Bengals.com says Coach Lewis often critical of rookies early, but said, " That's probably the best opening day we've had. It show's they've been doing things to get ready to get in here and that's good. " . Coach liked the tempo, saying he tried to impress that upon them coming in, and they must have listened to his warnings.

It mentions players who stood out on Day 1.......CB, William Jackson and LB, Nick Vigil looked like 5 year veterans......DT , Andrew Billings looked good......G, Chris Westerman played some center. .....At WR, Tyler Boyd excelled at WR and also worked on punt and kick returns.  Core did well until he got a leg cramp. Alonzo Russell caught the ball smoothly. ....Slot candidates Alex Erickson and Antwane Grant didn't look out of position.  About every ball was caught, which shows the QBs in camp were on target also, such as Matt Johnson.

I wanted to post this because a lot of people are still looking at their draft magazines and questioning picks. Let it be known that the picks are in camp and had a great first day, including Vigil....The 2016 season just started, the road to the Super Bowl begins in practice. 

(05-07-2016, 05:06 PM)kevin Wrote: Bengals.com says Coach Lewis often critical of rookies early, but said, " That's probably the best opening day we've had. It show's they've been doing things to get ready to get in here and that's good. " . Coach liked the tempo, saying he tried to impress that upon them coming in, and they must have listened to his warnings.

It mentions players who stood out on Day 1.......CB, William Jackson and LB, Nick Vigil looked like 5 year veterans......DT , Andrew Billings looked good......G, Chris Westerman played some center. .....At WR, Tyler Boyd excelled at WR and also worked on punt and kick returns.  Core did well until he got a leg cramp. Alonzo Russell caught the ball smoothly. ....Slot candidates Alex Erickson and Antwane Grant didn't look out of position.  About every ball was caught, which shows the QBs in camp were on target also, such as Matt Johnson.

I wanted to post this because a lot of people are still looking at their draft magazines and questioning picks. Let it be known that the picks are in camp and had a great first day, including Vigil....The 2016 season just started, the road to the Super Bowl begins in practice. 

I don't know anyone questioning the quality of the players selected by the Bengals. What makes my heart warm and fussy all over are the highlighted points above.

Westerman getting some work at Center just puts a smile on my face!

Boyd getting work in the return game adds that warm feeling! Hopefully he's smart enough to know when and when not to come out of the endzone. Sounds like a simple choice, and it is, but not everyone in an NFL uniform can make that decision correctly in a game.

Jackson and Vigil looking like vets means we're going to be seeing them in games sooner rather than later.

I heard the the Dolphins were not even going t have their rookies on the field during this first training period. Nothing but classroom work. They feel that the biggest adjustments for rookies is mental instead of physical. They also said that even though the drills were supposed to be no-contact or limited contact the undrafted free agents were so eager to make an impression that they would get carried away.

(05-07-2016, 05:24 PM)fredtoast Wrote: I heard the the Dolphins were not even going t have their rookies on the field during this first training period.  Nothing but classroom work.  They feel that the biggest adjustments for rookies is mental instead of physical.  They also said that even though the drills were supposed to be no-contact or limited contact the undrafted free agents were so eager to make an impression that they would get carried away.

I read that article too, but I thought it was a dumb strategy. Doesn't running the plays on the field reinforce the work the guys do in the classroom? I would think some players would learn faster form doing it on the field. Weird coaching philosophy down there in Miami.

(05-07-2016, 05:37 PM)GreenCornBengal Wrote: I read that article too, but I thought it was a dumb strategy. Doesn't running the plays on the field reinforce the work the guys do in the classroom? I would think some players would learn faster form doing it on the field. Weird coaching philosophy down there in Miami.

I think a lot of it was more about life skills than the playbook.

(05-07-2016, 05:57 PM)fredtoast Wrote: I think a lot of it was more about life skills than the playbook.

I guess you have to focus on stuff outside of football when you are in miami. And the guy you made your first round pick was smoking a gas mask bong in front of the world.

(05-07-2016, 05:06 PM)kevin Wrote: Bengals.com says Coach Lewis often critical of rookies early, but said, " They are the best rookies I have ever seen in my coaching life. So accordingly, they won't be expected to be starters until the 4th year of their contracts. " .

Fixed the blatant blanketing fluff piece, that was no doubt written by Hobson, to be a little more accurate.

(05-07-2016, 05:24 PM)fredtoast Wrote: I heard the the Dolphins were not even going t have their rookies on the field during this first training period.  Nothing but classroom work.  They feel that the biggest adjustments for rookies is mental instead of physical.  They also said that even though the drills were supposed to be no-contact or limited contact the undrafted free agents were so eager to make an impression that they would get carried away.

Well, the Dolphins have been so good for so long, I'm sure every other team will be quick to copy their blueprint for success.

(05-07-2016, 05:57 PM)fredtoast Wrote: I think a lot of it was more about life skills than the playbook.

I could see them thinking that was a necessary thing.  Particularly with all of the life temptation associated with living in South Florida.

(05-07-2016, 05:24 PM)fredtoast Wrote: I heard the the Dolphins were not even going t have their rookies on the field during this first training period. Nothing but classroom work. They feel that the biggest adjustments for rookies is mental instead of physical. They also said that even though the drills were supposed to be no-contact or limited contact the undrafted free agents were so eager to make an impression that they would get carried away.

Read that article as well. I really liked the piece and am interested to track how that works for them.

It really does make sense. Some of the things from the article (from memory, as I read it a few weeks ago when it came out):

1) Most of these rookies come off anywhere from 13-15 games during the regular/post season in college. Go immediately into workouts for Senior Bowl/Shrine Game. Then immediately into workouts for the Combine/Pto Days/Team Workouts. So we are talking from September through April non stop. The extra rest may benefit vs the "rookie wall".

2) Players that spend more time in the classroom may be more up to speed by the time vets get into camp. Less of a learning curve and can judge them vs established players better.

3) Spending more time with off the field specialists such as nutritionists, life coaches and money managers, which would benefit ALL NFL rookies, let alone those with millions to burn in a city like Miami.

It all sounds great, but of course like anything, the jury is out until we see the execution of it. If it succeeds, it may start a changing of the guard in the way teams approach handling incoming rookies as well as the way players adapt to the NFL lifestyle.

It's very exciting as an experiment.

(05-07-2016, 05:21 PM)BengalChris Wrote: Westerman getting some work at Center just puts a smile on my face!

I wouldn't read too much into it, the article says ALL guards got time at center, as any backup on the o line has to be able to back up 3 positions....