Some Camp Thoughts

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MISC STUFF

* Jason Peters is finally back on the field. That's good. He needs reps to get comfortable with the new scheme and blocking style. Also, the guys around him need to get familiar with Jason.

* His return freed up Todd Herremans to move from LT. Todd then spent some time at LG and some at RT.

* Jeremy Maclin is still unsigned. I'm really getting tired of typing that.

* Dave Spadaro said that he's been disappointed by Bryan Smith's showing at practice so far. He said Smith isn't showing the kind of quickness or explosion that he expected. Some fans are rushing to use the Bust Label on Smith. He might very well prove to be a bust, but it is too early to make that call based on evidence and not just wanting it to be true. Let's see what Smith does the rest of camp and in preseason games. He didn't really come alive last year until late in the preseason.

* Things are still early. I don't believe in getting too up or down on players based on a handful of practices. I also haven't had a chance to go to camp yet, so I'm only commenting on video clips I've seen:

Leonard Weaver sure looks good. His pass blocking is excellent. I don't have a great feel for his run blocking. You can really see his speed when he's got the ball in his hands.

You can see that LeSean McCoy is a gifted runner. He has good vision and cuts really well.

Eldra Buckley is a fun guy to watch. He gets the ball and hits the hole. He's not a shake 'n bake guy at all. Eldra is a downhill runner. McCoy can really benefit from watching Buckley run.

Reggie Brown looks good. He's always been a good Training Camp player when healthy. Derrick Mason un-retired and is back with the Ravens. Reggie probably isn't going anywhere. With Maclin's progress getting behind schedule, Reggie is more likely to be an active player.

Danny Amendola sure is an impressive young player. He plays fast, even if he isn't a true burner. He has good quickness. Danny gets open and catches the ball well. He will probably get caught in a numbers crunch, but he's certainly doing his part by impressing on the field.

OT King Dunlap came to TC with an odd issue. He was too light. He was down in the 305 area instead of being closer to 320, where they'd prefer him. King is busy trying to add pounds. I'll be sending him a copy of my Whopper and pudding diet. He's looked okay in some clips. He had a very good run block on play Saturday. That's encouraging. His biggest issue has always been toughness. You never want a guy his size to be a gentle giant.

DB Byron Parker is getting looks at CB and S. He struggled in 1-on-1 coverage. I saw a couple of good fakes get him completely off balance.

Rookie OL Dallas Reynolds started 50 games at BYU. He played all 5 line positions. The Eagles are working him at C. I don't know if he has a shot at the roster, but he could make a run at the Practice Squad. Dallas is smart and uses his hands well. He's got good size. He isn't all that athletic, but that's okay at C.
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