Rookie Watch

[I_am_1z]

Jake Locker surprised me last night. I actually saw him progress to his 2nd read, which he never did in college. Accuracy and a strong arm, something I've never doubted in Locker. But I don't know how much stock we should put into a broken play though on that Figurs TD. A botched snap and a circus catch on one of his passes that sailed - proves sometimes it's better to be lucky than good.

Cam Newton was actually better than his statistics showed. Panther receivers dropped about two of this passes. Per usual, Panther's OL had no answer for the rush. I'm sure Newton is kicking himself over not holding his ground in the pocket on that pass where he over lead Edwards(could have been a TD).

As of now, the most impressive rookie QBs this week, IMO were
1. Ryan Mallett 2. Cam Newton 3. Jake Locker

I'm really surprised someone could say Newton was more impressive than Locker. He didn't impress me at all. I think pass rushers are gonna be all over that slower windup. The only people he seems to have impressed, IMO, are the people at ESPN who are in a monistary somewhere praying night & day that he becomes a star.

Locker was my favourite QB in this draft class by far, and I would've been ok with the Niners drafting him. However, the one thing I want to see before I call him a success is consistency. He'll look like Tom Brady on one quarter and then Alex Smith the next.

The botched snap could have easily been a TO instead of a TD. On the high pass, you can see on the replay, the safety getting in position for the INT.

 

[NinerSickness]

Your boy JJ Watt got a sack Clyde. The play by play guys talked a lot about how well he's played in camp so far.

 

[clyde_carbon]

Coach Ron Rivera said Monday that he plans to name the Panthers' starting quarterback for Week 1 next week.

Rivera wants to see Jimmy Clausen and Cam Newton put together another exhibition game's worth of tape before deciding on a starter. Neither separated himself in the opener, and the Panthers will give both another chance to step up. We'd probably say it's 50-50 at this point, but Newton remains the in-house favorite and figures to get the nod if he shows improvement this week.

 

[ChrisPozz]

https://twitter.com/#!/EdBouchette/statuses/103217070132563969

#steelers rookie rb john clay walks off practice field and heads toward locker room. Staffer runs after him and talks him out of leaving.
5 hours ago

Clay returns in time for drills to end. Never seen that before. Color him gone
5 hours ago

and............

http://www.tweetdeck.com/twitter/Russellmania980/~PP918

Sources tell ESPN-980 that #Redskins RB James Davis left a team meeting/film session last night (unexcused) after getting in to an arguement w/ a coach about lack of playing time/reps. He is still MIA.

 

[clyde_carbon]

John Clay always seemed a bit unstable to me. Didn't think it would happen this soon. Hm.


The Bears increased rookie Nate Enderle's practice reps Monday based on performance in their preseason opener.

Enderle went 7-of-10 for 110 yards and an interception while incumbent backup Caleb Hanie finished 3-for-7 with 32 yards and a four-yard rushing TD. It's no secret that Hanie isn't a coaching staff favorite in Chicago, and it wouldn't be shocking if the Bears promoted Mike Martz's hand-picked rookie ahead of him. If we're the Dolphins, we're on the phone with Jerry Angelo right now.

 

[clyde_carbon]

Titus Young (hamstring) has still not returned to Lions practice.

Young has participated in just one full practice all camp. There's still time for him to claim the No. 3 wideout gig, but targets would have been tough to come by anyway. Owners in redraft formats can do better.

 

[Kings of The West]

Pro Football Weekly Reported
A heated battle has only just begun in the desert for the No. 1 RB job between former first-rounder Beanie Wells and second-round rookie Ryan Williams. Wells, who just turned 23, entered camp with a hardly secure hold on the starter's role over Williams, who has wasted little time showing off the skills that led the Cardinals to believe he was the best back available in the draft.

This guy scares me. I think AZ got a steal.

Ryan Williams Highlights (2011 Draft 38th Pick - Arizona Cardinals) - YouTube

 

[clyde_carbon]

Ryan Williams is the most pick within the division that scares me. Dude is uber-talented, and was very close to Mark Ingram as a prospect to me.

 

[Kings of The West]

Ryan Williams is the most pick within the division that scares me. Dude is uber-talented, and was very close to Mark Ingram as a prospect to me.

He has a legitimate shot at beating out Wells. Not that it matters, most teams try to share time between 2 RB's.

Some of his moves are just sick.

 

[I_am_1z]

Ryan Williams is the most pick within the division that scares me. Dude is uber-talented, and was very close to Mark Ingram as a prospect to me.

Someone remembers you ranking Williams over Ingram at one point
-----

Players who I had in my final 49er mock draft

Ryan Mallett - Can’t question the arm strength that Ryan Mallett, the Patriots’ surprising third-round draft pick, brings to the equation, but his feet are getting so much attention you’d think Rex Ryan was the head coach. Members of the coaching staff work with Mallett’s footwork in earnest on a daily basis.

Read more: A breakdown of the Patriots? positional battles as preseason play begins - Brockton, MA - The Enterprise

Ben Ijalana - The team’s top two draft picks, Anthony Castonzo and Ben Ijalana, are running with the second team now.
Can Colts young tackles start soon? - NFL Nation Blog - ESPN
Jalil Brown - N/A
Kendrick Ellis - N/A
Kendric Burney - However, UDFA Kendric Burney has been a pleasant surprise and could become the team's nickel or starting cornerback this season.
Carolina Panthers 2011 Defensive Preview | Bleacher Report
Tyler Sash - Rookie safety Tyler Sash is going to be some kind of player.

Again, he hasn’t made a live tackle in the NFL yet and I’m already penciling him in as a 10-year veteran. I know, crazy talk. But I can’t help it. To see him be in the right place so often in a year where the rookies had no offseason workouts, OTAs or minicamps is quite remarkable.

And I think the coaching staff feels the same way because Sash got some first-team reps on Sunday night. At first, I thought Kenny Phillips was hurt or resting his knee, but he went back out there later on. Frankly, I think Sash was already being rewarded for some outstanding practices.
Giants rookie safety Tyler Sash gets reps with the first-team defense in training-camp practice | NJ.com

Lestar Jean - Along with Dorin Dickerson two of the undrafted free agents signed at the start of free agency are making the most of their opportunities. Terrance Tolliver and Lestar Jean are two players that are catching his eye. Coach Kubiak went as far as to say about the duo and the battle for the fourth and fifth wide receiver positions.
Flashing Daryl Sharpton, Texans Lestar Jean and Terrance Tolliver Get a Shot Toro Times | A Houston Texans Blog
Chad Spann - @footballrookies "Indianapolis Colts RB Chad Spann is our top ranked undrafted back this year, he might be used as a returner this year #FantasyFootball #NFL"
Jamari Lattimore - N/A
Kicker - ???
Richard Sherman - N/A

Jalil Brown and Kendric Burney both had impressive games at corner.
Ben Ijalana held his own according to Jim Caldwell.
Kendrick Ellis had a deflection that went for an INT.
Lestar Jean had an awesome night vs the Jets. Pretty much all but solidified his #4 WR spot on the Texans.
Chad Spann, failing on KR duties, but had a nice catch and run for about 20-25 yards.
Tyler Sash got beat twice - once for a TD. Did have a forced fumble though.
Ryan Mallett - Best looking rookie QB of week one of the preseason, although it was against 3rd string defense.
Richard Sherman - N/A
Jamari Lattimore - N/A

 

[Yadahell]

Jets Want Jeremy Kerley to Play Brad Smith This Season | NBC Connecticut

 

[Yadahell]

HOUSTON -- Rookie QB Greg McElroy said he felt a little bit sore after the game. No wonder. He played three quarters, attempted 39 passes, took five sacks and countless other hits. He was one of the big stories in the Jets' 20-16 loss to the Texans.

McElroy, a seventh-round pick from Alabama, started slowly, fumbling on a strip sack on his first possession. He settled down and wound up leading the offense to two field goals and a touchdown.

"I was really nervous -- naturally, I suppose," he said. "It's kind of funny. My first start in college, I started 2-for-12 with a pick against Virginia Tech and we were able to answer back. The great thing is, I was able to get with Mark (Sanchez) and Bru (Mark Brunell) at halftime and talk to them and use them as resources. It slowed down for me in the second half and I thought we played well."

McElroy almost pulled out the game. After the Texans went ahead 20-16 with 1:56 to play, McElroy got the ball at his 24 and drove to the Houston 20. He nearly had a 46-yard touchdown pass to rookie WR Michael Campbell with 55 seconds left, but Campbell dropped it in the end zone.

On the final play, McElroy made a mental error, scrambling out of the pocket as time ran out and running 10 yards beyond the line of scrimmage. He was flagged for an illegal forward pass, and that was that. Game.

McElroy played so much because Brunell sat with a finger injury.

McElroy: Tough cookie, one brainlock - Jets Blog - ESPN New York

 

[clyde_carbon]

Someone remembers you ranking Williams over Ingram at one point

Yhea, because the season I HUGE on RuWu. I dubbed him as the best RB prospect since Adrian Peterson, but obviously injuries led to a pretty disappointing season from him.

 

[clyde_carbon]

This guy was a Pozz favorite I believe:

Rookie DE Pernell McPhee has fast become a favorite of defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano, who says the fifth-rounder "plays like a Raven."

McPhee had a quarterback hit in Baltimore's preseason opener and has racked up a "smattering of sacks" in camp. "He's soaking everything up, and then he comes out to practice, and he's just going at a thousand miles per hour," Pagano said. "He's nonstop, and he's getting better every day." McPhee's goal as a rookie should be to stay active on game days as a No. 4 end.

 

[clyde_carbon]

Despite David Garrard's return to practice after an early back injury, Blaine Gabbert has seen his first-team reps increase in recent days.

Strong-armed and built like a franchise quarterback at 6-foot-4, 234, Gabbert is especially attractive to the eye on the practice field. Tania Ganguli of the Florida Times Union says she can say "with 100 percent certainty" that Gabbert and Garrard are "in a competition to be the Jaguars' starting quarterback." It sounds like Gabbert has a legitimate shot to start in Week 1.

 

[I_am_1z]

Despite David Garrard's return to practice after an early back injury, Blaine Gabbert has seen his first-team reps increase in recent days.

Strong-armed and built like a franchise quarterback at 6-foot-4, 234, Gabbert is especially attractive to the eye on the practice field. Tania Ganguli of the Florida Times Union says she can say "with 100 percent certainty" that Gabbert and Garrard are "in a competition to be the Jaguars' starting quarterback." It sounds like Gabbert has a legitimate shot to start in Week 1.

Gabby looked awful. Floated passes and threw the ball off his back foot all game.

This move makes no sense

 

[clyde_carbon]

Eagles MLB Casey Matthews "looked slow and confused at times, and physically overmatched at others" in Thursday's 24-14 loss to the Steelers, according to ESPN.com's Dan Graziano.

The game was a nightmare for Eagles fans concerned about linebacker and safety. It was obvious to even the casual observer that Matthews and FS Nate Allen -- returning from knee surgery -- were over-matched. Beat writers are already discussing the possibility of moving Jamar Chaney to the middle and inserting Keenan Clayton into the starting lineup. Alternatively, the Eagles could kick the tires on Lofa Tatupu.

 

[CalamityX11]

I wonder if they thought about moving Samuels to FS?

 

[BINGO]

Pro Football Weekly Reported
A heated battle has only just begun in the desert for the No. 1 RB job between former first-rounder Beanie Wells and second-round rookie Ryan Williams. Wells, who just turned 23, entered camp with a hardly secure hold on the starter's role over Williams, who has wasted little time showing off the skills that led the Cardinals to believe he was the best back available in the draft.

This guy scares me. I think AZ got a steal.

Ryan Williams Highlights (2011 Draft 38th Pick - Arizona Cardinals) - YouTube

I was saying that all along.

 

[BINGO]

Ryan Williams is the most pick within the division that scares me. Dude is uber-talented, and was very close to Mark Ingram as a prospect to me.

I've always liked him much better than Ingram. Both guys fits their offenses to a T.

I wish I still had access to the ESPN threads at the end of the year showing my 2011 rankings for all positions. Ryan was my # 1 rated RB in this year's class.