There were no interceptions the first day of practice, but two on Saturday.
Darqueze Dennard, who is competing for a starting job in the cornerback spot, had the first pick of camp on an overthrow by A.J. McCarron, and ninth-year veteran Adam “Pacman” Jones intercepted Andy Dalton later in practice.
“That’s one of the things we are stressing is getting more turnovers in practice so it will carry over to games on Sundays,” defensive coordinator Paul Guenther said. “It’s a big point of emphasis in training camp, so it was good to see.”
There also were a number of pass breakups.
Whitworth enjoys veteran perks
Left tackle Andrew Whitworth watched practice on Saturday, but there was nothing medically wrong with him. He just got a day off – one of the perks of being a veteran and not uncommon for him.
Whitworth actually is in great shape. He lost 30 pounds during the hardest offseason he’s endured as far as his workouts.
“It was just learning to eat really healthy and training a lot, and as you lose weight, you’re able to train more,” Whitworth said. “Ten years in, this was probably the hardest, physically, offseason I’ve ever had, and I feel awesome.”
Rookie Jake Fisher spent some time at left tackle in Whitworth’s place.
Players showing versatility
Versatility was on display, as cornerback Leon Hall played some safety and running back Rex Burkhead spent a little time in the slot.
Burkhead started at a wide receiver spot in the playoff loss to Indianapolis last year, and offensive coordinator Hue Jackson especially likes his versatility. He lined up in the slot in some two-back sets Saturday.
“He’s got RB by his name, but he can line up anywhere,” Jackson said. “It’s like our tackles line up anywhere and these guys can line up all over the place. We’ve just got to have a lot of flexibility. You’ve got to have the talent and ability to showcase it. That’s what this is all about. If a guy can do something more than he normally can do we’re going to give him a chance to do it.”
About the Author