Thursday night was a little cooler than some of the nights I could have attended camp so I was grateful. The team ran through a wide variety of drills and team work and the coaches kept them busy, never spending a whole lot of time on one thing.
Although it is difficult to get a full grasp of the team in just one evening practice, a few things popped out at me.
[/media-credit]First, Bob Sanders looked very fast, played hard, and went through all of the team drills at full speed in full pads. The idea that Sanders would be an active participant in full speed practices this early in training camp is almost unheard of, but to my eye, this guy is ready to go.
Second, the starting secondary is completely loaded with players who are fast, disciplined, and who did a great job challenging Manning and the Colts stacked set of receivers. I was not able to get a good read on our depth in the first night but so long as our secondary stays healthy, it will be one of the best in the NFL.
Third, Brody Eldridge is already lining up with the first team, while Gijon Robinson has been relegated to the second team. Many may have expected that Eldridge would start but it should be noted that fifth round draft picks are not sure-fire starts. For that matter, they are not guaranteed roster spots by any means either.
Finally, Anthony Gonzalez looked extremely good, fast, quick, and displayed the hands that many fans grew to expect. He shows no signs of any limitation due to his knee injury and no limitation carrying over from his summer hamstring injury. There will be a legitimate competition between Collie, Gonzalez, and Garçon.
I will check back in with you all tomorrow night. I will also answer any questions to the best of my ability.
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