Great pictures Cali. Those guys are one of the biggest keys to the upcoming season. If one or more makes a big contribution this offense could be very scary. However - if they are mediocre or worse then it will make things way too predictable & hold back the passing offense. Can't wait to see how it unfolds.
On the second day of OTAs, Spencer Long was getting snaps with the second team. Gruden said that Long is getting ready in case Kory Lichtensteiger goes down, does it imply that Josh LeRibeus will not be the swing guard/center? You also reported that Austin Reiter looked better from first impressions at this past rookie minicamp. Is he looking at another year on the practice squad, with Long getting backup center reps?
– Ernest Blakemore
Josh LeRibeus remains under consideration. But I think coaches would like to have more than one option. LeRibeus struggled last season when Lichtensteiger got hurt, and the team had no one else to turn to. Brian de la Puente signed midway through the season, but he didn’t have enough left in the tank to convince coaches that he was an upgrade. Now, by preparing and evaluating Long, coaches are trying to ensure they have some additional options this year, and find out if they have a prospect for future years.
Reiter has improved both mentally and physically, but it’s hard to say where things stand with him. It’s also hard to say exactly how he’s doing, because these are non-contact practices. So, we’ll have to wait a while longer to learn the answer to this question.