PonyExpress
In the Starting Line-Up
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CLICK HERE to Register for a free account and login for a smoother ad-free experience. It's easy, and only takes a few moments.Camp observations Sunday August 3rd:
I apologize for my tardy reply. I attended camp yesterday with the Beanfish and offer a number of miscellaneous observations.
The most illuminating drill of the day was again the one on one pass drill. Last week the drill included TEs.
In this instance, only the running backs participated in a match up with the ILBs.
To my eye, the outstanding performers among the RBs were Sammy Morris and Lamont Jordan.
Sammy easily gained separation and caught the ball cleanly without breaking stride.
Maroney played to mixed reviews in head to head match-ups with Mayo. In the first rep,
Mayo slipped to the turf on the outcut and Maroney waltzed away. The more notable match-up
(which to me spoke volumes about the combatants) occured near the end of the drill.
Maroney tried an outcut and go. Mayo trailed by a half-step out of the cut
and incredibly closed ground against a full speed Maroney on the up.
The two players continued full tilt down the sideline with Mayo fixed in Maroney's grill.
Brady held the ball, held the ball, and finally dropped the ball in exasperation.
There was no separation, not an inch. Mayo also stifled Faulk on a circle route.
His skillset in man coverage is lightyears ahead of the next best ILBs. He is a three down ILB.
Hobson and Heath appeared ponderous.
Tank did not participate, perhaps indicating a failed positional experiment.
Bruschi was surprisingly adequate, but Guyton was the Silver Medal winner in this drill.
He was physical on the bump, and quick on cuts.
The punt drills also caught my eye. The drills were not run at full speed except at the gunner/gunner blocker level.
In fact, I thought the drills were designed as a try-out among the gunner blockers.
Chad Jackson ran back the bulk of the punts and to my eye lacked the quick cutting and cutback skills
critical to success in this arena. Chad Jackson's long speed and stride
may work on kick-offs but cannot work on punts.
Wilhite stood out as quick and physical as a gunner blocker, but Slater's raw speed blew the DookFish away.
As a gunner, he was two steps ahead of his nearest competitor and simply ran around the gunner blockers untouched.
Earlier he had circumnavigated a frustrated Merriwether on a cutback punt return.
He will not only make the 53. He will be active on the 45 as a kick returner, gunner blocker, gunner, and KR safety.
Wheatley stood out both on D, as a gunner and as a gunner blocker. He is lightening fast, quick and surprisingly physical.
He turned beautifully on an underthrown Cassell heave off a flea flicker and made the pick.
I watched one aspect of the running game carefully and I must regrettfully report that
none of our young buck OLBs can set the edge on the sweep. Vrabel is of course the master in this regard.
Crable, Pierre and Redd (given a surprising number of snaps) were regularly caught inside or engulfed on sweep after sweep.
I also watched Redd in zone coverage. He is huge, but lacking in lateral mobility or ball sense.
If he has an NFL career, it will be in a Colvin/Crable rush role.
My final observation relates to David Thomas, I observed two remarkable catches-one a tap job on the sideline,
one a scoop of an underthrown crossing pattern. He may not be elite in the separation category,
but on BB's second criteria (Can he catch the ball?), Thomas is a standout.
He also looks noticeably thicker in his second year and may have the bulk now to hold his own on the wham or in line.
Respectfully submitted, The DookFish
P.S. The DookFish, MomBear and the BeanFish depart for Russia and Hong Kong tomorrow night to visit the MookFish and meet up with the ZookFish. The Scoutwease will board with her Aunt. We will return in time for the second exhibition game.
P.P.S. The BeanFish has heard the posters as to the typing issues and threatens the DookFish with an on-line typing course. The DookFish is not easily cowed and swims off to Asia unbowed and untutored.
Respectfully submitted alternative format:
P.S. The DookFish, MomBear and the BeanFish depart for Russia and Hong Kong tomorrow night
The more notable match-up (which to me spoke volumes about the combatants) occured near the end of the drill. Maroney tried an outcut and go. Mayo trailed by a half-step out of the cut and incredibly closed ground against a full speed Maroney on the up. The two players continued full tilt down the sideline with Mayo fixed in Maroney's grill. Brady held the ball, held the ball, and finally dropped the ball in exasperation. There was no separation, not an inch.
Maybe I just caught Jackson on a better day, but he certainly did a better job in the DB v WR drills than on DookFish's days.- For all the talk about Chad having a mixed camp, or trouble separating, my homer eyes didn't see it. He separated from the DBs in the drills, once on a deep route where the ball was badly overthrown and once going up against Meriweather on a quick out (made the catch). He looked pretty comfortable in the scrimmages and passing drills, although one time it appeared he hesitated on which side he was to line up on. He seems adept at any routes sending him to the inside, he got open and was the target quite a few times. I also noted him having a private convo w McD before practice started - let's hope he's spent a lot of time w him over the offseason.
Encouraging to hear a second opinion. I'll look forward to Thursday to see for myself, if the TV cameras choose to show it.Maybe I just caught Jackson on a better day, but he certainly did a better job in the DB v WR drills than on DookFish's days.
I think it's early to judge Crable on his ability to set the edge. Let's see him next year after he puts on 15 lbs and is more Vrabel's size. Add a little power to that quickness and the perception might change.
So he is an undercover scout for Miami! :banned:OMG!
The Dookfish is a commie SPY!!!
Let's just say he's got me REAL excited about this draft class. If Mayo and Slater, alone, live up to what he's saying it would be a solid draft. Add the corners and . . .
I posted this in my own thread, but it's relevant here:
Maybe I just caught Jackson on a better day, but he certainly did a better job in the DB v WR drills than on DookFish's days.
Agreed - I can't remember being this excited about a draft class in recent years. Hopeful, yes, always hopeful, but never as excited about so many players - Mayo, Slater, Wheatley, Wilhite, even Crable.
I posted this in my own thread, but it's relevant here:
Maybe I just caught Jackson on a better day, but he certainly did a better job in the DB v WR drills than on DookFish's days.
I was at the same practice as the Great Dook on 8/3 and witnessed the same thing with ChadJack. Didn't separate, dropped a slant and RARELY saw looks from Tom, if at all. I'm hoping it was just a bad day for Chad. I want him to succeed like the rest of us. Looking like Tarzan is one thing, we need more consistency from him. I was surprised to be honest.
Yes, I know he separated at Orchard Park and the Meadowlands with all kinds of real estate between him and his defender for easy 6's, I saw it too. I remember the isolation pass in the flat in Minny where he busted through 3 defenders and straddled his way into the endzone like a cheetah and kept his balance, it was an incredibly agile and athletic move.