siemian will get the start at quarterback in Saturday's preseason game against the Rams and will likely win the starting job for the regular-season opener if he has a quality outing. The real intrigue now: Coach Gary Kubiak wouldn't say Monday who would be the second quarterback in the game. He said all three quarterbacks would play an equal number of snaps, but he would not say whether rookie Paxton Lynch or Mark Sanchez would follow Siemian. Kubiak is expected to reveal the full rotation in the coming days. -- Jeff Legwold
Kansas City Chiefs
The Chiefs are still sorting through candidates to start at right cornerback. Phillip Gaines began training camp as the likely starter, but he hasn't played in either of the preseason games after undergoing surgery in October for a torn ACL. Steven Nelson got the start and a lot of playing time in the preseason opener, then it was rookie D.J. White's turn in last week's game. Clearly the Chiefs are searching -- not just for a starter but also for a nickelback. The Chiefs have used safety Ron Parker as their nickelback in the past. If they turn to Parker again, it's a sign they're not satisfied with the development of some of their young cornerbacks -- Adam Teicher
Oakland Raiders
In rebuilding the Raiders secondary, defensive backs coach Marcus Robertson pulled the hometown card to recruit cornerback Sean Smith, who used to attend Robertson's camps as a youth in his hometown of Pasadena, California. "Sean is a student of the game," Robertson said of the 6-foot-3, 218-pound Smith. "He's got a very high football IQ. The things that he possesses in his size and his length, I think make up for a little bit of the short areas of quickness and things of that nature because he's so difficult to get around, he's so difficult to throw over." -- Paul Gutierrez
San Diego Chargers
Defensive end Corey Liuget lost weight in order to play faster in 2016, but he has yet to see the fruits of his labor. Through two preseason games, Liuget has yet to record a tackle, quarterback pressure or sack. "It's been OK," Liuget said. "I haven't been able to explode the way I want to, but it's been pretty good. I'm getting in shape and working my tail off trying to make plays. ... It's preseason, so you don't want to put all of your good stuff out there." -- Eric D. Williams