Second-year Cincinnati Bengals quarterback AJ McCarron recently noted that he's "slinging it" better this offseason than he ever has, thanks to a revamped throwing motion.
Speaking with Mobile's WNSP on Friday, Defensive end Wallace Gilberry offered a testimonial to McCarron's improvement.
"The kid is doing awesome," Gilberry said, via AL.com. "When I say awesome, that's kind of an understatement. I mean, last year, he kind of struggled with the arm situation. But this year, man ... his throwing motion is on point. His passes are on point. I think he's thrown one interception the whole camp. Not to say Andy (Dalton) has thrown any, but the kid is competing."
McCarron has distanced himself from Terrelle Pryor and Josh Johnson in the battle for the No. 2 spot on the depth chart, "making strong, timely throws and heady decisions," per ESPN.com's Coley Harvey.
The 2014 fifth-round pick won't be a threat to Dalton's starting job in training camp. If McCarron shows well in preseason action, though, Dalton's leash could tighten just a bit during the regular season.
Since entering the league in 2011, Dalton is 3-11 in prime-time and playoff games, generating a 55 percent completion rate, 12:17 interception-to-touchdown ratio and a passer rating south of 70.0 on the big stage.
If those spotlight woes continue, the Bengals will sorely need McCarron to emerge as a viable alternative.
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