In OTAs and mini camps, there is too much talk and not enough action. Because teams are not allowed to wear full pads and are restricted to minimal contact, every player looks like an all-star. Everyone talks about being primed for a big season, but most of those boastful predictions go unfulfilled.

Training camp is the time all that talking must turn into action. The hitting gets real, and so does the competition as players ramp up their efforts to secure a place on the 53-man roster.

With that in mind, we’re taking you on a tour of some training camps around the league to show you which players are backing up their words with actions. In this first look around the league, we’re checking into the training camps in Cincinnati, Carolina, Tennessee and St. Louis.

Replacing Gresham

Now that Jermaine Gresham’s five-year run in Cincinnati is over, the battle for the backup tight end position is intensifying. The Bengals drafted two players at the position — Tyler Kroft (Rutgers) and CJ Uzomah (Auburn) — but it is a pair of undrafted rookie who have garned the most buzz.

Matt Lengel, a massive 6-foot-8 tight end from Eastern Kentucky, has shown the quick feet and strong hands to be a top-level pass protector. That’s an important quality, as the man he’s charged with replacing (Gresham) graded out as a top-five pass protector last season according to Pro Football Focus.

John Peters is also a 6-foot-8 undrafted rookie who has the support of local fans after playing high school ball at Lakota West High School. Peters, who played wide receiver in high school and college, scored nine touchdowns on just 24 receptions as a senior at Mount St. Joseph.

Lengal is hoping to convince the Bengals to carry four tight ends so he can squeeze onto the 53-man roster, while Peters is competing for a place on the practice squad.

“It’s a good start. I think we’ve got a bunch of capable guys,” tight ends coach Jon Hayes told the team’s website. “We just have to develop them.”

Ginn Happy to Be Home

In the NFL, fit is as important as anything else. Ted Ginn fit in when he was with the Panthers in 2013, posting 36 catches for 556 yards and a career-high five touchdowns. He then moved on to Arizona, where the Cardinals valued his return skills more than his ability as a receiver. He fell to fifth on the offensive depth chart and averaged less than one catch per game.

That’s why Ginn returned to the Panthers this offseason … he knows Carolina is where he fits best.

“You only have a short window in this league and you have to do what’s best for your family,” Ginn told Panthers.com. “But going out to Arizona, it just shut me back down.

“To come back here and get like another life is great.”

Ginn figures to play a significant role on offense. He is far and away the fastest receiver on the team (undrafted rookie Damiere Byrd is the only one who could even challenge that claim) and has the ability to take the top off a defense. That should leave more room for Kelvin Benjamin and Greg Olsen to work the middle of the field.

Ginn, 30, will also serve as a veteran sounding board for rookie second-round pick Devin Funchess.

Hunter Hyped for Big Season

The Titans drafted several skill position players to make life easier on Marcus Mariota, including WR Dorial Green-Beckham (second round), FB Jalston Fowler (fourth round), RB David Cobb (fifth round) and WR Tre McBride (seventh round). But if you’re looking for something new in Tennessee’s arsenal of offensive weapons, look no further than holdover Justin Hunter.

Hunter appeared to be on thin ice just one month ago, when he was arrested on charges of felonious assault. There was some thought the Titans would just release the former second-round pick, who underwhelmed during his first two seasons, but coach Ken Whisenhunt has stood by Hunter. So far, it looks like the coach’s faith is paying dividends.

Hunter has been one of Tennessee’s most impressive players during the opening week of training camp. He added about 15 pounds of muscle during the offseason and has made several impressive catches in the early going.

The key for Hunter is to remain focused and improve his consistency. He has always had big-play ability, as evidenced by his 75-yard touchdown against the Browns last season, but he tends to disappear for long stretches.

Hunter vows that will change in 2015.

“When it comes to my career, it is always important to me,’’ Hunter told TitansOnline.com. “I have a lot of people who have my back in this organization and in this family, and it means a lot to me to hear and see the support from them. I am going to work hard because I don’t want to let anyone down.”

St. Louis Secondary Showing Signs

There has been plenty of talk about the Rams defensive line this offeason, and rightfully so, as the unit boasts five first-round picks. Just as that D-line should make life easier on the secondary, the team’s defensive backs are eager to return the favor.

Coach Jeff Fisher says cornerbacks Janoris Jenkins and Trumaine Johnson have enjoyed the best offseasons of their respective careers, noting they “weren’t rehabbing, they just stayed here. And they just worked. And it’s paying off for them now.”

Another defensive back to watch is Maurice Alexander, the team’s 2014 fourth-round pick out of Utah State. After spending most of his rookie season playing on special teams, he looks ready to carve out a significant role on defense. Throughout the first week of training camp, he has appeared confident and aggressive.

“He’s playing really fast right now, and that implies that he knows what to do,” Fisher said. “He’s sure, he’s decisive, he makes good decisions, and he’s reacting. He’s very athletic and he’s playing fast. He’s going to make a lot of plays for us.”

The Rams are counting on that defense to carry them, especially early in the season, as three of the team’s first four games come against opponents that made the playoffs last season.

Want to talk more about these and other headlines? Join Michael Lombardo for his weekly NFL Chat on Friday at 2pm EST. But you don’t have to wait until then … you can ask your question now!