[Bills Fan Mailbag] “Who might be a pre-camp hidden gem?”
I say: Keep an eye on wide receiver Justin Brown, whom the Bills claimed off waivers from the Pittsburgh Steelers in February.
The Bills have a huge crowd at this position, which is ironic given their intention to utilize a run-first offense, so it will be hard to separate from the pack of players not named Sammy Watkins, Robert Woods, or Percy Harvin.
But I wouldn’t be stunned if Brown emerged as a keeper. In practice, he shows good speed and athleticism, making the most of his 6-3, 209-pound frame to out-jump defenders, and does a good job of tracking the ball in the air.
Brown just might be ready to catch on as an NFL player. After joining the Steelers in 2013 as a sixth-round draft pick from Oklahoma, he spent his rookie season on the practice squad and played in eight games last year, catching 12 passes for 94 yards.
[Dolphins Roster Preview] DAMIEN WILLIAMS
2014 Review: 2014 was Williams' first year with the Dolphins. He appeared in all 16 games and recorded 36 carries for 122 yards. Also had 21 receptions for 187 yards and 1 touchdown.
Why he might progress: Williams showed some promise as an undrafted free agent. He was the favorite to win the number 2 running back position, backing up Lamar Miller. That is, until Jay Ajayi was drafted. Should see some work in goal line situations.
Why he might regress: Ajayi is now the favorite to win the number 2 running back spot, meaning Williams will be the number 3 running back.
Chances he makes the 53-man roster: Williams will be on the roster as a backup running back. The coaching staff really likes him and could see more playing time as the year goes on.
[Dolphins] Jarvis Landry is the only carryover from last year's primary receiving options. The slot receiver will be joined by Kenny Stills, an outstanding deep threat from the New Orleans Saints, Greg Jennings, a veteran possession receiver who struggled last season, and DeVante Parker, the team's first-round pick.
Stills and Parker are the two most intriguing additions. Stills is a deep threat, but he's not a burner like Mike Wallace. Instead, Stills uses more of his ball-tracking ability and route running to create big plays downfield. Parker is the team's most well-rounded receiver. He may take some time to adjust to the NFL, but his skill set should allow him to be effective if not consistent.
One of the Dolphins' four receivers is going to spend more time on the sideline than the others, but Lazor's offense keeps three receivers on the field a lot.
[Dolphins] Suh was brought to South Beach to sure up a defense that was formerly formidable against the run, but dipped in 2014. There is little competition for Suh as far as a starting nod goes because he will anchor the defensive ship. The fight for starter next to Suh will be between incumbent Earl Mitchell, rookie Jordan Phillips and Suh’s former Lions’ teammate C.J. Mosley. That will be an interesting battle this summer. Whoever stands on the opposite side of Suh should have free reign to stop all ball carriers because the former Nebraska Cornhusker star should demand a double-team every snap.
SN: Which [Pats] rookie not named Malcom Brown will have the biggest impact?
Volin: I'm going with guard Tre Jackson, drafted in the fourth round. The Patriots have an immediate need at one of the guard spots after not re-signing Dan Connolly, and Jackson could be a plug-and-play rookie who has an instant rapport with center Bryan Stork, his college teammate at Florida State. He's also probably more NFL-ready than fellow fourth-round guard Shaq Mason, who played in the triple option at Georgia Tech and needs to work on his pass blocking. Brown, second-round safety Jordan Richards and pass rushers Geneo Grissom and Tre Flowers probably will get worked slowly into the rotation and play special teams as they transition to the NFL.
Aaron Colvin: One of our picks for Breakout Player. Will see plenty of playing time, either as an every-down player or a sub-package slot corner.
Former [Chiefs] first overall draft pick Eric Fisher needs to play better than he has to this point in his career, but the right side of the line should be effective. Jeff Allen and Donald Stephenson aren't stars by any measure, but they fit well in Reid's offense.
The [Chiefs] offensive line is going to be a great battle. The left side seems to be settled with Eric Fisher holding down the tackle spot with Ben Grubbs entrenched at guard. After that, all three positions are completely up for grabs. Center might be the most exciting battle of all with rookie Mitch Morse and third-year man Eric Kush getting after it. Morse seems to be the favorite in many eyes, but Kush presumably knows the offense. Additionally, right guard is a three-headed monster between Zach Fulton (who started all 16 games there last year), free-agent addition Paul Fanaika and returning veteran Jeff Allen. Right tackle will also see Allen getting some snaps with Donald Stephenson considered the favorite.
[Chiefs] Cornerback Competition
Throughout minicamp and OTAs, there were a number of players to stand out at the cornerback position. 1st round draft pick Marcus Peters and 3rd round draft pick Steven Nelson were able to rejoin the team during minicamp, after missing OTAs due to an outdated NFL rule. Peters saw time with both the first and second team defense and looked to be catching on quickly. During a minicamp press conference, head coach Andy Reid stated,
“I thought they did a pretty nice job, actually. They’re getting caught up with the speed of the game, which it looked like they adjusted to very well.”
Second year corner, Phillip Gaines also made some great plays and took first team reps at left corner and in the nickel package.
There is also Jamell Fleming who made some tough plays during minicamp and OTAs, including a nice interception.
And don’t forget about Sean Smith. While Smith will likely keep his starting job, the other corner position is still anyone’s spot. Additionally, Smith may be facing a two game suspension for a 2014 DUI, yet another reason the Chiefs need to be ready at corner.
There will be no shortage of competition here during training camp and should provide an interesting storyline to watch in the coming months.
The [Chiefs'] vacant long snapper position will likely come down to either Andrew East or James Winchester.
Thomas Gafford, who was with the Chiefs for seven seasons, departed for the Chicago Bears in the offseason, leaving a vacancy at a very important special teams position.
The candidates to replace Gafford right now are Andrew East, an undrafted rookie out of Vanderbilt University, and James Winchester, who attended Oklahoma and has been around the league (with the Bills and Eagles) since 2013.
“I know that they're both very athletic, they both have excellent snaps and they both have good speed on the ball,” special teams coordinator Dave Toub said when asked about East and Winchester during OTAs. “The thing that we don’t know is how they’re going to protect when there are live bullets coming out. Those are things we’re not going to be able to know until we get to a preseason game or training camp.”
All that said, as of June 2, Toub said he believed the next long snapper is already on the roster.
“I’m comfortable that one of these two guys is going to be our long snapper,” he said. “I feel good about that.”
[Raiders LB Curtis] Lofton, the free agent signed from the Saints, was noted as a liability, though in his NFL career he’s been a very active player who’s posted a high number of tackles each season.
Wrote PFF: “At middle linebacker they had to find an upgrade for Miles Burris, but we question how much of an upgrade Curtis Lofton actually is for them, with his own struggles in recent years.”
Part of that concern was Lofton’s 22 missed tackles in 2014, according to PFF.
But Mike Triplett, who covers the Saints for ESPN.com, wrote in March that that stat isn’t a true measure of Lofton’s worth and that many of those missed tackles came because he was “hustling to try and chase down a play.”
Wrote Triplett: “He’s a terrific inside run defender who often set the tone as hard-hitting ‘thumper’ at the point of attack. Even PFF credited Lofton with more tackles than any player in the league last year (123) and credited him with 58 ‘stops,’ which it calculates as solo tackles that resulted in an offensive failure.”
[Cowboys Fan Mailbag] I like James Hanna, and I believe the coaches do too. To get him on the field more often, is it inconceivable to put him in a dual-role, and use him as a fullback as well as tight end? I don't think we've had a decent pass-catching fullback since Moose.
Nick: All of the tight ends in this offense are used in a fullback role at some point, including Witten. But to use him as an actual fullback as a lead blocker seems a bit of a stretch, even for Hanna, who is a pretty good blocker. And that’s a credit to him because he was drafted as a speedy, pass-catching tight end. So the fact Hanna is even being mentioned for this role is a testament to his ability to grow into this spot. I think the Cowboys have a good role for him that gets him on the field plenty. We’ve seen John Phillips handle fullback duties in the past so it could happen for a game or two. But I don’t see the Cowboys cutting their fullbacks and moving Hanna into the role.
Rob: They’ve used Hanna and their tight ends in that H-back/fullback role at times, so it’s a good thought. But I don’t think Hanna’s a true fullback. At 6-4 he’s a little tall for the job. You need a guy with a lower center of gravity like Tyler Clutts, who has been effective in the role.
The [Eagles] line should still be effective in Chip Kelly's scheme because Jason Peters, Jason Kelce and Lane Johnson are very talented players. Keeping Peters and Johnson is particularly important because they are two of the more versatile starting tackles in the NFL. Both players' ability to function in space is valuable.
Offsetting some of the decline on the offensive line is the improvement in the backfield. DeMarco Murray is a more decisive runner than LeSean McCoy at this point, while Ryan Mathews will be one of the best backups in the league.
Which individual [Eagles] player stood out the most to you guys?
DS: If I had to say one player who stood out, it would be running back DeMarco Murray. He is much more fluid as a pass catcher than I thought, and he's in tremendous shape and just looks like he "fits" into this offensive structure perfectly. The backfield is a must-see group with all of that talent.
BW: For me, despite his limited participation, the answer is Sam Bradford. Sure, Mark Sanchez will compete for the top job this summer and he has looked much improved from last spring. But Bradford, to me, was the critical addition of the offseason, with apologies to Murray, Maxwell and all the rest. That Kelly and Ed Marynowitz valued Bradford so highly that they were willing to part with an experienced, and cheap, starter in Foles and a future second-round pick tells you all you need to know about the expectations for Bradford in this offense. Watching him this spring, there's no doubt that the ball comes out of his right hand with a different zip than we've been accustomed to over the last couple years. He has to prove that he can stay healthy, but Bradford remains the key, for me.
CM: Bradford was indeed impressive in his limited showing, and the upside of the offense with him in the lineup is exciting. But Mark Sanchez made big strides from last season. I know Eagles fans think of the offense's struggles in the final quarter of the season, but I believe there is still upside if – IF – he had to play. Bradford being at full health is the ideal situation for this team and the reason they made the trade. The point I'm trying to make is the offense – with either player at quarterback – can thrive. The defense needs to take the next step.
DS: I must comment on Sam Bradford, who made strides throughout the spring. He faced soooooo many questions about his knee and his progress and his target date for full recovery -- he really was given the sense of the hunger and the media frenzy in this city. He was great with the media. On the field, Bradford threw the ball exceptionally well. He's accurate. He's got a big arm. He got the ball out quickly and made good decisions and the offense hummed while he was out there. With Bradford, we all want to see more, more, more. Sounds like he's on the right path to step it up in Training Camp.
[Eagles] Jason Peters and Lane Johnson are two high quality starting tackles. Jeff Stoutland says he believes the Eagles truly have two left tackles. In the event of injury, Andrew Gardner could be the swing tackle off the bench unless the Eagles move Allen Barbre over to tackle and put him in at guard instead.
Adding Brandon Scherff should have a huge impact on the Washington offense. Trent Williams is already one of the very best offensive linemen in the league. Adding a second star-caliber talent to the line will allow the unit to be more versatile in its assignments.
Ryan Broyles is arguably the most talented receiver that the Lions have outside of their starters, but his career has repeatedly been derailed by injuries.
The Vikings spent the spring shuffling young offensive linemen in and out of the starting group. David Yankey, T.J. Clemmings and Tyrus Thompson all got first-team reps at guard. Throughout minicamp, it was Thompson who held down the vacant right guard spot with Yankey splitting time with Brandon Fusco, who wasn’t being given a full workload, at left guard. Based on that, Thompson might have the edge at right guard, but truthfully, it is too early to say. The Vikings want to see these young linemen in pads. And if none of them secures the job in training camp and in early preseason games, they could go with Joe Berger at guard. He was the second-team center this spring because the Vikings know what they have there.
The Falcons signed Chris Chester to improve a guard spot. Chester wouldn't be an upgrade for most teams, but he is a fit in Shanahan's zone-blocking scheme. The question is: Is anyone else a fit?
[Who are the impact rookies in the NFL?] Carolina Panthers: Daryl Williams, OT (4th round)
Usually it’s a quarterback or another skill position player who is considered a savior-type of player. Not for the Panthers. The right side of their offensive line has been deplorable for the past five seasons. Williams is a nasty, technically sound, road-grader. It’s a start.
