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Monday, May 14, 2007
Some final minicamp thoughts
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I hope everyone had a good weekend and, to those to whom it applies, I hope you had a wonderful Mothers’ Day. I had the pleasure, and I say that seriously, of watching five mini-camp practices at Flowery Branch.
Of course there was the issue of the Michael Vick, dog-ighting situation that hovered over the weekend, but like my astute colleague Mark Bradley wrote in his column Saturday morning, Vick’s off-field issues are getting tiring. So, if you don’t mind, lets talk about some of the things that took place at minicamp.
First off, I am not one to ever put a whole lot into how certain players look at minicamp because there are no pads on. I’ve seen a whole lot of non-contact Pro Bowlers who wither once they’ve had to go through the grind of a two-week, full-contact training camp. So it’s hard for me to really get a read on a lot of the interior guys.
That said Bobby Petrino has brought in some serious beef to compete for positions along the interior. There are 17 players over 300 pounds and several other just under the mark. It is a stark contrast to previous years, where, because of the system the team ran, opted to use sleeker type players.
With tight end Alge Crumpler recovering from knee surgery, Dwayne Blakley, Daniel Fells and Martrez Milner took the brunt of the offensive snaps. All three are big tight ends, who can run. I can see all of them being utilized in different ways, especially Fells, who not only has hulked up, but looks very comfortable blocking and passing.
The guy creating the most buzz at camp was rookie wide receiver Laurent Robinson. After a tough first practice, the third-round draft pick settled in to make some impressive catches at all stages of the field. Roddy White also looked very, very good. If he can transfer the focus he showed at mini camp to when it counts, the gifted first-rounder might finally materialize.
For those who might think Joe Horn has lost a step, he must have found it somewhere between New Orleans and Atlanta because he looked to be the best player on the field much of the time. He also was one of the most competitive. Though Petrino talked about trying to measure Horn’s workload, Horn was always the first guy in line, working the hardest to get open and running with the ball after he made a catch.
At quarterback, Vick looked fairly comfortable in the offense, in which he will throw more out of the pocket. The battle for the No. 3 quarterback spot is going to be very interesting. It looked like D.J. Shockley has changed his mechanics somewhat and he’s getting the ball out a lot quicker than normal. Chris Redman, meanwhile, has a very nice touch on all his passes and may throw the most catchable ball of the four backs in camp.
Defensively, end John Abraham looks healthy and hungry. He told my partner D. Orlando Ledbetter that he’s quite motivated to prove his naysayers wrong. If Abraham can stay healthy, the Falcons’ defense might not be as much of a concern as it is right now with all its injuries.
While, rookie cornerback Chris Houston might have some things to learn, he has the speed to make up for any one-on-one coverage breakdowns. He is a flyer and a mega-competitor. A player who also looks really solid is cornerback Lewis Sanders, who was signed from Houston in free agency. Though Houston might end up starting, Sanders should provide very reliable depth.
I know I skipped over a few positions, but those were just some of the more notable observations.
