JFS171
Footballguy
Just made this post in the CJ Anderson thread, but it probably should be in its own thread to discuss Thompson.
All of us CJ owners need to be ready to make the jump to Thompson. There were some rumors of Thomson impressing earlier this summer, plus the performance in the first preseason game combined with CJ's concussion. There was also talk this summer that CJ was grossly out of shape, but most of us considered it coachspeak and CJ looked pretty solid to start the preseason.
Now we've got this camp report from yesterday:
Excerpt:
Quote
A few comments here -- Thompson is by far the biggest back on the roster at 5'11", 225lbs and situationally already seems to understand a lot of the concepts in the offense, which is HUGE for a rookie. Manning and Cutcliffe are extremely close, so I find it telling the article directly mentions Manning's familiarity with Thompson leading to the Broncos to bring him in. As a Duke product (granted not all athletes at Duke are geniuses) you would expect Thompson to be able to handle the mental side of the game, which it seems he is thus far.When the Broncos starting offense opened team drills in Tuesday’s first practice, it was undrafted rookie Juwan Thompson at running back as the group went though some situational work. It was a product of two running backs currently being sidelined, as Montee Ball recovers from an appendectomy and C.J. Anderson from a concussion, but also a sign of Thompson’s progress since training camp opened. Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning said Tuesday he was familiar with the Duke running back’s work long before Thompson was signed by the Broncos as an undrafted rookie in May. Manning and the Broncos' pass catchers have spent parts of the last two offseasons working at Duke. Duke head coach David Cutcliffe is also a trusted Manning confidante and his former offensive coordinator at Tennessee. Thompson has earned raves from the Broncos for his ability to adjust on the fly and get the play right when Manning or backup Brock Osweiler make changes before the snap. Ronnie Hillman is still working at Ball’s primary backup, but Thompson, who is also the biggest back on the roster, is making a serious case to be among the final 53.
Here's perhaps the bigger thing to me: it was the OPENING of practice with the STARTING unit. Why wasn't Hillman in there? It's more of the smoke like we saw last year with Ronnie and the Broncos where he's pumped up as the backup to Ball/Moreno or even the starter, but there are little hints he's strictly a COP guy. Then he doesn't perform extremely well in the game.
Ball's going to get every opportunity, but I've said for a very long time that he looks pretty average to me. Thompson may or may not be special, but that's why we've been rostering CJ this whole time anyway. Thompson thus far sure sounds a whole lot like CJ did last camp...
As to his measurables (pro day numbers - wasn't invited to the combine best I can tell):
Vert - 35.5 (tied Bishop Sankey and Storm Johnson - would have been good for 13th among RBs at the combine)
Broad - 9'11" (1" short of Terrance West; an inch better than Storm Johnson - would have put him 18th among RBs at the combine)
40 yard - 4.57 (same as James White and Crowell - would have been 17th fastest at the combine among RBs)
Short Shuttle - 4.52 (not good -- most of the bigger guys didn't seem to run this, though his time is .01 from Alfred Blue's)
3-Cone -- 6.97 (would have been 8th at the combine among RBs -- faster than notable backups James White, Devonta Freeman, Charles Sims, etc.)
We need to watch this one closely...