1. Rex Grossman’s ball jumps out of his hands a little quicker than John Beck’s. Grossman’s spirals were tighter. Beck rarely threw tight spirals. What does this mean? Don’t know (anyone remember Billy Kilmer’s passes?). But that’s what we saw. Remember, too, that there’s no rush. Grossman had a rep in Chicago for always looking sharp in 7 on 7s. The games? Not so much.
2. Beck threw a wounded duck downfield that was intercepted by Kevin Barnes. But he also threw a 50-yard pass to Terrence Austin. Wouldn’t get too excited over anything with the QBs in May, good or bad. That position is all about what you do when the pocket collapses. But this does not look like Sonny vs. Billy, the sequel.
3. NFLPA boss DeMaurice Smith watched the workout and met with the players for about 15 minutes afterward, answering their questions about the lockout. Smith, in a rarity, declined to speak with the media. But the players liked the opportunity to talk with him. “That uncertainty lingers,” Beck said, “so you want to know what is happening.”
4. Corner DeAngelo Hall said he still hopes that no games will be missed. “We have a pretty significant game on 9-11, hopefully we can give the fans what they want to see, which is American football on the anniversary of that tragic event. Hopefully we can be ready for that game. Could it not be? Absolutely. We might be sitting here doing the same thing we’re doing right now.”
5. Linebacker Lorenzo Alexander worked at inside linebacker and would like to add that to the positions he’s capable of playing. Last season, at 270 pounds, he was too heavy for that spot. Now he weighs 255 pounds. That would be quite a road, going from DT to OLB to ILB. He had solid coverage on a couple routes down the middle, though one resulted in a completion to Chris Cooley. But one thing to say about Alexander: He finds any way he can to get on the field.
6. The only rookies who did not attend were second-round pick Jarvis Jenkins and sixth-round receiver Aldrick Robinson. Hard to get a read on the rookies because they don’t know the plays yet; will get a better feel for them over the next couple days. It was weird to see guys introduce themselves. And London Fletcher, who ran the session, made sure the rookies knew their place. After the practice ended, and after many interviews had been given, some of the agility ropes still lay on the ground. Fletcher called out to the “Nebraskas” – Roy Helu and Niles Paul – and asked them, “Why are these still on the ground?” And receiver Leonard Hankerson will be a fun guy to cover. Why? Because of this: “I always speak highly of myself,” he said.
7. Guard Maurice Hurt needs to tone his body before training camp, though one of the knocks on him according to Pro Football Weekly was that he was too “fleshy”. So maybe he’s always played that way. Still, can’t imagine that way will work too long; not if you’re a seventh-rounder.
8. DeJon Gomes said he hasn’t played a “pure” free safety since high school.
9. We counted 41 players in attendance, which is pretty good considering few teams have drawn that many. It’s believed that only New Orleans has matched or approached that total. And this practice was run more like a practice and less like a get together like the one in April. Then, Kedric Golston was playing safety in 7 on 7s; today, they had real safeties and all spots were full. Beck said he and Grossman agreed that they ran more plays Monday than at the workouts in April. “And there was more fluidity in calling the plays. People last time were trying to remember, ‘What was that?’ This time because that’s in their head already things rolled smoother.” Golston, by the way, worked with seventh-round nose tackle Chris Neild on the side during the 7 on 7 work. Among the missing: Brian Orakpo, Trent Williams and LaRon Landry. Orakpo made the one in April; Landry rarely showed during OTAs at the facility and Williams is working out elsewhere. But so are many of these players.
10. Fletcher was impressed with first-round pick Ryan Kerrigan. “He looked good. He looked natural in coverage. He didn’t make any mental errors when he was supposed to rush or cover. It’s not like he had a chance in the classroom to go over anything. “ One difference for the rookies: With no coaches, there was more ability to have a teammate correct them before the snap – and for them to ask the vets what they should do. That stuff helps.
