NFL: 2018 Training Camp Discussion thread

[John Price]

 

[spintheblackcircle]

 

[spintheblackcircle]

TE Thomas retiring to pursue Ph.D., study CTE

NFL tight end Julius Thomas is hanging up his cleats for a doctorate degree.

Thomas is retiring from professional football to pursue a Ph.D. in psychology, the 30-year-old announced in the Players' Tribune on Friday.

Thomas said he will focus his doctorate on "investigating the effects of contact sports on brain trauma and neurobehavioral performance." He will also participate in research to "identify early warning signs of brain disease."

 

[Voight]

Yet another player who's bank account can thank Mr Manning.

 

[Gene Parmesan]

Should we run a tally of how many had their brains and bodies destroyed due to Manning' s hospital balls?

 

[Big Poppa Puck]

Just because I like doing these things here's my Vikings 53 man roster prediction with a game to go:

QB (3): Kirk Cousins, Trevor Siemien, Kyle Sloter
RB/FB (4): Dalvin Cook. Latavius Murray, Mike Boone, CJ Ham
WR (6): Adam Thielen, Stefon Diggs, Laquon Treadwell, Kendall Wright, Stacey Coley, Chad Beebe
TE (3): Kyle Rudolph, David Morgan, Ty Conklin (not that one)
OL (9): Riley Reiff, Tom Compton, Pat Elflein, Mike Remmers, Rashod Hill, Brian O'Neill, Danny Isidora, Cornelius Edison, Aviante Collins
(25)

DE (4): Everson Griffen, Danielle Hunter, Brian Robison, Stephen Weatherly
DT (5): Linval Joseph, Sheldon Richardson, Jaleel Johnson, Ifeadi Odenigbo, Jalyn Holmes
LB (5): Anthony Barr, Eric Kendricks, Ben Gedeon, Eric Wilson, Devante Downs
CB (6): Xavier Rhodes, Trae Waynes, Terence Newman, Mike Hughes, Mackensie Alexander, Marcus Sherels
S (5): Harrison Smith, Andrew Sendejo, George Iloka, Anthony Harris, Jayron Kearse
(25)

K: Daniel Carlson
P: Ryan Quigley
LS: Kevin McDermott
(3)

SUSP: LB Kentrell Brothers
(1)
--------

10 man Practice Squad: WR Brandon Zylstra, WR Cayleb Jones, WR Jake Weinicke RB Roc Thomas, OL Colby Gossett, DE Tashawn Bower, LB Antwoine Williams, CB Holton Hill, S Jack Tocho, S Tray Matthews


-Have them going with 5 LBs in order to keep the 6th WR and Kearse on as a ST Ace. Last spot came down to Williams and Downs, tie goes to the draft pick. They could also go with 5 for the first 4 games then make a decision when Brothers gets back whether to keep 5 or go with 6.

-Would not surprise me to see Sherels get cut in order to keep Hill around or the 6th LB, with Hughes taking over return duties .

-Chad Beebe has made this team IMO, Coley's been hurt but I think they like him, he spent time with the ones in camp. Wouldn't be shocked to see Wright get the axe there, but kept him for now.

-Could see them keeping a 4th TE instead of 9th OL or 6th WR but we'll see.

-The PS was just a guess based on who's already on the roster. They'll probably have more than one OL but he's likely not on the team right now, so I put an extra WR for now.

 

[Avs_19]

Just because I like doing these things here's my Vikings 53 man roster prediction with a game to go:

.......

A few of my thoughts:

Mike Boone has been very impressive. Roc Thomas looked great in the first preseason game but it has been all Boone since then. They love those crazy athletes and they're going to replace one SPARQ monster (McKinnon) with another. Thomas didn't play at all yesterday so they appear to be trying to hide him to slip him to the practice squad.

I think Kendall Wright has played his way off the team. By all accounts he hasn't had a great camp and has done nothing in the preseason games. Treadwell has had a really good camp, is showing some chemistry with Cousins, and seems to have that WR3 spot so that might also help push Wright out. You need to contribute on special teams if you're not going to be get many snaps on offense and I don't believe Wright helps in that area. I had no clue who Chad Beebe was up until about two weeks ago but he has been good. He's certainly making a good case for himself and unlike Wright, he can help in the return game.

DL might be the toughest decision for them. All of those guys you list are good enough to be on the team but so is Bower. He has improved a lot in just one year and might get picked up by someone else if doesn't make the team. If it were me, I'd cut Robison and keep the young guys but I doubt they do that.

 

[Big Poppa Puck]

A few of my thoughts:

Mike Boone has been very impressive. Roc Thomas looked great in the first preseason game but it has been all Boone since then. They love those crazy athletes and they're going to replace one SPARQ monster (McKinnon) with another. Thomas didn't play at all yesterday so they appear to be trying to hide him to slip him to the practice squad.

I think Kendall Wright has played his way off the team. By all accounts he hasn't had a great camp and has done nothing in the preseason games. Treadwell has had a really good camp, is showing some chemistry with Cousins, and seems to have that WR3 spot so that might also help push Wright out. You need to contribute on special teams if you're not going to be get many snaps on offense and I don't believe Wright helps in that area. I had no clue who Chad Beebe was up until about two weeks ago but he has been good. He's certainly making a good case for himself and unlike Wright, he can help in the return game.

DL might be the toughest decision for them. All of those guys you list are good enough to be on the team but so is Bower. He has improved a lot in just one year and might get picked up by someone else if doesn't make the team. If it were me, I'd cut Robison and keep the young guys but I doubt they do that.

I'm not at practice but Weatherly has look better than Bowers in the games so I went with. They might keep Bower and around and go light somewhere else. They usually keep 6 WRs but I feel like Zimmer only activates 4 on gameday. Like I said Wright has done nothing and I can see him getting cut, I just kept him on there for now. And like you said he doesn't play ST so game time someone like Coley will wind up dressing over him. I know they like Zylstra but then he got hurt and Beebe surpassed him. The beat guys had him making the team before he got that.

I think if it were up to me I'd cut Wright and go with 5 WRs and use that last spot for either Bower, another LB or an extra TE.

I wonder how much they like Holton Hill? Is it enough to move on from Sherels and trust Hughes with return duties? Do you go with 7 CBs? Cause I don't think he slips through waivers and he was their highest paid UDFA.

 

[spintheblackcircle]

 

[Avs_19]

I'm not at practice but Weatherly has look better than Bowers in the games so I went with. They might keep Bower and around and go light somewhere else. They usually keep 6 WRs but I feel like Zimmer only activates 4 on gameday. Like I said Wright has done nothing and I can see him getting cut, I just kept him on there for now. And like you said he doesn't play ST so game time someone like Coley will wind up dressing over him. I know they like Zylstra but then he got hurt and Beebe surpassed him. The beat guys had him making the team before he got that.

I think if it were up to me I'd cut Wright and go with 5 WRs and use that last spot for either Bower, another LB or an extra TE.

I wonder how much they like Holton Hill? Is it enough to move on from Sherels and trust Hughes with return duties? Do you go with 7 CBs? Cause I don't think he slips through waivers and he was their highest paid UDFA.

I'd guess they try to get Hill to the practice squad but Zimmer seems to really like him so maybe they won't risk it. He hasn't shown a lot in preseason. I think I've predicted Sherels getting cut for like three years now and he always survives.

 

[Tuggy]

 

[m9]

Steelers picking up Ryan Switzer from the Raiders is an interesting one.

Should be the primary returner and backup slot WR. Hopefully there's nothing going on with either Juju or James Washington as both have had minor injuries recently.

 

[Blackhawkswincup]

Wonder what picks they are getting

 

[Mr Misunderstood]

Should we run a tally of how many had their brains and bodies destroyed due to Manning' s hospital balls?

If you do, you have to count Austin Collie about 6 times. Poor guy...

 

[Blitzkrug]

Kinda feel bad for Zylstra. He looked like he might have been on his way to making the team, got hurt and was then passed by other guys fighting to make the team.

Always want to see guys from the CFL succeed down south.

 

[Avs_19]

Kinda feel bad for Zylstra. He looked like he might have been on his way to making the team, got hurt and was then passed by other guys fighting to make the team.

Always want to see guys from the CFL succeed down south.

They really liked what they saw from him too. He still has a chance because other than Beebe no one has really stood out but it'll be tough now.

 

[Blitzkrug]

the one plus side is he's only 25. Assuming he gets cut, he can always come back up here for a year or two and then get another shot somewhere else in the NFL.

I imagine that won't be the last you hear of Zylstra in NFL circles.

 

[Blitzkrug]

Should we run a tally of how many had their brains and bodies destroyed due to Manning' s hospital balls?

Pretty much his entire receiving core from 2005-2008? Anthony Gonzalez, Austin Collie....the list goes on

 

[TNT87]

Wonder what picks they are getting

 

[Troy McClure]

That's barely a step above future considerations.

 

[What the Faulk]

Interesting strategy for a player to accumulate draft picks, but let's see how this plays out.

 

[Troy McClure]

There is a special kind of magic a slow mo NFL pass delivers that you don't get from other sports.

 

[sigma six]

Seattle just traded a pick for Brett Hundley, apparently?

Edit: a sixth.

 

[Blackhawkswincup]

 

[StreetHawk]

Wow. Just shows how much the WR position has benefited in terms of salary in this pass happy league.