dragondawg
08-15-2007, 04:54 AM
Lee Rasizer
For Sporting News
Despite a minor groin problem that kept him out of the preseason opener, OT Matt Lepsis' comeback from major knee surgery was proceeding well. Lepsis still feels a half-second slow in his movements, both when planting hard with his inside leg to guard against stunts and sliding his feet on an outside bull rush. But it appears to be more a function of time than anything else. Lepsis is experiencing no pain or soreness in the knee and is on target for a full return for the Sept. 9 opener. ...
Javon Walker has had opportunities to take practices off during camp, but with the receiving corps in shambles due to various injuries, he's made himself available to pick up the slack. Walker has been able to get his strength and quickness back completely after rehabilitating the entire offseason leading up to his 2006 debut. He looks sharp in his route running and, with Rod Smith ailing, is consciously taking on a leadership role. Even after Walker has finished practicing, he's frequently opted for extra work with the Juggs machine after practices. The biggest worry -- his mindset following his wrong-place, wrong-time involvement in Darrent Williams' death, when the cornerback died in his arms -- doesn't appear to be an issue at all. Actually, Walker appears more locked in than ever and is promising a huge season.
NEWCOMER REPORT: DE Jarvis Moss has set a lofty goal of winning defensive rookie of the year. He'll need to make a significant push over the next month to have a chance, given he appears to be settling into a pass-rush specialist role at the moment. Moss tried to get by on his quick first step around the edge and after some initial success, Denver's tackles began catching on and neutralizing his strengths. But Moss has a solid work ethic, studied tape and realized his deficiency. He began varying his moves and, more importantly, did a better job of not telegraphing his counter-moves and began executing them at full speed. Moss got a scare when he went down after twisting his left knee but should be fine, other than missing practice reps. He's bulked up some but still needs to gain weight and improve his lower body strength to anchor vs. the run and earn playing time on early downs.
SCOUTING REPORT: Ben Hamilton is undersized by league standards at guard but his skills are suited for Denver's zone-blocking scheme. He plays with good knee bend to get underneath defensive linemen's pads and use leverage to his advantage, though if he has a weakness, he isn't a classic mauler, which hurts in short-yardage situations and anchoring in obvious passing situations. However, Hamilton's movement skills are excellent and he knows the ins and outs of the system from extensive experience within it. He executes the combination block and gets to the second level with ease and is adept at pulling and trapping. And he uses angles and body positioning to open creases in the running game. He'll start once again at left guard.
http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=256092
For Sporting News
Despite a minor groin problem that kept him out of the preseason opener, OT Matt Lepsis' comeback from major knee surgery was proceeding well. Lepsis still feels a half-second slow in his movements, both when planting hard with his inside leg to guard against stunts and sliding his feet on an outside bull rush. But it appears to be more a function of time than anything else. Lepsis is experiencing no pain or soreness in the knee and is on target for a full return for the Sept. 9 opener. ...
Javon Walker has had opportunities to take practices off during camp, but with the receiving corps in shambles due to various injuries, he's made himself available to pick up the slack. Walker has been able to get his strength and quickness back completely after rehabilitating the entire offseason leading up to his 2006 debut. He looks sharp in his route running and, with Rod Smith ailing, is consciously taking on a leadership role. Even after Walker has finished practicing, he's frequently opted for extra work with the Juggs machine after practices. The biggest worry -- his mindset following his wrong-place, wrong-time involvement in Darrent Williams' death, when the cornerback died in his arms -- doesn't appear to be an issue at all. Actually, Walker appears more locked in than ever and is promising a huge season.
NEWCOMER REPORT: DE Jarvis Moss has set a lofty goal of winning defensive rookie of the year. He'll need to make a significant push over the next month to have a chance, given he appears to be settling into a pass-rush specialist role at the moment. Moss tried to get by on his quick first step around the edge and after some initial success, Denver's tackles began catching on and neutralizing his strengths. But Moss has a solid work ethic, studied tape and realized his deficiency. He began varying his moves and, more importantly, did a better job of not telegraphing his counter-moves and began executing them at full speed. Moss got a scare when he went down after twisting his left knee but should be fine, other than missing practice reps. He's bulked up some but still needs to gain weight and improve his lower body strength to anchor vs. the run and earn playing time on early downs.
SCOUTING REPORT: Ben Hamilton is undersized by league standards at guard but his skills are suited for Denver's zone-blocking scheme. He plays with good knee bend to get underneath defensive linemen's pads and use leverage to his advantage, though if he has a weakness, he isn't a classic mauler, which hurts in short-yardage situations and anchoring in obvious passing situations. However, Hamilton's movement skills are excellent and he knows the ins and outs of the system from extensive experience within it. He executes the combination block and gets to the second level with ease and is adept at pulling and trapping. And he uses angles and body positioning to open creases in the running game. He'll start once again at left guard.
http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=256092