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Change of plans? Andre Smith back at right tackle on Day 2 of Bengals training camp
#1
Jul 30, 2017, 10:00am

EDT https://www.cincyjungle.com/2017/7/30/16063776/andre-smith-right-tackle-day-2-bengals-training-camp

Since he was signed in March, the expectation has been Andre Smith would compete to become the Cincinnati Bengals starting right guard. But on the second day of training camp, Smith was practicing at right tackle with the second team offense.

It confused many spectators in attendance, including Bengals reporters on the scene. Why the sudden change? Is this a long-term plan?

Bengals offensive line coach Paul Alexander attempted to explain why Smith was practicing at right tackle, the only position at which he’s played at the NFL level. You’d think if Smith truly is switching positions to right guard, the team would want to get him every rep possible at the position in an effort to prepare him to take over for Kevin Zeitler, who joined the Cleveland Browns this offseason.

"Early here in camp we're working with what we have,” Alexander said via Bengals.com. “We're looking at this, we're looking there, we're looking at matchups. Because usually, it's ones against ones . So today Trey (Hopkins) went with the first group. It doesn't do any good if Trey's always going against the second guy because you don't feel like you know how good he is. So OK, you go against Geno (Atkins) today. So that's what we're doing. We'll move them around so that different guys get a different chance to go against guys."

It makes sense to test guys like Trey Hopkins against better competition, such as Geno Atkins, but how is Smith going to learn a new position if he’s still practicing at his old position?

"Obviously, it's going to take some work," Alexander said. "(Smith) got all the reps in OTAs and all that kind of stuff, but right now we have to see what we have. He probably would benefit from taking every snap at right guard in camp, but for us, we have to see what we have."

Even Alexander is admitting it would be beneficial for Smith to practice solely at guard, so what gives?

Maybe the Bengals are truly going to have an open competition for the right guard spot and it wouldn’t be terrible to use Smith as a backup tackle, considering the lack of depth at both tackle positions. At tackle, the Bengals have third year players Jake Fisher (right tackle) and Cedric Ogbuehi (left tackle) with Eric Winston the anticipated backup.

This will be something to watch moving forward to see who gets the most snaps with the first team offense and if Smith continues to practice at the right tackle position.
When you win, say nothing. When you lose, say less.

Paul Brown
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#2
Working all options. Seems logical .
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#3
No news there. Fisher is the RT, Smith will be 1st back up. Smith is RG, Hopkins will be 1st backup. Backups need to get reps against the 1's, just to see if they are viable options, should their services be needed in games.
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Volson is meh, but I like him, and he has far exceeded my expectations

-Frank Booth 1/9/23
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#4
How about linking the actual story as opposed to the CJ regurgitation?

http://www.bengals.com/news/article-1/Camp-report-on-guard-at-right-and-first-kicks/9d645364-0625-4c78-8421-ce39740835fc

I really wish CJ would get banned from being posted here.  Post directly to the stories please.  CJ is little more than plagiarism and click baiting.

As for the actual article.  Makes sense.  He's first backup, so he needs to remember what RT feels like in case he ends up next man up.  Nothing to see here.
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#5
(07-30-2017, 04:50 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: No news there.  Fisher is the RT, Smith will be 1st back up.  Smith is RG, Hopkins will be 1st backup.  Backups need to get reps against the 1's, just to see if they are viable options, should their services be needed in games.

They could also be trying to push Fisher or be looking at Andre as the,starter at RT.  Reports were that Fisher wound up on the ground repeatedly at practice today, and if he continues to struggle, it would make sense to plug Andre in at RT and put Fisher on the bench.
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#6
(07-30-2017, 07:40 PM)Stewy Wrote: How about linking the actual story as opposed to the CJ regurgitation?

http://www.bengals.com/news/article-1/Camp-report-on-guard-at-right-and-first-kicks/9d645364-0625-4c78-8421-ce39740835fc

I really wish CJ would get banned from being posted here.  Post directly to the stories please.  CJ is little more than plagiarism and click baiting.

As for the actual article.  Makes sense.  He's first backup, so he needs to remember what RT feels like in case he ends up next man up.  Nothing to see here.

Huh? Plagiarism? Nothing original?  Whoda thunk it?
Yeah, it does feel like the only thing they do it switch a few words here and there from bengals.com and try to pass it off as if they're the hard hitting investigative sports jouralists they pretend to be. 
But don't forget those great videos of some guy in his grandmas basement pretending to be some real broadcaster..  "Uhmm-err-I'm reporting live from an undisclosed location because I'm not really a reporter...." guy.. lol 
In the immortal words of my old man, "Wait'll you get to be my age!"

Chicago sounds rough to the maker of verse, but the one comfort we have is Cincinnati sounds worse. ~Oliver Wendal Holmes Sr.


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