Training Camp practice 8/3: Pads come on

[Hapless Bills Fan]

12 hours ago, Rocky Landing said:

I wouldn't discount the relationship that Hollister already has with Josh-- they were teammates at Wyoming, and Hollister plays no small part in Josh's highlight reel, but they are also close friends. And the chemistry is already there. That is especially true of Tanner Gentry, as well, although he obviously has a narrower path to the 53.

 

Friendship matters - but Josh seems to have the gift of making friends of almost everyone, everywhere.  Look at how he said in his presser that Trubisky is already becoming one of his best friends. 

 

Here's the thing.  Those guys - Hollister and Gentry - were getting open against lesser defensive backs in the Mountain West Conference.  I think John Brown and Cole Beasley were a revelation to Josh as far as what a skilled NFL-caliber WR could do.  Then Stefon Diggs came along and dropped everyone's jaws, before setting to work trying to level-up the whole WR corps.

 

I think Josh would like to see his friends from college succeed, but I also think the chemistry they had in college, with the college playbook and level of competition in college, doesn't matter so much now as whoever can master the Bills NFL playbook, run crisp routes, and get open against NFL DBs.  It's fair for Josh to maybe go to the FO and coaches and say "hey, after 3 years of throwing to different receivers I think these guys are worth a look, I think they can play in the league" and be heard.  But they have to stand or fall on their own now.

 

Hollister has already made it onto the 53-man roster of two different, highly competitive NFL teams (NE and SEA, not the Jests or the Jags).  He's played in 50 NFL games including 25 games where he took at least 20% of the offensive snaps.  His major competition in Buffalo is himself.  If he can get and stay healthy, he will be on an NFL roster somewhere else if not here.

 

Gentry got onto the field for 4 games for Chicago in 2017, but after that it's been practice squad and last year out of football.  Part of that may be turnover of the coaching staff - new OC in CHI may have a bias to develop guys they've scouted.  Part of it may be, perhaps the Bears aren't very good at developing depth players.  But every FO has a bit of a bias towards guys they themselves draft.  I don't see Gentry's college chemistry with Josh bumping him up the depth chart over Hodgins or Stevenson.  He may not even make the practice squad, though if it's expanded this coming season, perhaps.

 

By the way, I don't think Gentry gets many looks in 11 on 11 from Josh.  Although the reporters apparently can't tell us who is running with the 1's, 2's etc.

[Rocky Landing]

19 minutes ago, Pokebball said:

As a Wyoming Cowboy fan, I say you play the best players, period. This is about business, not friendships.

I agree with that entirely. But I think my points still stand. 

[Rocky Landing]

15 minutes ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

 

Friendship matters - but Josh seems to have the gift of making friends of almost everyone, everywhere.  Look at how he said in his presser that Trubisky is already becoming one of his best friends. 

 

Here's the thing.  Those guys - Hollister and Gentry - were getting open against lesser defensive backs in the Mountain West Conference.  I think John Brown and Cole Beasley were a revelation to Josh as far as what a skilled NFL-caliber WR could do.  Then Stefon Diggs came along and dropped everyone's jaws, before setting to work trying to level-up the whole WR corps.

 

I think Josh would like to see his friends from college succeed, but I also think the chemistry they had in college, with the college playbook and level of competition in college, doesn't matter so much now as whoever can master the Bills NFL playbook, run crisp routes, and get open against NFL DBs.  It's fair for Josh to maybe go to the FO and coaches and say "hey, after 3 years of throwing to different receivers I think these guys are worth a look, I think they can play in the league" and be heard.  But they have to stand or fall on their own now.

 

Hollister has already made it onto the 53-man roster of two different, highly competitive NFL teams (NE and SEA, not the Jests or the Jags).  He's played in 50 NFL games including 25 games where he took at least 20% of the offensive snaps.  His major competition in Buffalo is himself.  If he can get and stay healthy, he will be on an NFL roster somewhere else if not here.

 

Gentry got onto the field for 4 games for Chicago in 2017, but after that it's been practice squad and last year out of football.  Part of that may be turnover of the coaching staff - new OC in CHI may have a bias to develop guys they've scouted.  Part of it may be, perhaps the Bears aren't very good at developing depth players.  But every FO has a bit of a bias towards guys they themselves draft.  I don't see Gentry's college chemistry with Josh bumping him up the depth chart over Hodgins or Stevenson.  He may not even make the practice squad, though if it's expanded this coming season, perhaps.

Really the point I’m mostly making is that the relationship and chemistry that Gentry had with Allen upon his arrival, gave him a bit of a head start, and improved opportunities early on in the process. Allen has been throwing him the ball.  By most accounts, Gentry seems to have taken advantage of it. If Gentry were merely pedestrian , it would be meaningless. But, apparently, he is showing up. 
 

 

 

Edited August 4, 2021 by Rocky Landing

[Hapless Bills Fan]

Nice article from Mark Gaughan of the Buffalo News.  For those of us who have been wondering about the run game, the first day in pads provides a first look:

 

https://buffalonews.com/sports/bills/training-camp-observations-bills-rbs-hit-holes-hard-on-first-day-in-pads/article_5807e900-f49d-11eb-b6a4-f309a5dae46b.html#tracking-source=in-article

 

 

 

Quote

The Bills’ top two running backs weren’t dancing around in a 90-minute practice that featured more run plays than we’ve seen the previous week. Singletary and Moss were accelerating hard into the holes in the line. They combined to produce three strong runs, and newcomer Matt Breida slashed ahead with a fourth in a five-play stretch during a running segment in practice.

 

Defensive players were coached to “thud” the ball carrier without tackling them to the ground, but the blocking on the line of scrimmage was live.

 

Quote

Christian Wade drew cheers from the offense when he made a quick bounce to the outside for a good run gain. Antonio Williams had a strong run up the middle on the previous play. Then linebacker Tyrel Dodson made a would-be stop on Breida in the hole.
 

Linebacker Tremaine Edmunds had a strong day. He “thudded” Singletary in the hole for what would have been no gain. Two plays later, Edmunds dropped into coverage and got his long arms in the way of a Josh Allen pass for a bat-down.
 

Veteran linebacker Andre Smith stuffed up Wade on a run and then made another run stop on a wide run. In the final run period, rookie Carlos Basham showed his power at the point of attack on back-to-back run stops by the defense.

 

Gaughan makes the point that with no tackling, it's harder to tell who had the upper hand, but it sounds at least like mixed results where the offense had some good run plays as well as some that got stuffed.

 

By the way, since others are plugging the Athletic, I'll put in a word for the quality of the Bills content at the News.  There is usually football content I want to read there, and it's $1/month right now.  I subscribe to both.

Edit: and for those who are wondering how Gentry and some of the other WR "lower down the chart" are doing:

Quote

Cole Beasley showed his good hands in a one-on-one rep despite the fact Taron Johnson was clutching and grabbing him.

 

Other noteworthy plays from the passing one-on-ones included: a fine catch by former Wyoming Cowboy Tanner Gentry deep vs. Dane Jackson, a good-hands grab by Lance Lenoir on Levi Wallace, a pass breakup by Rachad Wildgoose on Gentry, good coverage by Wallace on an incompletion for Diggs, and a deep catch by Isaiah McKenzie on Neal.

 

Gentry's catch is in one of the clips up on Twitter - it was indeed outstanding.

[GoBills808]

Apparently Dodson has been showing out

 

Great depth at LB right now

[BaaadThingsMan]

I think Singletary will have a career year

[nucci]

4 minutes ago, BaaadThingsMan said:

I think Singletary will have a career year

well, it is only his 3rd year

[Rocky Landing]

14 minutes ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

Nice article from Mark Gaughan of the Buffalo News.  For those of us who have been wondering about the run game, the first day in pads provides a first look:

 

https://buffalonews.com/sports/bills/training-camp-observations-bills-rbs-hit-holes-hard-on-first-day-in-pads/article_5807e900-f49d-11eb-b6a4-f309a5dae46b.html#tracking-source=in-article

 

 

 

 

 

Gaughan makes the point that with no tackling, it's harder to tell who had the upper hand, but it sounds at least like mixed results where the offense had some good run plays as well as some that got stuffed.

 

By the way, since others are plugging the Athletic, I'll put in a word for the quality of the Bills content at the News.  There is usually football content I want to read there, and it's $1/month right now.  I subscribe to both.

Edit: and for those who are wondering how Gentry and some of the other WR "lower down the chart" are doing:

 

Gentry's catch is in one of the clips up on Twitter - it was indeed outstanding.

Do you have a link to the Gentry catch?

[Chandler#81]

18 hours ago, billybrew1 said:

So, new for the 2021 team.....

- New and improved Josh Allen, takes that experience and becomes that much better hitting year four.

- More depth at WR.

- An ironed-out run game where Daboll puts in some time.

- An improved O-line moreso in the run game.

- A faster, better, hungrier, deeper DL.

- a deeper roster everywhere.....

 

Anything else?

 

Go Bills!

Punter. Not sold at all on the Dolphin cast off.

[Magox]

18 minutes ago, BaaadThingsMan said:

I think Singletary will have a career year

I completely agree.

 

The reports show that he is more explosive, put more muscle on and more decisive.  I expect him to have a really good year.

[BaaadThingsMan]

13 minutes ago, nucci said:

well, it is only his 3rd year

Right. I just really like the guys work ethic and the way he goes about attacking his weaknesses. I think he'll start seeing better results because of it. 

[Reader]

3 hours ago, ScottLaw said:

McKenzie also has had issues with muffing punts in the past… interested to see if that’s improved or not.

 

Yeah, part of me hopes that McKenzie doesn't have the same gene as Trent Edwards, Nate Peterman, RayRay McCloud and others who would do well in training camp, but then have issues during game time.

 

To clarify we know McKenzie has a bunch of tools at WR (I'm not worried about him there), but I believe he has looked good in the past at ST's during training camp only to have more of a challenge during the regular season.

[nucci]

34 minutes ago, BaaadThingsMan said:

Right. I just really like the guys work ethic and the way he goes about attacking his weaknesses. I think he'll start seeing better results because of it. 

I concur

[BillsShredder83]

1 hour ago, BaaadThingsMan said:

I think Singletary will have a career year

So 800 yards 🤣🤣🤣 how many undrafted FAs will catch on somewhere and pull that off?  I'm over him, let's feature Moss and spell Breida. Motor can get the leftovers until he's a FA

[Bad Things]

1 hour ago, BaaadThingsMan said:

Right. I just really like the guys work ethic and the way he goes about attacking his weaknesses. I think he'll start seeing better results because of it. 

Couldn't you have at least tried to come up with a more original name?

I mean, c'mon.

 

Maybe something like Hapeless BillssFan or something?

2 hours ago, Warcodered said:

Looks the same to me and plenty of people mention it in the replies of the tweet.

 

Classic!

Thank goodness it was an entirely different thing back when I went there.

Edited August 4, 2021 by Bad Things

[Hapless Bills Fan]

2 hours ago, Rocky Landing said:

Do you have a link to the Gentry catch?

It’s in one of the tweets linked here, I’ll try to find it

[RoyBatty is alive]

On 8/3/2021 at 11:34 AM, Process said:

We should have a nice pass rush. Run D is definitely still a concern. 

 

Also I wouldn't say it's a one year turnaround. They have been trying to get the d line right since they got here and it's probably been their biggest failure. Murphy, Star, Jefferson, Phillips, Butler, Addison. All guys they've brought in that haven't had much of an impact.

 

You add in Oliver, AJ, this year's rookies... It's actually amazing how much attention they've given the d line the past few years. Hopefully this is the year we see it pay off. 

 

Of all those i underlined, the big whiff was Trent Murphy who is currently a free agent.

[Hapless Bills Fan]

2 hours ago, Rocky Landing said:

Really the point I’m mostly making is that the relationship and chemistry that Gentry had with Allen upon his arrival, gave him a bit of a head start, and improved opportunities early on in the process. Allen has been throwing him the ball.  By most accounts, Gentry seems to have taken advantage of it. If Gentry were merely pedestrian , it would be meaningless. But, apparently, he is showing up. 
 

 

 

Curious about the “Josh has been throwing him the ball”.  Saw an overthrown deep ball from Josh in OTA and ever since then everything reception seems to have Trubisky or Fromm on the other end

[Rocky Landing]

1 minute ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

Curious about the “Josh has been throwing him the ball”.  Saw an overthrown deep ball from Josh in OTA and ever since then everything reception seems to have Trubisky or Fromm on the other end

That could very well be true. It’s hard for me to decipher so much of what happens in TC through all the tweets, and (at times) contradictory articles. I think many of us end up building a narrative through this foggy lens, and our own confirmation bias that ends up disappointing a lot of fans.
 

There’s always one or two story lines every season that end up making me feel silly. 

[BaaadThingsMan]

43 minutes ago, BillsShredder83 said:

So 800 yards 🤣🤣🤣 how many undrafted FAs will catch on somewhere and pull that off?  I'm over him, let's feature Moss and spell Breida. Motor can get the leftovers until he's a FA

No. Like 1200 and 6 tds or something along those lines with 300 receiving added in. He'll do things Bills fans aren't expecting IMO