Reheating Leftovers

A few thoughts left over from my time at Bengals Training Camp:

1. Dennis Roland, number 74 for the Bengals, a third year offensive tackle out of the University of Georgia is quite possibly the largest human being that I have ever been in proximity to in my life. He is 6-9, 320 pounds. He walked by Jordan Shipley (5-11, 193 pounds) during practice and it looked like Chewbacca walking past a skinny R2D2. Roland surpassed former NFL defensive tackle Daryl Gardner (6-6, 300 pounds) as the largest human being to ever walk by me. I saw Gardner at Baylor University when he was a senior. He went on to play for the Dolphins (first round draft pick, 20th overall, 1996), Redskins, and Broncos. With the weight, conditioning, foot issues of last year’s first round draft pick, Andre Smith, Roland will need to step up once again.

2. The pace of the morning practice was surprisingly slow. Yes, it was the first practice of training camp but it was not crisp by any stretch of the imagination. But given the injuries to Foxworth (Ravens), Bryant (Cowboys), Harvin (Vikings), and Jackson (Eagles) maybe discretion is the better part of valor.

3. Lastly, Jordan Shipley, rookie wide reciever out of the University of Texas, looked sharp both in his routes and his attitude. Check out Adam Schefter’s (ESPN) report from Bengal's training camp. According to Schefter, Shipley has impressed Carson Palmer as well.

Stay tuned next week for my "Seriously?" (think Really !?! with Seth Meyers and Amy Poehler) takes on the week in sports, as well as my rankings for the best uniforms in the NFL and other random things that pop into my head.