Training camp 2014 news

[Arky]

John Harris:

26 Training Camp Observations: Day 6 (partial)

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2. The two new players added to the roster were former Arkansas All-American punt returner Joe Adams and former Arizona State OT Brice Schwab. The latter was drafted by Carolina in 2012 after a stellar career as a Razorback but didn't make the roster. He came in for a workout on Thursday and showed well, so the Texans signed him. Schwab was undrafted coming out of Arizona State following the 2012 season but he spent 2013 with Tampa Bay and New England. The roster churn continues at all times in the NFL and there's no telling when an opportunity turns into something bigger.

3. As it pertains to Adams on the field, he is well schooled catching punts. I was standing next to Deepi Sidhu (@deepslant) watching Adams catch punts and I told her that his form was perfect, his technique was "teaching tape" worthy. Now he just has to do something with it when he does catch it.

4. Schwab's size strikes you right away. The rust was evident during drills but what he did today was much better than anything he did yesterday, if you catch my drift.

5. As Marc Vandermeer and I were doing our Texans Radio thing this morning, the QB, RB and WR were in the end zone near us running goal line routes. Each of the three quarterbacks was responsible for an eligible receiver. Someone's wires got crossed on one rep as one QB (not sure the exact guilty party but it was...wait, I should stay quiet) threw to the same receiver as the other QB. The ball nearly hit Bill O'Brien in the head. I don't think he saw it, so I hope I didn't out anyone. Maybe I should just move on...QUICKLY.

6. Great to see RB Jonathan Grimes back on the field after passing his conditioning/physical tests. Coach Bill O'Brien noted after practice that Grimes is a 3-down running back, which inherently increases his value immensely.

7. A guy that is just steady is second year WR Alec Lemon. He made a catch going across the middle in 7-on-7 and it hit me that he does that often and without fanfare.

8. Earlier in the week, I saw DE Jeoffrey Pagan seemingly struggle a bit getting away from a zone blocking OL. But today he handled that much better, defeating the zoning OL and turning him upfield back into the RB.

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13. Xavier Su'a Filo, as I mentioned earlier this week, loves contact but in pass protection, when he gets tall, doesn't drop his hips and anchor, he'll struggle. Later in practice, I saw him "sit down" a bit better and, as a result, he slowed down the pass rush of Jared Crick.



14. In a combination/stunt pass protection drill, rarely does a DL come completely clean to the quarterback, but hard working rookie Julius Warmsley did just that on his one rep during the drill.

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21. On the last team period of the day, DJ Swearinger batted down Fitzpatrick's first pass as he blitzed the team's QB. Then, the defensive backs locked down the secondary for a coverage sack on the next play. Coaches John Butler and Anthony Midget have busted tail working with that group and it's showing.

22. QB Case Keenum hit Camp Star WR EZ Nwachukwu on a three-step slant - his best throw of the day.

23. C Chris Myers was asked who he thought has played well during camp and he said without hesitation "James Ferentz". The former Iowa OL certainly doesn't look the part, a lot like Warmsley, but he's well schooled and wins more, much more, than he loses. He won't knock anyone on his backside but his pass pro technique and production have been good and he's making an impression on the players and the coaching staff.

24. OLB Jason Ankrah has been asked to do a lot during camp that he's never done before. But, he set the edge against the run for four years at Nebraska. That experience was evident when he did that exceptionally well on a zone run his way during an 11-on-11 team drill He destroyed the tight end and shut down a perimeter running lane for RB Andre Brown.

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The rest Here.

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The knock on Joe Adams was that he was having ball security issues with Carolina which forced him to spend some time in the CFL. I can say that he and fellow Razorback Dennis Johnson weren't particularly fumble prone while playing at Arkansas. I remember Adams would drop the occasional pass. Johnson wasn't really an excessive fumbler. For whatever reason, they both have had trouble in the NFL. If they get it figured out, they can help the team....