Eye Catching Tweets From NFL Camps 8/3

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Why will Marshawn Lynch be happier in 2011? Thank Raiders ex-pats Tom Cable, Robert Gallery, and now Zach Miller. Photo by Matt McGee

 

Twitter is a great place to get camp updates but they come so fast and furious, I thought I’d pick a few about rookies from various beat writers and provide my takes on these quick reports.  

 

Blaine Gabbert: @Taniaganguli‘ s piece on Blaine Gabbert’s defense of David Garrard provide a glimpse of the maturity and perspective that the beat writers have observed from the rookie thus far. The article also summarizes the speed and arm that has impressed Gene Frennette enough to say that Gabbert has the best arm of any passer he’s seen in Jacksonville.

My Take: I still think Gabbert will be the best prospect in this class. I think the criticisms of the spread offense and his reactions to pressure in the pocket are overdone. Matt Ryan and Aaron Rodgers had issues with how to handle pressure in the pocket. But much like Rodgers, and unlike Ryan, Gabbert has the athleticism to make plays on the move that will serve him well as a pro. He’s capable of franchise-caliber throws and he’s already shown a little of that in camp. I hope the Jaguars sit him for a year. Of course, I hope that for most rookie quarterbacks.

Ryan Mathews: @ffootball tweeted a link to an AP piece on Mathews’ first week of camp. Despite Mathews failing a conditioning test, Norv Turner and RB coach Ollie Wilson are confident in their second-year runner breaking out in 2011. Even Mike Tolbert feels he and Mathews complement each other and present a formidable tandem for opposing defenses.

My Take: I came away from the article with no discernible answer about what happened with the conditioning test. Was it the toe or the lack of conditioning that was the reason for Mathews failing the conditioning test? Despite this nagging question, Norv Turner’s high expectations seem in line with the notion that Mathews will have first crack at the feature back role and he’ll need to really blow it in order for Mike Tolbert to take over.

Of course frame of reference is everything with the media. If you listen to some NFL analysts/reporters who have already been down on Mathews they have proclaimed him a bust. I fall on the other side of the fence – but I’ve stated my view last month.

Zach Miller: @Greg Cosell tweets, ” Z. Miller a surprise to SEA. Personnel dictates a lot of 2 TE packages w/Carlson. Run game foundation. Need to manipulate + manage Jackson.”

New Seahawks left tackle Robert Gallery and fellow Raider's ex-pat Zach Miller will be a huge help in translating former Oakland coach Tom Cables run schemes to the field. Marshawn Lynch should have a solid year. Photo by Jeffrey Beall.

My Take: Tom Cable, Robert Gallery, and Zach Miller all in Seattle this year. No coincidence, whatsoever. I’m thinking Marshawn Lynch will have enough of the 2010 Raiders running game going for him that he should have more success in 2012. Cable is regarded as a heck of a line coach and I believe it after what he did to open gargantuan holes for Darren McFadden last year. Gallery and Miller should figure prominently in at least giving Lynch a crease. In Lynch’s case, that’s all he really needs. In contrast to his career thus far, those creases will probably look like craters.

Osi Umenyiora: @jamisonhensley reports, ” Source tells Mike Preston: Several of the #Ravens top officials have urged general manager Ozzie Newsome to make the deal for Umenyiora.”

@ChrisWesseling: #Giants have reportedly dropping the Umenyiora asking price to a 2nd-rounder. #Ravens, #Patriots among 5 teams in hunt: http://bit.ly/oJrabn

My Take: Baltimore or New England are absolutely great places for the Giants DE to land. These are veteran locker rooms that will keep Umenyiora from acting out to the detriment of the team. Even if Umenyiora plays a limited role as a third-down pass rusher opposite Terrell Suggs, the Ravens defense could be dangerous enough to possibly weather Joe Flacco’s ups and downs in big games (Okay, I won’t go that far). I don’t need to tell you how this helps the Patriots.

Eddie Royal: These three tweets tell a bit of an interesting story…

milehighsalute Mile High Salute: Denver Broncos receiver Eddie Royal‘s 2010 injury took time to identify: Royal, who was listed on the Broncos’ i… http://bit.ly/o5EHru
cecillammey Cecil Lammey: I liked what I saw from Eddie Royal today… adjusted to poorly thrown pass from Orton in stride, gathered it and turned upfield, good play!
cecillammey Cecil Lammey Eddie Royal is back! Wow, has he really been impressive, he’s working hard to be team’s number 2 WR opposite Lloyd:
My Take: Lammey has talked about Royal having issues running zone routes (that he stunk at it). I’m interested in hearing from Lammey if he’s seen anything to indicate that has changed or if John Fox’s system pretty much dictates that defenses use more man coverage on receivers.  At worst, Royal is showing major signs of life.
The Broncos receiving corps is shaping up to include a deep threat/red zone playmaker in Brandon Lloyd; a shifty threat in Royal who can turn short plays into longs ones; and a big, sturdy route runner who can make tough plays in the middle of the field in Eric Decker. Seems like a potential upgrade to Jabar Gaffney, doesn’t it?

Sigmund Bloom Part II

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The case of Chiefs RB/KR/WR Dexter McCluster may not seem as obvious, but he represents the ongoing trend with NFL strategy and personnel that draws parallels to smart phones in our society. Photo by Tennessee Journalist Wade Rackley.

In this part of my conversation with Sigmund Bloom, Footballguys senior staff writer and Draftguys co-founder, we discuss NFL trends, the appeal of the NFL Draft, and the value of the Game Recaps he does at Footballguys.com.

Waldman: Tell me about the more profound things you’ve learned about the game on the field because of your work as a fantasy football writer/analyst?

Bloom: I think that one of the things that is really fun to watch and has a massive impact on fantasy football is the natural intelligence of the game that evolves during a game. This happens when you have smart quarterbacks and smart coordinators. It’s the classic idea that if something is working then why go away from it? The game tells you which way to go. The game will guide smart coaches and quarterbacks to exploit something and continue to exploit it until the other team adjusts. Finding players who are smart enough and talented enough to do it is a big part of it. Seeing how in the course of the game that the first drive can tell you whether it’s going to be a big day for a player and it could be a player who hasn’t done much coming into the game, but because what the team knew about its opposition heading into the week it was going to be a big day. We try to perfect our ability to anticipate that on a weekly basis. Again that is where a lot of success in fantasy football comes from in-season.

Waldman: So tell me about some of the players or coaches that you see that are good at spotting a weakness and exploiting it until they are stopped.

Bloom: Of course Continue reading →

Eye-catching Tweets From NFL Camps 8/2

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Yes, I've used this photo before. But like Green, it's just too good to just look at it once. Photo by Tennessee Journalist (http://www.flickr.com/photos/tnjn/5064947481/sizes/l/in/photostream/)

Twitter is a great place to get camp updates but they come so fast and furious, I thought I’d pick a few about rookies from various beat writers and provide my takes on these quick reports.  

Packers WR Randall Cobb

Mike Vandermause of the Green Bay Press Gazette reports that Packers rookie receiver Randall Cobb put on a clinic Monday night, making grabs over the middle, in traffic, and flashing excellent burst and skill after the catch. According to Vandermause, Cobb is learning all of the wide receiver positions.

My Take: Cobb is one of my favorite players in this rookie class. He reminds me of Santonio Holmes because Continue reading →

Zach Law’s Q&A of Matt Waldman

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No, I did not promise Zach this car to get a Q&A in his blog. Wish I had one though.

Zach Law has been doing a series of interviews with fantasy football writers. He decided I should be one of them ($10 helps). Here’s the first part…

Interview

Conversation with Footballguys & Draftguys Sigmund Bloom

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Footballguys.com senior staff writer Sigmund Bloom wants to know if you use stats the way a drunk uses a lamppost. Photo by Eirian Evans.

Ask Sigmund Bloom who he became a football writer and draft analyst and he’ll tell you that its because he’s a compulsive talker, narcissist, and egomaniac and he found and audience that accepted it. As his colleague at Footballguys.com I can assure you that he’s not a narcissist or an egomaniac. However if you heard last week’s Audible Roundable podcast, you witnessed an impressive feat of compulsive talking when Bloom ran down just about every move made in a  free agency period that has been slammed with moves in a compacted period of time. Bloom might be best known as a senior staff writer and podcast host at Footballguys.com but he is also a co-founder of Draftguys.com, a site that was one of the pioneers of using the Internet to broadcast video analysis of players they filmed at all-star practices. Personally, I think the “Bloom 100,” is one of the best quick reference, fantasy-friendly rankings of draftable rookie prospects available. Bloom and I spent an hour discussing when he got the football bug, his love for the machinations of the game, and the role of stats in fantasy analysis.

Waldman: When did you catch the football bug?

Bloom: I was born the year the Steelers won their first Super Bowl. I can remember being inundated with Steelers football as much as anything I can remember from my childhood. The first really big moment for me as a football fan was John Riggins run in the Super Bowl versus Miami. It was a disappointing year as Steelers fan as they got knocked out by the Chargers and I had high hopes for them. But I really grew to love the Smurfs and Riggins and everything about that team. That was a totally electrifying moment. I think when I look back on my life as an NFL fan it was after that when I was totally hooked.

Waldman: I remember that season and Riggins play fondly as well. He had been in the NFL for a while and that year was a great way to wind down his career. I remember in Jim Brown’s autobiography how much respect the all-time great had for Riggins as a running back.

Bloom: On a personal note, any of the true individuals that have been the best at what they do in the NFL are guys like I admire: Riggins, Joe Namath, and other guys who are clearly march to the beat of their own drummer. Another guy we recently talked about before we began this interview was Continue reading →

The “Why” of Bears WR Earl Bennett

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Why does a post on Earl Bennett feature a photo of Mike Furrey catching a pass? Read the "Why" of Earl Bennett and find out. Photo by Alexaboud.

Earl Bennett was my No.2 WR prospect in the 2008 Rookie Scouting Portfolio. He demonstrated consistent ability to adjust to passes thrown away from his body, the concentration to make difficult catches in traffic, and yards after the catch skill. Bennett’s transition to the NFL has been slow, but the past couple of years have shown encouraging signs of life.

“We didn’t throw it to him enough. That will be remedied. He will figure in a much larger role than he did last year. He came to us late. He was injured. I wasn’t really sure where he was with all the stuff. But he established himself as a guy who needs to get a lot more balls than he did. He’s extremely reliable. I know Jay feels comfortable with him in the slot doing some of those things. But he should be able to play outside for us as well.”

– Bears offensive coordinator Mike Martz on Earl Bennett

Why does Mike Martz find Earl Bennett reliable? Why does Martz intend to target Bennett more often in 2010? Why will the presence of free agent Roy Williams help Bennett?

I believe some highlights of the 2010 season provide answers to the “Why” of Bears WR Earl Bennett. Continue reading →

Reads, Listens, and Views 7/29/11

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A visual metaphor for a team without Frank Gore perhaps? Photo by Addressehere

Another nice week here at the Rookie Scouting Portfolio. It helps that the NFL has a CBA agreement that lasts a decade with no opt-out clause. Special thanks to all of you who have subscribed to the blog or have made it part of your daily ritual. If you like what you’ve seen thus far, please consider these three acts of kindness:

  1. Subscribe to this blog. It’s free.
  2. Share this blog with your friends.
  3. Send me feedback.

As the college football season approaches, I’ll be posting more prospect analysis that you’ll likely see in the 2012 Rookie Scouting Portfolio, available here for purchase in the early spring.

Each Friday, I’ll be sharing what I’ve been reading, listening, and viewing each week – football, fantasy football, and non-football.

This week includes:

  • Two stat-oriented, fantasy profiles from Bryan Fontaine on Tim Tebow and Ryan Mathews.
  • Footballguy Sigmund Bloom’s always entertaining, jocular, and informative Buy Low/Sell High column.
  • Rick Reilly covering an NFL agent’s day post-lockout – entertaining.
  • More of Chris Brown’s treasure trove at Smart Football.
  • Guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel fronting an all-star quintet of musicians on a tune that sounds like something you’d hear if aliens kidnapped Thelonius Monk and transported him light years to an intergalactic blues joint.

Continue reading →

Walk on the Wild Side: 2011 NFL Free Agency

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Does this look like Korea to you? Corporal Chad "Klinger" Ochocinco (near right) might say so. Can you guess who Frank Burns is in this picture (far left)? Photo by Navin75

Thursday nights, I join my fellow Footballguys.com staffers the fantastic Cecil Lammey and the incredible Sigmund Bloom on The Audible Roundtable  at 10pm-12am EST on Blog Talk Radio. We talk about the week in football, share fantasy football strategies, and answer listener questions. 

If you aren’t aware, Lammey and Bloom built this show into one of the most popular – if not the most popular – fantasy sports show on iTunes. Bloom suggested I post the written version of my segment “Take a Walk on the Wild Side.” I hope you enjoy as much as he did.

Welcome back to Take a Walk on the Wildside, otherwise known as the place where I get free license to pick on Cecil Lammey and not get my ass kicked.

Not that I’m a scrawny guy. I’ve got the slight height and reach advantage on Big Mex and depending on what Cec is doing, conditioning might be a push.

However, Lammey has the nut-job factor. You know, like Curly in the Three Stooges episode where he’s the boxer whose lights stay on despite all vestiges of rationality leaving the house (seven-minute mark)  whenever he hears Pop Goes The Weasel.

No officers, I was just standing there listening to Wildman pop off about Mikel Leshoure running like he was a scat back and this red light washed over me. Next thing I knew, Wildman was on the floor unconscious, Bloom was stuck in the fireplace flue, and you guys were on top of me. That mace is still stinging my eyes! Why am I still wearing these bracelets???

Cecil is the kind of guy I’d much rather have on my side – unless I have 20 yards, his back to me, and a shotgun loaded with large game tranquilizer.

I thought it was appropriate to relate the stupidity of crossing someone like Cecil  Lammey because with free agency underway, I’d to list the transactional equivalents of NFL teams playing Pop Goes The Weasel to a stadium filled with Curly Howards and Cecil Lammeys. Continue reading →

NFL Draft Scout’s Chad Reuter – Part IV

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Chad Reuter and Matt Waldman explain that learning about the game of football comes down to good, old-fashioned hard work. Photo by Duke Yearlook

If you thought ESPN analyst Matt Williamson’s path to becoming a paid evaluator of talent was unusual, consider NFL Draft Scout.com senior analyst Chad Reuter. The Wisconsin native lacks a football background, but he managed to transform a hobby into a job because of his tremendous analytical skills, sincere passion for the game, and a veteran scout’s work ethic. In this multi-part conversation, Reuter and I spent a couple of hours discussing a variety of topics related to player evaluation.

In Part I of this conversation, Chad and I discuss why he enjoys studying offensive line play, evaluating technique versus results, and balancing these two behaviors with the craft of projecting a player’s future in the NFL. In Part II  we covered Reuter’s path to  studying football as a full-time job, a defensive position that is difficult to evaluate, and why “instincts” and “intangibles” may not be innate after all. In Part III, Chad and I discuss sabermetrics and football, the mathematical logic of drafting a quarterback in the first round, and the importance of tiers when building a draftboard.

The final part of our conversation covers Reuter’s typical work process as a talent analyst and the resources he recommends to the general audience to become students of the game.

Waldman: Share with everyone what your typical day at work is like to completely a long-term project of scouting all draft-eligible players for a given season?

Reuter: The process occurs in stages. You study film for 12 months. A lot of the film work on rising seniors and juniors comes immediately after the draft. You want to get ready for the approaching season and to get the know the players. During that time and throughout the summer, you’re watching tape, you’re researching, and learning about the senior prospects and underclassmen with the end goal of producing our preseason draft guide in August. It’s not just a matter of watching tape, but also looking through media guide information. You’re also talking to sources to find out about any off-field stuff. You want to know as much as you can going into the year. During the summer, I’m working between 8am-6pm at a minimum during the week.  During the weekends I try to put in anywhere between 4-8 hours each day depending on what else is going on – including trying to maintain some sort of life outside of this.

Waldman: How do you try to maintain a life outside of this?

Reuter: You try to schedule things in a way where you find time to work around those events. If we’re going out in the afternoon then I try to do work in the morning.

Waldman: Based on my own level of self-awareness, I would think it takes somewhat of an obsessive personality to do this job.

Reuter: Yeah, I think that’s right. Continue reading →

NFL Draft Scout’s Chad Reuter-Part III

0 Comments read Matt Waldman
Despite the low success rate of first-round quarterbacks, Chad Reuter explains why drafting a QB in subsequent rounds who turns out even as productive as Matt Hasselbeck is a rarity. Photo by Matt McGee

If you thought ESPN analyst Matt Williamson’s path to becoming a paid evaluator of talent was unusual, consider NFL Draft Scout.com senior analyst Chad Reuter. The Wisconsin native lacks a football background, but he managed to transform a hobby into a job because of his tremendous analytical skills, sincere passion for the game, and a veteran scout’s work ethic. In this multi-part conversation, Reuter and I spent a couple of hours discussing a variety of topics related to player evaluation.

In Part I of this conversation, Chad and I discuss why he enjoys studying offensive line play, evaluating technique versus results, and balancing these two behaviors with the craft of projecting a player’s future in the NFL. In Part II  we covered Reuter’s path to  studying football as a full-time job, a defensive position that is difficult to evaluate, and why “instincts” and “intangibles” may not be innate after all. In this segment, Chad and I discuss sabermetrics and football, the mathematical logic of drafting a quarterback in the first round, and the importance of tiers when building a draftboard.

Waldman: There’s a growing camp of  sabermetricians in football as well as the football media. While many understand why Bill Belicheck might use data to learn the odds strategic decisions, there are others who believe football can never completely embrace the Moneyball route.   It’s obvious that you are both fluent in statistics and the craft of film evaluation. What’s your take on these two camps?

Reuter:  I think data analysis is little more than a study of history. And I think you have to be cognizant of history when you are evaluating players — not just on the statistical side, but grouping characteristics with guys such as similarities in styles, size, etc.

But you can’t be a slave to it. Continue reading →