Training Camp Eye-Witness

[D-Dogg]

Yesterday at camp I was impressed with Walters...for a while I was thinking...wow, this guy is little. But he runs solid, aggressive routes and is very fast. I was impressed with him and he was a guy I wasn't even trying to look for.

I thought JJ looked to be improving his pass-catching and isn't hesitating as the ball came like he did last year...he's catching in stride. He had a hard run I saw that I first thought was edge and was suprised was JJ.

We didn't have a great view of the live action so only caught some of it.

Rackers was booming kicks yesterday and he hit a 60 yarder that he caught very awkwardly and got very little lift on, yet it still went through. He's a stud.

The secondary was looking pretty good in what small views I could see from across the field. Very active and high flying.

Navarre looked decent and seems to be trying to work on his angled release. He was throwing some nice deep balls too.

Edge is a beast...his legs are tree trunks and he's got deceptively quick acceleration up close.

Boldin runs some of the tightest routes possible, he's got fantastic footwork.

The QBs did some footwork drills right in front of us, and it was clear (as abomb pointed out) that Warner's feet are great...there was a HUGE difference in his footwork versus the rest of them.

Pace is going to shine at LB, I'm thinking.

TRM (The Real McCoy) runs good routes and is very fast, though he slipped on the grass twice. I'm excited to see him progress even more.

Afterwards, we met with Femi, JJ and Coach Green and gave them well-wishes and told them that we are endzone ticketholders, and we look forward to them being down there quite often this year. They were all three very cool and JJ shook my little girl's hand and told her he loved her little cards cheerleader outfit. He gave me dap when I said even though he isn't going to get tons of carries, I hope to see him bring some TDs to the endzone crowd. Abomb told my 3 year old son when we met Femi to "shake hands with a real football player" and Femi got a kick out of that. Green seemed a bit beat by the long day and was cool as always but was ready to get done and go talk to the team.

All in all, it was a fantastic day in Flag...we hit some old haunts from my college days, saw where we used to live and work (though my dorm is now torn down) and had a great time in great weather. I used to work for the Cards Crew in college, and it really brought back a lot of good memories.

 

[D-Dogg]

Hardy or abomb,

I do have one thing I want you to report on. There have been a lot of articles lately implying the the Cardinals coaching staff isn't pleased with Dansby's effort. I think that Jeremy Green was the first one to report this. I personally find them hard to believe and think Dansby is one of the better players on the team.

What have you seen from Dansby at training camp? Are the coaches riding him hard? Does he appear to be a leader out there?

Any info on the subject would be great! Thanks!

The D was usually far away from us, and I didn't notice anything off with Dansby. Rolle seems to be a leader though, as does Dock...he was out there yelling from the moment he stepped on the practice turf.

 

[NEZCardsfan]

D-Dogg, what makes you think Pace will shine at LB??

Also, was JJ catching those balls with anybody on him?? People look real good locating balls overhead if they aren't worried about a defender.

 

[abomb]

Also, D-Dogg and I had a long convo on the way home and determined that although neither of us is panicking, anyone who says that Leinart isnt missing much at camp is dead wrong. Each QB probably throws 150+ passes per practice, so figure Leinart is missing 300 throws and countless drills everyday.

Also, he is missing the team building and familiarity that is readily apparent from whistle to whistle.

 

[D-Dogg]

D-Dogg, what makes you think Pace will shine at LB??

Also, was JJ catching those balls with anybody on him?? People look real good locating balls overhead if they aren't worried about a defender.

Mock defenders on JJ catching passes...not tight coverage. But he never looked good catching passes covered or not IMO, always kind of awkward. It looked as if he has shed the awkwardness.

Per Pace, part of it is his body style and how he moves. He's aggressive and quick, and has fast recovery in the little bit I could see. Call this one more of a gut call until I see him get a lot of reps there, but I am hopeful. He'll be used as a blitzing LB a lot, I'm thinking.

 

[D-Dogg]

Also, D-Dogg and I had a long convo on the way home and determined that although neither of us is panicking, anyone who says that Leinart isnt missing much at camp is dead wrong. Each QB probably throws 150+ passes per practice, so figure Leinart is missing 300 throws and countless drills everyday.

Also, he is missing the team building and familiarity that is readily apparent from whistle to whistle.

Again, to reiterate, neither of us is concerned at this point but the sheer number of passes people like Davies and random dude are making that Lienart could be taking kind of sucks.

 

[NEZCardsfan]

He'll be used as a blitzing LB a lot, I'm thinking.

Probably. Are our TEs able to block him. If he's good....then it is too early in camp for them to be in sync to stand him up.

 

[AZCardDieHard]

Hardy or abomb,

I do have one thing I want you to report on. There have been a lot of articles lately implying the the Cardinals coaching staff isn't pleased with Dansby's effort. I think that Jeremy Green was the first one to report this. I personally find them hard to believe and think Dansby is one of the better players on the team.

What have you seen from Dansby at training camp? Are the coaches riding him hard? Does he appear to be a leader out there?

Any info on the subject would be great! Thanks!

He has not practiced at all. Yesterday (Wed) he was on the field with the trainer Carabajal but did not do anything. James Hodgkins worked out with the trainer on the bike and did other running drills while Dansby left. I didn't see him at the afternoon practice. It seems to me that since it was his thumb is injured he could have been doing what James was doing.

 

[D-Dogg]

Probably. Are our TEs able to block him. If he's good....then it is too early in camp for them to be in sync to stand him up.

Wasn't able to tell that much as they were across field at the point of attack and it was blocked by players most of the time.

 

[BigRedArk]

They were all three very cool and JJ shook my little girl's hand and told her he loved her little cards cheerleader outfit. He gave me dap when I said even though he isn't going to get tons of carries, I hope to see him bring some TDs to the endzone crowd. Abomb told my 3 year old son when we met Femi to "shake hands with a real football player" and Femi got a kick out of that. Green seemed a bit beat by the long day and was cool as always but was ready to get done and go talk to the team.

All in all, it was a fantastic day in Flag...we hit some old haunts from my college days, saw where we used to live and work (though my dorm is now torn down) and had a great time in great weather. I used to work for the Cards Crew in college, and it really brought back a lot of good memories.

What is dap?

 

[D-Dogg]

I also think it is interesting the things people look at at camp. From our perspective, we couldn't see point of attack so I was keying on recovery in middle zones and the secondary work, and I like to see the backups and how they do. I like seeing the starters, but I love preseason football and watching the bubble guys or backups working to improve and find a spot on the team.

Shipp is a huge pile of muscle, btw...I never really realized it until he walked right in front of me and abomb said "imagine trying to tackle that guy." He's a lot of compact mass.

 

[D-Dogg]

What is dap?

Aka knuckles? Fist touching?

 

[clif]

What is dap?

ha ha

 

[Hardy Brown]

I will try to answer your questions, but something concerned me this morning: Kenny King was holding his wrist. My heart popped into my throat for this kid. I believe he may have hurt that wrist agin but CANNOT say with certainty. Just a shame...we'll have to wait and see.

Did you happen to see LeRon McCoy?
This kid might be the most improved player from a year ago. He has phenomenal tools and I can see him maturing day-to-day. His confidence is growing and, right now, he looks like the steal of last year's draft.

How has the defensive secondary looked?
Antrelle Rolle is the real-deal. He intercepted a pass in Team (Red Zone) Period that would have been a sure touchdown. He went up and got it (high).

Adrian Wilson looks like a motivated, determined player. He plays very well in the box but needs to show the rest of the league he can line-up in a cover 2 look and properly defend his half of the field. If he accomplishes this, hello Hawaii.

I love Robert Griffith but he has slowed. He is still a tremendous force in terms of leadership and getting the secondary configured correctly, something that should not be overlooked.

David Macklin is a competitor. But he’s always going to be someone you’re always trying to replace. There are many pro’s whom have suffered from this malaise but they seem to have long careers.

Eric Green looks like he’s coming along nicely. How well he does this pre-season will determine if he can unseat Macklin. Time will tell.

I like this Francisco kid – a lot. He shows know fear and drives on the ball, making a couple of really nice plays yesterday. From what I saw, he reads patterns very well. Smart and tough is never a bad combination…

Who is taking the most snaps at RT today?
Fred Wakefield. They tried Elton Brown there…disaster. They tried Jeremy Bridges there, splitting time with Wakefield, and I wonder why? There’s NO comparison between the two. Up until yesterday, I thought Wakefield had progressed tremendously. Although he plays a little too high, he had a good set, good stab and solid understanding of what it takes to defeat a DE. Then, they started to bull rush him and because he “plays a little too high,” he was exposed. If he learns to sit his butt down and lock-out, he might surprise us all…but…?

Given your comments about the DL, I couldn’t help but wonder about Dockett???
Cruisin.’ Too-cool-for-school…what a shame. This is what happens to a player who thinks he has arrived: you stop getting better, and when you stop getting better…there’s only one way to go. Down.

I only hope the money he stands to make this year may motivate him to play hard. But make no mistake, this guy plays the game for all the wrong reasons. Hopefully, this will change and he’ll be a Cardinal for a long, long time. But as it stands now, no way.

Any word on Blackstock? Haven't heard a peep about him this offseason. Wondering how he's progressed...
This guy reminds me of the defensive version of JJ Arrington. Great athlete, not very physical, and looks flat-out scared at times.

What’s your impression of speedy LB Brandon Johnson?
He’s got a long way to go. He’s a long-strider and doesn’t play with his feet up under him, which isn’t good for a linebacker. It’s still early but that seems to be a fundamental flaw in his game.

What have you seen from Dansby at training camp? Are the coaches riding him hard? Does he appear to be a leader out there?
Dansby has not practiced which might be a blessing in disguise. Calvin Pace is getting all of Dansby’s reps and it’s seemingly paying off. If Pace continues to prove his worth at SAM, Dansby goes to Will and we all have a Merry Christmas.

The coaches aren’t riding him but the strength/conditioning coach is.

I am not concerned about Dansby missing any time. He’s a football player and he’ll be ready when it counts.

Remember, take this with a grain-of-salt; it's merely one-man's opinion. DO NOT PANIC...it's still early...

 

[arthurracoon]

thanks!!!

great stuff!!!



definately the best analysis of camp ive heard

 

[MadCardDisease]

He has not practiced at all. Yesterday (Wed) he was on the field with the trainer Carabajal but did not do anything. James Hodgkins worked out with the trainer on the bike and did other running drills while Dansby left. I didn't see him at the afternoon practice. It seems to me that since it was his thumb is injured he could have been doing what James was doing.

Thanks, I totally forgot about his thumb injury!

 

[lobo]

counter trap

we as readers are very lucky to have two non emotional guys on the front line for us to enjoy their observations...thank you both

hardy, the counter trap was a key to the success of edge on the colts...they also did a nice job of disguising it as well...i can't agree with you any more vis a vis the falcons and broncos...that is why both of those teams can actually draft or plug guys in to their systems...and what is interesting is no one really has caught up with them yet.

thanks again.

 

[MadCardDisease]

Who is taking the most snaps at RT today?
Fred Wakefield. They tried Elton Brown there…disaster. They tried Jeremy Bridges there, splitting time with Wakefield, and I wonder why? There’s NO comparison between the two. Up until yesterday, I thought Wakefield had progressed tremendously. Although he plays a little too high, he had a good set, good stab and solid understanding of what it takes to defeat a DE. Then, they started to bull rush him and because he “plays a little too high,” he was exposed. If he learns to sit his butt down and lock-out, he might surprise us all…but…?

I think that Wakefield did a solid job last year considering where he came from(DL to OL). His strength is in pass protection where he can use his long arms to get his mits on the defender. My problem with Wakefield is with the running game. He definintly doesn't fit well in a power running scheme. If we are truely going to a zone blocking scheme then he I agree he might surprise many. Fortunately Fred is smart enough to quickly learn the new blocking scheme. Lets hope that Ross makes it back before the season starts!

 

[Russ Smith]

Bad news on King, hope it's not the wrist again.

In the Dockett radio bit Arthur wrote up he says Dockett called Pope a good blocker, like a tackle playing TE. My impression of him in college was he was way too upright, high center of gravity. MOst of what I'd read prior to this was the same thing, not a good blocker, but Dockett seems to be saying the exact opposite? If true that'd be huge, Pope would be an instant starter if he's able to block right away.

I'd sort of assumed if Ross is out for any length of games that it will cut into Pope's PT because we'll need a better blocker at TE, maybe that's dead wrong?

 

[BACH]

we as readers are very lucky to have two non emotional guys on the front line for us to enjoy their observations...thank you both

hardy, the counter trap was a key to the success of edge on the colts...they also did a nice job of disguising it as well...i can't agree with you any more vis a vis the falcons and broncos...that is why both of those teams can actually draft or plug guys in to their systems...and what is interesting is no one really has caught up with them yet.

thanks again.

Didn't even notice Hardy's comments about the countertrap before this post.

Hardy, there are different types of zone-blocking schemes. True, the Falcons and Broncos don't have a counter-trap, but they're not running the stretch play either. Their outside zone is an off-tackle play - not a slow developing sweep like the stretch. The key is that the different running plays (regular vs. counters) have the same blocking scheme. So if the stretch is blocked is a certain way, then you have to put in a counter or in this case countertrap to mess with the defense, because it's blocked in the same way .

 

[BigRedArk]

Aka knuckles? Fist touching?

Thanks D-Dogg.

 

[MadCardDisease]

What have you seen from Dansby at training camp? Are the coaches riding him hard? Does he appear to be a leader out there?
Dansby has not practiced which might be a blessing in disguise. Calvin Pace is getting all of Dansby’s reps and it’s seemingly paying off. If Pace continues to prove his worth at SAM, Dansby goes to Will and we all have a Merry Christmas.

The coaches aren’t riding him but the strength/conditioning coach is.

I am not concerned about Dansby missing any time. He’s a football player and he’ll be ready when it counts.

Remember, take this with a grain-of-salt; it's merely one-man's opinion. DO NOT PANIC...it's still early...

I hope you are right.

Listening to MJ on the way home he indicated that the coaching staff is still unhappy with Dansby. I hope this is all just rumors.

 

[devilfan02]

This afternoon MJ made it clear that Denny was unhappy with Dansby. However, this morning when speaking of Dansby he mentioned that the coaching staff was staying patient with him but the strenght and conditioning coach was riding him hard. That leads me to believe that something might have happened prior or during todays practices. Kinda get the feeling that maybe they wanted him doing some kind of physical activity (not necessarily going through drills) and he declined. Lets just hope he gets on the field soon

 

[Garthshort]

Dansby

The speculation that something might have happened yesterday morning to cause the coaches to get down on KD. That something might have been the injury to King. Now the coaches are looking at the possibility of having to move Pace back to DE. And that possibility makes it essential that KD gets on the field. JMO.

 

[JeffGollin]

Dockett called Pope a good blocker, like a tackle playing TE. My impression of him in college was he was way too upright, high center of gravity. MOst of what I'd read prior to this was the same thing,...Pope would be an instant starter if he's able to block right away.

It didn't seem as though all the negative comments about Pope's blocking suggested a lack of willingness or athletic ability - it was just that - at 6-7 - he wasn't getting low enough to get proper leverage.

When guys have problems getting low, it can either be due to (a) bad or stiff knees that prevent them from bending low enough or (b) not yet learning the proper technique.

Assuming the problem is technique, there's no reason why Leonard can't learn and improve. It then becomes a matter of "how long does it take to shed bad habits and for proper blocking mechanics to become second nature."

Perhaps the mixed messages we're getting about Leonard are because he, in fact, is already improving - Fitz observed that he's a pretty bright guy.