Philadelphia, PA -- (Sports Network) - Below we take a capsule look at the training camp missions of the 16 teams of the National Football Conference, with reporting dates and sites included for your perusal. AFC training camp previews can be found by following the "news" link at sportsnetwork.com:

NFC EAST

Dallas

REPORT DATE: July 29th

SITE: Alamodome, San Antonio, TX

CAMP OBJECTIVES: There should be a lot of smiling faces on the offensive side of the ball as the Cowboys descend upon San Antonio, with Terrell Owens' departure helping the likes of Tony Romo, Jason Witten, and coordinator Jason Garrett to relax a bit. That said, Romo and his new No. 1 receiver, Roy Williams, will have to develop some chemistry during the dog days of August in order for this offense to succeed, and the team must also find a reliable No. 2 from a group including Miles Austin, Patrick Crayton, and Sam Hurd. Elsewhere in the backfield, Felix Jones must prove that he is over the hamstring and toe injuries that knocked him out during his rookie season, and that he can be a worthy complement to Marion Barber. Head coach Wade Phillips has seized control of the defense from deposed coordinator Brian Stewart, and will have to integrate newcomers like end Igor Olshansky, linebacker Keith Brooking, and safety Gerald Sensabaugh into a unit that must be more consistent than it was a year ago.

N.Y. Giants

REPORT DATE: Aug. 3rd

SITE: University at Albany, Albany, NY

CAMP OBJECTIVES: The Giants have had less drama this offseason than in any during recent memory, but the enduring question of who is going to replace Plaxico Burress' production remains. Tom Coughlin and offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride need to determine whether their current group featuring holdovers Steve Smith, Domenik Hixon, and first-rounder Hakeem Nicks can be reliable enough for Eli Manning to count on, or whether outside options need to be explored. The other issue on offense seems to be a minor one, as Derrick Ward parlayed a 1,000-yard season into a free agent deal with Tampa Bay, but the talented Ahmad Bradshaw is ready to step in as a complement to Brandon Jacobs. On defense, the news is mostly good, as Osi Umenyiora is back from injury to help spark the pass rush and tackles Chris Canty, Rocky Bernard, and linebacker Michael Boley (who will be suspended to start the season) should further strengthen the front seven. The most significant loss defensively was coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, now in St. Louis coaching the Rams, but Bill Sheridan has been elevated from linebackers coach to replace him and shouldn't have much trouble earning the players' respect.

Philadelphia

REPORT DATES: July 26th (Rookies), July 29th (Veterans)

SITE: Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA

CAMP OBJECTIVES: There is excitement in Eagles camp over the direction of the offense, tinged with just a bit of uncertainty. Brian Westbrook's recent ankle surgery will force those on the lower rungs of the running back depth chart into action with the first-teamers, and a lot of eyes will be on second-round pick LeSean McCoy (Pittsburgh) and hybrid fullback-tailback Leonard Weaver (ex-Seahawks) to see if they look like viable contributors. Elsewhere at the skill positions, the club would like to see wideout Jeremy Maclin (Missouri) get into camp and seize a meaningful role, and also needs backup QB Kevin Kolb to regain the confidence he may have lost in a meltdown at Baltimore last November. Astute Birds fans will also be closely monitoring the play of the new tackle tandem of Jason Peters (left side) and Stacy Andrews (right side), who will be replacing the ultra-reliable Tra Thomas and Jon Runyan, respectively. On defense, the major question is how the team will make up for both the play and leadership of departed safety Brian Dawkins. Newcomers in the secondary include ex-Browns safety Sean Jones and cornerback acquisition Ellis Hobbs, but a true leader along the lines of Dawkins has yet to emerge. August will be a good time to locate that guy.

Washington

REPORT DATE: July 29th

SITE: Redskins Park, Ashburn, VA

CAMP OBJECTIVES: Quarterback Jason Campbell and head coach Jim Zorn are among the members of the Redskins largely believed to be operating on borrowed time, and that status won't change until the NFL's 28th-ranked scoring attack of a year ago shows some progress. Camp will be a critical time for Campbell to restore some confidence after the team actively sought better QB options during the offseason, and his progress will only be helped if targets like Devin Thomas and Malcolm Kelly can develop within Zorn's west-coast scheme. Within the running game, it will be interesting to monitor the movements of Clinton Portis, who was embroiled in a feud with Zorn that both claim has blown over. On defense, the players to watch will be mega-million dollar free agent pickup Albert Haynewsorth at defensive tackle, and first-round pass rusher Brian Orakpo (Texas), who will probably show up at one of the outside linebacker positions. In the secondary, the team has much riding on whether cornerback DeAngelo Hall can live up to the huge free agent deal that many around the league scoffed at when Hall signed it in March. One of the most popular Skins during the month of August should be ex-Colts standout Hunter Smith, who stops a revolving door for the team at punter.

NFC NORTH

Chicago

REPORT DATE: July 31st

SITE: Olivet Nazarene University, Bourbonnais, IL

CAMP OBJECTIVES: There is little debate over what the top story will be in Bears camp, as Jay Cutler settles in as the team's first true franchise signal-caller since at least Jim McMahon. Chicago supporters are concerned, and rightly so, with who Cutler is going to throw to, since third-round pick Juaquin Iglesias (Oklahoma) is basically the only new face on the outside for a team that didn't have a consistent pass-catching wideout last year. Elsewhere on offense, the Bears need battered free agent pickup Orlando Pace to show he still has the ability to protect the blind side. The defense is going through a transition, despite the absence of many new faces, with head coach Lovie Smith seizing control of the unit from demoted coordinator Bob Babich. Chicago was in the bottom half of the league in both pass and run defense a year ago, and Smith will have to continue tweaking the scheme throughout camp. The player to watch on that side of the ball is offseason acquisition and ex-Saint Josh Bullocks, who figures to start at free safety if all goes well in August.

Detroit

REPORT DATE: July 31st

SITE: Detroit Lions Training Facility, Allen Park, MI

CAMP OBJECTIVES: Formerly terrible teams with a host of new faces have proven that they could win immediately (see: 2008 Dolphins), but the manner in which the club is able to come together during the month of August is absolutely critical to that success. New Lions head coach Jim Schwartz has a gargantuan order on his hands for a team that was 0-16 and had the most turnover in the league, but there is more talent here than existed in 2008 and Schwartz and his staff must find a way to get the most out of it. Offensively, it looks like Matthew Stafford will win the starting job from Daunte Culpepper, and must show some summer chemistry with both his offensive line and a receiving group that added the likes of Bryant Johnson (ex-49ers), Dennis Northcutt (ex- Jaguars), and third-round pick Derrick Williams (Penn State). Last year's atrocious defense needs to develop a pass rush in the worst way, will require new linebackers Julian Peterson (ex-Seahawks) and Larry Foote (ex-Steelers) to provide a steadying force in the front seven, and must have new secondary members Louis Delmas (Western Michigan), Anthony Henry (ex-Cowboys), and Phillip Buchanon (ex-Buccaneers) take firm hold of assumed starting roles during the late summer.

Green Bay

REPORT DATE: July 31st

SITE: St. Norbert College, De Pere, WI

CAMP OBJECTIVES: As opposed to a team like the Lions, who experienced almost wholesale personnel turnover in the offseason, the Packers are banking on a change of scheme in their quest to recover from a losing season. New defensive coordinator Dom Capers has instituted a 3-4 system to try to prop up last year's struggling unit. Against the run, the club needs first-round nose tackle B.J. Raji to provide some bulk in the middle for a group that was 26th in NFL rushing defense a year ago. Within the pass rush, Capers will look for Aaron Kampman to embrace his switch from defensive end to outside linebacker, and will hope that first-round pick Clay Matthews can develop enough in August to complement him on the other side. The offense, meanwhile, looks to be in decent shape, especially with Aaron Rodgers settling into his second year as the starter and gaining more confidence. Elsewhere in the backfield, Ryan Grant needs to prove he can be durable enough to carry the load after an injury- and inconsistency-marred 2008. The big question on special teams is who will do the punting, with Durant Brooks and Jeremy Kapinos vying for those duties.

Minnesota

REPORT DATE: July 30th

SITE: Minnesota State University, Mankato, MN

CAMP OBJECTIVES: With Brett Favre nearly guaranteed to show up and join the Vikings in Mankato, this camp will be among the biggest media circuses in the league. It will be critical for Brad Childress, his staff, and players to overcome the Favre distractions and focus on coming together to form the championship-level team most believe they have the talent to be. Favre and the offense will have to come out of camp with a layer of polish, and finding a role for first-round pick Percy Harvin will be chief on Childress' list of August directives as well. Elsewhere on offense, the line must develop chemistry following center Matt Birk's free agent departure, and second- rounder Phil Loadholt (Oklahoma) needs to prove he can step into a long- standing gap at right tackle. The defense returns virtually intact, though the possible suspensions of the DT wall of Pat Williams and Kevin Williams is concerning. Coordinator Leslie Frazier needs to make sure backups Ellis Wyms and Fred Evans are ready in the event that the "Williams wall" is out of commission in September.

NFC SOUTH

Atlanta

REPORT DATE: July 31st

SITE: Atlanta Falcons Training Facility, Flowery Branch, GA

CAMP OBJECTIVES: What a difference a year makes. At this time in 2008, Falcons head coach Mike Smith was dealing with an uncertain offensive situation centered on new starters at quarterback (Matt Ryan) and running back Michael Turner (running back). This season, the only meaningful offensive quandary is the development of tight end Tony Gonzalez's role within the attack. The bigger issues are on defense, where Atlanta finished in the bottom half of the league against both the run and pass a year ago, and also lost key contributors like linebackers Michael Boley and Keith Brooking, as well as defensive backs Domonique Foxworth and Lawyer Milloy. In the front seven, Smith and defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder need first-round tackle Peria Jerry (Ole Miss) and middle linebacker Mike Peterson to live up to their billing, and will be looking for the unheralded likes of cornerback Chevis Jackson and safety Thomas DeCoud to seize roles in the secondary during August.

Carolina

REPORT DATE: Aug. 2nd

SITE: Wofford College, Spartanburg, SC

CAMP OBJECTIVES: The Panthers did not have a great deal of offseason turnover from a personnel standpoint, so August and early September will mostly be about moving on from that playoff debacle against the Cardinals last August. Carolina fans need to see Jake Delhomme completing passes to his own teammates during his preseason cameos in order to restore their confidence in him. Since Julius Peppers signed his franchise tender and will be in training camp, the biggest issue for the defense is the presence of new defensive coordinator Ron Meeks, formerly of the Colts, who will need to ensure that his unit develops within his scheme. Second-round draft choice Everette Brown (Florida State), who will have the advantage of playing opposite Julius Peppers, will have to prove that he has the strength at 256 pounds to play an every-down role. Five assistant coaches have turned over since that playoff game against the Cardinals, so it will be interesting to see how the players adjust to the many new voices during the summer.

New Orleans

REPORT DATE: July 30th

SITE: Saints Training Facility, Metairie, LA

CAMP OBJECTIVES: While most fans around the league focus on their team's offensive development this time of year, Saints fans will be more interested in the work of a defense that has been an albatross around the team's neck since Sean Payton took the helm. New defensive coordinator Gregg Williams brings a complex, pressure-based scheme to the Big Easy, and his group must handle the transition well during the dog days of summer. The secondary went through a complete overhaul, which was necessary after the club was 23rd in NFL passing defense a year ago, but cornerbacks Malcolm Jenkins (Ohio State), Jabari Greer (ex-Bills), and safety Darren Sharper (ex-Vikings) must prove that they can work together. On offense, the main story will be the distribution of carries following Pierre Thomas' breakout season and Reggie Bush's offseason knee surgery. Also, always advisable to monitor the movements of the ticking timebomb that is Jeremy Shockey. On special teams, Payton will look for fifth-round pick Thomas Morstead (Cal) to seize the punting job.

Tampa Bay

REPORT DATE: July 31st

SITE: One Buccaneer Place, Tampa, FL

CAMP OBJECTIVES: The Bucs are far from a finished product on either side of the football, but as these things usually go, the media focus in camp will be on offense, in particular at the quarterback position. Holdover Luke McCown will battle veteran acquisition Byron Leftwich (ex-Steelers) and first-round rookie Josh Freeman for the job. Elsewhere in the backfield, new head coach Raheem Morris and coordinator Jeff Jagodzinski must determine how to distribute carries in a backfield that now includes Derrick Ward (ex-Giants) in addition to incumbent Earnest Graham. The defense will have a bit more continuity in personnel, but the fact that Morris and defensive coordinator Jim Bates are taking over for the revered Monte Kiffin is a fact that shouldn't be underestimated. Camp will be about getting the defensive players to buy into Bates' more aggressive scheme.

NFC WEST

Arizona

REPORT DATE: July 29th

SITE: Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ

CAMP OBJECTIVES: The defending NFC champs were able to keep their passing game intact by re-signing quarterback Kurt Warner and failing to trade Anquan Boldin in the offseason, so the focus for head coach Ken Whisenhunt can be on breathing some life into the league's worst rushing attack of a year ago. Tim Hightower will nominally be the starter at running back heading into camp, but the team won't be upset if first-round pick Beanie Wells (Ohio State) gets to Flagstaff early and steals his thunder. Otherwise, the focus should be on the club's hit-or-miss defense, which needs to get a pass-rushing boost from guys like second-round pick Cody Brown (UConn), and will require offseason acquisitions such as cornerback Bryant McFadden (ex-Steelers) to help out a unit that gave up the most touchdown passes in the league a year ago.

St. Louis

REPORT DATES: July 30th (Rookies), July 31st (Veterans)

SITE: Russell Training Center, Earth City, MO

CAMP OBJECTIVES: Other than at running back, where Steven Jackson appears firmly entrenched, there isn't an element of the Rams roster that won't bear some scrutiny during training camp. New head coach Steve Spagnuolo will likely devote a great deal of energy to propping up the league's second-worst scoring defense of a year ago, and rookie middle linebacker James Lauranaitis (Ohio State) and incoming strong safety James Butler, who came with Spagnuolo from the Giants, will be a major piece of that transition. Spagnuolo rode the Giants' terrific pass rush to fame, and must assess whether the declining Leonard Little and 2008 first-rounder Chris Long are the men to get to the quarterback. On the other side of the ball, coordinator Pat Shurmur, formerly QB coach with the Eagles, will install a run-first approach but needs to light a fire under Marc Bulger in the passing game. The Rams are light at receiver following Torry Holt's exit, and the likes of second-year-pro Donnie Avery and Raiders castoff Ronald Curry must make an immediate impact. All of that said, the Rams won't take a step forward unless the new-look o-line, led by rookie tackle Jason Smith (Baylor) and free agent center Jason Brown (ex-Ravens), develops quickly during camp.

San Francisco

REPORT DATES: July 28th (Rookies), July 30th (Veterans)

SITE: Marie B. DeBartolo Sports Center, Santa Clara, CA

CAMP OBJECTIVES: The evolution of the offense during camp will be the main focus for the 49ers and their suffering fan base. The quarterback competition between physically limited winner Shaun Hill and former No. 1 overall bust Alex Smith will take center stage, but head coach Mike Singletary and new offensive coordinator Jimmy Raye II have other concerns on that side of the ball as well. The Niners finished 27th in NFL rushing offense last year, and must find a reliable complement to the fragile Frank Gore. On the outside, the club needs rookie Michael Crabtree to get into camp somewhere close to on time and prove that he has the goods to be a number one receiver. The defense will largely look the same as last year's underrated unit, though coordinator Greg Manusky will have to indoctrinate new starting cornerback Dre' Bly into his system.

Seattle

REPORT DATES: July 30th (Rookies), July 31st (Veterans)

SITE: Virginia Mason Athletic Center, Renton, WA

CAMP OBJECTIVES: New head coach Jim Mora will seek to place his stamp on a team that was among the most disappointing units in the league last year, and given the Hawks' injury problems in 2008, look for him to place a premium on maintaining its health. Offensively, the team needs to ensure that Matt Hasselbeck can overcome his back problems and remain in the lineup, and will look for him to find some chemistry with big offseason pickup T.J. Houshmandzadeh. The running game, which includes the less-than-stellar combo of Julius Jones and T.J. Duckett, needs to show it can be a complementary piece during camp. On defense, Mora's specialty, the charge will be to prop up a unit that was dead last in the league against the pass last year and 25th in NFL scoring defense. The healthy return of end Patrick Kerney and development of No. 3 overall pick Aaron Curry (Wake Forest) will be big components of boosting the team's strength against aerial attacks. Meanwhile, offseason DT additions Cory Redding (ex-Lions) and Colin Cole (ex-Packers) must live up to their space-eating reputations and have good camps.