Just so we don’t get bogged down by semantics of any sort, I realize to some this was Week Two of the pre-season. But to me a work-week night single game at the Hall of Fame is not Week 1.
Not to be an ‘I told you so’, but I mentioned on multiple occasions that the 2018 Draft Class had an unusually high number of touted Kickers/Punters/Long Snappers. Then during the Draft itself 2 Place-Kickers, 4 Punters and 1 Long Snapper were indeed drafted. Punter MICHAEL DICKSON/Texas was the first of the group taken in Round 5, at Pick 149 by the Sea Hawks. this is in addition to another handful of specialists who have been signed as URFA, including EDDY PINIERO of the Raiders, who looks like the favorite to win their Kicking job.
On paper, and in game video, it looks to me like the BROWNS have three of the best WR in the NFL on their roster right now: JARVIS LANDRY, JOSH GORDON and ANTONIO CALLAWAY. But it also looks to me like LANDRY may be the only one able to play when the regular season starts. GORDON has battled addiction/abuse issues and was just re-instated by the League this past off-season. But he is not in Camp and is undergoing further rehab work in his ongoing battle to avoid substance abuse. Now the excellent Rookie wideout CALLAWAY finds himself likely to be facing a League imposed suspension after his arrest last weekend during which he was charged with drug possession and driving with a suspended license. CALLAWAY was suspended multiple times during his career at Florida and tested positive for illegal substances at the Combine. I wish only the best of luck to Browns GM JOHN DORSEY dealing with these issues, but he had to know he was taking a big chance with CALLAWAY, off the field.
There was an eye opening performance from yet another URFA in RYAN NALL/RB/FB of DA BEARS. NALL was originally a TE at Oregon State, but with an overall lack of talent on the Beavers roster the past few seasons NALL was switched the backfield to get him more touches. At 6’2/232 he has that tweener RB/FB size and blocks well enough to line up as the lone RB on passing downs and provide some solid pass pro for his QB. He also looks like a very good Red Zone option with his running and receiving ability. He saw extensive action in the second half against the Bengals and answered the call. He led the BEARS with 95 yards rushing on 9 carries. He also caught a pass for another 9 yards. He may not be a speedster but he got to the edge a couple of teams and was clearly able to outrun LB and some of the backup S. If he can keep up this kind of versatile, quality play I could see him making the roster to compliment 3 RB and a FB in Chicago’s backfield group.
Having played two games already the RAVENS have given us a bit more of an early peek at their Rookies and the winner by a landslide so far has to be URFA RB/GUS EDWARDS. EDWARDS is a bruising runner at 6’1/235, but do not mistake him for a FB. He has done a solid job running through traffic between the Tackles, showing good balance and the strength to bounce off would-be tacklers. Against the RAMS he ran the rock 12 times for 58 yards, including a long of 25 yards. The RAVENS don’t have a bell cow runner right now, which should provide EDWARDS with a solid chance to earn a roster spot, perhaps even as the No. 2 RB behind ALEX COLLINS. As usual, with most Rookies, a key for EDWARDS will be to show he can play a role or two on Special Teams. Keep your eyes on progress from the former Rutgers player in the coming weeks.
Another URFA RB made an impressive debut for the RAIDERS in their tight contest with the LIONS. His name is CHRIS WARREN, whose dad (also Chris) was a monster runner for the Sea Hawks a couple of decades ago. And his bulldozing, hard charging running style is somewhat reminiscent of his father. WARREN is 6’2/247 and he’d just as soon run through and over defenders as around them. He really punished some would-be LIONS tacklers. WARREN carried 13 times for 81 yards in a second half as the Raiders played ball control Offense muCh of the half. He has good burst on taking the hand-off and created his own holes at times. If DOUG MARTIN does not stand out in the pre-season for Oakland I could see WARREN being a solid option for Coach Gruden, whose only other RB taller than 5’11”, is actually FB KEITH SMITH.
A quick mention for DT P.J. HALL, who was the RAIDERS surprise Pick at number 57. HALL is a surprisingly good athlete for his 6’00/308 frame and squat build. But he shows uncommon quickness, and the kind of strength you might expect from that beefy build. He opened a lot of eyes with his work last January at the Shrine venue. HALL was pushing blockers around and collapsed the pocket to record a first half Sack. He also deflected a pass at the line-of-scrimmage during his playing time. HALL looks like the real deal already and may make GRUDEN and GM REGGIE McKENZIE look like geniuses in the long run.
The PACKERS clearly have every intent of rebuilding their WR group with the release of JORDY NELSON, and drafting of 3 WR in the 2018 Draft. At this point in time it looks like the least known of the 3 is making the biggest impression on the team. He’s MARQUEZ VALDES-SCANTLING from USF, via NC State originally. He’s a long, lean target at 6’4/206. He has nice big 10″ hands, and ran a 4.37/40 at the Combine. He needs to improve his route running and has dropped too many balls in practice, as well as one potential big gainer against the TITANS. But by the same token when the game was over MARQUEZ had recorded 5 catches for 101 yards and 1 TD. The coaching staff has a lot of work to do with this young lump of clay, but the upside looks to be substantial.
This first full weekend of pre-season action looked for all the world like the 2018 NFL Draft may go down as having a RB overload of talent. Even the URFA stood up to be counted. Amongst the best was ROC THOMAS, who bounced around a bit in college before finishing up at Jacksonville State, which is in Alabama not Florida, by the way. THOMAS, measures about 5’10/198, and relies on quickness primarily, although he’s far from slow straight-line. He showed multiple bursts against the BRONCOS. He carried 8 times for 29 yards, but it was as a receiver out of the backfield that he really impressed. He caught 3 balls for 102 yards and 2 TD. THOMAS and fellow URFA MICHAEL BOONE of Cincinnati look to be in a battle for a back-up RB spot, with the VIKES hoping to put the loser of the battle on their practice Squad. Nice problem to have for the coaching staff. I give Round 1 to ROC.
One more RB to mention before I move on. Before the April Draft COWBOYS owner and GM JERRY JONES got a tip from NICK SABAN not to ignore RB BO SCARBROUGH. Bo lost some luster because of a propensity for nagging injuries, but SABAN told JONES that Scarbrough was not far below DERRICK HENRY in overall talent and was a hard working young man in the ‘Bama program. When BO was still available in the middle of Round 7, JONES remembered the glowing report from ST. NICK and the Cowboys drafted him to fight for a back-up spot in a thinned out RB group. If SCARBROUGH can keep up the pace at which he played against the 49’ers he may be high up on the RB depth chart come September. BO carried 9 times for 33 yards, including a hard TD run. He also caught 2 balls for another 9 yards. He ran hard, and he ran fast for his size. Watch over the rest of the month to see if he doesn’t end up as the primary back-up for ZEKE.
It’s way too early to get too worked up over any Rookies, but that is especially true of the QB group, which featured 5 First Rounders this year. But I want to talk about the folly of getting too excited, too soon and will use SAM DARNOLD/JETS as the subject of this week’s tutorial. Let me first mention that I was indeed impressed with DARNOLD’S initial effort against the FALCONS. He clearly looked to be in total control of that JETS huddle. He looked poised and the master of his domain out on the field of play. He finished the night 13/18- 72%- 96 yards and 1 TD. He used his legs to extend plays and even took off on a couple of QB runs for key yardage. It was far from perfect, but by the same token he showed a lot of why the JETS see him as their first Franchise QB since RICHARD TODD. My caution is that he did it against mostly 3rd stringers from the FALCONS. By and large the Falcons are not known as an exceedingly deep roster. The vast majority of players that DARNOLD sliced up were URFA. It is also true that most of the guys who played with DARNOLD in that game won’t be on the JETS 53-man roster, but overall they were a bit more experienced than the Falcons players. Just a note for giddy JETS fans. But remember that I have been a fan of DARNOLD since he emerged at Southern Cal two seasons ago.
Count me in as being one of those guys who scoffed at talk last season during a SAINTS National TV broadcast when CHRIS COLLINSWORTH mentioned how highly HC SEAN PAYTON spoke of back-up QB TAYSOM HILL. HILL has unforunately been the picture in the dictionary beside the term ‘injury-plagued’since his college days. HILL is also an overaged guy because of his Mormon Mission hiatus during his Cougars career. In reality his biggest role on the Saints last season was doing yeoman’s work on Special Teams, at 6’2/221. But after another off-season working with PAYTON and BREES, HILL really put on a display against the Jaguars. He passed 8/9 for 72 yards and ran 7 times for 52 yards and 1 TD. He really looked the part and may be ready to provide some serious competition for VFA TOM SAVAGE as MR. BREES back-up. The nice part for the Saints is that even though HILL might force the team to keep 3 QB on their 53-man roster it is not a wasted spot if HILL continues to play a major role on Special Teams. Keep your eye on this guy… if he doesn’t get injured.
Cheers
PIGSKIN
