Charles Spencer/Abbate/Powell Waived

[HoustonFrog]

What Spencer said following this. Interesting what he says about his health and getting in football shape

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/...t/5902253.html

“They just didn’t feel I was healthy enough to compete in camp, so that’s why they made their decision,” Spencer said. “Only I know how I feel, and I feel like I can compete and be a starter for the Texans. But they make their decisions. I respect that.”

Spencer remains focused on playing again. He said his leg is stronger than it was before the injury, and he is simply working to get back in football shape.

“Of course I’m going to play football again,” Spencer said. “I’ll find a job.”

[Hagar]

The player I'm most disappointed in losing is Abbate. I guess I have a soft spot for UDFA. Particularly for the guys who really love to play the game as much as Abbate.

[HOU-TEX]

Originally Posted by HoustonFrog

What Spencer said following this. Interesting what he says about his health and getting in football shape

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/...t/5902253.html

I read that too, Frog. Kinda made me wonder a bit, but soon realized he was probably not the best fit for the ZBS. So, he might be better off without the Texans. I wish the Big Nasty well.

Originally Posted by Hagar

The player I'm most disappointed in losing is Abbate. I guess I have a soft spot for UDFA. Particularly for the guys who really love to play the game as much as Abbate.

I agree. His story would've been a nice addition to our team. Hopefully he can land on his feet somewhere.

[Insideop]

Originally Posted by Hagar

The player I'm most disappointed in losing is Abbate. I guess I have a soft spot for UDFA. Particularly for the guys who really love to play the game as much as Abbate.

I'm not sure we've seen the last of Abbate. You never know what can happen with players in TC. Look what happened with Walker last year. He was cut before TC, Taylor got injured the 1st day of TC, Walker gets resigned and then put on PS at the end of camp, and by the end of the year, he's playing in some games! I'm not saying Abbate will have the same kind of luck, but he does have another year of PS elegibility left. JMHO!

[texasguy346]

It looks like Spencer was claimed by the Panthers. I wish him the best of luck, but at least he knows he can't possibly do worse than the last Texan the Panthers had.

link

[CloakNNNdagger]

Originally Posted by HoustonFrog

What Spencer said following this. Interesting what he says about his health and getting in football shape

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/...t/5902253.html

Quote:
“They just didn’t feel I was healthy enough to compete in camp, so that’s why they made their decision,” Spencer said. “Only I know how I feel, and I feel like I can compete and be a starter for the Texans. But they make their decisions. I respect that.”

Spencer remains focused on playing again. He said his leg is stronger than it was before the injury, and he is simply working to get back in football shape.

“Of course I’m going to play football again,” Spencer said. “I’ll find a job.”


I support Spencer's dreams. However, I would have to question the validity of his statment.

[ObsiWan]

Originally Posted by CloakNNNdagger

Quote:
“They just didn’t feel I was healthy enough to compete in camp, so that’s why they made their decision,” Spencer said. “Only I know how I feel, and I feel like I can compete and be a starter for the Texans. But they make their decisions. I respect that.”

Spencer remains focused on playing again. He said his leg is stronger than it was before the injury, and he is simply working to get back in football shape.

“Of course I’m going to play football again,” Spencer said. “I’ll find a job.”


I support Spencer's dreams. However, I would have to question the validity of his statment.

Like some others have kinda said, I'm beginning to believe the Spencer cut was more about the question of whether he fit into the Gibbs' ZBS and less about him not being completely healthy.

Compare Weary's rehab to Spencer's... Weary actually lost weight and is in fairly decent shape. Remember how the local talking heads were saying during OTAs that Weary looks better now than he did before he was hurt.

Spencer... not so much. And with other, more agile OL prospects, I dunno if Spencer would have made this squad.
So maybe its good, in a way, that Smithiak cut him now. Carolina didn't waste much time picking him up.

I wish him well.

[Lucky]

Originally Posted by mussop

Hey Lucky, waiving Abatte could mean that were keeping Taylor as a FB...If Brown or Green goes down then Taylor slides over to RB.

It's for me hard to imagine Taylor at FB. He doesn't really look like the type of FBs that are prevalent in the league, today. Besides a practice or two, I don't think Taylor has any experience at the position.

Having said that, I looked back at some of the FBs in Alex Gibbs ZBS and found that he has often employed smaller, quicker FBs. Aaron Craver was a RB/FB hybrid for the Broncos during the mid '90s. Howard Griffith was an outstanding FB during Denver's Super Bowl seasons, and was only 230 lbs. When Gibbs moved to Atlanta, he had a similar sized FB in Justin Griffith.

Still, you would think Taylor would have seen some time at FB during minicamp and OTAs if he were going to be an option at FB. I'm not sure what the Texans plan to do there. It's just that I'm a little surprised the Texans plan to go through camp with only 2 FBs.

[CloakNNNdagger]

Originally Posted by ObsiWan

Like some others have kinda said, I'm beginning to believe the Spencer cut was more about the question of whether he fit into the Gibbs' ZBS and less about him not being completely healthy.

Compare Weary's rehab to Spencer's... Weary actually lost weight and is in fairly decent shape. Remember how the local talking heads were saying during OTAs that Weary looks better now than he did before he was hurt.

Spencer... not so much. And with other, more agile OL prospects, I dunno if Spencer would have made this squad.
So maybe its good, in a way, that Smithiak cut him now. Carolina didn't waste much time picking him up.

I wish him well.

I would have to point out that coming back from Weary's injury would be a piece of cake compared to Spencer's. Weary's improvement could be due to his weight as much as his repair/recovery. For any chance of recovery from Spencer's type of injury, it would mandate for him to get his weight down substantially from his original playing weight. His weight has unfortunately maintained on the wrong side of his original playing weight, let alone his optimal playing weight. I don't think that agility is the question now, I think that the real question is mobility..........especially against resistance.

I share your well wishes.

[ObsiWan]

Originally Posted by CloakNNNdagger

I would have to point out that coming back from Weary's injury would be a piece of cake compared to Spencer's. Weary's improvement could be due to his weight as much as his repair/recovery. For any chance of recovery from Spencer's type of injury, it would mandate for him to get his weight down substantially from his original playing weight. His weight has unfortunately maintained on the wrong side of his original playing weight, let alone his optimal playing weight. I don't think that agility is the question now, I think that the real question is mobility..........especially against resistance.

I share your well wishes.

I think we're saying the same thing.

from a mini-camp interview with various linemen regarding what they thought of Gibbs and the ZBS....

“It’s all about movement,” [Duane] Brown said. “It’s not just about brute strength. It’s (about) being fast and getting up to the second level quickly and being able to cut guys. And that helps me a lot because that’s my kind of game. I’m an athletic left tackle.”

Guard Chester Pitts said Gibbs pushes his lineman to play at the next level on every snap.

“It’s the attitude and everything he brings with him,” Pitts said. “He expects and demands your absolute best, and not just your absolute best but doing it the right way all the time.”

Gibbs’ zone scheme is not simple, so he methodically works with players on the field and in meetings.

“He’s a great teacher,” right tackle Eric Winston said. “He’s very specific in what he wants to do and he just knows exactly how to teach the guys, and I think he finds exactly what each guy can do and really tries to develop on that.”

The Texans’ offensive line already looks quicker and more agile than it did last year. Pitts even lost 10 pounds. During training camp, Gibbs will be cramming reps down the players’ throats, making sure they have perfected their technique and can move in unison.
And he won’t let down. Not until the Texans consistently cut block, keep defenses guessing, create lanes for the ball carrier …and win a championship. That’s what Gibbs’ scheme is all about.

bottom line:
Spencer's level of mobility (I agree that's a better term) was probably deemed insufficient for the new ZBS. He still may be able to play fairly well in a power scheme where he can be a straight ahead mauler. If what Carolina does, or is planning to do, he may land a job.