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Astro-Notes: Day 1, Friday 7/31


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OL

--Kouandjio canm flat-out run. He got to the second level on a play faster than Jason Peters used to do.

 

if Kouandjio can step up this year that would be huge for the team.

if you have the time - could you please give us a little more on Sammy?

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interesting - your take on EJ being the best QB is different than the impression i got via media/twitter. very happy to hear that, as i'm rooting for the guy.

 

also, everyone else seemed to think that shady catch was over bradham, not powell.

also: as others have said, thanks for writing this up.

Take a look. It was Powell. They're saying Bradham.

http://www.scout.com/nfl/bills/story/1568802-watch-bills-rb-lesean-mccoy-s-circus-catch

I know it's still hard to tell before the pads come on, but how does Cyrus look fitness wise compared to last year? He had so much potential coming out of Alabama and I would hate to see him bust.

Kouandjio is in amazing shape. I was hearing that, and just saw it with my own two eyes. Fast as all get-out on the pull, which Roman does a lot of.

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Kouandjio is in amazing shape. I was hearing that, and just saw it with my own two eyes. Fast as all get-out on the pull, which Roman does a lot of.

That's fantastic. One of biggest worries was that his knee might limit his ability to pull. Here's hoping he lives up to his potential.

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Thanks so much, Astro. I really love your camp reports!

 

At the :15 second mark of that video you can clearly see the defender is #53. That's Bradham, right?

I'm seeing #53, Nigel Bradham.

 

Thrown by #8, Matt Simms.

 

Caught by #25, Orgy Porgy.

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Practice Notes Day 1, Friday:

Practice began precisely at 10:00 am under a cloudless sky and perfect temps. I had some DraftTek buddies there today, so they helped with unfamiliar jersey numbers, etc. 35 of the current 88 players won't make this roster, and that's too bad, because the strength and depth of this team is incredible. We decided that there will be some regrettable cuts at WR, RB, and TE, where we are deep.

Players who caught our eyes this mornng included:

RB Karlos Williams (bigger and faster than expected, who'd give a fourth quarter pounding to every team we're leading);

RB Shady McCoy (he came over to our section and got the crowd cheering, then threw an NFL football into the stands. The guy in front of me caught it, and gave it to a six-year-old boy. Both were classy moves. Shady also had a great catch vs Ty Powell that was my Play of the Day.

WR Sammy Watkins. He looked 100%, and will do everything to merit being a Pro Bowl receiver.

WR Deonte Thompson (PS receiver and/or gunner, who impressed us with slick out-and-in moves to thwart double-teams in the kicking game);

WR Andre Davis (two very impressive fingertip catches, one over his shoulder for 40+ yards against air);

WR Marcus Thigpen (three nice catches...listed in the training camp as 6'9", so a typo. He's not 6'1")

P Colton Schmidt has deeper kicks with more hang time than last year. One went 60+ yards and bounced out at the 1.

QB EJ Manuel, whose throwing motion and particularly decisiveness trumped the others today. All QBs hand off to Shady nicely. Keep that in mind. Tyrod had a nice lead pass to Fred Jackson worth mentioning, and Cassel is better than I thought at leading his man. Simms will be a better PS guy than Tuel.

Music was playing all morning during practice. Lots of songs you'd know (Funk You Up, Juke Box Hero, Sweet Caroline--we play Panthers a week from Friday).

Random:

--Jimmy Gaines had a nice strip, resulting in a fumble.

--Felton had two drops this morning. Conner, Rex's FB, caught all balls thrown to him. Line for 11:11 was Glenn-Miller-Wood-Cyril-Kujo at one point.

--TE Mulligan made two nice catches. He's known as a blocking TE, but could end up being the 4th TE if he keeps this up. Gragg, not to be outdone, had a nice catch, too, where he faked a block and slanted in.

--Duke Williams INT was due to intense DL and LB pressure. We can bring it.

--Gilmore isn't there yet. Of course, he was on an island vs Watkins, then Harvin, then Goodwin. Later, Woods sells Gilly on a fly pattern and slants over the middle.

--I'm seeing the pre-snap shifts and motions that Greg Roman has instituted.

 

Some more notes, as I have time today:

WR

--Dezmin Lewis has the height (6'4") but he's thinner in the upper body than you'd like. Needs weight room and chicken wings. Two drops today.

--Justin Brown is the Oklahoma receiver who is 6-3, and boy is he smooth catching the football. I saw two seamless hands catches from him.

--Thigpen is doing all he can to make this squad as a WR as well as a PR/KR. Three nice catches I saw and solid work fielding punts from Colton Schmidt today.

--

ST

--We should have a top 3 special teams group this year. That's the good news. It's likely bad news for a player or two from last year. Easley? Boobie?

CB

--Somebody has to tell Darby those red knee sox are...well... popular in the 1950's. With the girls.

--There is a DB in came with "Miller" and "43" on his jersey that's not in the program. Any news?

OL

--Kouandjio canm flat-out run. He got to the second level on a play faster than Jason Peters used to do.

LB

--Tony Steward looks like he's full go. That spells doom for somebody. Tarpley?

TE

--O'Leary didn't drop a ball today. He's the TE version of Chris Hogan.

--Clay is half a head bigger than O'Leary, yet they're both listed as 6-3.

I'll try and answer any questions you have. I'm going back tomorrow.Dean Kindig

 

 

 

Thanks, Dean. Great stuff. Please post at the OBBFP, too.

Edited by ChevyVanMiller
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Practice Notes Day 1, Friday:

 

Practice began precisely at 10:00 am under a cloudless sky and perfect temps. I had some DraftTek buddies there today, so they helped with unfamiliar jersey numbers, etc. 35 of the current 88 players won't make this roster, and that's too bad, because the strength and depth of this team is incredible. We decided that there will be some regrettable cuts at WR, RB, and TE, where we are deep.

Players who caught our eyes this mornng included:

RB Karlos Williams (bigger and faster than expected, who'd give a fourth quarter pounding to every team we're leading);

RB Shady McCoy (he came over to our section and got the crowd cheering, then threw an NFL football into the stands. The guy in front of me caught it, and gave it to a six-year-old boy. Both were classy moves. Shady also had a great catch vs Ty Powell that was my Play of the Day.

WR Sammy Watkins. He looked 100%, and will do everything to merit being a Pro Bowl receiver.

WR Deonte Thompson (PS receiver and/or gunner, who impressed us with slick out-and-in moves to thwart double-teams in the kicking game);

WR Andre Davis (two very impressive fingertip catches, one over his shoulder for 40+ yards against air);

WR Marcus Thigpen (three nice catches...listed in the training camp as 6'9", so a typo. He's not 6'1")

P Colton Schmidt has deeper kicks with more hang time than last year. One went 60+ yards and bounced out at the 1.

QB EJ Manuel, whose throwing motion and particularly decisiveness trumped the others today. All QBs hand off to Shady nicely. Keep that in mind. Tyrod had a nice lead pass to Fred Jackson worth mentioning, and Cassel is better than I thought at leading his man. Simms will be a better PS guy than Tuel.

 

Music was playing all morning during practice. Lots of songs you'd know (Funk You Up, Juke Box Hero, Sweet Caroline--we play Panthers a week from Friday).

Random:

--Jimmy Gaines had a nice strip, resulting in a fumble.

--Felton had two drops this morning. Conner, Rex's FB, caught all balls thrown to him. Line for 11:11 was Glenn-Miller-Wood-Cyril-Kujo at one point.

--TE Mulligan made two nice catches. He's known as a blocking TE, but could end up being the 4th TE if he keeps this up. Gragg, not to be outdone, had a nice catch, too, where he faked a block and slanted in.

--Duke Williams INT was due to intense DL and LB pressure. We can bring it.

--Gilmore isn't there yet. Of course, he was on an island vs Watkins, then Harvin, then Goodwin. Later, Woods sells Gilly on a fly pattern and slants over the middle.

--I'm seeing the pre-snap shifts and motions that Greg Roman has instituted.

Some more notes, as I have time today:

WR

--Dezmin Lewis has the height (6'4") but he's thinner in the upper body than you'd like. Needs weight room and chicken wings. Two drops today.

--Justin Brown is the Oklahoma receiver who is 6-3, and boy is he smooth catching the football. I saw two seamless hands catches from him.

--Thigpen is doing all he can to make this squad as a WR as well as a PR/KR. Three nice catches I saw and solid work fielding punts from Colton Schmidt today.

--

ST

--We should have a top 3 special teams group this year. That's the good news. It's likely bad news for a player or two from last year. Easley? Boobie?

CB

--Somebody has to tell Darby those red knee sox are...well... popular in the 1950's. With the girls.

--There is a DB in came with "Miller" and "43" on his jersey that's not in the program. Any news?

OL

--Kouandjio canm flat-out run. He got to the second level on a play faster than Jason Peters used to do.

LB

--Tony Steward looks like he's full go. That spells doom for somebody. Tarpley?

TE

--O'Leary didn't drop a ball today. He's the TE version of Chris Hogan.

--Clay is half a head bigger than O'Leary, yet they're both listed as 6-3.

I'll try and answer any questions you have. I'm going back tomorrow.Dean Kindig

As always well detailed, thank you.
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Wonder why there's such a disconnect? Seems as if the media wants to see EJ fail.

 

I don't think they want to see him fail...they want to prove themselves right (that he was a reach and a mistake). Proving oneself correct is more important to a lot of people than just having an adult, intellectual conversation in which both parties can make points without either having to "win."

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