Rocky Landing

Since this is a running back tryout, I'm looking forward to Antonio Williams next.

Spencer Brown is throwing down some blocks.

And he slipped tackles the way he did his rookie season.

We are going to miss Roberts...

Just a running back tryout on offense, so far.

I have a couple Pats* fan friends, and I've been loosely following their fan forum. Apparently, "the jury's still out on Josh Allen..." They've also been predicting (hoping?) that Allen, being a "running quarterback" and all, will get injured, and boy are we gonna regret all that guaranteed money. Ya know, even in the worst years of the drought, I've always been glad I wasn't a Patriots* fan.

A perfect blend between Rex Ryan, and Dick Jauron? That's like saying a perfect blend between rotting fish, and gravel thrown in your face.

I really don't have any problem with the Cowboys as an organization. But, Jerry Jones is an old weirdo.

It must just be straight-up depressing to be on that team.

What, just 'cuz he's a moderator, he can't act like a belligerent dik, once in a while, like the rest of us? Not even being hyperbolic here: McKenzie is one of the guys who define this team. Pretty amazing for a guy who is, for all intents and purposes, a depth player.

During the drought, I learned to take a very zen, game-by-game attitude. I learned to not focus on what position a W, or an L might put us, but rather to think of each game as its own entity. Like the games before and after had no relevance. Which still made it pretty painful because we lost so many goddamned games, but hey... every Sunday was a new day...

I have a hard time believing that a running back who did well behind a man-blocking O-line, and then struggled when they switched to zone can't ultimately make the necessary adjustment. A solid running back is a solid running back. And, honestly, the degree to which Moss was a better back in zone blocking was fairly minor-- his real strength was in pass pro, and that alone makes him a lock, IMO. That being said, even if Singletary shows a significant improvement in running behind a zone blocking O-line, he still could very well be the odd man out, if they feel that Williams is the power back they lacked last season. In other words (and I think this goes along with the point you were making), Moss/Breida/Williams may be a more complete running back committee, even if Singletary is a better all-around running back than any one of them, because each one of them may have certain better situational elements than Singletary. But all of that being said, I will still be quite surprised if Singletary doesn't make this team.

Yeah. I think his best chance to make the roster this season is if they cut Taiwan Jones, which, albeit unlikely, would probably be fine with a lot of fans.

Horrible Harry getting cut certainly would be a surprise, and a hard pill for a lot of people to swallow. but, it’s certainly within the realm of possibility. Mongo, on the other hand— that ain’t happening.

On Offense: I assume they keep nine O-linemen. I know people have given Boettger the edge over Ford at G, but I'm not so sure. I suspect they're on equal footing, but both are certainly locks. What I wonder about Ford (especially if he is not a starter) is: does McD think of him to have position flex? If he ends up in a backup role, he did, of course play his first season at LT, and was serviceable. I bring it up because after Brown (who is raw as hell), there's Hart, and reports from TC have Bobby Hart looking rather pedestrian. Taiwan Jones is an interesting case. He's frustrating to fans because as an actual RB, he's straight-up awful. He's the worst RB on the team. But, apparently, a very important part of ST. Could he be replaced? If Kumerow were able to take his role on ST, it would be a no-brainer. But, IMO, rather than opening up a seventh WR spot, as some would like, I would think Antonio Williams would be a valuable addition to the RB room, and as a STer. He is right now the closest thing we have to a downhill power back, IMO. Wide receiver. There has been some speculation on this forum that Isaiah McKenzie is not a lock. I don't buy that for a second. There has also been speculation that either or both of Hodgins, and Stevenson should take up roster space because they wouldn't be safe on the PS. I don't buy it. They'll be safe on the PS, and even if they're not, unless one of them wins the #6WR spot (possible), they're not going to keep them on the 53 purely for the sake of development. On Defense: I think the battle for the backup safety positions is pretty up in the air, and I mentioned Jaquan Johnson the other day as being a surprise cut. I know he was core ST, last season, and perhaps @GunnerBill would know just how valuable he's been in his (personal protection, I believe?) role, but it seems to me he hasn't been that much of a standout, especially as an actual safety. And, Hamlin, Thompson, and Thomas have all gotten some buzz in TC. And, there is Siran Neal. Here's a way-too-early bold prediction for the '22 season: At the end of this season, when Taron, and Siran both become UFAs, Taron will get a big contract elsewhere, and Beane will extend Siran a decent deal, and he becomes our NCB. I'm going to stick with my prediction that they keep 10 D-linemen, and possibly 11. I think Addison is a surprise cut, and I have been arguing they keep Darryl Johnson all summer, so I'm not going to stop now. And, if they do keep 11, that would be Zimmer. "Glue," and all that..

Jesus H. Christ, of course it's sarcasm! I thought the "arm arrogance" would have given it away, but I guess that's a little obscure...

I actually appreciate @ScottLaw. Every party needs a pooper.

There is actually a site that had the percentage of snaps, and that is where I saw it. It may very well have been 22%, as I forgot to bookmark the site, and I don't remember what it was called. And I'm not sure those snap percentages tell "the exact opposite," in that such a stat certainly wouldn't tell the whole story. Be that as it may, I was only citing my own perception regarding his strength in the running game, and it may just be a biased position. It just makes sense to me that someone who consistently made plays on ST would be suited to stop the run. And I do remember him having a spectacular tackle for loss in the 49ers game.

What I mean by this is that there seems to be a perception that Beane/McD will find themselves having to choose between the two, as in they would keep one, but not both. I don't think that is the case at all.

I have to wonder how safe Jaquan Johnson's spot on the roster is? I remember the word on him coming out of the draft being how athletic he was, but then being a bit of a disappointment in his first TC, and preseason. He seems to have been pretty much under the radar since then. It seems as though Hamlin, Thompson, and Thomas have all made plays here, and there this summer. And, it wouldn't be inaccurate to think of Siran Neal as something of a CB/S hybrid player-- he was, after all, drafted as a safety. Could Jaquan Johnson be a surprise cut?

I remember reading an article back when the Pats* were dominant about just how many more practices they got every year as a result of always being in the playoffs, and how effectively that would carry over to the next season. It made sense to me at the time, but now we're really seeing it. I've been watching the video tweets coming out of the other three camps in the division, and the difference in energy, and activity is palpable. The Bills players are walking out onto the field just knowing what to do, and what needs to be done, and they're having so much fun doing it. In the other three teams... a lot of standing around watching the coaches, low energy, low confidence-- just different body language all around.

I hope someone puts together a compilation of these QB races at the end of TC. And, I have a hard time believing McKensie is anywhere near the bubble on this team.

IIRC, he was decent against the run, but he played a low percentage of defensive snaps, 15%, or so, I believe. Definitely saw him make plays on teams, though.

My prediction was/is that Addison gets cut. At any rate, I don't accept the Obada vs. Johnson concept.

I got flamed not long ago for suggesting that they would keep Johnson for his ST play.