TSN Camp Battles

LaTunaNostra

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These reports are part of their Preseason Countdown . If there is any team anyone would like to see, for fantasy football or any reason, let me know. They are only as good as the team beat reporter who contributes to TSN, and in our case that is JJT, so the quality, umm, varies.

Sample:
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Buccaneers camp battles

August 17, 2004 Print it


Breaking down the hottest competitions at Buccaneers camp:

The battle for the backup QB job is interesting. Second-year pro Chris Simms has looked extremely sharp and will continue to get many reps in the exhibition games. Many still believe, though, that Brian Griese would get the nod if starting QB Brad Johnson goes down.

To make that a certainty, Griese must prove during exhibitions that he has Gruden's complex offense nailed down and won't make mistakes in the huddle or at the line. As a veteran, he has a slight edge over Simms. . . .

The emergence of left defensive end Dewayne White could cause Greg Spires to lose both his job and his roster spot.

White came into camp in excellent condition and is proving to be a regular playmaker as both a pass defender and run stopper. The team also has been very impressed with the play of Corey Smith, so Spires will need to regain his 2002 form to stick around. . . .

It's still too early to name Todd Steussie as the winner for starting right tackle. Steussie remains the favorite there but if Derrick Deese's foot injury lingers, the team may move Steussie back to left tackle and make Kenyatta Walker the starting right tackle. Walker is coming off an impressive offseason workout program and has impressed coaches in this camp with his strength and consistency. . . .

The battle between Anthony McFarland and Ellis Wyms for one starting defensive tackle job is still too close to call. Look for a winner to be named the week before the regular season starts.
 

u4ea242

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LaTunaNostra said:
These reports are part of their Preseason Countdown . If there is any team anyone would like to see, for fantasy football or any reason, let me know. They are only as good as the team beat reporter who contributes to TSN, and in our case that is JJT, so the quality, umm, varies.

You are too cool! I'd be interest in Buffalo (Henry vs McGahee), St Louis (Faulk vs Jackson), and Detroit (Jones versus all the other RB's). Just tryin' to get the jump on FFL!
 

LaTunaNostra

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u4ea242 said:
You are too cool! I'd be interest in Buffalo (Henry vs McGahee), St Louis (Faulk vs Jackson), and Detroit (Jones versus all the other RB's). Just tryin' to get the jump on FFL!

Rams camp battles
By Jim Thomas
St. Louis Post-Dispatch


Breaking down the hottest competitions at Rams camp:

Bryce Fisher entered training camp as the starting right defensive end, the position manned by Grant Wistrom (now with Seattle) for the past five seasons.

So far Fisher has held off stiff competition from rookie Anthony Hargrove and Erik Flowers. Fisher lacks the ideal burst to be a speed rusher, but does have some quickness and seems to find a way into the backfield. He shows good hustle and pursuit abilities, but it's uncertain how he will hold up against the run over the long haul.

Hargrove has plenty of potential as a speed rusher. At his best, he is a bigger version of Leonard Little, which is quite a proposition. But Hargrove is very raw -- he didn't play at all last season at Georgia Tech because of academic problems. He was slowed early in camp by knee and ankle problems. At best, the Rams might be able to use him as a situational pass rusher.

Flowers may have improved his chances to make the final roster by registering two sacks against Chicago. . . .

An expected battle between Joey Goodspeed and Arlen Harris for the fullback job has failed to materialize so far in camp.

Injuries at running back have kept Harris at running back. And even bulked up at 225 pounds, his hardnosed running style has impressed the coaches. Goodspeed has been so-so, but he is a hard worker who wants to get better.

Undrafted rookie Dusty McGrorty also has gotten a look, but he is undersized for fullback and is a long shot to make the team.

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Bills camp battles

August 15, 2004


Breaking down the hottest competitions at Bills camp:

Izell Reese has managed to hold off Coy Wire for the free safety job so far. Reese has shown good range and has put himself into a position to make plays. Reese won't make many big hits, but he rarely blows an assignment.

Wire played strong safety his first two NFL seasons and linebacker in college, so he must adjust to not playing close to the line. But his physical ability intrigues the team and he is starting to show improvement in coverage.

This competition remains tight, and the better performer in the exhibition games will ultimately determine the winner. . . .

Chris Kelsay is pushing Ryan Denney at left defensive end. Kelsay has added bulk without sacrificing his quickness and gotten stronger, which should help him in physical matchups against offensive tackles.

Denney is a good run stopper who plays with improved leverage at the point of attack and can also run down plays in pursuit. But Denney must display more quickness off the edge as a pass rusher to become an every-down player.

Former Steelers linebacker Jason Gildon is getting work at end in some packages, but the starting job will belong to either Denney or Kelsay.

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Lions camp battles

August 16, 2004




Breaking down the hottest competitions at Lions camp:

There were supposed to be two duels at linebacker, but rookie Alex Lewis' ankle sprain means that James Davis will win the competition and will be starting on the weak side in Week 1.

That leaves the biggest battle of camp, the fight between rookie second-round pick Teddy Lehman and incumbent veteran Earl Holmes.

It was expected that Lehman would immediately move into the top spot because of his draft status, but Holmes worked out year-round in Detroit and has performed very well in camp and Lehman has yet to beat him out. Lehman is getting some reps with the first-unit defense and should get some good snaps with them as the exhibition season progresses, but if he can't prove he can stop the run on a consistent basis, he will stay at No. 2. . . .

Safety Brian Walker, who was moved from free to strong this season, will need to turn back not only a challenge from second-year player Terrence Holt, but also the waiver wire. The Lions want to upgrade that position and won't hesitate to bring in a veteran and, possibly, start him.
 

LaTunaNostra

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My pleasure, but I think it's obvious with those few reports how some beat writers earn their TSN checks better than others. :D
 

LaTunaNostra

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Nors said:
Jets - Safety battles
Browns - RB battles
This is all they wrote, Nors.

And uhh, Erik Coleman ain't shakin lose. :D
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Jets camp battles

August 15, 2004 Print it


Breaking down the hottest competitions at Jets camp:

The addition of left guard Pete Kendall has created a competition at right guard between Brent Smith and Brandon Moore. Smith, who started every game last season at right guard, was expected to start on the left side. But that changed with Kendall's arrival.

Now it's Smith vs. Moore, with Moore the decided favorite. Smith is a much more experienced player and a better technical lineman, but Moore is young and powerful.

Moore, a former defensive lineman, has appeared in only about 120 plays at guard, so he is a bit of a projection. But the coaching staff is willing to make him the starter unless he falls on his face in exhibition games. . . .

An unexpected battle has developed at strong safety, where rookie fifth-round pick Erik Coleman is giving the coaches plenty to think about. Coleman got his chance when projected starter Reggie Tongue, a free-agent addition who received a $1.1 million signing bonus, strained a calf muscle on the second day of camp. It caused Tongue to miss the first two weeks of practice and the exhibition opener.

Coleman has impressed with his ballhawking skills and overall ability to see the field. He never panics, displaying savvy beyond his years. Because of his track record (and contract), Tongue probably will be the Week 1 starter. But don't discount Coleman, who, at the very least, will force the team to use a safety rotation.
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Browns camp battles

August 16, 2004 Print it



Breaking down the hottest competitions at Browns camp:

Right or wrong, this is the consensus: Most fans want Lee Suggs to win the No. 1 running back job, but they sense coach Butch Davis will go out of his way to prop up his first-round pick from 2002, William Green.

Suggs is the people's choice based on his 186-yard rushing day in the '03 season finale at Cincinnati. In his first action against an opponent in '04, he had a sensational scrimmage against Buffalo. On a 50-yard run, he showed stop-on-a-dime cutback ability. On inside runs, he seemed either more willing or more adept at hitting a crease with neither fear nor hesitation.

Green has run hotter than cold, but the cold spots rekindle fears of his past inconsistencies. . . .

Free-agent pick-up Warrick Holdman (Bears) and third-year pro Kevin Bentley should take a battle for the weakside linebacker job into late August. Bentley admits Holdman is a better run defender. Bentley is as fast as some backs, and is certainly faster than Holdman, giving him an edge as a cover man. Given the Browns' past woes against the run, the better run defender has the edge. . . .

With rookie tight end Kellen Winslow Jr. assured of a key role, a hot battle for No. 1 wide receiver is being waged among Andre' Davis (fastest man on the team), Quincy Morgan (best at bodying up on cover men) and Dennis Northcutt (best at beating press coverage with lightning feet at the snap).
 

Nors

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The pick we bungled was CB Thornton. He was so not on anybody's list that high. We could have drafted him in the 7th! :eek:

Erik Coleman would have been a nice prospect to fill in here. Oh well!
He's going to be a Jets fan favorite. He does it all on ST too.
 

BrAinPaiNt

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Nors said:
The pick we bungled was CB Thornton. He was so not on anybody's list that high. We could have drafted him in the 7th! :eek:

Erik Coleman would have been a nice prospect to fill in here. Oh well!
He's going to be a Jets fan favorite. He does it all on ST too.

For what it is worth....on the draft show from the Ticket station....when the 4th round was starting...Norm was calling Thornton's name as the best CB left and a possible choice.

I want to say Goose was saying he was the best one left but thought he could be had in the next round.

My memory is fuzzy on what goose said...however I really remember Norm saying that as he was salivating on the name and I was wondering who the hell the guy was.
 

Nors

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BrAinPaiNt said:
For what it is worth....on the draft show from the Ticket station....when the 4th round was starting...Norm was calling Thornton's name as the best CB left and a possible choice.

I want to say Goose was saying he was the best one left but thought he could be had in the next round.

My memory is fuzzy on what goose said...however I really remember Norm saying that as he was salivating on the name and I was wondering who the hell the guy was.

I put together a top 325 board each season. I had him no where near a 4th rounder. He was terrible value where we picked him up. He's getting beat out by FA's and 7th rouners?

Coyle had him at #33 CB
Reeves at #46
Nate Jones at #66
 

BrAinPaiNt

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Nors said:
I put together a top 325 board each season. I had him no where near a 4th rounder. He was terrible value where we picked him up. He's getting beat out by FA's and 7th rouners?

Coyle had him at #33 CB
Reeves at #46
Nate Jones at #66


I think you missed my point...

You said he was not on ANYBODY's list that high....and I have told you that Norm had him up there during the start of the second day of the draft before Dallas even picked him.

Not saying norm is right and everyone else is wrong....just pointing out that somebody DID have him there.

Not arguing with you ...just pointing out a fact.
 

Nors

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BrAinPaiNt said:
I think you missed my point...

You said he was not on ANYBODY's list that high....and I have told you that Norm had him up there during the start of the second day of the draft before Dallas even picked him.

Not saying norm is right and everyone else is wrong....just pointing out that somebody DID have him there.

Not arguing with you ...just pointing out a fact.

Norm obviously was Privy to Dallas scouts and knew he was high on Dallas list. Most rest were not so high on Thornton. He's not making a splash so far. I'm rooting for underdogs!
 

BrAinPaiNt

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Nors said:
Norm obviously was Privy to Dallas scouts and knew he was high on Dallas list. Most rest were not so high on Thornton. He's not making a splash so far. I'm rooting for underdogs!


I think his problem (bruce) is his lack of exp at the position.

If I am not mistaken he went to georgia at another position and was switched to CB after being there a little while...he was learing the position and still learning it somewhat.

I am not sure if he has what it takes....at this point it looks like it will be hunter or possibly Powell.

Which if you think about it...all three were basically projects with powell being a track guy before, hunter being from a small school and admitting he had little to no coaching on technique and Bruce just starting to be a CB in college after playing another position.

So it would seem they saw athletic talent (either size, speed or something else) that they saw in these guys that made them think that with the right coaching they may work out down the road.....we will all have to wait and see if any of them pan out.
 

Nors

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BrAinPaiNt said:
I think his problem (bruce) is his lack of exp at the position.

If I am not mistaken he went to georgia at another position and was switched to CB after being there a little while...he was learing the position and still learning it somewhat.

I am not sure if he has what it takes....at this point it looks like it will be hunter or possibly Powell.

Which if you think about it...all three were basically projects with powell being a track guy before, hunter being from a small school and admitting he had little to no coaching on technique and Bruce just starting to be a CB in college after playing another position.

So it would seem they saw athletic talent (either size, speed or something else) that they saw in these guys that made them think that with the right coaching they may work out down the road.....we will all have to wait and see if any of them pan out.

Uconn BB coach Calhoun once said,

I can take a talented athlete and make him a great basketball player.
I can't make an unathletic player athletic.

Its that coaching genius that must drive these guys to projects.........
 
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