It appears that veteran Garrett Bradbury and rookie Jared Wilson are going to be battling for the top center spot throughout training camp.
Early on through the first few light days of practice, it’s clear that Wilson isn’t going to just concede the job to the vet. Bradbury knows it and is embracing that competition.
“What Vrabel loves most is competition. That’s the best thing you can have for a football team,” Bradbury said. “It’s going to make me better, it’s going to make me(Wilson) better, it’s going to make everyone better. I think on the other hand, I don’t know if I’ve ever played on a line where all five guys played every snap that whole year.
“So, you need to build depth too, right? The more good football players you can have, the more you’re going to win. That’s what training camp’s about. Everyone needs to earn a role.”
Where Bradbury may be able to have a bit of an edge over Wilson is the relationship building with Drake Maye. Knowing how to do that as a vet could end up being what wins out.
Part of that relationship is getting used to this jam-packed Josh McDaniels offense. We’ve all seen and heard time and time again over the years that this offense is extremely difficult to pick up, especially for receivers. But, just how hard is it for centers?
Well, Bradbury has been using flash cards to get more and more in-tune with Maye.
“I think April, swimming a little bit. Then in May, started to get a little better. June and over the summer just kind of going back over everything,” he said. “Just kind of going back over everything. I think the first time you hear it you’re like, ‘what is this?’ I’ve played six years, this is year seven and this is unlike anything I’ve ever…
“It’s funny. During the spring I ordered flash cards and I was literally studying flash cards. I’ve never done this, but it’s helping…there’s a lot of verbiage. Generally, everyone runs pretty much the same plays. It’s how you call plays…some of these have got no rhyme or reason and that’s where the flash cards come in. I’m just studying. That’s kind of the big difference. There’s a lot of verbiage, but it’s been good. It’s different, but Drake’s been good with it. The sooner he can get the MIKE call in, the sooner I can get my call in, the sooner the ball is snap, the more plays the defense has to play. That’s sort of the philosophy.”
Bradbury also said that Maye makes the initial call, but the center’s job is just starting after that on certain plays.
“So, Drake makes the initial call and then the center can make the calls at the line in plays,” he added. “There’s a few plays where I can help him with the MIKE call. It’s a collaborative effort. His (Maye) voice is the main voice and then in any way I can help, give little hints here or there, I see something, the better.”
Aside from the success of Will Campbell at left tackle, center is arguably the most important position on the team to figure out in camp. If Bradbury and Maye can master this offense, things will run smoothly. If not, a rookie and Maye will soon be at the helm of it all.
“All the film we’ve watched from this offense is the glory years here,” he added. “You see how Brady played with such quickness, timing, knew where he was going with with it because he mastered the system.
“You can understand that once you master this system, you’ve got all the answers to the book.”