Throughout the season following each game, I will be looking at the rookies and how they fared each week. This will consist of thoughts such as the positives and negatives of that game, areas to watch or work on, and clips to support what I’m sharing. Hopefully, this will shed some insight into some things you may or may not have seen.
Week 10 vs Green Bay Packers
Active Players
#77 Broderick Jones (Round 1) – 65 offensive snaps, 5 special teams snaps
Jones made his third start of the season and second consecutive start at right tackle and the results speak for themselves. The running game put up 166 yards against Tennessee and then 205 against Green Bay. His execution wasn’t quite as clean as last week, but he was still very effective.
In pass protection, he was balanced and patient in his pass set and was generally effective up the arc. He moves his feet well and uses his length to keep rushers at bay. On twists and stunts, he worked very well with James Daniels smoothly passing off rushers. One very nice positive was the usage of chops to the defender’s hands to knock them off balance. He used it on a few occasions with very good effectiveness.
Jones Chops
He did allow penetration on a few plays. He was a little bendy on a couple of screens allowing the defender to make the quarterback adjust his throws. There was also one rip by the defender on the outside that had him chasing.
As a run blocker, he again showed his athleticism to the second level when pulling, one of which ended in a pancake. When walling off to the outside he is difficult to get around. There was one play where he clearly went the wrong way and tried to reverse gears to head in the right direction.
Wrong Way Jones
2023 Regular Season Totals – 256 offensive snaps, 32 special teams snaps
#24 Joey Porter, Jr. (Round 2) – 68 defensive snaps, 11 special teams snaps, 4 tackles, 3 solo, 1 TFL
Porter started for the third consecutive game and continues to be an asset on the outside. He ended up playing more Zone than Press coverage this week but that was due primarily to the two late drives by the Packers.
In coverage, he was good overall but on a couple of routes (Whip, Go in the slot) the receivers were able to get a step on him. His first target was a completion over the middle where he had great coverage. On his next target, he was penalized for defensive pass interference on a slant. Target number three was on a deep out route where the throw was high. Next, was a target on a Go route on the right sideline where he had very good positioning. He did show nice physicality on a tackle reading a swing screen and garnering his first tackle for a loss.
In the running game, he didn’t have any real opportunities to get involved but he didn’t give up the edge. His tackles came on the first pass over the middle, the swing screen, on a short pass to the Packer running back, and a combined tackle with Damontae Kazee.
2023 Regular Season Totals – 336 offensive snaps, 54 special teams snaps, 21 tackles, 15 solo, 1 TFL, 1 INT, 4 PBU
#95 Keeanu Benton (Round 2) – 45 defensive snaps, 9 special teams snaps, 6 tackles 3 solo, 2 QB hits, 1 PBU
With Montravius Adams inactive this week, Benton got the start at the nose tackle position. It was his second start with the other coming against Baltimore. He topped 65 percent of the defensive snaps for the second week in a row. Most of his snaps came over the center but also saw six-plus snaps at the 1 technique, 2 technique, and 3 technique.
Against the pass, his relentless effort continues. Early in the game, he had his first hit on the quarterback with a club/swim move. His second QB hit came after fighting through multiple blockers. He has been making more of an effort to get his hands up when he doesn’t win with his pass rush. It paid off this week with his first pass defensed at the line of scrimmage. His pass rush plan is coming along slowly but he did show a spin move this week that could have potential.
Against the run game, whether holding off one blocker or fighting versus two, his play strength and anchor to hold his ground is good. Benton showed a variety of ways to make tackles this week. He used the stack and shed method as well as holding up the lineman with one arm and tackling with the other arm. He showed pursuit on a screen to the outside and even made a tackle sliding on one knee after taking on a double-team block.
His game is blossoming and his versatility to play multiple spots is extremely valuable.
Benton Run Stops
2023 Regular Season Totals – 282 defensive snaps 21 special teams snaps, 22 tackles, 10 solo, 1 TFL, 1 PBU, 1 FF, 1 sack, 6 QB hits.
#80 Darnell Washington (Round 3) – 33 offensive snaps, 10 special teams snaps, 1 target, 1 reception, 6 yards.
Washington got the starting nod for the sixth time this season and was right around his snaps per game average.
In the passing game, he had a few pass-blocking reps that were effective. A couple of those resulted in him releasing to the flat to help the quarterback. One of those became his third reception of the season. His other routes included a Shallow Cross, Corner, Dig, and Deep Cross. He lacks the quickness to separate regularly but the block/release can get him some space. I’m still waiting on the red zone target or the utilization of his size versus defenders. I have a feeling it’s coming soon.
As a run blocker, he truly is an advantage as the sixth offensive lineman. He wins way more than he loses as a run blocker whether on the front side or backside. They tried him on a wham block (blocking down inside on the defensive tackle), a play they use often, but the defender got upfield too quickly. He was solid on the second level and like Jones, he used a nice chop on a defender on the Jaylen Warren touchdown run.
2023 Regular Season Totals – 256 offensive snaps, 78 special teams snaps, 5 targets, 3 receptions, 23 yards
#51 Nick Herbig (Round 4) – 2 defensive snaps, 21 special teams snaps,
Herbig saw his fewest defensive snaps of the season and continued his work as a core special team player.
His two plays were back-to-back in the third quarter. The first was a running play away from him in which he was not involved. In the second play, he showed good snap quickness but bit on a bootleg allowing the tackle to gobble him up when he reversed field.
He was not involved in any tackles on special teams for the second consecutive game.
2023 Regular Season Totals – 85 defensive snaps, 186 special teams snaps, 10 tackles, 7 solo, 2 TFL, 1 QB hits, 1 sack 1 FF.
#74 Spencer Anderson (7th)
Anderson was active again but did not see any playing time.
2023 Regular Season Totals – 1 offensive snap, 5 special teams snaps
2023 Rookies of The Week
Week 1 – NT Keeanu Benton
Week 2 – CB Joey Porter Jr.
Week 3 – NT Keeanu Benton
Week 4 – TE Darnell Washington
Week 5 – OT Broderick Jones
Week 6 – Bye
Week 7 – OLB Nick Herbig
Week 8 – CB Joey Porter Jr.
Week 9 – OT Broderick Jones
Week 10 – NT Keeanu Benton
Inactive for Week 2 – #21 Darius Rush (Round 5 – Colts)
Practice Squad – #45 Jack Coletto (UDFA 49ers), #85 WR Duece Watts (UDFA Packers)
Reserve/Injured – #27 DB Cory Trice Jr.
