Training Camp Battles I want to hear about

[12intheBox]

Coach O (and any others who are going),

I know I'm not the only one who really appreciates all of the camp reports. There are so many training camp matchups I want to hear about - but let me just name a few that I'm especially intrigued about ....

1. Greg Robinson and Roger Saffold vs Aaron Donald and Michael Brockers - run blocking and pass blocking, I expect the interior line drills to be as entertaining as any camp.

2. LaMarcus Joyner and Greg Reid vs Tavon Austin and Jared Cook - want to cover the slot in the NFL? You need to be able to handle size and quicks. Will the size of out slot coverage be a liability? If so, is TJ covering the TEs? Ogletree?

3. Kenny Britt and Brian Quick v Janoris Jenkins and Trumaine Johnson - can we leave these corners on islands and trust them? Can these receivers burn single coverage?

4. Jake Long v Robert Quinn - sadly, I doubt we get too much of this in the early going - but what a nice way to test your ability and see if you are ready for game day then to go against the best pass rusher in the league?

5. Sam Bradford v Greg Williams - how is Sam's field vision when Williams is throwing all the stops at him? How quickly can the defense get comfortable enough in the system to be able to get exotic?

6. Tre Mason v the blitz Can he protect #8?

Thanks in advance to any of you who are willing to share what you see if you are lucky enough to go.

 

[den-the-coach]

I just want posts about the blocking dutchman Mitchell Van Dyk! Seriously though besides the battles above it is always nice to read about a player moving himself up the roster. Really looking forward to this offenive line because IMO this unit is the best that OL Coach Paul Boudreau has had since he's been coaching in St. Louis.

 

[PowayRamFan]

Coach O (and any others who are going),

I know I'm not the only one who really appreciates all of the camp reports. There are so many training camp matchups I want to hear about - but let me just name a few that I'm especially intrigued about ....

1. Greg Robinson and Roger Saffold vs Aaron Donald and Michael Brockers - run blocking and pass blocking, I expect the interior line drills to be as entertaining as any camp.

2. LaMarcus Joyner and Greg Reid vs Tavon Austin and Jared Cook - want to cover the slot in the NFL? You need to be able to handle size and quicks. Will the size of out slot coverage be a liability? If so, is TJ covering the TEs? Ogletree?

3. Kenny Britt and Brian Quick v Janoris Jenkins and Trumaine Johnson - can we leave these corners on islands and trust them? Can these receivers burn single coverage?

4. Jake Long v Robert Quinn - sadly, I doubt we get too much of this in the early going - but what a nice way to test your ability and see if you are ready for game day then to go against the best pass rusher in the league?

5. Sam Bradford v Greg Williams - how is Sam's field vision when Williams is throwing all the stops at him? How quickly can the defense get comfortable enough in the system to be able to get exotic?

6. Tre Mason v the blitz Can he protect #8?

Thanks in advance to any of you who are willing to share what you see if you are lucky enough to go.

Dang there are going to be some epic battles in TC, cant wait to hear the reports. CoachO, thanks in advance!!

 

[SierraRam]

All great questions 12 ! Being on the coast, I sooo look forward to the reports from Coach O & Company. A sincere thank you in advance, also!

As for me: For the first time in recent memory, our roster will be devoid of "filler" players, so I'm very interested in who gains the last few roster spots, particularly at OL, DL, WR & Safety.

 

[CoachO]

Coach O (and any others who are going),

I know I'm not the only one who really appreciates all of the camp reports. There are so many training camp matchups I want to hear about - but let me just name a few that I'm especially intrigued about ....

1. Greg Robinson and Roger Saffold vs Aaron Donald and Michael Brockers - run blocking and pass blocking, I expect the interior line drills to be as entertaining as any camp.

just letting you know, other than the one on one drills they do on the days they have pads on (which is not all that often), there really isn't a lot of physical stuff going on between the O-Line vs. the D-line. When they do the team stuff (11 on 11), there is very little full speed contact, so its really tough to gauge how they match up. Its more who gets off the ball, and who can get into position stuff.

2. LaMarcus Joyner and Greg Reid vs Tavon Austin and Jared Cook - want to cover the slot in the NFL? You need to be able to handle size and quicks. Will the size of out slot coverage be a liability? If so, is TJ covering the TEs? Ogletree?

I don't see Reid matching up with the likes of Austin or Cook very often. More often than not, at least in the previous 2 Fisher camps, they tend to pair the "1's vs 1's" in many of the 7 on 7 and 11 on 11 drills. Joyner, on the other hand should get plenty of play against both.

3. Kenny Britt and Brian Quick v Janoris Jenkins and Trumaine Johnson - can we leave these corners on islands and trust them? Can these receivers burn single coverage?

this will be something I plan on focusing on. As I mentioned in another thread, it's like killing two birds with one stone when the WRs and DBs square off in the 1 on 1 , 7 on 7 drills. I will be paying close attention to ALL of the WRs, as well as the likes of Gaines, Joyner, Reid Roberson etc.

4. Jake Long v Robert Quinn - sadly, I doubt we get too much of this in the early going - but what a nice way to test your ability and see if you are ready for game day then to go against the best pass rusher in the league?

I will be shocked if Jake Long is even on the field doing any team related stuff before the 3rd game of the preseason. And even then, pitting him against Quinn won't happen.

5. Sam Bradford v Greg Williams - how is Sam's field vision when Williams is throwing all the stops at him? How quickly can the defense get comfortable enough in the system to be able to get exotic?

As for as exotic, I think you will see much more in terms of combination coverages. i.e. "Man-2" , bracketing , etc. I realize that its in Williams DNA to be blitz heavy, but I also think with this front, that might not be as big a part of the gameplan, at least early on.

6. Tre Mason v the blitz Can he protect #8?

They spend a fair amount of time on RB vs LB pass blocking drills. Usually its a 1 on 1 type thing, and last year was very telling as to how much the rookies have to learn when it comes to technique. I for one, am not expecting to see much out of Mason in this area. I am more interested in seeing if Stacy is improved.

Thanks in advance to any of you who are willing to share what you see if you are lucky enough to go.

 

[RamFan503]

Yep. The camp reports can't happen soon enough. Very thankful we have a couple posters here that are able to go and give us what they see.

 

[PrometheusFaulk]

Thanks as always for the reports CoachO, I wish I could make it to TC this year, but alas, life gets in the way.

One thing I'm going to be curious about in particular is the WR rotation. I remember last year we saw a lot of flexibility Givens/Bailey and Pettis/Quick rotations in addition to all the stuff that was going on in the backfield.

I wonder if it'll be more of the same or if we'll see a more static group working with the ones. I know you've been on the ground already, anything to glean there or still too early?

Your insight is always appreciated.

 

[CoachO]

Thanks as always for the reports CoachO, I wish I could make it to TC this year, but alas, life gets in the way.

One thing I'm going to be curious about in particular is the WR rotation. I remember last year we saw a lot of flexibility Givens/Bailey and Pettis/Quick rotations in addition to all the stuff that was going on in the backfield.

I wonder if it'll be more of the same or if we'll see a more static group working with the ones. I know you've been on the ground already, anything to glean there or still too early?

Your insight is always appreciated.

Last year, they were pretty consistent in the rotation of the WRs. Givens and Bailey rotated on one side, Pettis and Quick on the other.

As camp progressed, you started to see less and less of Bailey with the 1's, as it became apparent the pair of Pettis and Givens were going to be the 1's going into the season.

I antiicipate something similar this year, as they have said that they plan on mixing in a lot of different guys with the "1's" going into camp. I foresee Britt and Quick rotating on one side, Givens and Austin on the other. With Bailey and Pettis working in different packages.

When I went to the one OTA, they came out in the RedZone drills with Britt, Quick, Cook and Kendricks. Talk about your "big" targets!

 

[RamFan503]

When I went to the one OTA, they came out in the RedZone drills with Britt, Quick, Cook and Kendricks. Talk about your "big" targets!

I really want to see this package on the field! Talk about Beast mode.

 

[DCH]

Last year, they were pretty consistent in the rotation of the WRs. Givens and Bailey rotated on one side, Pettis and Quick on the other.

As camp progressed, you started to see less and less of Bailey with the 1's, as it became apparent the pair of Pettis and Givens were going to be the 1's going into the season.

I antiicipate something similar this year, as they have said that they plan on mixing in a lot of different guys with the "1's" going into camp. I foresee Britt and Quick rotating on one side, Givens and Austin on the other. With Bailey and Pettis working in different packages.

When I went to the one OTA, they came out in the RedZone drills with Britt, Quick, Cook and Kendricks. Talk about your "big" targets!

That's pretty slick, although I'd like to see what Harkey could do in place of Kendricks or Cook. But like with Barrett Jones, I have an unhealthy mancrush on Harkey.

 

[RamFan503]

That's pretty slick, although I'd like to see what Harkey could do in place of Kendricks or Cook. But like with Barrett Jones, I have an unhealthy mancrush on Harkey.

Nah man. Harkey really earned playing time last year. Who wouldn't have a man crush on him after that play against NO. I'd be all for him replacing Cook in the red zone in that package.

 

[LACHAMP46]

One of the best drills in any camp, is the RB's vs LB's in the blitz pick up...Always a crowd pleaser....Yeah those reports will be much anticipated...Mine, the one I'm looking forward to, is Mo Alexander, and any TE's...and how he looks in deep coverage....

 

[PrometheusFaulk]

Last year, they were pretty consistent in the rotation of the WRs. Givens and Bailey rotated on one side, Pettis and Quick on the other.

As camp progressed, you started to see less and less of Bailey with the 1's, as it became apparent the pair of Pettis and Givens were going to be the 1's going into the season.

I antiicipate something similar this year, as they have said that they plan on mixing in a lot of different guys with the "1's" going into camp. I foresee Britt and Quick rotating on one side, Givens and Austin on the other. With Bailey and Pettis working in different packages.

When I went to the one OTA, they came out in the RedZone drills with Britt, Quick, Cook and Kendricks. Talk about your "big" targets!

IMO, the best case scenario from a talent prospective may be one where Britt (X) and Austin (Z) earn a lion's share of work with the ones, with Givens coming on the field at Z in three wideout sets kicking Austin in to the slot.

Of course, as we saw last year with my trumpeting of Quick and Pead, I'm often wrong about these things!

That "jumbo" goal line set is definitely intriguing. I hope we'll see it at some point during the regular season as well, could definitely yield some mismatch problems!

Thanks for all you do in sharing your takes.

 

[BD-TomCat]

to me the biggest battle of Camp will be for the other Safety position. Very interested to see who wins that battle. Will Matt Daniels finally be healthy? Will Cody Davis step up? Or will it be a Battle between Joyner and Alexander

 

[FRO]

I'm glad that most of our roster is filled with either good established talent, or young guys looking to step up instead of praying a bunch of castoffs work out. Our roster is solid, we just need to step up.

 

[VegasRam]

Yep. The camp reports can't happen soon enough. Very thankful we have a couple posters here that are able to go and give us what they see.

I think you should go and set up a small rib stand (for players only - then we'll find out what's REALLY going on).

 

[Rams and Gators]

Was that the one to Harkey against the Texans?

 

[SanAnRam]

I too appreciate CoachO and all the others who pop up with excellent TC views. For all those who face the heat of summer and then bring that experience back to the boards.. Thank You!
The growth and improvement of both the WR and the Secondary is where my attention will be because I really think this is what will make the difference between a 8-8/9-7 season and an 11-5/12-4 (ho boy we're going to the damn playoffs) season.
NOW HIT SOMEBODY!!