Notes and observations from this morning's player-run practice ...
A lot of frontline players were not here or didn't participate in team drills. I'm assuming they had to tend to school.
Notable absences (and non-participants in team) included: Adoree' Jackson, Leon McQuay, Steven Mitchell, Osa Masina, Lamar Dawson, Damien Mama, Kevon Seymour, Biggie Marshall, Ykili Ross, Ronald Jones II, Dominic Davis and Jalen Cope-Fitzpatrick.
I'd say this greatly changed the complexion of this workout.
***
7-on7s
Cody Kessler is back and takes the bulk of the reps. He gets going early by double-pumping and then hitting an open Isaac Whitney.
Jonathan Lockett picks off Max Browne while defending Whitney.
Browne rebounds with a good throw to Hobbi but he drops it.
De'Quan Hampton makes a nice leap to haul in a throw over the middle from Ricky Town.
Town then connects with Tyler Petite deep downfield.
***
Justin Davis delivers a nice shake to get past John Houston.
Kessler comes back in and is challenged by some good D.
Chris Hawkins contests a ball to JuJu Smith, Lockett does the same vs. Whitney and then Hawkins again on Deontay Burnett. Three straight incompletions.
Kessler spots Christian Tober being defended by Uchenna Nwosu and completes a quick out against the linebacker.
Kessler then hits Whitney deep, in the opposite corner. He's using much more of the field, just as he did in spring.
***
11-on-11s
Aca'Cedric Ware makes a strong cut while running between the tackles. We haven't seen too much of that in PRPs. Ware carried a sizable load today. He's got a wide-ranging skill set and some good size on him. Does a little bit of everything.
Kessler completes a screen to Jahleel Pinner. No offense to JP, but I hate that play.
Browne completes a short pass to Ware.
Browne makes a short throw behind Tre Madden, who reaches back and and snatches it. Very athletic play.
Davis picks up a good chunk of yards following a nice cut.
***
Kessler rolls out to his right and hits Whitney.
Su'a Cravens defends a slot receiver and a tailback on consecutive plays and forces two incompletions.
Darnold enters and promptly hands off to Ware multiple times.
Darnold completes it to Hampton.
Darnold can't find an open receiver and throws an incompletion. You can see him working through his reads.
***
Hawkins breaks up another pass to JuJu.
JuJu catches a short pass in front of Hawkins, who's right there.
Kessler looks to the perimter and hits Whitney.
Kessler hits Hobbi up the seam.
Browne completes another pass to Ware. He seems to be making a more concerted effort to use the tailbacks in the passing game. Or maybe it's because Mitchell wasn't around and JuJu took fewer reps than usual.
***
Kessler fits one in to JuJu. He continues to throw with more velocity.
Kessler completes a nice ball to JuJu over the middle.
Browne fires the ball to Robby Kolanz, who beats Matt Lopes on the play.
Browne throws a pretty pass to Hobbi downfield but he can't hang on.
Town, who spent most of the period relaying signals, comes in and competes a pass to Connor Spears. They made it look fairly easy.
***
Final notes
The team workout lasted about an hour, with a smaller group of QBs and receivers sticking around for throwing and time on the JUGS.
Toa Lobendahn got the majority of the work at left tackle. He said he weighs 290 pounds, noting that it allows him to play all five spots on the line.
Chad Wheeler only participated in individuals and wore a brace.
Khaliel Rodgers worked a bit at LG. Cole Smith was the backup center.
Inside LB Cameron Smith worked mostly, if not exclusively, with the first team.
We caught up with Madden and Lobendahn after practice and will have updates on both soon.
A lot of frontline players were not here or didn't participate in team drills. I'm assuming they had to tend to school.
Notable absences (and non-participants in team) included: Adoree' Jackson, Leon McQuay, Steven Mitchell, Osa Masina, Lamar Dawson, Damien Mama, Kevon Seymour, Biggie Marshall, Ykili Ross, Ronald Jones II, Dominic Davis and Jalen Cope-Fitzpatrick.
I'd say this greatly changed the complexion of this workout.
***
7-on7s
Cody Kessler is back and takes the bulk of the reps. He gets going early by double-pumping and then hitting an open Isaac Whitney.
Jonathan Lockett picks off Max Browne while defending Whitney.
Browne rebounds with a good throw to Hobbi but he drops it.
De'Quan Hampton makes a nice leap to haul in a throw over the middle from Ricky Town.
Town then connects with Tyler Petite deep downfield.
***
Justin Davis delivers a nice shake to get past John Houston.
Kessler comes back in and is challenged by some good D.
Chris Hawkins contests a ball to JuJu Smith, Lockett does the same vs. Whitney and then Hawkins again on Deontay Burnett. Three straight incompletions.
Kessler spots Christian Tober being defended by Uchenna Nwosu and completes a quick out against the linebacker.
Kessler then hits Whitney deep, in the opposite corner. He's using much more of the field, just as he did in spring.
***
11-on-11s
Aca'Cedric Ware makes a strong cut while running between the tackles. We haven't seen too much of that in PRPs. Ware carried a sizable load today. He's got a wide-ranging skill set and some good size on him. Does a little bit of everything.
Kessler completes a screen to Jahleel Pinner. No offense to JP, but I hate that play.
Browne completes a short pass to Ware.
Browne makes a short throw behind Tre Madden, who reaches back and and snatches it. Very athletic play.
Davis picks up a good chunk of yards following a nice cut.
***
Kessler rolls out to his right and hits Whitney.
Su'a Cravens defends a slot receiver and a tailback on consecutive plays and forces two incompletions.
Darnold enters and promptly hands off to Ware multiple times.
Darnold completes it to Hampton.
Darnold can't find an open receiver and throws an incompletion. You can see him working through his reads.
***
Hawkins breaks up another pass to JuJu.
JuJu catches a short pass in front of Hawkins, who's right there.
Kessler looks to the perimter and hits Whitney.
Kessler hits Hobbi up the seam.
Browne completes another pass to Ware. He seems to be making a more concerted effort to use the tailbacks in the passing game. Or maybe it's because Mitchell wasn't around and JuJu took fewer reps than usual.
***
Kessler fits one in to JuJu. He continues to throw with more velocity.
Kessler completes a nice ball to JuJu over the middle.
Browne fires the ball to Robby Kolanz, who beats Matt Lopes on the play.
Browne throws a pretty pass to Hobbi downfield but he can't hang on.
Town, who spent most of the period relaying signals, comes in and competes a pass to Connor Spears. They made it look fairly easy.
***
Final notes
The team workout lasted about an hour, with a smaller group of QBs and receivers sticking around for throwing and time on the JUGS.
Toa Lobendahn got the majority of the work at left tackle. He said he weighs 290 pounds, noting that it allows him to play all five spots on the line.
Chad Wheeler only participated in individuals and wore a brace.
Khaliel Rodgers worked a bit at LG. Cole Smith was the backup center.
Inside LB Cameron Smith worked mostly, if not exclusively, with the first team.
We caught up with Madden and Lobendahn after practice and will have updates on both soon.
