Training Camp Battles: WR and RB

[Echo9]

Some training Camp battles to look out for:

Running back.

we have:

34 Bickerstaff, Erik
21 Jones, Julius
39 Polite, Lousaka
24 Marion Barber
28 Thompson, Tyson
36 Barnes, Darian
32 Thomas, Anthony

So it's a fair guess to say that we'll carry 5 backs in total. Jones and Barber are virtual locks (unless Barber absolutely fails, which would make the following irrelevant).

I'm thinking that we'll end up with only one FB and Polite will be it. So Barnes is on his way out. I keep hearing that Thompson was impressive and could be a nice contributor on Special Teams, so figure he makes it.

That leaves Thomas and Bickerstaff to fight it out for the last spot. Personally, I think this one's up for grabs. Both are large, between the tackles guys who would fill the same role. Obviously Thomas has the edge, but it wouldn't totally surprse me if it's Bickerstaff in the end.

Wide Reciever:

we have:

18 Copper, Terrance
84 Crayton, Patrick
15 Crowder, Tom
10 Merritt, Ahmad
83 Glenn, Terry
19 Johnson, Keyshawn
81 Morgan, Quincy
87 Smith, Zuriel
14 Harrell, Reggie
13 Rector, Jamaica

Looks as though we're going with 5 WRs as well, so this is pretty crowded, considering the locks here. Keyshawn and Glenn are not going anywhere. Regardless of age, they are easily our best guys and they are both productive and complement each other. Personally, I'm pretty happy with that tandem.

In my opinion, if Morgan does not solidify him self as the clear number 3, he's gone. I have no problem with that. I'd rather see him step it up, but if someone else out plays him, and drops him to #4, then there's not point in keeping him.

The 4th and 5th WR spots are reserved for the young raw guys in a Parcells system. That's the main reason I never bought the idea that we'd go after another vet WR. For Parcells, it's having the vets start and use the other spots for development and ST standouts. As the young guys get better the old vets retire and the young guys move into the starting roles.

Granted, this doesn't take the number 1 spot into account (where a high draft pick would see the field quickly), but it sounds like a solid plan to groom the 2 and 3 spots over time.

Crayton can make the team as either the #3 or #4 guy. If he pushes Morgan out of the 3 spot, then Morgan falls right off the team. He's had his time in the NFL to develop. At this stage, Morgan is at the point where he should be pushing for the #2. If he back slides, it's time to cut the losses.

However, right now, I'm gonna go with the status quo and say Morgan sticks at 3, and Crayton lands at 4.

That leaves us with Copper, Crowder, Merritt, Smith, Harrell and Rector, which is a pretty big logjam for one spot.

I'm all for Cinderella stories here, but I have to think that Merritt, Harrell and Rector are practice Squad guys at this point.

Zuriel Smith? I just don't see it.

That leaves us with Copper fighting it out with Crowder.

Any thoughts?

 

[Hostile]

Some training Camp battles to look out for:

Running back.

we have:

34 Bickerstaff, Erik
21 Jones, Julius
39 Polite, Lousaka
24 Marion Barber
28 Thompson, Tyson
36 Barnes, Darian
32 Thomas, Anthony

So it's a fair guess to say that we'll carry 5 backs in total. Jones and Barber are virtual locks (unless Barber absolutely fails, which would make the following irrelevant).

I'm thinking that we'll end up with only one FB and Polite will be it. So Barnes is on his way out. I keep hearing that Thompson was impressive and could be a nice contributor on Special Teams, so figure he makes it.

That leaves Thomas and Bickerstaff to fight it out for the last spot. Personally, I think this one's up for grabs. Both are large, between the tackles guys who would fill the same role. Obviously Thomas has the edge, but it wouldn't totally surprse me if it's Bickerstaff in the end.

Wide Reciever:

we have:

18 Copper, Terrance
84 Crayton, Patrick
15 Crowder, Tom
10 Merritt, Ahmad
83 Glenn, Terry
19 Johnson, Keyshawn
81 Morgan, Quincy
87 Smith, Zuriel
14 Harrell, Reggie
13 Rector, Jamaica

Looks as though we're going with 5 WRs as well, so this is pretty crowded, considering the locks here. Keyshawn and Glenn are not going anywhere. Regardless of age, they are easily our best guys and they are both productive and complement each other. Personally, I'm pretty happy with that tandem.

In my opinion, if Morgan does not solidify him self as the clear number 3, he's gone. I have no problem with that. I'd rather see him step it up, but if someone else out plays him, and drops him to #4, then there's not point in keeping him.

The 4th and 5th WR spots are reserved for the young raw guys in a Parcells system. That's the main reason I never bought the idea that we'd go after another vet WR. For Parcells, it's having the vets start and use the other spots for development and ST standouts. As the young guys get better the old vets retire and the young guys move into the starting roles.

Granted, this doesn't take the number 1 spot into account (where a high draft pick would see the field quickly), but it sounds like a solid plan to groom the 2 and 3 spots over time.

Crayton can make the team as either the #3 or #4 guy. If he pushes Morgan out of the 3 spot, then Morgan falls right off the team. He's had his time in the NFL to develop. At this stage, Morgan is at the point where he should be pushing for the #2. If he back slides, it's time to cut the losses.

However, right now, I'm gonna go with the status quo and say Morgan sticks at 3, and Crayton lands at 4.

That leaves us with Copper, Crowder, Merritt, Smith, Harrell and Rector, which is a pretty big logjam for one spot.

I'm all for Cinderella stories here, but I have to think that Merritt, Harrell and Rector are practice Squad guys at this point.

Zuriel Smith? I just don't see it.

That leaves us with Copper fighting it out with Crowder.

Any thoughts?

I think you hit the bullseye. I'm not that worried about Morgan for some reason. I was really down on Bryant when he threw the jersey to the ground. That sort of symbolizes something to me that I can't stomach. If we had cut him right then I would have been fine with it. As such I sort of view Morgan as a bonus. If he is waived at some point, no problem.

I don't look forward to him as a #1 or #2 WR here because I just don't see him as that good. As such I want WR to be a focus in the off season.

 

[Echo9]

I think you hit the bullseye. I'm not that worried about Morgan for some reason. I was really down on Bryant when he threw the jersey to the ground. That sort of symbolizes something to me that I can't stomach. If we had cut him right then I would have been fine with it. As such I sort of view Morgan as a bonus. If he is waived at some point, no problem.

I don't look forward to him as a #1 or #2 WR here because I just don't see him as that good. As such I want WR to be a focus in the off season.

I agree with you completely on your view of Morgan. I also view him as bonus. Bryant proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that he could not be a Parcell's Guy, or a Cowboy.

However, I really never had much of a problem with the Jersey throwing incident. Yeah, I thought it was bad, but I also saw the potential to be able to turn that around. Something that couldn't have built an odd comradarie over time. God knows Keyshawn has excelled at that.

What did it for me was what happened during the season. In either the last of second to last game before the trade, Bryant refused to get off the field after a play ended, even through the following play call had him on the sidelines. His disregard for the Coach during an actual football game casued BP to burn a time-out There's no way BP was gonna have Bryant around after he did that.

That's when my opinion of him dropped right off the map, I no longer had the slightely expecatations for him, so when he was traded I was only happy that we got anything at all.

 

[Stank]

I don't see Morgan as a long term starting WR for some reason. He just seems to be a classic underachiever. I could be wrong of that of course.

But I think highly of both Crayton and Copper. Those guys both made clutch plays last year. That's what I want to see.

I'm also intrigued by Crowder. Sounds like he has been working his butt off this offseason. If he learn the position, he has all of the physical attributes to be a good one.

 

[Hailmary]

I have a hard time seeing either the A-Train or Morgan being cut even if they are outperformed by others. The starters are set, but if one of them goes down, that leaves the door open for a lot of inexperience.

And I'm not sure if I buy into the whole "the best player plays" philosophy of BP. If that were truly the case, I think we would've seen more Reshard Lee rather than Eddie George last season during JJ's absence.

Whatever.

Here's the 5 I'd like to see at ea. position:

RB: J.Jones, Barber, Thompson, Thomas, Polite (although I wouldn't be upset to see Beikerstaff over Thomas).

Good riddance to Barnes!

WR: Johnson, Glenn, Morgan, Crayton, Crowder (is Copper PS eligible? i don't think he is..which is too bad IMO).

Merritt's like 28, right? He's had enough time to show something and has not. Zuriel hasn't done anything to impress me. Harrell and Rector are ????. My opinion may change during the course of TC.

 

[TheHustler]

There's no chance A-Train get cuts. He's getting paid $1 million. Money talks.

QM ain't going anywhere either. There's no way we're left with Key, Glenn and a bunch of nobodies.

 

[Rocco]

There's no chance A-Train get cuts. He's getting paid $1 million. Money talks.

QM ain't going anywhere either. There's no way we're left with Key, Glenn and a bunch of nobodies.

Agreed. Parcells values experience and both of these guys have way more than their competition, especially Thomas..