Dispatches

New Cowboys quarterback Chad Hutchinson—having aborted his pitching career with the St. Louis Cardinals and in pads last Saturday for the first time since starting for Stanford in 1997—completed his first eight passes in a seven-on-seven scrimmage. "This is where I've dreamed of being for a long time, and I know it's where I belong," says Hutchinson, who will probably back up Quincy Carter this fall. "I never felt comfortable throwing a baseball."

... Rams coach Mike Martz is already so impressed with Heisman-winning quarterback Eric Crouch as a receiver that he sees him as a solid No. 4 wideout in the explosive St. Louis offense immediately....

Former Green Bay general manager Ron Wolf, now a consultant for the team, thinks this could be the best team the Packers have fielded in 10 years. That would include Green Bay's Super Bowl teams of 1996 and '97. "Very good defensive line, very good offensive line," he says. " Terry Glenn's a cut above anyone they've had at receiver in the past 10 years. [Running back] Ahman Green's 25. And people talk about Brett Favre like he's 102. He's 32. Brett's got plenty of good years left."

...Not only is the Redskins' LaVar Arrington the biggest young star linebacker in the game, but he also leads like no other young player does. Before a simple seven-on-seven drill at training camp last week, he went to the other six defenders and screamed into their face masks, "Let's go now! They get nothing!"