{"id":46271,"date":"2022-08-15T20:07:42","date_gmt":"2022-08-15T20:07:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/what-you-need-to-know-about-injuries-position-battles-rookie-debuts\/"},"modified":"2022-08-15T20:07:42","modified_gmt":"2022-08-15T20:07:42","slug":"what-you-need-to-know-about-injuries-position-battles-rookie-debuts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/what-you-need-to-know-about-injuries-position-battles-rookie-debuts\/","title":{"rendered":"What you need to know about injuries, position battles, rookie debuts"},"content":{"rendered":"
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31)<\/strong> This is what Mark Kaboly of The Athletic wrote about George Pickens before<\/em> the wideout did this<\/a> (and this<\/a>) in his preseason debut:<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Honestly, I’ve never seen a rookie this good this early.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Now consider the rookie receivers who have come through Pittsburgh during the last two decades covered in which Kaboly has the team. Also consider that I ranked Pickens second in this rookie class<\/a> behind Jameson Williams, so this tiny sample size is just confirming my always-correct priors. I’m biased, but I’m right!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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32)<\/strong> Malik Willis had a handful of jaw-dropping plays in his preseason start, but Titans coach Mike Vrabel played the tough love card.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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“I wanted Malik to throw the ball and he wasn’t, so I put Logan (Woodside) in,” Vrabel said after the game.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Vrabel wasn’t happy with how often Willis held the ball and ran, even though those runs were often the Titans’ best plays. Woodside came in and threw two interceptions. The backup quarterback job appears up for grabs, and Woodside could wind up getting cut.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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33)<\/strong> It’s hard to get a handle on Tennessee first-round pick Treylon Burks’ development. He was playing with the deep reserves late in Thursday’s game presumably because the Titans believed he needed the work. He had 30 snaps and only one target. According to PFF’s Nathan Jahnke, no other receiver drafted in the first or second round played into the second half<\/a> over the weekend. In the last decade, only one other first-round receiver (DJ Moore)<\/a> has played into the fourth quarter of his preseason opener.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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For comparison, Titans fifth-round rookie Kyle Philips only was asked to play three snaps and looks like the favorite for the team’s slot receiver job. Philips’ Week 1 role may be more secure than his first-round counterpart. While Philips appears headed for the slot, Nick Westbrook-Ikhine could wind up sharing a lot of Burks’ snaps.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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34)<\/strong> The Lions have reportedly been moving No. 2 overall pick Aidan Hutchinson inside on passing downs in practice, and that’s exactly what they did in the preseason opener, too. Hutchinson drew a holding penalty and had a tackle for loss in his only series of work — and he broke out a “Billie Jean”-inspired leg kick celebration after his breakout Hard Knocks<\/em> momentum.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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35)<\/strong> The excellent Jason Kelce impression by Eagles rookie center Cam Jurgens is one reason why I love Philadelphia’s chances of winning 10-12 games this season. The Eagles have solutions to injuries throughout the roster, with high-quality backups everywhere.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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36)<\/strong> I’m trying not to overreact to random preseason games, but my god<\/em> Rams undrafted rookie Lance McCutcheon backed up all his training camp practice hype. the man bullied the Chargers for two touchdowns, a two-point conversion and drew two other penalties; it was all but uncoverable. The performance reminded me of Victor Cruz’s breakout preseason game for the Giants in 2010.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Don’t tell me that McCutcheon, who led the Big Sky in receiving last year, doesn’t already have more upside than other Rams depth receivers like Tutu Atwell and Ben Skowronek. Los Angeles coach Sean McVay indicated Saturday night Atwell’s role on the team is secure. (If Atwell hasn’t been drafted in the second round, would that be the case?) The Rams now can’t risk trying to get McCutcheon through to the practice squad.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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37)<\/strong> The Ravens are so deep at safety that first-round pick Kyle Hamilton might not start. On a single drive, the Notre Dame product missed a tackle that led to a long run and then another that led to a Malik Willis touchdown. He also showed off his incredible range on a few plays, but it was hard not to notice he was playing into the second quarter with backups. This is hardly cause for alarm, but it won’t be a surprise if Baltimore breaks in the rookie slowly to start the season. The Ravens might trust their veterans in coverage more.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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38)<\/strong> Meanwhile, Baltimore fourth-round TE Isaiah Likely backed up his boffo training camp reports with some incredible tight-window grabs in his preseason opener. With possible No. 2 wideout James Proche the latest Ravens receiver to get hurt, Likely could have a meaningful role in this passing attack sooner than anyone expected.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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39)<\/strong> Romeo Doubs’ long touchdown from Jordan Love made up for a few drops in his preseason opener, but the most eye-opening development for the rookie receiver came from a midweek practice story courtesy of Matt Schneidman of The Athletic. Packers No. 1 corner Jaire Alexander personally sought out covering Doubs in live reps in practice, to make Doubs feel the intensity of playing a top-tier corner.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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“Certainly you want your better players going against one another,” coach Matt LaFleur said of one of the highest paid cornerbacks in football and … the team’s fourth-round pick.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n