With RFL teams kicking off their training camps in the last coupe weeks I think its time for a camp update. There has been a lot of stuff going on with the Explorers this summer and we are going to talk about a lot of them here and find out where some of your favorite players are at right now. This will be a multiple part blog so we will go by position.
Lets start at the most important position. Quarterback. Not much is changing in that department this year, Latavien Worrell will still be the starter and the fate of the season really falls on how he performs. This will be his second season with a different system and some feel that it may cost the Explorers some games because of the extra learning curve associated with a new playbook.
When we talked to Latavien he had this to say about that, "At the end of the day its about how well you can adapt and how fast you can learn. This isn't the first time that I've had to learn a new playbook in my career so I'm really not that concerned about it. One thing that has been different then before is the way we are changing things. Usually when you switch a scheme you have a whole new language and a new staff. We already know Coach Nicholson, we already know his lingo and the words he uses in his plays. Really all we are doing is adding new plays within a system we understand. I think we will come out fine and it will help me get the ball to some of these guys we have waiting to make plays for us."
Behind Worrell is the man that many believe is in line to take his job one day, Everette Bradley. Bradley had very limited playing time last year, weirdly enough both of those times came against the thunderbirds. Once in the beginning of the season and once in the playoffs. He played about as well as you would expect a young QB to play. Had some flashes and had some mental errors. This year however, he is focusing his effort into becoming a better student of the game. He definitely has the arm and frame to play the position without a problem. It's the mental side of the game that tends to be the difference between guys who stick around and ones who fizzle out by their 3rd year.
Coach Nicholson has raved about his performance this offseason and says he is light years ahead of where he was this time last season. "6(Bradley) has really impressed me this year, I can tell by watching him that he is really starting to understand things better. We gave him a little more leash to play with in scrimmages now, he is allowed to call his own audibles and checks at the line. No way that was happening last year." with a strong off season and a potentially strong preseason you have to wonder if there may be a quarterback controversy brewing in Columbus.
After Bradley is where we have the 2 men fighting for the 3rd spot on the team. That is if the Explorers keep 3 on the final 53. Thomas Anthony, last years no. 3, and practice squad man Jared Cunningham are the ones in this battle. Favorite to win this job is Anthony given his experience but with that also comes a bigger price tag. I think what this battle will come down to is whether or not Cunningham shows potential this preseason or not. If he comes out guns blazing then he may push Anthony for that 3rd spot. But at this point it is definitely Thomas' job to lose.
That just about does it for the QB situation in Columbus. Like i stated earlier, not much to talk about here. Worrell should continue his reign as the starter and the depth chart sort of makes itself without the guess work. Maybe the next installment will be better when we can talk about the running backs? who knows, stay tuned so you dont miss it!
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