D'Ante Smith

[TJHoushmandzadeh's Shiny Shoes]

One little nugget from the Athletic's latest camp update where D'Ante Smith gets a fair bit of love is how he is now at 320lbs - where's that eye-popping emoji when you need it?

He played at 283lbs last season and one of the major knocks on him was that he'd struggled to keep weight on. Now camp is always full of stories of players who completely rebuilt their body and are in the best shape of their life but this has me intrigued for the pre-season opener.

[Dr.Z]

(08-09-2021, 07:27 AM)TJHoushmandzadehs Shiny Shoes Wrote: One little nugget from the Athletic's latest camp update where D'Ante Smith gets a fair bit of love is how he is now at 320lbs - where's that eye-popping emoji when you need it?

He played at 283lbs last season and one of the major knocks on him was that he'd struggled to keep weight on. Now camp is always full of stories of players who completely rebuilt their body and are in the best shape of their life but this has me intrigued for the pre-season opener.

Agree. I admittedly knew nothing about D Smith until the Senior Bowl, but became very intrigued by how he showed against some heralded prospects at his weight at that point. I believe if he would have been at this weight then, he would’ve been drafted higher than where we got him.

[Rubekahn29]

Love to see what he does in Pre-season. I’m just wary of hype right now because of Michael Jordan and how much hype he got. But hopefully he can make it work and be a piece moving forward.

[PDub80]

Here's my thing, like, does it matter if it's Jackson Carman today and D'Ante Smith develops over time? Or, if it's D'Ante Smith today while Jackson Carman develops over time? To me, NO, if doesn't matter. I think results from the draft as a whole are what matters and these guys deserve more time than 2 weeks of a camp to develop before being hammered with questions of "What's wrong".

Giving the Bengals veteran linemen like Billy Price, XSF, or Spain... hell, even Michael Jordan at this point a big pass while sitting here demanding Jackson Carman or D'Ante Smith be ready to start at RG week 2 makes little sense to me. I think it is reasonable to give these rookies a full TC, a full 3 Preseason games, and even some games into the season before we, as fans, expect them to be big time contributors. REGARDLESS OF WHAT ROUND THEY WERE CHOSEN IN.

Carman was a 2nd rounder? So was XSF and he is only 30. I think a 30 year old vet who is being paid very well should have the bigger expectations. It's weird to me to see those expectations just tossed onto the next guy because he just showed up to the league.

If Smith or Carman beat out XSF, awesome! But, that says more (or less) about XSF and the money allocated to him than it does the draft picks. To me, the line is about the signing of XSF and 3rd year development of Jordan.... not the drafting and immediate starting if Smith, Hill, or Jackson. Those guys DESERVE time to develop and learn new positions and the Vets OWE it to the Bengals, who are paying them well, to perform at least to the level of "Better than rookie learning a new position".

BTW, Andrew Whitworth only started 12 games as a rookie. These guys need time... and they deserve to be given time by the coaches, the vets (who need to give rookies time by doing their job), and by the fans.

[jj22]

If Smith comes along it does soften the blow of Jackson's slow start.

[*Nate (formerly eliminate08)*]

(08-09-2021, 07:27 AM)TJHoushmandzadeh Wrote: One little nugget from the Athletic's latest camp update where D'Ante Smith gets a fair bit of love is how he is now at 320lbs - where's that eye-popping emoji when you need it?

He played at 283lbs last season and one of the major knocks on him was that he'd struggled to keep weight on. Now camp  is always full of stories of players who completely rebuilt their body and are in the best shape of their life but this has me intrigued for the pre-season opener.

Yeah, this is the main positive so far besides the great play of the Defense. D'Ante has great feet and plays with good technique
but he was too light and most of us thought it would take another year getting his body ready for the NFL but he is definitely WAY
ahead of schedule and can play multiple positions which I didn't know about when we drafted him. I thought he was purely a LT 
but he can play on the right side too and play Guard.

Like what I am hearing, all I want is the best 5 starting on the OL, if it isn't my faves so be it. They evidently aren't ready.

[Whatever]

(08-09-2021, 07:27 AM)TJHoushmandzadeh Wrote: One little nugget from the Athletic's latest camp update where D'Ante Smith gets a fair bit of love is how he is now at 320lbs - where's that eye-popping emoji when you need it?

He played at 283lbs last season and one of the major knocks on him was that he'd struggled to keep weight on. Now camp  is always full of stories of players who completely rebuilt their body and are in the best shape of their life but this has me intrigued for the pre-season opener.

FWIW, a lot of Smith's weight struggles last year were due to multiple COVID close contacts that kept him away from the weight room, training table, and cafeteria.

[*pally*]

on the first depth chart Smith is listed as backup LG

[tms]

(08-09-2021, 10:21 AM)PDub80 Wrote: Here's my thing, like, does it matter if it's Jackson Carman today and D'Ante Smith develops over time? Or, if it's D'Ante Smith today while Jackson Carman develops over time? To me, NO, if doesn't matter. I think results from the draft as a whole are what matters and these guys deserve more time than 2 weeks of a camp to develop before being hammered with questions of "What's wrong".

I see what you're saying but I'd agree more if he were a total surprise. I thought D'Ante Smith was a STUD at the draft (http://http://thebengalsboard.com/Thread-Official-2021-NFL-Draft-Thread?pid=1026802#pid1026802), and I know a lot of others were talking about him too. You better believe I would have taken him ahead of Carman. I think more was made of his size than was deserved, considering his wrestling background the temperament/discipline that goes along with it, to say nothing of his proficiency for punching above his weight. At the same time, this is pure HYPE right now. He's being used as camp clickbait. I wouldn't get too excited just yet. 

I also concur that it shouldn't matter where anyone was taken in the draft- that's common sense. They're not to blame for where they go. But that's an understated part of the draft process. Teams can't stick their heads in the sand when they reach, and just assume that the cream will rise to the top, especially not in R1 & R2. They're putting their pick in a position to fail if they do that. Jerome Simpson was a decent example imo. Yes he had talent- arguably R1 talent- but he was still a reach and could never live up to the billing. Who knows how he would have done if he weren't thrust under the R2 microscope (#46 too, as luck would have it).

[Bengal Jim's Before the Roar]

Think this kid is going to surprise a lot of people, maybe the steal of the draft for us?

[XenoMorph]

(08-11-2021, 08:41 AM)Bengal Jim Wrote: Think this kid is going to surprise a lot of people, maybe the steal of the draft for us?

you expecting him to start this season?

[SadFaceBengal15]

(08-09-2021, 10:21 AM)PDub80 Wrote: Here's my thing, like, does it matter if it's Jackson Carman today and D'Ante Smith develops over time? Or, if it's D'Ante Smith today while Jackson Carman develops over time? To me, NO, if doesn't matter. I think results from the draft as a whole are what matters and these guys deserve more time than 2 weeks of a camp to develop before being hammered with questions of "What's wrong".

Giving the Bengals veteran linemen like Billy Price, XSF, or Spain... hell, even Michael Jordan at this point a big pass while sitting here demanding Jackson Carman or D'Ante Smith be ready to start at RG week 2 makes little sense to me. I think it is reasonable to give these rookies a full TC, a full 3 Preseason games, and even some games into the season before we, as fans, expect them to be big time contributors. REGARDLESS OF WHAT ROUND THEY WERE CHOSEN IN.

Carman was a 2nd rounder? So was XSF and he is only 30. I think a 30 year old vet who is being paid very well should have the bigger expectations. It's weird to me to see those expectations just tossed onto the next guy because he just showed up to the league.

If Smith or Carman beat out XSF, awesome! But, that says more (or less) about XSF and the money allocated to him than it does the draft picks. To me, the line is about the signing of XSF and 3rd year development of Jordan.... not the drafting and immediate starting if Smith, Hill, or Jackson. Those guys DESERVE time to develop and learn new positions and the Vets OWE it to the Bengals, who are paying them well, to perform at least to the level of "Better than rookie learning a new position".

BTW, Andrew Whitworth only started 12 games as a rookie. These guys need time... and they deserve to be given time by the coaches, the vets (who need to give rookies time by doing their job), and by the fans.

Yeaaaaa we have a qb who was essentially murdered last year cuz the offensive line mainly Michael Jordan whom u mentioned is absolute trailer trash....we don’t have time to sit around and cross our fingers and hope that one of these guys will develop by mid season... we go into next season resembling anything on the offensive line last year burrow gonna get killed again and this is why I’m all for burrow sitting out the season. We aren’t winning anything this year and the bengals of course did an absolutely terrible job at fixing the offensive line.

[*SHRacerX*]

(08-09-2021, 07:27 AM)TJHoushmandzadeh Wrote: One little nugget from the Athletic's latest camp update where D'Ante Smith gets a fair bit of love is how he is now at 320lbs - where's that eye-popping emoji when you need it?

He played at 283lbs last season and one of the major knocks on him was that he'd struggled to keep weight on. Now camp  is always full of stories of players who completely rebuilt their body and are in the best shape of their life but this has me intrigued for the pre-season opener.

His story is an interesting one.  I believe he wasn't able to play most of the year, nor work out because of contact tracing or something, and he couldn't keep the weight on.  He added a little and played very well at the Senior Bowl, despite very limited action all season.

Love how dedicated he has been to the right nutrition and workouts.  Coaches are raving about his coachability.  

Pulling for this guy.  

[*SHRacerX*]

(08-09-2021, 12:58 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: Yeah, this is the main positive so far besides the great play of the Defense. D'Ante has great feet and plays with good technique
but he was too light and most of us thought it would take another year getting his body ready for the NFL but he is definitely WAY
ahead of schedule and can play multiple positions which I didn't know about when we drafted him. I thought he was purely a LT 
but he can play on the right side too and play Guard.

Like what I am hearing, all I want is the best 5 starting on the OL, if it isn't my faves so be it. They evidently aren't ready.

At this point, I am willing to wager that Spain and XSF are the starting guards.  I think the depth behind them will be intriguing, and there will likely be one more tackle added (veteran) as losing Adeniji for the season leaves only Fred Johnson as an experienced OT behind the starters.  

[*SHRacerX*]

(08-11-2021, 08:41 AM)Bengal Jim Wrote: Think this kid is going to surprise a lot of people, maybe the steal of the draft for us?

This may be a subject for another thread, but I have a feeling (based on the draft position) that this honor is going to go to Chris Evans.  

Dude runs routes like a WR, has outstanding athleticism, and can pick up blitzes.  I think his receiving ability should get him snaps.  

[PDub80]

(08-11-2021, 09:34 AM)SadFaceBengal15 Wrote: Yeaaaaa we have a qb who was essentially murdered last year cuz the offensive line mainly Michael Jordan whom u mentioned is absolute trailer trash....we don’t have time to sit around and cross our fingers and hope that one of these guys will develop by mid season... we go into next season resembling anything on the offensive line last year burrow gonna get killed again and this is why I’m all for burrow sitting out the season.  We aren’t winning anything this year and the bengals of course did an absolutely terrible job at fixing the offensive line.

I guess that's my overall point... Hope is not a plan, especially when you'rein control of the situation. For the Bengals to be hoping for ANY ROOKIE to come in and be some sort of savior is nonsensical. Completely idiotic. They should have bit the bullet and signed Zeitler. And now they are probably HOPING (again, dumb) that a decent veteran gets cut and they can swoop him up during the leadup to the season.... HORRIBLE plan.

For Bengals fans to be banging on Carman or Smith, while the vets are completely failing at a job they should already be at least competent at is one of the goofiest lines of thinking I can imagine. The veteran linemen who are sucking deserve the ire of fans. Not the rookies who have had a week or 2 of padded practice at a new position.

[kalibengal]

(08-11-2021, 10:33 AM)PDub80 Wrote: I guess that's my overall point... Hope is not a plan, especially when you'rein control of the situation. For the Bengals to be hoping for ANY ROOKIE to come in and be some sort of savior is nonsensical. Completely idiotic. They should have bit the bullet and signed Zeitler. And now they are probably HOPING (again, dumb) that a decent veteran gets cut and they can swoop him up during the leadup to the season.... HORRIBLE plan.

For Bengals fans to be banging on Carman or Smith, while the vets are completely failing at a job they should already be at least competent at is one of the goofiest lines of thinking I can imagine. The veteran linemen who are sucking deserve the ire of fans. Not the rookies who have had a week or 2 of padded practice at a new position.

Ive been trying to have a positive attitude towards the OL issues (Pollack back, Carman etc) and to see the guy that got forklifted into Burrows knee (MJ) inserted as starting G is extetremely delfating. Hoping this is just a tactic to light a fire under some asses. 

[Sled21]

(08-11-2021, 11:53 AM)kalibengal Wrote: Ive been trying to have a positive attitude towards the OL issues (Pollack back, Carman etc) and to see the guy that got forklifted into Burrows knee (MJ) inserted as starting G is extetremely delfating. Hoping this is just a tactic to light a fire under some asses. 

It really is just the depth chart for the 1st pre season game..... and that's all it is. People make too much out of it.

[PDub80]

(08-11-2021, 11:53 AM)kalibengal Wrote: Ive been trying to have a positive attitude towards the OL issues (Pollack back, Carman etc) and to see the guy that got forklifted into Burrows knee (MJ) inserted as starting G is extetremely delfating. Hoping this is just a tactic to light a fire under some asses. 

Hey, at least for the next few weeks, at worst, he'll just be the guy getting forklifted into BA's knees.

^ That's my best silverlining

And, maybe he shows up big time? He had a very heartfelt interview early summer where he didn't shy away from personal accountability and said he didn't stop working from season end till now. We shall see!

[*Nate (formerly eliminate08)*]

(08-11-2021, 10:04 AM)SHRacerX Wrote: At this point, I am willing to wager that Spain and XSF are the starting guards.  I think the depth behind them will be intriguing, and there will likely be one more tackle added (veteran) as losing Adeniji for the season leaves only Fred Johnson as an experienced OT behind the starters.  

Yeah, I am kind of leaning that way. Carman could get much better by the season opener and take the RG spot but if he doesn't
so be it and when both Spain and XSF were playing at the Guard positions last season the entire OL was much better.