updates from the Skins training camp (1 Viewer)

[Brunell4MVP]

I've only seen 4 practices, but thought I'd share what I've seen from the Skins thus far.

QB: Campbell looks terrible. He throws the ball with a lot of speed, but he's putting it in the ground a lot. He'll be the starter for the whole year barring injury, and he is clearly a fan favorite. However, he seems to lack the leadership skills that Brunell clearly has. Of course Brunell can no longer thrwo the ball more than 10 yards, so it's wasted leadership. The impressive QB has been Jordan Palmer, the rookie from UTEP. Damn, he throws a good ball. He'll be good insurance for the future should Campbell blow his chances. Funny thing about Brunell...the minute he gets the ball all the fans start chanting "throw it away Mark, throw it away Mark..." It's funny, but then I feel bad for the guy.

RB: Portis is a stud. He's fast, he hits holes hards, and he runs great up the middle. He will get 70% of the carries if he stays healthy. Surprisingly, Betts is better on the swing plays, but no way is he better than Portis. I've been a fan of Betts for years, but now that I've seen them in person, Portis is clearly a better back. Better speed, better vision, harder runner.

TE: Cooley has not impressed to date. No idea why. He's actually been open in many of the 11 on 11, but Campbell never seems to find him...especially down the middle. Heck, maybe Campbell doesn't have good vision down the middle. He always seems to go to the out route.

WR: S Moss is a stud. Fast, fast, fast. Nobody can cover him. He's open a lot, even in double coverage. Lloyd looks terrible. Cant get off the ball. Randel-El looks great on kick returns, but very average as a WR.

OL: Not deep. OK if they stay healthy, but the chances of that are slim. If they loose either Samuels or Jansen, the whole offense could fall apart.

DL: Awful. Practice with no heart. They look old and slow. Will be run on all year, and have very few sacks.

LB: McIntosh and M Washington (pre-injury) look really good. I have no idea how McIntosh rode the bench last year. The unit as a whole looks solid, but is unlikely to make the spectacular play.

CB/S: Strong looking group considering how bad they looked last year. Smoot might not be a great player, but he brings a lot of swagger to a group that needed it. Landry and Taylor are going to be monsters in the secondary. Players are flat out scared of Taylor even in non contact. And he seems to get to every play. I thought he was always late to plays last year, but its clear in practice that his motor goes so fast he's running to the ball every play so you just see him come in at the end even when he shouldn't even be there.. Teams will probably take advantage of this in some ways, but it was good to see that his motor runs high.

FF Summary:

Portis: Probably worth a late 1st, but the OL questions take him down to a mid 2nd. Grab Betts in round 8 as insurance.

S Moss: Pickup in mid 4th. He will have some big games, but may be inconsistent due to Campbell.

Campbell: Save for Free Agency. I just don't see him having it this year.

Lloyd: Avoid

Randel El: Avoid

Cooley: Going too high. I'd slot him in at about the 8th best TE.

Def: Avoid. They look inconsistent, the DL still stinks, and although they plays a weak schedule, DAL, NYG, and PHI are all apt to put up points in the 6 games they play the Skins.

 

[pablito]

Wow, that's as negative a report as I've seen on JC. Most of the press reports have been complimentary on the zip and accuracy of his passes...

 

[AnonymousBob]

Thanks for the update. I appreciate any and all news as Campbell is (was?) one of my qb's I was planning to snag.

 

[Brunell4MVP]

Wow, that's as negative a report as I've seen on JC. Most of the press reports have been complimentary on the zip and accuracy of his passes...

I haven't been reading the Post or the Times.Zip - yes. Accuracy...doesn't look like it to me. All I know is he doesn't look sharp right now. Often the Offense is behind early on, so maybe they'll get more in synch and be running on full speed in preseason. I certainly hope he gets it together, or this is going to be another long season as a Skins fan

 

[dgreen]

QB: Campbell looks terrible. He throws the ball with a lot of speed, but he's putting it in the ground a lot.

I've only been to one practice, but I only saw a couple balls hit the ground that were his fault. A few were dropped, but only a couple were off target.

However, he seems to lack the leadership skills that Brunell clearly has.

What are you seeing in practice that shows his lack of leadership?

Smoot might not be a great player, but he brings a lot of swagger to a group that needed it.

I agree the D seems to have its attitude back. As the 2006 season progressed, they began to play like they knew they weren't good.

FF Summary:Cooley: Going too high. I'd slot him in at about the 8th best TE.

No offense, but I'd prefer to use historical evidence to rank him rather than your view of Cooley not being impressive in four practices.

 

[Brunell4MVP]

What are you seeing in practice that shows his lack of leadership?.

The huddle doesn't come together fast, it doesn't break fast, players are going to the wrong side of the field and he doesn't notice it until he's over center. I also like the way good QBs (Elway, Marino, Manning) bark out the calls loud enough to hear them. Campbell comes across as very quiet, which is fine. But I prefer the loud and in control QBs.

No offense, but I'd prefer to use historical evidence to rank him rather than your view of Cooley not being impressive in four practices.

You are correct here. But last year was slightly worse than the year before - 14 less catches. Personal choice tells me it may be a trend. But no reason for others to follow that opinion.

 

[switz]

What are you seeing in practice that shows his lack of leadership?.

The huddle doesn't come together fast, it doesn't break fast, players are going to the wrong side of the field and he doesn't notice it until he's over center. I also like the way good QBs (Elway, Marino, Manning) bark out the calls loud enough to hear them. Campbell comes across as very quiet, which is fine. But I prefer the loud and in control QBs.

No offense, but I'd prefer to use historical evidence to rank him rather than your view of Cooley not being impressive in four practices.

You are correct here. But last year was slightly worse than the year before - 14 less catches. Personal choice tells me it may be a trend. But no reason for others to follow that opinion.

Nice observations, great to have first hand ingo on this site.Do you think the OL is so bad that Portis/Betts will be really limited by it?

 

[Jason Wood]

Hey Brunell4MVP,

When did you attend camp? I ask because Portis has been sidelined with knee tendinitis for a week now, had an MRI (turned out negative) and is questionable for the Tennessee game (after missing the Ravens scrimmage). Unless you saw him in the first few days, I can't see how he's been looking like a "stud."

 

[jurb26]

What are you seeing in practice that shows his lack of leadership?.

The huddle doesn't come together fast, it doesn't break fast, players are going to the wrong side of the field and he doesn't notice it until he's over center. I also like the way good QBs (Elway, Marino, Manning) bark out the calls loud enough to hear them. Campbell comes across as very quiet, which is fine. But I prefer the loud and in control QBs.

No offense, but I'd prefer to use historical evidence to rank him rather than your view of Cooley not being impressive in four practices.

You are correct here. But last year was slightly worse than the year before - 14 less catches. Personal choice tells me it may be a trend. But no reason for others to follow that opinion.

Every player I've heard on the Wash roster talk about Campbell has a completely different view towards his leadership than you. I think I'll stick with the actual players on this one.

 

[Jason Wood]

What are you seeing in practice that shows his lack of leadership?.

The huddle doesn't come together fast, it doesn't break fast, players are going to the wrong side of the field and he doesn't notice it until he's over center. I also like the way good QBs (Elway, Marino, Manning) bark out the calls loud enough to hear them. Campbell comes across as very quiet, which is fine. But I prefer the loud and in control QBs.

No offense, but I'd prefer to use historical evidence to rank him rather than your view of Cooley not being impressive in four practices.

You are correct here. But last year was slightly worse than the year before - 14 less catches. Personal choice tells me it may be a trend. But no reason for others to follow that opinion.

Every player I've heard on the Wash roster talk about Campbell has a completely different view towards his leadership than you. I think I'll stick with the actual players on this one.

I can't begin to speak to his leadership abilities, but I do think it's telling that Gibbs kept him out of 11-on-11 drills against the Ravens.

 

[jurb26]

What are you seeing in practice that shows his lack of leadership?.

The huddle doesn't come together fast, it doesn't break fast, players are going to the wrong side of the field and he doesn't notice it until he's over center. I also like the way good QBs (Elway, Marino, Manning) bark out the calls loud enough to hear them. Campbell comes across as very quiet, which is fine. But I prefer the loud and in control QBs.

No offense, but I'd prefer to use historical evidence to rank him rather than your view of Cooley not being impressive in four practices.

You are correct here. But last year was slightly worse than the year before - 14 less catches. Personal choice tells me it may be a trend. But no reason for others to follow that opinion.

Every player I've heard on the Wash roster talk about Campbell has a completely different view towards his leadership than you. I think I'll stick with the actual players on this one.

I can't begin to speak to his leadership abilities, but I do think it's telling that Gibbs kept him out of 11-on-11 drills against the Ravens.

Telling as in what way?

 

[Jason Wood]

What are you seeing in practice that shows his lack of leadership?.

The huddle doesn't come together fast, it doesn't break fast, players are going to the wrong side of the field and he doesn't notice it until he's over center. I also like the way good QBs (Elway, Marino, Manning) bark out the calls loud enough to hear them. Campbell comes across as very quiet, which is fine. But I prefer the loud and in control QBs.

No offense, but I'd prefer to use historical evidence to rank him rather than your view of Cooley not being impressive in four practices.

You are correct here. But last year was slightly worse than the year before - 14 less catches. Personal choice tells me it may be a trend. But no reason for others to follow that opinion.

Every player I've heard on the Wash roster talk about Campbell has a completely different view towards his leadership than you. I think I'll stick with the actual players on this one.

I can't begin to speak to his leadership abilities, but I do think it's telling that Gibbs kept him out of 11-on-11 drills against the Ravens.

Telling as in what way?

As in Campbell has struggled with his accuracy and the last thing Gibbs and Saunders wanted to do is erode his confidence (and that of his teammates) but putting him up against the Ravens D in 11-on-11s.

 

[Bizkiteer]

What are you seeing in practice that shows his lack of leadership?.

The huddle doesn't come together fast, it doesn't break fast, players are going to the wrong side of the field and he doesn't notice it until he's over center. I also like the way good QBs (Elway, Marino, Manning) bark out the calls loud enough to hear them. Campbell comes across as very quiet, which is fine. But I prefer the loud and in control QBs.

No offense, but I'd prefer to use historical evidence to rank him rather than your view of Cooley not being impressive in four practices.

You are correct here. But last year was slightly worse than the year before - 14 less catches. Personal choice tells me it may be a trend. But no reason for others to follow that opinion.

Every player I've heard on the Wash roster talk about Campbell has a completely different view towards his leadership than you. I think I'll stick with the actual players on this one.

I can't begin to speak to his leadership abilities, but I do think it's telling that Gibbs kept him out of 11-on-11 drills against the Ravens.

Telling as in what way?

As in Campbell has struggled with his accuracy and the last thing Gibbs and Saunders wanted to do is erode his confidence (and that of his teammates) but putting him up against the Ravens D in 11-on-11s.

So, putting him in a harmless scrimmage is better than getting him in during pre-season or the season? I think you're looking a bit too deep for a reason why he didn't participate. I think the questions deserves to be asked, but not sure if guessing at a supposed fragile emotional or self confidence state of mind is right.

 

[lawrence phillips]

I've only seen 4 practices, but thought I'd share what I've seen from the Skins thus far.

QB: Campbell looks terrible. He throws the ball with a lot of speed, but he's putting it in the ground a lot. He'll be the starter for the whole year barring injury, and he is clearly a fan favorite. However, he seems to lack the leadership skills that Brunell clearly has. Of course Brunell can no longer thrwo the ball more than 10 yards, so it's wasted leadership. The impressive QB has been Jordan Palmer, the rookie from UTEP. Damn, he throws a good ball. He'll be good insurance for the future should Campbell blow his chances. Funny thing about Brunell...the minute he gets the ball all the fans start chanting "throw it away Mark, throw it away Mark..." It's funny, but then I feel bad for the guy.

RB: Portis is a stud. He's fast, he hits holes hards, and he runs great up the middle. He will get 70% of the carries if he stays healthy. Surprisingly, Betts is better on the swing plays, but no way is he better than Portis. I've been a fan of Betts for years, but now that I've seen them in person, Portis is clearly a better back. Better speed, better vision, harder runner.

TE: Cooley has not impressed to date. No idea why. He's actually been open in many of the 11 on 11, but Campbell never seems to find him...especially down the middle. Heck, maybe Campbell doesn't have good vision down the middle. He always seems to go to the out route.

WR: S Moss is a stud. Fast, fast, fast. Nobody can cover him. He's open a lot, even in double coverage. Lloyd looks terrible. Cant get off the ball. Randel-El looks great on kick returns, but very average as a WR.

OL: Not deep. OK if they stay healthy, but the chances of that are slim. If they loose either Samuels or Jansen, the whole offense could fall apart.

DL: Awful. Practice with no heart. They look old and slow. Will be run on all year, and have very few sacks.

LB: McIntosh and M Washington (pre-injury) look really good. I have no idea how McIntosh rode the bench last year. The unit as a whole looks solid, but is unlikely to make the spectacular play.

CB/S: Strong looking group considering how bad they looked last year. Smoot might not be a great player, but he brings a lot of swagger to a group that needed it. Landry and Taylor are going to be monsters in the secondary. Players are flat out scared of Taylor even in non contact. And he seems to get to every play. I thought he was always late to plays last year, but its clear in practice that his motor goes so fast he's running to the ball every play so you just see him come in at the end even when he shouldn't even be there.. Teams will probably take advantage of this in some ways, but it was good to see that his motor runs high.

FF Summary:

Portis: Probably worth a late 1st, but the OL questions take him down to a mid 2nd. Grab Betts in round 8 as insurance.

S Moss: Pickup in mid 4th. He will have some big games, but may be inconsistent due to Campbell.

Campbell: Save for Free Agency. I just don't see him having it this year.

Lloyd: Avoid

Randel El: Avoid

Cooley: Going too high. I'd slot him in at about the 8th best TE.

Def: Avoid. They look inconsistent, the DL still stinks, and although they plays a weak schedule, DAL, NYG, and PHI are all apt to put up points in the 6 games they play the Skins.

Whoa, I've read several other reports and they seem to contradict what you've got here, especially as it deals with Campbell, Portis and Cooley. I have not been to any practices, so I can't tell you either way, I just know that other fans reports have been much different. The Times' Ryan O'Halloran (who I've come to find as respectable) has been raving about Cooley and said that "nobody can cover him" in an article earlier this week. "Nobody can cover Chris Cooley.

The Redskins' linebackers and secondary have provided little opposition for Cooley, the fourth-year tight end. As safeties coach Steve Jackson said last week, "We're still trying to find a way to cover Chris."

Moss' injuries prevented him from participating in several offseason passing sessions (though he played a lot during 7-on-7 drills against the Ravens and looked sharp), leaving Campbell to develop a rapport with Cooley.

An example came last week. Cooley ran a pattern along the hash mark. Before he stopped and turned, the ball was being delivered by Campbell — a complete pass between two defenders. Both players recognized the coverage and were in synch.

Obviously, the first week of camp isn't a complete barometer for what will happen during the 14 Sundays, one Monday and one Thursday that make up the regular season. But Cooley is in for a gigantic season."

http://www.washingtontimes.com/article/200.../108060076/1023

I honestly think Cooley's ceiling is finishing as the #1 or 2 TE. He worked with Campbell all offseason while none of the receivers did. Campbell is more comfortable and so is Cooley in year 2 of Saunders' offense. He's easily their #2 target in the passing game and could very easily be #1 if Moss keeps getting double teamed and/or if these hamstrings linger with him all year. In that case Cooley could be the #1 option. Regardless, he'll be the #1 option in the red zone passing game.

The buzz on Campbell that I've read from fans and in the Post and Times is that he's much more confident and comfortable. Again, I haven't been to camp like you, just surprised because everything else on him has been positive.

And finally, what can you gleam from Portis when he has hardly even practiced? I'm not disagreeing with you, Portis is one of the better backs in the league when he's healthy, but he hasn't been on the practice field much.

Only time will tell!

 

[tribecalledjeff]

Hey Brunell4MVP,When did you attend camp? I ask because Portis has been sidelined with knee tendinitis for a week now, had an MRI (turned out negative) and is questionable for the Tennessee game (after missing the Ravens scrimmage). Unless you saw him in the first few days, I can't see how he's been looking like a "stud."

I'd like to know this, too.

 

[PantherPower]

i think the originator of this thread is a cowboy, giant, eagle, or bronco fan in "Skins" clothing.

 

[JAA]

i think the originator of this thread is a cowboy, giant, eagle, or bronco fan in "Skins" clothing.

 

[dgreen]

What are you seeing in practice that shows his lack of leadership?.

The huddle doesn't come together fast, it doesn't break fast, players are going to the wrong side of the field and he doesn't notice it until he's over center. I also like the way good QBs (Elway, Marino, Manning) bark out the calls loud enough to hear them. Campbell comes across as very quiet, which is fine. But I prefer the loud and in control QBs.

In my one day there, I saw no problems with formations or huddles.I know his speaking has been a topic. They even worked with him to help him annunciate words better. I have heard this is not unheard of, though. I heard a couple examples yesterday, but I can't remember who they were right now.

No offense, but I'd prefer to use historical evidence to rank him rather than your view of Cooley not being impressive in four practices.

You are correct here. But last year was slightly worse than the year before - 14 less catches. Personal choice tells me it may be a trend. But no reason for others to follow that opinion.

Catches per game, yards per game, TDs per game, and YPC were all higher with Campbell last year than with Brunell last year.

 

[Keg]

Hey Brunell4MVP,When did you attend camp?

you should have stopped right there.

 

[redman]

What are you seeing in practice that shows his lack of leadership?.

The huddle doesn't come together fast, it doesn't break fast, players are going to the wrong side of the field and he doesn't notice it until he's over center. I also like the way good QBs (Elway, Marino, Manning) bark out the calls loud enough to hear them. Campbell comes across as very quiet, which is fine. But I prefer the loud and in control QBs.

No offense, but I'd prefer to use historical evidence to rank him rather than your view of Cooley not being impressive in four practices.

You are correct here. But last year was slightly worse than the year before - 14 less catches. Personal choice tells me it may be a trend. But no reason for others to follow that opinion.

Every player I've heard on the Wash roster talk about Campbell has a completely different view towards his leadership than you. I think I'll stick with the actual players on this one.

I can't begin to speak to his leadership abilities, but I do think it's telling that Gibbs kept him out of 11-on-11 drills against the Ravens.

Telling as in what way?

As in Campbell has struggled with his accuracy and the last thing Gibbs and Saunders wanted to do is erode his confidence (and that of his teammates) but putting him up against the Ravens D in 11-on-11s.

Actually the stated reason - which made a lot of sense - was that with Campbell already slated as the starter, they wanted to use the reps to 1) help Brunell rehab his shoulder and see his status on that, and 2) see Palmer, Bramlet and Collins to get a good read on who would be the QB3 on the roster. FYI Bramlet was cut yesterday. Also, Campbell supposedly looked solid in the 7-on-7 drills earlier in the day FWIW.

 

[Skinsfansince72]

What are you seeing in practice that shows his lack of leadership?.

The huddle doesn't come together fast, it doesn't break fast, players are going to the wrong side of the field and he doesn't notice it until he's over center. I also like the way good QBs (Elway, Marino, Manning) bark out the calls loud enough to hear them. Campbell comes across as very quiet, which is fine. But I prefer the loud and in control QBs.

No offense, but I'd prefer to use historical evidence to rank him rather than your view of Cooley not being impressive in four practices.

You are correct here. But last year was slightly worse than the year before - 14 less catches. Personal choice tells me it may be a trend. But no reason for others to follow that opinion.

Every player I've heard on the Wash roster talk about Campbell has a completely different view towards his leadership than you. I think I'll stick with the actual players on this one.

I can't begin to speak to his leadership abilities, but I do think it's telling that Gibbs kept him out of 11-on-11 drills against the Ravens.

Telling as in what way?

As in Campbell has struggled with his accuracy and the last thing Gibbs and Saunders wanted to do is erode his confidence (and that of his teammates) but putting him up against the Ravens D in 11-on-11s.

Actually the stated reason - which made a lot of sense - was that with Campbell already slated as the starter, they wanted to use the reps to 1) help Brunell rehab his shoulder and see his status on that, and 2) see Palmer, Bramlet and Collins to get a good read on who would be the QB3 on the roster. FYI Bramlet was cut yesterday. Also, Campbell supposedly looked solid in the 7-on-7 drills earlier in the day FWIW.

Brunell looked terrible in the scrimmage against the Ravens. So did Collins. Palmer was alright(at least on the td pass). Campbell by far looked the best of any qb on the roster.Granted, it was in the 7 on 7 but still....He dropped back and got rid of the ball and most of his passes were on the money. Brunell, as usual, was holding the ball too long and was very inaccurate(not sure why that Bum is still on this team but if he has to play, Skins are done). I heard the that the reason Campbell didn't play in the 11 on 11 portion is that the coaches wanted to look at their other guys. Decisions had to be made on who to keep and this was the last chance for Bramlett and Palmer to show what they could do(not sure why they kept Palmer over Bramlett. Most likely because letting Palmer go would make the people making the drafting decisions look stupid. He's most likely a practice squad player anyway).

 

[gman8343]

Hey Brunell4MVP,When did you attend camp?

July 2005?

 

[Whiplash Inc.]

 

[Righetti]

anything new on Portis?