Tag: DB

Top 42 photos from Day 1 of Eagles rookie minicamp

Top photos from Day 1 of Philadelphia Eagles rookie minicamp where five draft players, 12 undrafted free agents, and 19 invited prospects gathered at the NovaCare Complex

Eagles rookie minicamp began on Friday for five draft picks, 12 undrafted free agents, and 19 selected players invited to try out for the 2022 squad.

Day one was held inside because of the weather conditions, but that didn’t stop Jordan Davis, Cam Jurgens, Nakobe Dean, Kyron Johnson, Grant Calcaterra, Carson Strong, Noah Elliss, and others from taking the first steps to reaching their ultimate dreams.

With Day 2 less than 16 hours away, here are the top-42 photos from Day one.
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Eagles invited 19 players to tryout during rookie minicamp

The Philadelphia Eagles 2022 rookie minicamp is underway and here’s a list of 19 players invited to tryout

The Philadlephia Eagles opened up their rookie minicamp on Friday with five NFL draft picks and 12 undrafted free agents.

Team GM Howie Roseman is always looking for a hidden gem or two and with Philadelphia surrendering six picks during the draft weekend via trade, the organization invited 19 players to the camp as well for a tryout.

One name not familiar to many Eagles fans is the son of a franchise legend.

Former LSU 5-star CB Eli Ricks projected to pick Alabama as transfer destination

This would be a HUGE get for the Crimson Tide. Check out his stats and the chances of him joining Alabama here.

The LSU Tigers have had quite a rough two seasons since winning a national championship. 2020 and 2021 were both non-competitive teams, off-the-field issues and injuries plagued the team and let’s not forget the ongoing Ed Orgeron debacle.

Because of everything that has happened, some players have decided that it would be best to continue their collegiate career elsewhere. One of those players being former five-star cornerback from the class of 2020, Eli Ricks.

Ricks has very high upside, is very athletic and has been compared to Richard Sherman in his playing abilities. In his two seasons at LSU, Ricks has played a total of 14 games to date, and has amassed 31 tackles, a whopping five interceptions and two defensive touchdowns.

According to 247Sports expert Rusty Mansell, Alabama has a 100% chance of landing Ricks from the transfer portal. Ricks being in Tuscaloosa would have an immediate impact on the Crimson Tide, as the secondary will lose a few veterans to the NFL following the 2021 season.

Nothing has been made official, and there aren’t many updates available from Ricks, but Roll Tide Wire will continue to follow his journey through the transfer portal.

Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion. You can also follow AJ Spurr on Twitter @SpurrFM.

Cowboys secondary takes further hit; Brown and Wilson to miss Week 13

Dallas’s already-depleted DB unit will now face the Ravens’ high-octane offense minus cornerback Anthony Brown and safety Donovan Wilson.

Secondary depth has been a major concern for the Cowboys all season long. It continues to be a problem even as the 2020 campaign limps to a close.

Cornerback Anthony Brown and safety Donovan Wilson will now miss the team’s Tuesday night meeting with the Baltimore Ravens. Both players had been listed as questionable on Saturday’s injury report.

For Brown, it will be his second straight absence due to a rib injury. Wilson suffered a groin injury on Thanksgiving Day against Washington and has not practiced all week.

Also on Monday, the club brought cornerbacks Deante Burton and Rashard Robinson from the practice squad to the active roster as depth; Darian Thompson should start at safety versus the Ravens.

Cowboys fans have eagerly awaited the debut of rookie defensive back Reggie Robinson; no word yet on whether this latest rash of injuries in the secondary will open the door for the versatile Tulsa product to finally see the field.

Brown signed a new contract with the Cowboys back in March. The Purdue alum suffered a rib injury in the season opener against the Rams and missed the next three games during a stint on IR.

Wilson has enjoyed an increased role this season and made the most of the opportunity. He forced and recovered a fumble versus Philadelphia in Week 8, and then forced a pair of fumbles, recovering one, in the Week 11 win over Minnesota.

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Chiefs DB Tyrann Mathieu discusses L’Jarius Sneed’s big debut

Sneed surprised some folks on Thursday night, including his teammate Tyrann Mathieu.

Kansas City Chiefs rookie CB L’Jarius Sneed earned the start opposite Charvarius Ward after a stellar training camp.

Sneed was chosen to fill in for Bashaud Breeland, who is out with a four-game suspension to start the season. He’d soon find himself as the No. 1 corner for Kansas City after Ward would leave the game with a fractured hand after 30 snaps or so. It was a compromising situation for a rookie to be in, but Sneed stepped up and answered the challenge better than anyone could have hoped for.

Following the game, Chiefs DB Tyrann Mathieu was asked about Sneed’s performance. The first question was framed with the idea that many expected rookies to perform poorly without a preseason for them to get acclimated to the NFL game, but Mathieu vehemently rejected that notion.

“We don’t listen to outside noise,” Mathieu said. “We focus on what our coaches tell us. We focus on our teammates and trying to encourage each other and build each other up. I wouldn’t say that I saw him having this day, but I did see the kid playing solid ball. I did see him making tackles and making plays. But to have a night like this, you know on prime time TV, the whole world is watching, all of his family is watching, you know I’m just excited for him and happy for him going forward.”

Sneed finished the game with three total tackles, two passes defended and an interception. Mathieu was pleasantly surprised by the performance, not because he didn’t think Sneed was capable, but because of what it meant for him moving forward. He’s now someone that the team can rely on to be a starter. As for Mathieu’s role in Sneed’s interception, it’s all in a day’s work for the Honey Badger.

“I was just doing my job, man,” Mathieu said. “Trying my best to make an impact on a play. A lot of what I do, don’t show up on the stat sheet, but I love to do it. I’m just happy that he caught it. We left a lot of those interceptions, just like that, on the field last year. We dropped maybe 10 or 11 as a group. To see the kid focus in and lock in, catch the ball, and then show his 4.3 speed. I think that’s why he’s starting for us right now.”

Mathieu hopes that it’ll be the first of many interceptions for the Chiefs’ secondary. Sneed also wasn’t entirely certain that he was going to catch the ball when he saw Deshaun Watson float it his way.

 “I thought I was going to drop it, honestly,” Sneed said. “It was just floating. Those are the hardest balls to catch.”

Luckily, the rookie caught it. Because you know if he didn’t his teammates wouldn’t have been able to let him live that one down. Instead, Sneed gets praise from one of the leaders of the defense and was one of the heroes of the season opener.

Not a bad start from one of the more unheralded rookies in the 2020 draft class. He’ll look to build on his performance in Week 2, learning from minor mistakes and stacking good weeks.

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Report: Chiefs release DB Adrian Colbert

A veteran safety has been released by the Kansas City Chiefs according to reports.

The Kansas City Chiefs have begun the process of trimming their roster to 53 players. They have until 3:00 p.m. CT to trim the roster down to 53 from 80 players.

Among the players already released by the Chiefs thus far is veteran safety Adrian Colbert, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. Colbert joined Kansas City as a late addition to training camp in mid-August.

As a late signing during training camp, especially in this pandemic-altered preseason, Colbert didn’t really stand much of a chance to make the team. He did, however, get just over a week to make an impression on the coaching staff in Kansas City.

Colbert was a seventh-round draft pick by the San Francisco 49ers in 2017. He’s had an up and down career but had a productive season with the Miami Dolphins in 2019. Over the course of his career, Colbert started a total of 17 games, recording 80 total tackles, two forced fumbles and eight passes defended.

If Colbert doesn’t land with another team, look for him to return to Kansas City in one of their veteran spots on the practice squad. The team can carry six players with an unlimited amount of accrued seasons on the practice squad this year. That opens up the possibility of a veteran like Colbert returning to the team.

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Cowboys 4th round pick Reggie Robinson moved to safety

CB Reggie Robinson has spent a lot of time in training camp at cornerback. Is a full-time position switch coming?

Noticeable during the second week of Cowboys training camp was the amount of time 2020 fourth rounder Reggie Robinson reportedly spent at safety. Is a full-time position switch forthcoming for the rookie, or does this reflect the overall philosophy of the new defensive coaching staff?

The 6-foot-1, 190-pound Robinson played cornerback at Tulsa, but the Cowboys think his skillset also translates. Robinson did spend time there in high school, and the zone-heavy scheme Tulsa ran gave Robinson a lot of time to look into the opponent’s backfield. Dallas is relatively deep at CB, with 2019 starter Chidobe Awuzie alongside rookie second rounder Trevon Diggs, and veterans Anthony Brown, Jourdan Lewis, Daryl Worley and special teamer C.J. Goodwin. Their listed safeties are Xavier Woods, HaHa Clinton-Dix, Darian Thompson and Donovan Wilson.

Whispers about a position change for someone among Cowboys secondary group have surrounded the team for most of the offseason. As camp progresses, those rumors appear to be coming to fruition, with both Worley and Robinson taking reps at safety.

Of the two players, Robinson’s change is being reported as more permanent.

From a logistical standpoint, the move makes sense. But is committing Robinson to safety the best investment, given his ultimate upside at cornerback? Also unknown is just how Dallas is planning on using their additional safeties – or defensive backs, according to coach Maurice Lingusit.

Recently, Linguist clarified how the Cowboys view their secondary, in that they’re all defensive backs. Versatility has been a running offseason theme for the entire defense, with players capable of “being multiple” at each level. The same is true for the secondary, as players are seemingly expected to play both CB and safety. Said Linguist:

“By no means are you just one position for us. You play defensive back . . . If I know exactly where the safety is and I’m a corner, well that’s going to help me better understand what my technique is at corner. If I know exactly what a corner is doing at the safety position, it can help me move six inches to the left or six inches to the right and be successful.”

Whether Robinson’s time at safety is more permanent or situational remains to be seen, but having an interchangeable secondary should benefit the team in 2020. Having players capable of playing multiple positions helps protect against injury, as well as ensures the best group of players is on the field at once. Dallas can utilize additional DBs as slot corners, hybrid linebackers, or additional back-end support, helping Linguist and DC Mike Nolan combat modern NFL offenses and schemes.

However Robinson will be deployed this season, it bodes well that he seems to be in their immediate defensive plans. Given that Darian Thompson somewhat surprisingly seems to have the inside track to a starting safety spot, perhaps more roles are up for grabs than previously thought. For a young player like Robinson, this training camp is crucial toward determining the player he ultimately is at the NFL level.

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Cowboys’ Ha Ha Clinton-Dix trying hold on to role anointed in offseason

2020 Cowboys free agent signing Ha Ha Clinton-Dix looks to have a big year in 2020, reunited with his former coach Mike McCarthy.

Under the previous Dallas Cowboys regime, the back-end of the secondary was mostly an afterthought, with the team relying on steady hands like Barry Church and Jeff Heath to hold down the safety position. But one of the first things Mike McCarthy did in Dallas was bring in someone he’s very familiar with, who can ideally provide an element to the defense that’s long-been lacking. Enter HaHa Clinton-Dix.

The former No. 21 overall pick of the 2014 draft spent the first four and a half years of his professional career playing for McCarthy’s Packers. A college teammate of Amari Cooper at Alabama, Clinton-Dix has made a name for himself as a quality safety with a knack for finding the ball, and now looks to do the same in Dallas.

Playing last season for the Bears, Clinton-Dix played over 1,000 defensive snaps, recording 78 total tackles (62 solo), two interceptions, two fumble recoveries, and one touchdown. Over his first six seasons, he’s played in 96 games (90 starts) and made 19 interceptions (including playoffs). As a team, Dallas has averaged just over 10 interceptions per season since 2014, and will aim to increase that total in 2020.

However, Clinton-Dix has been a bit of a nomad in recent years, with the Cowboys being his fourth team in three seasons. He was traded at the 2018 deadline to Washington for a fourth-round pick, and has settled for one-year deals in back-to-back offseasons. But reunited with McCarthy, Clinton-Dix is intent on winning a championship, and feels more at home than ever. Said Clinton-Dix during training camp:

“Just trying to find my home, I think,” Clinton-Dix said as to why he’s bounced around. “After leaving Green Bay, I had a great time in Green Bay, going down to Washington where I was not familiar, didn’t know anything. And having a chance to play in Chicago with a great defense. A great coaching staff and I kinda got my feet back up underneath me. And [now] I had the option to come and play for Coach Mike [McCarthy], a guy who is familiar with me, he knows me, he drafted me, man. This is a blessing and a once in a lifetime opportunity.”

Despite all the recent movement, there’s no denying what Clinton-Dix brings to a defense; rangy and savvy. On a team desperate for defensive play-making, Clinton-Dix should have plenty of opportunities to create turnovers and end opposing offense’s drives.

The question is whether he’ll emerge from training camp with the starter’s role. Early in the install portion of practice, reports are that he has been outplayed by journeyman safety Darian Thompson.

In addition to that tidbit comes the very public scenario where Earl Thomas has been released by the Baltimore Ravens. The connection to Dallas is obvious, as the two have been intertwined over the last three offseasons, but failing to make a marriage work.

Joining Clinton-Dix and Thompson in the back of the secondary has been Xavier Woods, a similarly versatile and talented DB who’s grown each year during his first three seasons. But playing on the last year of his rookie deal, Woods is set to become a free agent after the season, leaving the future of the safety position in Dallas in doubt. The team also has 2019 sixth rounder Donovan Wilson, a player who got his feet last year, and continues to flash potential during training camp as well.

Clinton-Dix, who will play most of this year at just 27-years-old, anointed by some to be the unifying figure in the group, will have to step up his game in the coming days, and his window to impress may have already passed him by.

This is part of our Countdown to the Regular Season player profile countdown. 

| Antwaun Woods | Tyrone Crawford | Trysten Hill | Jalen Jelks |
| Dontari Poe | Randy Gregory | Gerald McCoy | Dorance Armstrong |
| L.P. Ladouceur | DeMarcus Lawrence | Blake Jarwin | CeeDee Lamb |
| Cole Hikutini | Dalton Schultz | Noah Brown | Sean McKeon |
| Ventell Bryant | Jon’vea Johnson | Blake Bell | Justin Hamilton |
| Cody Wichmann | Tyron Smith | Ladarius Hamilton |
| Neville Gallimore | Terence Steele | Joe Looney | La’el Collins |
| Zack Martin | Brandon Knight | Ron’Dell Carter | Wyatt Miller |
| Connor McGovern | Tyler Biadasz | Adam Redmond | Luke Gifford |
| Leighton Vander Esch | Justin March | Connor Williams |
| Bradlee Anae | Sean Lee | Jamize Olawale | Joe Thomas |
| Sewo Olonilua | Francis Bernard | Rico Dowdle | Reggie Robinson |
| Darius Anderson | Chris Westry | Donovan Wilson | Daryl Worley |
| Trevon Diggs | Anthony Brown |

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Steve Spagnuolo outlines expectations for new Chiefs DB Tedric Thompson

Spagnuolo says he wants to see Thompson working with the first-team defense more.

The Kansas City Chiefs recently added a new piece to their secondary, signing former Seattle Seahawks safety Tedric Thompson.

The 25-year-old safety was brought in after Juan Thornhill was placed on the PUP list. While he’s working hard, getting adjusted to his new team and learning the playbook, defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo was apprehensive to give an evaluation of Thompson. Spags did, however, outline some expectations for Thompson moving forward.

“It’s a little bit early,” Spagnuolo began. “I’m big on making the assessments in full pads. So, we’ve had three of them and for those guys, there hasn’t been a lot of reps. It took Tedric [Thompson] a little bit to get going, so he’s been in and out. The one thing we have to do is get Tedric with the first group, so we can see how he functions with those guys. It’s unfair sometimes when you’re in there with guys that don’t know the system just like you don’t, but he’s working hard.”

Once he masters the defense a little more, Spags wants to see Thompson get some work with the first-team defense. So far he’s been working primarily with the second-team alongside Armani Watts, while taking limited repetitions with the first team in sub-packages.

The biggest adjustment that Thompson has dealt with at training camp in Kansas City is the tempo. Andy Reid is known to run a tough training camp and the Chiefs are known to work hard, but the speed of the offensive players seems to have caught Thompson by surprise.

“I think Andy Reid’s camp is just different from the tempo, from the speed, the offense,” Thompson told reporters. “You’re going against Tyreek Hill, you’re going against all receivers who run 4.2’s, 4.1’s so I feel like the tempo is just so up-tempo. You’re running from one spot to another and so I think that’s the biggest thing. The guys here are about their business trying to get a second [championship] so I think that’s the biggest thing, camp is just like a workaholic camp for everybody working.”

Just as Spags explained, Thompson still getting used to his new environment. He’s dealing with a new tempo, learning the playbook and getting comfortable working with his teammates. He’s working hard, but he’s not quite to the point where he’s being worked in with the first group on the regular. That day could be coming soon if we’re to take Spags’ comments at face value.

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Chiefs add DB Juan Thornhill to PUP list

Thornhill will start training camp on the physically unable to perform list.

The Kansas City Chiefs have placed safety Juan Thornhill on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list according to the NFL’s official transaction report.

A move to the PUP list means that Thornhill will not be permitted to practice until he’s medically cleared to do so by doctors and athletic training staff in Kansas City. Thornhill suffered a torn ACL during the Chiefs’ Week 17 win against the Los Angeles Chargers. He was sent to the injured reserve list and didn’t participate in the Chiefs’ postseason run after a tremendous rookie season.

Thornhill has spent the offseason rehabbing his injury and looks to be making some progress in his return to action.

Thornhill can participate in Chiefs’ team meetings. He’s allowed to do conditioning and work with the training staff at the team facilities. He just can’t practice with the team while he’s on the PUP list. He can be activated from the PUP list at any time during training camp.

If Thornhill is not activated by the end of training camp, he’ll be transferred to the reserve/PUP list for the regular season. If that happens he won’t be able to practice for the first six weeks to start the season. After six weeks another six-week window begins when he can return to practice. By the end of those six weeks, Kansas City would have to decide to activate him or send him to the injured reserve list.

It was pretty clear that this move was coming after the Chiefs decided to sign Tedric Thompson, who also plays the deep safety position. This decision should allow Thornhill to ease back into things as he comes off of a tough injury. Keep in mind, he’s not even eight months removed from surgery to repair the torn ligament in his knee.

During a dominant rookie campaign in 2019, Thornhill recorded 58 total tackles, three interceptions, including one for a touchdown, and five passes defended and 16 games started. He didn’t give up a single play of 20 or more yards during the entire season.

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