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AstroNotes7 : Bills Camp Tuesday August 16

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After a rain delay to my start, I arrived at the Bills' turf field at 10:20 or so. The grass fields would have been a quagmire with the torrential rains that passed through Rochester from 8:45-10:00. You are glad to see Lawson's #91 out there with the D-Line, further bolstered by inside DL #98, Brandon Deaderick (TJ Barnes' old number, no name on the back for now), beefy true NT Alameda Ta'amu wearing a duplicate 96 also with no nameplate yet, and #43, Kroy Biermann, who does have his name sewn on.

 

I've only missed calisthenics and the initial kick return practice. Whew!

 

The QBs are practicing swing passes left and right. Tyrod's 1 for 2, and EJ and Cardale are 2 for 2. The O-Line is finally doing five on five line blocking, practicing various line combinations to get the blocking down right. The QBs and WRs are on the field out in front of me and my sidekick, @CJchristiansen3 . Tyrod shows his accuracy on deep balls, going 6 for 7, overthrowing Sammy. Best catch was probably Goodwin's, who had to track the ball directly overhead running full out. HE juggled it once, but I doubt a DB would have ebeen able to catch him at the speed he was going. EJ had a miserable time connecting with the same group of receivers. One was off Goodwin's fingertips, his next pass turned Woods around, Sammy dropped his, he overthrew Kain Colter and Powell in succession. Greg Little made a sweet grab of one ball, and Jarrett Boykin, who's not done competing for a slot, got the other. EJ finished the deep ball drill 2 for 7, with 4 of the 7 off target.

 

The Rolling Stones' "Start Me Up" comes on the PA system as the QBs and WRs work on fakes inside/throw to the outside. Meanwhile, the OL and DL are opposite each other, with the DL practicing stunts while the OL works on opening gaping holes for our stable of 6 possible running backs that could make this squad. I'm cutting Boom Herron and putting Wilder on the PS. The QBs and WRs are now on the 10, working on chemistry along the front and back lines of the end zone. Tyrod is 5 for 6, and the understudies are 3 for 3 each. Goodwin makes the best play down here, catching the ball and getting his two feet down before going out of bounds.

 

Rob Ryan's doing a lot of teaching out there. He spent a good amount of time with several of the ILBs, and with Biermann. Didn't see his wife, although I looked.

 

As positionals continued, the TEs and RBs joined in, both having to make catches at the pylon.

 

We wonder if the addition at NT might change Dareus' role to that of a 5-tech, although he's done amazingly as a NT in the 3-4 front. Ta'amu is dominating vs the run, and Biermann is a OLB good vs the pass (#7 in the NFL last year on a bad defense). Washington's very good at pass rushing, while Lawson's good at everything. Or was. He's an ancient age 31 coming off a pec tear, but at least he's out there.

 

11 on 11 drills start. What's the most striking is the defensive communication. It's loud and clear. Only Rob Ryan is signaling on the sidelines, not Dennis Thurman. The first play is a nifty run by Shady McCoy. The crowd erupts, especially the youngsters from youth day camps who are in the stands today. On the second play, Karlos pinballs through the defensive backfield, although he might have been tackled sooner than later. After all, this defense allowed 1.3 ypc last Saturday. In contrast, on the third play, Mike Gillislee looks strong and smooth through a hole with better blocking. The fourth play was a hard count, drawing Adolphus Washington and Jerel Worthy offsides. Tyrod followed up with another hard count, pulling Corbin Bryant over the LOS. All run, and they bring in Justin Zimmer. A back gets a handoff and, from the jukes and wiggles, you'd mistake him for Shady: it's Jonathan Williams cranking through there. We have an embarrassment of riches at the running back spot.

 

The sun comes out, and to the tune of "Save a Horse Ride a Cowboy", EJ takes over the reins. Wilder gets the draw and is full-tackled by Hawthorne, who looks 100% better from his ding in the Colts game. EJ fakes the handoff on the next play, throwing it to Woods for a completion. Not having to wait long, Cardale gets his turn. At the line, he shows the poise we've been seeing, re-positioning his guys when he detects blitz, and throws a perfect screen to Blake Annen on Striker's side. Chris MArtin is showing more effectiveness against Zimmer, being able to control him mano-e-mano. Both players have upside, and belong on the practice squad. Zimmer gets double-teamed on the next play, but is still able to generate push toward the QB Cardale. Striker pays too much attention to the TE assigned to block him, and Wilder goes inside for a nice gain. On the very next play, Striker doesn't show he learned a thing; Boom Herron takes the inside gap as Annen gets too much of Striker's attention.

 

Session 6 begins. Corey White is the last to notice that everyone is no longer on the sidelines and moving to a new session. The rain resumes, but only drizzle, not lasting for long. We get more 11 on 11, as Tyrod throws a rope to Watkins, who makes a hands catch look simple. Gillislee gets the edge on a 15-yard scamper up the near side. A quick out to LeSean McCoy goes for bonus yards. I glance at the other field to see Cardale almost get intercepted by Jerry Hughes. The first team is set up again, and Wilder, who's the least speedy of the 6 RBs, tries to get to the edge on the far side, to no avail. A quick out to Sammy again gets 10+ yards. Kudos to the D-Line, because Tyrod's next hard count fails to draw any movement into the neutral zone. Shady zigzags for 10+ yards, and it sure looks like the Bills will lead the league again in big plays again this year. Valles is the OLB on the right end right now, and more than once, shows he has moves; he's one of the youngest on the team, so his development gets us a decade of production. Sammy takes a bullet and zooms for 20+ yards due to superior pass protection from the line, still using Kouandjio and Groy on the left side. You see great chatter among the players on D, even more noticeable on the other end of the field where the twos get reps. I spot O'Leary making a beautiful catch over there. Back on the ones' end, A swing pass, as practiced in positional drills, nets Shady a 15+ yard gain. Woods makes one Catch of the Day down the right-hand side, covered well by Colt Anderson and Robert Blanton.

 

I spy Kroy Biermann and watch him for a bit. On one play, he's heading in from his outside edge, then immediately recognizes a swing pass, changes direction quickly (good for having had an Achilles injury a year ago), and heads out at a perfect angle to meet the RB just past the line of scrimmage. Robey-Coleman is hobbling on the sidelines, and in a touching moment, I see Manny Lawson come over and give him a bro hug. They talk for several minutes. Lawson has been there, and is doing his part as a veteran on this team. Welcome back Manny.

 

Tyrod throws a fade pass to Goodwin on the sidelines, thrown in only the place where Goods can grab it. Darby and Seymour were both right where they should be. The D covers all of the receivers on the next play, and Tyrod throws it away. Tyrod throws a nice ball to Clay, OVER THE MIDDLE, up high where he can get it. EJ Manuel's in and he recognizes Greg Little running a delayed crossing route OVER THE MIDDLE for a big gain. I spy Kain Colter recognizing that EJ's in trouble and breaking off his route, then making a difficult catch on the run. Cardale's now the QB, and he throws a bullet to Boykin, and avoids the strip the defenders are trying for. Kain Colter goes up high for a second bullet, but the ball is tipped and almost intercepted. EJ comes in and finishes it off with a Powell catch in dense traffic, and gets a clap of approval from Manuel. O'Leary makes a Touchdown Catch in the end zone for EJ.

 

Tyrod returns, hitting Woods in more traffic, and Woods falls backwards to secure the reception; this gets a clap from Tyrod. Watkins drops one in the end zone, back in the corner. It was a catchable ball. We see Shady split wide on the next play, and Gragg makes the other Catch of the Day for a Touchdown, even though Tyrod's throw turned him around. I was very impressed by those hands. Tyrod throws a fade to the coffin corner, and it's well-defended by Darby for an incompletion.

 

Drill 8 begins, which allows me to see more team dynamics. Washington, Bryant, and Casey Walker are all talking with each other. Ta'amu is already in with Deaderick, Worthy, and Edwards, with Justin Zimmer standing more on the periphery. Rob Ryan's talking at length with Brandon Spikes (hopefully about pass coverage). Ed Reed is back coaching Powell up as he fields Schmidt's 53-yard punts. The OL is practicing walling off defenders with their body. Jordan Mills stands out as being quite agile for his size. Preston Brown comes to the sidelines looking out of breath.

 

In Drill 9, another 11 on 11, Rob Ryan's the only one giving signals to the D. Blake Annen throws a wonderful block, springing Tyrod on a keeper around the end. On the next play, you notice that Colter and Boykin are unable to gain enough separation against the first team. On the next play, it happens again; Little and Colter can't separate from their coverage. Sammy makes a nice move on Gilmore on the next play, and does create the needed separation, but so does Charles Clay. Watkins' move was an inside button-hook, followed by an in route. IT was a thing of beauty. Karlos gains the edge on Adolphus Washington, a rarity if you saw him in college, and tramples 10 yards. Finally, Hughes makes a deceptive inside move, and a rushed Tyrod throws incomplete to Sammy. EJ comes in and goes 0 for 2. His first was low and limp, and his second throw was over Little's head. Little just shakes his head and says (I'm projecting here), "Why can't I get any decent throws?" Cardale's in and deosn't do much better; he leads Annen a little too far on a post route for 40 yards. Striker once again lets the ball-carrier go inside by paying too much attention to the blocker. But then we see the Striker he could become. On the final play, Striker just abuses Justin Renfrow at RT and woulc have taken Cardale down for a sack.

 

The practice ended with some sloppy play by both O and D, lowlighted by: (1) a Goodwin catch on the sidelines called out of bounds by the rent-a-refs. (2) A Herron run for very little. (3) A bad pass to Gragg, who, like Little, also saw more poor passes than good. (4) Tyrod's bullet to Woods in the end zone that he can't reel in. But there were some highlights, too. EJ makes two reads, then takes off to his left, and hits Powell in the back of the end zone for a Touchdown and our last Catch of the Day. Boykin follows it up with a similar Touchdown Catch on the very next play, but Powell's was the more impressive.

 

I'll return tomorrow for my very last AstroNotes for this year. Go Bills!

~Astro

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Marty McFly Veteran

Marty McFly

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[i'll remove this when done typing]

 

After a rain delay to my start, I arrived at the Bills' turf field at 10:20 or so. The grass fields would have been a quagmire with the torrential rains that passed through Rochester from 8:45-10:00. You are glad to see Lawson's #91 out there with the D-Line, further bolstered by inside DL #98, Brandon Deaderick (TJ Barnes' old number, no name on the back for now), beefy true NT Alameda Ta'amu wearing a duplicate 96 also with no nameplate yet, and #43, Kroy Biermann, who does have his name sewn on.

 

I've only missed calisthenics and the initial kick return practice. Whew!

 

Havent commented much this summer since I been using my Ps3 to check in on TBD. Thanks for posting these, I read em more often then the newspaper. Also you been there most of camp so what is your projected WR Depth chart? Judging by what I read by you and a couple other Bills brehs Im thinking its

1. Watkins

2. Woods

3. Goodwin (if healthy)

4. Powell

5. Dez

 

not sure about 6th but im guessing they wont get rid of Listenbee since they jus drafted him, and we still need a spot for Easly rite? If they red shirt Listenbee can another team creel him from us?

 

Edited by Marty McFly
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Astrobot Veteran

Astrobot

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Havent commented much this summer since I been using my Ps3 to check in on TBD. Thanks for posting these, I read em more often then the newspaper. Also you been there most of camp so what is your projected WR Depth chart? Judging by what I read by you and a couple other Bills brehs Im thinking its

1. Watkins

2. Woods

3. Goodwin (if healthy)

4. Powell

5. Dez

 

not sure about 6th but im guessing they wont get rid of Listenbee since they jus drafted him, and we still need a spot for Easly rite? If they red shirt Listenbee can another team creel him from us?

 

Nailed it.

Whenever they could, they had Watkins out as the X, Woods in slot as the Y, and Goodwin out wide on the other side as the Z.

 

Dez isn't healthy right now due to the collision, but Powell kicked butt today, and I see he's the next guy on your list. Boykin filled in as did Little; they both do pretty well as fill-ins for the injured Easley and almost-recovered Listenbee. A healthy Salas could slip in to our lists after Goodwin and before Powell, but Powell is outplaying everyone not named Watkins, and he's the guy getting 100% of the snaps at punt and kick return.

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RobRyanFan Rookie

RobRyanFan

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Posted

Havent commented much this summer since I been using my Ps3 to check in on TBD. Thanks for posting these, I read em more often then the newspaper. Also you been there most of camp so what is your projected WR Depth chart? Judging by what I read by you and a couple other Bills brehs Im thinking its

1. Watkins

2. Woods

3. Goodwin (if healthy)

4. Powell

5. Dez

 

not sure about 6th but im guessing they wont get rid of Listenbee since they jus drafted him, and we still need a spot for Easly rite? If they red shirt Listenbee can another team creel him from us?

 

I think Salas definitely has a spot on the roster.

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BADOLBILZ Hall of Famer

BADOLBILZ

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Hawthorne had that old-man look when his back failed him on that missed tackle the other night.

 

They have a lot of old guys now.......guys that might be able to help here, in this particular defense...... but who likely have zero value elsewhere around the league......... and those veteran contracts become guaranteed if they are on the roster week 1.

 

I have mentioned this with Salas before.......I think there are middling vets on this roster now who will be available on short notice all season long if they don't make the original 53 man roster.

 

IMO there will be some less position-ready young players who are kept to play special teams and to be available fresh legs every day in practice.

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