On Hard Knocks They Showed The Board With Players Ranked By Position. It's pretty clearly the depth chart as they saw the players at the start of camp. When they cut Dixon, he was the 'bottom guy' at RG.

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I compared the Aug 6th depth chart we released with the start of camp coaches-board from Hard Knocks.

Let's start with what I found at Wide Receiver, then discuss it. I'll post other positions later.

On the HBO screen-cap you can see who they have as X receiver, as Z receiver, and as slot receiver (looks like their designation is Z plus andother letter)

Slot Receiver
HBO Pre-Camp Board: 1) Bess, 2) Pruitt 3) Cunningham 4) Hogan
Aug 6 Depth Chart: Looks like Bess, then anyone's guess.

Z-Receiver
HBO Pre-Camp Board: 1) Chad Johnson 2) Hartline 3) Pruitt 4) Wallace 5) Cunningham
Aug 6 Depth Chart: 1) Chad Johnson 2) Hartline 3) Marlon Moore 4) Roberto Wallace

X-Receiver
HBO Pre-Camp Board: 1) Naanee, 2) Gates 3) Fuller 4) Matthews 5) Moore
Aug 6 Depth Chart: 1) Naanee 2) Pruitt 3) Fuller / Gates 4) Matthews / Cunningham (unless Cunningham is slot)


This matters for a couple reasons. Mainly, it gives us some idea of who the coaches already liked coming into camp, and how closely their pre-camp assessments played out based on a week plus of training camp before putting the first depth chart out.

Bess, Chad Johnson and Naanee were already assumed starters and backed it up in camp, in the coaches' opinions.

Pruitt was higher initially than I;d have thought, coming into camp, and we figure to see him at Z and slot receiver this year. Based on this, I'm calling this cat to make the team barring a horrible set of pre-season performances. He's also a key special teamer.

I was surprised and impressed that UDFA Jeff Fuller didn't work his way up the depth chart, from the bootom as I had thought, but that they already EXPECTED him to be third string at X-receiver when he arrived. Really interesting and speaks to him havong had their faith for awhile already. That means a roster spot is certainly possible. He has clearly proven himself to some degree in the staff's eyes and just needs to keep it up.

I think my biggest surprise was that Wallace didn't drop lower during camp, but was already bottom rung below Fuller in the pre-camp thought-process. I thought Wallace was going to make the team, but if the staff enetered camp not liking him I am guessing it's a major issue... maybe his style of play is not fitting the system? No answers there.

Marlon Moore, who was listed as the bottom string X receiver pre-camp, is listed as the third string Z receiver on the Aug 6th depth chart. Interesting that they are trying different hats on to see where Marlon fits. Not sure he sticks.

Just having seen who the staff liked initially and then liked after a week or so of training camp. here's who looks to make the team *pending the all important pre-season games*.

Chad Johnson, Legadu Naanee, Davone Bess, Hartline and TWO of Pruitt, Fuller, Gates.

Pruitt, Fuller and Gates ESPECIALLY Fuller and Gates and the ones to watch tonight, imo. The other guys, Cunningham, Hogan, Matthews, Moore, Wallace have to have big nights to get back into this before it's too late.

Yes, anything can happen, but coaches (and human) opinions tend to have persistence. The longer we hold an opinion of someone, the harded it is to change it. Now we can see how long they've liked some of these guys and how there isn;t a ton of up and down movement between strings for the WRs.

Time to step up and prove yourselves while the coaches can still be convinced.

 

Agree on all counts.

- Fuller had a huge advantage most UDFAs DON'T because of Sherman and Tannehill knowing him.
- Does Cunningham's skillset scream quick inside receiver, or does this say more about us using that third receiver slot differently than we have in the past? Longer routes, perhaps?
- Glad to see Chad has not lost their confidence as the starting receiver. I mean, there was talk when he came about "Will he make the team?"



I was a LITTLE surprised that they had Naanee at X before camp. I mean, did they know he had some speed? He never struck me as a guy who got behind defenses regularly but clearly he has met their expectations for the role they have for him.

 

Agree that PRuitt is too useful.. slot, X receiver, Special Teams... for him to get cut.

So it's really between Gates and Fuller. How tough is that???

We keep saying gates is the only true deep threat. That would make it hard to give him up.

Yet, Fuller seems to be the better technical receiver, despite being a rookie... probably because he has played in this offense before, and can really be a good security blankie for Tannehill as that QB develops, since they have history.

So, Gates speed versus Fullers overachieving and familiarity.

Which do you choose???

To me, the answer lies in how well Legedu Naanee does at getting deep and behind defenses tonight and in pres-season game two. If Naanee can provide SOME threat to opposing safeties, then we are less handcuffed to Gates and can keep Fuller.

Would also like to know which of Fuller/Gates is better on Special Teams. I'm guessing the bigger Fuller is more useful on coverage teams.