Akh's thoughts- week 2 (preseason)

[skinfanjon]

Akh had previous obligations this weekend, so he asked me to take his place. Please be gentle...

1. Let me just say, as a season ticket holder and one of those in attendance of tonight's game, it was fantastic to be back in the stadium. Hearing the band once again, the buzz of the crowd, the shining lights...there's just nothing like Redskin football. Football season is offically upon us. Hail.

2. Jason Campbell was impressive once again. He seems to have learned to command the pocket, perhaps all of those innovative drills by Zorn are working. You know, the one where they throw blocking pads at him in an attempt to simulate a pass rush...his footwork got him out of trouble the few times the pocket collapsed and he was able to find an open receiver for a completion. His windup has been shortened, he looks more comfortable under center, and he's been putting the ball on the proper shoulder of his intended receiver. The one poor pass he's made in the preseason so far occured on the failed third down conversion on the first drive of the game, and I actually wonder if he threw the ball away intentionally. I was at the game and haven't seen a replay, but the Bills had tight coverage and I wondered aloud if JC had noticed and threw behind Moss on purpose. If so, it saved an INT and constituted a very savvy play on his behalf. Either way, its pretty clear he's in control of this offense, and the team will advance as far as he takes them. He needs to take a big step forward this year, and tonight only reinforced the possibility of that coming to pass.

3. The starting units looked good. I don't know if Buffalo is behind the curve right now (I actually think they have a lot of potental this year, particuarly on offense), but I had the feeling that if our starters had played sixty minutes versus their starters the Skins would have blown them out in the same fashion we dismissed the Niners in 2005. Both sides of the ball as a whole exceeded expectations for the second week of the preseason, in my opinion. I'm excited to see what Blache has in store for the defense come September, there have been a few blitzes but nothing like I expect to see in the regular season.

4. Justin Tryon is about to get cut. Seriously, why did we draft this kid so high? He looks like a Juco player to me. He's relatively tiny, and doesn't have exceptional speed to make up for it. I like how he's come across in the press, sort of like a junior Smoot, but it's time to question whether he has the skills to make this team. The worst part is, he hasn't blown coverage...he's sticking with his man, but he continually gives up completions because he's several yards from his man. He's not getting burned, just consistently worked. Sort of like the anti-Carlos Rogers.

5. The D-line is fine!!!!! I know some of you remember the thread from a while back, but we actually look good up front. Rob Jackson and Monty stood out for me tonight, Jackson apllying pressure and Monty stuffing the run. I think Jackson makes the team and pushes for playing time, while Monty evolves into the type of player he's always been capable of becoming. Jason Taylor was nothing special, nor was Carter, but just the threat of those two should be enough to strike fear into the opposition this year.

6. Springs playing safety. If there are ANY injuries back there, expect to see him make the transition. It's difficult to evaluate his performance tonight based on only a few plays, but he looked comfortable to me. With Carlos coming back in the mix to go with Smoot and Torrence, he's somewhat expendable in my eyes. Just as long as we don't see Tryon anywhere near the field.

7. The Jim Zorn offense. I LOVE getting the backs involved in the passing game, I've felt for quite some time that they were under-used in that regard. Also, expect to see more four-wide and split backfield than we're accustomed to. These are both staples of the West Coast offense, and it appears they shall be used heavily this year. Portis and Betts/Mason will be used together situationaly, creating mismatches aplenty.

8. Speaking of Mason...I like this kid. Let's not make any declarations just yet, but if he continues to play like this he'll get a shot. I'd really like to see him against the first or second string, though. He should be moved ahead of Betts for the preseason, let's see what this kid can do.

9. Backup QB. We need some help here. I almost wish Pennington hadn't signed already, but honestly, if JC goes down for any period of time, we are screwed. Collins is clearly only capable of runnign Saunders's offense, and Colt Brennan just isn't ready. With time, he could develope into a long-term backup, but asking him to do anyting more than hold a clipboard this year is disconcerting, to say the least. Hopefully,this lessthan scintillating performance only serves to quiet the CULT following he has gained.

It's difficult to pinpoint everyone in these write-ups, so next I'm going to list the guys that helped or hurt their chances of making the team.

Helped: Kareem Moore, Rob Jackson, Chad Reinhart, Marcus Mason. Jackson looks like a player to me, much in the same way that Rienhart does. I think all of these guys make the 53 man roster.

Hurt: Chris Horton (absent), Justin Tryon, Ryan Boscetti, Curtis Gatewood, and Stuart Schweigart. Just kidding.

Bottom line, this was a game in which the starters looked good only a couple others stood out. I was impressed with both lines, however, they seem to be rounding into shape nicely, although Jansen had a blatant hold early on.

Edit: I almost forgot....guff on!

[whitskins]

I thought Collins played pretty well, save for that INT, which is hard to tell if it was even his fault. Maurice Mann pulled up on the play and didn't make an effort to get the ball. Maybe it was catchable, maybe not. If it was catchable with a jump, then it wasn't Collins' fault. Still, Mann has to make an effort no matter what. What was he thinking?

I don't see why everyone is running so scared of Todd. He was way better this week than last, and he looked much worse in preseason the previous two years working with Saunders. It's hard to evaluate a QB like him when he's playing with backups and behind the second/third unit OL. A heady, immobile, and generally unathletic QB needs a lot of precision around him in order to look good. Working with a ragtag OL and a bunch of WRs polishing their applications to Best Buy isn't going to make him look his best, but I thought he did fine.

Tryon just needs experience. He's clearly not a pro ready player, but luckily he's only our fifth corner once Carlos comes back. You gotta give him at least a year to find his footing in the pro game, especially since the guys behind him aren't doing much either.

Westbrook looks like his time is about up. I like Torrence a lot though. He got beat on a TD but it was a perfect throw into decent coverage. He seems to make a lot of plays on the ball and holds his own regularly. Once Carlos comes back I really like our CB depth, enough so that we should juggle Springs in at FS on occasion to position Landry at different spots on the field.

Not a very exciting game, but I'm just really glad that Jason looks good so far and we look well prepared and focused. Would like to see some more big plays out of the offense, but I guess that has to come with time. And it's fun to have two wins so far, even if they are just preseason.

[Gravy]

Whats with Burl Toler? Did he give up on that route? Where did McMullen come from...he has come out of nowhere to have a nice little preseason...How did that hit from Justin Hamilton look from your view?

[Patrick]

Akh had previous obligations this weekend, so he asked me to take his place. Please be gentle...


8. Speaking of Mason...I like this kid. Let's not make any declarations just yet, but if he continues to play like this he'll get a shot. I'd really like to see him against the first or second string, though. He should be moved ahead of Betts for the preseason, let's see what this kid can do.

9. Backup QB. We need some help here. I almost wish Pennington hadn't signed already, but honestly, if JC goes down for any period of time, we are screwed. Collins is clearly only capable of runnign Saunders's offense, and Colt Brennan just isn't ready. With time, he could develope into a long-term backup, but asking him to do anyting more than hold a clipboard this year is disconcerting, to say the least. Hopefully,this lessthan scintillating performance only serves to quiet the CULT following he has gained.



Agree about Mason - kid plays with allot of heart. If he get's ST played together I think Rock is in trouble.

QB - I agree with whitskins, Collins did a decent job and the Int was not his fault. The reciever didn't go for it and it WAS catchable.

[Hrabanmaur]

Thanks for the write-up skinsfanjohn.

I doubt they'll cut Tryon since he's a 4th rounder and our depth at CB is pretty good, but you're right. He's getting beat too much. On the other hand, did anyone watch Matteral Richardson this game (the kid that got the int last game)? He played solid coverage and got in smart tackles on several plays (3 tackles, 2 assists). Right now, he's looking much better than Tryon - could he take his spot or could we carry 6 CBs?

I'm still worried about who is going to step up among the Linebackers to take the 6th spot. Sinclair looks way too slow out there to compete at this level. Gatewood was a no-show. Maybe Rian Wallace? I just don't like our linebacker depth this season.

I agree that I loved the look of JC again and the tempo of the offense. Our rushing game looks awesome!

Our D stepped up much better this time around. Fletcher seems to be key to keeping our cogs running smoothly. I can't wait to see the game against the Giants with those guys + Landry, Rocky, and maybe even Rogers.

Does anyone know if McMullen plays Special Teams (I didn't notice)? He's done a good job catching the ball, but to Mix's credit, he played teams really well last year. If you're the 6th WR, you gotta think that Special Teams play will be the determining factor.

[csquared]

Whats with Burl Toler? Did he give up on that route? Where did McMullen come from...he has come out of nowhere to have a nice little preseason...How did that hit from Justin Hamilton look from your view?

McMullen was drafted by the Eagles a few years ago and briefly played with the Vikings. As for the write up.....its good. One thing im not liking about this offense is not throwing to the tightends. Does Cooley have a catch yet? And Campbell still isnt impressing me. He still seems too robot-like. He needs to loosen up.

[jtovb2005]

McMullen was drafted by the Eagles a few years ago and briefly played with the Vikings. As for the write up.....its good. One thing im not liking about this offense is not throwing to the tightends. Does Cooley have a catch yet? And Campbell still isnt impressing me. He still seems too robot-like. He needs to loosen up.

McMullen played very well last night.

Cooley had catches last week. Didn't get thrown to last night as far as I saw.

[Dolla Bill]

Nice write up! Unfortunately I came in during the last 5 minutes of the 2nd quarter, so I didn't get to see the 1st string.

-Mason looks like he will make the roster, if anything to just keep him away from other teams. The kid just looks like a good football player. He doesn't lose yardage that often, and just as Joey T said last night, knows how to finish a run.

-Collins from the little I saw, looked, ok. Nothing spectacular. I really hope that we never have to see him this season unless its mop up duty.

-I know McMullen has impressed people, but don't forget he's I believe a 3 year vet, who should know how to play. He's playing well against scrubs, but I wouldn't crown him as the 6th WR just yet.

-Colt Brennan. The kid is at least 2 years away from actually competing in the league as a #2. I think Zorn reeled him back in this week from his gunslinging ways, and it showed. He looked kind of indecisive, or rather over analyzing things and not trusting his instincts. Anyway, he will be the 3rd string QB.

-I really think that Kelly and Thomas are hurting their own careers here with their injuries. I know that people get hurt and all, but I really hope for their sake they live up to their hype. I can honestly see them making little, to zero impact on this team, this year.

-From the highlights, where was this Betts after he signed his contract? Does it take competition to make him run this hard and fast?

[oldskinfan]

Though I think he tends to be a little more critical of everything :-)

**** I think we can't say enough thought about Zorn and his staff. You would not know this is only his 2nd game as HC and the players respond to him well. He is also an excellent communicator and player, and I think over time Danny Boy and Vinnie will deserve credit for finding a diamond in the rough.

It's really hard to take much from 3rd stringers playing 3rd stringers, but I would say:


Mason is a player; he belongs on an active roster somewhere (hopefully here); his fumble was sort of flukey. Would also be nice to see him behind the 1st team O-line.

The existing bunch of WR's are all "meh" after ARE and Moss, though I think Thrash looked good for his age playing w/ the 1st team; after the two rookies, special teams will determine if we keep 6 WRs

Collins will be fine; he is a vet and in game situations he is a cool customer

The D-Line will be better but exceptional? who knows

I worry about the LBs, mostly because of current injuries and unproven depth; we may end up carrying extra bodies here early in the season.

Springs should start and move to nickel and part time FS when Rogers is fully healthy; Torrence is not as physical and will have trouble against big WRs but looks better than last year; Tryon is headed to PS barring injury. We need to see another Safety step up though in last 3 games between Kareem Moore and Horton.

Given the short leash for Schweigert, unless a real surprise vet release comes up, I think these are the horses we go to war with.

[skinsfan36]

agreed moore flys to the ball and did a good job in cover 1. rinhart is beats. richardson looked solid. tryon is blah. mason cannot be stashed on the ps so zorn has some a choice to make there

[Nomad]

-I really think that Kelly and Thomas are hurting their own careers here with their injuries. I know that people get hurt and all, but I really hope for their sake they live up to their hype. I can honestly see them making little, to zero impact on this team, this year.


Right, which is what worried most GMs, and is why they were still sitting there in 2nd round, waiting to be "steals."

They might be good players long term, but the notion that they were going to transform our O this year was always a mirage. Right about the time J. Taylor is ready to retire, they should be mastering our O & and the pro game.

[shally]

nice write up

some random thoughts

QB's
i love the speed that JC has getting the team to the line. he obviously understands the urgency of doing this according to zorn's schemes. collins ?\
much slower. it is obvious that he is behind JC in comprehending what needs to be done. there are plusses and minuses of being in 1 system all your career. we saw the plusses last year. we saw the minuses last night. all in all, i think collins will be okay as a back up. brennan is a long way from being ready, but there is no reason to keep devine. overall, i liked what i saw

RB's
the single most impressive thing i saw on offense last night was the way betts took over the game when he was in. where has that fire been ? we get flashes every now and then of what he could be, but he looked the part of
top tier runner last night.. mason just makes things happen. if they expect to use a number 3 runner at all, he should be kept. even nemo looked good moving the pile

WR
mcmullen looked good, but as others have pointed out, he is a vet playing in a system he is familiar with. that said, if mix misses much time, the battle for number 6 receiver is over. the others at the end of the roster are fodder.

OL
we have depth . we have depth.. guys like reinhart, geisinger, crummey and clark look like nfl players. fabini was awesome for once.. there will be some very tough cuts coming from this unit. one downer ? jansen looks clumsy and slow. maybe his future IS as backup center ??

TE
they are obviously keeping the wraps on TE's as receivers. but our trio of davis, yoder and cooley is going to be effective all season. goode goes to PS

P/K
frost is not worth keeping any longer. suisham nailed as 46 yarder .. for this week i can breathe a little easier

DL
we will be very tough to run on this year. as for a pass rush, i think we will be okay because taylor sure makes opponents O linemen nervous. i think jackson makes the team outright. wilson might be in a little trouble.

LB
fletcher is still as good as they come with superb range. marcus looks good again. after that it gets very dicey until blades and rocky are fully back. sinclair is a liability against the pass, but solid against the run. fincher hits everything hard. wallace may have a shot. KC is strictly a special teamer.
gatewood is invisible and going on PS at best

DB
we are seeing the future with springs transitioning to the PP hybrid role.
can someone tell me why we drafted tryon so high (or at all)??? he is small, not at all physical, lacks instincts, not particularly quick..in short, a disaster waiting to happen.. keeping him over richardson, who has everything except for speed, would be only because of failure to admit a terrible lapse in judgement. at best, tryon is worthy of the PS. torrence had one bad play on the TD to hardy but is otherwise solid.
at safety, doughty played much better. hamilton hits well but probably needs another year on PS.. i liked moore, but if he is hurt again, he likely goes on IR.
horton was sick so he gets an INC. fox also was out. if springs can be counted on as a hybrid S/CB it means we keep 4 of each and 9 total. if he is a corner only, we might end up with 10..

Returners
nobody stood out. tryon aint getting to the 40 yard line. that is the only ace that cartright has going for him. one decent KO return by mason and it will be all over..
Coaching
anyone out there think that zorn isnt ready to be a HC ? might be preseason, but he definitely has what it takes.. i like the way he gave his red flag to someone else. good deligation of authority

[Homer07]

I think Alfred Fincher deserves props on defense. Love his 'tude, love that he always just happens to be around the ball.

Not bad for a kid we just picked up.

[whitskins]

McMullen was drafted by the Eagles a few years ago and briefly played with the Vikings. As for the write up.....its good. One thing im not liking about this offense is not throwing to the tightends. Does Cooley have a catch yet? And Campbell still isnt impressing me. He still seems too robot-like. He needs to loosen up.

Cooley had two catches in the HOF game. I think the ball going to the WRs more often is a very good sign. We know that Jason and Cooley are gonna hook up. We need to see more consistent production from our WRs.

And Campbell is 12/15, 132 yards and a TD so far in four offensive series. No turnovers and no near interceptions. QB rating of 125. What else do you want him to do? No idea what's making him look robotic to you, but I'll take a robot with numbers like that any day. The Jason Campbell cyborg would take us to the playoffs every year.

[jaylen]

waaay too hard opn Tryon, he's just being tenative and not challenging or breaking on the ball because he's a rook, I think given time with Gray's coaching the fact that he's always there shows he can run with speed to contest plays just needs to ratchet up the aggressiveness I see talent there. Richardson is being way more aggressive and doing what an undrafted player should be doing and thats throwing caution to the win he could be a solid practice squad developmental cb.

Moore didn't do much of anything. He's seems very athletic very smooth, but seemed out of postion or just real tenative. In time being coached up I think he'll be a fine safety next season with some training Horton is better suited to contribute possibly this season he's naturally aggressive.

I thought JC played well although he made a couple of late throws he just has to get it into his head that he has to hit guys early when they 1st turn, he still seemes mistake conscious which may account for late throws. But he played well moving the team and having pocket presence.

O line played well even the back ups, Rinehart wasn't nocticeable which is a plus which means he was handiling things.

1st unit D-line still didn't generate any pressure and I didn't like how Blache called to many inside stunts with our de's who's speciality is getting upfield.

some Vets I'm concerned may be slipping with age or just being nicked too often

-Marcus Washington looks alittle sluggish to me and he's not getting pressure when he blitzes, is his level slipping drastically with the injuries MAYBE gonna have to see how the next few games go,

-Jansen seems to give up a play a week with bad footwork is he slipping badly. I think so over a full game 4-5 breakdowns and it could get our qb hurt.

-Portis, looked heavy legged and lacked xplosiveness maybe its just he hates preseason and isn't ready to fire it in there but he didn't look like the Clinton we saw at seasons end.

I thought Sinclair and Hamilton helped themselves with good performances.

[shally]

sorry, but i think that tryon has "bust" written large all over him. no size. little speed or quickness. no physical aspect to his play (contrast that with richardson, horton and moore who are also rookies). i guess he would be tentative. he looks totally overmatched.

he is a joke trying to return kickoffs. compare him to mckelvin who is utterly scary every time he has the ball in his hands. THAT is what you look for in a return man. tryon just goes right straight up the middle until he falls at first contact

again, i like very much what i see from richardson when he is out there.
he has made 2 fine plays in 2 weeks (the breakup of the deep ball where interference was waived off and the jumped route for a pick 6) and he just looks comfortable

as they say in texas about tryon, all hat and no cattle...

[Dolla Bill]

This is the 2nd preseason game, and I would like to see what Tryon has in the next 3. He will stick because he is a 4th round draft pick, but who knows? I like what I see in Richardson so far. He hasn't been beaten like Tryon has, but he is playing with and against 3rd stringers.

[jaylen]

sorry, but i think that tryon has "bust" written large all over him. no size. little speed or quickness. no physical aspect to his play (contrast that with richardson, horton and moore who are also rookies). i guess he would be tentative. he looks totally overmatched.

he is a joke trying to return kickoffs. compare him to mckelvin who is utterly scary every time he has the ball in his hands. THAT is what you look for in a return man. tryon just goes right straight up the middle until he falls at first contact

again, i like very much what i see from richardson when he is out there.
he has made 2 fine plays in 2 weeks (the breakup of the deep ball where interference was waived off and the jumped route for a pick 6) and he just looks comfortable

as they say in texas about tryon, all hat and no cattle...

Mckelvin is a 1st rder. Not afair comparison.

2 games you're being way to hard on Tryon. He's been right there every catch this isn't THJ Houshmadilla running by Rogers in the 1st game bad.

Its Tryon being right there just not attacking the ball in his 2nd game.

I like Richardson but as mentioned he's playing against 3rd string guys. He may be a good find .

we'll see after the next 2 games if Tryon has developed any.

I never thought he'd be a good return man. no negative there , Mason isn't any good there either.

Tryon doesn't seem slow or lacking speed either. He was right there in coverage with Parrish a burner.

[redskinz#1fan]

McMullen was drafted by the Eagles a few years ago and briefly played with the Vikings. As for the write up.....its good. One thing im not liking about this offense is not throwing to the tightends. Does Cooley have a catch yet? And Campbell still isnt impressing me. He still seems too robot-like. He needs to loosen up.

They have thrown to the TE's quite a bit... Cooley had a couple of catches last week, along with Fred Davis! So no worries there!

What are you expecting to see from JC? The kid is playing good ball ! He's running the offense when he's out there, and you can definitely tell that he's in control... Plus his throws are on the $$$...

[shally]

This is the 2nd preseason game, and I would like to see what Tryon has in the next 3. He will stick because he is a 4th round draft pick, but who knows? I like what I see in Richardson so far. He hasn't been beaten like Tryon has, but he is playing with and against 3rd stringers.

true. let's see what happens inthe next 3.. but so far, i am totally un impressed with all phases of tryon's game. he looks to be a long way off
Mckelvin is a 1st rder. Not afair comparison.

2 games you're being way to hard on Tryon. He's been right there every catch this isn't THJ Houshmadilla running by Rogers in the 1st game bad.

Its Tryon being right there just not attacking the ball in his 2nd game.

I like Richardson but as mentioned he's playing against 3rd string guys. He may be a good find .

we'll see after the next 2 games if Tryon has developed any.

I never thought he'd be a good return man. no negative there , Mason isn't any good there either.

Tryon doesn't seem slow or lacking speed either. He was right there in coverage with Parrish a burner.

you might be right about who tryon is playing against. but he sure looks like he isnt anxious to stick his nose in there..let's see what happens in the next 3 games

as for the comparison with mckelvin, i wasnt comparing them as CB's, but only as returners.. tryon shows little burst at all

[csquared]

They have thrown to the TE's quite a bit... Cooley had a couple of catches last week, along with Fred Davis! So no worries there!

What are you expecting to see from JC? The kid is playing good ball ! He's running the offense when he's out there, and you can definitely tell that he's in control... Plus his throws are on the $$$...

Each TE has what 2 catches? Cooley is one of the top playmakers on this team. Lets hope Zorn doesnt forget about him. In the past the SEA TE's havent been included all that much. Got my fingers crossed there. As for Campbell are we really excited about what he has done? Against an Indy d that was missing what 3/4 of its starting D and a Buffalo D that really isnt much to write home about. And the robot-like comment means he plays too uptight. He needs to loosen up. Tom Brady plays loose. Tony Romo plays loose. Brett Favre plays loose. Those are a few examples and yes they happen to be some of the best in the league. But Campbell reminds me of Tony Banks. He was always so uptight.


EDIT.... Yoder has 4 catches Davis 4 and Cooley 2. Yoder and Davis catches have come from playing with Collins and Brennan.

[colkurtz]

If Tyron keeps playing the same way and Richardson keeps it up the choice is simple....unless the FO just refuses to admit that they couldn't make a mistake in the draft. Tyron will end up on the PS

[skinfanjon]

Sorry guys, but I missed the memo that says 4th rounders are locks to make the team. Tryon is small, not expecially fast, and has been beaten over and over again by less than starting caliber receivers. I'm not ready to close the book on him just yet, but based on the first two preseason games, he's not making the team. I hope he steps it up and proves me wrong, but we need to stop acting like 4th rounders are entitled to roster spots.

Torrence, on the other hand, looks like a very solid nickelback. Even on the TD he gave up, he had tight coverage and forced a perfect pass to beat him against a very talented receiver in Hardy. I am quite comfotable having him as the 3rd or 4th CB and hopefully he continues to improve.

As for Collins, the offense was disorganized several times under his direction. Its hard to tell who's to blame for the timeouts and pre-snap confusion, but
its not a good sign. The second team offense needs to study their playbook, because something isn't sinking in. Beyond that, his reads were late at times and his throws lacked velocity...that's a bad combination. I have very little confidence in our backup QB's if forced to rely on them for an extended period of time.

Conversely, I really like what I'm seeing from Campbell. We could be witnessing the blossoming of the next top tier QB in the NFL, if he gets some help from his receivers. Zorn is going to turn this guy into a Pro-Bowl caliber player. He may not put up huge statistics, but the growth will be noticeable.

I forgot to mention Frost, I thought he had a nice game. It seems pretty obvious that the FO is rooting for Brooks to beat him out, but I don't consider it a lock just yet. Let's call it a high probability.

I'd also like to add Fincher, Sinclair, and Richardson to the "helped their case" list, I thought each made a few nice plays and solidified their spot as legitimate challengers for the roster. I'm not sure how the numbers shake out at LB and CB, but they have realistic chances of making the squad.

[Skins-fo-life]

I have not given up on Tryon yet but he hasn't done anything to back his mouth up. I loved it though when he stated "I'll get you to the fifty everytime. " I knew he wouldn't but confidence is key though for a young guy. I will say he goes to PS. Reality is that alot of these guys we root for probably won't make this team. The biggest suprise is Mason by far. You know he will get picked up ASAP if they cut him. I hope we get to see him handle more kickoffs to see if he can edge Rock. With being so thin at positions on defense it may be hard to carry a 4th RB since it seems like they are going to keep 6 WR's. It will be interesting to see who goes on the 1st round of cuts and then the 2nd. I was in shock last year when the ADE got the ax. lol

[Moe]

I doubt they'll cut Tryon since he's a 4th rounder and our depth at CB is pretty good, but you're right. He's getting beat too much. On the other hand, did anyone watch Matteral Richardson this game (the kid that got the int last game)? He played solid coverage and got in smart tackles on several plays (3 tackles, 2 assists). Right now, he's looking much better than Tryon - could he take his spot or could we carry 6 CBs?.

I don't think you add excess in a spot just because one guy (Tryon in this case) happened to be a 4th. If he can't play, you move on and retain the ones that can. Not saying it doesn't possibly buy him a few extra snaps to justify the pick, but in the end I don't think that's a reason to keep him if others are outplaying him (and IMO others are).

I'm still worried about who is going to step up among the Linebackers to take the 6th spot. Sinclair looks way too slow out there to compete at this level. Gatewood was a no-show. Maybe Rian Wallace? I just don't like our linebacker depth this season..

LB depth is, I think, the largest issue on this team. However, I think that LB is one of the easier positions to add/pick up players that can step in and play. Most of the depth out there now is young, so hopefully they'll learn but if not then there are plenty of guys who'll be available and hungry for a spot.

I agree that I loved the look of JC again and the tempo of the offense. Our rushing game looks awesome!.

The running game has looked good. Mason is clearly an intriguing guy who is doing what young guys have to do to make a team. I even thought Broughton looked good. He was covering up well and he's much quicker and more adept a runner than is Sellars. But I'm not sure that's what this team needs from the FB at this point, so he's facing an uphill battle.


Does anyone know if McMullen plays Special Teams (I didn't notice)? He's done a good job catching the ball, but to Mix's credit, he played teams really well last year. If you're the 6th WR, you gotta think that Special Teams play will be the determining factor.

I haven't paid enough attention to see if McMullen is on Special Teams (would think he'd have to be) but he stood out to me. It seems that when he gets a chance he not only makes the catch but made some moves that picked up a few first downs.

[Moe]

Right, which is what worried most GMs, and is why they were still sitting there in 2nd round, waiting to be "steals.".

Most GM's predicted that they'd get hamstring injuries? Wow, Cerrato IS an idiot.

They might be good players long term, but the notion that they were going to transform our O this year was always a mirage. Right about the time J. Taylor is ready to retire, they should be mastering our O & and the pro game.

You could save yourself from typing this mantra in every thread if you want, by simply pasting it in as your signature. Just a thought ;)

[HanburgerBum]

I think you are a little hard on Collins. He is never going to wow anyone with his athleticism and he doesn't play "pretty". But, he did a great job last season (although admittedly in an offense he was familiar with), and my guess is that by the regular season he will be up-to-speed with this current offense.

I do share your concerns about Tryon. So far, he looks like the bust of our draft. It doesn't help that he talks big and can't back it up. And, I agree that his 4th round status won't save him if he doesn't get his act together soon. Zorn can not create an impression that draft status prevails over play on the field. If Richardson continues to progess, he can beat out Tryon.

[dj_stouty]

I thought Tryon looked ok in the first game; and he was clearly off on his second game. I'm taking a "wait and see" approach with him. It is tough to get a handle on this position in the NFL. (Ask our top 10 pick, Carlos Rogers) Lets see how he stacks up against Clemons and the Jets and evaluate from there...

[shally]

I thought Tryon looked ok in the first game; and he was clearly off on his second game. I'm taking a "wait and see" approach with him. It is tough to get a handle on this position in the NFL. (Ask our top 10 pick, Carlos Rogers) Lets see how he stacks up against Clemons and the Jets and evaluate from there...

considering he was out there very early in the buffalo game, i fully expect favre to look his way and grin from ear to ear..

might as well see how he does against a REAL nfl qb

[Patrick]

considering he was out there very early in the buffalo game, i fully expect favre to look his way and grin from ear to ear..
might as well see how he does against a REAL nfl qb

I'll bet on Tryon ....... ;)

[Battle Cat]

I am more concerned about our Wr's than our cb situation due to the fact I thought at least one rookie wr may be our #3 wr in the first game of the season. I am worried about how 2 guys that play wr come in to camp out of shape. And if they dont start practicing asap we can go into the season with James Thrash a good guy dont get me wrong but as our #3 wr which I think most would agree no one thought going into this year.

[toolman24266]

Ok did anybody else see the hit that this guy made to casue the fumble in the 3rd quarter to give us the winning field goal just wondering why he hasn't got any props for it. I think he is a player and think he desevers a shot at the practice squad roster. Anybody agree or disagree?

[Patrick]

Ok did anybody else see the hit that this guy made to casue the fumble in the 3rd quarter to give us the winning field goal just wondering why he hasn't got any props for it. I think he is a player and think he desevers a shot at the practice squad roster. Anybody agree or disagree?


Ummmmm ............. didn't you ask the same question in the thread you created .......... That I did see. Let's be creative and not copy and paste.

[Redskin4Life]

Each TE has what 2 catches? Cooley is one of the top playmakers on this team. Lets hope Zorn doesnt forget about him. In the past the SEA TE's havent been included all that much. Got my fingers crossed there. As for Campbell are we really excited about what he has done? Against an Indy d that was missing what 3/4 of its starting D and a Buffalo D that really isnt much to write home about. And the robot-like comment means he plays too uptight. He needs to loosen up. Tom Brady plays loose. Tony Romo plays loose. Brett Favre plays loose. Those are a few examples and yes they happen to be some of the best in the league. But Campbell reminds me of Tony Banks. He was always so uptight.


EDIT.... Yoder has 4 catches Davis 4 and Cooley 2. Yoder and Davis catches have come from playing with Collins and Brennan.

C... that's 2 out of 12 catches. I think that's a fair amount from Campbell. Anymore than that, I would be more worried about him not distributing the ball or not throwing to WRs (which should be Campbell's first thru 3rd reads).

Plus, who were Seattle's TEs?? Exactly... don't worry about Cooley to Campbell. We'll hear it plenty during the season.

[shally]

when he was not drunk or assaulting women, jerremy stevens was the seattle tight end.. and he was very good or better during his tenure

[SkinsfaninNJ]

Each TE has what 2 catches? Cooley is one of the top playmakers on this team. Lets hope Zorn doesnt forget about him. In the past the SEA TE's havent been included all that much. Got my fingers crossed there. As for Campbell are we really excited about what he has done? Against an Indy d that was missing what 3/4 of its starting D and a Buffalo D that really isnt much to write home about. And the robot-like comment means he plays too uptight. He needs to loosen up. Tom Brady plays loose. Tony Romo plays loose. Brett Favre plays loose. Those are a few examples and yes they happen to be some of the best in the league. But Campbell reminds me of Tony Banks. He was always so uptight.


EDIT.... Yoder has 4 catches Davis 4 and Cooley 2. Yoder and Davis catches have come from playing with Collins and Brennan.

You can't make a fair comparison between JC to Cooley with Davis/Yoder and the other QB's. Cooley and JC are playing 25% of the time and the others are playing 75% of the time.

[Redskin4Life]

when he was not drunk or assaulting women, jerremy stevens was the seattle tight end.. and he was very good or better during his tenure
True, but would you consider him one of the best 5-10 TEs in the league (when he was playing)?

And what do you think of Cooley? A top 5-10 guy?

That's all I'm saying. The comparison of our offense to Seattle's offense really isn't a fair one based on the TEs they had in Seattle. Zorn will have Cooley involved based on the fact that he found ways already to cause mismatches with our TEs, RBs and WRs.

[whitskins]

True, but would you consider him one of the best 5-10 TEs in the league (when he was playing)?

And what do you think of Cooley? A top 5-10 guy?

That's all I'm saying. If this offense really shouldn't be evaluated based on the TEs they had in Seattle. Zorn will have Cooley involved based on the fact that he found ways already to cause mismatches with our TEs, RBs and WRs.

The fact that Holmgren burned high picks on TEs regularly over the years (and did again this year) proves that he wants to have the TE heavily involved in his offense.

It's just that so far he's proved inept at actually finding a good one, but he's still trying, so it's obviously a focus of the offense. Luckily for us, Zorn has a guy here 10 times better than any of the bums they ran through Seattle. Cooley is going to have another big year, no doubt about it.

[shally]

True, but would you consider him one of the best 5-10 TEs in the league (when he was playing)?

And what do you think of Cooley? A top 5-10 guy?

That's all I'm saying. The comparison of our offense to Seattle's offense really isn't a fair one based on the TEs they had in Seattle. Zorn will have Cooley involved based on the fact that he found ways already to cause mismatches with our TEs, RBs and WRs.

without question, on pure ability alone, stevens was a top 10 guy.
he had lapses in concentration for certain, but he was a major key to their superbowl run. now he is clearly damaged goods.

cooley ? he has negatives as far as his blocking and he is not quite the deep threat i thought he would be BUT i think he will have a very solid season this year. not quite at jason wittens level, but in the same area code. i would say top 10, but not top 5....

[dj_stouty]

Cooley is going to have another big year, no doubt about it.

Agreed. Campbell has a lot of trust in Cooley. Zorn isn't going to start showing his cards in the preseason. Zorn has a ton of new receivers and he is working out the kinks with them. He knows what Cooley brings to the table, just like he knows what hes got in Clinton.

I could see Cooley getting 6 catches on opening night. No need to worry folks...

[shally]

The fact that Holmgren burned high picks on TEs regularly over the years (and did again this year) proves that he wants to have the TE heavily involved in his offense.

It's just that so far he's proved inept at actually finding a good one, but he's still trying, so it's obviously a focus of the offense. Luckily for us, Zorn has a guy here 10 times better than any of the bums they ran through Seattle. Cooley is going to have another big year, no doubt about it.

it is no coincidence that the year the seahawks went to the superbowl was when they had solid TE play

i think not only cooley, but also yoder and davis are going to provide the skins with solid play from the TE spot

[joethefan]

portis in my mind didn't look good at all....on the other hand betts and mason did very well.....

i wonder why rock didn't return any kickoffs ad mason was in thier more...could rock be in trouble?

[WinnpegSkinsFan]

portis in my mind didn't look good at all....on the other hand betts and mason did very well.....

i wonder why rock didn't return any kickoffs ad mason was in thier more...could rock be in trouble?

I agree JTF. If Mason demonstrates he can return KO's, Rock may be a camp casualty. Clearly, Mason is a better running back than Rock.

[Moe]

portis in my mind didn't look good at all....on the other hand betts and mason did very well.....

i wonder why rock didn't return any kickoffs ad mason was in thier more...could rock be in trouble?

Rock was out with a rib cartilage injury.

[colkurtz]

portis in my mind didn't look good at all....on the other hand betts and mason did very well.....

i wonder why rock didn't return any kickoffs ad mason was in thier more...could rock be in trouble?

I think Portis was holding back. This guy knows how to crank it up when the season starts. He just needs to be sharp in the first game, not hitting his stride 4-6 games into the season.

Mason has done well except for the dropped KO - which will hurt his chances a little. Mostly I'd like to see Mason behind the first string line and see what he's got. I like his chances.

[silverspring]

Mason has done well except for the dropped KO - which will hurt his chances a little. Mostly I'd like to see Mason behind the first string line and see what he's got. I like his chances.


I kind of saw Mason's KO return as a big deal, i think the coaches were giving him an opportunity to make a case that he could take over rock's role (meaning we would cut rock) and he obviously failed at it. I think he can make the team as a #4 rb but I don't see him cracking the game day roster much.

[joethefan]

I kind of saw Mason's KO return as a big deal, i think the coaches were giving him an opportunity to make a case that he could take over rock's role (meaning we would cut rock) and he obviously failed at it. I think he can make the team as a #4 rb but I don't see him cracking the game day roster much.

they may be looking at replacing rock so by giving someone else an opportunity....I know he's injured but he might be on the bubble....

[Hr fan]

IMO Rock is not in trouble. Giving Mason a chance at KOs is more to establish versatility hopefully for a roster spot for someone they think they will lose if he is made available, and who's play has earned a spot in the top 53. Rock is the modern version of Captain Who? since he plays all STs, and plays them well.