I dont know why anyone would really make any roster judgements for the most part....until we play some pre season games. Practices are where mistakes are supposed to happen...just dont make them in games. Way to early IMO to say Shelley Smith wont be a salvageable Center until Pouncey returns.
Andrew Abramson @AbramsonPBP · 1m · Philbin:on moving Aikens to safety: He started there in college initially. He kind of looks like a safety. We could still move him around.
Walt Aikens to safety was the logical thing to be done IMO. Still not a draft choice I understand. Even though I disagree with taking Arthur Lynch, I at least understand the logic behind it. I'm not sure I understand the logic behind Aikens.
Just one thing to caution here. When the media reports a botched exchange, that doesn't automatically mean it's the center's fault.
Offensive Line stuff from Walker: James Walker @JamesWalkerNFL 2h DT Earl Mitchell pushes C/G Shelley Smith back several yards in one-on-one drills. James Walker @JamesWalkerNFL 1h ANOTHER bad snap between C Shelley Smith and QB Ryan Tannehill. This one appeared to be on Smith, low snap. James Walker @JamesWalkerNFL 2h ANOTHER botched snap from C Shelley Smith and QB Ryan Tannehill. Wow. James Walker @JamesWalkerNFL 2h Second-team o-line not looking much better. QB Matt Moore pressured. A small scrum happens involving OL David Arkin. James Walker@JamesWalkerNFL 50m It looks like Billy Turner is getting a look at RG with the first team, as well. Interesting again. Skill Position Tweets from Walker: James Walker@JamesWalkerNFL 2h CB Jamar Taylor picks off a floating deep ball from QB Ryan Tannehill. Nice play by Taylor. Poor throw. James Walker@JamesWalkerNFL 1h QB Ryan Tannehill nearly throws another pick to CB Jamar Taylor, who is active today. James Walker@JamesWalkerNFL 2h Drop by WR Armon Binns in 7-on-7. James Walker@JamesWalkerNFL 2h I know it's just the first week of camp, but rookie WR Jarvis Landry has some GOOD hands. He's snagging everything right now. @JamesWalkerNFL 41m Another practice is coming to an end. Today's standouts IMO were CB Jamar Taylor and rookie WR Jarvis Landry. Offensive Line had another rough day. Good to see some young skilled players leaving a mark... especially Taylor!
The flip side is it was Taylor who blew the coverage on Hartline on the 70 yard touchdown that was reported earlier.
That's true, sounds like he made a bunch of plays. But yeah, consistency in not making that big mistake that breaks open the game is just as important.
What I would like to know is..... How is Shelley doing as far as making the right line calls....I saw the one tweet about him getting pushed back...but other then that...hows he looked when run blocking and pass blocking. All we hear about are the bad exchanges...but isnt there alot more to the center position other then making a good snap? Also...how many of the bad snaps were with Tannehill lined up directly under center..and how many were made in shotgun. IMO....I think alot is being made about it...because every time it happens..its made public.
Not the first time Philbin has made it a point to single out Philip Wheeler as opposed to Dannell Ellerbe. He's done it a few times and I think it's a commentary on the difference in the way the two players approach the job. They look like they're competing with one another for the role of the second nickel linebacker that stays on the field along with Misi. It's a tough call. Wheeler's blitz prowess giving the nickel defense some options, versus Ellerbe's having been better in coverage a year ago (with easier assignments). I think Wheeler has the edge. But they'll try and see if Jelani Jenkins can jump up and take some of those snaps as well, I think.
It's also a commentary when you hear them talk about how they were initially worried about communication with Misi at middle linebacker because he's generally so quiet, but that the communication has "never been better". That's a direct commentary on the job Ellerbe did at mike a year ago.
Go where? Physically big and dynamic guy that was a little too slow to the trigger in college even at the level he played at (Montana). He had a linebacker teammate much less compelling tangibles who sometimes showed him up this way. Side to side movement skills for a linebacker are pretty much at the ideal level, and he has a lot of experience blitzing and being used in a disruptive role so that teammates around him can clean up the ball. Tangibles give him a doorway for immediate playing time through a nickel role but that likely won't happen in 2014. Great attitude though. Proper playing demeanor. Aggressive just not quick mentally yet. Oh and he goes by Jordie. Suppose he'll have to make a few plays before fans recognize that.
It's omar Kelly favorite sleeper this year, said he looked like Lawrence Taylor with the two's, and it was time for a move up the ranks..
I just dont see Philbin putting his job on the line based on a guy who has never played the position. He found out he was playing center essentially the opening day of training camp. One thing to have those OTAs and TC to practice it for the first time. He has been doing it for five sessions now. His snaps are all over the place. He has admitted he sucks at it. I think its understating the position to think he can get it sorted out between now and opening day. Will gladly admit if i am wrong. But I wont be happy with Garner there either. Hopefully Hickey has Satele on speed dial.
Some guys like Daniel Jeremiah were high on him and I forget who it was but someone brought out a Kiko Alonso comparison. I don't think he's got the route recognition or feel for passing lanes that Alonso had/has though. He looked real slow to me on that stuff in college, needs to relate to his coverage assignment much more quickly and aggressively. But all that would seem to fall into the experience category and so you'd think he should be able to improve. It's not a lack of aggressiveness or a bad demeanor. I'm sure many coaches think to themselves, once I coach this guy up he's going to be an animal.
That's only technically true. He said they only told him for sure that he would be the center the day before camp, but that he already knew it. People don't realize this but Shelley Smith had been taking snaps at center every single practice of OTAs, even before Pouncey's surgery. I think if you try this sort of experiment, you commit to it and see if the guy improves. And either way I think we'll see Smith continue to take snaps at center tomorrow and the next day. It might be a doomed experiment, but we're not at the cut-off point yet IMO.
It wasn't Bill Polian was it, re: the Kiko Alonso comparison? I know Polian really liked the Tripp pick. I think there's YouTube video of him talking about him.
Don't think it was Polian. I'm sure he liked him though. Many draft insider types really liked Tripp.
Honestly, most things I have read from scouts really like Tripp. I know I only watched one of his highlight games on Youtube, but I am really confused why.
Combination size, movement skills and natural aggressiveness. Coaches and football types tend to think they can give a guy everything else.
Benton seemed to suggest the first preseason game. Barry Jackson's latest suggests that the bad exchange count for Shelley is up to 6 in 5 practice sessions. That's bad, but keep in mind the likelihood is that not every single one of those could be attributed solely to Shelley Smith. Traditionally it has been most often chalked up to both the quarterback and center being unused to one another. I remember on at least one practice day, Brenner was guilty of a few as well. Basically it's happening once a practice session, out of god knows how many snaps. They're going to want that to come down and I'm sure it probably will come down. Then they're going to want to see him get through the preseason games without a bad snap.
I guess they wanted another DB but weren't sure if they wanted a corner or a safety, so they took a guy that maybe able to play at least one of those spots. I was thinking about the trade up to take Billy Turner, whom I do like, but had we stayed put, Oakland used those two picks to take Gabe Jackson and Pierre Desir. Trai Turner was also available at the Jackson pick. Would you rather have one of those two interior linemen plus Desir, or Billy Turner?
