5 UFAs with best chance to make roster

[Bengalholic]

Interesting read from Jay Morrison.

Do you agree with his assessment that these 5 guys having the best shot at the 53?

If you had to predict one of them to make the final cut, who would it be?

[SunsetBengal]

Right now? I'd say it would have to be Flowers. His versatility, athleticism and football IQ could make him a dynamic weapon for the Bengals offense. His broad skillset provides the opportunity to add creative wrinkles to the offensive game plan, such as Wilcat QB, double passes, etc.

I also agree with Morrison that Worley and Rolland-Jones are good candidates to possibly make the final cut. Like he said, LB is definitely a position where the Bengals have an opportunity to take a solid, 4 game look at some new talent. I think the road to the roster is a little tougher for Rolland-Jones. As of now, I only see him as a one skill guy, and I think it will be tough to displace anyone by having only one demonstrable skill to sell. Now, if he shows that he can be competent dropping into coverage, or using his quickness to seal the edge? Who knows, he might have a better shot.

[XenoMorph]

Worley or Ja’Von Rolland-Jones

Are my Picks Flowers has an outside shot at the 4th and probly inactive RB spot.

[fredtoast]

I don't really see a spot for any of them, but there is a good chance that one of them (or another UFA) will make the roster.

I'd say Worley just because we are very thin at that position while Burfict is out.

If we can get Peerman's ST production from another position Flowers may have a shot.  But Flowers would have to be a ST ace himself.


BTW Ryan Hewitt was also an UFA but they don't mention him in this story.

[sandwedge]

I just don't see Flowers making it to the 53 man roster. He's learning a new position that already has tremendous talent. I think he will be a PS player.

[SunsetBengal]

(05-16-2018, 02:31 PM)sandwedge Wrote: I just don't see Flowers making it to the 53 man roster. He's learning a new position that already has tremendous talent. I think he will be a PS player.

What if he beats out Mark Walton?  Same height as Walton, #10 heavier, .05 second faster, bigger and presumably stronger hands = less likely to fumble.  One of the knocks on Walton was he fumbled about every 90 touches.

[Au165]

(05-16-2018, 02:43 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: What if he beats out Mark Walton?  Same height as Walton, #10 heavier, .05 second faster, bigger and presumably stronger hands = less likely to fumble.  One of the knocks on Walton was he fumbled about every 90 touches.

...dude has never played HB which means odds are he has 0 chance of playing on 3rd down year 1 as he has never had to pass protect. Flowers is going to the PS unless someone else gets hurt is my guess. Remember Walton also plays a lot of special teams too, one of the big things they liked about him.

[SunsetBengal]

(05-16-2018, 03:08 PM)Au165 Wrote: ...dude has never played HB which means odds are he has 0 chance of playing on 3rd down year 1 as he has never had to pass protect. Flowers is going to the PS unless someone else gets hurt is my guess. Remember Walton also plays a lot of special teams too, one of the big things they liked about him.

I don't think the idea of Flowers making the roster is so far fetched.  You say he's never played HB, but he ran for 3,566 yds in his college career.  I'm sure that he's quite comfortable with contact, as well as carrying the ball.  You say that he's never pass blocked before.  While that is true, as a QB it was his duty to know the role of every player on every play he ever ran.  I don't see it nearly being as tough of a transition as you make it out to be.

Yes, I know that Mark Walton has plenty of upside.  But, I also know how Marvin feels about fumbles..  1 fumble for every 90 touches isn't that good of a ratio.  All it will take is a couple of miscues in preseason, and Walton could easily end up at the bottom of Marvin's depth chart.

[*wildcats forever*]

(05-16-2018, 02:43 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: What if he beats out Mark Walton?  Same height as Walton, #10 heavier, .05 second faster, bigger and presumably stronger hands = less likely to fumble.  One of the knocks on Walton was he fumbled about every 90 touches.

Walton may have an advantage if it came down to he and Flowers with his experience/success at running plus receiving. Plus not a fumble in his last 274 carries. https://www.nfl.com/prospects/mark-walton?id=32462018-0002-5600-31f4-cfeb568d66bc

I look for the LB in this scenario. If Worley shows well, he'd be welcome is my guess

[SunsetBengal]

(05-16-2018, 03:22 PM)wildcats forever Wrote: Walton may have an advantage if it came down to he and Flowers with his experience/success at running plus receiving. Plus not a fumble in his last 274 carries. https://www.nfl.com/prospects/mark-walton?id=32462018-0002-5600-31f4-cfeb568d66bc

I look for the LB in this scenario. If Worley shows well, he'd be welcome is my guess

Alright, I can clearly see that I'm the minority opinion here that Flowers has an excellent shot of making the opening day roster. 

In Flowers' defense, I'm going to go with;  As a QB, his hand eye coordination is impeccable.  Dude likely handled 2500+ shotgun snaps in his college career, all while keeping his eyes on the defense at the same time.

[XenoMorph]

(05-16-2018, 03:28 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: Alright, I can clearly see that I'm the minority opinion here that Flowers has an excellent shot of making the opening day roster. 

In Flowers' defense, I'm going to go with;  As a QB, his hand eye coordination is impeccable.  Dude likely handled 2500+ shotgun snaps in his college career, all while keeping his eyes on the defense at the same time.

we do keep a QB on the PS which he would be an excellent candidate for if hes switching positions.

[3wt]

(05-16-2018, 03:28 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: Alright, I can clearly see that I'm the minority opinion here that Flowers has an excellent shot of making the opening day roster. 

In Flowers' defense, I'm going to go with;  As a QB, his hand eye coordination is impeccable.  Dude likely handled 2500+ shotgun snaps in his college career, all while keeping his eyes on the defense at the same time.

Actually you are in good company.   I know Dan Hoard has a strong feeling that Flowers makes the club.  He feels (if I recall) that Flowers has the versatile label - which the Bengals have always coveted.  And Marvin speaks highly of Flowers which certainly counts for something.

There are a lot of very interesting new players.   Gonna be a scrum for sure.

[*pally*]

With 11 draft picks to compete against, all these guys have major uphill battles. Something compelled the team to draft those other players ahead of the free agents. It isn't like these guys are a special case like Burfict was. Flowers is interesting but he is converting to a position where we have depth. We may see one make the roster, most likely Worley due to position need and a couple of others head for the PS.

[*wildcats forever*]

(05-16-2018, 03:28 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: Alright, I can clearly see that I'm the minority opinion here that Flowers has an excellent shot of making the opening day roster. 

In Flowers' defense, I'm going to go with;  As a QB, his hand eye coordination is impeccable.  Dude likely handled 2500+ shotgun snaps in his college career, all while keeping his eyes on the defense at the same time.

Hey, who am I to deny Flower Power? I hope he's that good!

[Au165]

(05-16-2018, 03:19 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: I don't think the idea of Flowers making the roster is so far fetched.  You say he's never played HB, but he ran for 3,566 yds in his college career.  I'm sure that he's quite comfortable with contact, as well as carrying the ball.  You say that he's never pass blocked before.  While that is true, as a QB it was his duty to know the role of every player on every play he ever ran.  I don't see it nearly being as tough of a transition as you make it out to be.

Yes, I know that Mark Walton has plenty of upside.  But, I also know how Marvin feels about fumbles..  1 fumble for every 90 touches isn't that good of a ratio.  All it will take is a couple of miscues in preseason, and Walton could easily end up at the bottom of Marvin's depth chart.

Running as a QB isn't running as a HB, one is downhill with stacked boxes the other is broken plays with defenders backs to you or read options where you only run by design against a mismatch. It is kind of laughable you'd even compare their rushing statistics because they just aren't an apple to apples comparison, in fact if they were many more QB's with much better rushing stats than Flowers would have wound up as NFL HB's. As for pass protection, knowing what to do and being able to do it are two completely different things. He has never had to swivel his head and come across the formation and stone wall a blitzing LB, your just assuming he can do it and the reality is many HB's can't. 

0 fumbles in his last 274 carries, seems that issue got corrected.

He may make it but I think he will be a PS player that could sneak on the team with an injury or two.

[fredtoast]

(05-16-2018, 04:33 PM)pally Wrote:  Something compelled the team to draft those other players ahead of the free agents. 

BINGO!

[Bilbo Saggins]

Rolland-Jones has the best shot of the UDFAs to make the 53 imo. His sack production suggests that he has some qualities that you can't teach. 

[dr tarzan]

I think Worley is better right now than 3 guys on the roster last year, I would replace Brandon Bell, Nickerson, and that totally wasted draft pick Nick Vigil with him in a heartbeat.

[BengalChris]

(05-16-2018, 07:23 PM)dr tarzan Wrote: I think Worley is better right now than 3 guys on the roster last year,   I would replace Brandon Bell, Nickerson, and that totally wasted draft pick Nick Vigil with him in a heartbeat.

Yeah, Vigil was a liability out there as a starter last year.

It's hard to believe there was a Nick Vigil fan club on this board when he was drafted, something I didn't understand at the time and still don't.

[t3r3e3]

(05-16-2018, 02:43 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: What if he beats out Mark Walton?  Same height as Walton, #10 heavier, .05 second faster, bigger and presumably stronger hands = less likely to fumble.  One of the knocks on Walton was he fumbled about every 90 touches.

Walton is still my least favorite pick of the draft. Small, athletically limited backs who fumble and are injury prone like Walton do not profile well in the NFL. He tested comparable/worse than Jeremy Hill at 30 pounds lighter.