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With training camps across the country in full swing, you hear and see a lot of chatter on radio call-in shows, message boards and in the media about the guys that are showing well at practice.
In an effort to mock all the training camp buzz, a website called Sports Pickle has put together a list of the nine players that you see at every NFL camp.
The list includes camp staples like the "undrafted superstar" and the "'best shape of my life' guy".
Pretty funny stuff.
Moving back to more relevant Ravens news, with Matt Birk still on the Physically Unable to Perform list following offseason elbow surgery, the Ravens have needed to rely on a veteran backup to fill in at center with the first-team offense.
Chris Chester, who has played guard and tight end in his four years in the NFL, has been the guy that head coach John Harbaugh has called upon. So far, Chester has done well, despite lining up at a position that he has never played in actual NFL game action.
"Chris has done a really good job," head coach John Harbaugh said. "I think part of this week, the eight padded practices so far, plus whatever he gets in the next couple of days as a starting center, is an opportunity for him. It's an opportunity for us to kind of see where he's at, too. And he's handled it really well, so it's a big plus for us."
Chester has been primarily a guard with the Ravens, and started 10 games at right guard last season before Marshal Yanda took over at the position. He also has been the Ravens' backup center for a couple years now, so while getting first-team reps at the position is fairly new, Chester feels like he has a solid base to work off.
"It's going really good," Chester says. "It's been a great chance for me to do a lot more center and get even more comfortable in the position. I really want to take advantage of this time to get better."
Chester is one of the more athletic offensive linemen on the Ravens' roster, and he moves very well for a guy his size. But the Oklahoma product has made an effort to bulk up in the last year to try and add a little more punch.
He's gained about five pounds and plans to play at around 315 pounds this season, which he thinks will help when he's called into action.
"It makes your job a little bit easier," he says. "Just being big doesn't make you a good lineman, but I think it really helps to have that bulk, especially in our division. There are a lot of really big nose guards, a lot of big interior guys."
Birk isn't expected to be out much longer, so Chester's time at center with the first-string offense will likely come to a close.
But that doesn't mean that we won't see the 27-year-old lineman this season. He appeared in all 18 of the Ravens' games last season and because of his versatility, will get plenty of reps, be it as a guard, as an extra tight end, or on special teams.
And if Birk happens to go down during the season, Chester will be ready to fill in at center as well.
"I really take pride in that, applying my athletic ability to different positions," Chester said. "I think it makes us a more dynamic offense."
