Team Roundup

[cHaD711Johnson]

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/3633184

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Bengals Team Report

QB Carson Palmer's down time was well spent this offseason. He successfully rehabilitated a sprained left knee that caused him to miss the final three games of the 2004 season. He also trimmed 20 pounds off his 6-foot-5 frame to reach his weighty goal of 230. Palmer had bulked up to 250 last year, figuring the extra weight would help him absorb all the punishment he'd get from enemy defenders. Now he can make defenders miss with his increased mobility, instead of being a sitting duck. "I feel a little bit quicker," he said. "But it's tough to tell just doing 7-on-7 and some team drills. You don't really know until you've got (Baltimore LB) Ray Lewis zeroing in on you and you've got to get out of the way. But the time will come soon enough to notice a difference." . . .

WR Cliff Russell is working hard to keep rookie WR Tab Perry from stealing his kickoff-return job. Perry is a bigger, more physical receiver than Russell. But Russell is the fastest straight-line runner on the squad, and continues to show good hands and concentration. He gained valuable experience last year, and hopes to go from serviceable to sensational.

SCOUTING REPORT: Two-time Pro Bowl RT Willie Anderson combines rare strength with outstanding technique. He's a dominant run blocker because he's so strong at the point of attack and works hard to finish blocks. He's also a shutdown pass protector because his huge, powerful hands are like clamps. He struggled at times early in his career against swift, athletic ends because he lacked initial quickness and didn't change directions fast enough. But he learned to compensate by using his feet to get in the right position and now takes the proper angles so he can shut off pass-rushing lanes. He has an explosive punch and uses his long arms to ride edge rushers past the pocket.

POSITION BATTLE: Middle linebacker is shaping up as an intriguing race with rookie second-round pick Odell Thurman closing fast on second-year veteran Landon Johnson. The position is up for grabs because Nate Webster (torn right patella tendon) won't be ready by the start of training camp. Johnson, the club's leading tackler last season, is a swift, aggressive player who adjusted well to his switch inside. But he's rehabbing from arthroscopic shoulder surgery. That opens the door for Thurman. He's a prototype run-stopper with a natural feel for the position. Built with a low center of gravity, Thurman gets good leverage by keeping his pad level low and does a good job of playing off blocks with his strong hands. He's a nasty hitter who shows good explosion and athleticism.

JUNE 1 CUTS: WR Peter Warrick is the team's biggest question mark. He spent the final 12 games of 2004 on injured reserve with a left-shin fracture and has not been medically cleared to practice this offseason. When healthy, he's a dangerous slot receiver because his quickness gives linebackers and safeties headaches over the middle. The club will give him every chance to return to form, but his $3.68 million cap number makes him a candidate to be released.

SAFETIES ANALYSIS: Grade: C+. FS Madieu Williams is a blossoming star with his range and ball-hawking skills, but an enforcer is missing at strong safety to help shore up the run defense

[TecmoFever]

Interesting reading. It should be pointed out that the C+ was for the safety position as a whole, not for Madieu Williams. (See Discussion Title)

[AGrizzlyBaer]

no thats safties as a whole which i would agree with

[cHaD711Johnson]

Yea my bad..I misread it myself

[The Big Orange]

SCOUTING REPORT: Two-time Pro Bowl RT Willie Anderson combines rare strength with outstanding technique. He's a dominant run blocker because he's so strong at the point of attack and works hard to finish blocks. He's also a shutdown pass protector because his huge, powerful hands are like clamps. He struggled at times early in his career against swift, athletic ends because he lacked initial quickness and didn't change directions fast enough. But he learned to compensate by using his feet to get in the right position and now takes the proper angles so he can shut off pass-rushing lanes. He has an explosive punch and uses his long arms to ride edge rushers past the pocket.

I love this part about Willie Anderson...I guess I have never read what he said about his hands being strong like clamps. I knew he had exceptional technique and played the angles well, but this really describes him as an extremely elite tackle who is one of the best of his game.

During games since they aren't the main part of the action it's hard to focus on how good these guys are since the action isn't always there. It's only if the runner runs through a huge gapping hole (and that's even the runner), or if the QB gets sacked are these guys noticed. No wonder so many of them seem to have a chip on their shoulder. You don't even have decent stats on the guy except games started and the questionable stat of how many sacks they allowed.

[Kazkal]

I think thats fake =P Inless Mcdonalds started serving fried chicken (fake in as its fried but they diden't get it from Chads favorite place to eat)