There is a flip side to teaching Robert Nkemdiche, who, make no mistake, is still trying to learn how to play his position on the defensive line. Every day, you can see Nkemdiche's power and athleticism and effort as he tries to bury his disappointing rookie season, but in technique and discipline (making sure he doesn't jump offsides), he is still in-progress.

But the power/athleticism/effort also gives offensive coordinator/offensive line coach Harold Goodwin a powerful tool when it comes to teaching his young players. Specifically, rookie fourth-round guard Dorian Johnson, who many times has been set up to face Nkemdiche. Before these matchups, Goodwin talks to Nkemdiche as much as Johnson, and given the intensity in which Nkemdiche attacks, it's some serious on-the-job training.

The final one-on-one rep was a Nkemdiche win, pushing Johnson way back. Clearly Johnson isn't ready to play this season, but this is how he gets better, and that Nkemdiche can help in the cause is an interesting turn, given where he was at as a player last season when he was a rookie.

-- Left tackle D.J. Humphries was out working with the first unit most of practice for the first time since hurting his hamstring. "This whole situation kind of taught me to listen to my body a little bit, that you're not in college anymore," Humphries said. "It felt good today."

-- Wide receiver John Brown did look better at practice, making a handful of receptions in 11-on-11.

-- Veteran receiver Jeremy Ross has picked up his play the last couple of days. And he looked like he was running ahead of J.J. Nelson Wednesday.

-- Tight end Ifeanyi Momah made another nice reception and like previous camps, has proven himself as a receiver. They already like his special teams work. He should have a spot on the roster. He needs to continue to work on his blocking.

-- LB Terrence Waugh left practice with some sort of leg injury.

-- Earlier in the day, Bruce Arians noted that the best down-the-depth-chart receiver had been "'Little Smoke" Chris Hubert. "He's been wide-ass open," Arians said. "We just haven't hit him." Early in practice, Hubert ran a nice route to the right sideline of the end zone, and he was wide open. Blaine Gabbert's pass was too wide, however.

-- Patrick Peterson made a nice interception, running the route ahead of wide receiver Jaron Brown. Safety Harlan Miller also had a pick. Rookie tight end Ricky Seals-Jones, back from an ankle issue, had an impressive diving TD catch.

-- The first-team offense ran a quick screen to Jaron Brown. Tyrann Mathieu smelled it out and would have made a quick line-of-scrimmage tackle, if, you know, they were actually tackling. "C'mon dog, you gotta set it up better than that!" Mathieu yelled. "Too easy! Too easy!"