2012 Rookies

[BINGO]

Here is a look at five rookies to watch:

Nigel Carr, LB: The Ravens have made a habit of unearthing undrafted free agent middle linebackers like Bart Scott and Jameel McClain. Carr, who finished his collegiate career at Alabama State after legal issues ended his time at Florida State, is quick and loves to hit, and there are jobs to be won at his position.

Asa Jackson, CB: Drafted in the fifth round out of Cal Poly, Jackson has had an up-and-down training camp, and may have already fumbled away an opportunity to return kicks and punts. The Ravens are extremely deep at cornerback so Jackson needs to show that he can be counted on in coverage.

Kelechi Osemele, RT: The scouting report out of April's draft was that the former Iowa State guard/tackle was extremely raw, but he hasn't looked it in training camp. He's dominated physically and if he holds up well at right tackle in the games, it could prompt the Ravens to part ways with Bryant McKinnie.

Tommy Streeter, WR: A sixth-round pick out of Miami, Streeter was viewed as a project but it's hard to overlook his physical tools. He's had an uneven training camp and it's on him to prove that he's further along than some observers suggest.

Justin Tucker, K: A kicking competition has bloomed in Baltimore with the undrafted free agent out of Texas having a near perfect training camp so far in his duel with Billy Cundiff. Tucker, however, has very little margin of error and almost certainly won't get as many chances as Cundiff in preseason games.

Copyright © 2012, The Baltimore Sun

 

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Trent Richardson tentatively plans surgery, expects to play Week 1 | ProFootballTalk

 

[BINGO]

Keshawn Martin Hou - WR

News: Texans head coach Gary Kubiak said Martin will "play a great deal" against Carolina on Saturday, the Texans' official site reports. (Aug 8)

Impact: Kubiak has been pleased with the rookie receiver's maturity, something that's elevated Martin to third on the wideout depth chart. Kubiak added that he wasn't sure how he was going to handle the punt and kick return duties Saturday, but he knows Martin can do that as well.
(Source: RotoWire / Time: 5:29p ET)

 

[BINGO]

Robert Griffin III Was - QB

News: Griffin is expected to be on the field for 12-20 plays in Thursday's preseason opener, the Washington Post reports. (Aug 8)

Impact: Griffin has a strong grasp of the playbook but must demonstrate execution. He's had some ups and downs in training camp so far which is expected for a rookie. The team does not plan to give him more reps during preseason than a normal starting quarterback.
(Source: RotoWire / Time: 2:02p ET)

 

[BINGO]

Isaiah Pead StL - RB

News: Pead is looking like he's got what it takes to be a viable backup running back behind starter Steven Jackson, the Rams Official Website reports. (Aug 8)

Impact: Pead, the 50th pick in the 2012 draft, started slow in camp but he's come on strong as of late, showing more physicality than the team expected. The Rams have never been able to find a reliable backup for Jackson but Pead may finally be that guy. He has struggled at times with the playbook, but some leeway needs to be given to the rookie because he was unable to participate in the spring due to league rules that prohibit a player from reporting to his team until his coursework is finished. Now he seems to be getting up to speed and with the majority of preseason reps expected to go to him he'll have every opportunity to show the coaching staff and fans that he's the real deal.
(Source: RotoWire / Time: 9:33a ET)

 

[BINGO]

Doug Martin TB - RB

News: Martin is listed behind LeGarrette Blount on the Bucs' initial depth chart, the Tampa Tribune reports. (Aug 7)

Impact: It's a mild surprise, we suppose, though perhaps it's mostly a case of the Bucs not handing the job to Martin with Blount, the incumbent starter, still around. In any case, the Bucs traded into the first round of April's draft to take Martin, so they obviously have big plans for him. Thus far, Martin has been sharing first-team carries with Blount in workouts, but the rookie still remains the upside play. Both backs will get their first shot to impress in game action when the Bucs open their preseason against the Dolphins on Friday.
(Source: RotoWire / Time: 3:52p ET)

 

[BINGO]

Justin Blackmon Jac - WR

News: As expected Blackmon will miss Friday's preseason opener against the Giants, but his first full day of practice in pads will be Thursday, Vito Stellino of the Florida Times-Union reports. (Aug 7)

Impact: Coach Mike Mularkey said that he has been impressed with Blackmon's approach since his DUI and that the first-round pick will spend the next couple of days conditioning and working one-on-one with WR coach Jerry Sullivan. Blackmon is expected to participate in the team's second preseason game Aug. 17 against New Orleans.
(Source: RotoWire / Time: 12:29p ET)

 

[BINGO]

Ryan Broyles Det - WR

News: Broyles (knee) did not practice Monday, MLive.com reports. (Aug 6)

Impact: Despite the fact they removed him from the PUP list, the Lions aren't going to overly tax Broyles during training camp. There's no report of any sort of setback, so this appears to be a day for Broyles to just catch his breath and let his knee rest.
(Source: RotoWire / Time: 10:39p ET)

 

[BINGO]

Lamar Miller Mia - RB

News: Miller was fourth on the depth chart released by Miami on Monday, according to the Palm Beach Post. (Aug 6)

Impact: Don't let the ranking fool you. The Dolphins love what they have in Miller and will try to get the ball in his hands whenever they can since outside of Reggie Bush, he may be their best big-play threat.
(Source: RotoWire / Time: 9:50p ET)

 

[BINGO]

Ronnie Hillman Den - RB

News: Hillman (hamstring) is listed as the No. 3 running back on the Broncos' initial depth chart, the Denver Post reports. (Aug 6)

Impact: Hillman continues to miss practice with his hamstring injury, although it still leaves him ahead of Knowshon Moreno (knee) on the depth chart. Lance Ball is ahead of him as Willis McGahee's backup, but Hillman is expected to be the featured back on passing downs this season due to his excellent ability to catch passes. (Source: RotoWire / Time: 1:36p ET)

 

[BINGO]

Stephen Hill NYJ - WR

News: Hill has yet to distinguish himself in training camp, the New York Post reports. (Aug 6)

Impact: There's still time for Hill -- the No. 43 overall pick in April's draft -- to open some eyes, and given how banged up the Jets are at wideout currently, such an opportunity could come as soon as Friday's preseason opener against the Bengals.
(Source: RotoWire / Time: 12:13p ET)


I've seen (limited basis) and heard otherwise regarding Hill's performance in camp thus far.

 

[BINGO]

Rookie Jets wideout Stephen Hill showing promise | syracuse.com

 

[BINGO]

Poe not a starter?
1:26PM ET
Kansas City Chiefs

In general, teams like their high draft picks to be able to contribute right away, with some exceptions (notably with first-round QBs). For the Kansas City Chiefs, this may not be the case in 2012 with first-round NT Dontari Poe.

Poe got some first-team reps at OTAs, but he's behind Anthony Toribio -- a practice-squadder in 2011 -- in training camp. Asked what the Memphis product needed to improve upon, Chiefs HC Romeo Crennel was terse.

"A lot," Crennel quipped, per the Kansas City Star. "He needs to work on technique, he needs to work on understanding the system, he needs to get the calls correct all the time. He's got a ways to go."

He's got a month to go to pull it all together in time for the Chiefs' regular season opener against Atlanta. Otherwise it'll be Toribio in the starting lineup instead.

- Tim Kavanagh​

 

[BINGO]

The no-Trent Browns
1:06PM ET
Trent Richardson | Browns

Cleveland Browns RB Trent Richardson had been suffering from some issues with the same knee on which he had surgery this offseason, and by Wednesday night, ESPN senior NFL analyst Chris Mortensen had reported that Richardson will have surgery on the joint. Per Mort, the procedure is going to remove a "hang nail particle" of cartilage from his knee, and a team source told our reporter that the surgery and recovery is being regarded as a "two-week deal."

If that timeline holds, he'll miss out on the club's first two preseason games -- and the third is in question. While the No. 3 overall pick in this offseason's draft won't be on the field, there are a few players jockeying for position on the depth chart that will: Brandon Jackson, Montario Hardesty and Chris Ogbonnaya. Hardesty, who has had trouble staying healthy during his short NFL tenure, was cited as potential trade bait should that trend be snapped this preseason. Then again, if Richardson's health is a question mark, perhaps it's best for the Browns to keep all four backs within their grasp.

We'll get our first look at the no-Trent Browns during Friday's preseason opener against Detroit.

Meanwhile, ESPN's Dr. Michael Kaplan says in this video that Richardson's minor surgery could have some long-term effects, and that the soreness in the knee might not go away from three to four weeks (which pushes up against the start of the regular season).

- Tim Kavanagh​

 

[BINGO]

Blackmon in the slot?
10:33AM ET
Justin Blackmon | Jaguars

Sensing that they needed to get some help at WR for their second-year QB Blaine Gabbert this offseason, the Jacksonville Jaguars signed Laurent Robinson and used the fifth overall pick of the draft on Justin Blackmon. Now that the Oklahoma St. product has signed his rookie contract and joined the team, he should be taking over one of the first-team slots on the outside, right?

Not so fast, according to Jags blogger Alfie Crow of Big Cat Country. In Crow's view, Robinson and Cecil Shorts should remain as the "X" and "Z" wideouts, with Blackmon working from the slot.

"If you watched Justin Blackmon play in college, which most of us seemingly have, his biggest asset is catching the football in traffic and breaking tackles. His biggest weakness is beating press coverage and gaining separation down the football field. It would seem to me, especially with the way Shorts is playing right now, it might be the Jaguars' best bet to have Blackmon work out of the slot position where he will be facing off coverage and can eat up the cushion the nickel corners will generally grant him. Not only that, but it will play to his strength as a player and let him work through traffic with crosses, quick slants and come backs. It should be an easy way for the Jaguars to work Blackmon into the lineup quickly without overloading him with a full outside receiver route tree."

For those arguing that a WR selected fifth overall shouldn't be playing the slot, remember that for some offenses, the slot WR is just as important -- if not moreso -- than the gents on the outside, with Wes Welker obviously being the prime example. And if Blackmon is putting up those kinds of numbers anytime soon, the Jags would obviously be overjoyed. (Of course, there may be a slight downgrade at QB from Tom Brady to Gabbert).

- Tim Kavanagh​

 

[BINGO]

More buzz on Jeffery
9:16AM ET
Alshon Jeffery | Bears

The Chicago Bears made some major moves to address their passing attack this offseason, trading for Jay Cutler's former teammate Brandon Marshall and investing a second-round pick in Alshon Jeffery. We've seen what Marshall can deliver on a professional football field, but what are the expectations for his young associate?

"The best way to say it is, he's a Brandon Marshall in the making," Bears CB Charles Tillman indicated recently, per the Chicago Sun-Times. "He has that capability to be as good as Brandon if he continues to have the work ethic and work on ball skills and work to be a better player. ... But he can definitely be on that level."

It's unclear whether Jeffery will be a starter this season -- the club also has Devin Hester and Earl Bennett at the position -- though when three or more WRs are on the field, Jeffery is expected to be on the outside. As for the fantasy angle, here's ESPN's Christopher Harris:

- Tim Kavanagh​

Christopher Harris
Jeffery's ceiling is high

"Alshon Jeffery was once considered a possible top-10 overall pick, but his final collegiate year was marked by weight gain and a decline in production. Simply put, some scouts believe there is 'diva' potential all over Jeffery, and landing on a team with Brandon Marshall, the king diva, may not be positive. But Jeffery does have size (6-foot-3, 216 pounds) and fantastic hands, so if he's ready sooner than I expect, Jay Cutler may have himself another viable weapon."

 

[BINGO]

When he was drafted I said it was a steal. This kid brings a lot to the table as a QB. Two years of development will make him a very good starter in the league:

Nick Foles Impresses Eagles Fans in Debut | Philly Sports World

 

[BINGO]

The Eagles absolutely dominated this past draft, and came away with a bunch of steals IMO. The article did not mention Vinny Curry, but he had a tremendous game as well:



Nick Foles: Maybe it had something to do with how bad Mike Kafka looked, but Nick Foles looked surprisingly effective in there during the 3rd quarter. It was against 3rd stringers, but Foles showed flashes of what made the Eagles take him. Foles has a great arm, and it showed when he hit Johnson deep down the field while on the run. He was a little late to get it to him, but Foles still had enough strength to get it there. It was a throw that Kafka likely would have had trouble making. Foles showed off his arm later in the quarter when he hit Mardy Gilyard deep down the left sideline for a 44 yard touchdown pass. He put the ball right where it had to be, and really couldn't have thrown it any better. Foles by no means is ready to go in there and play against a 1st string NFL defense, but later in the season once he has more time to learn the offense he could end up being a better option than Kafka.

Brandon Boykin: It didn't take long for Brandon Boykin to show the Eagles he is the right man for the kick returner job this year, as he took his first return 46 yards and got the fans on their feet. The run was set up by nice blocking, but Boykin showed an explosiveness that Dion Lewis did not last year. The 46 yard return was more than 10 yards longer than any kick return Lewis had last year. Combined with Johnson, their is legitimate reason for Eagles fans to be excited about the special teams this year.

Bryce Brown: It's easy to see why many people think that Bryce Brown is the better long term option than Dion Lewis at running back. Brown has shown through out camp that he has the ability to make a big play, and that showed again against the Steelers. Brown took a Nick Foles hand off 33 yards in the 3rd quarter, and showed great speed and strength in doing so. Barring a dramatic change in both of players performance, it looks like Brown will make this team over Chris Polk.

 

[Flyingiguana]

When he was drafted I said it was a steal. This kid brings a lot to the table as a QB. Two years of development will make him a very good starter in the league:

Nick Foles Impresses Eagles Fans in Debut | Philly Sports World

foles needs to be in an offense that goes vertical. i thought the steelers would draft him.

 

[Southern9er]

Here is a look at five rookies to watch:

Nigel Carr, LB: The Ravens have made a habit of unearthing undrafted free agent middle linebackers like Bart Scott and Jameel McClain. Carr, who finished his collegiate career at Alabama State after legal issues ended his time at Florida State, is quick and loves to hit, and there are jobs to be won at his position.

Asa Jackson, CB: Drafted in the fifth round out of Cal Poly, Jackson has had an up-and-down training camp, and may have already fumbled away an opportunity to return kicks and punts. The Ravens are extremely deep at cornerback so Jackson needs to show that he can be counted on in coverage.

Kelechi Osemele, RT: The scouting report out of April's draft was that the former Iowa State guard/tackle was extremely raw, but he hasn't looked it in training camp. He's dominated physically and if he holds up well at right tackle in the games, it could prompt the Ravens to part ways with Bryant McKinnie.

Tommy Streeter, WR: A sixth-round pick out of Miami, Streeter was viewed as a project but it's hard to overlook his physical tools. He's had an uneven training camp and it's on him to prove that he's further along than some observers suggest.

Justin Tucker, K: A kicking competition has bloomed in Baltimore with the undrafted free agent out of Texas having a near perfect training camp so far in his duel with Billy Cundiff. Tucker, however, has very little margin of error and almost certainly won't get as many chances as Cundiff in preseason games.

Copyright © 2012, The Baltimore Sun

GO ASA! GO MUSTANGS!

Shameless plug for my alma mater...Asa was awesome the last four years at Poly, but not sure he will make the big times...that is bad news on the punt/kick returns...thought that would be where he could excel.