Ryan McCrystal

Taylor Thompson expected to make Titans roster

Tennessee Titans 5th-round pick Taylor Thompson is expected to make the 53-man roster, according to Matt Rybaltowski of CBS Sports.

The Titans gambled on Thompson, a collegiate defensive end who was transitioning to tight end. While he flashed the size and athleticism of Rob Gronkowski, he had no game footage to back up his work on the practice field. But apparently he’s a quick learner and has impressed the Titans coaching staff.

Thompson will likely be the third tight end behind Jared Cook and Craig Stevens, but could be a significant part of their red zone package due to his size. He’s definitely a guy to look out for this season and someone who could come on strong late in the year once he’s had a few games under his belt.

Posted on August 22, 2012 by Ryan McCrystal in Rookie Notes, Titans 1 Comment

Ronnie Hillman working closely with Peyton Manning

Denver Broncos 3rd-round pick Ronnie Hillman has reportedly been working closely with Peyton Manning.

Manning has specifically been working on Hillman’s route running, a sign that he will play an integral role in the Broncos passing game, likely as a 3rd down target.

Hillman was one of the fastest players in this year’s draft class and definitely one of the most dangerous threats out of the backfield. He’s learning from one of the best, so we may see big things from Hillman if he’s earned Manning’s trust this preseason.

Posted on August 22, 2012 by Ryan McCrystal in Broncos, Rookie Notes Leave a comment

Mike Brewster not expected to make Jaguars roster

Daniel Lewis of CBS Sports predicts the Jacksonville Jaguars final 53-man roster. Not on the list is undrafted free agent center Mike Brewster.

This would conclude a long fall from grace for Brewster, who was ranked by many as among the best centers in the country and a potential 1st-round pick. After a sub-par senior year at Ohio State he was still expected to be a mid-round pick, but managed to slip through the cracks and signed with the Jaguars as a free agent.

He will likely get a shot somewhere, possibly on the Jaguars practice squad. But it certainly appears as if he was one of the big misses by those of us who rated him highly in the early stages of the 2012 draft process.

Posted on August 22, 2012 by Ryan McCrystal in Jaguars, Rookie Notes Leave a comment

Boom Herron not expected to make Bengals roster

According to Paul Dehner Jr. of CBS Sports, Cincinnati Bengals 6th-round pick Dan “Boom” Herron is not expected to survive the final roster cuts.

Herron showed flashes of NFL potential at Ohio State, but missed significant time as a senior due to his suspension for his involvement in the Ohio State tattoo parlor scandal. The Bengals gave him a shot, but he apparently has failed to take advantage of the opportunity.

Dehner expectes the Bengals to keep four running backs on the roster – BenJarvus Green Ellis, Cedric Peerman, Brian Leonard and Bernard Scott – as well as fullback Chris Pressley. Herron may have a chance to catch on with the practice squad.

Posted on August 22, 2012 by Ryan McCrystal in Bengals, Rookie Notes Leave a comment

David Wilson getting 1st-team reps with Giants

New York Giants 1st-round pick David Wilson received first-team reps at practice on Monday according to the Star Ledger. Tom Coughlin reportedly said this was a planned move for Monday’s practice, but Mike Garafolo notes the move came on the heels of a poor performance by D.J. Ware in the Giants preseason game over the weekend.

The Giants have been easing Wilson into a larger role, but this recent move could mean they’re planning to use Wilson and Ahmad Bradshaw as their two workhorse running backs.

Posted on August 21, 2012 by Ryan McCrystal in Giants, Rookie Notes Leave a comment

Lamar Miller fighting to make Dolphins roster

Miami Dolphins 4th-round draft pick Lamar Miller is fighting just to make the final 53-man roster. He’s currently listed as the 4th-string running back, behind Reggie Bush, Daniel Thomas and Steve Slaton.

At this point, Miller’s best chance to make the active roster may be by winning the kick returner competition. He’s battling Marcus Thigpen, who joined the team from the CFL, for the job.

Posted on August 21, 2012 by Ryan McCrystal in Dolphins, Rookie Notes Leave a comment

Cordy Glenn to start at LT for Bills

The Buffalo Bills have named 2nd-round pick Cordy Glenn their starting left tackle, beating out Chris Hairston, a move which comes as a mild surprise.

This will be Glenn’s second year at the position after he transitioned from guard to tackle as a senior at Georgia. While he held his own at Georgia, many scouts believed his feet were too slow to handle left tackle in the pros.

Head coach Chan Gailey had this to say about Glenn’s performance: “Ability’s not the issue. It’s just playing time. He needs as much playing time as he can get. I think if he gets playing time he’s got a chance to be a really good football player.”

Posted on August 21, 2012 by Ryan McCrystal in Bills, Rookie Notes Leave a comment

Bengals coaches impressed with Zeitler

Cincinnati Bengals 1st-round pick Kevin Zeitler has impressed coaches during the preseason and is expected to start at right guard in the season opener.

Bengals offensive line coach Paul Alexander told the Cincinnati Enquirer: “you always hold back a little bit (in terms of expecations), but I think he is pretty good right now… There were plays where he looked like a 10-year vet.”

Posted on August 21, 2012 by Ryan McCrystal in Bengals, Rookie Notes Leave a comment

Russell Wilson favorite to win job in Seattle?

Seattle Seahawks 3rd-round pick Russell Wilson has been named the starter of their third preseason game. Typically this game is reserved for the starting quarterback to see significant playing time, but the Seahawks will be giving it to Wilson to make his first start. Matt Flynn started Seattle’s first two games.

So does this make Wilson the favorite to start the regular season?

Not necessarily. Pete Carroll hasn’t handled this quarterback competition by the books, so it’s possible he just wants to give Wilson a shot with the first-team offense. Through the first two weeks Carrall had been giving one day of first-team reps to Tarvaris Jackson and the rest to Flynn. However, Jackson has yet to appear in a preseason game.

Everything about this competition has been strange, so it’s tough to assume anything at this point. Despite Wilson getting the call this weekend, it could very well still be Flynn’s job to lose.

Posted on August 21, 2012 by Ryan McCrystal in Rookie Notes, Seahawks Leave a comment

Danny Coale taking reps with Cowboys 1st-team offense

Dallas Cowboys 5th-round pick Danny Coale has been recovering from a broken foot which he suffered earlier this year in OTAs. But he’s finally back to full speed and received a significant amount of reps with the first-team offense according to the Dallas Star-Telegram.

Coale is expected to make his preseason debut on Saturday against the Rams, and his performance will have significant implications for the Cowboys offense. The third-receiver job is still up for grabs and the increased reps for Coale with the first-team offense seem to indicate the coaching staff is interested in seeing if he could handle that role.

Coale was a personal favorite of mine during the pre-draft process. Given his limited practice time I’d still have to say he’s a long shot to win the third-receiver job, but I do expect him to make the final 53-man roster, and an increased role as the season wears on is a definite possibility.

Posted on August 20, 2012 by Ryan McCrystal in Cowboys, Rookie Notes Leave a comment
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