Three Weeks Until Training Camp

[PatsGuy]

I will got to the first 4 or 5 and the joint sessions and some odds and ends in between! love it sun and football woooooo!

A lot of my friends r Eagle fans so we all might b down to Foxboro for joint practices in Aug

 

[supafly]

His late season exile was more due to injury and rookie inexperience/mistakes. Bill can be a little to freaky on do your job and being flawlessly assignment sound. When you would rather play physical liabilities like Andre carter/Austin collie over young stud talent over a couple mistakes, that can be detrimental to the team in the end. Collie/carter aren't helping you win a championship when it comes time to play the Seattle's/SFs and Broncos of the NFL. That assignment sound smoke and mirrors you use with technically sound washed up has beens only gets you so far til the cream puff teams diseappear at playoff time.

I admire your optimism and fandom (is that a word?) in regards to Kenbrell Thompkins, even though we have a major disagreement on the subject.

One area that I also highly disagree would be your downplaying of the Austin Collie signing. If you want to talk about someone who put in tons of work with KT, look at Collie's long work days, and constant film review from last season. He was gaining a ton of respect from BB, Brady, McDaniels, and O'Shea for coming in hrs early, and leaving hrs late. His ability to successful use his experience to mesh with the new verbiage in our specific system showed decent enough results in many situations, and I'd take Collie all over again....perhaps even over Kenbrell Thompkins, since it can be argued that Collie is better for our system and had a better rapport with Tom Brady.

We'll have to see how it plays out, and I am hoping that Thompkins really steps it up. My main concern is that I believe he'll have limited opportunities unless Dobson starts the year on PUP or becomes injured again.

 

[PatFanCraig]

Dues he isn't doing basic stretching he is doing things most people never knew existed. It shocked a college trainer the new training being performed to increase explosion/fluidness/balance.

Collie was working hard to get up to speed in the system and game shape. KT is training ridiculously hard to be a supreme athletic talent on par with Watkins. Other teams fans laughed at us for being desperate enough to bring in the limited austin Collie. I just think team concept needs some adjustment if we are going to improve enough to win a Superbowl. I'm just so frustrated at going 13-3 14-2 and getting our butts kicked in the playoffs by some 10-6 or 9-7 team with more impact talent than us.

I would like to develop Buchanan/Easley to make an impact and trade for one more WR talented prospect like Denarius Moore. Although I'm confident in KT/Dobson, til we have an established consistent playmaker WR we can't have enough prospects. The smoke and mirrors featuring focus on the slot that works against cream puff teams in the regular season has consistently failed in the playoffs. I just want a couple impact players who makes their bigger tougher to make plays at WR and impact rusher to get over the hump this year and finally win the Superbowl. Im kind of a sore loser always have been at many things!! LOL Tired of butt kickings in the playoffs. Time to kick some *** in afccg and then win the Superbowl

 

[Joker]

high intensity training 8-12 hours a day?

uh...I'm going to have to call up the bullshyt element card on that one..

 

[PatFanCraig]

I know it sounds farfetched, but he is. However its not like 8 hours straight of grunting. He switches from on phase to another. He has his reasons. Like reading all these doubts here of his raw ability Adds to motivation for his retreat to his own training camp for preparation. He is basically treating it like a camp a boxer or ufc fighter goes through for the big night. To push endurance/strength/quickness/explosiveness/flexibility/fluidness/sharpness to an absolute maximum. He knows he was undrafted. Making plays and making some impressions isn't going to be enough to snatch the starting Z job. He knows he has to be that guy who consistently gets open and burns his defender and be that guy who can snatch a pass in traffic and run away from the entire defense to impress enough to start. He'll surprise most fans I'm sure.

 

[supafly]

Collie was working hard to get up to speed in the system and game shape. KT is training ridiculously hard to be a supreme athletic talent on par with Watkins. Other teams fans laughed at us for being desperate enough to bring in the limited austin Collie. I just think team concept needs some adjustment if we are going to improve enough to win a Superbowl. I'm just so frustrated at going 13-3 14-2 and getting our butts kicked in the playoffs by some 10-6 or 9-7 team with more impact talent than us.

Collie was working hard on learning the specific verbiage of the complex offensive system, not to get in "game shape."

http://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2...atriots-win/VjK9ATchPm80ejCS2kTxsO/story.html

To be honest, I don't really care what other team's fanbases have to say, because there aren't many who don't end up at the other side of an ass-whipping pretty consistently when they play us.

I think we all share your frustration about not being able to go farther in the postseason. Last year it was about injuries....actually it can be argued that the past TWO years were about injuries, considering that Aqib Talib promptly marched off the field after the initial drives of the game in consecutive seasons.

The year before, it was about Welker/Brady screwing up a pass to win the game + the inability to get a lucky bounce or two in the SB (and again, the injury to Gronk really hurt as well).

 

[Deus Irae]

Dues he isn't doing basic stretching he is doing things most people never knew existed. It shocked a college trainer the new training being performed to increase explosion/fluidness/balance.

Collie was working hard to get up to speed in the system and game shape. KT is training ridiculously hard to be a supreme athletic talent on par with Watkins. Other teams fans laughed at us for being desperate enough to bring in the limited austin Collie. I just think team concept needs some adjustment if we are going to improve enough to win a Superbowl. I'm just so frustrated at going 13-3 14-2 and getting our butts kicked in the playoffs by some 10-6 or 9-7 team with more impact talent than us.

I would like to develop Buchanan/Easley to make an impact and trade for one more WR talented prospect like Denarius Moore. Although I'm confident in KT/Dobson, til we have an established consistent playmaker WR we can't have enough prospects. The smoke and mirrors featuring focus on the slot that works against cream puff teams in the regular season has consistently failed in the playoffs. I just want a couple impact players who makes their bigger tougher to make plays at WR and impact rusher to get over the hump this year and finally win the Superbowl. Im kind of a sore loser always have been at many things!! LOL Tired of butt kickings in the playoffs. Time to kick some *** in afccg and then win the Superbowl

Very little of what you post is believable. Even less of it is going to magically make Thompkins a top 10 WR this season. It's not going to happen.

 

[Joker]

I remember Thompkins from last camp and I remember he looked better and farther along than Dobson and especially Boyce.

The regular season eventually revealed a few flaws he didn't show in preseason. Busted routes and nervous hands showed up more frequently as the season progressed.

Competition SHOULD be much fiercer than last year's camp and I'm looking forward to a number of long looks at him and the other receivers.

 

[supafly]

Competition SHOULD be much fiercer than last year's camp and I'm looking forward to a number of long looks at him and the other receivers.

Yep, we're all hoping that the competition will be improved, and that at least ONE of the three rookie receivers will make the second year jump.

 

[PatFanCraig]

Very little of what you post is believable. Even less of it is going to magically make Thompkins a top 10 WR this season. It's not going to happen.

If you run into him you can ask LOL. If he has a breakout this year I'm sure they will mention his wide array of workout routines and work ethic when they do segments on him and his breakout success. I never said he will become a top10 WR,I said I hope he does. He will be much quicker and faster this season with quicker/sharper breaks and cuts because of more quickness and detailed. Overall I said he will be a faster/better overall athlete and hopefully a top 10 WR.

I know more variables go into being a top 10 WR. He will need better timing and precision in his routes with Brady. And he will also need good overall field awareness. I'm are it takes more than the 4.3 speed and elite endurance he is gunning for. I'm not saying he will be a top10 or even our starting Z. I just said his speed and quickness in his breaks is definitely going to shock a lot of people. I'm personally rooting for him to have a breakout similar to his cousin Antonio Brown. Not to mention we need a WR of that caliber to emerge or this years offense will repeat last year if Gronk isn't healthy. I personally think if Kenbrell stays healthy and starts he should at least put up 1000 yards 8 TDs and at least 13 ypc.

Working out 8 hours a day or more is actually very logical to him and would make no sense not to.

 

[supafly]

I personally think if Kenbrell stays healthy and starts he should at least put up 1000 yards 8 TDs and at least 13 ypc.

Working out 8 hours a day or more is actually very logical to him and would make no sense not to.

I think we're all rooting for him, but are just very apprehensive of some of your projections.

Off the subject---you aren't by chance playing in our fantasy football league, are you?

 

[Mike the Brit]

Well written response, but most of us are somewhat dismissive of Thompkins because he had many weaknesses last year, and only caught 11 balls in the last 3 months of the season between mid-Oct and mid-Jan. To take it one step further, the high majority of those 11 catches were in one game vs DEN.
It's hard to get insanely high on a player when you see many weaknesses, and he puts up numbers like that. While many like myself are openly apprehensive of Kenbrell Thompkins, there are many others who are severely overrating his 2013 campaign just the same.

He was injured.

It's true that he took time to get in sync with Brady (the game against Buffalo was awful) but, when he did, he was tough and sure-handed (made the catch of the season to end the Saints game).

To my mind, he's shown much more than Aaron Dobson, whose drops were at least as troubling and who has yet to show the ability to compete for the ball.

Last year, people had Edelman-itis. This year, apparently, it's Amendola-itis and Thompkins-itis.

We'll see. The evidence of last year (in each case) is, I think, too limited to draw negative conclusions. Shall we re-visit this in December?

 

[AzorianPats]

If you run into him you can ask LOL. If he has a breakout this year I'm sure they will mention his wide array of workout routines and work ethic when they do segments on him and his breakout success. I never said he will become a top10 WR,I said I hope he does. He will be much quicker and faster this season with quicker/sharper breaks and cuts because of more quickness and detailed. Overall I said he will be a faster/better overall athlete and hopefully a top 10 WR.

I know more variables go into being a top 10 WR. He will need better timing and precision in his routes with Brady. And he will also need good overall field awareness. I'm are it takes more than the 4.3 speed and elite endurance he is gunning for. I'm not saying he will be a top10 or even our starting Z. I just said his speed and quickness in his breaks is definitely going to shock a lot of people. I'm personally rooting for him to have a breakout similar to his cousin Antonio Brown. Not to mention we need a WR of that caliber to emerge or this years offense will repeat last year if Gronk isn't healthy. I personally think if Kenbrell stays healthy and starts he should at least put up 1000 yards 8 TDs and at least 13 ypc.

Working out 8 hours a day or more is actually very logical to him and would make no sense not to.

Gymrat is that you????

 

[AzorianPats]

I admire your optimism and fandom (is that a word?) in regards to Kenbrell Thompkins, even though we have a major disagreement on the subject.

One area that I also highly disagree would be your downplaying of the Austin Collie signing. If you want to talk about someone who put in tons of work with KT, look at Collie's long work days, and constant film review from last season. He was gaining a ton of respect from BB, Brady, McDaniels, and O'Shea for coming in hrs early, and leaving hrs late. His ability to successful use his experience to mesh with the new verbiage in our specific system showed decent enough results in many situations, and I'd take Collie all over again....perhaps even over Kenbrell Thompkins, since it can be argued that Collie is better for our system and had a better rapport with Tom Brady.

We'll have to see how it plays out, and I am hoping that Thompkins really steps it up. My main concern is that I believe he'll have limited opportunities unless Dobson starts the year on PUP or becomes injured again.

By the end of the season last year, Collie probably had a better rapport with Brady, than any other WR not named Edelman....

 

[varjao]

I don't like this logjam of slot receivers as well, but I did like what I saw from Collie last season. Working with Brady and not that slot receiver killer named Manning, he may get past that injury history and regain his best.

The slot receiver is an essential part of our offense, we have Edelman and Amendola, I'm not convinced Boyce fits that Welker role. The plan has always been using Amendola on that role, I think Edelman can be used more to stretch the field with his speed and I believe we will see more of this on this season.

Having a decent backup would be smart considering Amendola's history and Collie can be used in different formations. I have to be honest, if Boyce does not show enough in TC I would consider moving on.

 

[Danger Zone]

Gymrat is that you????

I had come to the conclusion that Gymrat was a troll.

And I actually strongly suspect what you're implying here.

That said, if its true Im willing to admit to being wrong about Gymrat because it's clear to me that PatsfanCraig just wants to talk football and I can respect him starting fresh to do that.

 

[patchick]

Dues he isn't doing basic stretching he is doing things most people never knew existed. It shocked a college trainer the new training being performed to increase explosion/fluidness/balance.

OK...even if we accept that Kenbrell Thompkins was visited by the Magic Workout Fairy and given a gym routine totally unlike anything available to other professional athletes, "explosion/fluidness/balance" were already his strengths. Concentration, route running, and securing the ball were the areas he most needed to develop.

That said, Thompkins is well positioned for a year-2 leap. I'm just not convinced that his double-secret workout is the reason.

 

[Danger Zone]

Anyone else a little worried about this years games against the Redskins and Chiefs now that we released Jeremy Johnson?

 

[Deus Irae]

If you run into him you can ask LOL.

What the hell am I supposed to ask him?

"Hey, KT. There's this insane guy who posts on a website who says you're going to be a top 10 WR this year. Can you please tell me which of:

Calvin Johnson
Andre Johnson
Larry Fitzgerald
A.J. Green
Julio Jones
Dez Bryant
Brandon Marshall
Demaryius Thomas
Percy Harvin
Vincent Jackson
Roddy White
Reggie Wayne
Jordy Nelson
Dwayne Bowe
Victor Cruz
Randall Cobb
Marques Colston
Alshon Jeffery
DeSean Jackson
Pierre Garçon
Antonio Brown
Jeremy Maclin
Eric Decker
Wes Welker
Steve Johnson
Michael Crabtree
Danny Amendola
Julian Edelman
Anquan Boldin
Keenan Allen
Cordarrelle Patterson
Aaron Dobson
Brandon LaFell
Robert Woods

Etc...
Etc...
Etc...

are going to retire, which are going to decline, which are going to get injured, and which are going to be killed in a freak meteor strike so that you can climb into that top 10?

 

[supafly]

He was injured.

It's true that he took time to get in sync with Brady (the game against Buffalo was awful) but, when he did, he was tough and sure-handed (made the catch of the season to end the Saints game).

To my mind, he's shown much more than Aaron Dobson, whose drops were at least as troubling and who has yet to show the ability to compete for the ball.

Last year, people had Edelman-itis. This year, apparently, it's Amendola-itis and Thompkins-itis.

We'll see. The evidence of last year (in each case) is, I think, too limited to draw negative conclusions. Shall we re-visit this in December?

I respect your opinion, Mike, but the truth of the matter is that the following receivers are probably above Thompkins on the depth chart and that is for a good reason:

Edelman
Amendola
Dobson
LaFell

If Josh Boyce is active for kickoff return duties, or is also above him on the depth chart, Thompkins will be the 6th receiver. Even if you're feeling super confident about his ability to overtake LaFell in training camp this year (which I don't see happening with LaFell's experience), Thompkins is only 4th on the chart at best....and that's assuming that he beats out Josh Boyce as well.

Obviously, we have a difference of opinions, so you're right--the only thing we can do is hope for the best. If Kenbrell Thompkins has a good year and sees lots of opportunities though, it's likely going to mean that we're seeing a bad injury situation with Dobson, a wasted opportunity with LaFell, and a poor second year leap with Boyce.

Don't get me wrong, I'm certainly rooting for him, but I don't see what you're seeing in terms of him having a good rookie year. I think he was mediocre at best. He was struggling way before the injury situation, and still played in 12/16 games. After the Saints game that you mentioned, he totally disappeared off the face of the earth, and that was in the 6th game (IIRC).