Harpo said:
Skkorp,
Are you planning on dropping some more knowledge on us about specific guys as time goes on here? Looking back we got next to no reports from the media on anyone specific during camp (except the riding of Bryant by the coaches). We know that the players got worked into the ground, but usually there are some reports of pleasant surprises, disappointments etc. The withdrawal pangs have set in, and I am reduced to begging for table scraps. Any info would be appreciated, and would definitely trump the local news media (which gave us nothing).
I've already commented about Shaun King, Josh McCown, and Wendell Bryant.
Bryant Johnson was having a fantastic series of practices until he hurt his heel. He caught everything thrown to him. He even laid-out in traffic to pull in an overthrown pass.
McAddley, Gilmore, Poole, and Kasper are all on the bubble, IMO, with McAddley being in the most trouble. Both Kasper and Gilmore were fighting hard, in Gilmore's case showing toughness he's never shown before, and had excellent performances in the 2nd minicamp after looking just okay in the first.
TE Freddie Jones was up and down and with his big salary, he can't afford to be. We have 4 TEs on the roster. They won't all be there for long. Best pass-catcher was Lorenzo Diamond. If he can block and play special teams, Mike Banks and/or Steve Bush are gone, IMO.
Don't count on drafting a RB. Denny Green really likes Josh Scoby a lot.
Among the DBs, Jason Goss (25), Robert Tate (26), andv David Macklin (27) sure seemed to make a lot of plays, including some picks.
And our old friend, Mikchael Stone, actually played pretty well at safety in the absence of both starters.
DE Dennis Johnson will make this team. He just keeps getting better.
LB Gerald Hayes is ready to become a very good NFL starter. This man will thrust himself into national notice very quickly.
On the negative side:
DT Fred Wakefield. He's wearing a cast on his left arm and he stank up the joint from day 1, practice 1, 'till the end of the last practice.
FB James Hodgins may be in trouble, more for making too much money in a scheme that doesn't use a FB a lot, than for any other reason. And Ayanbadejo didn't look great either but he doesn't know the playbook yet and is a special teams demon.
I tried to evaluate the Oline players but I have no clue. So many LTs were injured, the whole line was shuffled. I do know coach Bob Wylie was displeased often but he's not loud so I couldn't hear him.
Shaun King sucks. End of story.
The new DE, number 47, name escapes me, is camp fodder. As is half of our defensive backfield roster.
DE Calvin Pace, DT Marcus Bell, and DT Russell Davis didn't do much to help themselves, IMO.
These are just my impressions from seven practices and I'm sure some will be wrong. So don't put a lot of weight behind them.
