Camp Report 7/29/14

[12intheBox]

Can I ask a serious question here? I just don't get the apparent contradiction here, when it comes to 2 players on the opposite end of the spectrum in terms of
"fan love".....

How is it that when it is being reported by EVERY media outlet, including multiple camp reports by fans observing practices (many besides me), and by the beat writes who cover this team, just how different Quick looks, how much improved he seems to be...... and yet, its almost an unanimous response in here.... "well lets see him do it on Sunday"!!!!!

Then you take the response when it comes to Armstrong. There is hardly anyone actually reporting any "flashes" during the actual practices, and other than a few feature stories written by his de facto agent Nick Wagoner, not much being said about him SHINING or doing anything of note in practice, yet, almost EVERYONE in here seems to beat the drum about how special he is going to be, and want to hand him "reps in place of Dunbar, regardless what the alignment is"?

Ray Ray won the fans over in the preseason last year - he made splash plays and you know we fans have a weakness for splash plays.

The fact that he went on to lead the team in ST tackles only makes the infatuation stronger.

For me, it goes back to high school. He was one of the most impressive defensive players that I had ever seen and I was pretty sure he was going to light the U in fire.

When his college career fizzled, I pegged him as a possible 7th round target - someone Fisher could help find all of that natural talent. I have a hard time giving up on "my guys" (see Reid, Greg) and a much easier time giving up on guys that I weren't initially as high on (Pead, Isiah)

I know it's not fair, but it's the truth - at least for me it is.

 

[jap]

I have a hard time giving up on "my guys" (see Reid, Greg) and a much easier time giving up on guys that I weren't initially as high on (Pead, Isiah)

You do realize that Pead and Isaiah are the same person, don't you?

 

[CoachO]

Ray Ray won the fans over in the preseason last year - he made splash plays and you know we fans have a weakness for splash plays.

The fact that he went on to lead the team in ST tackles only makes the infatuation stronger.

For me, it goes back to high school. He was one of the most impressive defensive players that I had ever seen and I was pretty sure he was going to light the U in fire.

When his college career fizzled, I pegged him as a possible 7th round target - someone Fisher could help find all of that natural talent. I have a hard time giving up on "my guys" (see Reid, Greg) and a much easier time giving up on guys that I weren't initially as high on (Pead, Isiah)

I know it's not fair, but it's the truth - at least for me it is.

Not saying you should give up on anyone, but to over rate their place AT THIS TIME is what gets me. It almost seems like people root for some guys to fail, so "their guy" can succeed.

And while he lead the ST in tackles with TWELVE, he had just as many negative result plays on ST too, but those always seem to be overlooked or completely negated because he is "young". Assuming he is gonna displace Dunbar because he has a few SPLASH plays is pretty naive, and I know you aren't naive.

 

[SteveBrown]

Am I the only one who realises that Mcgee is horrible at anything Watching him last year made me cry often I'm sure we can pick up a UDFA or a FA that would suffice better for our 4th CB

I agree. no instincts.

 

[SteveBrown]

I'm officially excited about Quick.

The last few years it was always Pettis that looked like our best wr in camp. (At least from the reports). I'm sure he was.
Now it seems he has blended in towards the bottom of the pack. It sounds as if it is directly due to the fact that we have legitimate talent at the position.

I still like Pettis.

I like Pettis too...wathing these 2012-13 games he made many KEY plays, though not long in yardage..has some Amendola ability in 1-1's when it is 3rd and 6 or less.

 

[BD-TomCat]

Can I ask a serious question here? I just don't get the apparent contradiction here, when it comes to 2 players on the opposite end of the spectrum in terms of
"fan love".....

How is it that when it is being reported by EVERY media outlet, including multiple camp reports by fans observing practices (many besides me), and by the beat writes who cover this team, just how different Quick looks, how much improved he seems to be...... and yet, its almost an unanimous response in here.... "well lets see him do it on Sunday"!!!!!

Then you take the response when it comes to Armstrong. There is hardly anyone actually reporting any "flashes" during the actual practices, and other than a few feature stories written by his de facto agent Nick Wagoner, not much being said about him SHINING or doing anything of note in practice, yet, almost EVERYONE in here seems to beat the drum about how special he is going to be, and want to hand him "reps in place of Dunbar, regardless what the alignment is"?

I cant speak for others but for me it's the PED issue. He let the team down he is suppose to be leading these young guys he is not suppose to be making a mistake like that. That's something you let the young guys get away with not veterans. Lead bye example he is not doing that. His BEST football is behind him so I see a younger guy (Ray Ray) with bigger upside and brings the same attitude to the game and would rather have him on the field.

 

[DCH]

Not saying you should give up on anyone, but to over rate their place AT THIS TIME is what gets me. It almost seems like people root for some guys to fail, so "their guy" can succeed.

And while he lead the ST in tackles with TWELVE, he had just as many negative result plays on ST too, but those always seem to be overlooked or completely negated because he is "young". Assuming he is gonna displace Dunbar because he has a few SPLASH plays is pretty naive, and I know you aren't naive.

I think it comes down to this: Quick was expected by many to come in and be a productive if not dominant WR in his rookie year, because of his draft position. Ray-Ray was an exciting gem of a UDFA who nobody expected anything out of. Ray-Ray played way over his expectations and became a fun-to-watch producer on special teams in his first year; Quick was practically invisible his rookie year.

Pile on that the fact that Quick looked reeeeeeeally good in preseason and camp 2013, and then proceeded to do absolutely nothing in the regular season.

So the combination of a dramatic difference in initial expectations and people feeling as though they'd been burned by Quick looking great last camp should explain the difference in people's reactions to the players.

 

[SteveBrown]

Can I ask a serious question here? I just don't get the apparent contradiction here, when it comes to 2 players on the opposite end of the spectrum in terms of
"fan love".....

How is it that when it is being reported by EVERY media outlet, including multiple camp reports by fans observing practices (many besides me), and by the beat writes who cover this team, just how different Quick looks, how much improved he seems to be...... and yet, its almost an unanimous response in here.... "well lets see him do it on Sunday"!!!!!

Then you take the response when it comes to Armstrong. There is hardly anyone actually reporting any "flashes" during the actual practices, and other than a few feature stories written by his de facto agent Nick Wagoner, not much being said about him SHINING or doing anything of note in practice, yet, almost EVERYONE in here seems to beat the drum about how special he is going to be, and want to hand him "reps in place of Dunbar, regardless what the alignment is"?

Good wisdom Coach O...

 

[DCH]

I'll also add that it's very easy to look at Quick and see a player taken a few picks later one would rather have taken, be it Cordy Glenn, Alshon Jeffery or Lavonte David. Hard to do that with a UDFA, so Ray-Ray stands alone in that respect.

 

[BD-TomCat]

Not saying you should give up on anyone, but to over rate their place AT THIS TIME is what gets me. It almost seems like people root for some guys to fail, so "their guy" can succeed.

And while he lead the ST in tackles with TWELVE, he had just as many negative result plays on ST too, but those always seem to be overlooked or completely negated because he is "young". Assuming he is gonna displace Dunbar because he has a few SPLASH plays is pretty naive, and I know you aren't naive.

He also got better as the year went along. his penalties were dumb but the were effort penalties. he wasn't making the same penalties at the end of he year.

 

[12intheBox]

You do realize that Pead and Isaiah are the same person, don't you?

Yep - and when I say "Reid, Greg", I get that I am just saying his last and first name too. Just a little literary flare.

 

[CoachO]

He also got better as the year went along. his penalties were dumb but the were effort penalties. he wasn't making the same penalties at the end of he year.

I get all that, I agree with it. But I just don't understand how that translates into him now being touted as a STARTING LB when he 1) is still new to the position; 2) is still UNDERSIZED for the position & 3) doesnt show the instincts YET to be productive in the position.....

But because he made a dozen ST tackles, let's hand him Dunbar's reps? Sorry,,,,, just doesn't compute to me.

 

[LazyWinker]

Can I ask a serious question here? I just don't get the apparent contradiction here, when it comes to 2 players on the opposite end of the spectrum in terms of
"fan love".....

How is it that when it is being reported by EVERY media outlet, including multiple camp reports by fans observing practices (many besides me), and by the beat writes who cover this team, just how different Quick looks, how much improved he seems to be...... and yet, its almost an unanimous response in here.... "well lets see him do it on Sunday"!!!!!

Then you take the response when it comes to Armstrong. There is hardly anyone actually reporting any "flashes" during the actual practices, and other than a few feature stories written by his de facto agent Nick Wagoner, not much being said about him SHINING or doing anything of note in practice, yet, almost EVERYONE in here seems to beat the drum about how special he is going to be, and want to hand him "reps in place of Dunbar, regardless what the alignment is"?

I'm not going to lie, I'm excited about Quick. Seems like he's had flashes in the past and just lacked any sort of consistency. From all accounts this year he's not making one great play from time to time but consistently getting after it and playing full speed and showing some flare or what some folks call swagger while doing it. Quick is also running with the 1's... can't say the same about Armstrong.

 

[BD-TomCat]

Me personally I don't consider it a starters position its semantics. we aren't in a Base 4-3 that often so we are not talking about a ton of snaps

 

[12intheBox]

Not saying you should give up on anyone, but to over rate their place AT THIS TIME is what gets me. It almost seems like people root for some guys to fail, so "their guy" can succeed.

And while he lead the ST in tackles with TWELVE, he had just as many negative result plays on ST too, but those always seem to be overlooked or completely negated because he is "young". Assuming he is gonna displace Dunbar because he has a few SPLASH plays is pretty naive, and I know you aren't naive.

I'm not calling for Dunbar's roster spot - I hope Dunbar has a pro bowl year. I'm just excited to see the kid grow and get more opportunities.

And while we are calling people out - lets admit that you have your guys, too - good and bad. We are people - our impressions can't help but be colored by our rooting interests - sometimes its because we want to have been 'right' and sometimes things about certain guys just rub us the wrong way. Thats what has to be difficult from a talent evaluators job. How do you stop yourself from falling in love with a prospect and shooting him up your board? How do you get over that initial impression and continue to look at the full body of work objectively?

As usual, you have eyes on the field and mine are stuck on old video - so I'll defer, once again.

I am pretty pumped for Quick, though. He was not one of my guys, certainly not at pick 33, but since reading about how Snead fell in love with him leading up to that draft - I've been waiting for him to blossom. It appears the time is near.

 

[CoachO]

I'm not calling for Dunbar's roster spot - I hope Dunbar has a pro bowl year. I'm just excited to see the kid grow and get more opportunities.

And while we are calling people out - lets admit that you have your guys, too - good and bad. We are people - our impressions can't help but be colored by our rooting interests - sometimes its because we want to have been 'right' and sometimes things about certain guys just rub us the wrong way. Thats what has to be difficult from a talent evaluators job. How do you stop yourself from falling in love with a prospect and shooting him up your board? How do you get over that initial impression and continue to look at the full body of work objectively?

As usual, you have eyes on the field and mine are stuck on old video - so I'll defer, once again.

I am pretty pumped for Quick, though. He was not one of my guys, certainly not at pick 33, but since reading about how Snead fell in love with him leading up to that draft - I've been waiting for him to blossom. It appears the time is near.

I plead guilty to that. I have "my guys" who I see perform and admit to hoping the develop. The difference I guess between me and a lot of guys in here, I don't get all hung up on who they do or don't pick in the draft.

While I follow the draft to the point of charting EVERY SINGLE PICK from all 32 teams, I don't get up in the mock drafts, or who I think they should have picked, or who I hope they would have picked. So I am not as invested as some are from that perspective. I do have a pretty good handle on who the guys are that they pick, and do enough research so I know enough about them when camp starts.

But when I "report", I really do try to keep my subjective POV out of it, and just report on what I see happening on the field that day. I also try to understand the WHY behind what is happening. And by that, I mean, if someone is getting more reps with one unit over someone else, why might they be doing that. USe Barnes and Jones for example. While alot of people hang on every single days report, and don't understand why Jones on Saturday is working with the 1st unit, then on Sunday he is back with the 2's, I see that they are doing the exact same thing with them, as they did with Williams and Smith at the LG spot last year.

I pay close attention to those kinds of things, then IF and when that patten changes, then I will make a judgement as to what it may mean.

I guess my point to this whole thing, is IF Armstrong shows something on the field that would warrant him getting all the love from the fans on these type of boards, I will be the first to "report" it. But thus far, the reason I appear to be pushing back to those people, is he just hasn't to this point.

 

[12intheBox]

I appreciate all that, Coach. As you know, the pads just got on and there is a lot of camp left.

Shifting gears for a sec - what has Conrath looked like so far? It seems to me the Rams are going to have to cut (or preferably trade) a pretty good DT at some point.

 

[CoachO]

I appreciate all that, Coach. As you know, the pads just got on and there is a lot of camp left.

Shifting gears for a sec - what has Conrath looked like so far? It seems to me the Rams are going to have to cut (or preferably trade) a pretty good DT at some point.

Conrath came to camp looking like he spent a LOT of time in the weight room. For all of the talk about how Barrett Jones reshaped his body, the two guys who stand out to me, are Hooey and Conrath.

He is getting regular reps with the 2's and an occasional situational rep with the 1's. I really they like him a lot. They love his height, and reach. Again, I know its early, but i could actually see a scenario develop where he is competing with Carrington for the last roster spot in the DL

 

[Tron]

Somehow managed to block out King from all that lol

That already makes you a better corner than him lol

 

[12intheBox]

I wonder if they would consider keeping 5 DTs and 4 DEs

Brockers, Donald, Lankford, Conrath, Carrington

Quinn, Long, Hayes, Sims

Still leaves guys like Michael Sam and Westbrooks on the outside looking in. Unless they flash in the preseason, both ought to be safe moves to the PS.