Players that impressed and those that didn't vs the Cowboys.

What I find interesting is Moore. It seems most of us like what we've seen from him, but if you read the media, particularly the Herald, Sentinel and PBP, they all have a less opinion of him making the team, that he hasn't shown enough ?? Of course they say the same about Livas as well, that he won't make the team even tho his return ability is special...

Don't know what to think about Moore tho....


Also, does anyone else feel the way I do about Johnson. While he hasn't made anyone believe he's still the guy from 3 yrs ago, I think I'd feel a lot better about a triumvirate of Bush, Thomas and LJ over anyone else we have, even tho we kind of know what we get with Sexy Lexy. Maybe it's a deep rooted concern that we're expecting too much from Bush as a featured back or something, but I'd just feel better with a group that includes LJ for some reason..??

 

Fact: Gates has to slow down just to be seen by the naked eye.

 

Because he's a grown man, and he dips.......?

 

Well the powers that be have also let guys like Anthony Armstrong, Erik Walden, Rob Ninkovich and Matt Roth go off to other teams and look better than guys that play here currently...so, I mean...so much for the powers that be.

 

He puts his hands upon his hips, when he dips, you dip, he dips?

 

I hadn't heard about Murtha and Clay sporting injuries.

 

Clay has a hammy injury and I do not believe Murtha practiced all week.

 

Good point about Kopa. Switched from DL before junior season and only 7 starts on the OL in his college career and just 1 in 1 game as a senior, then missed the rest of the season with a foot.

I figure we keep 9 LBs, 7 DL and 9 DBs, being a 3-4 team. To keep Spears, we need to cut one of Trusnik, Ike, or Mitchell. Trusnik can and has played both inside and outside, at least in Cleveland, and with his position versatility and good on STs, he should make it, and of the other two, I prefer Ike, but it could go either way.

 

I have all 3 making my final guesstimate of the 53. Hilliard one of the 5 RB/FBs and Spears and Trusnik both included in the 9 LBs.


We may feel Kearse can make it to the PS, then again maybe his upside is too much to risk waiving, which is what I am hoping they are thinking with Livas and Spears.

 

Plus LJ could be the short yardage pounder. Maybe a notch below Polite, but can make up for it with more overall skills.

 

Isn't Kopa from Marioland?

 

Clay's got a hammy issue, Murtha I'm not sure. Sparano confirmed they were being held out for injuries, neither practiced this week.

 

He should've just brought a bottle of Henny to the game.

 

Murtha has a toe injury, and I think Clay may still be dinged up too. Polite was the surprise DNP because I don't expect he is a lock.

 

The powers that be kept both Wallace and Moore as a UDFA WRs last season, much to the surprise of most of the South Fla media as I recall. Hopefully, Spears and Livas are this year's version of those two.

 

Well, one of them was worth it, for sure.

 

Is that another name for Sacramento Calif? Is so, then yes he is.

 

As I recall, you prefer Moore, right? I do, but feel both have some ability worth developing. Heck, I'd even consider trading Hartline, if a team offered something good enough, to make room for Moore. Maybe next year anyway.

 

I made one just for fun, a few weeks ago, then just adjusted about 6 names and had a final 53.

 

Yes I like Marlon Moore. He keeps flashing this ability to get open even though he has stupid drops. That big play he made last year on the short route where he ran the rest for a TD...I mean, we don't often have guys making plays like that but he did. He's got electric qualities and your eye gets drawn to him even when you're trying to watch other guys at Fresno State.

Roberto Wallace though, all he seems to really have going for him are triangle numbers and special teams skill.

 

Other than that one play, he didn't do anything last season. Unless it was during preseason or when the game was practically over. He has a Charles Jordan feel to him.

 

He didn't get a whole lot of opportunities either. He gets open, you could see that last year in preseason and you could see it in the regular season, and you could see it this preseason. He's more consistent than Wallace, for sure.

 

He didn't do much to earn those opportunities on the field when things mattered.

When the Dolphins needed him to step it up a notch when Hartline and Marshall were down, he did not.

He has the talent and the route running ability, however does he have the mentality it takes to be a contributor during the games when it matters?

So far he has proven to not.

 

Livas did make one mistake on a kickoff but it wound up not costing us anything and I thought he did look good as a Wr.

And I'd add:

Ryan Baker, dude just does everything, as I've called him before Jeff Zgnonina Jr
Ray Feinga, we should all hope he emerged in the coaches eyes as that means Garner would make sense as a starter at RT/RG if needed
Marlon Moore had a nice bounce back game

Trusnik and Carroll led us in tackles, and Trus's ability to play Will or Sam or ILb means he is a fixture for us.

The guy who confused the heck out of me was O'Connell, he was running around like Vince Young, did not see that one coming.

 

Wow, Lex Hilliard had a really key block on that Larry Johnson 22 yard touchdown. That's not a block that someone as slow as Lou Polite makes. And actually if you look, Hilliard shoulders another guy along the way before he makes that key block.

Hmm...

 

My kind've man

 

IMO Polite's days should be done , he isn't good enough at his limited strengths to warrant a roster spot . Lex may not block as well but close enough when you add he is very strong on ST's and can handle some carries.

To me it is an easy choice , hopefully it happens , but that old stubborn streak worries me.

 

Yeah, Bowser's castle looks like it could be in Oakland...

 

I think the one "big" surprise of cutdowns is going to be that Polite doesn't make the team and Clay is the only FB officially rostered, or they move Hilliard there.

And I hate to say it, but Roberto Wallace hasn't progressed at the same rate as Marlon Moore, although I have pulling for Wallace all along. Moore showed both a superior level of consistency and big play ability to Wallace.

I do hope we keep both, but I won't be surprised to see Wallace cut, and if he clears waivers, sign to the PS.

 

Lex is also surprisingly good at catching out of the backfield.

 

I think Wallace has been activated too much for PS.

I do not expect any big jump from Wallace until next year.

 

It's interesting that the first thing people think of when I talk about what Hilliard did on that play is talk about Lou Polite not making the team.

That's not how I tend to think of it. I think of it in terms of role players. Lex Hilliard's not doing what Lou Polite does up the middle, as a lead blocker running between the tackles. But then, neither is Charles Clay. And likewise, Lou Polite is not doing what those two do out on the perimeter. Lex and Charles are both kind of perimeter blockers with athleticism. And they both can catch the ball. And they both can run the ball.

I would actually put Lex Hilliard's roles as a blocker on a level with Charles Clay, not with Lou Polite...which to me, means Hilliard and Clay should be competing with one another. If you take Lou Polite out of the picture, you take a part of the playbook with him. You take his role with him. He's the only Lou Polite on this team. But if you got rid of Lex Hilliard you'd still have Charles Clay, or vice versa.

 

Weren't we disappointed in Lou Polite's lead blocking last year? I could be remembering wrong, but I thought his M.O. for us was his near flawless ability to get the tough 4th & 1 yard.

 

Polite also has a 1.3 million dollar price tag and his interior blocking has been sub par at best.

 

At the very least, it looks like a good player will be let go.

Indeed. And I reckon it's entirely possible that neither guy makes it, thanks to Starks and McDaniel...and even Ryan Baker...also being able to slide into that position. Ideally we'd have two pure guys there, but I'm used to the surprise factor by now.

Kearse would definitely hit the practice squad, but I'd be surprised if he wasn't scooped up. Good size, only 22. Small school guy but already looks like it isn't too big for him.