Five players to watch

1 - Shamiel Gary

The first-year player has earned his way toward a second team safety role through the first 11 days of training camp practices. When Micah Hyde was sidelined by a hip injury it was Gary who was bumped up to the starting unit to replace him. If Gary can carry his consistent play into preseason game number one, it will move him closer to nailing down one of the top four safety spots on the roster.

2 - Gerald Hodges

Hodges was a late free agent signee in June, but he’s done a great job of making up for lost time. He’s got a firm grasp of the defensive system, which is in stark contrast to the 3-4 scheme he played in last year. He’s had a nose for takeaways with an interception,…