Sumo Watch

I don't wish injury on anyone and I hope he heals up. But you had to see this coming.

Andre Smith fractures foot in first day at practice...


http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/trainingcamp09/news/story?id=4438326




Cincinnati Bengals first-round draft pick Andre Smith just ended his holdout, but now he'll be sitting again.

The offensive lineman fractured his foot during a noncontact drill Tuesday. It is not known how long Smith will be out, but he will miss the Bengals' season opener on Sept. 13. Smith missed 30 days before agreeing to contract terms two days ago.


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"Andre suffered a small fracture in his left foot during a non-contact drill," Bengals coach Marvin Lewis said in a statement. "Our medical staff tells me the injury will not require surgery. It's too soon to closely predict how long it will be before he can return to practice, but it looks like he's going to miss a few weeks."

Smith is currently on a roster exemption granted by commissioner Roger Goodell because of his late arrival. The exemption lasts until next week.

Smith was the sixth pick in the NFL draft and the most recent to sign. Wide receiver Michael Crabtree of the 49ers is the only unsigned first-round pick.

Sources told ESPN.com's James Walker on Tuesday that the Bengals demanded that Smith have a weight-control clause in his contract. Smith would lose a significant portion of his salary if his weight exceeded 350 pounds.

Though listed at 335 pounds, Smith tipped the scales at 364 when he showed up to sign his contract, convincing team officials to install the clause on the spot, sources told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter.

Smith, whose deal includes $21 million guaranteed and maxes out at six years and $42 million, was trying to claim the starting right tackle job.

If Smith does not get his weight down to 350 pounds in the next 30 days, and he is inactive for a game, the Bengals will have the right to fine him up to 50 percent of one game check (roughly $10,000), sources told Schefter. He would have the chance to recoup the money through performance, but the incentive is there.

Since he resumed football workouts Sunday, Smith's weight already has dropped to 358 pounds, sources said.

Now, the Bengals will keep second-year lineman Anthony Collins at right tackle. Collins was a fourth-round draft pick last year and started six games at right tackle because of injuries.

The line has undergone an overhaul in the offseason. The Bengals made changes at center and at both tackle positions, hoping to upgrade an offense that finished last in the league in 2008.

The priority is protecting quarterback Carson Palmer, who was hit often last year. He broke his nose in the preseason, and tore a ligament and a tendon in his passing elbow during the regular season, forcing him to miss a dozen games.

Palmer suffered a moderate sprain in his left ankle during the first preseason game this year, and has missed the past two. He took snaps with the starting offense on Tuesday for the first time since he got hurt.

"He looked remarkably improved," Lewis said. "He looked pretty good. He was moving better."

Palmer would like to play in the final preseason game, but a source told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter that Palmer will not play in that game. Palmer will play in the regular-season opener, however, the source said.



Senior writer John Clayton covers the NFL for ESPN.com. Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

3. Andre Smith Alabama 6'3 340 negatives : "Weight has fluctuated too often and he tends to balloon in the offseason. Not a foot technician and tends to shuffle and slide instead of kicksliding. Can be late off the ball and tends to get lackadaisical and sloppy with technique. Not a polished protector. Wears down late in games. Questionable makeup to handle distractions that come with the NFL. Questionable character, suspended for sugar bowl against Utah for dealing with an agent."
but they say he has "excellent overall mass with very good hip quickness and agility"


damm that hit that nail on the head



Edited by whiteknight - 02 September 2009 at 6:16pm

Stats that prove some linemen arent really what they are cracked up to be(mentions some overrated sumos).
he mentions the fact that i have been telling Saints fans that there was no drop off in talent from Brown(black) to Strief (White). It was only the announcer saying there was, constantly. Evans had a bad game which is where the pressure came from.

"B. The Ability of an Offensive Lineman I was watching the usually excellent Cris Collingsworth lamenting in the W15 Saints @ Bears game that the pressure on Brees was far worse because Jamal Brown wasn’t in at LT; Zach Strief was starting because Brown was injured. Well during the season Brown gave up pressure on 8% of all passing plays and Strief 5% but in that game 7%. What Collingsworth could have said was the pressure on Brees was worse because the usually excellent Jahri Evans had a poor game but that’s not so “obvious”. Far easier to go with the old standby that the backup isn’t up to the standard of the Pro Bowl player whose reputation hasn’t diminished despite being awful for the last two seasons. Why? Because Brees doesn’t give up sacks even though he’s under pressure through his two tackles.

Other players who fall into this category are the hugely overrated Tony Ugoh (whose run blocking deteriorated as well last year) with 3 sacks but 11 hits and 29 pressures. Both of Denver’s new tackles picked up rave reviews for their pass blocking based on giving up 0.5 of a sack and 2.5 sacks. The idea of how you give up half a sack aside what this misses is accompanying hits and pressures. Only one tackle gave up more than Ryan Harris’s 38 pressures in 2008, you guessed it; Ryan Clady with 39."


Linemen with the best stats according to this, David Stewart who is White.
http://profootballfocus.com/articles.php?tab=articles&arc=&id=7

I dont think his stats are taking into account everything with some teams (like New England's dropoff in line play because of Cassel being new to playing in the league) but he dead on for some of his points.

Id like to see more players broken down to see how White left tackles do compared to black left tackles. Im sick and tired of trying to convince dwf's that Whites are athletic enough to play Left Tackle. I never thought there would be a day when id have to convince someone a White man could play on the Oline.

Edited by dwid - 10 September 2009 at 1:34pm

does anyone know how many times Ben was sacked?

Originally posted by dwid "B. The Ability of an Offensive Lineman I was watching the usually excellent Cris Collingsworth lamenting in the W15 Saints @ Bears game that the pressure on Brees was far worse because Jamal Brown wasn’t in at LT; Zach Strief was starting because Brown was injured. Well during the season Brown gave up pressure on 8% of all passing plays and Strief 5% but in that game 7%. What Collingsworth could have said was the pressure on Brees was worse because the usually excellent Jahri Evans had a poor game but that’s not so “obvious”. Far easier to go with the old standby that the backup isn’t up to the standard of the Pro Bowl player whose reputation hasn’t diminished despite being awful for the last two seasons. Why? Because Brees doesn’t give up sacks even though he’s under pressure through his two tackles. Other players who fall into this category are the hugely overrated Tony Ugoh (whose run blocking deteriorated as well last year) with 3 sacks but 11 hits and 29 pressures. Both of Denver’s new tackles picked up rave reviews for their pass blocking based on giving up 0.5 of a sack and 2.5 sacks. The idea of how you give up half a sack aside what this misses is accompanying hits and pressures. Only one tackle gave up more than Ryan Harris’s 38 pressures in 2008, you guessed it; Ryan Clady with 39." Linemen with the best stats according to this, David Stewart who is White. http://profootballfocus.com/articles.php?tab=articles&arc=&id=7

This was a great piece of information dwid. Collingsworthless is a buffoon announcer. He's one of the worst in the industry and people like him are the ones that are going to destroy his very own son's (a high prospect at Safety currently playing H.S football) career. I wouldn't be surprised if this clown didn't even object to his own son being called an "overachiever".

I think those stats posted certainly prove that these sumos aren't what they are cracked up to be by the Collingsworthless announcers and dwfs.

I get blown away by how big white people get (both guys and girls). Just this will johnson repped 47 reps on 225. Just amazing.

Watching the RAMS game, Alex Barron is a joke. He kept giving up pressure and QB hits on Marc Bulger.

It's absolutely pathetic that another NO NAME sumo is starting.

I guess it's verboten to start a White man after the black starter gets injured.

Panthers' DT - Louis Leonard - is out indefinitely with a broken ankle.

Redskins' Guard - Randy Thomas - is out for the season with a torn triceps.


Jack Lambert,

The Eagles certainly have a ton of sumos which is why I'm glad they lost.

I always have friends who are skeptical when I reveal that whites dominate the bench press. Well ignorance is prevalent.