Marcus Smith learning the ropes.
FIRST round Draft pick, Marcus Smith is a player that I’ll be keeping an eye on once Training Camp begins in a couple of weeks. His chances of taking a starting OLB spot away from Trent Cole or Connor Barwin, are likely almost nil, but then he wasn’t drafted to do that in 2014.
During OTA’s Smith wasn’t just Barwin’s back-up, Smith was 3rd string. That had more to do with letting him pick up the system slowly, and allowing him to watch players who played in this system last year. There’s no need to rush him, good things take time.
Actually despite me not being 100% sold on Chip Kelly, I really dig his approach to the OTA’s. Many NFL coaches use them to sift for a pecking order. Kelly is doing no such thing. His whole approach is to just use OTA’s as an assessment period.
In the meantime, Smith is being said to be doing all the little things in terms of his study and practice habits. Coaches are guardedly optimistic about what they’ve seen, saying that he moves well and has so far not balked at anything he’s been asked to do with regard to responsibilities within the scheme.
Then again that was in shorts, and without hitting. I can’t wait to see what happens when that all changes.
We need some strong D this year.
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The Defense is the wildcard for us this year. I expect that it still won’t be very good, but that an improved Special Teams and a second year in this Offense will be what wins us the East again. If the D can finish in the top 10 this season, we may be looking at a parade.
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