Teams spend millions of dollars preparing for the draft. Despite that investment, dozens of non-drafted players make NFL rosters every summer. And while the majority of these Cinderella stories eventually end without much acclaim, that’s really besides the point. Watching the underdog compete against the bonus babies is what makes training camp fun for fans and interesting for sportswriters. So on a weekend that saw Invincible open to rave reviews, here are four little-known Packers who would make Vince Papale extremely proud: RUVELL MARTIN – The third-year wide receiver failed in two previous attempts to make a final roster, but the third time might be the charm. Martin has been one of the top four wide receivers on the team since the first minicamp and deserves to stick. “He hasn’t had a great summer, but other than Donald Driver and Greg Jennings, which receivers have?” asked a former scout. “He’s clearly outplayed Cory Rodgers, and if Mike McCarthy really wants to reward guys for working hard, he’ll get the nod over Rod Gardner as well.” TORY...
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The release of punter B.J. Sander was the latest draft choice of Mike Sherman’s to be shown the door by GM Ted Thompson. And while nobody can quibble with the decision to get rid of stiffs like Sander, Joey Thomas, Donnell Washington and James Lee, it does bring up an interesting dichotomy. The Packers obviously did a terrible job of drafting players under Sherman, yet Thompson has made no changes to the scouting department since taking over 19 months ago. Based on that, it appears as if Thompson placed the blame solely on Sherman and absolved director of college scouting John Dorsey, college scouting coordinator Danny Mock and all the scouts. Is that fair? Yes, at least according to a person close to the situation. “Most of that department – including Dorsey – was brought to Green Bay by Ron Wolf,” said the source. “Wolf trusted those guys completely, but Sherman was more apt to listen to the suggestions of Mark Hatley and his assistant coaches. Sherman was big on loyalty,...
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Coach Mike McCarthy named Tony Moll the starter at right guard on Monday. That capped an incredible seven-day stretch that saw the rookie go from being an unheralded backup tackle to being one of five men entrusted to protect future Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre this season. And while Moll’s rise from obscurity makes for a great story, some experts don’t foresee a happy ending. “I’m shocked,” said a former scout. “The kid only played one year on the line in college and then spent the entire offseason and the first few weeks of training camp shuttling between left and right tackle. God bless him if he can do it, but I just don’t see it happening.” So why did McCarthy rush to name Moll a starter? Probably because he knows what happened a year ago when former coach Mike Sherman shuffled his guards all summer. “I understand why McCarthy wants to get his line set ASAP, but I’d want to see Moll play at least one more game,” said a regional scout for another team....
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Look for Daryn Colledge to begin taking snaps at left tackle as soon as the starting offensive line is set. The coaches aren’t ready to give up on him at guard, but with Chad Clifton’s balky knees and high salary, it’s a good idea to have a potential replacement on the roster….. The Eagles recently spoke to Green Bay about wide receiver Greg Lewis. The 26-year-old showed intriguing potential a few years ago, but has fallen out of favor with coach Andy Reid. GM Ted Thompson has some interest in Lewis, but won’t give up a draft choice…. Speaking of trades, it should come as little surprise that the Packers showed absolutely no interest in acquiring running back Kevan Barlow. The former 1,000 yard rusher, who was sent to the Jets earlier in the week, clashed with a multitude of players and assistant coaches in San Francisco last season – including Mike McCarthy….. Barring a big game against Cincinnati, it appears as if Rod Gardner could be on his way out. The veteran wide receiver hasn’t made...
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After an awful preseason opener against San Diego, the Packers bounced back to beat Atlanta 38-10 at Lambeau Field. And while Brett Favre and Donald Driver stole the show, it was the solid play of some of the youngsters that should give fans hope heading into the regular season. Here’s a former scout’s position-by-position review: QUARTERBACKS – “Brett Favre was extremely sharp. He had decent protection and used short passes to Donald Driver to pick apart the Atlanta defense. It won’t be so easy once opponents begin to game plan, but I like the way Mike McCarthy spreads the field and tries to create mismatches. That’s something Mike Sherman and Tom Rossley weren’t able to do on a consistent basis. Aaron Rodgers didn’t have much of a chance behind an offensive line that featured three players who might not be in the league a few weeks from now.” RUNNING BACKS – “Najeh Davenport ran very hard, but I’m not sure he fits this style of offense. Seeing the field and making quick cuts is not what he...
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General manager Ted Thompson allowed Pro Bowl guards Mike Wahle and Marco Rivera to leave as free agents following the 2004 season. Considering that the two players received a combined $20 million in bonuses, it was hard to find fault with the decision at the time. However, the fact that the position is still a potential problem leaves Thompson open to heavy criticism. “If poor play at those two spots helps to sabotage another season, he deserves to be skewered by the media,” said a former scout. “Finding competent guards shouldn’t be that difficult.” So what’s the problem? “I think Thompson’s being a little too cute,” added the scout. “Instead of signing a free agent with experience at guard, he signed a guy (Adrian Klemm) who had spent his entire pro career at tackle. And instead of drafting a pure guard, he chose a guy (Daryn Colledge) who had spent his entire college career at tackle. If you want to find a quality guard, sign or draft a damn guard. It’s that simple.” With the season opener...
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Talk of A.J. Hawk’s “slow start” may be gaining momentum in the press, but it’s viewed as utter nonsense by those in the know. “I haven’t seen him on the practice field, but he looked pretty darn good against the Chargers,” said a regional scout for another team. “Sure he got schooled by Gates, but that happens all the time to linebackers with a heck of a lot more experience. I saw a kid running around and making plays. That’s what he does.” Hawk finished the game with five tackles in a limited number of snaps. In reality, there are always going to be people who have a problem with Hawk based on the fact that he was the fifth overall selection in the draft. That’s unusually high for a linebacker – especially one who lacks prototypical size and blazing speed. “I don’t think he’s ever going to be Lawrence Taylor,” said the scout. “He may not even be Cornelius Bennett. He’s just not blessed with that kind of raw talent. So people expecting Hawk to...
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The Packers open the preseason tonight in San Diego, and new head coach Mike McCarthy is putting a heavy emphasis on winning. Based on research over the past six years, that’s a very good idea. Here are a number of things to consider when watching how the preseason unfolds: The four teams that played in last season’s conference championship games – Seattle, Carolina, Pittsburgh and Denver – went 11-5 in the preseason. Five of the last six Super Bowl champs had winning preseason records, with two going undefeated and three finishing 3-1. The last 10 champs compiled a .707 winning percentage. And playing well in the month of August doesn’t just apply to the great teams. Since 2000, playoff teams won nearly two-thirds of their preseason games.
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It took almost three months, but wide receiver Cory Rodgers finally showed a glimpse of why the Packers selected him in the fourth round of April’s draft. The former Texas Christian star made a couple of impressive plays during today’s morning practice – including a big catch during the two-minute drill. “Rodgers finally stepped up,” said a former scout who was in attendance. “He looked terrible in the spring and he didn’t fare much better during the first week of training camp, but maybe now things are beginning to click. Sometimes all it takes is one or two plays to get a struggling rookie going.” Rodgers was drafted to be the No. 1 return man, but that job was stripped away from him after the OTAs in June. “He’s easily the best returner on the roster,” added the scout. “Nobody comes close to matching his explosiveness, but he has to make the team first. And while that’s still far from a certainty, the chances are looking a little better after today.”
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It appears to be only a matter of time before the Packers bring in a veteran wide receiver. GM Ted Thompson has already contacted free agents Ricky Proehl and Kevin Johnson, and he touched base with the Raiders about Jerry Porter last week….. It’s easy to see why Mike Sherman fired Jeff Jagodzinski three years ago. Jags actually enjoys speaking to the press and he’s refreshingly honest – two things his uptight former boss could never accept. Those personality traits shouldn’t be a problem now. Mike McCarthy isn’t as tightly wound as Sherman, and more importantly, he’s been good friends with Jagodzinski ever since the two worked together on Ray Rhodes’ staff in 1999….. Don’t get too excited over defensive tackle Kenderick Allen just yet. A scout told us a few weeks ago that he’s the type of player who always performs better in practice than he does in the game….. Look for the Packers to begin negotiations on a contract extension with the agent for Scott Wells in the near future. The 25-year-old, who was a...
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While all eyes are focused on newcomers A.J. Hawk, Abdul Hodge, Ryan Pickett, Charles Woodson and Marquand Manuel, the person who really holds the key to the success of the defense in 2006 isn’t going to sack a quarterback, make a tackle or intercept a pass. “ Bob Sanders is the biggest question mark on that side of the ball,” said a regional scout for another team. “He has a solid reputation as a position coach, but there are two major issues with him. One is his background and the other is his personality. He’s never been in charge of a defense in 30 years of coaching, and unlike his friend and mentor Jim Bates, he’s pretty laid back.” Sanders spent 11 seasons at the University of Florida and was passed over on four separate occasions when coach Steve Spurrier needed to find a new defensive coordinator. First, Ron Zook was hired in ’91, then Bob Pruett in ’94, then Bob Stoops in ’96 and finally Jon Hoke in ’99. Sanders was named either assistant defensive coordinator...
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