Bengals wide receiver Mohamed Sanu on upswing

[oldschooler]

[b] [size=6]Bengals wide receiver Mohamed Sanu on upswing[/size][/b]

[b] [size=6]Solid camp has him in mix for spot opposite Green[/size][/b]



For those who were looking for a bit of a separation in terms of figuring out who the contenders would be at wide receiver after the Bengals rookie minicamp, it didn’t happen.

In fact after seeing the rookies and a couple of the returning first-year players on the field, the competition for playing time and roster spots could be the most intense of training camp.

Whether things will get clearer when the organized team workouts begin next week remains to be seen. There are currently 12 receivers on the roster for what figures to be six spots on the 53-man roster.

“It’s so important to have competition. It brings out the best in everyone and if it doesn’t those aren’t the guys you want around,” receivers coach James Urban said. “Each one brings their own set of skills and it will be fun to see with what we’re looking to do.”

After the rookie minicamp, Mohamed Sanu did nothing to diminish his stock. Head coach Marvin Lewis said the third-round pick was everything that they expected and that Sanu should be able to come in and contribute right away.

NFL Films’ Greg Cosell, who also is the executive producer of ESPN’s NFL Matchup, thought the Bengals were the perfect team for Sanu to be drafted by because they have a defined number one receiver in A.J. Green.

Said Cosell of Sanu: “He can do everything. He’s not fast but he is fluid and smooth. I saw him like (Saints receiver) Marques Colston because he works inside and between the numbers very well.”

Sanu thought the five rookie practices went well but also knows there are a lot of practices between now and when final cuts are made.

“I was just trying to make the play every time the ball came my way and know my assignments,” Sanu said on Monday. “The key now is to just continue learning the system and master as much as I can.”

Fifth-round pick Marvin Jones also had a solid weekend with two receptions up the sideline and also fielding punts. College free agents Kashif Moore and Taveon Rogers bring an added element of speed while Justin Hilton did some nice things lining up in a variety of spots.

Urban was also happy with how the two draft picks did, saying that they looked like he thought they would.

“It’s not too big for them which is the most important thing at this point,” Urban said. “They are not overwhelmed and were able to move around and play all three positions.”

Among the returning players, the two most intriguing are Brandon Tate and Armon Binns. Tate has just 24 career receptions in three seasons, but he has the most NFL experience as he enters his fourth year. Most of his time though has spent as a returner.

Tate came to the Bengals last year the week before the regular season started and did not see much time on offense. During the first two weeks of limited on-field work, the coaching staff has been trying to work Tate in.

Binns, a former UC standout, got his most extensive work as a Bengal during the rookie minicamp. He signed with the team prior to Week 3 last season and spent most of the year on the practice squad running the scout team’s offense. During the weekend, Binns went up against Dre Kirkpatrick and held his own.

“I feel real comfortable with all the calls and learning more about each route and learning how Andy (Dalton) expects them to be run and the timing,” Binns said. “It makes me feel good to know the coaches have the confidence in me.”

Vidal Hazelton, who was signed to the practice squad late last season, also participated in the minicamp and looked solid.

Among the other returning players, Ryan Whalen and Andrew Hawkins, who combined for 27 receptions last season, will also be vying for spots and more playing time. As for Jordan Shipley, who is coming off a left knee injury, he has been cleared by Dr. James Andrews to resume full activities but there is no indication how much he will participate in OTAs.

About the only absolute right now is that Green is the leader of the group and is the number one receiver with Shipley as more of the number three slot guy. How everything else shakes out over the next four months is anyone’s guess.

Another who is excited about the competition is quarterback Andy Dalton, who has a wide range of options to throw to.

Said Dalton: “I heard everything went really well this weekend. I’m excited for everyone to get out there and throwing. We’ve got a good group. It is going to be a lot of competition out there.”




(Click the link for the entire article)

http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20120514/SPT02/305140032/Rookie-receiver-Sanu-upswing?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|Bengals

[oldschooler]

[b] [size=6]Marvin Lewis likes Sanu as the Bengals’ No. 2[/size][/b]

Posted by Michael David Smith on May 13, 2012, 7:32 PM EDT


The Bengals need a No. 2 receiver to start opposite [url="http://www.rotoworld.com/player/nfl/6438/aj-green"]A.J. Green[/url], and they may have found their man in the third round of the draft.

At the conclusion of the team’s rookie minicamp, head coach Marvin Lewis said rookie receiver [url="http://www.rotoworld.com/player/nfl/7433/mohamed-sanu"]Mohamed Sanu[/url] looked like he had the potential to be ready to be a starter in the Bengals’ offense from Week One.

“[url="http://cincinnati.com/blogs/bengals/2012/05/13/rookie-minicamp-wraps-up/"]I thought Sanu was everything we expected him to be[/url]. He’s going to come in here and play as a rookie and push to start and play time,” Lewis said, via the [i]Cincinnati Enquirer[/i].
Fifth-round rookie [url="http://www.rotoworld.com/player/nfl/7503/marvin-jones"]Marvin Jones[/url] also impressed Lewis, both for his potential to contribute to the offense and for what his potential to contribute as a return man.

“Marvin to me really had a great five practices,” Lewis said. “His ability to be a returner will stand out. He really tracks the ball well. You see the speed compared to the size.”

After last year’s No. 2 receiver, [url="http://www.rotoworld.com/player/nfl/4859/jerome-simpson"]Jerome Simpson[/url], left for Minnesota, and last year’s No. 3 receiver, [url="http://www.rotoworld.com/player/nfl/4730/andre-caldwell"]Andre Caldwell[/url], left for Denver, a starter opposite Green is a high priority. But Lewis sounds optimistic that the Bengals have talent at receiver.




[url="http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/05/13/marvin-lewis-likes-sanu-as-the-bengals-no-2/"]http://profootballta...e-bengals-no-2/[/url]

[oldschooler]

[b] [size=5]VIDEO: Blogger Blitz: No No. 2 In Cincinnati[/size][/b]

AFC North blogger Jamison Hensley talks about the wide receiver situation in Cincinnati



http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=7905212

[|Numbers|]

Mark Schlereth on ESPN when asked between which receiver will have the best rookie season (Blackmon and I can't remember) he said neither and further stated it will be Sanu. I was floored. Schlereth saying something nice about the Bengals must be hard for him to do but he said this as if it was going to be a fact.

[Bengals1181]

[quote name='Numbers' timestamp='1337116471' post='1130836']
Mark Schlereth on ESPN when asked between which receiver will have the best rookie season (Blackmon and I can't remember) he said neither and further stated it will be Sanu. I was floored. Schlereth saying something nice about the Bengals must be hard for him to do but he said this as if it was going to be a fact.
[/quote]

good stuff, and if its like most days (I'm assuming this was on NFL Live) it will be re-shown at 7pm and midnight on ESPN2.

[oldschooler]

[url="https://twitter.com/#!/SalaryCap101"][b]J.I. Halsell[/b]‏[s]@[/s][b]SalaryCap101[/b][/url]
How bout [url="https://twitter.com/#!/markschlereth"][s]@[/s][b]markschlereth[/b][/url] picking [url="https://twitter.com/#!/PrioritySports"][s]@[/s][b]PrioritySports[/b][/url]' [url="https://twitter.com/#!/M0SAnu"][s]@[/s][b]M0SAnu[/b][/url] of the [url="https://twitter.com/#!/search/%23Bengals"][s]#[/s][b]Bengals[/b][/url] as his projected top WR from '12 draft. | "football-playing jessie"

[|Numbers|]

If the video of Schlereth mentioning Sanu ever comes up on ESPN or other video streaming outlet, someone please post it. I want to be able to rewind it and watch it again.

[Bengals1181]

[b] 7 strong hunches for 2012 season[/b]




[quote][size=3][b]• Mohamed Sanu will be the second consecutive Bengals rookie receiver to show up and show up early.[/b][/size]
[left][size=3]Karma owes Sanu a little something-something after he endured that cruel prank phone call on the first night of last month's draft, and I believe he's going to wind up having the last laugh when it comes to his career in Cincinnati starting roughly 24 hours later than he was first led to believe. The ex-Rutgers receiver is already off to an impressive start, easily standing out at last weekend's Bengals rookie minicamp, drawing both praise and a prediction of early contributions from head coach Marvin Lewis.[/size][/left]

[left][size=3][color=#000000][font=verdana, geneva, sans-serif]Cincinnati has a decent history of rookie impact from receivers, getting that monster debut season from first-rounder A.J. Green last year (65 catches for 1,057 yards and seven touchdowns), and a seven-touchdown showing from third-rounder Chris Henry in 2005. Sanu is an ideal complement to Green's outside speed and vertical game, and he'll work the inside and underneath routes with both precision and determination, pulling down plenty of catches in a crowd or despite solid coverage. NFL scouts worried about his ability to separate this spring, but come September, Sanu will be putting plenty of distance between himself and most of the league's other rookie receivers.[/font][/color][/size][/left]



[left][color=#000000][font=verdana, geneva, sans-serif][size=2]Read more: [/size][/font][/color][/left]
[url="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/writers/don_banks/05/15/strong.hunches/index.html#ixzz1uzKpWehB"]http://sportsillustr...l#ixzz1uzKpWehB[/url][/quote]

[bengalbutch]

It prob won't take long for Sanu to be a fan fav in Cincy

[BengalBacker]

[quote name='Bengals1181' timestamp='1337129138' post='1130858']
[b] 7 strong hunches for 2012 season[/b]
[/quote]

From that same link:


[quote]
[b]• Chad Ochocinco (or whatever he's calling himself these days) won't be around to see another burst of fall foliage in New England.[/b] Unless the Patriots make NFL history and decide to keep eight receivers, or a couple pass-catchers go down in camp with season-ending injuries, the math doesn't add up for Chad. In English or Spanish. New England is beyond loaded with bodies at receiver, and Ochocinco was essentially dead weight all of last season.
That realization is only going to get driven home all the more dramatically once training camp opens and No. 85 is out there trying to compete with the likes of Wes Welker, Brandon Lloyd, Deion Branch, Anthony Gonzalez, Julian Edelman, Donte' Stallworth, Jabar Gaffney and Matthew Slater. Pay cut to $1 million or not, Ochocinco is still over-priced by New England's typical produce-or-be-gone standards. He and Patriots head coach Bill Belichick have always been chummy and all, but shockingly, there's a limit to B.B.'s warm and fuzzy side. And in this case, it's a 53-man limit.
[/quote]

I assume someone will pick him up when he gets cut, but he could well be done.

[BBR]

[quote name='bengalbutch' timestamp='1337129695' post='1130860']
It prob won't take long for Sanu to be a fan fav in Cincy
[/quote]

I'm wondering if it's at the expense of another fan favorite in Jordan Shipley.

I can see them rotating Binns, Jones, and Sanu as the number 2 receiver on the outside plus using Sanu, Shipley and Hawkins in the slot. If you leave Tate in the mix, then I really wonder if there's a real need to keep Shipley on the roster, especially with all of the knee injuries he's had. The other guys might be more durable without much of a drop-off if any at all in production.

If (please, please, please) there aren't any serious injuries in camp / preseason, then this and DT are going to be very interesting battles and real tough cuts.

[Zins30]

Didn't Shipley return punts (or kickoffs) at Texas? If so and his role as a receiver shrinks, maybe he gets more time there. I do think that him in the slot is much different than Sanu (relative to size and ability to shield defenders) so I still think they could coexist together relatively easily. I think Gruden can and will find a way to get both involved.

[BBR]

[quote name='Zins30' timestamp='1337131506' post='1130865']
Didn't Shipley return punts (or kickoffs) at Texas? If so and his role as a receiver shrinks, maybe he gets more time there. I do think that him in the slot is much different than Sanu (relative to size and ability to shield defenders) so I still think they could coexist together relatively easily. I think Gruden can and will find a way to get both involved.
[/quote]

I just think it's a tough numbers game and someone is getting the axe out of Shipley, Tate and Hawkins.

[Tigris]

[quote name='BBR' timestamp='1337132805' post='1130867']
I just think it's a tough numbers game and someone is getting the axe out of Shipley, Tate and Hawkins.
[/quote]

Shipley is safe IMO unless his pysche is hurt from his knee and he can't mentally put it behind him. Tate is gone IMO.

AJ
Sanu
Shipley
Marvin Jones
Hawkins

Why couldn't Tate fit back there and we keep six? Am I missing someone?

[Tigris]

Binns!

Between the WRs, DTs, and CBs... it's goin to be an interesting camp.

[alleycat]

[quote name='Tigris' timestamp='1337136517' post='1130872']
Shipley is safe IMO unless his pysche is hurt from his knee and he can't mentally put it behind him. Tate is gone IMO.

[/quote]

Shipley's knee is the reason I think we keep Hawkins. He flashed last year, and if nothing else he's insurance if Shipley doesn't recover well from the knee...Hard to cut Ship though after what he did his rookie season.

[happyrid]

I'm confident Sanu will be one of the top 3 WRs (along with AJ obviously)

The nice thing about Sanu is that he can be the slot or the outside #2 depending on which other WR emerges as one of the 3 best. If its Shipley (or Whalen/Hawkins), Sanu can stay outside. If its Jones, Binns or Tate, Sanu can be the slot guy.

If I had to guess, I would say that he splits time between both, sharing the slot with Shipley and the outside spot with Jones.

Binns or Tate make it as the 5th and Hawkins or Whalen make it as the 6th.

[snarkster]

Wouldn't shock me to see the Bengals start the season with:

Green
Sanu
Jones
Binns
Hawkins

With Tate, Whalen, Moore and Rogers fighting for the sixth (and last) spot and Shipley starting the year PUP'd. I still don't discount the possibility of them picking up a veteran before camp, if the right name pops up though.

[oldschooler]

The Cincinnati Enquirer's Joe Reedy expects third-round pick Mohamed Sanu to win the Bengals' No. 2 receiver job.

It's notable because Reedy — the Bengals' top beat writer — predicted on draft weekend that fifth-round pick Marvin Jones would beat out Sanu. He's changed his tune following the Bengals' rookie minicamp, and presumably conversations with team officials. Sanu may be the slight favorite, but it's a race that can't be meaningfully predicted before camp.


[b]Related:[/b] [url="http://www.rotoworld.com/player/nfl/7503/marvin-jones"]Marvin Jones[/url]

[b]Source:[/b] [url="https://twitter.com/#/joereedy/status/202588319324966912"]Joe Reedy on Twitter [/url]
May 15 - 10:44 PM




http://www.rotoworld.com/teams/nfl/cin/?r=1

[Bengals1181]

[quote name='Zins30' timestamp='1337131506' post='1130865']
Didn't Shipley return punts (or kickoffs) at Texas? If so and his role as a receiver shrinks, maybe he gets more time there. I do think that him in the slot is much different than Sanu (relative to size and ability to shield defenders) so I still think they could coexist together relatively easily. I think Gruden can and will find a way to get both involved.
[/quote]


The Bengals are in a nice position where tate, shipley, sanu, jones, and hawkins can all return punts. Not to mention Pacman, plus possible practice squad WR's in Moore and Rogers.

[Bengals1181]

[quote name='snarkster' timestamp='1337142120' post='1130881']
Wouldn't shock me to see the Bengals start the season with:

Green
Sanu
Jones
Binns
Hawkins

With Tate, Whalen, Moore and Rogers fighting for the sixth (and last) spot and Shipley starting the year PUP'd. I still don't discount the possibility of them picking up a veteran before camp, if the right name pops up though.
[/quote]


While he's technically still eligible at this point, I can't see Shipley starting the year on the PUP when his doctors cleared him medically at the start of May.

[Oldcat]

[quote name='Bengals1181' timestamp='1337168846' post='1130895']
While he's technically still eligible at this point, I can't see Shipley starting the year on the PUP when his doctors cleared him medically at the start of May.
[/quote]

Well his doctor cleared him.. I hadn't heard if the [b]team's[/b] doctors have.

But I agree that Shipley will probably play in camp.

[Bengals1181]

[quote name='Oldcat' timestamp='1337187015' post='1130975']
Well his doctor cleared him.. I hadn't heard if the [b]team's[/b] doctors have.

But I agree that Shipley will probably play in camp.
[/quote]

correct. His doctors have cleared him, but the Bengals doctor's haven't.

[happyrid]

With Shipley, I don't think the issue will be that he's unable to play, but that he isn't as effective. Wes Welker had a similar injury and he was solid his first year back, but not himself. Shipley doesn't have as much margin for error. If he's a step or two slower this year, he might not be very useful.

[bengaled]

[quote name='happyrid' timestamp='1337192746' post='1130994']
With Shipley, I don't think the issue will be that he's unable to play, but that he isn't as effective. Wes Welker had a similar injury and he was solid his first year back, but not himself. Shipley doesn't have as much margin for error. If he's a step or two slower this year, he might not be very useful.
[/quote]

here's one of the main reasons why i expect shipley to stick, that plus he understands the WCO inside and out. speed is an over rated commodity with a slot receiver.

[b] Wide Receivers, Top 15 Drop Percentage, 2010[/b]
Rank Player Team Receptions Drops Catchable Drop % 1 Jordan Shipley CIN 52 0 52 0.00% 2 Earl Bennett CHI 50 0 50 0.00% 3 Kevin Walter HST 51 1 52 1.92% 4 Larry Fitzgerald ARZ 90 3 93 3.23% 5 Eddie Royal DEN 59 2 61 3.28% 6 Lance Moore NO 70 3 73 4.11% 7 Mario Manningham NYG 60 3 63 4.76% 8 Brandon Lloyd DEN 77 4 81 4.94% 9 Anquan Boldin BLT 70 4 74 5.41% 10t Mike Thomas JAX 66 4 70 5.71% 10t Deion Branch NE 66 4 70 5.71% 12t Braylon Edwards NYJ 62 4 66 6.06% 12t Derrick Mason BLT 62 4 66 6.06% 14 Austin Collie IND 58 4 62 6.45% 15 Andre Johnson HST 86 6 92 6.52%