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Saturday, 7/29 COMPLETE Camp Report

sven233

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sven233

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Hey guys, well, I just got back from camp and am here to file my report. I expected to have a lot more to say, but they worked without pads today so it is hard to judge the progress of certain positions. But anays, here we go!

 

When I arrived and headed to the practice field slightly after 8 AM, TKO was already on the field!!! That was great to see! He was catching balls from the jugs machine. By my count, and what I overheard his assistant tell him is that he went through about 50 balls. He looked sharp cathing passes from several different angles. Also, later in the practices, he did participate in some individual drills and some 7 on 7. He didn't have a heavy workload, but he looked good from what I saw.

 

Practice got started about 8:30 or so. To be honest with you, there were not too many things that stood out to me, but here are some highlights:

 

QB Competition:

 

None of the 3 really stood out from the others, but in the morning session, I would say overall, JP was the strongest (Nall was a close 2nd). JP threw 2 pretty bad balls, one which was picked off by Greer who got a fantastic jump on an out.(GREER WAS ONE STANDOUT PLAYER TODAY.......HE MADE PLAYS ALL DAY AND ENDED UP WITH 2 INTS ON THE DAY). If there was a noticible difference between the QBs today, it was definately in arm strength. JP just seems to have a lot more zip on his passes than both Holcomb and Nall (especially in a breezy afternoon practice....not that that should surprise anyone). His passes just get there on a line and in a hurry. Nall didn't have a bad arm either, but I would say he was the most inconsistant out of the bunch. Her would make 2-3 good throws and then just throw up a couple of stinkers. However, there was one other thing that really stood out, especially in the morning. In the 7 on 7 and 11 on 11 drills, you could tell that JP and Nall were just letting it go down the field trying to make the big play. But, surprise, surprise, I saw Holcomb check down to either the RBs or TEs on 3 occasions in a row at one point. Now, don't get me wrong, he did throw a couple nice balls down the field, but you can tell he just doesn't want to take that big chance. Also, all the QBs had some bad reads. Losman and Holcomb were both picked off twice, I believe, between the morning and afternoon sessions. But, I will say this.....Holcomb threw 2-3 more balls that were dropped by the defense that I think should have been picked. Nall had a couple as well that should have been picked (or at least he should not have thrown them). Also, as everyone knows by now, Nall left with a tweaked hamstring almost at the very end of practice. He did walk all the way back to the lockerroom under his own power though and it doesn't look to be serious. We'll have to see how this affects the reps come the next practice. All and all, none of the QBs really stood out, but based on potential, arm strength, and physical ability, if all things are equal between the QBs, you have to give JP the starting nod. To me, what I saw today did not do anything to change that opinion for me. JP is the best option at this point.

 

WR:

 

Again, nothing too much stood out to me. Nance had 2-3 very nice receptions from JP for long gains during 7 on 7 and 11 on 11 drills. Peerless looked pretty good to me as well. Just to note, it was Evans and Reed as the first pair up today in the morning and Evans and PP as the first pair in the afternoon. Reed did have a couple nice grabs (on a positive note, he did not drop 1 ball that I saw today). However, 1 receiver who I did think struggled was Andre Davis. I believe it was JP who threw him a ball on the sidelines and hit him in the hands in stride which would have gone for a huge play, but he dropped it. I saw him drop at least 2 balls today. Also, keep an eye on Roscoe Parrish (I said this last year right before he got hurt, but the guy is a playmaker and if he gets into the open field, watch out......he could score from anywhere. I will say it again.....it will be like 7-11....JP to Parrish is always open). If you want to watch something fantastic and fun, just watch Roscoe run routes. I don't know if I have ever seen a quicker player. All the other WR were average today.....Aiken had a couple nice grabs and looks like he always does at camp.....great practice player. Let's just see if it translates into a game.

 

RB:

 

I don't have much to say on this other than I did get the chance to speak briefly with McGahee after the first practice. he told me he was "gonna give it to them" this year and he looks primed and ready to go. It was hard to tell if he was any slimmer than last year because of the jersey he was wearing, but when I spoke to him after practice, he took the jersey off and was just in an underarmour shirt......let me tell you....the guys is RIPPED. His arms were huge and he just had a SOLID upper boddy. The guy definately looked in shape. As for his performance, he ran a couple sweeps to the outside and showed some good speed. Again, it is tough to tell what is happening completely when they are just running around in shorts and no pads. But he looked shifty in the drills and moved with ease. I just hope this is a good sign. I will be very interested to see him in live competition, even if it is just the preseason. As for the other backs, well, I think that other than the QB competition, the backup RB battle is the next most interesting on offense. A-Train looked SLIM. Looks like he is 25lbs lighter than I remember him with the Bears. Also, Shaud Williams might be the shiftiest back on the team. He had a couple pretty nice runs. I know it is early, but don't be surpried if Joe Burns is the odd man out there if they don't go with 4 RBs. He didn't get too much work that I saw. Also, as a closing note, Willis probably caught 4-5 balls out of the backfield today and there were a number of screen plays (3 maybe??). It looks as though they would like to get the RBs out in space a little bit more this year and I hope Willis catches 30 balls this year. I really think he has the ability to make things happen if he can get out in space. Overall, the backs looked good and the backup RB position will be highly contested. Gates had a solid day as well with some good runs. I would really like to see this guys get more of a chance this year.

 

TE:

 

Going into camp, I really thought Everett would eventually become the #1 guy, but after watch Royal today, I don't think that will happen. Royal might be a great pickup for us this year. He is a big guy that has good technique in the blocking scheme. What we all wondered going into this year is whether he could catch. While, he answered that for me today. He had probably 4-5 nice catches in traffic. He showed better hands than I thought he had and I really think he will be a weapon for us. As for the other guys, Everett did have a couple really nice grabs. However, he a a key drop right up the seem that would have gone for big yardage. You could tell he was upset with that one. But, overall, I actually think we might get some production out to the TE position this year.

 

OL:

 

I was really looking forward to watching this group, but I don't have a lot to report because there were no pads today. The starters were the same today as expected.......Gandy, Reyes, Fowler, CV, and Peters. Again, without pads, I couldn't really draw any conclusions, but there was one breakdown in the morning that stood out. It was aon a sweep to the left and Crowell just pusted through and popped the RB pretty good. If he didn't have to pull up and it was in a live game, he would have killed the back and it would have been about a 5-7 yard loss. Other than that, though, there really wasn't too much to observe without the pads.

 

DEFENSE:

 

I am going to do this as a group becuase there really wasn't anyone (except Greer that was mentioned above) that stood out to me. The defense made several strong plays during the course of the day, but there was one thing that STOOD OUT. THIS TEAM IS GOING AFTER EVERY LOOSE BALL. Whether it was an incomplete pass, or whatever, any ball that hit the ground, our D-coordinator PF was yelling at them EVERY time to get the ball and every loose ball was returned to the endzone. I LOVED THIS. This team is going to get after the ball. This defense is definately FAST and will play that way. Again, with no pads on it was hard to grade out certain guys, but the group made some nice plays in the running game and did get some pressure in 7 on 7 and 11 on 11 drills.

 

OVERALL:

 

Well, the team is a work in progress. I saw some really good things from some guys and saw a couple things I really didn't like. To be honest with you, with all the attention that the QB competition is getting, I think the success or failure of this team lies with the O-Line. But then again, if you have followed my philosophy before, that is no surprise. No matter who the QB is, if they get time to throw, I am confident that these guys can get the job done. If the O-Line can run block MUCH better than they did last year, that will allow McGahee to have the breakout season that I am expecting from him and help the QBs out even more. The defense looks faster and I love the fact that Crowell is starting and I LOVE how they get after the ball EVERY play. I know some may think I am crazy, but I really can't wait for the preseason to start. I can't wait to see this team in live action to see where this team may be headed. This traing camp under Jauron is organized and disciplined. There might be some reason to BILLEVE in this season afterall!

 

Thanks for reading!

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2003 RFA

2003

Posted
Posted
Hey guys, well, I just got back from camp and am here to file my report.  I expected to have a lot more to say, but they worked without pads today so it is hard to judge the progress of certain positions.  But anays, here we go!

 

When I arrived and headed to the practice field slightly after 8 AM, TKO was already on the field!!!  That was great to see!  He was catching balls from the jugs machine.  By my count, and what I overheard his assistant tell him is that he went through about 50 balls.  He looked sharp cathing passes from several different angles. Also, later in the practices, he did participate in some individual drills and some 7 on 7.  He didn't have a heavy workload, but he looked good from what I saw.

 

Practice got started about 8:30 or so.  To be honest with you, there were not too many things that stood out to me, but here are some highlights:

 

QB Competition:

 

None of the 3 really stood out from the others, but in the morning session, I would say overall, JP was the strongest (Nall was a close 2nd).  JP threw 2 pretty bad balls, one which was picked off by Greer who got a fantastic jump on an out.(GREER WAS ONE STANDOUT PLAYER TODAY.......HE MADE PLAYS ALL DAY AND ENDED UP WITH 2 INTS ON THE DAY).  If there was a noticible difference between the QBs today, it was definately in arm strength.  JP just seems to have a lot more zip on his passes than both Holcomb and Nall (especially in a breezy afternoon practice....not that that should surprise anyone).  His passes just get there on a line and in a hurry.  Nall didn't have a bad arm either, but I would say he was the most inconsistant out of the bunch.  Her would make 2-3 good throws and then just throw up a couple of stinkers.  However, there was one other thing that really stood out, especially in the morning.  In the 7 on 7 and 11 on 11 drills, you could tell that JP and Nall were just letting it go down the field trying to make the big play.  But, surprise, surprise, I saw Holcomb check down to either the RBs or TEs on 3 occasions in a row at one point.  Now, don't get me wrong, he did throw a couple nice balls down the field, but you can tell he just doesn't want to take that big chance.  Also, all the QBs had some bad reads.  Losman and Holcomb were both picked off twice, I believe, between the morning and afternoon sessions.  But, I will say this.....Holcomb threw 2-3 more balls that were dropped by the defense that I think should have been picked.  Nall had a couple as well that should have been picked (or at least he should not have thrown them).  Also, as everyone knows by now, Nall left with a tweaked hamstring almost at the very end of practice.  He did walk all the way back to the lockerroom under his own power though and it doesn't look to be serious.  We'll have to see how this affects the reps come the next practice.  All and all, none of the QBs really stood out, but based on potential, arm strength, and physical ability, if all things are equal between the QBs, you have to give JP the starting nod.  To me, what I saw today did not do anything to change that opinion for me.  JP is the best option at this point.

 

WR:

 

Again, nothing too much stood out to me.  Nance had 2-3 very nice receptions from JP for long gains during 7 on 7 and 11 on 11 drills.  Peerless looked pretty good to me as well.  Just to note, it was Evans and Reed as the first pair up today in the morning and Evans and PP as the first pair in the afternoon.  Reed did have a couple nice grabs (on a positive note, he did not drop 1 ball that I saw today).  However, 1 receiver who I did think struggled was Andre Davis.  I believe it was JP who threw him a ball on the sidelines and hit him in the hands in stride which would have gone for a huge play, but he dropped it.  I saw him drop at least 2 balls today.  Also, keep an eye on Roscoe Parrish (I said this last year right before he got hurt, but the guy is a playmaker and if he gets into the open field, watch out......he could score from anywhere.  I will say it again.....it will be like 7-11....JP to Parrish is always open).  If you want to watch something fantastic and fun, just watch Roscoe run routes.  I don't know if I have ever seen a quicker player.  All the other WR were average today.....Aiken had a couple nice grabs and looks like he always does at camp.....great practice player.  Let's just see if it translates into a game.

 

RB:

 

I don't have much to say on this other than I did get the chance to speak briefly with McGahee after the first practice.  he told me he was "gonna give it to them" this year and he looks primed and ready to go.  It was hard to tell if he was any slimmer than last year because of the jersey he was wearing, but when I spoke to him after practice, he took the jersey off and was just in an underarmour shirt......let me tell you....the guys is RIPPED.  His arms were huge and he just had a SOLID upper boddy.  The guy definately looked in shape.  As for his performance, he ran a couple sweeps to the outside and showed some good speed.  Again, it is tough to tell what is happening completely when they are just running around in shorts and no pads.  But he looked shifty in the drills and moved with ease.  I just hope this is a good sign.  I will be very interested to see him in live competition, even if it is just the preseason.  As for the other backs, well, I think that other than the QB competition, the backup RB battle is the next most interesting on offense.  A-Train looked SLIM.  Looks like he is 25lbs lighter than I remember him with the Bears.  Also, Shaud Williams might be the shiftiest back on the team.  He had a couple pretty nice runs.  I know it is early, but don't be surpried if Joe Burns is the odd man out there if they don't go with 4 RBs.  He didn't get too much work that I saw.  Also, as a closing note, Willis probably caught 4-5 balls out of the backfield today and there were a number of screen plays (3 maybe??).  It looks as though they would like to get the RBs out in space a little bit more this year and I hope Willis catches 30 balls this year.  I really think he has the ability to make things happen if he can get out in space.  Overall, the backs looked good and the backup RB position will be highly contested.  Gates had a solid day as well with some good runs.  I would really like to see this guys get more of a chance this year.

 

TE:

 

Going into camp, I really thought Everett would eventually become the #1 guy, but after watch Royal today, I don't think that will happen.  Royal might be a great pickup for us this year.  He is a big guy that has good technique in the blocking scheme.  What we all wondered going into this year is whether he could catch.  While, he answered that for me today.  He had probably 4-5 nice catches in traffic.  He showed better hands than I thought he had and I really think he will be a weapon for us.  As for the other guys, Everett did have a couple really nice grabs.  However, he a a key drop right up the seem that would have gone for big yardage.  You could tell he was upset with that one.  But, overall, I actually think we might get some production out to the TE position this year.

 

OL:

 

I was really looking forward to watching this group, but I don't have a lot to report because there were no pads today.  The starters were the same today as expected.......Gandy, Reyes, Fowler, CV, and Peters.  Again, without pads, I couldn't really draw any conclusions, but there was one breakdown in the morning that stood out.  It was aon a sweep to the left and Crowell just pusted through and popped the RB pretty good.  If he didn't have to pull up and it was in a live game, he would have killed the back and it would have been about a 5-7 yard loss.  Other than that, though, there really wasn't too much to observe without the pads.

 

DEFENSE:

 

I am going to do this as a group becuase there really wasn't anyone (except Greer that was mentioned above) that stood out to me.  The defense made several strong plays during the course of the day, but there was one thing that STOOD OUT.  THIS TEAM IS GOING AFTER EVERY LOOSE BALL.  Whether it was an incomplete pass, or whatever, any ball that hit the ground, our D-coordinator PF was yelling at them EVERY time to get the ball and every loose ball was returned to the endzone.  I LOVED THIS.  This team is going to get after the ball.  This defense is definately FAST and will play that way.  Again, with no pads on it was hard to grade out certain guys, but the group made some nice plays in the running game and did get some pressure in 7 on 7 and 11 on 11 drills.   

 

OVERALL:

 

Well, the team is a work in progress.  I saw some really good things from some guys and saw a couple things I really didn't like.  To be honest with you, with all the attention that the QB competition is getting, I think the success or failure of this team lies with the O-Line.  But then again, if you have followed my philosophy before, that is no surprise.  No matter who the QB is, if they get time to throw, I am confident that these guys can get the job done.  If the O-Line can run block MUCH better than they did last year, that will allow McGahee to have the breakout season that I am expecting from him and help the QBs out even more.  The defense looks faster and I love the fact that Crowell is starting and I LOVE how they get after the ball EVERY play.  I know some may think I am crazy, but I really can't wait for the preseason to start.  I can't wait to see this team in live action to see where this team may be headed.  This traing camp under Jauron is organized and disciplined.  There might be some reason to BILLEVE in this season afterall!

 

Thanks for reading!

731437[/snapback]

Thanks for the great info and insight! I BILLIEVE!!!!!!!! GO BILLS!!!!!!!!

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Shamrock RFA

Shamrock

Posted
Posted

How do the other TE's look- Cieslak, Everett and Neufeld?

From what I can see in the Pics, Kelsay looks a lot sharper than last year- i know they've asked him to drop weight, do you think he's quicker? He looks more like Schobel now.

Possey played any line yet?

Thanks

M

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sven233 Veteran

sven233

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WHERE ARE THE PICS?!!!  :w00t:

J/K LOL! THANKS FOR THE REPORT MAN!!!!!  :w00t:  :w00t:

 

GO BILLS!!!!!

731463[/snapback]

 

I went back an forth about taking the camera today. But, I decided in the end that I wanted to watch the practices as closely as possible. I have found that in the past when I have the camera, I end up watching most of the practice through the lcd screen and I miss a lot of details. I thought the in depth report would be better.

 

Maybe next time!

 

I do appreciate the support and I am glad that you enjoyed the report. I do my best to bring the best information and opinions about the Bills to everyone as best I can. I may not be the best writer, but I do know what I am talking about (most of the time anyways.....) when it comes to the Bills. Stay tuned for my complete season preview which I will post as soon as the preseason concludes and opening week is upon us!

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sven233 Veteran

sven233

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How do the other TE's look- Cieslak, Everett and Neufeld?

From what I can see in the Pics, Kelsay looks a lot sharper than last year- i know they've asked him to drop weight, do you think he's quicker? He looks more like Schobel now.

Possey played any line yet?

Thanks

M

731473[/snapback]

 

Hey there. Well, I mentioned Everett in my original post. While initially I thought he may challenge for the starting roll, it doesn't appear he will be able to overtake Royal. I would, at this point, rate him as the 2nd best TE on the team. He showed some great athletic ability today, but dropped a pass that hit him in the hands that would have gone for a big gain. But, he did make a couple pretty nice grabs today that I think solidified him as #2, at least for now. Cieslak, I thought, had a poor day overall. He dropped a few balls today in drills and just didn't seem to have 'IT' today. He has been stronger in the past and I look for him to rebound. He and Everett will challenge each other for the backup TE spot. Neufeld did nothing of note.

 

As for Kelsay, he is in MUCH better shape than last year. He was slim and looked to be quicker. He and Schobel actually paired off on individual drills and worked together. They looked like twins! Let me tell you something.......Schobel is IN SHAPE and looks ready to go. But, as a note here, it was Denney getting a lot of 1st team reps as well. But, those are your top 3 DEs without a doubt.

 

Posey has not worked out at DE and probably won't according to Jauron.

 

Hope this helps!

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Mickey Veteran

Mickey

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Posted
Hey guys, well, I just got back from camp and am here to file my report.  I expected to have a lot more to say, but they worked without pads today so it is hard to judge the progress of certain positions.  But anays, here we go!

 

When I arrived and headed to the practice field slightly after 8 AM, TKO was already on the field!!!  That was great to see!  He was catching balls from the jugs machine.  By my count, and what I overheard his assistant tell him is that he went through about 50 balls.  He looked sharp cathing passes from several different angles. Also, later in the practices, he did participate in some individual drills and some 7 on 7.  He didn't have a heavy workload, but he looked good from what I saw.

 

Practice got started about 8:30 or so.  To be honest with you, there were not too many things that stood out to me, but here are some highlights:

 

QB Competition:

 

None of the 3 really stood out from the others, but in the morning session, I would say overall, JP was the strongest (Nall was a close 2nd).  JP threw 2 pretty bad balls, one which was picked off by Greer who got a fantastic jump on an out.(GREER WAS ONE STANDOUT PLAYER TODAY.......HE MADE PLAYS ALL DAY AND ENDED UP WITH 2 INTS ON THE DAY).  If there was a noticible difference between the QBs today, it was definately in arm strength.  JP just seems to have a lot more zip on his passes than both Holcomb and Nall (especially in a breezy afternoon practice....not that that should surprise anyone).  His passes just get there on a line and in a hurry.  Nall didn't have a bad arm either, but I would say he was the most inconsistant out of the bunch.  Her would make 2-3 good throws and then just throw up a couple of stinkers.  However, there was one other thing that really stood out, especially in the morning.  In the 7 on 7 and 11 on 11 drills, you could tell that JP and Nall were just letting it go down the field trying to make the big play.  But, surprise, surprise, I saw Holcomb check down to either the RBs or TEs on 3 occasions in a row at one point.  Now, don't get me wrong, he did throw a couple nice balls down the field, but you can tell he just doesn't want to take that big chance.  Also, all the QBs had some bad reads.  Losman and Holcomb were both picked off twice, I believe, between the morning and afternoon sessions.  But, I will say this.....Holcomb threw 2-3 more balls that were dropped by the defense that I think should have been picked.  Nall had a couple as well that should have been picked (or at least he should not have thrown them).  Also, as everyone knows by now, Nall left with a tweaked hamstring almost at the very end of practice.  He did walk all the way back to the lockerroom under his own power though and it doesn't look to be serious.  We'll have to see how this affects the reps come the next practice.  All and all, none of the QBs really stood out, but based on potential, arm strength, and physical ability, if all things are equal between the QBs, you have to give JP the starting nod.  To me, what I saw today did not do anything to change that opinion for me.  JP is the best option at this point.

 

WR:

 

Again, nothing too much stood out to me.  Nance had 2-3 very nice receptions from JP for long gains during 7 on 7 and 11 on 11 drills.  Peerless looked pretty good to me as well.  Just to note, it was Evans and Reed as the first pair up today in the morning and Evans and PP as the first pair in the afternoon.  Reed did have a couple nice grabs (on a positive note, he did not drop 1 ball that I saw today).  However, 1 receiver who I did think struggled was Andre Davis.  I believe it was JP who threw him a ball on the sidelines and hit him in the hands in stride which would have gone for a huge play, but he dropped it.  I saw him drop at least 2 balls today.  Also, keep an eye on Roscoe Parrish (I said this last year right before he got hurt, but the guy is a playmaker and if he gets into the open field, watch out......he could score from anywhere.  I will say it again.....it will be like 7-11....JP to Parrish is always open).  If you want to watch something fantastic and fun, just watch Roscoe run routes.  I don't know if I have ever seen a quicker player.  All the other WR were average today.....Aiken had a couple nice grabs and looks like he always does at camp.....great practice player.  Let's just see if it translates into a game.

 

RB:

 

I don't have much to say on this other than I did get the chance to speak briefly with McGahee after the first practice.  he told me he was "gonna give it to them" this year and he looks primed and ready to go.  It was hard to tell if he was any slimmer than last year because of the jersey he was wearing, but when I spoke to him after practice, he took the jersey off and was just in an underarmour shirt......let me tell you....the guys is RIPPED.  His arms were huge and he just had a SOLID upper boddy.  The guy definately looked in shape.  As for his performance, he ran a couple sweeps to the outside and showed some good speed.  Again, it is tough to tell what is happening completely when they are just running around in shorts and no pads.  But he looked shifty in the drills and moved with ease.  I just hope this is a good sign.  I will be very interested to see him in live competition, even if it is just the preseason.  As for the other backs, well, I think that other than the QB competition, the backup RB battle is the next most interesting on offense.  A-Train looked SLIM.  Looks like he is 25lbs lighter than I remember him with the Bears.  Also, Shaud Williams might be the shiftiest back on the team.  He had a couple pretty nice runs.  I know it is early, but don't be surpried if Joe Burns is the odd man out there if they don't go with 4 RBs.  He didn't get too much work that I saw.  Also, as a closing note, Willis probably caught 4-5 balls out of the backfield today and there were a number of screen plays (3 maybe??).  It looks as though they would like to get the RBs out in space a little bit more this year and I hope Willis catches 30 balls this year.  I really think he has the ability to make things happen if he can get out in space.  Overall, the backs looked good and the backup RB position will be highly contested.  Gates had a solid day as well with some good runs.  I would really like to see this guys get more of a chance this year.

 

TE:

 

Going into camp, I really thought Everett would eventually become the #1 guy, but after watch Royal today, I don't think that will happen.  Royal might be a great pickup for us this year.  He is a big guy that has good technique in the blocking scheme.  What we all wondered going into this year is whether he could catch.  While, he answered that for me today.  He had probably 4-5 nice catches in traffic.  He showed better hands than I thought he had and I really think he will be a weapon for us.  As for the other guys, Everett did have a couple really nice grabs.  However, he a a key drop right up the seem that would have gone for big yardage.  You could tell he was upset with that one.  But, overall, I actually think we might get some production out to the TE position this year.

 

OL:

 

I was really looking forward to watching this group, but I don't have a lot to report because there were no pads today.  The starters were the same today as expected.......Gandy, Reyes, Fowler, CV, and Peters.  Again, without pads, I couldn't really draw any conclusions, but there was one breakdown in the morning that stood out.  It was aon a sweep to the left and Crowell just pusted through and popped the RB pretty good.  If he didn't have to pull up and it was in a live game, he would have killed the back and it would have been about a 5-7 yard loss.  Other than that, though, there really wasn't too much to observe without the pads.

 

DEFENSE:

 

I am going to do this as a group becuase there really wasn't anyone (except Greer that was mentioned above) that stood out to me.  The defense made several strong plays during the course of the day, but there was one thing that STOOD OUT.  THIS TEAM IS GOING AFTER EVERY LOOSE BALL.  Whether it was an incomplete pass, or whatever, any ball that hit the ground, our D-coordinator PF was yelling at them EVERY time to get the ball and every loose ball was returned to the endzone.  I LOVED THIS.  This team is going to get after the ball.  This defense is definately FAST and will play that way.  Again, with no pads on it was hard to grade out certain guys, but the group made some nice plays in the running game and did get some pressure in 7 on 7 and 11 on 11 drills.   

 

OVERALL:

 

Well, the team is a work in progress.  I saw some really good things from some guys and saw a couple things I really didn't like.  To be honest with you, with all the attention that the QB competition is getting, I think the success or failure of this team lies with the O-Line.  But then again, if you have followed my philosophy before, that is no surprise.  No matter who the QB is, if they get time to throw, I am confident that these guys can get the job done.  If the O-Line can run block MUCH better than they did last year, that will allow McGahee to have the breakout season that I am expecting from him and help the QBs out even more.  The defense looks faster and I love the fact that Crowell is starting and I LOVE how they get after the ball EVERY play.  I know some may think I am crazy, but I really can't wait for the preseason to start.  I can't wait to see this team in live action to see where this team may be headed.  This traing camp under Jauron is organized and disciplined.  There might be some reason to BILLEVE in this season afterall!

 

Thanks for reading!

731437[/snapback]

Thanks for the report.

 

"None of the quarterbacks stood out" is fast becoming a familiar refrain in the camp reports so far. That worries me. I think that if we had a real good QB on the roster, one good enough to take us to the playoffs, he would stand out a bit in pratices. Yeah, I know, camp just started, too early to tell much of anything. Still, is JP ever going to step up and show us that he is light years ahead of Nall and Holcomb?

 

Seriously, we didn't draft this guy thinking that maybe, just maybe he'd be as good as Kelly Holcomb. :w00t:

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Touchdown Tom Probation

Touchdown Tom

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Hey guys, well, I just got back from camp and am here to file my report.  I expected to have a lot more to say, but they worked without pads today so it is hard to judge the progress of certain positions.  But anays, here we go!

 

When I arrived and headed to the practice field slightly after 8 AM, TKO was already on the field!!!  That was great to see!  He was catching balls from the jugs machine.  By my count, and what I overheard his assistant tell him is that he went through about 50 balls.  He looked sharp cathing passes from several different angles. Also, later in the practices, he did participate in some individual drills and some 7 on 7.  He didn't have a heavy workload, but he looked good from what I saw.

 

Practice got started about 8:30 or so.  To be honest with you, there were not too many things that stood out to me, but here are some highlights:

 

QB Competition:

 

None of the 3 really stood out from the others, but in the morning session, I would say overall, JP was the strongest (Nall was a close 2nd).  JP threw 2 pretty bad balls, one which was picked off by Greer who got a fantastic jump on an out.(GREER WAS ONE STANDOUT PLAYER TODAY.......HE MADE PLAYS ALL DAY AND ENDED UP WITH 2 INTS ON THE DAY).  If there was a noticible difference between the QBs today, it was definately in arm strength.  JP just seems to have a lot more zip on his passes than both Holcomb and Nall (especially in a breezy afternoon practice....not that that should surprise anyone).  His passes just get there on a line and in a hurry.  Nall didn't have a bad arm either, but I would say he was the most inconsistant out of the bunch.  Her would make 2-3 good throws and then just throw up a couple of stinkers.  However, there was one other thing that really stood out, especially in the morning.  In the 7 on 7 and 11 on 11 drills, you could tell that JP and Nall were just letting it go down the field trying to make the big play.  But, surprise, surprise, I saw Holcomb check down to either the RBs or TEs on 3 occasions in a row at one point.  Now, don't get me wrong, he did throw a couple nice balls down the field, but you can tell he just doesn't want to take that big chance.  Also, all the QBs had some bad reads.  Losman and Holcomb were both picked off twice, I believe, between the morning and afternoon sessions.  But, I will say this.....Holcomb threw 2-3 more balls that were dropped by the defense that I think should have been picked.  Nall had a couple as well that should have been picked (or at least he should not have thrown them).  Also, as everyone knows by now, Nall left with a tweaked hamstring almost at the very end of practice.  He did walk all the way back to the lockerroom under his own power though and it doesn't look to be serious.  We'll have to see how this affects the reps come the next practice.  All and all, none of the QBs really stood out, but based on potential, arm strength, and physical ability, if all things are equal between the QBs, you have to give JP the starting nod.  To me, what I saw today did not do anything to change that opinion for me.  JP is the best option at this point.

 

WR:

 

Again, nothing too much stood out to me.  Nance had 2-3 very nice receptions from JP for long gains during 7 on 7 and 11 on 11 drills.  Peerless looked pretty good to me as well.  Just to note, it was Evans and Reed as the first pair up today in the morning and Evans and PP as the first pair in the afternoon.  Reed did have a couple nice grabs (on a positive note, he did not drop 1 ball that I saw today).  However, 1 receiver who I did think struggled was Andre Davis.  I believe it was JP who threw him a ball on the sidelines and hit him in the hands in stride which would have gone for a huge play, but he dropped it.  I saw him drop at least 2 balls today.  Also, keep an eye on Roscoe Parrish (I said this last year right before he got hurt, but the guy is a playmaker and if he gets into the open field, watch out......he could score from anywhere.  I will say it again.....it will be like 7-11....JP to Parrish is always open).  If you want to watch something fantastic and fun, just watch Roscoe run routes.  I don't know if I have ever seen a quicker player.  All the other WR were average today.....Aiken had a couple nice grabs and looks like he always does at camp.....great practice player.  Let's just see if it translates into a game.

 

RB:

 

I don't have much to say on this other than I did get the chance to speak briefly with McGahee after the first practice.  he told me he was "gonna give it to them" this year and he looks primed and ready to go.  It was hard to tell if he was any slimmer than last year because of the jersey he was wearing, but when I spoke to him after practice, he took the jersey off and was just in an underarmour shirt......let me tell you....the guys is RIPPED.  His arms were huge and he just had a SOLID upper boddy.  The guy definately looked in shape.  As for his performance, he ran a couple sweeps to the outside and showed some good speed.  Again, it is tough to tell what is happening completely when they are just running around in shorts and no pads.  But he looked shifty in the drills and moved with ease.  I just hope this is a good sign.  I will be very interested to see him in live competition, even if it is just the preseason.  As for the other backs, well, I think that other than the QB competition, the backup RB battle is the next most interesting on offense.  A-Train looked SLIM.  Looks like he is 25lbs lighter than I remember him with the Bears.  Also, Shaud Williams might be the shiftiest back on the team.  He had a couple pretty nice runs.  I know it is early, but don't be surpried if Joe Burns is the odd man out there if they don't go with 4 RBs.  He didn't get too much work that I saw.  Also, as a closing note, Willis probably caught 4-5 balls out of the backfield today and there were a number of screen plays (3 maybe??).  It looks as though they would like to get the RBs out in space a little bit more this year and I hope Willis catches 30 balls this year.  I really think he has the ability to make things happen if he can get out in space.  Overall, the backs looked good and the backup RB position will be highly contested.  Gates had a solid day as well with some good runs.  I would really like to see this guys get more of a chance this year.

 

TE:

 

Going into camp, I really thought Everett would eventually become the #1 guy, but after watch Royal today, I don't think that will happen.  Royal might be a great pickup for us this year.  He is a big guy that has good technique in the blocking scheme.  What we all wondered going into this year is whether he could catch.  While, he answered that for me today.  He had probably 4-5 nice catches in traffic.  He showed better hands than I thought he had and I really think he will be a weapon for us.  As for the other guys, Everett did have a couple really nice grabs.  However, he a a key drop right up the seem that would have gone for big yardage.  You could tell he was upset with that one.  But, overall, I actually think we might get some production out to the TE position this year.

 

OL:

 

I was really looking forward to watching this group, but I don't have a lot to report because there were no pads today.  The starters were the same today as expected.......Gandy, Reyes, Fowler, CV, and Peters.  Again, without pads, I couldn't really draw any conclusions, but there was one breakdown in the morning that stood out.  It was aon a sweep to the left and Crowell just pusted through and popped the RB pretty good.  If he didn't have to pull up and it was in a live game, he would have killed the back and it would have been about a 5-7 yard loss.  Other than that, though, there really wasn't too much to observe without the pads.

 

DEFENSE:

 

I am going to do this as a group becuase there really wasn't anyone (except Greer that was mentioned above) that stood out to me.  The defense made several strong plays during the course of the day, but there was one thing that STOOD OUT.  THIS TEAM IS GOING AFTER EVERY LOOSE BALL.  Whether it was an incomplete pass, or whatever, any ball that hit the ground, our D-coordinator PF was yelling at them EVERY time to get the ball and every loose ball was returned to the endzone.  I LOVED THIS.  This team is going to get after the ball.  This defense is definately FAST and will play that way.  Again, with no pads on it was hard to grade out certain guys, but the group made some nice plays in the running game and did get some pressure in 7 on 7 and 11 on 11 drills.   

 

OVERALL:

 

Well, the team is a work in progress.  I saw some really good things from some guys and saw a couple things I really didn't like.  To be honest with you, with all the attention that the QB competition is getting, I think the success or failure of this team lies with the O-Line.  But then again, if you have followed my philosophy before, that is no surprise.  No matter who the QB is, if they get time to throw, I am confident that these guys can get the job done.  If the O-Line can run block MUCH better than they did last year, that will allow McGahee to have the breakout season that I am expecting from him and help the QBs out even more.  The defense looks faster and I love the fact that Crowell is starting and I LOVE how they get after the ball EVERY play.  I know some may think I am crazy, but I really can't wait for the preseason to start.  I can't wait to see this team in live action to see where this team may be headed.  This traing camp under Jauron is organized and disciplined.  There might be some reason to BILLEVE in this season afterall!

 

Thanks for reading!

731437[/snapback]

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